ACTION Apartment Association

New Regulations for Accessory Dwelling Units in Santa Monica

05/30/2018 9:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – At its meeting on Tuesday, May 22, the Santa Monica City Council approved an ordinance to amend the City’s Zoning Ordinance regarding standards for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). An ADU is a dwelling unit providing complete independent living facilities that is located on a parcel with another, primary single-unit dwelling. ADUs have also been referred to as second dwelling units, in-law units, or granny flats. Independent ADU standards in SMMC Section 9.31.300 have been created separate from the Accessory Building and Structures standards in SMMC Section 9.21.020 to avoid any confusion and conflicts between the standards.

What to know about ADUs in Los Angeles

05/30/2018 8:36 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

These small residences could help solve California’s housing shortage

Amid a profound housing shortage that’s driving up rents and property values statewide, California officials and real estate experts are looking to an often overlooked form of housing as a potential solution: the in-law unit.

Rent Control

05/30/2018 8:26 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Rather than improving the availability of affordable housing, rent control laws exacerbate shortages, cause existing buildings to deteriorate and disproportionately benefit higher-income households. NMHC/NAA urge lawmakers to reject price controls and pursue alternatives such as voucher-based rental assistance to better address critical affordable housing shortages.

Rent Control Board considers support for expanded rent subsidies

05/29/2018 10:21 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Rent Control Board will consider asking City Council to expand rent subsidies for senior citizens following a request from Chairperson Anastasia Foster at their last meeting.

City Hall approved a pilot program, Preserving Our Diversity (POD), in 2017 to set aside about $200,000 to subsidize rent for low-income, long-term residents, aged 62 and older, who live in rent-controlled apartments. A report on the program is due to City Council in the coming months and Foster said she’d been personally tracking the program. She said it was important to pursue varied approaches to affordable housing that didn’t always focus on new construction.

Budget Cuts Loom as Costs Rise at Santa Monica City Hall

05/29/2018 10:08 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

May 29, 2018 -- From cuts to trash collection to keeping vacant jobs unfilled, the Santa Monica City Council is looking at ways to operate during leaner years.

The potential cost saving measures come as the City steels itself against a possible recession amid sky-high employee pensions and other costs.

“We need to be a little ruthless,” said Council Member Gleam Davis as the council took a closer look at the City’s rocky five-year fiscal forecast during its May 22 meeting.

City staff, she said, should start “getting creative” to keep the City in the black.

Council amends rules to allow bigger ADUs

05/29/2018 10:03 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council increased the maximum allowable size for Accessory Dwelling Units on large lots Tuesday, increasing the allowable floor area from 650 square feet to 800 square feet on lots larger than 6,000 square feet. The Council also removed a 250 square foot restriction for second floor ADUs to allow homeowners to build apartments above their garages.

Affordable Housing list opens

05/25/2018 4:01 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Community Corporation of Santa Monica (Community Corp.) has announced the biannual opening of the 2018 Housing Opportunity List. Joining the Housing Opportunity List offers the opportunity to apply for affordable housing with their organization. Beginning May 29, visit 502 Colorado Avenue; select the date and time for the onehour seminar you would like to attend during the week of June 4.

Read More on pg.3: http://backissues.smdp.com/052518.pdf

Myths and Truths about Affordable Housing

05/25/2018 3:54 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Tara Barauskas is the Executive Director of Community Corporation of Santa Monica

Community Corporation’s waiting list is opening for one week on May 29th. Many believe it’s impossible to obtain affordable housing here in Santa Monica.

As the Executive Director of the Community Corporation of Santa Monica (Community Corp.), one of the largest developers of affordable housing in Southern California – I hear many different reasons why potentially eligible individuals and families don’t apply to become residents in our properties.

Some say that there is an endless waiting list. Others believe that it requires overwhelming paperwork and a perfect credit score, or that you need inside connections.

So many of these perceptions are incorrect. I’d like to set the record straight about a few common myths about affordable housing in our community.

City moves to control public employee costs

05/25/2018 3:49 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Facing ballooning pension costs, the City is reorganizing public employees by shuffling vacant positions and eliminating certain jobs. On Tuesday, the City Council approved a proposed operating budget that alters 69 public positions to realign operations.

While the City will add a total of six full-time positions in the next year, seven positions in the airport and broadband departments will be eliminated. Even with the departmental shuffling, the city will need to raise fees to keep up with a 4.4 percent rise in compensation costs for Fiscal Year 2018-2019.

Changing the System in Santa Monica

05/25/2018 3:45 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

With resident rumblings centering on the efficacy of Santa Monica City and its Councilmembers in recent months, a bold move to shake up the voting system and limit sitting terms saw almost 20 thousand petition votes lodged at Santa Monica City Hall Monday morning, May 21.