ACTION Apartment Association

SM.a.r.t. Column: A City Dying by a Thousand Cuts

06/09/2025 10:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica, once celebrated for its blend of coastal charm and progressive ideals, is slowly bleeding out — not from one dramatic failure, but from a thousand small, systemic ones. Mismanagement, unchecked spending, and leadership bloat are gradually eroding the city’s ability to function, let alone thrive. While the public is told that resources are limited, executive compensation continues to soar.

We demand accountability for homelessness, public safety, and infrastructure!

City Council Poised to Raise Water Rates

06/09/2025 10:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Multifamily buildings would see monthly increase of about $4 per unit for an average 8-unit building, while commercial buildings would see monthly rates rise by about $60 each year over five years.

SM.a.r.t Column: Oops!! What Happened? And What Are You Going to Do About It?

06/02/2025 11:16 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A major concern in many of our articles is State-Mandated Housing Densification. These mandates require Santa Monica to build 8,895 new housing units over an eight-year period, a staggering 430% increase from prior requirements. This is not merely a quantitative concern; we see it as “an urban experiment based on highly contestable assumptions” and view the increase in required housing density as an existential threat to the city’s established fabric and quality of life.

Bill to Build Taller Housing Projects Near Transit Headed to Senate Floor

05/28/2025 1:15 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A bill that makes it faster and easier to build taller residential buildings near transit stops by overriding local zoning restrictions is on its way to a full vote of the State Senate.

Senate Bill 79, which has the City Council's support, was approved by the Senate by a 4 to 2 vote Friday and must be passed by the full Senate by June 6.

DTSM Board approves budget amendment for parking, events and lighting cuts

05/27/2025 9:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The revised plan shifts $400,000 originally set aside for enhanced maintenance in zones one through three back into parking structure custodial services, after city officials clarified they would not be able to fully absorb those responsibilities. DTSM will also use $228,000 in carryover funds from the current fiscal year to help cover parking facility-related costs next year, bringing the total for parking structure maintenance to about $628,000.

City Boosts Efforts to Recruit, Retain Workers

05/27/2025 8:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

According to the Human Resources Department, the City of Santa Monica had 2,037 full-time budgeted positions last year. A total of 53 positions were newly established, while 105 were vacated due to promotions or transfers.

Of the remainder, 42 became vacant due to resignations, 28 due to retirements, 21 due to involuntary separations and 5 due to deaths.

In 2024, the City filled 293 full-time positions, with 70 filled through promotions and 223 with outside hires.

Council Picks New City Manager

05/27/2025 8:48 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

After a five-month search, the City Council announced Friday it has selected 45-year-old Irvine City Manager Oliver Chi to run Santa Monica, marking the fifth city where he holds the top post.

SM.a.r.t Column: Why Santa Monica Might Need a Desalination Plant, and Maybe Even Nuclear Power

05/23/2025 8:31 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

If Santa Monica builds all the new homes required by the state, it will mean tens of thousands more people living here (or even more), using water for everything from showers and toilets to cooking and gardening. Even with continued conservation and recycled water programs, the city just doesn’t have enough natural supply to keep up.

Housing Affordability Crisis Deepens in Santa Monica

05/22/2025 9:00 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica ranks as the second most expensive city for renters in the Los Angeles metro area, with one-bedroom apartments commanding a median rent of $2,950 per month, according to a new report released Thursday.

The findings come amid a broader housing affordability crisis that has seen median home sales prices nationwide surge from $313,000 in the first quarter of 2019 to $416,900 in the first quarter of 2025.

SM.a.r.t Column: SMO (So Many Options) Part 3: “Pie in the Sky”

05/22/2025 8:57 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Because here’s the truth: SMO has so many options. Closure is just one. And in a city where real estate is measured in gold, the future will likely be shaped not just by ideals—but by incentives, not ‘pie in the sky’. Maintaining SMO as an operating, economically viable airport is the only rational option. Remember, with two more voting cycles, you will have an opportunity to say who will be on the council to support your choice. The opportunity remains to preserve a valuable asset that provides jobs, economic value, and regional aviation access, with thoughtful planning—not assumptions dressed as certainty. Choose wisely.