“As the City is broke and on the edge of bankruptcy, proponents seem to suggest starting simply—create walking paths, install basic amenities, plant shade trees, and wait for a generous philanthropist to fund the full […]

SMart (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) hopes you are enjoying a great 3-day weekend as part of your 4th of July Celebrations. Always a fantasia of fireworks, barbecues, parades, and speeches, this summer […]

In today’s cities, silence isn’t golden—it’s extinct. From sunrise to insomnia, we’re trapped in a nonstop symphony of shrieking car alarms, roaring leaf blowers, and sirens that sound like the sky’s being torn in half. […]

How Santa Monica’s Growing Light Pollution Is Eroding Human Health, Safety, and Sanity There was a time when our coastal night meant something—when day left, stars emerged, and the world, at last, exhaled. Now, the […]

California’s ambitious housing mandates were supposed to solve the affordability crisis. Instead, they’re creating a vicious cycle that’s killing public transit and pushing working families further from opportunity.  New UCLA research reveals a stunning pattern: […]

Santa Monica, once celebrated for its blend of coastal charm and progressive ideals, is slowly bleeding out — not from one dramatic failure, but from a thousand small, systemic ones. Mismanagement, unchecked spending, and leadership […]

Our Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow (SMa.r.t) articles have, over the past 12 years, collectively presented a critical analysis of the extensive development transforming Santa Monica. While critical of current development trajectories, SMa.r.t. […]

Santa Monica is known for its ocean views, sunny skies, and strong environmental values. But there’s a challenge on the horizon that could test the city’s priorities: water. If Santa Monica follows through on California’s […]

SMO: Fantasy, Fact, and the Fog of Wishful ThinkingBy someone who read the fine print Every few months, a headline appears in Santa Monica promising that the airport—Santa Monica Airport (SMO)—will shut down by the […]

This week SMa.r.t. will have as guest columnist Mark Borenstein. Mark is a long-time Santa Monica resident, a retired attorney, an expert in judicial matters, and teaches law at USC Gould School of Law. He […]