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.
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.
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.
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.