February 27, 2017 -- In Santa Monica, the glittering waves of the Pacific beckon, the beach sand in warm and inviting, palm trees sway in a gentle breeze and the sun (almost) always shines. But don’t expect much if you want to rent an apartment there.

A new analysis by a company that tracks costs and trends nationwide for residential rentals looked at what $1,500 a month for rent buys prospective tenants these days.

The answer in Santa Monica’s case is 360 square feet, or $4.18 per square foot, according to statistics from apartmentlist.com.

San Francisco and New York City were, as usual, home to the nation’s most expensive rents, and, in this case, for the least amount of space.

But Santa Monica was closing in.

Read More:  http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/February-2018/02_27_2018_Cost_Per_Square_Foot_in_Santa_Monica_Rivals_Wealthiest_Cities_in_U.S..html

The Rent Control Board wants to hear from more landlords and tenants as they continue to tackle the thorny issue of tax and bond surcharges on rental rates. While the Board recently voted 5-0 in January to sunset the surcharges for new tenants and new property owners, the move was not retroactive and thousands of Santa Monica renters still pay the fees.

The surcharges vary greatly from property to property and are often based on the building’s latest assessment. The median monthly surcharge is $20.73, however, some tenants have seen their pass-through costs skyrocket with Santa Monica’s booming real estate market. Under Proposition 13, a property’s taxes are re-assessed in the event of a sale or significant remodel. Tenants at a rent-controlled property at Ocean Avenue and Montana Avenue have seen their monthly surcharges surpass $100 a month.

Read More: http://smdp.com/board-seeking-public-input-before-changing-tax-rules-for-rent-control/164632

The Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA) is pleased to announce the selection of the following 6 owners for the award of Project Based Housing Choice Vouchers...

Read More on page 3: http://backissues.smdp.com/022718.pdf

Trulia uses crime reports to provide valuable information on the relative safety of homes in the U.S. Use the map below to learn more about crime activity in and around Santa Monica.

Read More: https://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Santa_Monica-California/crime/

by Mike Bonin

In nearly every corner of Los Angeles, there are homeless encampments — collections of flimsy tents, usually within mere feet of a school, a park, a business, or someone’s home. Their presence invariably sparks a neighborhood debate, with loud voices proclaiming that “those people” are there by choice.

It’s not politically correct to admit it, but it’s true: most people in Los Angeles are homeless by choice. Our choice, not theirs.

Read More: http://smdp.com/your-column-here-homeless-by-choice/164642

Police officers are actively searching for a suspect connected to a violent home invasion attempt near Santa Monica High School at about 3:30 a.m. Friday morning. According to Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez, officers were called to the 1700 block of 5th Street (between Santa Monica High School and the Doubletree Hotel) for an “unknown trouble” call in an apartment complex.

Read More on page 1: http://backissues.smdp.com/022418.pdf

But now cities and counties around the state face the strong possibility of a new law that would essentially nullify local land use and zoning plans crafted through years of public hearings and detailed analysis.

This comes in the guise of fighting homelessness and California’s severe housing shortage, which has contributed to driving up rents and real estate prices to the point where many California employers have trouble retaining workers because they can live elsewhere much more cheaply.

The proposed plan takes the form of a state Senate bill sponsored by San Francisco Democrat Scott Wiener that would essentially take all zoning and land use authority away from cities and counties in areas close to mass transit.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2018/02/zoning-nullification-end-local-control/

Airbnb is dispatching inspectors to rate some of the properties listed on its home-rental service in an effort to reassure travelers they’re booking nice places to stay.

The Plus program, unveiled Thursday, is aimed at winning over travelers who aren’t sure they can trust the current, computer-driven analysis of reviews posted by past guests. The misleading pictures drawn by Airbnb’s rating system have become a big enough problem to spawn a website devoted to horror stories spanning from an overcrowded, dirty “hippy commune ” in Pasadena, California, to a Paris vacation ruined in a moldy, bug-infested apartment.

Read More: http://smdp.com/airbnb-unveils-new-category-of-rentals-rated-by-inspectors/164569

Hundreds of new apartments have been approved for Lincoln Blvd. between Olympic and Colorado and work is now underway on two new buildings.

The Arroyo, a 64 unit affordable housing project by Community Corp of Santa Monica broke ground last year and is now taking shape on the block. Across the street, officials have broken ground on The Lincoln Collection, a pair of apartment buildings that will total about 280 units.

Read More: http://smdp.com/construction-begins-on-new-apartments-on-lincoln-blvd/164580

A recent study commissioned by the City of Santa Monica is shedding light on the current staffing and compensation situation of the City.

One key finding of the Moss Adams report is that “Santa Monica had the highest median management level cash wages among peer cities at $214,842, which is 14.5 percent ($187,689) above the peer median…Santa Monica does not have a formal compensation philosophy or policy that guides the City’s compensation setting process.”

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2018/02/cash-flow-city-wage-focus-median-management-salaries-soar-peer-cities/