On January17, 2015 SMa.r.t. posted a prophetic article in the Daily Press written by Ron Goldman FAIA advocating maintaining a low rise (3-4 stories) development standard along the major boulevards. He also included a sketch […]
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 […]
Six years go we discussed, in these pages, the city’s then-renewed earthquake-retrofit rules. At the time we argued that the anticipated volume of building permit applications would create a serious challenge for the city’s staff. […]
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. […]
The picture shown above is the future of Santa Monica. Large tall buildings along the Boulevards and Avenues plus Downtown and in the Bergamot Area will be massed to completely shade adjacent low-rise smaller homes […]
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 […]
January 27, 2023 Dear Santa Monica Community, The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Tyre Nichols and the entire Memphis community. SMPD […]
The City Council unanimously launched a $3.5 million Restorative Justice Program — one of the largest locally funded efforts of...
Read moreBuyers can rebuild under Malibu’s Fast Track Rebuild Program, with potential for up to 3,433 square feet of livable space,...
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