ACTION Apartment Association

COURT FINDS THAT RCB ACTED CAPRICIOUSLY AND GRANTED ATTORNEYS' FEES TO THE PROPERTY OWNER

01/22/2019 10:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

On January 15, 2019 a Santa Monica Superior Court Judge awarded attorneys' fees and costs to an apartment building owner finding that the Rent Control Board acted "capriciously" in revoking a permit removing the property from rent control after over 20 years of repeatedly reaffirming its status as exempt from rent control.

AND: Notice of Ruling re attys fees conformed copy.pdf

City avoids Section 8 lawsuit

01/22/2019 10:08 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica has settled a potential lawsuit over payments for Section 8 tenants.

A private housing provider had threatened to sue the City alleging payments amounts for Section 8 tenants were too low for current tenants. The city disputed the claim and the settlement compromise allows for higher payments for new tenants but retains lower payment amounts for existing tenants.

The terms of the settlement would enable application of the most current maximum payment amount approved by HUD for all new Section 8 voucher holders in SAMO Apartments and maintain the current rental amounts for existing voucher holders in SAMO Apartments.”

Does City Council Have the Votes to Appoint a New Member

01/22/2019 9:53 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

While nearly a dozen of the 76 candidates who submitted applications have been elected or appointed to major boards and commissions, it is unclear whether any of them has four of the six votes needed to fill the seat vacated by Tony Vazquez.

The Council, five of whose six current members are former Planning Commissioners, has traditionally turned to the powerful board when choosing a new member.

And among the applicants, there are three who fit the bill -- Commissioners Jason Perry and Richard McKinnon, and former commissioner Jennifer Kennedy.

Does Santa Monica’s New Water Ordinance “Hold Water”? (Part 2)

01/21/2019 10:00 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By SM.a.r.t

The new Ordinance states that residents that exceed their allowance will incur penalties for noncompliance – up to $ 1,000 for a third offense. If the crisis worsens, as is likely, the permitted water usage could decline by an additional 50 percent at the City’s discretion. Ironically, those who used the most water in the past would be rewarded with greater allowances going forward. Those who have already cut their usage will be ‘penalized’ with lower allowances in the future. Will a new family with kids that take nightly baths cause an empty nest family to exceed their allowance? The current plan is well-intentioned but poorly conceived. If the City’s route to “water neutrality” is perceived as being unattainable and unfair, it risks failure. There is too much at stake allow this to happen.

Financial Forecast Cloudy as City Prepares to Unveil New Budget

01/21/2019 9:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

While the forecast for the City’s General Fund calls for a "modest revenue growth averaging 2.3 annually," a projected $467 million unfunded pension liability could drive the City into increasing debt, officials warned.

The forecast -- which will be presented to the City Council next week -- lays the framework for a Proposed Biennial Budget for Fiscal Year 2019-21 that will be the subject of two study sessions on June 4 and 5, officials said.

The report's ten-year projections show annual general fund revenues dropping under a "probable case scenario" from a $1.1 million surplus in the 2019-20 Fiscal Year to $31.5 million in the red in 2028-29.

AND

http://backissues.smdp.com/011919.pdf

76 applicants for vacant council seat

01/18/2019 8:46 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City Council will decide between 76 applicants Tuesday to fill the seat vacated by Tony Vazquez.

Council hopefuls had until noon Thursday to apply for the seat and a variety of people have decided they want a greater say in local politics, including members of several city boards and commissions, the co-chair of the Pico Neighborhood Association and even Vazquez’s wife, Maria Leon-Vazquez.

Political Heavy-Weights Submit Last-Minute Applications for Council Seat

01/18/2019 8:39 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A former mayor, two Planning Commissioners, two School Board members, a Rent Control Board member and a member of the College Board of Trustees submitted their applications Thursday morning for an open seat on the Santa Monica City Council.

As expected, several of the front-runners hoping to be appointed to the seat vacated by Tony Vazquez waited until the final hours before the Thursday noon deadline to submit their applications.

They were among 76 candidates who applied over the past week, easily a record number that was likely aided by the widely publicized opening
and the ease of applying online.

School Board Member Maria Leon-Vazquez Applies for Husband's Council Seat

01/18/2019 8:33 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

School Board member Maria Leon-Vazquez on Thursday submitted an application to fill the seat on the Santa Monica City Council vacated by her husband Tony Vazquez this month.

Leon-Vazquez was one of 11 candidates whose applications were posted on the final day, joining a record 54 candidates whose applications were posted before the noon deadline.

Field of Council Candidates Grows, Few Have Board or Commission Experience

01/18/2019 8:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

With the Thursday deadline fast approaching, a record 43 candidates had applied for an open seat on the Santa Monica City Council as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

And while a handful are civic or business leaders, almost all of the applicants so far have never served on City or civic boards, which the Council views as a highly desired qualification.

So far the only candidates who have served on major civic boards or City boards and commissions are Albin Gielicz, Robert Kronovet and Eddie Guerboian

Inglewood residents ask City Council for rent control

01/18/2019 8:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The demonstration was set in motion by a proposed 150 percent rent increase by a property investment company on East 99th Street in Inglewood that went viral on social media in late December, catching the eye of Mayor James T. Butts Jr.

“We’re not going to be pushed into somebody’s idea of what a solution is but what we’re going to do is make sure that people aren’t pushed in mass out of apartment buildings,” said Butts, who advocated on behalf of those specific tenants for a six-month moratorium on any rent increases until July 1.

After that, instead of a 150 percent increase, renters will see a 28 percent increase from $1,150 to $1,475 a month, which Butts said is still way under the market rate of $1,800 in Inglewood.