Santa Monica · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Santa Monica public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Zoning and Development Policy Commentary
Santa Monica’s City Council is moving on big density and zoning changes to comply with state housing mandates like SB 79, and a local architect says that’s happening before residents get a real say. If neighborhood control matters to you, this is a fight over who actually decides what gets built.
City Council Election Campaign Finance
Money is pouring into Santa Monica’s City Council race, with Doug Trussler topping the field thanks to a $225K self-funded campaign while Lana Negrete leads in actual donor support. The winners will help set city policy for years, so the cash race matters beyond Election Day.
City Council Election Candidates
An opinion column runs down Santa Monica’s November ballot — City Council, Rent Control Board, and more — praising some candidates’ empathy and calling out SMC trustees for dodging accountability. Think of it as a biased but useful cheat sheet for figuring out who’s actually showing up.
City Council Meeting Summary
Santa Monica Next used an automated reporter to recap the Oct. 27 City Council meeting, including direct quotes from the recording. If you want a quick, quote-backed look at what the council actually did, this is the item to check.
City Council Election Endorsement
A longtime Santa Monica resident and youth volunteer is running for City Council, pointing to his upbringing in rent-controlled housing and local schools. It adds another name to the race, so if you care about housing and schools, this candidate is worth watching.
Local Election Coverage
Santa Monica’s local election races are being broken down into a quick guide so residents can actually figure out who to vote for. If you live here and plan to cast a ballot, this is the shortcut you need before Election Day.
local politics / SMRR endorsement dispute
A Santa Monica councilmember who pays SMRR dues is publicly blasting the renters’ group for giving her an “F” and questioning her integrity, saying it demands loyalty over independent thinking. It’s a local political fight over who really speaks for renters—and it could shape endorsements and election messaging.
Parcel Tax Ballot Measure
Santa Monica voters will decide whether to approve a parcel tax this election. The measure would add a property tax based on each parcel, with the money going to whatever local services the ballot language specifies. The source also compares it with similar measures in nearby cities.
Pier Restaurant Lease Termination
Santa Monica has scrapped the California Roadhouse deal for a Pier restaurant, leaving that spot’s future up in the air. If you spend time at the Pier, the promised dining option is now uncertain.
One Santa Monica People's Academy
The city celebrated the first cohort of 25 residents who completed the six-session civics academy, with zero dropouts — and a push to join commissions.
I-10 freeway cap study (Reconnecting PICO)
The city accepted a $2 million federal grant to study capping the freeway between 11th and 20th Streets in the Pico neighborhood. Councilmember Raskin pushed for studying full freeway removal, calling the freeway the city's most significant environmental hazard.
2026 Water Supply Assessment
Even in a hot, dry-year scenario the city projects a 14% water surplus (34% with conservation), and it will stay in Stage 2 conservation — good news for water reliability and rates.
Homelessness emergency proclamation continuation (4K)
The council ratified the ongoing homelessness local emergency on the consent calendar, keeping emergency tools in place for the city's response.
Council rules and public comment
A 41-page rules overhaul — covering public comment timing, closed-session scheduling and a two-councilmember requirement for agenda items — drew heavy public opposition and was continued, with only the state-mandated Brown Act updates returning June 23.
Tierra Apartments affordable senior housing
The TEFRA hearing cleared the way for $28 million in tax-exempt bonds for 82 units of affordable senior housing, including 40 supportive housing units, starting construction this July.
Parks impact fee nexus study
The city is spending $115,450 to study how much it can charge developers for park impact fees; Snell voted no, noting it's more than double what the fee collected last year.
Great Park funding milestone
The council accepted $499,149 in Measure A planning and design grant funding for converting the Santa Monica Airport site — part of more than $10.5 million in new state and county support celebrated by the Great Park Coalition.
AB 1740 co-sponsorship
The council discussed accelerating the LCP with the Coastal Commission, possibly producing a framework by May 26. Surfider and residents pushed the city to complete the LCP and abandon support for AB 1740, which would exempt many coastal developments from Coastal Commission review.
Building inspector staffing crisis
Contractors and the city's own inspectors described two-to-three-week inspection delays driven by pay gaps with neighboring cities — a bottleneck that slows housing and business openings. It fed directly into the staff vacancy hearing.
Hotel worker $25 wage
The city withdrew its proposed ordinance amendments and will instead interpret existing law to raise the hotel worker wage to $25 an hour on July 1, 2026, matching Los Angeles. A small-hotel operator asked for a small-property exemption like LA's.
Juneteenth proclamation
The council proclaimed June 19 as Juneteenth, honoring the 34th annual community celebration coming June 20 at Virginia Avenue Park.
