SR 03-13-2021 8A
City Council Report
City Council Meeting: March 13, 2021
Agenda Item: 8.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Lane Dilg, Interim City Manager, City Manager's Office
Subject: Adoption of Community Priorities to Guide the Budget Process for Fiscal
Years 2021-2023
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council select up to five Community Priorities to guide
the budget process for fiscal years 2021-2023.
Executive Summary
The development of the City of Santa Monica’s Fiscal Years (FY) 2021-2023 Biennial
Budget provides an important opportunity to gather input from our community and for
the City Council to identify community priorities.
It goes without saying that 2021 is a time of great uncertainty and change. This is an
opportunity for the Council and the community to reflect on where we stand today and to
look forward to the next two years – to determine what is most important as we begin
our community-wide recovery from COVID-19 and strive for a more equitable future.
Establishing community priorities will help us to:
• Prioritize reopening services and programs as funding becomes available.
• Inform City operations and policymaking.
• Ensure we share information on what matters most to our community.
As reported to Council as part of the FY 2020-21 Midyear Budget Review on January
26, 2021, the state of the City’s finances is stable. This, however, came at a painful
cost. The City’s finances are stable despite drastically reduced revenues resulting from
the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of (a) substantial cuts that were made to City
services and staffing in the FY 2020-21 budget process and (b) the use of reserves and
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the setting aside of a $20 million Shutdown Reserve that was indeed needed to cover
dramatic revenue losses during the COVID-related shutdown that Los Angeles County
experienced in December 2020 and January 2021.
Although the City did not receive meaningful support from the Federal Government in
2020, the American Rescue Plan, expected to be signed by President Biden this week,
will provide broad funding to support families, businesses, vaccination, and school
reopening across the country. Locally, it would provide approximately $29.3 million in
direct stabilization aid to the City of Santa Monica. Because of previous uncertainty as
to the receipt, amount, use restrictions, and timing of federal aid, the General Fund
forecasting completed to date does not include this new federal aid. However, as we
approach certainty that we will receive these funds, staff is developing a plan to allocate
the one-time infusion of $29.3 million across a number of fiscal years in order to fund
ongoing community services and programs until revenues recover to a level that can
absorb these ongoing costs. This work will be presented to Council together with the
FY 2021-23 Proposed Biennial Budget.
Figure 1. Key FY 2021-23 Budget Inputs
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To support Council in considering our community priorities, staff launched a survey that
could be taken in English and Spanish between February 8 and February 28. Given our
current public health restrictions, staff actively promoted the survey through postcards to
each Santa Monica residence; distribution at Santa Monica facilities and programs like
the Farmers Market, Virginia Avenue Park, Ken Edwards Center, and the Libraries;
social media postings and email updates; local media publications; and contact with
customers who called or spoke to our staff during the survey period. In the end, we
received 3,352 responses. Staff also asked the City’s leadership team what they
believed the City’s priorities should be for the next two years and collated this
information separately.
The results of both surveys are discussed in greater detail within this report, but these
priorities ranked at or near the top:
• Reducing Homelessness (74.13%)
• Keeping Neighborhoods Safe (63.60%)
• Affordability (37.56%)
• Environmental Sustainability (34.84%)
• Accessible Mobility and Transportation (31.98%)
• Economic Opportunity and Recovery (29.71%)
• Equity and Inclusion (20.11%)
This report provides information about the budget process and the community survey
results to assist Council in establishing community priorities for the next two fiscal years.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Description
January 26, 2019
(Attachment A)
Council selection of Framework Priorities for 2019-2021
June 23, 2020
(Attachment B)
Adoption of the FY 2020-21 Operating Budget and the
Adoption of the First Year and Approval of the Second
Year of the FY 2020-22 Biennial Capital Improvement
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Program Budget
January 26, 2021
(Attachment C)
2020-2021 Mid-Year Budget Update
Background
Community Values
The City has established a set of community values that underlie everything the City
does. These values are Accountability, Equity, Inclusion, Innovation, Resilience, Safety,
and Stewardship. These values define who we are and who we aspire to be, and guide
our efforts to reopen, serve customers, develop policies, and design operations.
In 2020, the City’s commitment to accountability, resilience and safety guided our
response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The City activated its Emergency
Operations Center (EOC), which includes staff from all departments, to coordinate
implementation of state and county health orders, educate the community, adapt city
services, and respond to resident questions. We are grateful to our frontline workers,
our local health and mental health care providers and our City’s EOC and local
community leaders for supporting the community throughout this period.
During 2020, our country also experienced a severe economic downturn. In the face of
these challenges, the City took the responsible step of adopting a plan for restructuring
City services to keep the City’s budget balanced, while ensuring the delivery of essential
City services. Because of that stewardship, our budget is balanced, our fiscal health is
intact, and we retain our rare AAA bond rating.
Finally, 2020 exposed cracks in our systems and in our community that need to be
addressed. The City’s commitment to equity and inclusion guided its response to calls
for racial justice, engaging our community in a dialogue about historic inequities and
actions we can take locally to make a difference. Community engagement on matters
of public safety reform led to Council’s creation of the Public Safety Reform and
Oversight Commission, and Equity and Inclusion Officers were established in every
department to imbue these values across every aspect of City work. The City also
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celebrated the opening of Historic Belmar Park, which uplifts and honors the historic
Belmar Neighborhood and African-American community leaders who lived there while
offering future generations of Santa Monicans open space for recreation, play, and the
lessons of teamwork and determination inherent in sport.
These community values that have guided us as we have responded to the pandemic
and stabilized our community and economy will continue to serve as a guide as we look
forward to the future.
Financial Stewardship and the Budget Process
The City of Santa Monica has an award-winning budget program that reflects traditional
municipal best practices. This program supports quality services for the community, a
well-maintained infrastructure and a healthy balance sheet that has earned Santa
Monica an AAA bond rating from all three of the national credit rating agencies. This
careful planning allowed the City to quickly reposition itself in response to the COVID-19
pandemic that has devastated economies at all levels around the world, with cities like
Santa Monica, with strong tourism, retail and entertainment amenities, seeing among
the largest revenue impacts.
Beginning in early April 2020, staff produced a forecast of the effects of COVID-19 on
Santa Monica’s operations and revenues. Key aspects of this forecast have borne out,
including the significant impacts of COVID on City revenue streams, the absence of
meaningful federal aid in 2020, and the “second surge” of the pandemic that came to
pass this winter. Based on this forecast, staff embarked on a process to cover revenue
gaps and reduce expenditures. This process included using reserves, cutting capital
projects and one-time expenditures, and restructuring the City government to reduce its
size and realign its operations to the COVID environment. Through this painful process,
the City balanced its budget and prepared itself to weather the extraordinary amount of
uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and its ramifications on economic conditions in
Santa Monica and beyond. Uncertainty remains and urges continued caution in the
management of our finances for the foreseeable future.
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Over the years, the City has worked to add policies and reserves to affirm its
commitment to safeguarding public funds through transparent and careful fiscal
management. For more than ten years, the City has kept an economic uncertainty
reserve in addition to its General Fund contingency reserve totaling 15% of annual
expenditure budget (as a result of the economic challenges brought on by the
pandemic, the Council authorized the reduction of the contingency reserve to 12.5%).
In addition to a comprehensive set of fiscal policies, the Council has approved a Fiscal
Sustainability Philosophy, a Compensation Philosophy, and Guiding Principles to
Handle Pension Liability.
While we had previously planned that the City would embark on a six-year transition to
a new budgeting process based on Framework Priorities to align limited resources to
those areas most critical to the community, the severe reduction in revenues caused by
COVID-19 forced an acceleration of this priority setting. As we look towards recovery,
we will use the priority areas identified by Council to ensure responsiveness to our
community’s needs and to focus our resources and effort.
On January 26, 2021 Council reviewed the City’s Five-Year Financial Forecast for the
General Fund. The Forecast shows that:
• City operations, and those of our partners, remain severely impacted by COVID-
19 and will continue to be severely impacted for much of 2021.
• The City’s Five-Year Financial Forecast (January 2021 Five Year Forecast/
updated Forecast) continues to anticipate slow economic growth, with the
economy ultimately recovering to pre-COVID revenue levels in FY 2024-25.
• City revenues are expected to come in $14.6 million lower than anticipated as a
result of the extended closures from the pandemic, and the City will therefore
need the $20 million Shutdown Reserve that was set aside in order to balance
the FY 2020-21 budget.
The current forecast reflects operations at current reduced levels, with an additional
approximately $3 million derived from a one-time loan of sales tax funds that would
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otherwise be diverted to the affordable housing trust fund. This approximately $3 million
will be available in the FY 2021-23 biennial budget process to support the continuation
of certain homeless services previously identified by Council as a priority and to reopen
certain City facilities and services to the public.
The Biennial Budget process will also include programming of the one-time infusion of
approximately $29.3M direct stabilization aid expected to be provided to the City by the
American Rescue Plan. These funds must be programmed across multiple years to
ensure stability and continuity until revenues can recover.
The FY 2021-23 Biennial Budget process includes the following key dates and Council
meetings:
• March 13, 2021: Council Community Priority Setting Meeting
• May 10, 2021: FY 2021-23 Proposed Biennial Budget Available to the Public
• May 25, 2021: City Council FY 2021-23 Proposed Biennial Budget Study Session
• June 22, 2021: City Council FY 2021-23 Proposed Budget Adoption and Public
Hearing
Reopening City Services and Programs
Since March 13, 2020, all indoor City facilities and many City programs and services
have been largely or entirely closed to the public; other programs and services have
been restructured or suspended as a result of the City’s budget reductions. Frontline
workers have continued to provide the community’s essential services. These essential
services, accounted for in the current budget, include services such as emergency
response and public safety services; transit, transportation, parking, and mobility
services; clean and safe drinking water; Resource, Recycling & Recovery services;
parks and beach maintenance; street cleaning and maintenance; public right of way
management; building inspections; code enforcement; child care; and maintenance of
infrastructure to support all of these services, as well as deeply valued and needed
community services such as Farmers Markets, Library services provided virtually and
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through curbside distribution, outdoor recreation, and completion of key capital projects
already in progress before the pandemic, among others.
During the pandemic, the City has also leveraged its secure, multi-faceted technology
platform to continue office-based work done remotely, enabling the City to continue at
full pace in its economic recovery, economic development, equity and inclusion,
planning and community development, permitting and plan check, housing, cultural
affairs, and financial planning and stewardship, as well as to provide legal, human
resources, technology, and finance support across all City functions. The pandemic has
also required us to quickly and productively enhance our digital offerings to the public,
leading to customer service improvements, including but not limited to, creation of a
virtual Permit Counter, a new virtual inspection process, a new City website
santamonica.gov, and a new 311 system set to launch at the end of this month.
As COVID-19 vaccination increases and the pandemic subsides, the community will
resume its economic, civic, and social life, and many City services will return to their
homes in City Hall, where substantial construction has been completed during the
pandemic, and City Hall East, which was completed during the pandemic.
The City’s reopening plans follow the Governor’s four tier blueprint for reopening safely.
As of publishing of this staff report, Los Angeles County remains in the purple, or most
restricted tier. We anticipate the County could move to the red tier in the coming week
with additional services being allowed to reopen later this spring as we move quickly
towards the orange tier. Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District has notified
parents and students that elementary schools will begin reopening this March under
very modified conditions. Secondary schools will follow later this spring. We are
hopeful that with the continued rollout of the vaccine, we could see further easing of
restrictions by the summer.
With the rollout of vaccines and the reduction in case rates seen in recent weeks, plans
to reopen City facilities to the public are well underway, in accordance with State and
County health orders, Center for Disease Control guidance, and advice from the City’s
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Risk Management and Office of Emergency Management teams. Measures have been
implemented at City facilities such as the Libraries, Public Safety Facility, and Farmers’
Markets to protect the public and staff. The City has also retrofitted many City facilities
currently closed to the public with plexiglass, hand sanitizer stations, signage and other
measures to support public health in preparation for reopening.
Staff are also working with the State and County to make vaccines available to our staff
as quickly as possible. To date, vaccination eligibility has expanded to our EMT and
cemetery workers, emergency services and first responders, child care and youth
services workers, public transit providers, indoor janitor and maintenance workers, and
workers over the age of 65 or with health conditions that place them at high risk. Under
current plans, frontline workers who have reported to City worksites throughout the
pandemic will be the first to receive the vaccine should the City receive supply, followed
by those who have been teleworking to keep essential services going. However, it is
very difficult to predict when vaccinations will be available and how long this process will
take. The City is also encouraging and ensuring that staff have the tools they need to
get vaccinated through their healthcare provider or the County as soon as they are
eligible and vaccines are available.
To support the reopening, the City will launch a 311 customer service program on
March 31 that will be a one-stop hotline and mobile app where people can get answers
to what is open, request City services, and report issues or problems. The City will also
share information about reopening through SaMo News, the City website, and across
City social media channels. We look forward to welcoming back our residents and other
customers when it is safe to do so.
Discussion
Community Priorities
Community priorities have long been a part of our City’s budgeting process. Whether
called priorities, community priorities, framework priorities, or strategic goals, this
process has provided an opportunity to engage our community and look to Council to
focus our City resources on what is most important.
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In 2019, the Council adopted the Performance Framework for a Sustainable City of
Wellbeing to support the City’s performance management program in place at the time.
Integrating the City’s innovative Sustainable City Plan and Wellbeing Index, the
Framework organized City services, programs and projects into seven outcomes areas
supported by more focused sub-outcome areas. The bolded sub-outcomes below were
used to identify the Council’s Framework priorities for the FY 2019-2021 budget.
Figure 2. The Framework for a Sustainable City of Wellbeing
For the FY 2020-2021 budget, the COVID-19 pandemic shaped our priorities: The City
focused on:
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• Responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• Providing essential clean and safe services;
• Promoting economic recovery for all in our community; and
• Addressing racial inequity.
These priorities, as past priorities have, shaped our operations and focused our limited
resources. A comprehensive overview of current City operations is included in the
section on Reopening below.
As we move toward our recovery, the Framework offers an overview of areas in which
the City supports its community. It has therefore been used, with minor modifications
based on lessons learned during the previous process, to survey the community to
identify priorities to inform Council’s decision-making process.
Community Engagement
Community engagement during COVID has required a modified approach. Many City
facilities remain closed to the public and social distancing requirements make in-person
interactions difficult. In the face of these restrictions, staff sent a postcard invitation in
English and Spanish to every residence and sent survey invitations to 30,000 email
addresses. Staff also promoted the survey through print and digital ads in La Opinion,
the Santa Monica Daily Press, the Santa Monica Mirror, and the Lookout, and
promotion on the City’s social media feeds. Staff also distributed invitations through the
Library’s Curbside Checkout Program, Farmers’ Markets, Virginia Avenue Park Food
Pantry, and those calling the City were invited to take the survey by staff.
The survey was open to residents, employees working in the City, and those who own
businesses and/or property in Santa Monica. The survey could be taken online or by
calling the City. In the end, 3,352 responses were received. The survey results are
listed below.
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Table 1. Complete Community Survey Results by Area
This process was not designed to represent a scientifically valid cross-section of the
community but rather be an open-ended invitation for broad, voluntary engagement. It is
intended simply as guidance and information supplementing all other forms of input as
Council, as the elected representatives of the people, sets community priorities. A
complete set of survey results, including demographic information about who
responded, is attached to this report. The following provides details on each of the
areas of input (Attachment D). We have also attached the survey results from the City
Leadership Team for your reference (Attachment E).
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Top Ranked Community Priority Areas
The City delivers services that covers all the areas listed in the survey. As noted above,
establishing community priorities enables us to focus our limited resources and
messaging on what is important to the community at this time. This section presents
more information on current City programs and services in each of the top ranked
community priority areas.
Accessible Mobility and Transportation
Description
Providing services and engagement to
ensure the safety of all of our streets.
Provide safe, reliable,
affordable sustainable transportation
services to support economic vitality.
Key Programs and Services
• Big Blue Bus
• MODE Dial-a-Ride Service
• Shared Mobility & Micromobility Program
• Transportation Demand Management
• Parking Operations
• Traffic Management
Sample Key Result
• Zero transportation related fatalities by 2026
• Fully integrated, multi-modal community that can be traveled within and to and
from without an automobile
Affordability
Description
A city that strives to provide
opportunities for people to afford to live
within its boundaries.
Key Programs and Services
• Affordable
Housing Production/Preservation
• Rental Assistance
• Preserving Our Diversity
• Farmers’ Markets Snap Card Program
• Transit Subsidies
• Senior Beach Parking
• Right to Counsel Pilot
Sample Key Result
• % of homes that are affordable to low- and moderate-income households
• Number of Santa Monica households served by affordable housing programs
Economic Opportunity and Recovery
Description
A local economy that encourages
opportunity for all, especially people
with the greatest barriers to
advancement unpinned by a sufficiently
Key Programs and Services
• Economic Development
• Small Business Grant Program
• “One Voice” Initiative
• Buy Local
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diverse economy to provide economic
stability.
• Promenade Partnership
• Al Fresco Dining Program
• Art of Recovery
• Community Events
Sample Key Result
• Unemployment rate % below LA County rate
• Decrease in commercial vacancies as measured by increase in City-wide
Commercial Occupancy Rate
Equity and Inclusion
Description
A city that provides all community
members with access to resources and
opportunities, and where differences in
life outcomes cannot be predicted by
race, class, gender, disability, or other
identities.
Key Programs and Services
• Departmental and At Large Equity and
Inclusion Officers
• Public Safety Reform and Oversight
Committee
• Sponsorship of Community Cultural
Events, including Black History Month,
Pride, and Hispanic Heritage Month
• Equity and Inclusion Recruitment
Statement
• Sponsorship of Local Black Lives
Matter Nonprofit
• Opening of Historic Belmar Park
Sample Key Result
• % increase in Black and Latinx participation on appointed City boards and
commissions
• Increase in % of Black and Latinx children in Santa Monica that are Kindergarten-
ready
Environmental Sustainability
Description
A city that provides clean water from
sustainable sources; marine waters safe
for active and passive recreation; clean
indoor and outdoor air; a sustainable
climate that supports thriving human life
and a flourishing biodiverse
environment; comprehensive waste
disposal systems that do not degrade
the environment; and a sustainable
energy future based on renewable
energy sources.
Key Programs and Services
• Sustainable City Plan
• Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
• Zero Waste
• Sustainable Water Master Plan
• Groundwater Sustainability Plan
• Enhanced Watershed Management Plan
Sample Key Result
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• 75% reduction of landfilled organic waste by 2025 (2014 levels)
• 90% local water production starting in 2024
Keeping Neighborhoods Safe
Description
Providing services and engagement to
ensure the safety of all of our
neighbors.
Key Programs and Services
• Police Patrols
• Criminal Prosecutions
• Neighborhood Resource Officers
• Public Safety Reform and Oversight
Commission
• Community Emergency Response Team
Sample Key Result
• Reduction in Part 1 crimes
Reducing Homelessness
Description
Reducing unsheltered homelessness
and preventing homelessness among
low-income residents
Key Programs and Services
• Homelessness services, prevention, and
outreach
• Eviction prevention and affordable
housing programs
• SMPD HLP Team
• Alternative justice and diversion
programs
• Park ambassadors
• Regional coordination
Sample Key Result
• Reduction in unsheltered population
Measuring Success
Following the City’s restructuring driven by the financial impacts of COVID-19, the City’s
standalone performance management office was eliminated as the City shifted its
reduced resources to focus on community-facing services. Full use of the Framework,
which was heavily staff- and time-intensive across the City, remains infeasible in the
current City budget; but the City remains committed to commonsense, cost-effective
performance management in working toward Council priorities. In the FY 2021-23
Proposed Biennial Budget, a key metric will be included for each Community Priority
selected by the City Council so that we know as a community what we are trying to
achieve together. In setting these key metrics, we will be guided by the Objectives and
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Key Results (OKR) model, under which key results are used to track progress, create
alignment across key stakeholders, and inspire collaborative work to achieve high-
reaching, measurable goals.
Next Steps
As noted above, the community priorities identified for FY 2021-2023 will, among other
things, shape the City’s biennial budget. These priorities will also help shape the City’s
plans in reopening City facilities and services, ensuring limited in-person resources go
to services and programs most important to our community as really as April.
We will work with departments to focus workplans and resources on the priorities,
recognizing that there are limited new funds for new initiatives or resources. Staff will
work to identify the key initiatives and results planned for the next two years to include
in the budget.
Staff will publish the proposed budget on May 10, 2021 and Council will consider the
budget at a Study Session on May 25, 2021. Council will adopt the budget at its
meeting on June 22, 2021.
Prepared By: Christopher Smith, Assistant to the City Manager
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. January 26, 2019 Staff Report: Council Selection of Framework Priorities for FY
2019-21 (Web Link)
B. June 23, 2020 Staff Report: Adoption of FY2020-21 Operating Budget and
Adoption of First Year & Approval of Second Year of FY 2020-22 Biennial Capital
Improvement Program Budget (Web Link)
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C. January 26, 2021 Staff Report: FY 2020-2021 Mid-Year Budget Update (Web
Link)
D. Community Priorities Community Survey Responses
E. Community Priorities Leadership Team Survey Responses
F. Written Comments
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Community Priorities Survey
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90.01% 3,017
38.81% 1,301
13.51% 453
34.82% 1,167
Q1 Qualifying Question: Do you (check all that apply):
Answered: 3,352 Skipped: 0
Total Respondents: 3,352
Live in Santa
Monica
Work in Santa
Monica
Own a Business
in Santa Mon...
