January 2024 NewsList
Santa Monica Sees Biggest Annual Rent Drop in Region
January 31, 2024 -- Santa Monica had the largest annual rent decrease in the LA region, dropping by -5.4 percent after prices fell in January for the third straight month, according to the latest monthly report by Apartment List.
Newsom Designates Santa Monica Prohousing Community
January 31, 2024 -- Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday designated Santa Monica as a prohousing community recognized for "cutting red tape and speeding up housing approvals."
Sunset Park Shooter Charged with Murder
January 30, 2024 -- A homeless woman responsible for violent crimes in Los Angeles was charged Tuesday with the murder of a 46-year-old man in Sunset Park last Thursday.
School Redistricting Hearings Resume Wednesday
January 30, 2024 -- Hearings to divide the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District into trustee areas will resume in Malibu on Wednesday, one year after a redistricting plan was submitted by supporters.
Few Volunteers, Tech Glitches Hamper Homeless Count
January 29, 2024 -- Wednesday's annual homeless count in Santa Monica had far fewer volunteers than previous years and may have encountered some technical glitches, according to data and statements from County officials.
Hotel Union Wage Measure Fails to Meet Deadline
January 29, 2024 -- An initiative requiring Santa Monica hotels to pay their workers at least $30 an hour failed to meet Monday's deadline for filing signatures, according to the City Clerk.
OPINION -- Close the Loophole in Permit Parking
January 29, 2024 -- Massive new development is coming to our city and hundreds of new apartments are already in construction that will offer “unbundled” parking, threatening to jam neighborhood streets throughout Santa Monica.
Suspect Arrested, Victim Identified in Sunset Park Homicide
January 26, 2024 -- Police arrested a homeless woman Friday morning for the fatal shooting of a 46-year-old resident of Los Angeles in Sunset Park Thursday.
Former Mayor Appointed To Landmarks Commission
January 26, 2024 -- Former mayor Pam O'Connor, who served a record 24 years on the City Council, will return to the Landmarks Commission, where she launched her political career more than three decades ago.
Santa Monica Hires New Fire Chief
January 25, 2024 -- City Manager David White on Thursday announced the hiring of Monterey Park Fire Chief Matthew Hallock to lead a much larger fire department in Santa Monica.
Man Fatally Shot in Sunset Park
January 25, 2024 -- Santa Monica police are searching for one or more suspects in a deadly shooting in Sunset Park Thursday morning that marked the year's first homicide.
Security Heightened After Council Members Threatened
January 24, 2024 -- The Police Department beefed up security at Tuesday night's City Council meeting after three Councilmembers received death threats, according to several sources familiar with the situation.
Council Strengthens Tenant Protections Amid Uptick in Evictions
January 24, 2024 --Spurred by 67 eviction notices filed in Santa Monica last year, the City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to strengthen the City's "robust" tenant protection laws already in place.
Housing Commission Pushes to Connect Voucher Holders and Landlords
January 24, 2024 -- More than 100 prospective tenants with housing vouchers may be finding it difficult to rent an apartment in Santa Monica, and the City's Housing Commission wants to do something about it.
COVID-Related Deaths Spike in Santa Monica
January 22, 2024 -- Seven Santa Monica residents have died with COVID since December 28 and ten local facilities have reported outbreaks of the virus, according to data released Thursday by LA County Public Health.
Miramar Matching Grant to Boost Ed Foundation's Fundraising Drive
January 22, 2024 -- For the seventh year in a row, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows has given the Santa Monica Education Foundation a matching grant to boost funding for programs and staff at local schools.
Security Guards Could Patrol Santa Monica Buses
January 19, 2024 -- Amid a rise in crime and disturbances, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus (BBB) fleet could soon be patrolled by unarmed security guards as part of a contract the City Council will consider Tuesday.
SMC's Accreditation Reaffirmed
January 19, 2024 -- After "an extensive self-evaluation and peer review process," Santa Monica College's accreditation has been reaffirmed for another seven years, College officials announced this week.
City to Explore Ways to Boost Minority Contractors
January 18, 2024 -- The City Council on Tuesday is expected to
hire a consultant to begin exploring ways to boost the number of minority contractors hired by the City.
Motel Voucher Program Activated for Upcoming Storm
January 18, 2024 -- Homeless individuals in the City and County of Los Angeles can apply for motel vouchers if they have nowhere to stay during an upcoming winter storm.
Council Considers Fee for Candidate Statements
January 17, 2024 -- Local candidates who want the City Clerk to distribute their candidate statement to voters will have to pay more than $1,000, under a staff proposal the City Council will take up Tuesday.
Santa Monica Man Sentenced in Bitcoin Money-Laundering Scheme
January 17, 2024 -- A Santa Monica man who helped launder millions of dollars through his crypocurency exchange was sentenced to four months in federal prison Wednesday.
