Our city is currently coming through a cycle of decline, hoping to enter a more ascendant phase. But it is encountering two major headwinds that, in spite of everyone’s best efforts, do not augur well […]

by Bruce Leddy, SMa.r.t. Guest Columnist When it comes to new state housing laws that override local zoning, our City Council tends to say, in effect, “There’s nothing we can do! Our hands are tied!” […]

It was 4:31 in the morning when the San Fernando Valley lurched. The Northridge earthquake lasted less than 30 seconds. The effort to reckon with what it revealed would consume the better part of three […]

A Comparative Environmental, Financial, and Regulatory Analysis The Two Scenarios (Three?)  The airport remains operational or closed, but likely leading to the third and future use of the land.  So it should be worth taking […]

This is a genuinely sharp question, and the data tells a concerning story that Santa Monica’s housing advocates seem to be treating as a footnote rather than a foundational constraint. The numbers involved actually say […]

If you live in Sunset Park, Pico Neighborhood, or several other Santa Monica neighborhoods, a process is quietly underway that could permanently reshape where you live. It’s framed as a study. But the more you […]

Part I: The Bill Nobody Voted For On February 11, 2026, a National Park Service official logged onto a virtual meeting to discuss something extraordinary: whether the federal government should extend its protective reach over […]

By John Cyrus Smith, SM.a.r.t Guest columnist Someone smarter than a parks commissioner like me once said that if you want something done, just throw down the challenge, and good things will happen. True or […]

How Solo Living Is Shrinking the Functional City SMa.r.t.’s article last month referred to Santa Monica’s collapsed school enrollment of 8,900 students. The figure arrives despite the addition of thousands of new apartment units over […]