Own Property
in Santa Mon...
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Live in Santa Monica
Work in Santa Monica
Own a Business in Santa Monica
Own Property in Santa Monica
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Q2 Which five of these areas are most important to you right now?
Answered: 3,352 Skipped: 0
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Reduce
Homelessness
Keeping
Neighborhood...
Affordability
Environmental
Sustainabili...
Accessible
Mobility and...
Economic
Opportunity ...
Equity and
Inclusion
Responding to
Emergencies
Disaster
Preparedness
School-Aged
Learning
Connected and
Engaged...
Mental Health
Civic
Infrastructure
Priority not
shown
Physical Health
Built
Environment
Business
Diversity
Early
Childhood...
Community
Learning
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
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74.13% 2,485
63.60% 2,132
37.56% 1,259
34.84% 1,168
31.98% 1,072
29.71% 996
20.11% 674
18.44% 618
17.51% 587
17.15% 575
15.36% 515
15.21% 510
14.11% 473
13.25% 444
10.53% 353
10.32% 346
9.22% 309
7.76% 260
5.31% 178
Total Respondents: 3,352
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Reduce Homelessness
Keeping Neighborhoods Safe
Affordability
Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change
Accessible Mobility and Transportation (Safe Driving, Walking, Biking and Transit)
Economic Opportunity and Recovery
Equity and Inclusion
Responding to Emergencies
Disaster Preparedness
School-Aged Learning
Connected and Engaged Community
Mental Health
Civic Infrastructure
Priority not shown
Physical Health
Built Environment
Business Diversity
Early Childhood Learning
Community Learning
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Q3 If your priority or priorities aren’t shown, please add them here:
Answered: 1,037 Skipped: 2,315
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# RESPONSES DATE
1 Viviendas para familias de bajos ingresos que vivien con sus niños en una sola recamara 3/10/2021 10:38 AM
2 Que haiga viviendas economicas, programas para ayudar comprar casa, considerar que
familias no usan bicicletas cuando esten arreglando calles, programacion y apoyo a personas
de tercer edad
3/10/2021 10:37 AM
3 90401 3/10/2021 10:36 AM
4 Ayuda para estudiantes de high school y college que detuvieron sus estudios por estrés de
COVID 19
3/10/2021 10:34 AM
5 Apoyar a las bibliotecas 3/10/2021 10:32 AM
6 Lugares de vacunación para Covid 19 3/10/2021 10:29 AM
7 Los parques y servicios para la comunidad 3/10/2021 10:26 AM
8 Rentas más economicas 3/10/2021 10:20 AM
9 Más programas en la bibliotecas durante la pandemia 3/10/2021 10:18 AM
10 Ademas espacios verdes para deportes 3/10/2021 10:15 AM
11 Senior housing opportunities 3/1/2021 7:26 AM
12 Defunding police 2/28/2021 10:00 PM
13 Include more community art programs 2/28/2021 9:40 PM
14 Please complete the Parks master plan and start planning for the Great Park before the airport
closes. Thank you.
2/28/2021 9:26 PM
15 Improve parks and complete the parks master plan 2/28/2021 9:23 PM
16 Health and wellness 2/28/2021 9:13 PM
17 Rapid response for mental health, better inclusion and understanding for those who have non
visible disabilities
2/28/2021 9:06 PM
18 Restore City funding for printing/mailing of membership mailers for 7 neighborhood groups 2/28/2021 9:04 PM
19 (#1) More emphasis on supporting Healthy Outdoor Community activities (Fitness, Wellness,
Live Art, Music). (#2) A rapid response number/teams for mental health other than 911 (not
police)
2/28/2021 8:44 PM
20 noise pollution due to perpetual construction in neighborhoods 2/28/2021 8:26 PM
21 Insane Parking ticketing and prices, Cleanliness, Reopening businesses, High taxes,
overregulation in 1 year leases
2/28/2021 8:05 PM
22 overdevelopment and overcrowding 2/28/2021 6:48 PM
23 Open businesses and schools now. California used to be a leader. I just found out one of my
employees is homeless. Realize the consequences of your actions, and stop hiding behind the
governor.
2/28/2021 6:21 PM
24 VOLUNTEERS FOR SENIORS OR PEOPLE WITH NEEDS, MORE IMMEDIATE HELP
DAILY FOR THE HOMELESS ASAP: THEY HUNGRY & COLD. A SANDWICH DAILY FROM
THE PEOPLE'S CONCERN, AND SUNDAY CHURCH FOOD IS NOT ENOUGH.
2/28/2021 6:12 PM
25 Safety in neighborhoods, police responses, traffic plan for neighborhood, airport , sense of
neighborhood gone, overdevelopment,
2/28/2021 5:49 PM
26 Improved traffic flow 2/28/2021 5:43 PM
27 Restore communication news to 5 communities 2/28/2021 5:41 PM
28 Santa Monica doesn’t feel safe anymore. It seems like Santa Monica is turning into Skid Row
like downtown Los Angeles. With the expo train it is easy for the homeless from Skid Row to
come to Santa Monica and camp out, live in tents on the street, litter the streets with junk and
human defecation. I used to feel safe to walk out on the streets but I no longer do.
2/28/2021 5:30 PM
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29 Reducing the homeless population should be the biggest priority. The homeless shit and piss
on the street and on private property. There are hige encampents all over the city. The
neighborhood is unsafe. I have been chased my a homeless person at night. Why does the
city not remove the homeless people or clean the sidewalk filled w shit and piss. We don't
need street cleaning, what we need is sidewalk cleaning. Homeless people walking naked and
hoardering trash. Why does the city not pick up the hoarders of trash? The homeless always
have tons of bikes. What? Are the homeless people buying these bikes with money? No. They
are coming onto private property and stealing items from people homes, garages. What is the
city doing about homeless people stealing?!
2/28/2021 5:29 PM
30 NA 2/28/2021 4:41 PM
31 Decrease crime rate 2/28/2021 4:22 PM
32 Strategic approach to continued excellent City services especially for youth & seniors 2/28/2021 2:03 PM
33 Stop the over building and reduce crime in the streets and parks 2/28/2021 1:26 PM
34 Arts events and opportunities 2/28/2021 1:24 PM
35 N/A 2/28/2021 1:14 PM
36 Clean Beaches/Plastic Waste 2/28/2021 12:36 PM
37 Disabilities-enforcement of criminal laws by police, civil by code enforcement 2/28/2021 12:05 PM
38 Limit the amount of new housing. 2/28/2021 11:57 AM
39 Ability to drive without so much traffic, which means reducing massive construction projects 2/28/2021 11:00 AM
40 Police reform. Use of force should be used as last resort. Not the current "shoot first and ask
questions later" attitude.
2/28/2021 11:00 AM
41 Maintain effort to reduce airport operations, keep libraries open, city missed an opportunity to
close some streets to cars during COVID--should do this NOW before traffic returns to
"normal"
2/28/2021 10:48 AM
42 Council's wasting money on outside commission to determine what happened in the Memorial
Day Weekend riots. The city is not in a good financial place...stop wasting money!
2/28/2021 10:19 AM
43 reopen libraries including branches 2/28/2021 9:38 AM
44 Reduce impact of airport operations and publish the plan for replacement. 2/28/2021 9:22 AM
45 Close the airport and convert it to a Park as soon as possible 2/28/2021 9:21 AM
46 Green space 2/28/2021 9:13 AM
47 Preserving what is left of Black Santa Monica. 2/28/2021 8:22 AM
48 Removal of the Santa Monica airport 2/28/2021 7:42 AM
49 Closing the Airport 2/28/2021 5:44 AM
50 get rid of historic preservation- I would accept the past or current 30/70 where 30 percent
represents the frontage of the property thus maintaining the street scape, the 70 percent
represents creative alteration, changes to the property thus leaving to private initiative to best
suit the property and private ownership.
2/27/2021 10:44 PM
51 Mental Health 2/27/2021 10:21 PM
52 Fast police response, not encouraging homelessness, reduction in high-rise building:lower
density, better support for law enforcement,
2/27/2021 10:11 PM
53 illegal beach vending racket 2/27/2021 9:58 PM
54 reduce airport impacts like preventing jets vioalating air space and move forward quickly with
park building
2/27/2021 9:39 PM
55 Eliminate e-scooters and bikes on sidewalks 2/27/2021 9:38 PM
56 Reduce air traffic at Santa Monica Airport and support the future construction of the park to 2/27/2021 8:55 PM
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replace it.
57 Private Tree Ordinance - trees are very beneficial in many ways including climate change .
Crime has increased in Santa Monica. Flyers or webinars should be available to residents how
to protect themselves including how to use pepper spray etc. for protection .
2/27/2021 8:51 PM
58 Airport park 2/27/2021 8:08 PM
59 Animal welfare 2/27/2021 7:33 PM
60 Reduce air traffic, especially jets, in and out of Santa Monica airport. 2/27/2021 7:25 PM
61 cleanliness of public areas, parks , libraries, streets 2/27/2021 7:14 PM
62 Over development!2/27/2021 7:12 PM
63 Maintain R-1 Neighborhoods & local city planning control 2/27/2021 6:53 PM
64 Reduce airplane noise 2/27/2021 6:23 PM
65 1) Inspector general: The full-time salaried position ($200,000 - $225,000) plus benefits may be
costly and the position could be contracted out to a part-time or limited term. 2) Housing staff:
Staff has been cut by 2/3. The City needs to budget for at least one additional full-time staff.
We had housing supervisors who were highly competent, made excellent presentations, and
worked well with the Housing Commission. More housing staff is critical because housing is
labor intensive, not just due to the Housing Element; but for purposes of ongoing housing
needs. 3) ADA Coordinator: The City employs an ADA-designated person but the
person/position needs more visibility. All City staff should be trained in Reasonable
Accommodation, alternate formatting, meeting participation, and office accessibility. 4) MODE:
Re-designing Dial-A-Ride to MODE to include a taxi contract and serve persons without
disabilities has proven costly. Return to the original intent of a paratransit program by limiting
eligibility to PWDs who have a mobility disability.
2/27/2021 6:20 PM
66 1) Implement the Sunset Park neighborhood traffic plan. 2) Start the Airport 2 Park planning
process. 3) Re-open Fairview Library. 4) Restore funding for the annual membership appeal
letters the City used to print and bulk mail for the 7 city-recognized neighborhood
organizations.
2/27/2021 5:31 PM
67 Continue to reduce AIRPORT impacts and begin actively planning the PARK now. 2/27/2021 5:29 PM
68 Reduced air quality from freeway corridor! 2/27/2021 5:28 PM
69 Phase out airport impact & build out park 2/27/2021 5:21 PM
70 Closing the airport and building a park in addition to public safety. 2/27/2021 5:04 PM
71 More Community Gardens 2/27/2021 5:01 PM
72 noise pollution 2/27/2021 4:54 PM
73 Communications between citizens AND city hall-NO ANSWERS 2/27/2021 4:50 PM
74 Elimination of SB9 and SB10, appeal State's for 9000 new dwellings in SM, increase police
patrols to slow traffic, stop massive construction projects, no upzoning.
2/27/2021 4:49 PM
75 Integrity within city government 2/27/2021 4:32 PM
76 Please add the park and education library etc at the airport 2/27/2021 4:09 PM
77 Education prek-12th 2/27/2021 4:09 PM
78 Parks 2/27/2021 3:18 PM
79 Continue to reduce AIRPORT impacts and begin actively planning the PARK now. 2/27/2021 2:32 PM
80 Continue to reduce AIRPORT impacts and begin actively planning the PARK now. 2/27/2021 2:17 PM
81 CLOSE SANTA MONICA AIRPORT 2/27/2021 2:15 PM
82 Continue reducing the impact of the airport,plan for the great park, strengthen the library
system,createmore green spaces
2/27/2021 2:05 PM
83 We need to BUILD MORE HOUSING 2/27/2021 2:04 PM
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84 Reduce Airport impact especially noise! Start planning the park! 2/27/2021 1:56 PM
85 Close the airport ASAP.2/27/2021 1:46 PM
86 Density, Traffic 2/27/2021 1:40 PM
87 noise from airport/helicopters 2/27/2021 1:32 PM
88 No jets at Santa Monica airport 2/27/2021 1:31 PM
89 Have city administrators be willing to modify rebate requirements as new information becomes
available
2/27/2021 1:30 PM
90 airport to park 2/27/2021 1:09 PM
91 Continue to reduce AIRPORT impacts and begin actively planning the PARK now. 2/27/2021 1:07 PM
92 Closing airport and using the space for public park event space 2/27/2021 1:04 PM
93 Better school funding 2/27/2021 1:04 PM
94 More parks and sports fields. Beach clean ups. 2/27/2021 12:57 PM
95 The airport should be closed. 2/27/2021 12:57 PM
96 Prioritizing our schools and the homeowners concerns 2/27/2021 12:53 PM
97 CLOSING SMO 2/27/2021 12:52 PM
98 Convert airport into a park ASAP. 2/27/2021 12:50 PM
99 Closure of the Santa Monica Airport 2/27/2021 12:43 PM
100 Continue to reduce AIRPORT impacts and begin actively planning the PARK now. 2/27/2021 12:40 PM
101 Neighborhood Safety, since the train arrived, crime has increased. 2/27/2021 12:00 PM
102 More frequent bus service & ability to get from Ocean Park to Wilshire and Montana area
without transferring using the bus.
2/27/2021 10:48 AM
103 Statistically sound and valid analysis and surveys; Residents First; Smarter Spending of Tax
Dollars w/o Bonds; Maintaining character of communities while creating low income and
affordable housing and increasing diversity throughout (not just pockets or districts); a right
turn arrow on Ocean Ave going South down the California Incline (the engineers should be re-
assessed); libraries being prioritized; super-fast broadband *everywhere* in the city; shorter but
more regular City Council meetings; a true independent Inspector General of SMPD as well as
City Attorney and City Manager and City Clerk offices; More even handed staff reports (and
recommendations pointing out the cons of what staff might be recommending), propositions
and resolutions; and more.
2/27/2021 8:39 AM
104 Crime 2/27/2021 1:23 AM
105 Please do something about homeless people in our libraries. I used to go to Main Library
before the pandemic and saw people deal drugs and get into fights there. The place smelled
really bad. It doesn't feel like a library anymore. My kids don't want to be there. My mom
stopped going "If I want to hang out with the homeless, I'd go volunteer at a shelter." I wrote to
the director. Someone named Erica (sorry I don't remember her last name) wrote back. She
said the library welcomes everyone and they've hired social workers to help with the situation.
As far as I can tell, the situation didn't get better. Two staff people told me (separately) they've
tried but the managers were slow to address their concerns about safety. People openly
violating the library's policies can stay there all they want, and people like myself are so
disgusted we dont want to be there. Think about that.
2/26/2021 9:12 PM
106 Transportation for disabled 2/26/2021 7:47 PM
107 More efficient use of taxpayer money 2/26/2021 6:41 PM
108 Restore City funding for once-a-year printing and mailing of the annual membership outreach
mailer for all seven of the city-recognized neighborhood associations.
2/26/2021 5:52 PM
109 Community Dialogue and Unity 2/26/2021 5:51 PM
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110 Resist zoning change to eliminate R1 zoning 2/26/2021 4:48 PM
111 Fiscal restraint and balanced budget 2/26/2021 4:47 PM
112 safety 2/26/2021 4:44 PM
113 Resume traffic management in Sunset Park 2/26/2021 4:31 PM
114 Crime and homelessness must be addressed 2/26/2021 4:17 PM
115 Restore City funding for once-a-year printing and mailing of the annual membership outreach
mailer for all seven of the city-recognized neighborhood associations.
2/26/2021 4:07 PM
116 slow growth 2/26/2021 3:13 PM
117 Organized crime reduction/gangs 2/26/2021 2:06 PM
118 Basic city services (sanitation, street cleaning, sidewalk and street repair, street lights) 2/26/2021 2:06 PM
119 Park space and open place and planning airport park- closing the SM airport 2/26/2021 1:48 PM
120 Keep single family houses in single family neighborhoods. No apartments. 2/26/2021 1:43 PM
121 Funding Sunset Park Traffic Plan; Planning airport to park conversion 2/26/2021 1:14 PM
122 Start the planning process for the Airport to Park conversion, so we can break ground in 2029
when the Santa Monica Airport closes.
2/26/2021 12:19 PM
123 Green and open space. Traffic reduction. Rent controls 2/26/2021 11:57 AM
124 I would like to emphasize on reducing homelessness 2/26/2021 11:54 AM
125 Restore funding to neighborhood assoc for annual mailer to members 2/26/2021 11:53 AM
126 No slow growth 2/26/2021 11:07 AM
127 Too much development not enought quality spaces 2/26/2021 10:56 AM
128 More housing production 2/26/2021 10:08 AM
129 Open Schools Now; Reduce Homelessness. 2/26/2021 9:21 AM
130 Traffic , too much development especially on Lincoln@! 2/26/2021 9:04 AM
131 Understanding of our needs 2/26/2021 9:04 AM
132 MORE PARKS -- Open community space -- pocket parks 2/26/2021 8:42 AM
133 Crime and follow up (police takes repirts advising that nothing will be done about crimes from
garages and condo buildings) and homelessness (having kids, parks are not usable)
2/26/2021 7:14 AM
134 Crime, Making sure development makes sense for the city 2/26/2021 5:12 AM
135 Street Lights 2/26/2021 1:44 AM
136 Transform airport to great park. 2/26/2021 12:21 AM
137 n/a 2/25/2021 11:13 PM
138 High Crime Activity. Needs to end. High homelessness. They keep breaking into cars. Roads
are bad. BIRD scooters extremely dangerous, need to be taken off streets.
2/25/2021 11:13 PM
139 Parking, traffic, rent control, tenants’ rights 2/25/2021 10:54 PM
140 Start the planning process for the Airport to Park conversion, so we can break ground in 2029
when Santa Monica Airport closes.
2/25/2021 9:06 PM
141 Building a park on the Santa Monica airport site. 2/25/2021 8:46 PM
142 More Parks especially start planning for the Great Park at the airport 2/25/2021 8:18 PM
143 Planting trees and vegetation in public spaces that also provide food for the community 2/25/2021 6:15 PM
144 so many priorities...hard to choose 2/25/2021 6:05 PM
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145 Love 2/25/2021 5:56 PM
146 Libraries and Programs for Seniors and Low Income people. 2/25/2021 5:34 PM
147 Create more open space and parks. 2/25/2021 4:57 PM
148 Why are we so divided? Where has basic humanity gone? 2/25/2021 4:53 PM
149 More parks!2/25/2021 3:35 PM
150 Traffic congestion 2/25/2021 3:21 PM
151 Affordable Housing and Employment 2/25/2021 3:14 PM
152 Quality of life-across the WHOLE city not just n. of Montana. 2/25/2021 3:07 PM
153 Maintaining the Airport as an Airport until 2028 not a park until then 2/25/2021 2:54 PM
154 Housing affordable 2/25/2021 2:50 PM
155 N/a 2/25/2021 2:46 PM
156 Clean the sidewalks; reduce construction; preserve the high school history building; restore a
sense of community integrity.
2/25/2021 2:46 PM
157 Increase toilettes that persons walking in the City can use. While there are some Porta-Potties
in our neighborhood, they are on private property. The City has not used any money to provide
for the physical needs of its residents who have been walking during the lock-down.
2/25/2021 2:34 PM
158 ok 2/25/2021 2:29 PM
159 N/A 2/25/2021 2:27 PM
160 stop building. stop vanity projects. stop spending our tax dollars 2/25/2021 2:08 PM
161 Stopping Overdevelopment 2/25/2021 2:03 PM
162 POD: unable to reach anyone in this department since June 2/25/2021 1:52 PM
163 Safety in the streets from criminals 2/25/2021 12:30 PM
164 open spaces, and support and availability of arts, especially performing arts 2/25/2021 12:21 PM
165 Large park replacing airport, more tennis courts 2/25/2021 12:13 PM
166 more bike lanes 2/25/2021 11:22 AM
167 Reduce high density housing and discourage greedy developers from destroying the city’s
appeal and culture
2/25/2021 11:08 AM
168 The only thing Santa Monica officials should be working on is fixing the crime, drug and
housing issues the homeless population has caused. There is ZERO excuses for the
astronomical failures of the members of the city council.
2/25/2021 10:43 AM
169 More Housing for all income levels 2/25/2021 10:36 AM
170 Government agency need to be responsive to submitted plans qujicker. It's almost like they
don't care.
