ACTION Apartment Association

Rent Control Needs Retirement, Not a Comeback

02/08/2018 9:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The definition of policy insanity is to repeat the same mistake and hope for a different, better outcome.

According to the Wall Street Journal, rent control seems to be making a retro comeback. Most forms of intelligent life could be forgiven for asking why.

Serial experimentation with this policy has repeatedly shown the same result. Initially, tenants rejoice, and rent control looks like a victory for the poor over the landlord class. But the stifling of price signals leads to problems. Rent control starts by producing some sort of redistribution, because the people with low rents at the time that controls are imposed tend to be relatively low-income.

Supporters Hope Term Limits for Santa Monica Council is Idea 'Whose Time Has Come'

02/07/2018 1:45 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Now, backers of term-limits for the council’s seven members are trying to put the issue before voters during the General Election this fall -- and hoping the past will not haunt them.

“There’s nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come,” said Mary Marlow, head of the Santa Monica Transparency Project, a City government watchdog group.

Preschool Approved on Delaware Ave

02/07/2018 1:44 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Part of a trend of schools in R1 Santa Monica neighborhoods

Over numerous resident objections, the Santa Monica City Council has turned down an appeal from a decision to allow a 20 student preschool at 2953 Delaware Avenue.

They did add about 60 conditions to the preschool, intended to abate noise, traffic and the like.

The Gandara Park neighborhood mobilized against the proposed preschool.

Curious City: I’ll Raise Your Full House… by Charles Andrews

02/07/2018 7:59 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

What are we, Santa Monica?

Aren’t we the refuge at the end of the freeway? Gateway to the vast blue Pacific Ocean, seen just over the serene shoulders of St. Monica? The rejuvenating Central Park for the ginormous, sprawling Los Angeles, a much-needed breath of fresh air, blue skies, tall palm trees? A sunny, open, casual walking place that draws people from all over LA and all over the world and has for 150 years, for its charms, its history, its ambiance, its distinct sense of place?

Or are we just another indistinguishable slice of LA? Make it all look the same. Build tall buildings, bring in lots more people to live in this already jam-packed 8.4 square miles, snarl the traffic, block out the sun, hide the palm trees, up the crime rate, build a row of really tall buildings overlooking the ocean, a 12-story hotel where we need a town center park, rip out trees, squander our water funds, make housing unaffordable to all but the very well off, commercialize residential neighborhoods, kill diversity, evict longtime citizens and leave no place for their children. Because that’s the path we’re on, with what’s been built and what’s been approved and what’s in the pipeline. The city you knew even five years ago, is being built over. Why? It’s insane. Are we asking for that? I don’t hear it. From the people who live here.

Would Getting Rid of Costa Hawkins Provide More Affordable Housing?

02/07/2018 7:53 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

DEEGAN ON LA-Now that it’s been killed in committee, the attempt to repeal the Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a state law that prohibits rent control in new housing constructed after 1995, moves the controversial subject from the hands and minds of state legislators to the voices and votes of the public through a prospective ballot initiative in November.

Both pro and con forces are referring to the very relevant issue of what is “affordable” housing when arguing for and against Costa Hawkins. Those for rent control (and against Costa Hawkins) often can’t afford to rent where they want without rent controls in place, while those against rent control (and for Costa Hawkins to remain in place), can’t afford to make profits by owning buildings where rent control is enforced.

ACTION is Co-Sponsoring - A Fair Housing Seminar

02/06/2018 12:26 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Tuesday April 24th 9am-noon

Limited Seating - Reserve Now

(at Santa Monica Public Library)

REGISTER BY CLICKING ON

THE LINK BELOW:

http://calendar.smgov.net/other/eventsignup.asp?ID=886&rts=&disptype=&ret=eventcalendar.asp&pointer=inhouse&returnToSearch=&SignupType=inhouse&num=0&ad=&dt=mo&mo=4%2F1%2F2018&df=calendar&EventType=ALL&Lib=ALL&AgeGroup=ALL&LangType=0&WindowMode=&noheader=&lad=&pub=1&nopub=&page=&pgdisp=

Or Call 310 458-8691

Mayor Ted Winterer's State of the City Address

02/06/2018 12:24 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

February 6, 2018 -- On February 1, Mayor Ted Winterer delivered the annual State of the City Address. Following is the text of his speech.

Good evening, everyone.

As you just saw, 2017 was an amazing and productive year, and 2018 brings new challenges.

Five Mixed-Use Apartment Projects Go to Santa Monica Planning

02/06/2018 8:28 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

February 5, 2018 -- Five mixed-use apartment projects, most of them downtown and all from three to five stories in height, go to the Santa Monica Planning Commission on Wednesday, as the City’s future of greater density -- but also more housing -- continues to roll forward.

In all, the developments will total 211,415 square feet and would add 243 multi-family housing units, although less than eight percent are reserved as “affordable.”

The Downtown Community Plan (DCP) reserved up to 30 percent of units in such apartment complexes as “affordable” housing, or 35 percent if the units are being built off-site.

However, the DCP does not apply to pending projects where “applications were deemed complete prior to November 16, 2016,” as one report by City planners noted -- which encompasses most of housing developments now rolling out of the City’s development pipeline.

Prosecutors’ review includes work at home owned by 2 Santa Monica politicians

02/05/2018 7:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Prosecutors reviewing possible conflicts of interest involving Santa Monica politicians have widened their inquiry to include architecture work at a home belonging to a school board member and a city councilman, a spokeswoman with the district attorney’s office confirmed last week.

Meanwhile, the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission has opened its own investigation into the politicians’ business ties, an FPPC spokesman told The Times.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office first launched its inquiry in November after a Times article detailed how Maria Leon-Vazquez — a board member overseeing Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District — cast several votes approving hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts with her husband’s consulting clients.

Lincoln Boulevard transformation continues

02/05/2018 7:14 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Lincoln Boulevard transformation continues with two more developments seeking approval

Two proposed mixed-use buildings along busy Lincoln Boulevard will go before the Planning Commission Wednesday. There are the latest properties bringing hundreds of new apartments and thousands of square feet of commercial space to one of Santa Monica’s busiest boulevards. Both properties are owned by WNMS Communities, a spin-off of NMS Properties, the largest manager of apartment complexes in Santa Monica.

1318 Lincoln Blvd

A total of four units will be saved for very low income households, including two one-bedroom units (600 square feet) and two, two bedroom (850 square feet) apartments.

1650 Lincoln Boulevard

Eight units will be reserved for very-low income residents, including four one-bedroom (600 square feet) and four two-bedroom (850 square feet) apartments.