SM.a.r.t Column: SIX ACRES AND A MULEheaded process
Latest news out of Washington is to take a hard line on the homeless, that are all too prevalent, not just in our town, but across the country, in all communities, large and small. And, […]
SM.a.r.t. Column: SMO (So Many Options) Part 4 “IT’S THE ECONOMY, S…..”
“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 […]
SM.a.r.t.Column: Happy Fourth of July
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 […]
SM.a.r.t Column: Cities That Never Shut Up – The Roaring Cost of Urban Noise
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. […]
SM.a.r.t Column: Santa Monica Needs to See the Light
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 […]
SM.a.r.t Column: California’s Transit Death Spiral: How Housing Mandates Are Backfiring
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: […]
SM.a.r.t. Column: A City Dying by a Thousand Cuts
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 […]
SM.a.r.t Column: Oops!! What Happened? And What Are You Going to Do About It?
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. […]
SM.a.r.t Column: Why Santa Monica Might Need a Desalination Plant, and Maybe Even Nuclear Power
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 […]
SM.a.r.t Column: SMO (So Many Options) Part 3: “Pie in the Sky”
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 […]