SMa.r.t. Column: It’s Not Your Fault
This is a two-part article Two large tectonic plates are engaged in a titanic multi-million year battle to slip past each other. As the northbound Pacific Plate slams into the North American Plate along the […]
One of LA’s Best Omakase Counters is Tucked Away in a Santa Monica Hotel Lobby
Sushi Chef Masa Shimakawa’s Soko restaurant offers an extraordinary culinary experience By Sam Catanzaro Tucked into the lobby of a Santa Monica hotel, Sushi Chef Masa Shimakawa’s Soko offers one of Los Angeles’ best omakase […]
Opinion: Shore Hotel and Unite Here Local 11
By David G. Brown While reading one of the mass text messages recently sent by Unite Here Local 11 in opposition to Shore Hotel’s latest project, my interest was piqued. I’ve often heard the owners […]
State’s Housing Solution Starts Happening
By Tom Elias, Columnist It’s happening. Despite the best efforts of California’s highly ideological, developer-financed state legislators, the solution to this state’s widely acknowledged housing shortage is coming fast, driven more by market forces than […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Santa Monica – Who Does the City Work For?
There is a general, and growing, discomfort in the relationship between the residents and their city. People who live here are asking themselves and each other – who does the city work for? Those few […]
Opinion: SB 9, 10: The Rebellion Begins
By Tom Elias, Columnist It was inevitable from the moment Gov. Gavin Newsom in mid-September signed this year’s two most important housing bills into law: There will be a rebellion. Not only did poll numbers […]
SMa.r.t. Column: A Flooding Prospect
The inevitable sea level rise in our area has prompted a number of groups and organizations to look at possible solutions and mitigation measures. As the Los Angeles Times pointed out in recent articles, doing […]
SMa.r.t. Column: The Main Thing Is…
In August, after the first closure of Main St. for a weekend of…something, the general consensus of our inquiries to a dozen or so retail & service (not bar/restaurant) businesses was “ Please do not […]
Sacto Dems Dump Prop. 13 Reforms
By Tom Elias, Columnist For more than 40 years, Democrats in Sacramento have talked fervently about reforming the 1978 Proposition 13 and some of its landmark limits on property taxes, but time and again they’ve […]
SMa.r.t. Column: The Magic of Adaptive Reuse
They say that every seven years all the cells in your body renew themselves. Likewise, seven years ago SMart published this article about adaptive reuse which, as is typical of our many topics, is still […]
What to Know About Santa Monica’s $3.5M ‘Restorative Justice Program’ (Video)
The City Council unanimously launched a $3.5 million Restorative Justice Program — one of the largest locally funded efforts of...
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Malibu Oceanfront Lot with Rebuild Potential Listed for $1.9M
Buyers 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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