ACTION Apartment Association

Supreme Court Sets Date for Oral Arguments in Voting Rights Case

05/23/2023 10:29 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

"To be argued on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 9:00 am," the schedule reads. The oral argument session "will be conducted with all justices and counsel participating remotely."

Within 90 days of oral arguments, the court files its written opinion, which becomes final 30 days after filing, unless there is a rehearing or the court modifies its decision.

Proposed budget restores almost 70 positions to City hall

05/22/2023 10:44 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica’s upcoming budget picture moves from barely in the black to slighly in the red over the next five year, call it an ash grey to watermelon transition by fiscal year 2027/28.

The Citywide proposed Biennial Budget is $740.9 million in FY 2023-24 and $746.4 million in FY 2024-25 and council will hear an update on its fiscal projections at Tuesday’s meeting.

This is Santa Monica’s Vacancy Rate

05/22/2023 8:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica saw an incremental decrease in its total population along with an uptick in total housing units at the start of 2023 compared with 2022, according to data released by the California Department of Finance.

Los Angeles Councilwoman targets “vanlord” industry

05/19/2023 9:29 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Venice Councilwoman Traci Park is taking action to address the growing concern about “van lords” who rent out RVs to people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.

Park presented a motion on Tuesday seeking to tighten regulations on RV sales and leasing in public rights-of-way that would try to limit the number of vehicles on local streets.

While Santa Monica has a longstanding prohibition against public camping that includes living in vehicles, the van rental business has been a problem in Venice for years.

Say NO to Expanded Rent Control in California

05/18/2023 9:44 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Senate Bill 466 by Sen. Aisha Wahab would enable cities and counties in California to impose rent control on newer properties, eroding the exemption for housing constructed before 1995 under the landmark Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.

While anticipated amendments to the bill are expected to continue to exempt single-family homes and condominiums under Costa-Hawkins, SB 466 would still dismantle essential aspects of California’s foremost rental housing-protection law. It's critical to make your voice heard: Ask your legislator to vote against this bill when it comes up for a vote.

Real Estate Transfer: Baby Boomers Secure Generational Wealth by Transferring Property to Children

05/18/2023 9:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Much of that fortune is in real estate, and boomers can use their properties to secure their wealth for posterity — but they have to do it right.

“Individuals with accumulated wealth often consider how best to transfer that wealth to their loved ones — and how to preserve and grow value for future generations,” said Melissa Goikhman, a New York City-based estate planning attorney and founder of Legacy Wealth Counsel. “This is where estate planning and intergenerational wealth planning meet.”

Population decrease and housing increase drive local vacancy rate to 10%

05/16/2023 7:32 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica’s total vacancy rate, including single family homes and multi-unit housing could be as high as 10 percent according to new data released by the State of California Department of Finance this week.

New Program Can Help Protect Southern California Homes in the Event of an Earthquake

05/16/2023 7:24 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Residents Have Until May 31 To Apply For Seismic Retrofit Grants

The good news? The California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) recently launched a new pilot program to help homeowners in select cities safeguard their soft-story residences against the threat of an earthquake.

Eligible homeowners in 82 different ZIP Codes in the cities of Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley can apply for grants to retrofit their soft-story homes. We anticipate initially awarding a total of 375 grants. Funding will vary in amount and will be up to 75% of the total retrofit cost with a maximum of $10,000 or $13,000 depending on house type and what a retrofit would entail. Registration is open now and will continue through the end of
May. More information on how homeowners can apply can be found at www.EarthquakeSoftStory.com

SM.a.r.t - Parking Wars Part 2

05/16/2023 7:21 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The car is (unfortunately) here to stay

Just because the State is forbidding these new residents from having cars, people who can afford cars will not abandon them because their cars provide, in spite of their drawbacks, exceptional speed, convenience, safety and cultural value. Simply put the car will not “go away” until there are real transportation alternatives of equal speed, convenience, safety and cultural value.

Unanimous Council Vote Masks Deep Disagreements About Homelessness

05/16/2023 7:17 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In the end, it was unanimous. All the Councilmembers present agreed that the City should continue, and in some cases expand, the ambitious and costly programs and initiatives it began embarking on decades ago to tackle an entrenched homeless problem.

But beneath the unity were major disagreements over basic questions: Who should the homeless programs ultimately help? And what is the best way to achieve a goal so elusive it persists despite more than $40 million a year in spending?