I became Santa Monica’s Mayor on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, following a simple “switch of the chairs” transition with outgoing Mayor Gleam Davis during the first hour of last Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. I […]

Position:Seeking Santa Monica City Council Candidate(s) Introduction:Exciting opportunity for the right candidate(s) to work with like-minded Council members committed to preserving and protecting the history, culture, and integrity of our iconic beachside community. Background:Nestled between […]

Santa Monica City’s Architectural Review Board (ARB), established in 1974, acts “…to preserve existing areas of natural beauty, cultural importance and assure that buildings, structures, signs or other developments are in good taste, good design, […]

SMa.r.t. would like to wish you all a great Thanksgiving with friends and family and also to thank its readers for their loyalty this year. We all have much to be thankful for. Specifically, we […]

When the COVID crisis struck, it cut the city’s income in half, demolishing many businesses and causing widespread layoffs and suspension of popular services. Faster than a speeding locomotive, certain groups who like to weigh […]

As well described by Paul Krugman, all cities have a core competency: things they do well or better regionally or internationally than other cities. Think Atlanta for logistics, London for finance, and  Los Angeles for […]

Quartz countertops are super popular because they’re tough and can handle stains, scratches, and heat. But there’s a big problem: the people who make these countertops are getting sick and even dying from lung diseases […]

Welton (David) Becket (1902-1969), pictured above, backed by a picture of our Civic Auditorium, was the designer of that famed building. While his name might not be currently well known, most people would recognize his […]

Civic Center Debate Last year, the City declared the Civic Center Auditorium surplus property after a decade of neglect and disuse. The auditorium had been closed because of seismic concerns and the lack of accessibility. […]

This week SMa.r.t. is focusing on the historic Civic Center Auditorium and residents’ efforts to save it from a misdirected effort by the City Council to sell it to generate revenue. Revenue shortfalls are due […]