Santa Monica Ballot Could Include Tax Measure for Homeless Services

07/11/2016 7:12 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 11, 2016 -- A tax to support countywide homeless services could be one of several tax measures on the ballot in November for Santa Monica voters.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is expected to consider one of several options at its meeting on Tuesday.

Downtown Santa Monica Officials Unveil New Survey App

07/11/2016 7:10 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 11, 2016 -- Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) has launched a new app that allows visitors to quickly weigh in on their vision for the beach city's thriving central business district.

Santa Monica citizens in the dark as planning goes rogue

07/09/2016 10:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By SMa.r.t. on July 9, 2016

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of columns on the neighborhoods of Santa Monica, addressing resident experiences with the impacts of development.

Northeast Neighbors made front-page news in 2013 when the neighborhood group exposed a “mistake” on the official planning map in the City of Santa Monica’s new general plan, the Land Use and Circulation Element. A small surface parking lot behind the Bank of America property at Berkeley Street and Wilshire Boulevard had been changed from residential to commercial, and this change made it possible for the developer to plan a 5-story, 100-unit mixed-use project to be built across the two properties.

Santa Monica anti-corruption laws amended

07/09/2016 10:19 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City Council approved several reforms to the anti-corruption laws at its June 28 meeting with the intent to seek voter approval in November.

$345 Million Santa Monica College Bond Measure Placed on Ballot

07/07/2016 12:06 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 7, 2016 -- For the fourth time since 2002, residents will vote in November whether to support facilities improvements at Santa Monica College after the Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday to place a $345 million bond measure on the ballot.

This bond would be funded through a property tax costing $8.56 per month for the average Santa Monica homeowner and $1.59 per month for the average renter, SMC officials said.

Residents Oppose $345 Million SMC Bond Measure

Three Santa Monica Landlords Granted Permission to Move into Their Vacant Buildings

07/06/2016 1:27 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 6, 2016 -- One is a modest 1911 bungalow in Santa Monica’s Ocean Park with rental property in the back. Another is an Ocean Park home with a mother-in-law unit. And the third is a 1,418-square-foot multi-family residence on 17th Street.

On Friday, the trio will officially join the ranks of residences withdrawn from rent control under the state’s 1986 Ellis Act that allows landlords to go out of the rental business. In all three cases, the owner will occupy one of the units.

Amendments to Santa Monica’s Anti-Corruption Law Headed for Ballot

07/05/2016 8:09 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 5, 2016 -- After a discussion among officials and activists that only a lawyer could love, the City Council on Tuesday directed staff to craft a ballot measure to strengthen Santa Monica's anti-corruption law.

Santa Monica Council Rejects Rival Measure to Counter LUVE

06/30/2016 7:52 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 30, 2016 -- A last-ditch effort to put a City-backed measure on the November ballot to rival the slow-growth LUVE initiative died quickly after failing to garner a second vote at Tuesday's Santa Monica City Council meeting.

and at: http://smdp.com/alternative-to-luve-dismissed-by-city-council/156050

Santa Monica Ballot Will Include Two Sales Tax Measures

06/30/2016 7:51 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 30, 2016 -- Shoppers in Santa Monica could soon be paying more money in sales tax if two measures -- one local and another countywide -- are approved in the November election.

The Santa Monica City Council voted 5-0 (Kevin McKeown and Pam O’Connor were absent) on Tuesday to place a half-cent tax hike on the ballot.

Also, the council voted to include a non-binding companion measure recommending the tax money support the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and affordable housing programs.

Santa Monica Surveys Rent Control Tenants to Assess Needs

06/29/2016 7:49 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 29, 2016 -- A new City survey is trying to determine how many Santa Monica tenants can no longer afford even rent-controlled units and would qualify for a new, but little-known, pilot project that offers subsidies.

The surveys were mailed to tenants in Santa Monica's 27,542 rent-controlled apartments on Friday and posted at www.surveymonkey.com/r/renterneeds, City housing officials said. It can also be found at www.smgov.net under the title of 2016 Santa Monica Renter Needs Survey.