The City of Santa Monica promised to make the results of its “Realignment Plan” public through an online dashboard of statistics. Yesterday, the city released its first update, “Realignment Plan Performance Measurement Dashboard” and the early results seem to show progress.
The dashboard measures progress across five broad priorities: safer and cleaner neighborhoods, economic revitalization, housing stability, organizational capacity, and internal city workforce health. While the city has touted the success of its efforts since the plan was passed, this is the first comprehensive statistical look.
The plan itself was developed after the hiring of City Manager Oliver Chi in 2025 and approved by the City Council as a sweeping roadmap for what officials described as a civic and economic reset. According to coverage at Santa Monica Next, the plan aimed to stabilize city finances, restore core services, improve public safety, and revitalize downtown after years of pandemic-related decline and structural budget deficits. City leaders framed the effort as a shift away from incremental policymaking toward measurable outcomes and visible improvements. Supporters praised the plan as a long-overdue effort to “get the basics right,” while critics questioned whether the city was prioritizing enforcement and optics over deeper systemic challenges.
“When the Council adopted the Realignment Plan, I introduced the motion to reinstate performance management because accountability can’t be an afterthought – it has to be built into how we govern,” writes Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis. “Too often, government makes big investments and never asks whether they worked. This scorecard changes that.” To read the motion that created the dashboard, click here (Item 16c).
The dashboard emphasizes measurable indicators instead of broad goals. Public safety metrics track changes in serious crime, prosecutions, emergency response times, and traffic enforcement. Infrastructure benchmarks monitor sidewalk repairs, debris removal, park maintenance, and tree trimming. Economic indicators focus on business activity, commercial occupancy, tourism, and efforts to revive downtown and the Third Street Promenade. Housing metrics examine affordable housing production and homelessness response efforts, while internal city measures track staffing levels, retention, permitting timelines, and budget stabilization.
“For the first time, Santa Monicans can open a single document and see exactly where their city stands: Part 1 crimes down 12.5%, arrests up 22.8%, plan check turnaround times improving by nearly 42%, code enforcement now operating seven days a week, and new revenue streams tracking toward our $24 million target,” continues Torosis.
Five Highlights from the Dashboard and Related Reporting
- Serious “Part I” crime dropped by roughly 12.5 percent while prosecutions and traffic enforcement increased significantly.
- The city removed more than 436 tons of debris over the past year, a more than 70 percent increase from the prior year.
- More than 90 percent of permits are now reportedly processed on time after operational reforms at City Hall.
- The Realignment Plan includes roughly $60 million in investments tied to safety, infrastructure, and economic revitalization projects.
- City officials say Santa Monica moved from a projected deficit toward a balanced budget a year ahead of schedule.
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