January 13, 2026
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SMa.r.t Column: Blind Upzoning’s False Promise

SMa.r.t. is proud to introduce this essay by a Commissioner and former Chair of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, and a Past Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women, Nicole Phillis. As we have […]

SMa.r.t. Column: A Meeting of Two Worlds

The end of 2001 was a very tough time in Argentina. The national currency was devaluated, interest rates ballooned, and bank deposit holders could no longer access their savings. A quarter of Argentines were unemployed […]

Zone Wars: The Return Of Common Sense

Zoning has been an accelerating controversial issue, especially when weighing the acceptable levels of local municipal control versus State control. First and foremost, our city has a legitimate interest in ensuring that all commercial and […]

Guest Columnist: A Perspective…

Six or so years ago,  I started reading some pieces in a local Santa Monica paper.  I was struck by those pieces.  They were articulating the issues of how a city approaches development that reflected […]

Letters to Editor: Main Street Closures

The following are two letters sent to the Santa Monica Mirror, one in support and one in opposition, regarding a plan to close down portions of Main Street to traffic on weekends. Letter in Support […]

When Reality Meets the Housing Element

Affordability is the housing issue in Santa Monica (SM). Densification of the City is the primary objective of the draft 2021 – 2029 Housing Element, ostensibly to address an 8,895 RHNA unit target that is […]

Is Permanent Housing the Real Homeless Solution?

The ultimate goal of city and county agencies trying to solve California’s homeless problem is to get this transient populace into permanent housing. But it turns out many of the homeless don’t want the kind […]