Injury Crashes Involving Pedestrians Rising
January 16, 2023 -- Two homeless women killed in traffic collisions in the past month are part of a trend that is seeing more pedestrians hit by motorists in Santa Monica.
OPINION -- Supercharged Densification With No EIR
January 16, 2024 -- Huge increases in the size of housing projects allowed by a new State law will result in "a rolling environmental and financial train wreck" for Santa Monica.
Second Pedestrian in a Month Killed in Saturday Crash
January 16, 2024 -- A woman in her fifties was killed by a car as she walked across Lincoln Boulevard Saturday, marking the second pedestrian fatality in the past month, according to police.
New Group Formed to Fight City Hall
January 12, 2024 -- A new player entered Santa Monica's crowded political arena this week with a website focused on public safety and a video that has garnered more than 1,400 views.
City Closes Facilities, Reduces Services Monday
January 12, 2024 -- City Hall will be closed on Monday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Big Blue Bus (BBB) will operate on weekend hours and some parking meters won't be charging.
Santa Monica Preps for Homeless Count
January 11, 2024 -- When volunteers fan out across Santa Monica this month for the 2024 homeless count, they will comb the streets earlier than usual armed with updated technology.
City Launches 'Diversion Court' for Minor Offenses
January 11, 2024 -- Homeless individuals suffering from mental health or substance abuse issues who commit minor crimes can now have their cases dropped if they complete a social services regimen.
City Requests Proposals for Civic Auditorium
January 10, 2024 -- The City has issued a request for "letters of interest" to revitalize the shuttered Civic Auditorium as an entertainment, events and cultural arts venue, City officials announced Wednesday.
'Stop the Hate' Theme of MLK Celebration Monday
January 10, 2024 -- “Stop the Hate, Start the Healing” is the theme of this year's Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration held in Santa Monica on Monday.
Indebted Downtown Building Sells for More Than $86 Million
January 9, 2024 -- A Downtown office complex that became a cautionary tale of navigating Santa Monica's notoriously slow planning process has sold for $86.7 million -- far below the value of the debt on the building, according to reports.
SMC Extends Record Transfer Streak
January 9, 2024 -- Santa Monica College (SMC) maintained its streak as the No.1 transfer college to the University of California that began the year the Cold War ended and Justice Clarence Thomas was appointed to the Supreme Court.
Union, Miramar Reach Tentative Agreement
January 8, 2024 -- The hotel workers union announced Monday that it has reached a tentative agreement with the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, ending a 6-month-long intermittent strike that heightened tensions with neighboring residents.
Mental Health Crisis Team Hits Streets
January 8, 2024 -- A mental health crisis team was deployed in Santa Monica Monday as part of a pilot program to help, and eventually alleviate, the heavy workload of first responders dealing with the homeless.
Police Reform Agenda Item Stirs Pot
January 5, 2024 -- An unusually worded item on Tuesday's Police Reform Commission agenda has widened the rift over the hotly debated issue of racial profiling in traffic stops.
BBB Ridership Far Below 2019 Despite 2-Year Rise
January 4, 2024 -- Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus (BBB) gained ridership for the second straight year, but it remains far below the levels before the coronavirus shutdown, a new report shows.
Santa Monica Man Arrested for Murder
January 5, 2024 -- A Santa Monica man was arrested for murder New Year's Day after trying to force a tenant from a property he owns in
San Bernardino County.
Santa Monica Rents Drop in 2023 After Two-Year Rise
January 4, 2024 -- Rents in Santa Monica dropped -4.2 percent last year, after seeing steep rises over the previous two years, according to the latest monthly report by Apartment List.
Police to Hold Bike Safety Enforcement Operation as City Boosts Efforts to Protect Cyclists
January 3, 2024 -- With the City Council focused on boosting bicycle safety, Santa Monica police will crack down Thursday on behaviors responsible for collisions involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.
Monthly Poll Takes Pulse on Noisy Protests, Parking Tax and Homeless Cleanup Efforts
January 3, 2024 -- An overwhelming majority of "civically engaged" Santa Monica residents supports limiting "disruptive" early morning protests in residential areas and boosting homeless cleanup efforts, according to a monthly poll.
COVID Levels Remain Low Despite Expected Rise
January 2, 2024 -- The spread of a more contagious COVID variant and lower than expected vaccination rates have failed to result in a winter surge of the coronavirus, according to LA County Public Health data.
Santa Monica Gun Laws Unaffected by Court Ruling
January 2, 2024 -- Santa Monica's new gun ordinance can still be enforced after a U.S. District judge last month blocked a new California law restricting where firearms can be carried, City officials said.
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