2/25/2021 10:33 AM
171 Closing SMO 2/25/2021 10:30 AM
172 xx 2/25/2021 10:24 AM
173 culture and recreation such as live music 2/25/2021 10:20 AM
174 Free accessible EV charging 2/25/2021 10:08 AM
175 Congestion downtown!2/25/2021 10:07 AM
176 Fully fund our police 2/25/2021 10:05 AM
177 NA 2/25/2021 9:44 AM
178 parks & native trees 2/25/2021 9:38 AM
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179 Parks and Open Spaces 2/25/2021 9:38 AM
180 Parks 2/25/2021 9:35 AM
181 N/A 2/25/2021 9:05 AM
182 na 2/25/2021 8:58 AM
183 Airport 2 Park!!2/25/2021 8:23 AM
184 Controlling runaway development/growth and traffic 2/25/2021 6:50 AM
185 OPEN THE SCHOOLS TO IN-SCHOOL LEARNING! 2/25/2021 6:33 AM
186 reduce theft and vandalism and homeless shelter not the streets 2/25/2021 12:09 AM
187 Re: Homelessness-Look at other cities like Beverly Hills that don’t have a homeless problem.
Our city has many shelters and Muriel programs to help the, and the problem just gets worse. I
wish our city would not make it so welcoming for the homeless and inforce “no loitering” and
other laws
2/24/2021 11:13 PM
188 More tennis and pickleball courts in Santa Monica. Lower Santa Monica employee salaries. 2/24/2021 10:17 PM
189 Traffic and crime 2/24/2021 9:58 PM
190 Reduce theft and crime 2/24/2021 9:56 PM
191 Reduce traffic caused by overdevelopment downtown 2/24/2021 9:51 PM
192 My driveway and part of my front lawn gets flooded when it rain 2/24/2021 9:34 PM
193 the Airport should become a new greenspace for our city 2/24/2021 9:02 PM
194 Less crowded population and less construction noise. 2/24/2021 8:42 PM
195 It’s high time our sales tax fell in line with surrounding cities. SM sales tax is one of the
highest in the state/country and I for one, NEVER shop in SM
2/24/2021 8:41 PM
196 More park space ESPECIALLY the Airport Park!!!!! 2/24/2021 8:37 PM
197 Commercial over-development/retaining neighborhoods 2/24/2021 8:09 PM
198 crime 2/24/2021 8:00 PM
199 Keep R1 zoning and local control for our residential neighborhoods 2/24/2021 7:58 PM
200 We need denser housing, especially in transit rich areas. If we don't dramatically increase
housing, we will never address our affordability crisis and Santa Monica will become
monolithically wealthy.
2/24/2021 7:55 PM
201 Traffic of electric razors and bycicles 2/24/2021 7:33 PM
202 Do not defund the police in any way. 2/24/2021 7:32 PM
203 More police presence 2/24/2021 7:30 PM
204 reduce traffic on Ocean Avenue going south 2/24/2021 6:49 PM
205 increase the number of police officers 2/24/2021 6:42 PM
206 Environmental justice 2/24/2021 6:30 PM
207 I fear what "reducing homeless" can be interpreted as. I believe we need to HOUSE the
homeless and have more AFFORDABLE and LOW INCOME housing and PROTECT the
renters already her against greedy landlords. AND FINE the landlords steeply who try to
illegally evict and raise rents over 10 percent a year. We can house the homeless in the empty
office spaces all over the city Like the SEARS building with a llittle creativity and save spaces
for parks and affordable housing
2/24/2021 6:27 PM
208 congestion on the streets and street lights not in sync on Wilshire.. Should have all corners
able to walk at the same time like downtown..
2/24/2021 6:15 PM
209 Top priority: stop over-development (office buildings and high priced apartments) that change
historical character of the city / 2nd priority: enable change business mix of downtown/3rd St.
2/24/2021 5:41 PM
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Promenade to allow for a diverse mix of small (non-chain) specialty businesses, restaurants
and slected national shops to attrac a broader tourist & local crowd
210 More parks - especially closing the airport and turning into park. 2/24/2021 5:39 PM
211 Close airport to create the park, needed at covid times - 1st priority!!! It is about safety and
wellbeing!
2/24/2021 5:10 PM
212 develop airport park 2/24/2021 5:07 PM
213 One of them is dealing with the horrendous traffic in parts of Santa Monica on the weekends. 2/24/2021 4:58 PM
214 More and better parks for soccer, baseball etc. 2/24/2021 4:56 PM
215 less building density 2/24/2021 4:48 PM
216 Traffic enforcement and unlicensed drivers 2/24/2021 4:44 PM
217 Open all businesses and discontinue mask wearing and social distancing. I've been a holistic
health practitioner for over 35 years. And stop promoting vaccines which are not promoting
health. Let's clean up the environment and that of our bodies to support healthy immune
systems that are not vulnerable to things such as covid.
2/24/2021 4:24 PM
218 Lower building density, lower traffic, decreased air pollution 2/24/2021 3:41 PM
219 Parks, beaches, natural spaces. 2/24/2021 3:39 PM
220 overdevelopment, congestion and population density, reducing size of city government 2/24/2021 3:39 PM
221 more parks for the community. 2/24/2021 3:21 PM
222 Looking forward to Santa Monica Airport's closure and turning that area into a nature park. 2/24/2021 3:19 PM
223 Responsible government spending (salaries unsustainable) 2/24/2021 3:13 PM
224 Build more PARKS!2/24/2021 3:12 PM
225 Struck regulation on limiting vacation rentals 2/24/2021 3:09 PM
226 PARKS 2/24/2021 3:04 PM
227 Elimination of Rent Control 2/24/2021 3:02 PM
228 Prosecute crime. Make this city safe again. Disallow vagrancy. 2/24/2021 3:02 PM
229 preserving single family neighborhoods 2/24/2021 3:00 PM
230 Expand parks and access to them. 2/24/2021 2:47 PM
231 The airport 2 park conversion is my NUMBER ONE priority 2/24/2021 2:46 PM
232 Great Park at current airport site 2/24/2021 2:43 PM
233 More parks!!2/24/2021 2:40 PM
234 Keep the city pleasant, don't overbuild. 2/24/2021 2:38 PM
235 Art community and don't tell me you are inclusive or open to ideas! Been there, done that. 2/24/2021 2:35 PM
236 1. Keeping the airport open as a "reliever" 2. Maintaining the hundreds of jobs provided by the
airport.
2/24/2021 2:34 PM
237 Enforcing laws against camping on public property, and living in cars. 2/24/2021 2:30 PM
238 More parks and green space 2/24/2021 2:27 PM
239 decrease fees for parking 2/24/2021 2:25 PM
240 Planning for the Great Park to replace SM Airport 2/24/2021 2:24 PM
241 Park Space and opening the Airport park where Airport is now. 2/24/2021 2:23 PM
242 Coronavirus 2/24/2021 2:13 PM
243 remove All motorized/electric devices from OFW, boardwalk and bike path 2/24/2021 1:14 PM
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244 Senior program 2/24/2021 12:56 PM
245 The City Council must listen to the community first and developers much later. 2/24/2021 12:50 PM
246 https://time.com/5930093/amsterdam-doughnut-economics/ I WANT SM TO ADOPT DONUT
ECONOMICS. If Amsterdam can do it, we're smaller and so can we.
2/24/2021 11:50 AM
247 Revitalization of 3rd Street Promenade, need to plan a vision for future with retail dead. Think
of European squares with outdoor dining and attracting community events. Give restaurants a
priority to revitalize after pandemic. Also need to find a solution for a more quit and affordable
solution to responding to senior living locations in Sant Monica. They seem to be responding
numerous times per day or week for those north of Wilshire on and around 3rd Street.
2/24/2021 11:08 AM
248 I could have easily checked more of the above boxes. My concerncerns about commercial
overdevlopment in SM combinrs concerns about this cover the issuesf built environement,
affordability, and diversity, not checked above. New development, and ones built since the
arrival of Metro, need more scrutiny. A number of projects have been completed or under
construction, which are directly related to accessibility to the metro. I'm not sure of the
numbers, but I don't think metro riding has turned out to be the boon that was hoped. Ridership
is not high because of many reasons in the public discussion. Further note, the commercial
buildings going up in Santa Monica add nothing to the skyscrape. In a city where so many
creastive, design aware persons live, as well as people of wealth who like to have their names
on something beautiful and distinctive. it's tragic the unsighlty, unimaginative construction that
is going on around Santa Monica. on
2/24/2021 10:52 AM
249 Whose idea was it to turn Ocean Park Blvd. into a 2 lane street? No one ever bikes those hills. 2/24/2021 10:38 AM
250 Investing in the Library so they can reopen 2/24/2021 10:29 AM
251 traffic congestion 2/24/2021 9:10 AM
252 Trash clean up left from homeless communes built during the pandemic 2/24/2021 8:27 AM
253 More street lights on 18th and California 2/24/2021 8:09 AM
254 Minimize drug use and provide mental health services to the homeless community 2/24/2021 7:20 AM
255 I don't know what you meant by "Built Environment." My concern is the constant construction
projects - overbuilding.
2/24/2021 6:01 AM
256 Stop over development and make Santa Monica livable in the long term. 2/23/2021 10:57 PM
257 SM is too dependent on tourist dollars- not enough emphasis on affordability for families and
middle class. Becoming like a 3rd world nation with extremes of wealth and poverty and little in
between.
2/23/2021 10:50 PM
258 Housing construction. Lower rents and reduce homelessness by building the housing we need! 2/23/2021 9:44 PM
259 Restoring parks to being USABLE by Kids and families. 2/23/2021 9:04 PM
260 Code enforcement to protect renters 2/23/2021 8:40 PM
261 overdevelopment and the impact of high density housing without traffic consideration 2/23/2021 8:31 PM
262 too many large, lot filling houses being allowed! 2/23/2021 7:39 PM
263 Term Limits for Council Members 2/23/2021 7:28 PM
264 Housing for everyone: home ownership and rental 2/23/2021 6:00 PM
265 less traffic, pollution and construction. we are a small town 2/23/2021 5:38 PM
266 Taxes 2/23/2021 5:30 PM
267 Open swimming facilities in the city 2/23/2021 5:24 PM
268 Safe streets, being able to walk without being attacked by vagrants 2/23/2021 5:13 PM
269 N/A 2/23/2021 4:54 PM
270 Opening facilities - ie. the track at Lincoln Middle School 2/23/2021 4:19 PM
271 Educational Achievement Gap 2/23/2021 4:05 PM
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272 architectural preservation, reining in developers 2/23/2021 4:03 PM
273 Parking Permits 2/23/2021 4:00 PM
274 Racial justice in City contracting 2/23/2021 3:59 PM
275 Affordable housing and a city council cares and does their job and not cave to special interests
or what looks good on paper
2/23/2021 3:42 PM
276 support of more of an interfaith community empowered approach in support of SM gov 2/23/2021 3:40 PM
277 support LOCAL artists 2/23/2021 2:12 PM
278 Build more housing, higher density, more floors, mix use 2/23/2021 2:03 PM
279 deal with the Covid 19 situation 2/23/2021 1:22 PM
280 Increased Substance Misuse treatment and housing 2/23/2021 1:19 PM
281 Excessive over building. Santa Monica is NOT the cute little beach 'town' I bought into in 1993.
It is starting to resemble NYC!
2/23/2021 12:52 PM
282 Open space, parks 2/23/2021 12:33 PM
283 N/A 2/23/2021 12:30 PM
284 Intelligent and limited new development 2/23/2021 12:27 PM
285 More police N of Wilshire!2/23/2021 12:24 PM
286 n/a 2/23/2021 12:17 PM
287 Get kids back in school.2/23/2021 12:16 PM
288 Preserve R-1 property. It should be protected not taken over by government. 2/23/2021 12:09 PM
289 Get started in the Lincoln project in sunset park and get started on airport park 2/23/2021 12:02 PM
290 Recue overdevelopment. Address traffic. 2/23/2021 11:55 AM
291 Listening much much better to residents desires and needs 2/23/2021 11:49 AM
292 Over Development!!!!!!!2/23/2021 11:48 AM
293 CRIME 2/23/2021 10:59 AM
294 Crime, safety, overdevelopment 2/23/2021 10:18 AM
295 HOMELESS OUT OF CONTROL 2/23/2021 10:00 AM
296 Police dept. transparency, Unnecessary overdevelopment(Miramar), concentration of
development downtown and by a few select developers, small businesses being displaced by
chains, REITs purchasing SFRs for rentals
2/23/2021 9:44 AM
297 Clean up litter 2/23/2021 7:54 AM
298 Airport Safety and conversion to future Park planning. 2/23/2021 6:16 AM
299 The city needs to be more fiscally responsible and make sure the top tier city services they
are known for returns as we come out of Covid. A tougher stance must be taken on
homelessness and crime. Not being able to use local parks for our children is an absolute
travesty especially considering the amount of property taxes the city collects from property
owners. Supporting the schools and creating a safe environment for the families must be a
bigger priority. Finally, the city must do a better job of getting more residents informed of what
the council is doing. It is mind boggling how many neighbors have no idea what is going on.
Make it easier (this survey is good) for people to provide true/honest opinions.
2/23/2021 4:48 AM
300 Technology infrastructure 2/22/2021 11:31 PM
301 KEEPING STREETS SAFE AND FREE OF MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE WHO ARE
DANGEROUS, GIVE SM A BAD IMAGE AND MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO BUSINESS
WITHOUT CALLING THE POLICE DAILY
2/22/2021 10:56 PM
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302 Local government leadership and priorities 2/22/2021 10:50 PM
303 Parks 2/22/2021 10:44 PM
304 Reopening our schools full time immediately. Recalling our superintendent and school board
members and having a revote.
2/22/2021 10:43 PM
305 Keeping our county locked down is hurting every aspect of our lives. 2/22/2021 9:16 PM
306 Police accountability and force reform 2/22/2021 8:54 PM
307 Santa Monica Airport should stay an airport 2/22/2021 8:35 PM
308 Commercial overdevelopment 2/22/2021 8:32 PM
309 Improving civic life for seniors beyond WISE 2/22/2021 8:27 PM
310 Congestion and overdevelopment 2/22/2021 8:12 PM
311 increased crime 2/22/2021 7:50 PM
312 You have more then 5 items to choose from on this list 2/22/2021 7:19 PM
313 FULLY RESTORE PUBLIC LIBRARIES NOW 2/22/2021 7:07 PM
314 Maintaining and protecting the historic fabric of the City adaptive reuse which adds to
sustainability
2/22/2021 7:01 PM
315 N/A 2/22/2021 6:52 PM
316 Please don't let the Airport property become a huge "Playa Vista" type of development. 2/22/2021 6:51 PM
317 Resources (power, water, parking, traffic) not keeping up with population. 2/22/2021 6:31 PM
318 Affordable housing for seniors 2/22/2021 6:10 PM
319 Financial accountability, lower wages for city employees with lower future retirement benefits,
better policing, better building and land management decisions,
2/22/2021 5:55 PM
320 reverse the miramar decision 2/22/2021 5:52 PM
321 NA 2/22/2021 5:44 PM
322 Over development, too much density, greed, developer and hotel union control of city 2/22/2021 5:22 PM
323 elimination of Santa Monica Airport as soon as possible! 2/22/2021 5:03 PM
324 Oppose SB9 and SB10 and balance the budget 2/22/2021 4:54 PM
325 Parks and recreation 2/22/2021 4:14 PM
326 Law Enforcement 2/22/2021 3:49 PM
327 low growth 2/22/2021 2:41 PM
328 improved police response to civic unrest 2/22/2021 2:37 PM
329 Start the planning process for the Airport to Park conversion, so we can break ground in 2029
when Santa Monica Airport closes.
2/22/2021 2:31 PM
330 N/A 2/22/2021 2:28 PM
331 Get the human poop and pee off the streets! It is dangerous foe public health 2/22/2021 2:15 PM
332 Keeping outdoor shared community spaces safe 2/22/2021 2:09 PM
333 Traffic enforcement, remove elaborate street barriers, make parking easier and less expensive,
reduce burdensome city regulations on business
2/22/2021 1:44 PM
334 Primary is Homelessness and Mental Health that goes with it; secondary is rent control-legal
issues
2/22/2021 1:11 PM
335 Homelessness 2/22/2021 12:59 PM
336 City Council that is accountable and transparent 2/22/2021 12:55 PM
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337 Transparency and accountability in government, especially with policing 2/22/2021 12:53 PM
338 Parks and recreation 2/22/2021 12:51 PM
339 Finding jobs for the those that need a starter job and are over 55 , and getting a vaccine so
over 55 can stay outdoors and stay engaged without concerns.
2/22/2021 12:35 PM
340 why isn't there a box to elaborate on our responses? 2/22/2021 12:32 PM
341 Address historical racism, Adopt "Right to Return" policy 2/22/2021 11:18 AM
342 Reducing Crime 2/22/2021 11:00 AM
343 Accountability by civic leaders 2/22/2021 10:14 AM
344 Stop overdevelopment 2/22/2021 10:07 AM
345 Crime, car thefts, bike thefts, bums in the park, defecation , cussing, non-residents looking for
trouble
2/22/2021 9:41 AM
346 Turn Main Street into pedestrian only area from Ocean Park Blvd to Pier Street. Turn that
stretch into a 3rd St. Promenade like area.
2/22/2021 9:28 AM
347 Crime, car thefts, not feeling safe to walk home, unsafe parks 2/22/2021 9:20 AM
348 Municipal fiber internet access for all residents 2/22/2021 9:15 AM
349 Lawlessness, crime, bikes, scooters disobeying traffic laws. No police presence; can go days
without seeing a police car on patrol. Selling city out for money, money money - building
hideous housing monstrosities taxing traffic and mobility. City planning department. Theft and
crime on a daily basis. City department workers disobeying cities own laws and regulations.
Filth and graffiti. Non enforcement of no power blower law. Lack of timely response from City
departments when contacted.
2/22/2021 9:00 AM
350 mine shown 2/22/2021 8:56 AM
351 More open space and park development. Close Airport and build park 2/22/2021 8:07 AM
352 more street sweeping; open community pool; childrens summer programs 2/22/2021 7:38 AM
353 Support for small / local / independent businesses. 2/22/2021 7:33 AM
354 We need to get homeless off our streets 2/22/2021 7:02 AM
355 No more tents! No more mentally ill ruining the city and scaring all of us that live here on every
corner.
2/22/2021 6:20 AM
356 Free Skateparks in Santa Monica 2/21/2021 11:57 PM
357 Planning for the Great Park and to close Santa Monica Airport 2/21/2021 9:04 PM
358 City should represent residents first 2/21/2021 8:26 PM
359 Theft and crime; rioting 2/21/2021 8:24 PM
360 Overdevelopment and traffic gridlock is no longer acceptable!! 2/21/2021 8:22 PM
361 Too much unreported crime; traffic has gotten much worse 2/21/2021 8:21 PM
362 Too much crime 2/21/2021 8:10 PM
363 Crime reduction, too much traffic 2/21/2021 8:07 PM
364 Cleanliness of the city 2/21/2021 8:06 PM
365 Building safety 2/21/2021 8:03 PM
366 Housing 2/21/2021 7:42 PM
367 Constant BREAK INS & no consequences, Drugs, people using street as their toilets, drug
dens feeling unsafe
2/21/2021 7:34 PM
368 Why are basketball hoops still closed. Yet so many other rec activities are open. Very
questionable for certain groups.
2/21/2021 7:31 PM
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369 Not having the police stand down to looting and vandals. 2/21/2021 6:37 PM
370 Clean city 2/21/2021 5:57 PM
371 Leaders be more responsive to desires and needs of resdents 2/21/2021 5:44 PM
372 They are shown.2/21/2021 4:34 PM
373 Open space and accessible parks, including SMMUSD campuses 2/21/2021 3:42 PM
374 n/a 2/21/2021 3:17 PM
375 Stop the tall buildings, lack of cohesive design and congestion at 4th St Freeway exit/entrance 2/21/2021 2:57 PM
376 Lower property tax.2/21/2021 2:50 PM
377 none 2/21/2021 2:13 PM
378 libraries 2/21/2021 2:13 PM
379 Reduce crime 2/21/2021 1:06 PM
380 Am a big fan of Rent Control 2/21/2021 12:40 PM
381 Community Pools for our swimmers 2/21/2021 12:26 PM
382 Over development of both commercial & residential real estate 2/21/2021 12:06 PM
383 Curve extensions making right turn on busy street is needless cost and inconvenience and
waste of city money
2/21/2021 10:55 AM
384 N/A 2/21/2021 10:43 AM
385 Close Olympic to extend greenspace, add dog parks, get dogs off beach. 2/21/2021 10:32 AM
386 No mandatory masks for a curable virus 2/21/2021 10:17 AM
387 senior housing 2/21/2021 10:16 AM
388 Safer "sanctuaries" and respect for local wildlife. It's non existent. 2/21/2021 10:02 AM
389 More funding for and reopening libraries. 2/21/2021 9:58 AM
390 reducing congestion 2/21/2021 9:14 AM
391 over development and traffic 2/21/2021 9:03 AM
392 Recreational sports for kids 2/21/2021 8:39 AM
393 Homelessness is out of hand. It's more than a quality of life issue. It's a safety issue. It's a
crime issue. I am all for offering them mental health resources or job resources if they can be
provided these things but in exchange they cant end up back on the street. If they do, they
should be bussed elsewhere. People pay too much to live and enjoy SM.
