| OPA Membership Drive: If you enjoy this newsletter and all the events and community work OPA is leading (like last week’s parade), please help our efforts by becoming a member or making a donation. Most memberships are $20/year but there is also a $10/year option. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OR DONATE. No July Monthly OPA Meeting: Just a reminder that per tradition, there is not July meeting as we are speding our OPA time on the parade and other events. The August meeting will be on Aug. 12 @ the Library. Mark your calendar now! Main St. Parade Recap: Thanks Jeff Jarow, Patty Tann and everyone else. This SMDP post has some great pics and here’s a fun video report by the SaMoMirror. Help Requested @ OPA Summer Soulstice Festival Booth THIS Saturday (July 13): Main St will be closed to vehicular traffic and transform into a pedestrian paradise all day with vendors and entertainment planned from 12 – 7pm between Pier and Strand. OPA will have a booth from about 11:45 – 4:15pm and could use help staffing it, and especially with setup and take down. More event details here and reply to this email if you’re available to help. Ocean Park Walking Tour This Saturday: “Far more than a history lesson, the walk shows us Main Street as a vibrant hub of the Ocean Park neighborhood, upon which its histories have been written. Your guide Mark Gorman, street historian and author of award-winning blog The Street Seen, will share stories that reflect years of walking with a curious gaze and which are informed by well-researched musings.” The next tour is this Saturday, July 13 @ 10:30am, and plans to be the 2nd Saturday of the month going forward. More details and sign up here. OPA Heal the Bay Beach Clean-Up Sunday July 28: The event run 10am – 12pm, starting at Tower 26 (end of Ocean Park Blvd at the beach). All needed supplies are provided. Parents, students, families and neighbors are all welcome. Email Dave Tann with questions. 2024 Homeless Count Shows Drop in Local Homelessness: “In Santa Monica, the count showed 774 people experiencing homelessness, a 6 percent decrease from the 826 reported by LAHSA in 2023.” “The west side of Los Angeles County, which includes Santa Monica, saw a nearly 20 percent decrease in the total population of people experiencing homelessness.” More details in this SaMo.gov report and this SMDP report. SaMo City Council Adopts $765.3 Million 2024-25 Budget: More details in this SaMo press release that details the added investment in public safety and other planned uses for the money. New Bagel Shop Coming to OP: The former Thomas Edison Powerhouse @ 3116 2nd St. was recently sold for $2.5 million to Ian Strano, who owns Uber Bagels, which is an East Coast bagel shop chain. Its menu boasts a wide range of breakfast and lunch sandwich items served on several bagel options such as Asiago Bay, Garlic, Whole Wheat, Sesame and Rosemary Sea Salt. No details are available yet on their planned opening date. More details here. SMDP Profiles “Most Loved” Winning Bombshell Salon: This write-up details how it was “Founded a decade ago by co-owners Eric Torres and Lisa Watts” and “has become a beacon of quality and care in the community.” They also published this separate write-up entitled “Eric Torres, a master of his craft.” Things To Do This Week: Santa Monica Affordable Housing Community Meetings (Monday & Wednesday 6pm): The purpose is to discuss the proposed development of affordable rental apartments at three City of Santa Monica-owned parking lots: 1217 Euclid St, 1211-1217 14th Street, and 1146 16th Street. Live and on Zoom. More details here. Canvas, Cops, & a Cool Drink (Wednesday 7/10 11am – 1pm): Grab a brush and some lemon and get painting with SMPD! Painting supplies & refreshments will be provided for free. Fig & Bean @ 1502 Broadway. OPA & City Meetings:City Council Meeting (Tuesday 5:30 pm – public portion starts no earlier than 7:00 pm):Meetings are hybrid and can be viewed on this YouTube channel. Click here for agenda. OPA Connects Meeting (Wednesday 12pm): Here is the Zoom link. Human Services Commission (Wednesday 3pm): Their goal is to advise City Council on priorities and strategies involving the well-being, equity, and needs of vulnerable, low income, and at-risk residents including youth and families, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness. More details here. Rent Control Board Meeting (Thursday 7pm): More details & agenda here. |
