January 9, 2026
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SM.a.r.t Column: Peril, Prevention, and the Path Forward

The recent Palisades and Altadena fires brought Los Angeles’ inherent contradictions into sharp focus as residents fled their homes in darkness, uncertain if they would ever see their cherished, often magical, properties again. Many were […]

SM.a.r.t Column: A New Path Ahead

The recent Palisades Fire is profoundly impacting the people of Los Angeles, displacing families, destroying property, and creating an enduring sense of loss and vulnerability. As the community comes together to heal, it is also […]

SM.a.r.t. Column: Adaptive Liveability

You know, sometimes you walk by a building and think, that place has some stories to tell. What if those stories weren’t just about the people who lived or worked there, but about the building […]

SM.a.r.t Column: Happy Holidays

S.M.a.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) is wishing you a wonderful holiday season. We hope you are surrounded by pets, friends and family and can celebrate with festivities and traditions that make you […]

SM.a.r.t. Column: Preserving Santa Monica

Since Giving Tuesday I’m sure you have been bombarded with appeals from countless organizations, local, national, or even international that are doing exceptionally valuable work that enhance the public good. It’s sometimes hard to select […]

SM.a.r.t Column: Climbing The Vertical Learning Curve

The city is facing a financial crisis, the roots of which stretch back decades but have been made worse by the pandemic’s budgetary strains. Years of mismanagement, skyrocketing pension obligations, and over $220 million in […]

SM.a.r.t Column: It’s Time To Inspect Balconies

About nine years ago, a fifth-floor balcony in a Berkeley apartment building collapsed, tragically killing several students gathered on it and injuring others. Investigations suggested that poor construction and maintenance, especially problems with waterproofing that […]

S.M.a.r.t Column: Your City is Broke

On December 10, the new City council will be seated fresh from their dominant win in the recent elections. There are surprising parallels between the national elections where MAGA swept the board and the Santa […]

SM.a.r.t Column: Moving Ahead to the Future

As we write this, the election results are still trickling in. We’ll leave the deep analysis to others, but the reality of our city’s tough challenges looms large, regardless of who sits on the Council. […]

Opinion: Fact Check: Why Vote Yes on Measure QS

Despite living in a famously progressive region, Santa Monicans are not immune from the same political misinformation and disinformation that afflicts civil discourse elsewhere in the United States. As backers of Measure QS, we feel […]