2/21/2021 8:17 AM
394 Traffic congestion and anti-high building density 2/21/2021 8:16 AM
395 Excessive overdevelopment; insane traffic and dangerous traffic rules 2/21/2021 8:14 AM
396 Fining slum lords for allowing properties to be run down & unattended 2/21/2021 7:02 AM
397 live city council meetings 2/21/2021 5:18 AM
398 Better professional management of the 3rd Street Promenade 2/21/2021 1:50 AM
399 Repeal Prop 19 2/20/2021 8:47 PM
400 After school programs (sports) 2/20/2021 8:36 PM
401 Recycle facility that refund CRV 2/20/2021 7:56 PM
402 I am scared to death regarding the legions of mentally ill people 2/20/2021 7:31 PM
403 Inclusion of residents in the decision making process 2/20/2021 7:08 PM
404 Airport closing, park built, and overbuilding in the city 2/20/2021 5:34 PM
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405 Too much housing construction 2/20/2021 5:21 PM
406 Keeping the charm of Santa Monica by not over building, or allowing buildings to be over 5
floors
2/20/2021 5:13 PM
407 Traffic, crime 2/20/2021 5:09 PM
408 Get rid of the druggies 2/20/2021 5:08 PM
409 Restaurants reopening 2/20/2021 5:08 PM
410 Crime; increase services for residents 2/20/2021 5:06 PM
411 Prioritize residents; reduce crime 2/20/2021 5:04 PM
412 Crime reduction 2/20/2021 5:00 PM
413 More community garden spaces 2/20/2021 4:58 PM
414 Remove dangerous and unhealthy homeless encampments and start enforcing current LAWS. 2/20/2021 4:57 PM
415 Racial equity 2/20/2021 4:26 PM
416 Keep single family houses. No apartments in house neighborhoods 2/20/2021 4:23 PM
417 FUNDING THE POLICE 2/20/2021 4:11 PM
418 Eliminating homelessness altogether 2/20/2021 3:53 PM
419 Making sure our instuctors and teachers are retained and doing well in SaMo programs 2/20/2021 3:53 PM
420 Large scale development of housing. Why not 60 story residential housing and s subway to the
sea. I chose to live here at the west end of downtown LA.
2/20/2021 3:36 PM
421 Preserving small town charm and values... Returning the Police force to it's friendly but but
effective look and behavior from the tough military black/white look to light blue approachable
prior look. We are friendly but firm./
2/20/2021 3:35 PM
422 Airport Park Planning 2/20/2021 3:26 PM
423 opening of market at Virginia Av. park 2/20/2021 3:19 PM
424 Better city fiscal/money management and keeping municipal costs under control so SM and be
an affordable place to live for long time residents. Reduce the homeless camping out in public
areas and being abusive to SM pedestrians. So many people have commented about the
homeless problems in SM who live in other areas that seem to have better policies to deal with
the issues that it brings to a smaller community. Greater police protection and surveillance for
faster response to crime or solving a crime. Reduction of apartment growth in what was a
small, charming beach town which goes with reducing congestion where people would rather go
to other areas than fight traffic in SM. Working better with businesses and attracting them to
SM and to stay in SM for city income and jobs.
2/20/2021 3:01 PM
425 Over development, traffic congestion, excessive tourism, loss of locally owned businesses 2/20/2021 2:46 PM
426 Re-open schools for in-person learning. Not just distance learning plus 2/20/2021 2:18 PM
427 swim center and Sharks swim team!!! 2/20/2021 2:18 PM
428 Better city budgeting to keep city costs/taxes down for seniors/families and less multifamily
housing projects that is causing congestion and increasing city water usage that is a vital
resource. Better protection from homeless persons attacks on SM visitors/citizens. More
affordable city parking structures for businesses and employees who have to work in SM for
the day...instead of apartments taking up property. There could be low cost city parking
structures in different areas of the city to facilitate the parking problems people have.
2/20/2021 2:17 PM
429 cut down on "fat" in city administrative budget (that means you) 2/20/2021 2:16 PM
430 Reduce height of new commercial construction; maintain historic residential and commercial
buildings; bring Police and Fire Dept. salaries in line with other cities of our size; reduce
residential street sweeping to 1x/month; maintain existing residential character of all S.M.
neighborhoods; prohibit City Council members/candidates from accepting donations from
2/20/2021 2:11 PM
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people with business before the Council; do not permit increased density of DTSM; with
increasing "work from home" opportunities we do not need to build more apartments in DTSM.
431 Trash! The city is overflowing with trash everywhere due to the lack of trash bins throughout
the city with heavy foot traffic- around schools and SMC- 2) parking your car under a pine tree-
any idea what that does to the paint ? Whoever responsible for the decision making of what
trees to plant in a city must seriously have been on illegal drugs- I’m sorry but ½ of the trees
makes such a mess on sidewalks and makes it slippery to walk on - 3) streets between pico n
Ocean park w/o street lights because why? So ppl won’t walk there in the dark?
2/20/2021 2:01 PM
432 Airport to Park conversion let's get started on planning!! 2/20/2021 1:58 PM
433 Law enforcement - vagrancy, noise, and elimination of electric scooters 2/20/2021 1:56 PM
434 Reduce property crime, reduce violent crime 2/20/2021 1:48 PM
435 Green spaces and open spaces for children to play and get exercise and fresh air 2/20/2021 1:40 PM
436 Adding and preserving Green Space - Parks and Playing Fields 2/20/2021 1:24 PM
437 less comercial development 2/20/2021 12:45 PM
438 Stop racing and speeding on our streets, reduce and monitor speed limits especially on San
Vicente and major thoroughfares where cars go too fast.
2/20/2021 12:24 PM
439 Traffic reduction - PLEASE 2/20/2021 12:19 PM
440 City Financial Management i.e. overtime and pensions 2/20/2021 12:16 PM
441 reduce population density by not allowing more building (like the proposed 296 unit apartment
complex on the site of the Von's); stop overpaying police and fire departments like previous
Councils; reduce the number of city employees--we have more than similar sized cities; make
sure that Santa Monica is NOT a developer's paradise--some previous council members
NEVER voted against a development proposal; do analyses of SM government departments to
see if well managed; make the parks safe for adults and children--some parks are overrun by
the homeless; pass a rule that City Council members cannot accept election contributions of
any nature from developers and from organization or people who might in any way come before
the Council for approvals; the street sweeping is sufficient on a bi-weekly or longer basis rather
than weekly; don't spend money over useless beautification projects like flowers in the
medians etc. --ther are better uses for the money; put a time limit on Council electioneering;
limit pay increases for City workers until times improve and the City is not drowning in debt
because of pension bills; make a rule that no City Council members travel unnecessarily.on
2/20/2021 12:15 PM
442 Revitalize the Promenade area for post-covid comeback 2/20/2021 12:14 PM
443 Refund the libraries 2/20/2021 11:43 AM
444 Airport to park conversion 2/20/2021 11:39 AM
445 exercise a balanced political philosophy - compromise 2/20/2021 11:26 AM
446 SMO noise, pollution, and safety compromise human life 2/20/2021 11:13 AM
447 Covid recovery for community and businesses at the Santa Monica Pier and public spaces 2/20/2021 11:08 AM
448 stop development and put brakes on tourism 2/20/2021 10:57 AM
449 Reopening of all the libraries 2/20/2021 10:51 AM
450 Fiscal responsibility. Slow development. Excellence in Police training and recruitment. 2/20/2021 10:48 AM
451 stop development 2/20/2021 10:30 AM
452 Overdevelopment 2/20/2021 10:16 AM
453 urban improvements (like why is Lincoln Ave so ugly, where are the outdoor spaces to dine
once COVID ends, why are commercial landlords allowed to build ugly buildings)
2/20/2021 10:13 AM
454 Policing, PET teams, building permit streamlining 2/20/2021 9:51 AM
455 Reopen Fairview Library NOW!!!!!! 2/20/2021 9:36 AM
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456 Access to public pools 2/20/2021 9:33 AM
457 Get a pilot on the airport commission committee and work toward "airport and park" 2/20/2021 9:31 AM
458 Opening schools; restoring our community resources for the public (tennis courts, basketball
courts) instead of private use
2/20/2021 9:10 AM
459 Crime, Excessive Traffic 2/20/2021 8:36 AM
460 More protected bike lanes like they installed along Broadway. We need safe north-south bike
lanes and pedestrian walkways along Cloverfield to connect sunset park to the expo line.
2/20/2021 8:35 AM
461 make landlords keep up their apartment buildings properly. Too many look rundown and
derelict. Rent control cannot possibly prevent them from painting the exterior. If leases are too
high for the landlord in the more expensive area of Santa Monica they should sell and own
buildings where the leases are less expensive. Having eyesore buildings helps no one.
2/20/2021 8:33 AM
462 Less overpaid city staff 2/20/2021 8:25 AM
463 1 -- Implement the Sunset Park Neighborhood Traffic Plan. 2 -- Start the planning process for
the Airport to Park conversion, so we can break ground in 2029 when Santa Monica Airport
closes. 3 – Re-open the branch libraries, including Fairview, when it’s safe to do so. 4 --
Restore the City’s annual printing and mailing of newsletters for the 7 city-recognized
neighborhood organizations to all residents in each neighborhood.
2/20/2021 8:23 AM
464 1 -- Implement the Sunset Park Neighborhood Traffic Plan. 2 -- Start the planning process for
the Airport to Park conversion, so we can break ground in 2029
2/20/2021 8:06 AM
465 Reduce criminality 2/20/2021 8:05 AM
466 Air/ water quality 2/20/2021 7:57 AM
467 Effective police functions and enforcement of the law. 2/20/2021 7:32 AM
468 Fix bumpy plastic sidewalk repairs to avoid falls 2/20/2021 6:58 AM
469 beauty 2/20/2021 6:57 AM
470 Addressing homelessness 2/20/2021 6:37 AM
471 Protect R1 districts from multiunit development 2/20/2021 12:03 AM
472 Stop making Santa Monica a destination for homeless!!! 2/19/2021 10:46 PM
473 Legal aid for middle income residents, especailly for tenants with predatory landlords.. 2/19/2021 10:34 PM
474 physical fitness recreation, SMC pool, etc 2/19/2021 9:46 PM
475 I do not want Tonga Park nomadic population to be ignored but rather be provided for with the
application of resources available through the property taxes that we wealthier tenants pay
annually. Thank you
2/19/2021 9:26 PM
476 Preservation of Single Family Homes per lot 2/19/2021 9:23 PM
477 Clean beachs and boardwalk, clean open parks 2/19/2021 8:58 PM
478 Street cleaning weekly, ticket abandoned vehicles 2/19/2021 8:24 PM
479 overdevelopment, traffic, lack of fiscal responsibilty on the part of city government, lack of
community representation--the city's fight against single member council districts (see lack of
fiscal responsibilty!)
2/19/2021 8:12 PM
480 It is immoral and a public health and safety issue to let homeless people live on the street or in
our public spaces like the library
2/19/2021 8:01 PM
481 police responsiveness 2/19/2021 7:29 PM
482 Contaminant levels in water (e.g. high uranium levels in tap water) 2/19/2021 7:19 PM
483 Water quality and reducing contaminants in the water 2/19/2021 7:15 PM
484 traffic and congestion in downtown area 2/19/2021 7:10 PM
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485 Traffic 2/19/2021 7:08 PM
486 Easing of restrictions on small businesses 2/19/2021 7:05 PM
487 Affordable Housing 2/19/2021 6:45 PM
488 Restore funding to SantaMonica Animal Shelter 2/19/2021 6:36 PM
489 Quality-of-life issues (Sunset Park): leafblowers, berry-dropping ficus trees, SMC traffic 2/19/2021 6:20 PM
490 Santa Monica Airport support and business development 2/19/2021 5:46 PM
491 Holding police brass accountable for their abject failure on May 31, 2020 2/19/2021 5:37 PM
492 homeless setting up tents/ bicycles on the beach (ala Venice) 2/19/2021 5:34 PM
493 Safe Streets and neighborhoods 2/19/2021 5:15 PM
494 Fiscal management, traffic congestion, limiting growth 2/19/2021 5:02 PM
495 Recycling.......2/19/2021 4:40 PM
496 No more huge living apartment buildings!!!! 2/19/2021 4:36 PM
497 Open basketball courts- take locks off them 2/19/2021 4:30 PM
498 Too many new large buildings 2/19/2021 4:15 PM
499 Additional police hiring 2/19/2021 4:07 PM
500 Extension of parking permit zones into wealthier parts of the city so it's not the middle class
residents that are having to pay to park or pay tickets because of it
2/19/2021 4:01 PM
501 Reduce traffic congestion, especially on Lincoln Boulevard 2/19/2021 3:37 PM
502 Relocalize the economy by decommodifying and the sharing economy. Cooperatives,
community land trusts. Get major predatory, extractive investors OUT of our community. .
Thank you.
2/19/2021 3:33 PM
503 Fix the homeless situation please! 2/19/2021 3:31 PM
504 resume weeking street sweeping - tourist town needs to be presentable 2/19/2021 3:18 PM
505 N/A 2/19/2021 2:51 PM
506 Close Montana Ave to vehicle traffic so restaurants can thrive 2/19/2021 2:43 PM
507 Finish the Lincoln blvd project with crosswalks! The new well reviewed Picolo restaurant at
Pacific and Lincoln needs all the help it can get. That place is a spark we need to foster!
2/19/2021 2:39 PM
508 Fair treatment of rental property owners, use of highways for vehicles, reduce BiG spending on
"trophy projects' (e,g.,New City Hall), reform the police dept. (respond to obvious crime, e, g,
downtown riots in May), hold council more accountable for results if priorities. Make this
survey more useful including listing of more specific items in Question no. 1. Finally, make
sure the post card asking for response to the survey had a online address that works!
2/19/2021 2:33 PM
509 Parking Reform.2/19/2021 2:22 PM
510 Reducing congregation of the homeless outside of local businesses. 2/19/2021 2:21 PM
511 Reducing crime. Eliminating homelessness. Mitigating parking infractions. 2/19/2021 2:00 PM
512 Relaxing building restrictions on homeowners/additions 2/19/2021 1:29 PM
513 Trash and Debris removal from neglect during pandemic 2/19/2021 1:15 PM
514 Being able to walk down the street without stepping in and/or smelling human urine and human
poop. Cleaning and sanitizing sidewalks, alleys 3rd St Promenade of human urine and human
poop. Being able to take my kids to the park and feel safe and have a place to play that isn’t
full of dangerous criminal transients who have taken over the parks. Being able to walk to the
beach without fearing for my or my family’s safety of random attacks. Being able to go to the
library and not worry about sanitation and safety.
2/19/2021 1:12 PM
515 grocery stores within walking distance 2/19/2021 12:59 PM
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516 arts & culture 2/19/2021 12:49 PM
517 Clean water in sufficient supply; no high rises in this each community; following EULA(?), not
ignoring it with development agreements.
2/19/2021 12:36 PM
518 controlling homeless population; being tough on crime 2/19/2021 11:52 AM
519 Stop gang stalking community harassment 2/19/2021 11:48 AM
520 balanced budget; market-rate salaries; traffic congestion 2/19/2021 11:29 AM
521 Does affordability refer to housing or general cost of living, this is not a well constructed
questionnaire item. If it mean more affordable housing then that is my priority. But still oppose
SB 9 and 10 which is sledgehammer approach.
2/19/2021 11:12 AM
522 Emergency Preparedness 2/19/2021 10:34 AM
523 Maintaining a balanced budget 2/19/2021 10:26 AM
524 1. Please get the Blue Bus pickups back to Wilshire and 4th Street. It's ridiculous that I have
to walk 8-9 blocks to get a Blue Bus to Main Street, or to the Pico bus. 2. Please get the
ridiculous rents down on and around the 3rd Street Promenade so I can find some affordable
food around here! It's ridiculous how hard it is to just get a decent hot lunch for under $20.00.
The entire city of Santa Monica should not be functioning as if all food prices are at tourist
rates. Make this a city for locals again. Have lived here for 25 years and have just watched the
landlord's greed cause the entire affordable
2/19/2021 10:16 AM
525 Stop building boxes for the rich and given 3 apartments for low income. That is not solving the
problem
2/19/2021 10:07 AM
526 Reward the BBB Staff for Staying The Course 2/19/2021 9:27 AM
527 n/a 2/19/2021 8:33 AM
528 Overpaid city management, bloated city budget, voting districts needed 2/19/2021 8:32 AM
529 Light pollution and danger of "traffic calming" intrusions 2/19/2021 8:32 AM
530 Parks and Recreation - the Swim Center 2/19/2021 8:15 AM
531 Reduce Homelessness 2/19/2021 7:38 AM
532 FULL time public school 2/19/2021 7:24 AM
533 Economic, social, structural, cultural equality 2/18/2021 10:48 PM
534 Paying Jobs 2/18/2021 10:19 PM
535 Modern transport, walkable shopping without cars 2/18/2021 9:55 PM
536 Trash cans everywhere to stop people from litter 2/18/2021 9:23 PM
537 Public safety! Feeling safe 2/18/2021 8:59 PM
538 Libraries, clean streets 2/18/2021 7:25 PM
539 To many homeless people. I have friends who have been attacked. 2/18/2021 7:12 PM
540 support small business and small landlords 2/18/2021 7:11 PM
541 Reasonable rent guidelines for tenants and landlords 2/18/2021 7:10 PM
542 unlicensed vending, health & safety 2/18/2021 7:09 PM
543 Reduce homeless population. I am not safe even walking my dog. This is unacceptable. 2/18/2021 7:02 PM
544 neighborhood connection 2/18/2021 6:50 PM
545 Clean up Tongva park and make it safe 2/18/2021 6:47 PM
546 Opening libraries 2/18/2021 6:44 PM
547 Quality of life due to construction/traffic because of builing density and priority to developers
not residents
2/18/2021 6:33 PM
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548 Supporting local business, stop over building and overcrowding, 2/18/2021 6:26 PM
549 Open up the Beach Volleyball Courts 2/18/2021 5:34 PM
550 Plan for life after airport closing - include in downtown plan 2/18/2021 5:21 PM
551 Opening up businesses during COVID. 2/18/2021 4:23 PM
552 School-based mental health / social-emotional learning 2/18/2021 4:23 PM
553 Opening all of the libraries 2/18/2021 3:52 PM
554 Police Racial Profiling 2/18/2021 3:35 PM
555 Overdevelopment citywide, reducing city payroll and number of employees. 2/18/2021 2:45 PM
556 Aggressive dogs 2/18/2021 2:23 PM
557 Building Santa Monica for resident's needs not tourists 2/18/2021 2:23 PM
558 Reduce homeless and mentally deranged and crime 2/18/2021 2:07 PM
559 Traffic, overpopulation 2/18/2021 2:05 PM
560 Address Homelessness and clean up parks. Tongva and Reed are not available for the public
to enjoy
2/18/2021 1:56 PM
561 Accountability and integrity among community leaders. Respect for tax paying citizens of SM. 2/18/2021 1:49 PM
562 Kick the homeless out of Santa Monica!! Especially in recreational area like park where kids
should be able to run around without the fear of stepping on a needle or anything contagious!!!!
Give those parks back to the SM residents!!!
2/18/2021 1:25 PM
563 N/a 2/18/2021 1:05 PM
564 Affordable Child care 2/18/2021 12:51 PM
565 Crowd control 2/18/2021 12:48 PM
566 essential personnel safety during COVID 2/18/2021 12:45 PM
567 TREAT RESIDENTS WITH RESPECT- THE HA IS THE WORST- RUDE AND UNFAIR AND
VIOLATES THE LAW
2/18/2021 10:44 AM
568 Respond better to local residents who pay taxes and has little or no support currently. 2/18/2021 10:32 AM
569 Open streets for driving cars 2/18/2021 10:04 AM
570 Housing 2/18/2021 10:03 AM
571 Development needs to take a long break. 2/18/2021 9:57 AM
572 No moving trucks in alley...garbage trucks come too early back and forth not picking up
garbage 7 am 5th street
2/18/2021 9:51 AM
573 community services - libraries, pool, farmers markets, etc. 2/18/2021 9:45 AM
574 Able to find apt for rent in my sec 8.price range 2/18/2021 9:34 AM
575 Civic Discourse -- the tone of city meetings, etc 2/18/2021 9:30 AM
576 Stronger global agenda - Amplified semantics 2/18/2021 9:30 AM
577 Needs of the veteran community within Santa Monica 2/18/2021 9:30 AM
578 Street lightings 2/18/2021 9:27 AM
579 Opening SM back up! No masks! 2/18/2021 9:22 AM
580 N/A 2/18/2021 9:20 AM
581 Social service workers and advocates to help individuals navigate and attain their disability
needs
2/18/2021 8:57 AM
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582 Free parking in commercial areas for Santa Monica born residents. 2/18/2021 8:53 AM
583 Team work 2/18/2021 8:51 AM
584 Extend Palisades Park out over PCH 2/18/2021 8:49 AM
585 N/a 2/18/2021 8:42 AM
586 NA 2/18/2021 8:42 AM
587 Growth has been mismanaged and excessive, too crowded and too many big developments 2/18/2021 8:41 AM
588 KEEP SANTA MONICA SAFE REMOVE THE HOMELESS 2/18/2021 8:33 AM
589 Reducing the population to increase quality of life for all 2/18/2021 8:27 AM
590 None 2/18/2021 8:22 AM
591 N/A 2/18/2021 7:25 AM
592 Slowing development 2/18/2021 6:47 AM
593 Reducing crime 2/18/2021 1:12 AM
594 *when I say reduce homelessness, I mean with sustainable and compassionate programs to
get people off the streets. I DO NOT mean simply kicking people out of Santa Monica by
closing down homeless shelters and increasing police presence (as I saw some city council
members proposing in glorified terms...)
2/18/2021 12:18 AM
595 Racial and gender inclusivity 2/17/2021 10:24 PM
596 Affordable houses- not condos or apts 2/17/2021 9:38 PM
597 Density 2/17/2021 8:00 PM
598 Aim to balance the City budget with policies of fiscal restraint 2/17/2021 7:39 PM
599 SMC Pool activities 2/17/2021 7:18 PM
600 OVER DEVELOPMENT - TRAFFIC - CRIME - NOT EQUITY BUT EQUALITY 2/17/2021 6:49 PM
601 E-scooters and bikers OFF THE SIDEWALKS!! 2/17/2021 6:14 PM
602 Open efficient accountable government that serves residents first and foremost 2/17/2021 5:30 PM
603 1. Efficient government for basic government services, not social causes. 2. Vigorous
opposition to the Calif legislature's attempt to destroy the American Dream (affordable single-
family houses), (SB9 & SB10) to end local control of planning and zoning.
