SMart Column: A Better Ship of State
On Tuesday, December 8th, shortly after 5:30 PM, Oscar de la Torre, Christine Parra, and I will be among the Council Members sworn in to make decisions on your behalf as we try to right […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Our Brave New World: How the Residents Can Help Realize Their Goals
As the weather chills, we enter a Holiday Season like no other that the City of Santa Monica has seen in the last 40 years. For the first time in that long period, the residents […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Saving Our History Building
SMart has always looked for ways to do more with less and to live within our means on our way to a truly sustainable City. One way to do this is to try to recycle […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Election’s Over–Let’s get to Work
The extraordinary results of our municipal election signal a deep desire, by many residents, for a change in the city’s direction. Three members of City Council with longtime and deep institutional connections were replaced at […]
SMa.r.t. Column: The Big Upset
Dear Faithful readers of the SMart Column, For over seven years you have loaned us your attention about City planning, architecture, ecology, history and countless local urban issues. For this we are grateful. But I’m […]
SMa.r.t. Column: The Opportunity to Re-unite the Residents with their City”
As election season draws to a close, we are all deciding on how to best to provide for our city’s, and our families, future. Our Expectations for a Livable City Two factors have created […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Santa Monica’s Divine Comedy
[SMa.r.t. originally published this article four years ago. We believe it remains current, with slight alterations. The elections, in the next few days, make it especially relevant. We urge our readers to vote as if […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Which Santa Monica Do You Prefer to Live & Work In?
Santa Monica’s Governance Last I heard, we are a country “by the people and for the people.” But Santa Monica operates on a different premise. Our City Council is under the influence of developers, not […]
Column: Santa Monica–A Broken System
What do all of us want? We want what we used to have and what everyone longs to get back to. A great job. Security. A great work/life balance. Community. These are all in our […]
SMa.r.t. Column: The Future of Our City Is At Stake
On 2003, we embarked on the LUCE (Land Use Circulation Element) – a planning process outlining the future of our city. It took time and a lot of residential input before completing in 2010. Quoting […]
Meals on Wheels West LA Urgently Seeks Holiday Volunteers for Meal Deliveries
Brentwood-Based Program Needs Help Delivering Meals During the Holidays Meals on Wheels West Los Angeles is urgently seeking additional volunteers to...
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Housing Group Sues State Over Limits on Post-Wildfire Rebuilding in L.A. County
YIMBY Law Challenges Governor’s Order Allowing Cities to Restrict SB 9 Housing in High Fire Hazard Zones The housing advocacy...
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