ACTION Apartment Association

Dearth of relevant projects leave impact of Measure SM in question

11/16/2018 12:51 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Few, if any, projects are directly impacted by the passage of Measure SM this month but there’s consensus that the measure will give developers pause before submitting some projects.

Voters approved Measure SM on Nov. 6 with about 71 percent of the vote and it will be in effect for the next 10 years. The measure will require five out of seven City Council members to approve requests to amend the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) and Downtown Community Plan (DCP).

“Yes on SM means developers need not come to Santa Monica with plan-busting projects unless they’re confident the benefits are so spectacular that five, not just four, Councilmembers will agree.”

Apartments.com’s Santa Monica Store

11/16/2018 12:41 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Most online tech companies are doing away with normal brick and mortar establishments. However, Apartments.com just opened up a storefront in Santa Monica.

See video: https://smmirror.com/2018/11/edify-tv-apartments-coms-santa-monica-store/

Attorney in Voting Rights Case “99 Percent Certain” City Will Change to District Elections

11/16/2018 12:40 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos has ruled in favor of the Pico Neighborhood Association in a voting rights case against the City of Santa Monica, putting the future of at-large elections at stake in the City. The decision, which was handed down on November 5 and filed on November 8, was released to the public on November 13, says at-large elections in Santa Monica are in violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CRVA).

Both sides will appear in court December 7 for a post-trial hearing to decide the appropriate solution for violating the CVRA.

While the City said they plan on appealing the ruling, R. Rex Parris of Parris Law Firm, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told the Santa Monica Mirror that he is “99 percent certain” Santa Monica will change to district-based elections.

City Council Orders Study Session on Park Safety

11/16/2018 12:37 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday took steps to address resident fears that Santa Monica's Parks are increasingly being taken over by the homeless.

Careful to separate the issues of crime and homelessness, the Council voted to hold a study session on public satiety in the parks early next year.

Council hears resident pleas for safer parks

11/15/2018 8:36 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Hill and several other residents who spoke at the meeting called on the City to increase police presence in the city’s parks and deploy more maintenance workers to clean up needles and human waste.

County Votes To Cap Rent Increases

11/15/2018 8:31 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

LA County Supervisors voted in favor of an ordinance to temporarily limit rent increases to 3 percent in unincorporated areas of the county.

City Loses Voting Rights Lawsuit Filed by Pico Neighborhood Association, Tentatively

11/15/2018 8:28 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In an open letter to the City Council, Armen Melkonians urged them not to appeal the decision. "Do not waste millions more of our Tax Payer money fighting the voter rights of the minorities in our City. "

City of SM: Statement on Tentative CVRA Decision

11/14/2018 9:08 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – “We received today the court’s tentative ruling. We are disappointed that it contains no reasoning in support of the court’s decision, which we believe is based on an unjustified adoption of the plaintiffs’ misguided and unsupported view of the law.

City Plans to Appeal Decision in Voting Rights Case

11/14/2018 8:27 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica plans to appeal a Superior Court decision that it violated the California Voting Rights Act by discriminating against minority voters, City officials said Tuesday afternoon.

The decision to appeal came about one hour after the parties in the lawsuit received a tentative ruling by Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos against the City and set a hearing to propose an appropriate remedy for December 7 ("Plaintiffs Win Voting Rights Suit Against the City of Santa Monica," November 13, 2018).

Plaintiffs Win Voting Rights Suit Against the City of Santa Monica

11/14/2018 8:26 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In a historic decision that could radically change the makeup of the City Council, a Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of the Latino plaintiffs in a voting rights lawsuit against the City.

In her tentative decision -- sent by mail on Friday and received by plaintiffs and the defense on Tuesday -- Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos found the City had violated the plaintiffs' rights under the California Voting Rights Act.

She also ruled in favor of the plaintiffs' claim that in 1946 and 1992 the City deliberately discriminated against Latinos by refusing to implement district elections.