2/17/2021 5:05 PM
604 Reopen Swimming Pool for water aerobics 2/17/2021 4:40 PM
605 Parking 2/17/2021 4:39 PM
606 My specific concern is walkability and ACCESIBILITY. I've complained about cars parked on
sidewalks, effectively blocking 3/4 of the sidewalk, extending way past their driveways. I have
enough to worry about careless motorists on the ride to not even make it to my corner
SAFELY. Do something! Retrain your patrols. I also have no desire to hop over a homeless
laying across the sidewalk, or ducking under and around overgrown trees and shrubs. This
wasn't a problem before. It is now. Please fix it.
2/17/2021 4:16 PM
607 ANTI SB9@S10,Better policing of looters 2/17/2021 4:14 PM
608 N/A 2/17/2021 4:03 PM
609 Zoning protection. R1 is appropriate for areas of SM. 2/17/2021 3:58 PM
610 Tourism Destination economy expansion/enhancement 2/17/2021 2:43 PM
611 I'm not sure what you mean by most of the above. I'd like to see fiscal responsibility in city
government, an effort to live within the city's means. City government that is responsive to the
citizens it is supposed to represent. Affordable housing for people who work in our city.
2/17/2021 2:29 PM
612 Hire back librarians and library staff. 2/17/2021 2:27 PM
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613 Cleanliness of Santa Monica streets and public spaces. 2/17/2021 1:49 PM
614 n/a 2/17/2021 9:30 AM
615 Not only approving rental apartments but forcing developers to make for sale condos the way
affordable housing is required. The downtown is becoming a rental monopoly with no one
owning.
2/17/2021 9:05 AM
616 helping *small* *locally owned* business recover after COVID 2/17/2021 7:17 AM
617 REDUCED OVERBUILDING BY WEALTHY/Privileged 2/17/2021 6:48 AM
618 Enforce ordinances better; e.g. leaf blowers, non-mask-wearing, smoking at bus stops, cars
not yielding to pedestrians, dog owners not picking up poop, and many many other poorly-
enforced ordinances
2/17/2021 6:48 AM
619 N/A 2/17/2021 5:19 AM
620 Eliminate mask mandates 2/16/2021 7:37 PM
621 Reducing density, maintaining local control over zoning and planning, keeping neighborhoods
with single family houses in tact.
2/16/2021 5:21 PM
622 Aim to balance the City budget with policies of fiscal restraint 2/16/2021 3:57 PM
623 Santa Monica used to be a charming city, it has lost its charm due to out of control
development and the buildings are not charming, they are largely ugly.
2/16/2021 3:45 PM
624 slow growth 2/16/2021 3:44 PM
625 Prevent the passage of State legislature (SB9 & SB10)/Keep control on housing local 2/16/2021 3:12 PM
626 Opposition to Sacramento overseeing local density building 2/16/2021 3:06 PM
627 crime, oppose SB 9 & SB 10 2/16/2021 2:53 PM
628 Restore funding for all neighborhood associations ; practice fiscal restraint • opposition
increase densification, including to efforts by the State legislature (SB9 & SB10) to end local
control of planning and zoning, andincrease open space
2/16/2021 2:43 PM
629 We don’t need a street performers They’re out of control 2/16/2021 2:37 PM
630 Parking for business employees 2/16/2021 2:35 PM
631 n/a 2/16/2021 2:32 PM
632 Affordability and equity/inclusion are also vital and connect to all of the topics. 2/16/2021 1:16 PM
633 Services for seniors 2/16/2021 1:05 PM
634 N/A 2/16/2021 12:53 PM
635 Provide free parking for Santa Monica employees 2/16/2021 12:50 PM
636 Providing residential dual diagnosis treatment centers for those who can’t function in housing. 2/16/2021 12:14 PM
637 GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY 2/16/2021 11:09 AM
638 all shown 2/16/2021 10:07 AM
639 no more masks 2/16/2021 9:14 AM
640 Transparency. Workers' rights. 2/16/2021 8:29 AM
641 Safety and cleanliness 2/16/2021 6:00 AM
642 Rising crime 2/15/2021 10:19 PM
643 The park is a disaster filled with crazy homeless people. With their sleeping bags and mess 2/15/2021 8:22 PM
644 Beach volleyball court maintenance 2/15/2021 6:38 PM
645 More parks in mid-city and other neighborhoods. 2/15/2021 5:55 PM
646 Enhancing cultural entrepreneurial projects, Bring more transparency and trust into the local 2/15/2021 4:21 PM
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government
647 Fiscal Stability 2/15/2021 4:17 PM
648 Parks, open spaces, clean parks, clean streets 2/15/2021 4:15 PM
649 Enforcing short term housing ban and protecting rent controlled housing 2/15/2021 3:49 PM
650 n/a 2/15/2021 3:45 PM
651 More community gardens! A 10 year wait list for a garden plot?!? Enough housing rentals, long
time Santa Monica renters deserve the opportunity to buy! Get some condos on the market for
SALE!
2/15/2021 3:17 PM
652 Affordable parking for employees in downtown Santa Monica. Reduced business hours due to
less foot traffic is making parking unaffordable for employees and we don't feel safe walking
alone at night to park further away in a residential area due to all the homeless people
wandering
2/15/2021 12:24 PM
653 Stopping bullshit city surveys. If you want resident input, have a vote. 2/15/2021 11:22 AM
654 I hate these bogus surveys. This is not a legitimate test of public opinoin. It is just a lobbying
tool.
2/15/2021 11:17 AM
655 Addressing the city's unfunded pension liability / Police reform 2/15/2021 10:37 AM
656 Fiscal restraint in the management of the City, Transparency of the government, Need for the
City to take a Position of Strong Opposition to State efforts to take over local control of zoning
2/15/2021 10:28 AM
657 Social justice 2/15/2021 9:31 AM
658 reduce business and residential density 2/15/2021 9:10 AM
659 Reopen the adult sports leagues! 2/15/2021 8:36 AM
660 We need to figure out some sort of solution for homelessness and I think that starts by
improving city infrastructure
2/15/2021 7:44 AM
661 Cultural opportunities and Public Art Events 2/15/2021 2:29 AM
662 Slow development, enough building hotels, transparency to residents, involving neighborhoods
and residents in decision makings
2/15/2021 12:59 AM
663 Funding for the City Library System 2/15/2021 12:14 AM
664 none 2/14/2021 8:44 PM
665 Abre los pinche canchas de volleyball 2/14/2021 8:37 PM
666 Fiscal responsibility, slow growth 2/14/2021 7:35 PM
667 Crime,unenforced laws.2/14/2021 7:07 PM
668 Street vendor management/removal at beaches/parks (for clean air free of frying onions and
meat, for less litter, for clear bike lanes/crosswalks, less gathering during coven, etc);
Enforcement of no dogs at beach (many off-leash; no overt instruction about curbing dogs on
beach: dogs increasingly “walked” on beach near children/people with bare feet & at life guard
towers); removal of excessive visual clutter along Ocean Ave, e.g. too much signage/white
flexible traffic posts & street paint; need protected/raised bike lanes on Ocean Ave (and
parking could be elsewhere);Santa Monica as friendly startup/business hub; buildings with
architectural merit
2/14/2021 5:56 PM
669 Crack down on inappropriate use of electric scooters. Get rid of the new one lane restriction on
ocean and Santa Monica which creates horrific traffic for residents. Allow those who live in
Santa Monica to get licenses to take dogs on the beach.
2/14/2021 5:28 PM
670 Field space for youth sports 2/14/2021 4:11 PM
671 Clean beach!2/14/2021 2:43 PM
672 Keep the Airport. We don’t need more Buildings or traffic. I 2/14/2021 2:41 PM
673 Public health, safety and welfare 2/14/2021 12:42 PM
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674 Providing for seniors 2/14/2021 11:24 AM
675 Meeting RHNA targets 2/14/2021 9:18 AM
676 Improve recreational infrastructure, such as night lighting of sports facilities , particularly lawn
bowling so that the working segment of of Santa Monicans are able to participate in sports
after working hours.
2/14/2021 9:17 AM
677 na 2/14/2021 7:35 AM
678 We MUST, MUST stop allowing raw sewage to flow into the coastal ocean waters,
ESPECIALLY AFTER RAINSTORMS. And we MUST DO MORE TO RECYCLE PROPERLY.
PLASTIC POLLUTION IS OUT OF CONTROL, and recycle bins are not available alongside
regular garbage receptacles (sidewalks AND on properties) so that people refuse is being
mixed in with plastic and cans. Also, WHERE is all this waste being DUMPED or buried???
There MUST be a bmore sustainable solution.
2/14/2021 6:35 AM
679 Commercial structures, large residential structures over stretching density of population 2/14/2021 12:01 AM
680 Government process efficiency I.e. permit process 2/13/2021 10:10 PM
681 More accountability for developers doing large construction projects to not disrupt daily lives of
residents with excess noise and mess. Increase overall sanitation and trash
management.reduce crime. Make it worth the cost to live here!
2/13/2021 9:03 PM
682 Clean streets and alleys in all areas not just main downtown and Palisades Park 2/13/2021 8:42 PM
683 Getting rid of Community Corp. They mismanage their properties and are replacing rent control
with subsidized housing.
2/13/2021 8:33 PM
684 slow down development 2/13/2021 7:07 PM
685 Improve recreational infrastructure, such as night lighting, of sports facilities to increase
community usage
2/13/2021 4:42 PM
686 Make a law forbid sleeping on sidewalks, streets parks beaches a felony crime 2/13/2021 4:29 PM
687 Reduction of all levels of crime. Traffic diversion in all residential neighborhoods. 2/13/2021 3:51 PM
688 reducing large developments and housing density 2/13/2021 3:37 PM
689 provide more sports training for seniors, lighting to increse usage of existing facilities such as
Douglas Park
2/13/2021 2:23 PM
690 Preparation for the Airport Great Park - we all need something wonderful to look forward to, and
the pandemic has shown just how little park space we have.
2/13/2021 2:08 PM
691 Slow growth 2/13/2021 2:01 PM
692 Improve recreational infrastructure, such as night lighting, of sports facilities to increase
community usage.
2/13/2021 12:08 PM
693 Open schools 2/13/2021 10:48 AM
694 Safety and security 2/13/2021 10:16 AM
695 stop rampant crime 2/13/2021 10:13 AM
696 reducing overdevelopment 2/13/2021 9:58 AM
697 The city is building too many big buildings. Getting too dense. 2/13/2021 9:39 AM
698 Mask and social distancing enforcement 2/13/2021 9:24 AM
699 Not opening too early from lockdown and causing more people to get sick 2/13/2021 8:02 AM
700 Having my kids watch a man poop in front of a pizza place on pico. Woman peeing on clover
field. Woman masturbating at Virginia park all in daylight and witnessed by my kids. A guy
making a fire in the children’s playground. Fires in the beach parking lot. Man walking down our
street for a week yelling “I’m going to kill White people” scaring my kids. Rioting and looting
that scAred my kids having to hear all the fire trucks and police and seeing it on the news. All
the city does is build more and more unaffordable condos over retail. How many people do you
2/13/2021 7:41 AM
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want to live here? Along with the tourist? When will it stop? When is there enough people. The
only people who can afford a condo here are rich people. Santa Monica is not a community
anymore. It’s a destination for tourist. It’s for the rich and the poor but no
701 Stop homeless encampments in parks and streets 2/13/2021 5:27 AM
702 Over-development. (Does this survey record whether people responding are residents or not?
Does it track it?
2/13/2021 1:41 AM
703 Returning children to school 2/13/2021 12:19 AM
704 Clean up the tents 2/12/2021 10:01 PM
705 Opening up businesses, allow entertainment on Pier, etc., and protecting them 2/12/2021 9:46 PM
706 reducing wasteful overdevlopmen by Santa Monica Government and fiscal mismanagement 2/12/2021 8:53 PM
707 Zoning changes allowing higher density throughout the city 2/12/2021 8:27 PM
708 OPEN the schools 2/12/2021 8:24 PM
709 reduce congestion and crowding 2/12/2021 8:20 PM
710 Crime 2/12/2021 8:00 PM
711 I would like to see limited developement 2/12/2021 7:49 PM
712 Public safety 2/12/2021 7:27 PM
713 Supporting the Arts and expanding the local artistic community 2/12/2021 7:26 PM
714 Overdevelopment, crime, enforce vagrancy laws 2/12/2021 5:21 PM
715 Access to Santa Monica College swim center 7 days a week 12 hours per day 2/12/2021 4:48 PM
716 traffic 2/12/2021 4:47 PM
717 access for those 55 plus that do not have cars or extended family . 2/12/2021 2:50 PM
718 police responding to calls 2/12/2021 2:31 PM
719 STOP OVER BUILDING !!! too much traffic already and idiotic changes, OCEAN AVE are only
adding to it
2/12/2021 2:20 PM
720 Less development 2/12/2021 1:49 PM
721 Safe and clean streets 2/12/2021 1:41 PM
722 Public education and safety. I’m tired of the homeless taking over my city 2/12/2021 1:34 PM
723 Family entertainment that ingerational 2/12/2021 1:31 PM
724 ...2/12/2021 1:00 PM
725 Enforcement of Laws and Regulation/Quality of Life/Police Patrols 2/12/2021 12:30 PM
726 Inforce “No loitering”. Don’t allow homeless to sleep on streets overnight or in our parks. take
back the city from them. Be tougher on crime.
2/12/2021 12:00 PM
727 Reduce the rampant open drug use - I can't go for a walk without looking out for needles I may
accidentally step on.
2/12/2021 11:49 AM
728 Police presence non-existent 2/12/2021 11:14 AM
729 Art 2/12/2021 11:12 AM
730 Gay rights and inclusion 2/12/2021 10:09 AM
731 Traffic and accidents due to lane reductions for bike lanes 2/12/2021 10:02 AM
732 Overcrowding due to excessive poorly planned growth is ruining our city 2/12/2021 9:54 AM
733 too much density building 2/12/2021 9:49 AM
734 Housing affordability; housing supply (needs to increase) 2/12/2021 9:03 AM
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735 Increase in the priories of residents over the homeless and the non law abiding 2/12/2021 8:51 AM
736 Recycling, clean environment, graffiti abatement 2/12/2021 8:46 AM
737 RE-prioritize police funding, violent crime vs non-violent crime personnel 2/12/2021 8:32 AM
738 Real climate protection. None of the recycled plastic green washing. You need to consult
indigenous leaders amd learn how they managed to hurt the land and do what they did.
2/12/2021 8:27 AM
739 planning for population growth 2/12/2021 8:15 AM
740 Homeless assistance and reduction. Clearly we have a homeless issue in this city but the
disrespect and lack of compassion I see online by some residents is concerning. We need
more police engagement that is positive. I want to see police on foot in neighborhoods- not just
driving around in their SUVs. For a city that had such a terrible experience last May/June with
the overreach of police tear gassing protesters, I have seen little or no effort to heal those
wounds. Police presence in my area is sparse and I know zero officers even though I walk
daily and work at home. Shameful.
2/12/2021 8:08 AM
741 Social support programs for low income and minority community members. Reduction of police
spending, redirecting funds to mental health and social support. Reduction of developer
influence on the future of our built environment.
2/12/2021 7:53 AM
742 Santa Monica has been bloated with unnecessary staff for decades which has resulted in
unnecessary bureaucracy, over-regulation and wasteful spending on frivolous feel-good
programs that have produced little real results and left this formerly filthy rich City in financial
ruin having to finally gut staffing. As an example, the ridiculous staffing of 19 positions in
Sustainability was cut to 5 or 6. Even the "Sustainability" program was not sustainable. The
City needs to finally take care of the basic infrastructure needs of this city and its residents
and STOP wasting money on ridiculous wasteful feel-good nonsense. Streamlining operations
is long overdue. It's time to make it happen and make it last!
2/12/2021 7:33 AM
743 Reduce crime 2/12/2021 7:19 AM
744 Vaccine site 2/12/2021 4:34 AM
745 More Parks and green space, public safety, sewage and electrical upgrades (do not add these
to civic infrastructure), Government Integrity, Accountability and Transparency
2/12/2021 1:30 AM
746 Crime up, Transients meth heads homeless, non stop construction, scooters scattered and
unsafe for all,
2/12/2021 1:10 AM
747 Santa Monica Public Library 2/11/2021 10:05 PM
748 ART GALLERY OWNER @BERGAMOT STATION 2/11/2021 9:47 PM
749 Innovative city 2/11/2021 9:43 PM
750 Vendors on beach walk/bikepath south of pier and at the pier 2/11/2021 9:29 PM
751 Reduce homeless 2/11/2021 8:34 PM
752 Provide more and better bathrooms for school aged children. Install HVAC at schools where
needed so kids can go back to in-person school.
2/11/2021 7:33 PM
753 The stopping of the drag racing in the pier lots 2/11/2021 7:01 PM
754 Increase housing provision especially small market-rate affordable units 2/11/2021 6:56 PM
755 NA 2/11/2021 6:48 PM
756 Open activities for the kids. Pools 2/11/2021 6:41 PM
757 Safety. Last night two people broken into my building. 2/11/2021 5:53 PM
758 Developing one concise network of resources for stakeholders. 2/11/2021 5:41 PM
759 Public Art Installations / Funding Local Art 2/11/2021 5:23 PM
760 end the shutdown, open businesses, stop pandering to one minority as if you care about
minorities, yet failing to mention other minorities--better yet, just quit pandering --period.
2/11/2021 4:41 PM
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761 Reopening and keeping services at City Swim Center and other services for tax paying SM
residents
2/11/2021 4:40 PM
762 Code enforcement is not responsive to concerns regarding violations. 2/11/2021 4:19 PM
763 Safety 2/11/2021 4:04 PM
764 Affordable housing. Reduced fines. 2/11/2021 3:57 PM
765 CRIME DRUGS SHITTING ON THE SIDEWALK 2/11/2021 3:34 PM
766 Clean parks, streets. No homelessness in the parks !!! + the foundation of the Palisades Park
on the cliff is rapidly eroding ! - Save it, please.
2/11/2021 2:22 PM
767 Feels more welcoming to tourists than residents 2/11/2021 1:20 PM
768 Arts 2/11/2021 1:09 PM
769 Arts funding 2/11/2021 1:01 PM
770 back to school learning 2/11/2021 12:30 PM
771 Reduce CRIME 2/11/2021 11:56 AM
772 Get the vagrants out of our city. They are not homeless. They are criminals/ mentally ill and
junkies. I have 3 daughters and it’s not safe anywhere
2/11/2021 11:20 AM
773 Open space and parks 2/11/2021 11:02 AM
774 School Crossing Guards 2/11/2021 10:30 AM
775 Reducing Development 2/11/2021 10:23 AM
776 NA 2/11/2021 10:08 AM
777 Economic Support for Small Landlords, Increasing housing opportunities by decreasing
regulations.
2/11/2021 9:59 AM
778 Feeling safe to leave my home in DTSM. My young son and I have been assaulted by the
homeless and had 5 locked bikes stolen
2/11/2021 9:49 AM
779 stopping reckless over-development 2/11/2021 8:55 AM
780 Reduce excessive density, Add Parking, Clean up parks, arrest and prosecure thieves and
junkies.
2/11/2021 8:51 AM
781 Maybe stop people from smoking meth on the streets in broad daylight? Babysteps? 2/11/2021 8:33 AM
782 Rent reduction protection, for seniors. 2/11/2021 8:23 AM
783 We need more/ larger parks and green spaces 2/11/2021 8:13 AM
784 stopping large building developments and mixed use buildings 2/11/2021 7:59 AM
785 I believe that keeping neighborhoods safe and connecting communities overlap a great deal. 2/11/2021 7:11 AM
786 Drug enforvement 2/11/2021 7:11 AM
787 Masks social distancing enforced 2/11/2021 6:58 AM
788 Extend Palisades Park out over PCH 2/11/2021 5:26 AM
789 Built environment: 1) OPEN SPACE & PARKS 2) Civic Design Plan for QUALITY OF LIFE -
the city is destroying the sky, air flow, natural features, greenspaces, biomes, species corridor,
and coastal qualities that make Santa Monica special
2/11/2021 4:35 AM
790 Defund police and reallocate funds to creating a stronger inclusive infrastructure. 2/11/2021 1:57 AM
791 Safety.crime control.2/11/2021 1:24 AM
792 Become free from paternalistic community 2/11/2021 1:09 AM
793 Rise of Crime City is unsafe 2/11/2021 12:24 AM
794 Public health, eliminate COVID 2/11/2021 12:19 AM
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795 LESS DEVELOPMENT NO moRe DEVELOPMENT 2/11/2021 12:05 AM
796 “Affordable” Senior Housing Availability. 2/10/2021 11:50 PM
797 Reducing density and gridlock, increasing parks and open space, 2/10/2021 11:35 PM
798 Get rid of the homeless squatters in our parks. I walked past a guy shooting up in Palisades
Park last week.
