ACTION Apartment Association

SMPD Launches Blog Recapping Police Activity

08/05/2024 10:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Crime watchers can now access other notable arrests -- there were 52 that week, 20 of them for felonies -- on a new weekly/bi-weekly blog on the City's website titled "The Blue Notebook."

The site also notes the number of calls for service -- there were 2,759 that week, 532 of them homeless-related, with 42 involving encampments.

Santa Monica's Chief of Police Ramon Batista Has Failed To Protect Santa Monica

08/02/2024 3:40 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

by Adnan Safadi

Santa Monica's Chief of Police Ramon Batista is allowing the Venice Family Clinic to distribute needles and meth pipes in Santa Monica's Parks and public spaces, right in front of the SMPD. Methamphetamine addicts from across the country have moved to Santa Monica to take advantage of Chief Batista's policy. These Methamphetamine addicts are smoking and slamming meth in broad daylight, and then assaulting people.

California Rent Control Update: New Cap on Rent Increases Takes Effect

08/02/2024 3:36 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

AB 1482 Sets New Limits on Rent Hikes Starting on August 1

The California Tenant Protection Act of 2019, known as Assembly Bill 1482 (AB 1482), enacted statewide rent control as of January 1, 2020, and a new rent increase cap took effect today.

Santa Monica Is Not Safe -– PART III: A Path Forward

08/01/2024 11:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By Marc L. Verville Last of three parts

It just so happens that safety and cleanliness are the essential baseline conditions required to turning around the devastated retail sector and reinvigorating the restaurant sector, along with the sales tax revenue both generate. It would also positively impact hotel occupancy by improving the city’s attractiveness to high-spending international travelers.

Finally, it would help attract new residents to the expensive new housing being created in the city, further helping the retail and hospitality sectors and, of course, City revenue.

In essence, the City needs to jump-start a virtuous cycle for all stakeholders, and get out of the doom loop its policies have created and intensified.

Santa Monica Rents Continue Sliding

08/01/2024 10:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Prices in Santa Monica are now down 4.9 percent year-over-year with the median monthly rent price currently standing at $2,437 after dropping $25 this month, according to data based on the site's listings.

City Council Approves $3.8M Contract to Modernize Permitting System

07/31/2024 12:07 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

This decision follows staff input and an extensive evaluation of the existing permitting system and processes. The council’s vote paves the way for the city to invest in a modern and more intuitive permitting system that will guide customers through the permit application process and make the overall review and approval process more efficient for both the public and city staff.

Parra's Candidacy Changes Council Race

07/31/2024 12:01 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Councilmember Christine Parra's surprise entry into the November race has swiftly shifted the dynamics of what promises to be a hotly contested election for four open Council seats.

While Parra's candidacy ups the chances that the Council's Change faction can hang on to a one-vote majority with all three incumbents in the race, it could also act to further splinter the vote of residents who support tougher law enforcement policies.

DTSM welcomes new chair, vice chairs and four new appointments

07/30/2024 12:01 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Following three somewhat muddled rounds of voting the three new, council-appointed seats on the Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. board went to Jon Farzam, Berta Negari and Michelle Cardiel, by votes of 4-3, 5-2 and 4-3 respectively. And in a turn of events not seen too often, both incumbents were not reappointed.

Three Change Incumbents to Run in November

07/30/2024 11:58 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Mayor Phil Brock and Councilmembers Oscar de la Torre and Christine Parra will seek to hold on to a one-seat majority on the seven-member Council when voters fill four open seats on November 5.

SM.a.r.t Column: Food Water and Energy Part 3 of 4

07/29/2024 10:38 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The grim reality is that Sacramento has opened the floodgates to fill Santa Monica with skyscrapers, which developers are madly rushing in to fill in a feeding frenzy as if there was an infinite and uninterrupted supply of renters and power available. Unlike their 2-3 story cousins, these skyscrapers will become unlivable in their first of many brownouts and power interruptions. Skyscrapers are only required to provide enough power to keep the hallway/stair lights on for about 2 hours to allow for evacuation, plus a uselessly small amount of additional photovoltaic supply, which, as previously stated, may not be accessible when SCE power is cut off. Because there is no way, with current technology, to provide enough photovoltaic power on the roof of buildings taller than three floors, these skyscrapers cannot operate all their systems (lights, air-conditioning, elevators, etc.) in a power outage, thus residents will become prisoners in these dark towers.