In a video released on Wednesday, Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud informed the public of the steps being taken by her department regarding the homeless on the street.

The department's Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) consists of 8 police officers, one sergeant, and a worker from the Department of Mental Health. The unit now operates 7 days a week, often starting as early as 4 am.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2019/02/15/news/police-chief-on-upgraded-homeless-liaison-program-the-cannots-and-will-nots/3822.html

SMa.r.t.

The Plaza at Santa Monica asks a simple question: Is our downtown the real center of our City or is it just a giant ATM for developers? If it is to be the center of our city, it needs to have a commanding central open space that can be a “there” there for the entire City.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2019/02/is-santa-monicas-heart-for-sale/

Glendale landlords will soon have to offer their tenants a one-year lease and pony up relocation fees if the rent is hiked more than 7% and the tenant opts to leave, punctuating a years-long discussion by city officials about how to prevent rising local rents from displacing residents.

Read More: https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/news/tn-gnp-me-glendale-right-to-lease-20190213-story.html

Since 1978, the nonprofit Affordable Living for the Aging, or ALA, has been connecting people like Laurette with people like Cate as part of its home-sharing program for seniors. One year ago, ALA matched Cate as a roommate with Laurette.

Read More: https://www.curbed.com/2019/2/13/18212528/culver-city-los-angeles-senior-affordable-living-for-aging

In 2018, the City and its State advocates pursued advancement of Council policies and priorities in Sacramento by actively monitoring or taking a position on 82 pieces of legislation, many of which tie in directly to outcomes in the City’s Framework for a Sustainable City of Wellbeing.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/where-we-stand-policies-and-priorities

The Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City (SMCLC) -- which helped usher in a slow-growth movement more than a decade ago -- has terminated its political action committee.

In its terminating campaign disclosure statement filed December 27, the group reported spending $4,306 on the November 6 race for three Council seats.

The Coalition, which only endorsed incumbent Sue Himmelrich, is waiting to see what future Santa Monica elections might hold, said its founder Diana Gordon.http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/February%202019/02_13_2019_Santa_Monica_Coalition_Pauses_Political_Activities.html

Read More: 

The lack of affordable housing, rent control, and meaningful diversity across all gender identities, sexual orientations and ethnic backgrounds are realities that Sepi Shyne finds disturbing in the city she’s called home for more than a decade, and that’s the catalyst behind her decision to run for the West Hollywood City Council.
Read More: https://www.goweho.com/social-justice-drives-sepi-shyne/16040

The Oregon Senate voted 17-11 Tuesday to make Oregon the first state in the nation to adopt statewide rent control and make it harder for landlords to evict tenants without a reason.

The bill now moves to the House.

Read More: https://www.opb.org/news/article/rent-control-oregon-senate-pass/

Two challengers outspent the three incumbents by more than $60,000 in a relatively quiet race for three open seats on the Santa Monica City Council November 6.

The race between seven candidates, the smallest field in at least three decades, saw candidates spend a total of $358,708.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/February%202019/02_12_2019_Challengers_Easily_Outspend_Incumbents_in_Santa_Monica_Council_Race.html

The City Council has long sought the repeal or reform of the Ellis Act, a state law which allows owners of rent-controlled properties to evict tenants and to pursue other uses of their properties provided they don’t re-enter the rental market for at least five years. Every loss of controlled rental stock is painful to a Council which has made the affordability of housing for low and moderate income households a priority, but unfortunately state law preempts local authority.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/letters-to-the-editor-repeal-or-reform-ellis-act/172769