2/10/2021 10:45 PM
799 Reopen the libraries!2/10/2021 10:44 PM
800 None 2/10/2021 10:10 PM
801 Make sidewalks safe/eScooter removal 2/10/2021 10:09 PM
802 reduce crime, stop overbuilding 2/10/2021 10:01 PM
803 Parks and community open spaces 2/10/2021 9:57 PM
804 Reduce crime and homelessness 2/10/2021 9:35 PM
805 Traffic reduction and parking availablilty 2/10/2021 9:32 PM
806 Eradicate all the bums and vagrants terrorizing this city by any means necessary 2/10/2021 9:24 PM
807 Crime 2/10/2021 9:20 PM
808 allowing more units in single-family neighborhoods 2/10/2021 9:15 PM
809 code violations dealt with such as morning start times for construction, morning start times for
trash and recycling pick up, noise levels for city trash and recycling vehicles, gardener's
blowers still in use, swimming lane reservations at 9 am rather than 7am which is way too
early for people who work nights and don't get to sleep until 4 am for instance. my husband
lives one block from the swim center and yet can never use it.
2/10/2021 9:08 PM
810 Clean streets and sidewalks 2/10/2021 9:00 PM
811 Getting rid of CCSM - they are running mental institutions with zero supervision all over the
city.
2/10/2021 8:52 PM
812 Clean up the City. It's an embarrassing place these days 2/10/2021 8:43 PM
813 Parks and Open Space, ALWAYS!! 2/10/2021 8:33 PM
814 none 2/10/2021 8:30 PM
815 Opportunities for the disabled population 2/10/2021 8:29 PM
816 Safety and crime. SM has become too dangerous. 2/10/2021 8:22 PM
817 Tennis court policy 2/10/2021 8:01 PM
818 Building Resilience encompasses many areas, including healthy economy, complete
neighborhoods, Affordable housing is important to equity, education and full employment, etc.
2/10/2021 7:49 PM
819 Economic Relief for families, immigration support & services, diverse after school
programming and supports
2/10/2021 7:39 PM
820 Public parks and open spaces 2/10/2021 7:24 PM
821 More policing from SMPD 2/10/2021 7:10 PM
822 Homeless crime 2/10/2021 6:27 PM
823 Crime Prevention, Police response to non-emergency calls 2/10/2021 6:27 PM
824 less building density 2/10/2021 6:26 PM
825 More parks 2/10/2021 6:26 PM
826 Overbuilding lack of open space and light 2/10/2021 6:25 PM
827 Services for seniors, greater interest from the City in older adult issues 2/10/2021 6:19 PM
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828 Reduced development. Non reliance on tourism and taxes to fund grandiose building and social
programs. Reducing the size and sale ties and pensions of city employees
2/10/2021 6:10 PM
829 Reduce homeless population. Generous assistance to homeless for those not from city
encourages more. Track where they come from.
2/10/2021 6:02 PM
830 Keeping parks safe fir kids, keeping condos safe, we had random homeless person storing his
things in our garage, it’s a constant problem that’s scary for all residents and kids in the
building
2/10/2021 5:52 PM
831 Housing 2/10/2021 5:47 PM
832 Expansion and development of parks and recreation area. 2/10/2021 5:45 PM
833 Crime 2/10/2021 5:43 PM
834 Reopen the Swim Center to its pre-pandemic days and hours 2/10/2021 5:43 PM
835 I want less building! There’s too much. Let’s use what we have. Adaptive reuse. Also, city
council needs to listen to the community
2/10/2021 5:41 PM
836 Disability inclusion, services 2/10/2021 5:39 PM
837 NA 2/10/2021 5:36 PM
838 Parking Accessibility, Traffic enforcement 2/10/2021 5:18 PM
839 Reducing construction and development 2/10/2021 5:18 PM
840 Curb homelessness 2/10/2021 5:13 PM
841 Arts & Culture programming 2/10/2021 5:11 PM
842 Law enforcement of moving violations, public vagrancy etc. Have not seen a Police car on
patrol on my street for 2 years. Only park Rangers in a hurry to clock they were at park then on
phone.
2/10/2021 5:10 PM
843 More open spaces/parks, less development 2/10/2021 4:56 PM
844 Community responsibility for public safety reform 2/10/2021 4:55 PM
845 better thought out solutions that aren't about the developers but long time home owners along
with the massive increase and congestion from traffic
2/10/2021 4:52 PM
846 We have to have our families Parks and Beach back for our residents families to enjoy 2/10/2021 4:50 PM
847 Affordable Housing 2/10/2021 4:38 PM
848 Dog access to the beach and other public spaces 2/10/2021 4:36 PM
849 Senior living 2/10/2021 4:34 PM
850 Let the Restaurants Open Stop Baby Sitting 2/10/2021 4:29 PM
851 Ensuring that ALL teachers and staff in the SMMUSD get vaccinated before reopening
campuses. No one, and I mean NO ONE should risk their lives for the sake of other people's
children.
2/10/2021 4:24 PM
852 Crime 2/10/2021 4:24 PM
853 Bus the homeless to Gavin Newsom's house and ask what happened to the BILLIONS of $
that was to be used for them?! Also, education, so as to avoid an Orwellian dystopia -
https://www.icandecide.org/
2/10/2021 4:24 PM
854 Planning for the conversion of the Airport into the Great Park. We need to start now so we can
break ground in 2029. The pandemic has truly underscored how important parks are to quality
of life!
2/10/2021 4:22 PM
855 n/a 2/10/2021 4:22 PM
856 Libraries and social services 2/10/2021 4:22 PM
857 more and safe bicycle routes, and dedicated lanes 2/10/2021 4:19 PM
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858 community opportunities and activities such as the beach, pool, bike paths, etc. 2/10/2021 4:16 PM
859 City employees (e.g., planners; police) should begin working for all residents, not just business
and property owners.
2/10/2021 4:06 PM
860 REDUCE CRIME, PLEASE! SM IS VERY DANGEROUS! 2/10/2021 4:05 PM
861 STOP DEVELOPING. NO MORE BIG BUILDINGS. 2/10/2021 4:03 PM
862 over building especially the downtown area and traffic congestion 2/10/2021 3:59 PM
863 Traffic Density 2/10/2021 3:58 PM
864 Opening up beach volleyball courts to facilitate outdoor exercise. 2/10/2021 3:57 PM
865 Landlords being treated with respect 2/10/2021 3:54 PM
866 Protecting mature trees. Establishing a superior private property tree ordinance. Opposing
reckless development. Supporting more parks and places with plants and trees.
2/10/2021 3:48 PM
867 Reopening business, pool and restaurants. Small Business support. 2/10/2021 3:42 PM
868 NA 2/10/2021 3:39 PM
869 Stop building apartments/reduce density 2/10/2021 3:38 PM
870 Preserving the character of our community, not over developing, ensuring the development is
characteristic of our community - walkable, not high rises, courtyards, green space, interesting
architecture not boxes
2/10/2021 3:22 PM
871 Transparency in Government. Communication with City Council through town hall virtual
platform
2/10/2021 3:17 PM
872 Community Gardens as correlated to Environmental Justice. 2/10/2021 3:10 PM
873 Outdoor space 2/10/2021 3:09 PM
874 Parks and Recreation 2/10/2021 3:09 PM
875 Stop building high rises— leads to worse traffic and congestion and ruins the neighborhood feel 2/10/2021 2:59 PM
876 Make it safe to take a walk again! 2/10/2021 2:49 PM
877 Senior Citizens- the group largest hit by covid 2/10/2021 2:45 PM
878 parks and open spot ace- council accountability for ethics/ no more building of apt and
office/retail-
2/10/2021 2:42 PM
879 Parks and recreation. Especially the swim center 2/10/2021 2:34 PM
880 Drug issues 2/10/2021 2:31 PM
881 Traffic (especially once the covid pandemic ends and traffic returns to its pre-covid levels);
Covid pandemic response (including mask enforcement, social distancing, etc.)
2/10/2021 2:25 PM
882 Less development especially large office buildings and hotels. 2/10/2021 2:22 PM
883 City parks 2/10/2021 2:13 PM
884 Parks & Recreation 2/10/2021 2:12 PM
885 more affordable housing for families 2/10/2021 2:09 PM
886 Giving homeless people places to shower, cleaning up the promenade area of homelessness,
No more scooters littering the streets
2/10/2021 2:08 PM
887 0 2/10/2021 1:47 PM
888 Support small businesses 2/10/2021 1:39 PM
889 End ridiculous overbuilding and giant ugly apartments. 2/10/2021 1:38 PM
890 Arts 2/10/2021 1:30 PM
891 Reckoning and Reparations for African American and Indigenous Peoples 2/10/2021 1:03 PM
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892 Arts 2/10/2021 12:57 PM
893 Arts education and class size reduction in middle school 2/10/2021 12:57 PM
894 making it easier for small businesses to get permits in a timely manner. Independent and
family owned businesses don't have the backing to pay rent for months while they wait for
Santa Monica permits.
2/10/2021 12:50 PM
895 affordable housing 2/10/2021 12:38 PM
896 Reduction in Police Budget 2/10/2021 12:30 PM
897 Better Police Leadership, planning and effectiveness. The riots were a disaster. 2/10/2021 12:29 PM
898 Affordable Housing, Commercial Rent Control 2/10/2021 11:54 AM
899 Better Composting Messaging! The green bin is so easy and nobody knows to do it! 2/10/2021 11:11 AM
900 Clean up public space, the promenade and the homeless 2/10/2021 11:08 AM
901 ENFORCE EXISTING LAWS AND RETURN THE MAIN LIBRARY TO ITS PURPOSE AS A
LIBRARY RATHER THAN A DISGUSTING, DANGEROUS HOMELESS SHELTER. FIRE
PATTY WONG
2/10/2021 11:07 AM
902 reduce taxes. Why should S.M. have higher tax than LA? 2/10/2021 11:00 AM
903 NA 2/10/2021 10:58 AM
904 Keeping this a low rise low density beach city. No downzoning and elimination of R1
neighborhoods.
2/10/2021 10:01 AM
905 Stop building reuse 2/10/2021 8:37 AM
906 Recreational infrastructure & improvement 2/10/2021 8:32 AM
907 Library 2/10/2021 8:32 AM
908 No more low income or fordable housing it is racist a cripples families to move up to home
ownership it must be stopped immediately you destroy thousands of people with your liberal
behaviour leave these people alone
2/10/2021 8:21 AM
909 limit amount of building 2/10/2021 8:10 AM
910 I want to walk in my neighborhood without fear 2/10/2021 7:53 AM
911 Protect trees on private proprty 2/10/2021 7:53 AM
912 .2/10/2021 7:22 AM
913 Protect trees on private proprty 2/10/2021 7:21 AM
914 Make it safe. Deal with crime and homeless 2/10/2021 7:20 AM
915 Business infrastructure and jobs 2/10/2021 7:00 AM
916 Reduce homelessness, reduce homelessness 2/10/2021 6:20 AM
917 Actually do something to reduce homelessness, not just express concern 2/10/2021 4:22 AM
918 More funding for information resources; CityTV, etc. 2/10/2021 2:40 AM
919 Clean streets and no potholes 2/10/2021 1:44 AM
920 Reduce crime and immediately releasing arrested criminals 2/10/2021 1:35 AM
921 Airport closjre as soon as possible as it presents risk 2/10/2021 12:37 AM
922 Covid 19 2/10/2021 12:26 AM
923 Reduce crazy amount of fees for small biz owners 2/9/2021 11:52 PM
924 Santa Monica is failing its students. We need to open the schools. 2/9/2021 11:11 PM
925 n/a 2/9/2021 11:08 PM
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926 Emeritus College 2/9/2021 11:04 PM
927 Reduce development. Santa Monica is overbuilt. 2/9/2021 11:04 PM
928 I would like to see the return of some regular diner type eateries... we had so many. Also, I’d
like to see the promenade be more like main street, return the look by taking off the false
building fronts, no t mobile stores, bring back the quaintness of Santa Monica. No more nms
ugly buildings!
2/9/2021 11:02 PM
929 Enforcing the laws. Police cowtow to people breaking the law instead of enforcing laws. 2/9/2021 10:59 PM
930 DOG BEACH!!!2/9/2021 10:48 PM
931 Enforce basic laws. Patrol neighborhoods. Respond to calls. STOP OVER BUILDING. THE
MIRAMAR IS A STAIN ON ALL WHO VOTED FOR IT. put residents and not tourists first.
2/9/2021 10:38 PM
932 stop the reconfiguring of the streets 2/9/2021 10:38 PM
933 1. Lift the eviction moratorium. 2. Get rid of the reduced lakes on broadway between 14th and
20th. I almost crashed into parked cars a few times and it's difficult to park and stressful that
you're blocking the whole street
2/9/2021 10:37 PM
934 Stop the reconfiguring of the streets 2/9/2021 10:37 PM
935 Stop reconfigurations of the streets. Leave the bike lanes as they are! Stop taking away
parking!
2/9/2021 10:35 PM
936 stop the reconfiguring of the streets! 2/9/2021 10:31 PM
937 Traffic and noise / music /performers in palisades park north of California -- in the residential
neighborhoods. How the hell do you leave traffic off of the priorities list...this leads to a slanted
result...what a shock...get rid of the f'ing bike lane that has affected traffic on Ocean ave.
south of Washington and at the Ca. Incline. who ever drafted this survey is biased. shame on
you.
2/9/2021 10:29 PM
938 1. Stopping the moratorium on evictions, so that mom and pop landlords can resume normal
life. 2. Stopping the disastrous reconfiguration of the streets
2/9/2021 10:21 PM
939 Reduce Population density not increase it. 2/9/2021 9:53 PM
940 Safety and property crime 2/9/2021 9:25 PM
941 Parks 2/9/2021 8:48 PM
942 Crack down on criminals & serial burglars at 1122 4th Street 2/9/2021 8:20 PM
943 Fix homeless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2/9/2021 8:17 PM
944 Get rid of scooters 2/9/2021 8:16 PM
945 CRIME CRIME CRIME 2/9/2021 8:14 PM
946 Since the majority of the population of Santa Monica are women and girls much work needs to
still be done. Please refer to the COSW Status of Women Report that was put together in
collaboration with MSMU to see the priorities. .
2/9/2021 8:14 PM
947 Stop overbuilding!!! Too much construction. 2/9/2021 8:05 PM
948 Covid 19 recovery for low income people and families 2/9/2021 7:57 PM
949 affordable housing for middle class 2/9/2021 7:42 PM
950 1. Reduce traffic jams leaving Santa Monica on weekday afternoons by removing barriers that
impede traffic flow. 2. Reduce growth in both residential and commercial. Stop increasing
density.
2/9/2021 7:41 PM
951 CRIME! Reduce crime! CRIME! 2/9/2021 7:28 PM
952 Gigabit Internet to Residents 2/9/2021 7:23 PM
953 Reduce crime and support our police 2/9/2021 7:10 PM
954 Homelessness. How is this not on the list?!? 2/9/2021 7:10 PM
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955 Community owned housing 2/9/2021 7:08 PM
956 Investment in the infrastructure to enable high speed internet for all 2/9/2021 6:47 PM
957 Meditation classes 2/9/2021 6:46 PM
958 More housing needed 2/9/2021 6:33 PM
959 Reduce crime!!!!! Homeless is out of control 2/9/2021 6:23 PM
960 bring back buy back center for recycling/hazardous waste dropoff 2/9/2021 6:22 PM
961 Over building, houses TOO BIG for lots. We live in CA not Minnesota! 2/9/2021 6:21 PM
962 Making Reed Park cleaner for all to use.activities. 2/9/2021 6:21 PM
963 Our City Council members speak and treat others with respect and act professionally and
without prejudice. In our progressive City, we do not condone that from our citizens and much
less from our leaders. They should be the ones to set the better example than the recent
council meeting on 1/27/21 in which one council member accused us of supporting white
supremacy. Our council should not use words that incite, but use actions to brings us together.
To work together and rebuild. THAT should be our priority.
2/9/2021 6:06 PM
964 Slow growth 2/9/2021 6:03 PM
965 Stop Development I am afraid you will sell out the Airport Park to Developers to get money.
Build back a sense of community.
2/9/2021 6:02 PM
966 Revitalizing of Main Street and supporting local businesses 2/9/2021 5:40 PM
967 na 2/9/2021 5:35 PM
968 Stop the the teardown of original homes, buildings over two stories; and support mom & pop
businesses over the monsters.
2/9/2021 5:20 PM
969 Animal 2/9/2021 5:18 PM
970 None 2/9/2021 5:08 PM
971 Clean beaches 2/9/2021 5:07 PM
972 Senior parking at the beach that was free origanily 2/9/2021 5:04 PM
973 XX 2/9/2021 5:00 PM
974 I don't know what some of the above words mean - like "civic infrastructure". And I can't vote
for "reduce homelessness" without knowing what that implies for the homeless.
2/9/2021 4:58 PM
975 Noise pollution from Santa Monica Airport 2/9/2021 4:55 PM
976 Green space 2/9/2021 4:54 PM
977 More support for block parties 2/9/2021 4:54 PM
978 Development matches infrastructure; balanced budget 2/9/2021 4:52 PM
979 Keep aviation in Santa Monica. Make the most of SMO as airport. 2/9/2021 4:51 PM
980 Replacing 50+ year old multi family housing stock. 2/9/2021 4:50 PM
981 Better maintnance of parks in Ocean Park esp. Ozone park and Longfellow park 2/9/2021 4:48 PM
982 Need city services such as street sweeping and construction infractions and parking
enforcement improved
2/9/2021 4:45 PM
983 keeping Santa Monica Airport as the valuable asset it is 2/9/2021 4:39 PM
984 Please maintain Santa Monica Aquatic center and increase accessibility and hours of
operation
2/9/2021 4:36 PM
985 low cost aid for non-driver seniors -- 2/9/2021 4:25 PM
986 Please find the schools for teachers, not buildings 2/9/2021 4:22 PM
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987 Keeping our Prime Assets: IE- the Pier, alive and vibrant 2/9/2021 4:21 PM
988 None 2/9/2021 4:16 PM
989 No more building! And repurpose 3rd street promenade to include housing! And not just for
homeless...
2/9/2021 4:15 PM
990 opening schools!!!2/9/2021 4:11 PM
991 Illegal vending and the unsafe and unhealthy issues it brings with it 2/9/2021 4:07 PM
992 Stopping the take-over of all the long term rental units by vacation rentals and condo. 2/9/2021 4:04 PM
993 Food insecurity, income inequality 2/9/2021 4:01 PM
994 Great list of priorities to choose from. Would be good to focus on regional homeless solutions.
My family does not feel safe using our neighborhood park due to homeless there and during
Covid, my wife does not feel safe walking 4 blocks to work.
2/9/2021 4:01 PM
995 General city infrastructure 2/9/2021 3:55 PM
996 Community recreation 2/9/2021 3:54 PM
997 Opening back up the Santa Monica public libraries 2/9/2021 3:47 PM
998 Reopening SM public libraries 2/9/2021 3:46 PM
999 After-hours accessibilty of city services. Consistent application of municipal and building
codes.
2/9/2021 3:43 PM
1000 Prevention of corporate takeover of rental property ownership 2/9/2021 3:40 PM
1001 Youth Sports, after-school youth programing 2/9/2021 3:37 PM
1002 Restoring SM as a Center of Art & Culture 2/9/2021 3:32 PM
1003 City becoming too congested. 2/9/2021 3:29 PM
1004 Get the homeless thieves off the streets. they are wreaking havoc everywhere! 2/9/2021 3:27 PM
1005 Less building 2/9/2021 3:25 PM
1006 Affordable housing for lower income families 2/9/2021 3:14 PM
1007 PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOMELESS PEOPLE- Stop encouraging and
enabling and catering towards. SM is a laughing stock and embarassement- ie homeless man
statue come on!!
2/9/2021 3:02 PM
1008 UNBLOCK the volleyball courts. 2/9/2021 2:52 PM
1009 DISABILITY AWARENESS IE IN AREAS LIKE FARMERS' MARKET, COMMUNITY
GARDENS MORE ACCESSIBLE
2/9/2021 2:19 PM
1010 Not overbuilding 2/9/2021 2:04 PM
1011 support for community associations, housing issues, homelessness, over development and
resuse.
2/9/2021 1:55 PM
1012 Less development 2/9/2021 1:48 PM
1013 Enforcing mask and social distancing with heavy fines! 2/9/2021 1:36 PM
1014 None 2/9/2021 1:35 PM
1015 Cleanliness; enforcement of laws pertaining to public urination, defecation; cleaning of our
streets and alleys, enforcement of curfews and other standards in public parks so the public
can actually use them;
2/9/2021 1:34 PM
1016 Tackling illegal encroachments/ tents on beach/ side walks 2/9/2021 1:28 PM
1017 While climate change is very important, but didn't check it because this is a world wide issue
to address. Homelessness, mental health and affordability all intersect so it's hard to
simplisticly vote for them this way.
2/9/2021 1:26 PM
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1018 NA 2/9/2021 1:10 PM
1019 Traffic control solutions, curb installations, stop signs 2/9/2021 12:51 PM
1020 More Community Gardens 2/9/2021 12:48 PM
1021 Zoning and the attempt to densify R1 neighborhoods without allowing for parking, backyards,
etc We also need to increase our tree canopy for a suitable environment.
2/9/2021 12:47 PM
1022 Kindness, love, peace, wellbeing. 2/9/2021 12:36 PM
1023 Electing Councilmembers by District 2/9/2021 12:34 PM
1024 Response to COVID-19 2/9/2021 12:32 PM
1025 Opportunities for intellectually challenged (My 60 yr old son is autistic) No Westside Special
Olympics program during Pandemic.
2/9/2021 12:31 PM
1026 keep city livable; do not approve or permit huge monstrosities of horrible design sought by
outside developers with no stake in the community!cities by outside developers with no stake
in the community.
