BOYB: Phil Reflects on Thanksgiving at the VA

“Picking up the financial pieces from the receding Covid-19 crisis, the City is simultaneously making incremental unresearched decisions that will have long lasting, significant, and likely unintended consequences on services, city amenities, cost of living, and quality of life and housing affordability across all the neighborhoods,” writes SMa.r.t. in their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Development, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Santa Monica’s Precarious Business Plan

April 9, 2021 SM.a.r.t

As the City’s budget season gets underway, it is helpful to step back from the minutiae of an annual process...

"There has been significant confusion and debate surrounding the financial performance of the many SMMUSD facilities projects. The absence of clear and accessible financial performance reporting is the cause. The issue is not just academic," writes SMa.r.t. in their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Opinion, Real Estate

Time for the School District to Adopt 20th Century Capital Project Financial Reporting

April 2, 2021 SM.a.r.t

There has been significant confusion and debate surrounding the financial performance of the many SMMUSD facilities projects. The absence of...

The rendering of a Tesla supercharger site proposed in Santa Monica. Photo: Tesla.

News, Opinion, Real Estate

Zapped! A Promising Proposal Bites the Dust

March 23, 2021 SM.a.r.t

Santa Monica has long touted its credentials as a “green” city, always in earnest pursuit of solutions to ongoing environmental...

"SB9 and 10 are Trojan horses that should be killed before they enter and ruin our City," writes Mario Fonda-Bonardi in the latest SMa.r.t. Column. Graphics: Jeffrey Kablan and Maria Pavlou Kablan.

Development, News, Opinion

SMa.r.t. Column: SB 9 &10 Doom R1 Districts

March 14, 2021 SM.a.r.t

Like zombies that refuse to die, every year Scott Weiner, the California Senator from San Francisco, comes up with new...

"The new field at the Civic Center is an example of how a number of individuals with no official support, budget, or established organization managed to get a multi-purpose sports field built for the good of the community," writes SMa.r.t in their latest column.

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

A Field of Dreams: Realized

March 4, 2021 SM.a.r.t

It is finally here, it is beautiful, and it is a testament to tenacity. The new field at the Civic...

The 1940s Classic burger from Adrift Burger Bar. Photo: Kerry Slater,

Dining, Opinion

Food Review: Venice’s Newest Burger Stand Sticks to the Basics

March 4, 2021 Staff Writer

Checking in at Adrift Burger Bar By Kerry Slater I, like so many, have fond memories of eating burgers as...

"When we set aside our differences and care for ourselves, we can make progress in solving the regional tragedy of homelessness, access to affordable housing, and impending evictions. This is how we can talk about housing allocations and density and where to build and how much to build and how tall it can be. It’s how we can redefine public safety, advance racial justice, and imagine the public spaces of the future," said Santa Monica Mayor Sue Himmelrich (pictured) in her recent State of the City address.

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

Mayor Himmelrich Delivers State of the City Speech

March 1, 2021 admin

The following are the prepared remarks delivered by Santa Monica Mayor Sue Himmelrich at the 2021 State of the City....

“Texas painfully found out the inconvenient truth that failure to plan is really planning to fail. SMMUSD, is tragically repeating this mistake. It urgently needs to wake up and deal realistically with the new world we and our children are and will be living and learning in,” writes Mario Fonda-Bonardi in the latest SMa.r.t. Column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Education, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Texas Comes to SMMUSD

February 25, 2021 SM.a.r.t

Last week Texas suffered a dramatic blow out between the loss of power and the related water system collapse caused...

"The Promenade today resembles the Santa Monica Mall of 1984. Storefronts that are 40% vacant. Run down movie theater anchor tenants waiting for crowds that may never return in prior numbers," writes SMa.r.t. in their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Development, News, Opinion

Promenade now – Back to the Future?

February 22, 2021 SM.a.r.t

Last week, this column reviewed the backstory of the Promenade within the context of Downtown Santa Monica. This week, we...

“the Promenade’s product offerings and overall experience have not provided a compelling daily utility value to residents. Moreover, the product offerings and pricing related to these externally generated tourist and visitor traffic segments has disconnected the residents’ sense of belonging to the Promenade specifically and downtown generally,” writes SMa.r.t in their latest Column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Development, News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: The Promenade – Leaving the Past to Reimagine its Future

February 12, 2021 SM.a.r.t

PART I This week the City Council started discussing the next move for the Santa Monica Promenade, our beleaguered and...

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

Opinion: Councilmember Davis on Miramar Recusal

February 11, 2021 admin

By Gleam Davis, Santa Monica City Councilmember Prior to receiving any inquiry from any member of the public, I timely...

News, Opinion

Creating your Own Stimulus in 2021 – How Southern California Residents Can Use Lawsuit Funding to Help with Everyday Bills

February 7, 2021 wpengine

Lawsuit funding is an alternative to direct cash payments for immediate help Despite unprecedented government assistance in 2020, many American...

News, Opinion, Real Estate, Santa Monica

Saving a Failed Marriage Part 4 – Looking to Our Zoning Code for Family Counseling!

February 4, 2021 SM.a.r.t

Santa Monica has spent 20+ years swimming uphill in a partnership with the development community that isn’t working – a...

News, Opinion, Real Estate, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Saving a Failed Marriage – Part 2

January 22, 2021 SM.a.r.t

Every 8 years, the state requires cities to update their planning code’s “housing element” to reflect the number of dwelling...

" Santa Monica will always attract developers large and small. The success of this marriage will be maintaining Santa Monica’s character and identity, a low rise city of landscape and courtyards, and its relaxed beach culture," writes SMa.r.t in their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Saving a Failed Marriage – Part 1

January 14, 2021 Sam Catanzaro

After several decades of wedlock and blind pursuit, our Santa Monica City Council finds itself in a failed marriage with...

BOYB: Phil Reflects on Thanksgiving at the VA

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