ACTION Apartment Association

Santa Monica Is Not Safe -- Part II: The Issues

07/29/2024 10:33 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By Marc L. Verville, Chair of the City's Audit Subcommittee

Mr. Cody Green, Chairman of the Santa Monica Police Officer's Association (SMPOA), has provided a directional analysis on how much Santa Monica should be spending on public safety.

His analysis was provided as a result of the absence of any other dedicated metrics or resourcing estimates. So, is Mr. Green’s analysis the last word on how much Santa Monica should be spending on public safety, specifically police?

No. But it provides directionally valid data points that align with both resident and business reality -- that our police resources are understaffed. That much is not in question.

Council Places Parking Tax on Ballot

07/29/2024 10:31 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Approved by the Council with a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the Parking Facility Tax measure would raise the existing tax by 8 percent, generating approximately $6.7 million a year.

The revenues would be used to "enhance public safety, create safe routes to school to protect children, lower the risk of fatal traffic accidents and maintain essential city services," according to the language approved by the Council.

Santa Monica Is Not Safe -- PART I: The Problem

07/26/2024 12:45 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By Marc L. Verville, Sunset Park resident who is Chair of the City's Audit Subcommittee

City has chosen to manage this issue in a political fog by not following through with any independent analysis of just how many police officers Santa Monica actually needs.

Like many other contentious issues in Santa Monica, the City policy preference is to avoid hard, objective third-party metrics used in transparent analyses that foster clear decisions, progress measurement, accountability and the ability to course correct when needed.

City to Streamline Building Permitting Process

07/26/2024 12:44 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

As part of Tuesday's consent calendar approved with no discussion, the Council voted to enter into a $3.8 million, five-year contract with Speridian Technologies, LLC to adopt and implement the Clariti permitting and land use management system.

The new system -- which will "benefit businesses, home renovators and property owners" -- is expected to be fully implemented in the next 18 months, City officials said.

Suspect in Beating of John Alle May Get Diversion Instead of Prison

07/24/2024 2:21 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Alle, however, said he waved to the judge and asked to speak. Alle then explained to Commissioner Zuckman that Keating had done the same thing 13 times over the last three years in San Diego, San Clemente, Huntington Beach, Santa Monica, Ventura County and Santa Barbara. Keating also had already skipped out on two other diversion programs. Alle added that 66 percent of those sent to diversion never show up and therefore avoid any kind of punishment or rehabilitation.

"He listened but did not like hearing me talk," Alle said of Zuckman, adding, "My DA was not prepared for this judge" and pointing out that "the Public Defender did not even have to say much."

Council Candidate Field Expands, Still No Incumbents

07/24/2024 2:16 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

As of the end of the day Tuesday, 14 candidates -- none of them incumbents -- had pulled nomination papers to run for four open City Council seats, including Rent Board Chair Erika Lesley.

Council Candidates Stubbornly Support Gascon. Letter to the Editor

07/23/2024 8:38 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

But I wonder whether Santa Monica voters realize how many City Council candidates here stubbornly support Gascon, a sure indicator those candidates would undermine safety in our city (“Major Political Establishment Groups to Field United Council Slate,” June 27, 2024).

For example, the four candidates endorsed by the Santa Monica Democratic Club—Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin, Barry Snell, and Natalya Zernitskaya—stated, in writing, they support Gascon’s re-election, with Zernitskaya adding, preposterously, that she believes Gascon “is doing a great job” despite opposition that has “misrepresented his positions.”

Council Candidates Stubbornly Support Gascon. Letter to the Editor

07/23/2024 8:38 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

But I wonder whether Santa Monica voters realize how many City Council candidates here stubbornly support Gascon, a sure indicator those candidates would undermine safety in our city (“Major Political Establishment Groups to Field United Council Slate,” June 27, 2024).

For example, the four candidates endorsed by the Santa Monica Democratic Club—Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin, Barry Snell, and Natalya Zernitskaya—stated, in writing, they support Gascon’s re-election, with Zernitskaya adding, preposterously, that she believes Gascon “is doing a great job” despite opposition that has “misrepresented his positions.”

SMa.r.t. - Food, Water, and Energy Part 2 of 4

07/22/2024 8:52 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Energy cut-off has a similar risk profile, but fortunately, there is more we can do to protect our City if we plan for it now.

Many Power Sources

Unlike vulnerable imported water, renewable electrical energy sources (wind, solar, hydro, tidal, geothermal) are already widely distributed in the LA basin, as are power plants of non-renewable energy sources (coal, oil, natural gas nuclear).

Housing Element becomes hot topic at local leader gathering

07/19/2024 8:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Once the meeting finally started, much of the questioning revolved around both housing and transportation issues, including Brock being asked if he was “happy” with the City needing to be compliant with its 2021-2029 Housing Element, which aims for 8,874 new housing units (69% of which must be at various affordable income levels). Brock noted that the City has “doubled” the amount of market-rate units they’ve been required to build already, and the Mayor attempted to temper his displeasure with the process.

Brock stated that rapid construction is “going to lose the character of our neighborhoods” and make Santa Monica “a different city,” likening it to Santa Monica High School tearing down its History Building to modernize campus, where students “will have a new experience.” Regardless if he likes the changes, he added, it wasn’t necessarily up to him.