ACTION Apartment Association

Council Ends Negotiations to Sell Civic Auditorium for Affordable Housing

07/28/2023 8:58 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Negotiations with Community Corp were held as the City has been earmarking land to sell or lease so it can meet a daunting State mandate to plan for 6,168 new affordable housing units over the next eight years.

It has not been revealed how Community Corp planned to make housing work on the three-acre Civic Center site with the sprawling low-slung auditorium this is designated a local historic landmark.

Negotiations with Community Corp were terminated amid growing opposition to the Council's closed door negotiations to sell what is Santa Monica's most iconic building.

City Hires Communications Manager

07/28/2023 8:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Lauren Gold Howland was tapped by City Manager David White to "manage the comprehensive dissemination of information to the public and staff" starting August 14, City officials announced Wednesday.

Howland will provide information on City programs, initiatives and events and will serve as the City’s official spokesperson, officials said.

Howland will serve in the City Manager’s Office, Office of Communications, with an annual salary of $161,316.

Council unanimously approves Downtown private security plan after considerable questioning

07/27/2023 9:10 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

This will take the form of a pilot program and is currently planned for a period of 12 months at a cost of $1.7 million. Private security firm Covered 6 will have the honor of keeping the Promenade prim and proper following a 90ish minute discussion this week that covered several elements of operations in the downtown zone.

Santa Monica: A Symphony Unfolding

07/26/2023 1:08 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In the broad tableau of our nation’s stories, Santa Monica has etched its own unique symphony. Once, our city was a sonorous harmony of prosperity and unity, a place where families blossomed and dreams took flight. But of late, discordant notes of homelessness and crime have pierced our symphony, disrupting the rhythm of our collective lives.

Our city, a radiant star in the Golden State’s firmament, now finds itself at a crucial crossroads.

Council Delays Fines for Leaf-Blower Violations

07/26/2023 9:34 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gardeners in Santa Monica can continue using gas-powered leaf blowers for half a year without fear of being fined after a crackdown approved by the Council goes into effect next month.

The reprieve was pushed by Councilmember Phil Brock as the Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to crack down on violators who have blown off a 1990 law that bans all motorized leaf blowers.

Council Delays Fines for Leaf-Blower Violations

07/26/2023 9:34 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gardeners in Santa Monica can continue using gas-powered leaf blowers for half a year without fear of being fined after a crackdown approved by the Council goes into effect next month.

The reprieve was pushed by Councilmember Phil Brock as the Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to crack down on violators who have blown off a 1990 law that bans all motorized leaf blowers.

Fear grips LA tenants who do not have the back rent due August 1

07/26/2023 9:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Early this year, the Los Angeles City Council adopted a sweeping package of tenant protections to lessen the impact of ending the pandemic-related moratorium on evictions. Among other things, the council established a grace period: tenants would have until Aug. 1 to repay the debts they incurred between March 1, 2020 and Sept. 1, 2021. And they have until Feb. 1, 2024 to repay rent they owe from Oct. 1, 2021 to Feb. 1, 2023.

But tenant rights advocates say many Angelenos haven't completely recovered from the pandemic. Those struggles, coupled with inflation and L.A.'s continuing high cost of living, make it nearly impossible for many to pay off their debts, advocates say.

They fear that if no further actions are taken to prevent landlords from evicting tenants come Aug. 1, eviction filings will only soar

Pressure Builds for Open Hearing on Civic Auditorium

07/25/2023 11:16 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

History is repeating itself and only "a resident revolt" like the one that saved the Pier 50 years ago can secure the future of Santa Monica's iconic Civic Auditorium, the city's leading slow-growth group warned Sunday.

The warning from the Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City (SMCLC) comes two days before the Council discusses the sale of the historic 1958 building behind closed doors.

Commission wants rent controlled tenants to be able to buy their units

07/24/2023 10:18 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Santa Monica Housing Commission wants more residents to own their homes and their overall strategy is to de-emphasize rentals in the City’s housing process.

In a report that will be presented to Council on Tuesday, the Commission outlines a variety of ideas for encouraging homeownership. Specifically, they want to shift incentives from building rental units to encouraging construction of units that will be for sale and at the same time, explore ways to convert existing rental units to owner-occupied units.

Civic Auditorium Back on Closed Session Agenda

07/24/2023 10:07 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

After causing an uproar at this week's City Council meeting, closed door negotiations with the School District and Community Corporation to purchase Santa Monica's historic Civic Auditorium will take place on Tuesday.