News about rents, zoning changes, and other issues related to the cost of housing.
After half-a-decade of planning and community outreach, city staff revealed the final draft of the Downtown Community Plan Wednesday to a full house at the east wing of the Civic Auditorium. The 300-page document, which can be downloaded here, lays…
City officials are unveiling Wednesday the “final draft” of the document that will guide the future of Downtown Santa Monica for the next two decades. The Downtown Community Plan — or Downtown Specific Plan — has gone through multiple iterations…
On April 12, the city of Santa Monica will present a final draft of the plan that will shape the future of the bayside city’s downtown for the next two decades. The most recent draft of the Downtown Community Plan…
Via city of Santa Monica press release. Read more Santa Monica Next coverage of this ordinance here. On Tuesday, March 28, the Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved the second reading of a comprehensive seismic retrofit ordinance that will encompass…
In order to assure the city benefits from some of the larger real estate development projects in town, the City Council negotiates development agreements (DAs) which guarantee affordable housing, traffic mitigation, money for parks, and other benefits for the city. A…
A report by California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office released Wednesday lays out the limits of state power to solve California’s worsening housing crisis. The report, the most recent in a series from the nonpartisan organization analyzing the causes and consequences of…
Last night, Los Angeles voters soundly beat Measure S, a poorly-conceived and draconian attempt to control the city’s planning process at the ballot box. The defeat of Measure S comes only a few months after Santa Monica decisively rejected a…
At a press conference in San Francisco Friday, state legislators announced their plans to tackle California’s growing housing crisis. As a lack of new housing construction continues to make California unaffordable for all but the wealthiest households, Assemblymembers Phil Ting…
Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) last week introduced AB 1506, a bill that would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, the 1995 state law that weakened the strictest rent control laws in the state. The bill was co-authored by State…
Every night, tens of thousands of people bed down in shelters, in their cars, or on the street. The causes are myriad. Some are homeless because of bad luck. Some are trying to escape abusive homes. The increasing cost of…
The Santa Monica City Council Tuesday will consider a comprehensive earthquake retrofit ordinance that could affect more than 17,000 apartments or condos in more than 2,000 buildings throughout the city. The Los Angeles Times called the ordinance “the nation’s most…
Santa Monica released a list Tuesday of more than 17,000 apartments or condos in more than 2,000 buildings that will require further study under the city’s new earthquake retrofit requirements. The list also included commercial properties that could require retrofit…
Via Streetsblog L.A. Measure H will be on the ballot in every jurisdiction in L.A. county this March 7, including Santa Monica. The Yes on H campaign kicked off Monday morning. The kickoff featured a broad array of elected officials from L.A.…
For the first time since 2011, the Santa Monica Housing Authority will open the wait list for federal Section 8 rental assistance this Tuesday. The reopening of the waiting list — people can sign up online from 8 a.m. to…
Via the City of Santa Monica The City of Santa Monica Social Services and Housing Commissions will hold a special joint public meeting exploring the issue of homelessness. WHEN: Saturday, February 4, 2017, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. WHERE: Santa…