2/9/2021 12:17 PM
1027 Cutting Edge Government 2/9/2021 12:16 PM
1028 NA 2/9/2021 12:13 PM
1029 balanced budget 2/9/2021 12:10 PM
1030 More market rate housing 2/9/2021 12:08 PM
1031 Over-development 2/9/2021 12:04 PM
1032 Scooters need to be abolished or better regulated which right now they are not regulated at all.
They are a menace.
2/9/2021 10:39 AM
1033 adding more police and reducing homelessness. we have to keep our communities safe.
people have stopped coming here.
2/9/2021 8:10 AM
1034 fiscal responsibility, reducing financial mismanagement, irresponsible development,exccessive
capital projects from SMC and SMMUSD, high taxes and fees, burdensome expensive permit
process, excessive salaries of city staff, conflict of interest on electeds, monopoly politics of
electeds, better neighbohood representation, drop the voting rights appeal
2/9/2021 7:57 AM
1035 Tenant Protections; Low income housing 2/9/2021 1:40 AM
1036 Low cost children activities 2/8/2021 5:40 PM
1037 Code enforcement for apartment misuses like airbnb 2/8/2021 12:10 PM
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11.82% 392
9.47% 314
26.60% 882
16.92% 561
35.19% 1,167
Q4 In which zip code do you live or work (choose one)?
Answered: 3,316 Skipped: 36
TOTAL 3,316
90401
90402
90403
90404
90405
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
90401
90402
90403
90404
90405
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10.07% 336
10.10% 337
9.45% 315
7.50% 250
6.60% 220
48.64% 1,622
7.65% 255
Q5 If you live in Santa Monica, how long have you lived here?
Answered: 3,335 Skipped: 17
TOTAL 3,335
0-3 years
4-7 years
8-11 years
12-15 years
16-19 years
20 years or
more
I do not live
in Santa Monica
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
0-3 years
4-7 years
8-11 years
12-15 years
16-19 years
20 years or more
I do not live in Santa Monica
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45.63% 1,520
46.02% 1,533
8.35% 278
Q6 If you live in Santa Monica, do you own or rent your home?
Answered: 3,331 Skipped: 21
TOTAL 3,331
Own
Rent
I do not live
in Santa Monica
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Own
Rent
I do not live in Santa Monica
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1.05% 35
7.25% 242
3.78% 126
9.65% 322
0.36% 12
66.20% 2,209
14.05% 469
3.99% 133
Q7 Please select your race or ethnic group (check all that apply):
Answered: 3,337 Skipped: 15
Total Respondents: 3,337
American
Indian or...
Asian (e.g.,
Asian Indian...
Black,
non-Hispanic
Hispanic/Latino
Native
Hawaiian or...
White,
non-Hispanic
Prefer not to
answer
Other (please
specify)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian (e.g., Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese)
Black, non-Hispanic
Hispanic/Latino
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
White, non-Hispanic
Prefer not to answer
Other (please specify)
8.A.d
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# OTHER (PLEASE SPECIFY) DATE
1 blanco, hispano 3/10/2021 10:15 AM
2 Hebrew American 3/1/2021 7:26 AM
3American 2/28/2021 6:12 PM
4 mixed ethnicity 2/28/2021 1:26 PM
5 Iranian/middle eastern 2/27/2021 4:09 PM
6Europe 2/27/2021 12:59 PM
7 White/hispanic 2/27/2021 12:41 PM
8 ethnic Ashkenazic Jew - not religious 2/26/2021 12:29 PM
9 Middle Eastern 2/26/2021 9:41 AM
10 Spanish 2/26/2021 1:44 AM
11 Human Being 2/25/2021 5:39 PM
12 Indian and Persian 2/25/2021 4:53 PM
13 Berber 2/25/2021 2:19 PM
14 White, Native American 2/25/2021 1:24 PM
15 None of your business! The only people that would ask a question like this on this type of
survey is a racist. Do you need to know my race so you will know how to file my “priorities” in
order of importance.
2/25/2021 10:43 AM
16 Multi racial 2/25/2021 10:05 AM
17 Creole 2/25/2021 8:04 AM
18 Hispanic white 2/24/2021 7:55 PM
19 From India 2/24/2021 5:04 PM
20 Mix 2/24/2021 4:56 PM
21 Arab-American 2/24/2021 3:02 PM
22 human 2/24/2021 2:27 PM
23 Jewish 2/23/2021 9:04 PM
24 Mexican American 2/23/2021 3:59 PM
25 human 2/23/2021 1:53 PM
26 Chilean and French 2/23/2021 12:30 PM
27 Middle eastern 2/23/2021 12:03 PM
28 Irish/English, German, French 2/23/2021 9:37 AM
29 Eastern European and Hispanic/Latino 2/22/2021 10:11 PM
30 African-American 2/22/2021 9:22 PM
31 Human 2/22/2021 9:16 PM
32 Half White - Half Hispanic, so it's very frustrating to see a box with white, non-hispanic...
because it feels like you are saying my ethnicity doesn't count
2/22/2021 8:57 PM
33 White & chinese 2/22/2021 8:27 PM
34 Jewish 2/22/2021 7:01 PM
35 Jewish 2/22/2021 2:55 PM
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36 Iranian American 2/22/2021 7:24 AM
37 Italian 2/21/2021 12:26 PM
38 African-American 2/21/2021 11:55 AM
39 HUman 2/21/2021 10:17 AM
40 Brazilian 2/21/2021 9:43 AM
41 Ethiopian 2/21/2021 3:32 AM
42 Biracial 2/20/2021 5:13 PM
43 MULTI-RACIAL 2/20/2021 4:11 PM
44 see above 2/20/2021 3:53 PM
45 Why does it matter in this case if I’m black white or in between? Do you take a specific color
more seriously than another? America needs to stop it - why are other countries able to
function without knowing so? It’s pathetic!!
2/20/2021 2:01 PM
46 Eurasian aka Mixed 2/20/2021 11:41 AM
47 American 2/20/2021 10:30 AM
48 Klingon 2/20/2021 10:15 AM
49 Jewish 2/20/2021 7:46 AM
50 Guess 2/19/2021 9:26 PM
51 Native american indian/Hispanic 2/19/2021 8:01 PM
52 Mixed 2/19/2021 7:54 PM
53 Iranian American 2/19/2021 7:29 PM
54 I think the question is part of the problem. 2/19/2021 7:14 PM
55 Armenian 2/19/2021 7:08 PM
56 Middle Eastern 2/19/2021 6:42 PM
57 Celt 2/19/2021 3:33 PM
58 Native American—this question is part of the problem. 2/19/2021 2:00 PM
59 this survey is deficient.2/19/2021 12:36 PM
60 Black/Native American 2/19/2021 12:29 PM
61 White Puerto Rican 2/19/2021 10:07 AM
62 I am not sure about my ancestors Italian/Spanish 2/18/2021 10:19 PM
63 middle Eastern 2/18/2021 10:00 PM
64 Multi racial 2/18/2021 9:57 AM
65 Persian 2/17/2021 7:14 PM
66 White and Spaniard 2/17/2021 11:42 AM
67 Armenian 2/17/2021 8:28 AM
68 Middle Eastern 2/17/2021 8:26 AM
69 American Citizen 2/17/2021 7:36 AM
70 HUMAN 2/16/2021 3:45 PM
71 Ethiopa 2/15/2021 9:50 PM
72 Jewish 2/15/2021 4:21 PM
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73 Ethiopian 2/15/2021 3:45 PM
74 Middle Eastern 2/15/2021 10:37 AM
75 iranian 2/15/2021 9:27 AM
76 Persian 2/15/2021 12:59 AM
77 Causation, Native American, African American. 2/14/2021 2:41 PM
78 South Asian 2/13/2021 11:58 PM
79 white and indigenous from outside USA 2/13/2021 8:42 PM
80 White, Iranian-Swedish 2/13/2021 4:29 PM
81 Middle eastern 2/12/2021 9:59 PM
82 why is this important to whoever is sponsoring the survey? 2/12/2021 4:39 PM
83 Turkish 2/12/2021 1:42 PM
84 Human 2/12/2021 12:45 PM
85 Prefer not to answer 2/12/2021 11:49 AM
86 native mix 2/12/2021 11:20 AM
87 Jewish 2/12/2021 10:52 AM
88 Chinese-European 2/12/2021 8:32 AM
89 Middle eastern 2/12/2021 8:27 AM
90 Not anglo saxon.2/11/2021 9:29 PM
91 Latina raised as Caucasian 2/11/2021 5:46 PM
92 American 2/11/2021 4:19 PM
93 Mixed 2/11/2021 4:00 PM
94 African American 2/11/2021 3:42 PM
95 Greek 2/11/2021 2:52 PM
96 Armenian 2/11/2021 11:42 AM
97 Arab 2/11/2021 10:23 AM
98 Arab-American 2/11/2021 9:59 AM
99 Italian & Mexican 2/11/2021 8:43 AM
100 We’re all human.2/11/2021 8:33 AM
101 Mixed race 2/11/2021 7:06 AM
102 More than one ethnicity 2/11/2021 12:24 AM
103 Middle Eastern 2/10/2021 9:57 PM
104 Ashkenazi 2/10/2021 9:08 PM
105 jewish heritage, female 2/10/2021 7:49 PM
106 Mixed combination of the above. Eurasian. 2/10/2021 6:22 PM
107 Latin, Caucasian 2/10/2021 5:41 PM
108 N/A, but benefit from white privilege 2/10/2021 5:39 PM
109 woman, white,2/10/2021 5:37 PM
110 This question is offensive 2/10/2021 4:29 PM
8.A.d
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111 Just a human trying to avoid an Orwellian dystopia that Soviet Monica seems to be preparing
for!
2/10/2021 4:24 PM
112 Jewish 2/10/2021 4:05 PM
113 Multi-Racial 2/10/2021 3:09 PM
114 Armenian, specified at the UN as permanently displace people 2/10/2021 2:15 PM
115 Middle eastern 2/10/2021 12:57 PM
116 American Citizen 2/10/2021 12:27 PM
117 Asian/white 2/10/2021 8:35 AM
118 Russian 2/10/2021 12:37 AM
119 Two or more races 2/9/2021 11:52 PM
120 Jewish 2/9/2021 11:02 PM
121 Caucasian /Jewish Diaspora 2/9/2021 8:58 PM
122 Eastern European 2/9/2021 5:20 PM
123 Afghan 2/9/2021 4:34 PM
124 Mixed Race 2/9/2021 4:11 PM
125 Danish, Egyptian 2/9/2021 3:50 PM
126 Caucasian & Native American 2/9/2021 3:33 PM
127 Jew 2/9/2021 3:32 PM
128 Please stop making things about race. 2/9/2021 3:29 PM
129 Persian 2/9/2021 3:07 PM
130 I identify as a grey dolphin 2/9/2021 2:52 PM
131 Mixed 2/9/2021 1:05 PM
132 Iranian 2/9/2021 12:17 PM
133 midddle eastern 2/9/2021 7:57 AM
8.A.d
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0.54% 18
1.68% 56
10.03% 335
17.00% 568
18.23% 609
18.71% 625
19.66% 657
9.37% 313
4.79% 160
Q8 How old are you?
Answered: 3,341 Skipped: 11
TOTAL 3,341
17 or under
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 or over
Prefer not to
answer
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
17 or under
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 or over
Prefer not to answer
8.A.d
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34.45% 1,152
58.82% 1,967
0.51% 17
5.86% 196
0.36% 12
Q9 Are you:
Answered: 3,344 Skipped: 8
TOTAL 3,344
Male
Female
Gender Fluid
Prefer not to
answer
Other (please
specify)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Male
Female
Gender Fluid
Prefer not to answer
Other (please specify)
8.A.d
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# OTHER (PLEASE SPECIFY) DATE
1 Racist and sexist 2/25/2021 10:43 AM
2Nonbinary 2/25/2021 10:09 AM
3Guess 2/19/2021 9:26 PM
4 Absent a "remarks" box, I use this box to say: Pls verify I did not take survey twice. Above
category = Female
2/17/2021 10:02 PM
5 This is invasive 2/15/2021 11:22 AM
6 Prefer not to answer. Using the field to make note that requiring the answer to the transgender
in question 10 is messed up.
2/12/2021 11:49 AM
7 Why should my gender even matter? 2/11/2021 12:05 AM
8 N/A (nonbinary)2/10/2021 5:39 PM
9 This question is offensive 2/10/2021 4:29 PM
10 What does this matter when we are facing an Orwellian dystopia?!!?? 2/10/2021 4:24 PM
11 Nonbinary 2/9/2021 4:21 PM
12 I am a man who identifies as a lesbian woman who identifies as a trans canine 2/9/2021 2:52 PM
8.A.d
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0.31% 10
99.69% 3,264
Q10 Are you transgender?
Answered: 3,274 Skipped: 78
TOTAL 3,274
Yes
No
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Yes
No
8.A.d
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74.99% 2,474
4.21% 139
2.21% 73
17.76% 586
1.67% 55
Q11 Please select your sexual orientation (optional; choose all that apply):
Answered: 3,299 Skipped: 53
Total Respondents: 3,299
Heterosexual
or Straight
Gay or Lesbian
Bisexual
Prefer not to
answer
An identity
not listed...
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Heterosexual or Straight
Gay or Lesbian
Bisexual
Prefer not to answer
An identity not listed (please specify)
8.A.d
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# AN IDENTITY NOT LISTED (PLEASE SPECIFY) DATE
1Soy hombre 3/10/2021 10:33 AM
2 What the hell business is it of the government? Please stop this insanity and run the city.
Open businesses and schools. Stop playing partisan and divisive games.
2/28/2021 6:21 PM
3 WTF do you ask if transgender?? 2/27/2021 9:38 PM
4Xxxx 2/27/2021 12:59 PM
5Mostly straight 2/26/2021 8:38 AM
6Human Being 2/25/2021 5:39 PM
7 Racist, sexist and homophobic too. Can’t say I’m surprised by anything this city council does
now.
2/25/2021 10:43 AM
8 non of your beezwax 2/24/2021 3:39 PM
9 why is this important???????? 2/24/2021 9:10 AM
10 Not important 2/23/2021 3:59 PM
11 Why does this matter? How about a better question like, "is your life devastated now because
of this lockdown?
2/22/2021 9:16 PM
12 I can do without these irrelevant questions 2/22/2021 6:37 PM
13 Why are these questions relevant to city priorities? 2/22/2021 7:02 AM
14 This is ridiculous 2/21/2021 7:34 PM
15 Again wtf Is this all about? ♀ 2/20/2021 2:01 PM
16 Guess 2/19/2021 9:26 PM
17 what does this have to do with running a government? 2/19/2021 2:33 PM
18 This question is part of the problem. Clean up the streets. 2/19/2021 2:00 PM
19 Why is that important?2/19/2021 12:00 PM
20 shouldn't matter 2/19/2021 11:52 AM
21 Literally sexuality is indifferent for me for I love humans 2/18/2021 10:19 PM
22 intrusive question 2/18/2021 7:11 PM
23 Heterosexual, but why should you create GROUPS?? 2/18/2021 10:32 AM
24 Gender R&D 2/18/2021 9:30 AM
25 I don’t identify 2/18/2021 12:18 AM
26 HOW DARE YOU ASK SUCH A STUPID QUESTION IN THIS SURVEY 2/17/2021 6:49 PM
27 Why does this even matter? 2/16/2021 7:37 PM
28 Fuck off assholes. These are not appropriate questions. 2/15/2021 11:22 AM
29 These questions are baloney. There is no reason to ask about sexual orientation. This survey
is not about that.
2/15/2021 11:17 AM
30 Pansexual 2/13/2021 11:35 PM
31 omnivore 2/12/2021 8:53 PM
32 again, what does this have to do with anything????? 2/12/2021 4:39 PM
33 how TF is this anyone's business 2/12/2021 2:20 PM
34 Pansexual 2/12/2021 2:19 PM
35 Not applicable 2/12/2021 11:49 AM
8.A.d
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36 Queer 2/12/2021 9:23 AM
37 Queer/pansexual 2/12/2021 8:08 AM
38 Not appropriate to ask.2/11/2021 9:29 PM
39 Asexual 2/11/2021 3:52 PM
40 Why does this matter 2/11/2021 11:20 AM
41 Is this necessary? Really?! 2/11/2021 6:49 AM
42 THis is insane. Why are you asking these questions? 2/11/2021 12:05 AM
43 Weird question 2/10/2021 9:20 PM
44 I don’t believe this should matter 2/10/2021 5:41 PM
45 This question is offensive 2/10/2021 4:29 PM
46 What does this matter when we are facing an Orwellian dystopia?!!?? 2/10/2021 4:24 PM
47 Why do you ask this?2/10/2021 3:00 PM
48 Devout Coward 2/9/2021 9:53 PM
49 N/a 2/9/2021 7:01 PM
50 Human 2/9/2021 4:52 PM
51 NoI do not think the question is appropriate 2/9/2021 4:25 PM
52 Strate 2/9/2021 3:07 PM
53 half-caf, non-fat, no-foam, bi-cappuccino 2/9/2021 2:52 PM
54 No ones business but mine! 2/9/2021 1:52 PM
55 Pan 2/9/2021 12:31 PM
8.A.d
Packet Pg. 77 Attachment: Community Priorities Community Survey Responses [Revision 1] (4488 : Setting Community Priorities (for FY 2021-23 Budget))
Leadership Team Survey
1 / 5
Q1 Department:
Answered: 59 Skipped: 0
Big Blue Bus
City Attorney
City Manager
Community
Development
Community
Services
Finance
Fire
Human Resources
Information
Services
Library
Police
Public Works
Records and
Election...
Rent Control
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
8.A.e
Packet Pg. 78 Attachment: Community Priorities Leadership Team Survey Responses (4488 : Setting Community Priorities (for FY 2021-23 Budget))
Leadership Team Survey
2 / 5
13.56%8
6.78%4
10.17%6
6.78%4
10.17%6
8.47%5
5.08%3
5.08%3
5.08%3
6.78%4
1.69%1
8.47%5
5.08%3
6.78%4
Total Respondents: 59
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Big Blue Bus
City Attorney
City Manager
Community Development
Community Services
Finance
Fire
Human Resources
Information Services
Library
Police
Public Works
Records and Election Services
Rent Control
8.A.e
Packet Pg. 79 Attachment: Community Priorities Leadership Team Survey Responses (4488 : Setting Community Priorities (for FY 2021-23 Budget))
Leadership Team Survey
3 / 5
Q2 In 2019, the City identified the following areas in which City services
are provided. Which five of these areas are most important to you right
now?
Answered: 59 Skipped: 0
Economic
Opportunity ...
Reduce
Homelessness
Equity and
Inclusion
Affordability
Keeping
Neighborhood...
Environmental
Sustainabili...
Civic
Infrastructure
Accessible
Mobility and...
Connected and
Engaged...
Responding to
Emergencies
Disaster
Preparedness
Mental Health
Built
Environment
Business
Diversity
School-Aged
Learning
Early
Childhood...
Community
Learning
Ph sical Health
8.A.e
Packet Pg. 80 Attachment: Community Priorities Leadership Team Survey Responses (4488 : Setting Community Priorities (for FY 2021-23 Budget))
Leadership Team Survey
4 / 5
74.58%44
67.80%40
54.24%32
45.76%27
40.68%24
28.81%17
22.03%13
20.34%12
18.64%11
18.64%11
16.95%10
15.25%9
10.17%6
10.17%6
8.47%5
6.78%4
5.08%3
3.39%2
3.39%2
0.00%0
Total Respondents: 59
Physical Health
Priority not
shown
Mobility (Safe
and Accessib...
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES
Economic Opportunity and Recovery
Reduce Homelessness
Equity and Inclusion
Affordability
Keeping Neighborhoods Safe
Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change
Civic Infrastructure
Accessible Mobility and Transportation (Safe Driving, Walking, Biking and Transit)
Connected and Engaged Community
Responding to Emergencies
Disaster Preparedness
Mental Health
Built Environment
Business Diversity
School-Aged Learning
Early Childhood Learning
Community Learning
Physical Health
Priority not shown
Mobility (Safe and Accessible Driving, Walking, Biking, & Transit)
8.A.e
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Q3 If your priority or priorities aren’t shown, please add them here:
Answered: 12 Skipped: 47
#RESPONSES DATE
1 Maintain a robust and secure technology infrastructure 2/17/2021 1:26 PM
2 Enhanced resources for eviction defense and right to counsel 2/16/2021 11:22 AM
3 N/A 2/16/2021 9:10 AM
4 Eviction defense in the aftermath of COVID-19 and enhanced funding for a right to counsel 2/16/2021 8:05 AM
5 Greater resources for eviction defense and tenant right-to-counsel program 2/11/2021 11:41 AM
6 na 2/10/2021 5:40 PM
7 Low cost internet for low-income families 2/10/2021 3:59 PM
8 Operational Stability and modernize operations to position the department to be able to support
and serve the City departments.
2/10/2021 3:53 PM
9 An important priority should be professional interactions with one another and should start from
the top.
