ACTION Apartment Association

Santa Monica Gets Even Tougher on Short-Term Vacation Rental 'Hosts'

01/12/2017 10:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

January 12, 2017 -- The City Council on Tuesday modified Santa Monica's law on short-term vacation rentals -- already among the nation’s toughest -- to help prevent scofflaw hosts, as well as to try to shield the City from more legal attacks from industry giants like Airbnb.

The City Council voted 4-0 to require all “home sharing” hosts to not only register with the City but have their information published on a special registry compiled by the City. Santa Monica’s “Home-Sharing Registry” amended law will also prohibit hosting platforms, like Airbnb and Home Away, from completing business with short-term rental hosts who are not listed.

and

http://smdp.com/home-share-rules/159275

NMS accuses hedge fund of conspiracy to steal hundreds of local apartments

01/11/2017 2:21 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica’s largest apartment owner fired another shot in the battle over ownership of nine luxury properties in Santa Monica and Los Angeles, accusing Boston-based hedge fund AEW Capital Management of a “sophisticated conspiracy” to steal the properties.

In new documents filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, NMS Properties’ CEO Neil Shekhter accuses AEW of conspiring with real estate investors to eventually “flip” the buildings to make more than $100 million in profit.

Hate-Related Harassment on the Rise

01/11/2017 2:19 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By Gary Rhoades, Deputy City Attorney

With regard to Santa Monica tenants, the City Attorney’s Office enforces the fair housing and anti-harassment laws that protect us from such conduct.

The fair housing laws prohibit owners from treating tenants (or applicants) differently because of their race, national origin, religion or gender. Almost fifty years after the first fair housing laws were passed in 1968, it’s rare for a landlord to express aloud their discriminatory motives.

Santa Monica City Manager's Comments Anger More Community Activists

01/10/2017 11:48 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

January 10, 2017 -- City Manager Rick Cole on Sunday was under verbal attack for the second time in a week, this time for what community groups say are comments meant to “deride” and undermine their credibility.

The dispute stemmed from a January 4 appearance Cole and City Council Member Sue Himmelrich made before the Wilshire Montana (or Wilmont) Neighborhood Association, in which the talk was mostly about high compensation for City employees ("'Serious Community Discussion' Needed on Santa Monica Employee Compensation, City Manager Says," January 7, 2017).

Although the session itself was not always friendly, what irked a leading critic most was Cole’s follow-up email to the City Council and City staff.

Asbestos concerns rattle tenants at developer’s latest project

01/09/2017 8:46 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The twin buildings at 1238 and 1242 10th Street are now owned by a partnership: 1238 10thStreet, LLC. The signature on the deed is that of Neil Shekhter, the CEO of NMS Properties, Inc, a major property manager and developer in Santa Monica. Eric Rose, a spokesman NMS Properties said that they are not the owner or property manager, however, an official document filed to the Air Quality Management District regarding the asbestos abatement was printed on NMS stationary and written by their senior development associate.

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http://smdp.com/tenants-seek-help-after-asbestos-dust-found-in-their-apartments/159238

New Interim City Attorney Appointed: Salary – $26,024 a month

01/09/2017 8:29 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The 30-year veteran of the City Attorney’s Office will lead the office while a national search for Marsha Jones Moutrie’s replacement is conducted. He will receive a monthly salary of $26,024, according to the City.

The City Council has chosen Assistant City Attorney Joseph Lawrence to serve as Interim City Attorney after the retirement of Marsha Jones Moutrie last month. Joe has been with the City Attorney’s Office since 1986.

Opinion: SMa.r.t: Our 2017 Wish List

01/09/2017 8:27 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Each year begins with new hopes and dreams and the wish that our lives and our world will become better. With that in mind, SMart takes a look at Santa Monica and expresses our fervent wish for actions that will shape an improved city in 2017.

Control of Santa Monica Developer's Pending Projects Shifted to New, Possibly Related, Company

01/09/2017 8:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

January 9, 2017 -- Santa Monica-based NMS Properties announced Friday that it would voluntarily cede control of all its residential development projects in various stages of the approval pipeline, including 20 in Santa Monica, to a newly formed company named WNMS.

Heading the new company is Scott Walker, who, according to a press release announcing the move, "recently served" as executive vice president of NMS for acquisitions and development.

and

http://smdp.com/santa-monicas-largest-developer-splits-into-new-company/159225

Short term rental rules return for revisions

01/07/2017 9:06 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The report said recent court rulings have prompted the proposed discussion to see if provisions of the City’s laws can be strengthened. “Staff is therefore proposing some minor amendments to clarify some terms and requirements related to the creation of a home-sharing registry and the publishing of that registry,” said the report.

Read More on page 1 and 10: http://backissues.smdp.com/010717.pdf

'Serious Community Discussion' Needed on Santa Monica Employee Compensation, City Manager Says

01/06/2017 11:14 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

January 6, 2017 -- Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole was on the defensive earlier this week about the hot topic of City employee compensation during a meeting of the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont).

Cole, who spoke at the meeting with City Councilmember Sue Himmelrich, faced a somewhat hostile crowd that complained of what one person called an "exorbitant compensation rate" for Santa Monica employees.