SMa.r.t. Column: Budget Reform and the New Normal
Our guest columnist this week is Marc L. Verville. He is a native of Santa Monica, now lives in Sunset Park and has resided here for over a half century. He served as Vice President […]
Losing Our City!
Our guest columnist this week is Marc L. Verville. He is a native of Santa Monica, now lives in Sunset Park and has resided here for over a half century. He served as Vice President […]
Has Coronavirus Killed the Mass Transit Boom?
For most of the last 30 years, California saw a mass transit boom stretching from San Diego to Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay. Both light and heavy rail joined existing bus systems, providing […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Where Oh Where Is Our City Council? – Part 2
In last week’s article we touched on the nine bills currently before our state legislature which assigns and orders, under economic penalty, that Santa Monica builds 8,874 units in the next 8 years. 1,100 units […]
SMa.r.t. Column: Room to Breathe!
Three days ago, your City Council gave away your land in the center of downtown for 30 pieces of silver. The giveaway did not produce any cash; instead, your city council proposed to give an […]
Column: Time for Newsom to Get Tough on Virus Scofflaws
It became plain during the July 4 holiday weekend that Los Angeles County has at least a partially scofflaw sheriff. So do several other California counties. They’re essentially enforcing only laws and rules they like. […]
YOU Are the Heart of the City!
The members of SMart wrote a credo for Santa Monica in late 2013. The majority of the original members were architects, a profession whose purpose is to facilitate development. As long-term residents of Santa Monica, […]
A Worried People in a Distressed City
It was Santa Monica’s 145th birthday on July 15th. Our city’s traditional motto is “Fortunate People in a Fortunate Land.” Yet it no longer feels that way. It is not even the pandemic’s fault. ~ […]
Wanted: A New City Councilperson
In a week the City Council will appoint a new Council person to replace the retired council member Greg Moreno. That nominee will fill Greg’s vacancy till November 3rd, 2020 when the seat will be […]
SMA.r.t. Column: Brushfires of Freedom!
We have survived the first six months of this year. We are all locked into the strange nightmare that encompasses 2020. First, a thank you to the front line and essential workers that have kept […]
Sweet Laurel Bakery Will Not Reopen in Palisades, Closes Santa Monica Pickup Spot
Sweet Laurel opened its flagship store in Palisades Village in 2018 and built a strong following across West Los Angeles....
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SM.a.r.t. Column: Santa Monica Isn’t Rebounding Yet. It’s Replacing
Santa Monica officially reports numerous new business openings, often highlighted by the media as signs of economic recovery. However, a...
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