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New State Housing Laws will Have Little Impact on Santa Monica, City Planning Director Says

08/17/2018 3:24 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

August 16, 2018 -- The California Legislature had a busy year in 2017 addressing the state's housing crunch, but few of the bills signed into law will have an impact on Santa Monica, according to the City's top planning official.

Of the 15 bills Governor Brown signed last year, only a handful will make a dent in Santa Monica, where the issue is largely being addressed at the local level, said David Martin, the City's director of Planning and Community Development.

In a 14-page report to the City Council this month, Martin " highlights bills that have particular relevance to Santa Monica (and) provides an assessment of their expected impacts."

The bills address the state's "housing affordability crisis" by providing funding, streamlining the development process, increasing local accountability, preserving affordable housing and encouraging inclsionary zoning.

Shawn Landres Appointed Santa Monica Planning Commissioner

08/17/2018 3:21 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council appointed Shawn Landres to the Planning Commission at its meeting on August 14th.

Landres is a Senior Fellow at the UCLA Luskin School of Public affairs. He already serves on several boards and commissions, including the Innovation Technology Task Force, and the City's Social Services Commission.

A developer will break ground this month on a mixed-use development at the former Fred Segal store in Santa Monica.

The project, located at 500 Broadway, will consist of a seven-story building containing 249 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments atop nearly 55,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space

Vazquez Council Seat to Likely Open After November Election

08/15/2018 7:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

August 14, 2018 -- A fourth seat on the Santa Monica City Council will likely become vacant when the votes are counted in the race for three open seats November 6.

Councilmember Tony Vazquez indicated last week that he would not attempt to retain his seat if he wins the race for the State Board of Equalization.

Vazquez is expected to defeat Republican candidate G. Rick Marshall in the heavily Democrat Third District, but there has been speculation among local political observers he would try to remain on the Council.

Rent control fuels costliest fight on California 2018 ballot

08/15/2018 7:35 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has poured more than $12 million into a November initiative it's let cities and counties regulate rental control.
Started in 1987 to provide hospice care to AIDS patients, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has grown into a global health care organization similar in size to Planned Parenthood.
Opponents of rent control say it decreases housing supply in a state facing a severe shortage.

Third Slow Growth Activist Drops Potential Council Bid

08/13/2018 2:54 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

August 13, 2018 -- Nine candidates for Santa Monca City Council filed nominating papers by Friday's deadline, with three leaders of the slow-growth movement choosing not to file.

Mary Marlow, who is a sponsor of a term limits measure on the November 6 ballot, was the latest anti-development activist to chose not to run after pulling nominating petitions.

State attempts to facilitate housing may be moot in Santa Monica

08/13/2018 8:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A group of new laws targeting California’s housing shortage will have limited impact in Santa Monica according to a recently released staff report. According to the report,Governor Brown signed 15 housing-related laws last year. While all State laws will be enforceable locally, Santa Monica’s existing rules are either stricter than the state versions or the city will receive limited benefit from the changes.

Read More on pg. 7: http://backissues.smdp.com/081318.pdf

Pro Con pier series continues with rent control debate

08/13/2018 8:45 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Pier’s one-hour debate series Pro Con is back this summer, an event where experts from separate sides of an issue argue for their position while a neutral moderator keeps things civil.

Pro Con has three events left: Rent Control, August 13; Water Desalination, August 20; and Immigration, August 27. All events are from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the west end of the Pier.

Read More on page 1 and 5: http://backissues.smdp.com/081118.pdf

Voting Rights trial heads into third week

08/13/2018 8:24 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

While the City of Santa Monica heads into the third week of defending its election system against a lawsuit alleging it is illegal under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), a separate case is challenging the constitutionality of the law itself. The former mayor of Poway brought the case after his city settled and formed districts rather than face litigation from the same group of attorneys suing Santa Monica.

The lawsuit filed in federal court argues the CVRA violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution because it makes race the deciding factor when drawing electoral districts. The case was brought by the Project on Fair Representation, the same conservative legal defense fund that brought affirmative action in college admissions before the Supreme Court in Abigail Fisher v. University of Texas.

City of Santa Monica Paid for Study Damaging to City's Voting Rights Act Position

08/13/2018 8:21 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Presumably, if the study supported the City's defense of the Voting Rights case, it would have been revealed. Could it be that the study was damaging to the City's defense case? If so, has the City been spending millions on a high priced legal team from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, knowing that their defense of the case is doomed to fail?

Two Santa Monica Ballot Initiatives Draw No Opposing Arguments

08/13/2018 8:12 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

You wouldn't know Santa Monica was embroiled in a development war from the reaction to a ballot initiative that addresses the height of new buildings.

The measure -- which would require a super-majority vote of the City Council to make changes to the City's zoning standards -- will appear on the ballot with no opposing argument.

The development initiative isn't the only measure on the November ballot that failed to draw an argument from opponents.

A measure that would amend the City Charter to allow non-citizens to sit on three City boards and commissions also will appear only with the argument from supporters.