SUBJECT: Public Hearing and Second Reading of an Ordinance of the City of Santa Monica updating seismic retrofit requirements for potentially seismically vulnerable buildings and updating tenant protection laws...

DATE/TIME: TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2017, AT 5:30 P.M

Read More on page 11: http://backissues.smdp.com/031317.pdf

Talking about repealing Vacancy Decontrol by itself, could reduce the supply of housing.

One of the more depressing tricks employed by people who favor more government control of everything is this: Put government controls on a business, which causes problems, and then use the problems as a justification for more government controls.

It's like trying to reverse a case of alcohol poisoning with a jug of moonshine.

Nowhere is the "here, drink this," cure more discouraging than in the housing market. Just recently, Assembly member Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) and two co-sponsors introduced AB 1506, a bill to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.

Read More:  http://www.smobserved.com/story/2017/03/11/politics/reckless-bill-to-repeal-limits-on-rent-control-will-make-housing-crisis-worse/2723.html

City code enforcement officers are about to get some new tools to go after vacant buildings in Santa Monica. On Tuesday, the City Council approved new measures that would force buildings owners to either get to work or tear down a building or pay a fine.

The ordinance also allows code enforcement to go after deteriorating properties, hazardous trees and overgrown vegetation.

A November report found 29 vacant properties in the 8-square-mile city. Half of them are single family homes, ten are apartment buildings and three are commercial properties. 

Read More: http://smdp.com/vacant-buildings-subject-to-new-scrutiny-and-fines/160058

Measure S, the measure that would have restricted major developments in the city of Los Angeles, was overwhelmingly defeated at the polls on Tuesday, prompting a sigh of relief from business groups, developers and affordable housing advocates.

Meanwhile, Measure H, a countywide quarter-cent increase in the sales tax strongly backed by business groups, appeared to be eking out a narrow victory, with support barely exceeding the two-thirds majority needed to pass.

Read More: http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2017/mar/08/anti-development-measure-trounced-polls-sales-tax-/

Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors hosts the 2017 Annual Meeting “The Future of Mid City – Medicine, Marijuana and Miatas”, Saturday, March 11 at the Edye Second Stage at Broad Stage. at 11th Street and Santa Monica Blvd.

Doors Open at 10:30 a.m., Program 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Read More:  http://smmirror.com/2017/03/sm_mid_city_neighbors_annual_2017_meeting/

A new study confirms what many Angelenos already know in their heart of hearts: Sooner or later, the San Andreas Fault will will wreak havoc on Los Angeles.

A study released this month by the US Geological Survey examines 11 previous earthquakes that have occurred on the Big Bend section of the southern San Andreas Fault near Frazier Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest. Major earthquakes have ruptured at this site close to the Grapevine every 100 years or so, according to geological evidence examined by researchers.

Read More: http://la.curbed.com/2017/3/7/14834540/los-angeles-earthquake-study-big-one-magnitude

By Michael Millman

On February 17, 2017, Assemblyperson Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica),

Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), Assemblyperson Bota (Oakland) and

Assemblyperson Chiu (San Francisco) introduced AB 1506, designed to

repeal the Costa-Hawkins Fair Housing Act, 1995.

COSTA-HAWKINS was enacted to address draconian and arcane Rent

Control policies in West Hollywood, San Francisco, Santa Monica and

Berkeley.

You need to call, write and email, stating simply: “I am opposed to AB 1506.”

Read More: Rent Control Report Update 3.5.17.pdf

About twenty minutes into the late night meeting, Councilmember Sue Himmelrich finally made a statement everyone could agree on.

“I feel as if every time I come into this room, everyone is so angry,” she said.

The crowd of about thirty activists and members of the North of Montana Neighborhood Association mumbled and nodded in approval. The laundry list of complaints during the Thursday night meeting ran the gamut: perceived over-development of the City, tourists, staff incompetence and government waste. Himmelrich kept trying to bring the room back to the topic at hand: city salaries.

“We can’t go back. This is our situation today,” said the councilwoman. “We cannot do wholesale firing of entire departments and we can’t roll back pensions.”

Read More: http://smdp.com/too-late-to-turn-the-tide-on-santa-monica-salaries/159996

A thicket of mature trees and plants frame a hidden, underground entrance to Ocean’s Eleven Plaza. Visitors descend a staircase and pass a tiled lobby with a bubbling fountain and shaded park bench. Inside the wood-paneled elevator time ticks by a little slower as you creep up to the third floor.

“What could be better than living here?” asks Sandy Roth, the building’s oldest tenant and longtime landlord. She’s used to selling the units to prospective renters. After 41 years, you would be hard pressed to find a building manager in Santa Monica who has been doing it longer than her.

Read More: http://smdp.com/wilmont-landlord-still-going-strong-after-40-years/159986

Assembly Democrats on Friday announced a slew of proposed new laws  aimed at bringing the Bay Area’s sky-high prices back to earth.

One is AB 1506. It would allow local governments to create and impose rent control

“It’s a very controversial bill, but you have to look at both sides of the economic equation,” said California State Assembly member Richard Bloom.

Read More: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/03/03/proposed-law-to-expand-rent-control-raises-ire-of-landlords/