[Almost two years ago our colleague Michael Jolly prepared this analysis of the benefits and risks of repurposing existing buildings, especially office buildings. Given the rapidly diminishing office building market today, we thought this article […]

By Tom Elias More than a year after it took effect, the landmark housing density law known as SB 9 has drawn many derogatory labels: a usurper of local powers, a neighborhood wrecker, a destroyer […]

Recent early-morning tremors off the Malibu coast, and the huge and terrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria have made us take another look at Santa Monica’s earthquake-retrofit program for vulnerable buildings. This program, started in […]

By Tom Elias It’s a phenomenon from New York to Dallas to Fresno and Los Angeles, one that seemed inevitable to some from the moment millions of Californians became the first Americans ordered to work […]

By Tom Elias If you’re looking for sure things among bills under consideration in the state Legislature, think of one word: housing. It’s not yet certain just which new housing measures will be proposed this […]

Santa Monica – a progressive city 20 years ago, a chaotic city today! A city that is struggling for its identity and life is a titanic struggle for the heart and soul of our city. […]

Your City is busy rewriting much of its zoning code to implement our new Housing Element as demanded by the State of California. That laborious rewrite has been going on for months because every line […]