Rose Parade float
The council bet $650,000 that a Santa Monica float in the 2027 Rose Parade will boost tourism and civic pride ahead of the World Cup, Super Bowl media events and the 2028 Olympics — with a fundraising campaign to offset costs.
Santa Monica Renter Aid program
A $6 million, five-year Measure GS-funded program giving rental assistance and case management to households up to 120% AMI facing homelessness, administered by The People Concern. Up to 150 households a year, launching summer 2026.
Virginia Avenue apartments rehabilitation accountability
Displaced residents of the 40-unit CCSM rehab project — funded with roughly $37 million in city housing trust funds — demanded transparency amid a $3 million cost overrun, mold and communication failures. The council directed staff to engage CCSM and build a permanent accountability framework.
Camera Obscura Olympic legacy project
The long-closed Camera Obscura building will be restored with city-funded building repairs and Swiss-funded design, becoming a permanent Palisades Park concession by summer 2027 and a Swiss cultural venue during the 2028 Games.
Adult aquatics permit fee increase
A Recreation and Parks commissioner asked the council to reject an adult aquatics permit fee increase, arguing Santa Monica's rates already far exceed neighboring cities and that the permit groups pay near 100% cost recovery.
Broadway bike lane safety concerns
Parents from PS1 praised the protected bike lanes but raised serious safety concerns at Euclid and Broadway, asking for a concrete curb extension and a four-way stop after near-misses and a cyclist injury on a similar design in Venice.
Coastal Commission LCP framework MOU
A deal with the Coastal Commission to get the city a certified Local Coastal Program by end of 2027, cutting the two-step coastal permitting process to one and giving the city local permit authority. Non-binding, but a major step after years of stalemate.
Emergency preparedness and tsunami warning infrastructure
A speaker noted the city's coastline sits in a tsunami inundation zone with no funded warning sirens and no completed AB 747 evacuation route capacity analysis — flagged as a gap in the revitalization plan.
FY 2026-27 budget and capital improvement program
The city projects its first structurally balanced budget through the realignment plan — new ambulance, digital signage and parking revenue — plus expiration of the $12 million joint use agreement with the school district in 2027. The $109.8 million CIP funds Memorial Park expansion, playgrounds, streetlights, Library renovations and Olympic readiness.
Proposed Santa Monica Sports Community City at the airport
Although not on the agenda, hundreds turned out — pilots, students, Venice residents battered by training flights, and park advocates — ahead of the planned 2028 closure. Council members and the city manager noted the FAA, not the city, controls the training patterns over East Venice and Mar Vista.
Boards and Commissions restructuring
The council approved creating a Restorative Justice Commission, converting the Urban Forest Task Force into a full commission, and consolidating human services commissions — while voting 4-3 to scrap the anti-nepotism rule limiting appointments of councilmembers' relatives.
Water rates and fund transfers
A phone caller challenged the council over a cumulative doubling of water rates over a decade and the transfer of $15 million from the water fund to cover staff pay increases.
Santa Monica Boulevard Safety Study
The council adopted a rebuilt safety plan for one of the city's most dangerous corridors — narrower lanes, extended bus lanes, pedestrian recall signals, and better crossings. Quick-build turn restrictions near McKinley Elementary are targeted before the next school year, and a state grant application rides on the June 22 deadline.
downtown revitalization / Third Street Promenade entertainment plan
Santa Monica is considering a plan to jolt its struggling Third Street Promenade by making it a New Orleans-style nightlife destination with more bars and late-night crowds near the beach. The pitch is to bring back foot traffic and spending, but it also means the downtown vibe could shift sharply after dark. If you care about downtown’s economy, noise, or safety, this is one to watch.
Downtown Recovery Plan
Santa Monica is launching a downtown recovery plan to bring businesses and shoppers back, and it includes a bigger police presence. If you live, work, or spend time downtown, expect more cops and new efforts to revive the commercial core.
Child Sex Abuse Liability Claims
Santa Monica is among California cities facing child sex abuse liability claims, and the payouts could put real pressure on the city budget. That matters because money spent on settlements or judgments is money not available for parks, safety, and other local services.
City Manager Appointment
Santa Monica has hired Irvine’s city manager, Oliver Chi, to be its new top administrator. He’ll run day-to-day city operations and make key calls on homelessness and the budget. In plain terms: a new power player is taking over City Hall’s staff side.
City Manager Departure
Santa Monica’s city manager is stepping down in February, leaving a big hole at the top of day-to-day city operations. The next hire will help decide how the city tackles homelessness, the budget, and other core services.
Voting Rights Redistricting Litigation
A Santa Monica neighborhood is using the California Voting Rights Act to challenge how the city runs local elections. If it succeeds, the city could switch to district-based elections or redraw representation, changing who represents you on the City Council. It’s a local voting-rights fight with real stakes for neighborhood power and city spending.