ACTION Apartment Association

Santa Monica Planning Officials Assuage Fears of Downzoning Pico Boulevard

09/24/2018 9:06 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

September 21, 2018 -- Some Pico Boulevard business owners are growing increasingly worried the busy thoroughfare will be downzoned as part of a plan City officials are embarking on to help preserve the neighborhood.

City planning officials say the fears surrounding the plan -- which is meant to address a wave of gentrification Pico Neighborhood residents worry is threatening the character and affordable housing supply -- are unfounded.

"We are at the very beginning of the process," Planning Director David Martin told the Lookout Friday. "There are definitely no proposals on the table to make any changes in zoning.

After years of dramatic increases, rents are finally showing signs of slowing

09/24/2018 8:58 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

After a remarkable run-up in housing costs that has crimped budgets, forced families from their neighborhoods and contributed to homelessness, it appears rent growth is slowing in Southern California and across the nation.

Experts attribute the tapering in part to an increase in new apartment buildings that, although not giving tenants the upper hand, is giving them a bit more leverage than in years past.

SMRR Basically Endorses the Incumbents for Santa Monica City Council

09/24/2018 8:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica has more than its fair share of drama over local elections. The powerful and longtime influential group of Santa Monicans for Renter's Rights (SMRR) has recently noticed fierce (if futile) attacks from new groups of residents opposed to their policies of rampant over-development, unwise fiscal policy, and anti-business positions. Measure TL, which would impose term limits on city council seats that are now effective lifetime positions, is one heroic attempt to wrest some small measure of power from this group, which has handpicked city council members and dominated Santa Monica's civic life for the past four decades.

Conflicting reports seek to guide voters on Prop 10

09/24/2018 8:48 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Two recent reports out of Berkeley further muddy the water for voters considering whether to vote for Proposition 10, the grassroots initiative that would repeal a state law limiting rent control. If Prop 10 passes, cities like Santa Monica could potentially expand rent control to newer buildings or once again cap rents for new tenants.

Star City Attempt to Solve California Housing Crisis with New Solutions

09/24/2018 8:41 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Despite a severe housing shortage in California, Jon Dishotsky noticed that 60 percent of living spaces was not being used. Living rooms are not actually being lived in. Kitchens are empty most of the time. At the same time, he recalled his father, a Stanford psychology professor, renting rooms to students. From these observations, he came to an idea for a revolutionary new mode of housing, the community-based living experience.

Dishotsky's startup, Starcity, takes underutilized buildings, particularly multi-family, hotel, and office buildings, and converts them into "residential co-living properties."

Incumbents racking up endorsements

09/18/2018 4:38 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A flurry of endorsements for local races was announced today with three organizations taking positions on candidates and/or ballot measures.

Incumbents were generally favored across all races but in some cases, the number of endorsed candidates didn’t match the number of open seats.

Sign up or view your E-Sample Ballot today

09/18/2018 8:44 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

E-Sample Ballot is simply an electronic version of your sample ballot that is accessible via email. Voters who would like to sign up for the E-Sample Ballot subscription may do so by clicking the link.

Santa Monica Forward Endorses Two Incumbents, Challenger

09/17/2018 8:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

September 17, 2018 -- City Councilmember Kevin McKeown, long considered a slow-growth advocate, has received the endorsement of Santa Monica Forward, a political group largely backed by developers.

The pro-growth group also endorsed incumbent Pam O'Connor and challenger Greg Moreno for three open seats on the City Council, the Lookout has learned.

The endorsement by the group -- which spent nearly $744,000 to defeat slow-growth Measure LV on the 2016 ballot -- is expected to come with a hefty developer warchest to independently back the three candidates.

Chronicle Recommends: No on Prop. 10

09/17/2018 8:48 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By suppressing the supply of homes through restrictive zoning and other means, local government officials have done more than most to plunge California into the current housing crisis. Proposition 10 would entrust another vast swath of housing policy to the very same officials — and probably yield similar results.

Prop 10 threatens California’s ability to fix the affordable housing crisis

09/17/2018 8:45 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The most immediate threat to a housing solution is Prop 10, the well-intentioned but flawed rental housing initiative that will be on the ballot this November. If passed, this initiative will make the housing crisis worse, not better. Most importantly, it doesn’t increase the number of affordable housing units in the state, nor does it make it easier to build affordable housing in communities of color. It provides incentives for landlords to convert rental units to condos or short-term vacation rentals, further reducing the number of rental units available drives up costs even higher.