2/10/2021 3:34 PM
10 Governance 2/10/2021 3:26 PM
11 Public safety response (police/fire)2/10/2021 3:19 PM
12 Paramedic response 2/10/2021 3:18 PM
8.A.e
Packet Pg. 82 Attachment: Community Priorities Leadership Team Survey Responses (4488 : Setting Community Priorities (for FY 2021-23 Budget))
From:Elizabeth Van Denburgh
To:Sue Himmelrich; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Christine Parra; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Gleam Davis;Kristin McCowan; councilmtgitems
Cc:Lane Dilg; Susan Cline; Anuj Gupta; Ed King; Denise Anderson-Warren; George S. Cardona; David Martin; Gigi
Decavalles; Andy Agle; Joseph Cevetello; Jacqueline Seabrooks; Patty Wong; Lori Gentles
Subject:3/13/21 City Cnl. -Item 8.A - Adoption of up to five community priorities to guide budget process for FY 2021-23
Date:Friday, March 12, 2021 2:28:04 PM
Attachments:A.E.VanDenburgh-PublicComments-SetPriorities-CityCnclRetreat-FY2019-21-1-26-19.docxB.WilmontMembership-ApprovedResolutions-AnnualMtg.6-29-2019.docxC. SixNeighborhoodOrgs.PresentsBudgetPrioritiesLetter-City Council5-26-20Item8-A.docxD.WilmontBoard-CC-FY20-21BudgetLetter-6-23-20.docxE.NeighborhoodCouncilPrioritiesforCity Council - 11-29-20.docxF.WilmontBoardCityCouncil-Mid-yearBudgetLtr.-1-26-21-Itm.8B.docx
EXTERNAL
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members,
The request for budget priorities has had many voices and perspectives during the last twoyears. Here's a timeline of resident voices on community priorities that I'd recommend you
review and utilize in determining the City's priorities.
1. January 26, 2019 - City Council holds retreat to set priorities - FY 2019-21 BiennialBudget
In my public comments (limited to 1 minute even though this was probably the most important
Council event of the year) I noted the following points:
The city stated that the survey to determine our biennial budget priorities in FY 2019-21
"was not designed to represent a scientifically valid cross-section of the community butrather be an open-ended invitation for broad, voluntary engagement." Verbiage
similar to that was used to describe this year's survey that again identifies communitypriorities but for FY 2021-23. I believe with a biennial budget of over $1 billion that a
statistically valid survey instrument should be used. The resident survey, last seen in2018, and a statistically valid survey weighting the demographics of the city population
should be performed prior to the Council's budget working session to ensure science,not a party that not everyone got an invitation to is used to identify how the city's budget
is spent. The survey does not provide transparency or address capital budgeting which sometimes
can be half of our budget and does not differentiate between operational expenses i.e.,day to day activities of running the City and projects i.e., activities that have clear
objectives but are time limited.Performance framework - No targets were identified, no definition of reporting of the
performance framework to Council nor any vision of what it looks like when it iscompleted.
See my public comments from Council retreat 1/26/19 in attachment A below.
2. June 29, 2019 - Wilmont membership votes and approves resolutions at its annual
meeting. See approved Wilmont resolutions in attachment B below.3. March - May 5, 2020 - COVID-19 pandemic is declared and the city presents Santa
Monica: A Plan for Our Future - City Restructuring and Associated Modifications to the FiscalYear 2020-21 Budget Resulting from Economic Impacts at May 5, 2020 council meeting.
3. May 26, 2020 - Council meeting - Item 8A - An Update on City Restructuring and Council
Item 8A 3/13/2021
1 of 41 Item 8A 3/13/2021
8.A.f
Packet Pg. 83 Attachment: Written Comments (4488 : Setting Community Priorities (for FY 2021-23 Budget))
Authorization to Restore Priority Programs
Boards of Pico, Wilmont, Northeast Neighbors, NOMA, Mid-Cities and Friends of
Sunset Park work together on a common letter, approved by all six boards, andsubmitted to Council that outlined these neighborhoods' community and budget
priorities. See attachment C for this letter
4. June 23, 2020 - Council meeting - Item 9A - Adoption of the FY 20-21 Operating Budget
and the Adoption of the First Year and Approval of the Second Year of the FY 2020-2022Biennial Capital Improvement Program Budget
The Wilmont Board approved the following recommendations in four areas: 1) Restorefollowing services, programs and entities to the FY 20-21 budget 2) Defund the
following budget items to fund the restoration items identified previously (section 1)). At a minimum, provide performance management metrics for the following budget
items 3) Support staff fiscal recommendations 4) Question staff fiscal recommendations5) Adopt financial policy and analyses framework and 6) Discuss housing trust fund
available balances and current/future uses discussionSee attachment D for this letter.
5. November 29, 2020 - Six neighborhood organizations met and agreed on short- and long-term priorities for the city to focus on. See attachment E for letter.
6. January 24, 2021 - Wilmont Board outlines its priorities for mid-year budget adjustments. See attachment F for letter sent to Council.
7. March 13, 2021 - Council meeting to adopt up to five community priorities to guide thebudget process for FY 2021-23.
Results from the non-scientifically valid cross-section of the community priorities FY 21-23
survey, which is not designed to represent a scientifically valid cross-section of the communityand should be updated with a scientific and statistically valid survey of residents which has
been done historically every other year, are outlined below with the priorities from theprevious non-scientifically valid cross-section of the community priorities FY 19-21.
Survey Response Elements FY 2019-21 FY 2021-23
Keeping Neighborhoods Safe 1st 2nd
Reducing Homelessness 2nd 1st
Affordability 3rd 3rd
Safe Driving, Walking,Biking and Transit 4th -
Mobility 5th 5th
Environmental Health 6th 4th (Environmental Sustainability)
Overdevelopment 7th -
Economic Opportunity andRecovery -6th
Equity and Inclusion -7th
I strongly support the following priorities with the associated comments:
1. Keeping Neighborhoods Safe - The Sample Key Result of - Reduction in Part 1 crimes is
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not adequate. We need to see results in the ability of residents to have ALL CITY PARKSavailable and usable by residents, especially children. As well, the crime of bike theft,
catalytic converter theft and shoplifting must be addressed in some manner, be it greatereducation or greater policing.
2. Reducing Homelessness - We must determine the key objectives and focus our resourcesand metrics around accomplishing them. The Council made a reasonable start at its last
Homelessness Study Session. The budget associated with the identified areas of focus must betracked and reported against the results to see if we are achieving any true improvement in this
area. 3. Accessible Mobility and Transportation (Safe Driving, Walking, Biking and Transit -- as
identified in Table 1. of the staff report) - I support the Safe Driving, Walking, Biking andTransit focus because I understand what that means. I do not support the Accessible Mobility
and Transportation because of the following, a sample key result is "Fully integrated, multi-modal community that can be traveled within and to and from without an automobile". Why
does Mobility and Transportation exclude cars? How can a multi-modal solution not include aCar Plan but has a Pedestrian and Bike Plan? How can the City approve six new driveways
for the Miramar, taking away the Wilshire (only of the four roads surrounding Miramar that is"auto" focused) but have a priority that says no cars? How can Santa Monica Blvd. not be
zoned higher because the city is concerned that car dealerships will be bought to build higherbuildings, why is SMMUSD building infrastructure to allow easier car pickup and drop off at
schools, and why would the City just approve approval of 64 Tesla superchargers at 14th andBroadway if cars should be part of our future? This ostrich attitude toward cars and the
unicorn solution of all else is not a realistic look of the future. Please use the term SafeDriving, Walking, Biking and Transit and please develop a Car Plan.
4. Affordability - I support Proposition R for a sustainable approach toward affordablehousing. I support innovative ideas for keeping people in their homes including: working to
alter the Ellis Act, working to help landlords earthquake retrofit their buildings, the PODprogram, the adaptive reuse of commercial/retail space for housing, ADUs and I do not
support the loss of City zoning to the State or gentrification and market housing only bills suchas SB 9 and SB 10. I reject the nonsensical RHNA numbers that have been tossed over the
fence by SCAG and look to my City Council to work to continue to make the city livablewithout the densification that causes land values, and thus housing, to continually increase.
5. Environmental Sustainability - I strongly support this priority and continue to be concernedabout the inability to economically support recycling. I would like to have a quarterly costing
of what it is taking the city to plan, execute and operate each of the key programs ofSustainable City Plan, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, Zero Waste, Sustainable Water
Master Plan, Groundwater Sustainability Plan and Enhanced Watershed Management Plan.
Each of the priorities above should have the following reporting: 1) quarterly reporting ontotal cost and key performance indicators and 2) key performance indicators should have
annual targets and have a simple trending indicator i.e., indicator moving toward target (uparrow), indicator moving away from target (down arrow). These cost and focused target
metrics (not process metrics) will be critical to have ongoing touchpoints by the Council todetermine if the City is improving or not in achieving its key priorities as well as having
process metrics for department efficiency.
I appreciate that the FY 2021-23 Proposed Biennial Budget will be available two weeks priorto the Study Session on May 25, 2021.
Please review the following documents to understand the community perspective for the last
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two years on community benefits. Please have a scientific and statistically valid residentsurvey done.
Thank-you
Elizabeth Van DenburghWilmont Chair
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City Council Retreat
January 26, 2019
Agenda Item 8.A - Council Retreat to Set Priorities for the FY 2019-21 Biennial Budget Using the Cities
Framework for a Sustainable City of Wellbeing
Public Comments made by Elizabeth Van Denburgh, Wilmont Chair. Mayor Davis restricted comment to
one minute for this Agenda item.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mayor Davis and City Council Members,
Elizabeth Van Denburgh, Chair of Wilmont, speaking only for myself. In 2007, 2013 and 2018 Santa
Monica Resident Satisfaction scientific and statistically valid surveys were commissioned with third-
parties. The City states that the survey for our current $1.5 billion budget priorities “was not designed
to represent a scientifically valid cross-section of the community but rather be an open-ended invitation
for broad, voluntary engagement.” With an online survey that only relies on self-reporting the survey
has mashed up residents, Santa Monica workers, business owners and property owners in reporting its
results. It does not represent a scientific or statistically valid data set that can be relied on to represent,
certainly, the residents of the City nor does it break out the numbers of respondents by category by the
demographics of the City. Do people who don’t use email not important to the City? While some
commissions were asked to prioritize and submit letters, the neighborhood groups were not even
contacted. The voters elected the City Council, they should be the primary stakeholder whose
requirements are identified and others as second voices. It is not a serious survey. It cherry picks topics,
used an opportunistic sample to obtain results and does not necessarily represent the residents’ views.
Why was a valid survey not conducted for the quantitative data? The framework states that “the City
established SamoStat, a performance management program for the City designed to foster a culture of
data-driven decision making”. To say the least it is disappointing and disingenuous to use a pseudo
science survey to initiate a performance based, supposedly data driven, $1.5 billion budget. While I
support the performance based budget, the framework is too complex, not well defined, does not
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directly address capital budgeting (approximately half of our budget) from my perspective, does not
differentiate between operational expenses i.e., day to day activities of running the City and projects
(activities that have clear objectives but are time limited), I see no targets identified, I see no definition
of what the reporting will be to City Council and residents nor a vision of what does it look like when it is
done. In my review of the output, I give a compliment that the qualitative data gathered is quite
interesting and I applaud the expansion into this type of data gathering. My additional feedback is that
the word cloud in Top Community Priorities has TRAFFIC in the largest font and this has been an issue in
all surveys over the last ten years yet I see nothing in the framework or survey regarding this specific
issue. From review of the comments, there is a significant disconnect between the qualitative
comments and the definition of Reducing Homelessness which is “prevent homelessness among low
income residents”. The qualitative comments in essence want the Homelessness priority to a broad
brush “I want safe libraries, parks and streets” not just reduction among low income residents;
comments state they want the issue addressed whether resident or non-resident and across the City
landscape.
Thank-you
Elizabeth Van Denburgh
Wilmont Chair
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Approved Wilmont Resolutions – 2019
June 29, 2019
1. No public feeding events in Reed Park; City work with organizations to find
alternative locations
2. All City departments focus on “norming” and enforcement regarding “No
electric scooters on sidewalks.”
3. 4th /5th and Arizona should be at least 80% ground-level open space and the
remainder must not exceed the zoning height limit
4. Wilmont supports the halt of commercial invasion and expansion into
residential neighborhoods and supports parking standards that allow
existing residents to park on the street near their homes
5. Wilmont supports the development of a circulator system (small buses,
jitneys, trolleys) that moves throughout the City and connects to Expo
6. Wilmont supports the concept that all City policies, programs and plans,
including area plans, should prioritize residents
7. Fairmont Miramar proposed should not have entrances/exits on 2nd and
California which add more traffic, parking and accidents into Wilmont;
design is too high, too large and turns it back on Santa Monica.
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THE VIRUS: OUR CALL TO ACTION
A Template to Address the Covid-19 Santa Monica Budget Impacts
Proposed by Neighborhood Association Residents May 26, 2020
CURRENT CHALLENGE The City of Santa Monica’s cash flow has taken a massive hit from the Covid-19 pandemic as 8
million annual tourists and 250,000 daily workers are gone, and it is not clear when they will
return. Ongoing costs are colliding with plummeting revenues from Transit Occupancy Tax
(TOT), sales taxes, parking, fees & charges and Utility Users Tax (UUT), exacerbated by higher
CalPERS contributions due to market losses. The City Finance Department projects a $298M
General Fund deficit for the three-year period FY 19-22.
The City has identified $106M in one-time resource savings (funds recalled, capital projects
reduced, and reserves utilized), leaving a $192M deficit. A prudent risk and probability analysis
would also consider that actual revenues might be lower than projected; therefore, a 10%
contingency ($19M) should be added, increasing the anticipated shortfall to $211M.
RECOMMENDATIONS Residents have collaborated in this document to enumerate both essential services for the
community and cuts aimed at balancing the budget. Residents expect all fiscal restructuring
recommendations will be transparent and available for public comment, including City plans to
eliminate the $106M one-time resource savings noted above.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS
• Maintain distribution of one mailed newsletter to all residents of each city-recognized
neighborhood organization. City would be responsible for reproduction of newsletter
provided and mailing to all neighborhood residents.
• Fire Department (SMFD)
• Police Department (SMPD), including Code Enforcement and the 40 Crossing Guards
that serve
9 elementary schools and 2 middle schools
• Sanitation Services (that are not covered by users’ fees) including sewer, storm drains,
public refuse receptacles, and street sweeping more than once a month to avoid breeding
mosquitoes
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• Continue to fund free Playground Access to public school playgrounds after school and
on weekends as part of the City Supported Before/After School Youth Programs.
• Street and Alley Maintenance
• Public transportation should be maintained (Big Blue Bus and MODE).
• Public Libraries’ budget should not be cut by more than 30% to provide community
centers and services to the neighborhoods
• Water/ wastewater fee increases should be suspended given the postponement of capital
projects these fee increases were intended to fund. (Planned water rate increases average 16% a year and wastewater rate increases average 8.6% a year) Re-examine the City’s questionable goal of water self-sufficiency by 2023. Establish a City Water Board to monitor operations and distribution as well as analyze and make recommendations to
City Council.
• Maintain financial support to WISE & Healthy Aging in Santa Monica that provides meals, daycare, transportation, and mental health services for seniors in our city.
• Housing Authority -- Continue to fund senior housing including Preserving Our Diversity
(POD) and process the affordable housing wait list, which opened on May 1. The
Affordable Housing Development Program should be suspended, pending an independent
evaluation of the program’s effectiveness. The Housing Trust Fund money should be
used for immediate essential City services or monies limited to capital projects should be
utilized to accelerate/complete earthquake retrofits to update housing to survive our next
disaster, a serious earthquake.
• City Parks, including the Airport Interim Space, and the Swim Center
• Maintain commitments to Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD)
including the Joint Facilities Use Agreement and tax revenues from voter-approved ballot
measures Y & YY and GS & GSH.
• The Reduce Homelessness Framework, including the Homeless Multidisciplinary Street
Team (HMST), the C3 (City + County + Community) homeless engagement team, the
Library Services Officer, the as-needed social worker, and the Homeless Court
• Retain Boards and Commissions that have been suspended, especially ARB and
Landmarks
COST REDUCTIONS
Salaries, wages and benefits account for 69% of the General Fund’s operating expenses,
significant reductions must be considered. These criteria should apply:
• The restructuring effort must set clear financial objectives to meet regulatory and
financial requirements to budget for FY 2020-21 and plan for FY 2021-22. We
recommend leveraging the 2018 Internal Audit report on City Staffing and Compensation
as a basis for benchmarking staff that must be reduced.
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o Implement all FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21 budget efficiencies/eliminations and
additional efficiencies/elimination identified in the City’s Internal Audit Reports.
o Notwithstanding employees necessary to secure essential services, implement
staffing reductions across all departments weighted to higher paid redundant
management through retirement incentives, e.g., Voluntary Early Separation
Incentive Program (VESIP) and severance or layoff (providing one-year
continuation of employee health insurance at the HMO level).
o Implement a tiered permanent annual salary reduction (e.g., 30% at the highest
pay levels down to 5% at the lowest pay levels) across all remaining employees
earning more than $60,000/year.
o Restructure future pension burdens by changing level of health benefits paid by
city to HMO only (employee may choose to pay difference between city funded
and higher health plans).
• Retain executive personnel and appropriate level of support to focus on public safety,
operations and financial management.
• Keep sufficient resources for regulatory, governance, legal, finance, human resources,
information systems, administrative and maintenance functions.
• Centralize city procurement.
• Negotiate margin cuts with vendors commensurate with the crisis.
• Require and implement arms-length bidding for all City contracts and financial
transactions.
• Renegotiate/amend to fair market rental rate the lease payments from the 55-year ground
lease of Civic Center property to Santa Monica College (SMC) for the Early Childhood
Lab School (ECLS), currently at the nominal rent of $1 per year.
• Retain city staff sufficiently skilled to determine and provide project expertise.
• Suspend hiring of new outside consultants and sunset existing consultants unless requisite
skill sets are beyond City staff capabilities.
• Determine city services that can be outsourced at comparable value at lower expense and
implement competitive outsourcing procurement as was considered for Cemetery
services..
• Discontinue municipal bond issuance, tax increases, or sale of public land to supplement
revenue for the next three years.
• Suspend for three-years General Fund expenses for capital and discretionary projects
unless already budgeted and funded or mid-stream where fiscally counterproductive.
• Abide by Appeals Court decision on the districting lawsuit and spend no additional City
revenue on appealing the case.
• Eliminate/Reduce the General Fund subsidy to Enterprise funds (Cemetery, Community
Broadband, Parking Authority, Pier, Resource Recovery and Recycling, Stormwater
Management, Wastewater, and Water).
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• Eliminate/Reduce the General Fund subsidy (if any) to Special Revenue funds (Beach
Recreation, Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS), Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG), Gas Tax, Housing Authority, Local Return, Low and Moderate Income
Housing Asset, SoCal Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), Special Revenue
Source, and the Tenant Ownership Rights Charter Amendment (TORCA).
• Adopt three-year moratorium on large downtown hotel projects to protect existing hotels
during economic recovery.
CONCLUSION
This crisis requires major changes to Santa Monica’s fiscal spending patterns. Our city
government must meet regulatory budget requirements, develop a new culture of municipal
frugality to address our current situation, and prepare us for future fiscal shocks from natural,
national, or global events beyond our control.
Supported on May 26, 2020 by:
Friends of Sunset Park (FOSP) Board North of Montana (NOMA) Board
Northeast Neighbors (NEN) Board Pico Neighborhood Association (PNA)
Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition
(SMMCN) Board (Wilmont) Board
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June 23, 2020
To: Mayor McKeown and City Council Members, Interim City Manager Lane Dilg and City Department Heads
From: Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Association (Wilmont) Board
Subject: FY 20-21 Budget Restorations Items for Residents and Children, City Council Mtg. 6/23/20 – Item 9A
The Wilmont Board appreciates the effort and time to deliver the FY 20-21 Budget Restructure Plan. We have carefully
followed and continually provided input into it. Residents have taken a significant blow with respect to services as well
as the ability to provide input into the City’s decision-making process. Children and their parents have also taken a blow
with respect to free after-school access to school playgrounds’ programs.
I. Restore following services, programs, and entities to the FY 20-21 budget.
• Crossing Guards (22.8 FTEs) and Crossing Guard Supervisor (1 FTE) be fully restored.
(When schools open again, we want the crossing guard program across all Santa Monica schools reestablished.
What could be more important than keeping our children safe and it creates a sense of community. We support
staff’s recommendation to reinstate this program when schools reopen. We want to confirm that 6.5 FTEs will pay
for fully restoring the Crossing Guard program, as stated in a City press release on June 10th: “The Crossing Guard
Program will be restored though 6.5 full-time as needed cross guard positions…”. We request that the original FY
20-21 budget of 1 Crossing Guard Supervisor and 22.8 Temporary Staffing FTEs be fully reinstated.
• Playground Access Program is fully restored
We support PTA leadership in restoring funding to CREST et al Playground Access programs (safe, weekday,
recreational, after-school play for elementary students at each of the elementary school sites). Many of Wilmont’s
children participate or have participated in this program in the past. Our neighborhood is primarily apartment
buildings and condo buildings, with over 80% renters. Our neighborhood’s single-family houses are being bought
and ADUs/Jr. ADUs are being added or being replaced by condos. According to the Statistical Atlas,
Wilshire/Montana tract has a population density of 26,100 people/sq. mile. For comparison, Santa Monica’s
average is 10,960 people/sq. mile and NYC are 28,070 people/sq. mile. Our neighborhood especially needs the
continuation of this program for that reason as well as the dearth of parks north of Wilshire. See image below.
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• Maintain Architectural Review Board (ARB)
From the one-minute rule of City Council to now working to eliminate the Architectural Review Board (ARB), the City
continues to move toward the eradication of resident input; this ignores the history and culture of resident input
and activism in our City. The ARB is made of volunteers and provides the only point of community input left for
many development projects. Please retain the ARB and not develop another staff process, during budget reduction
times, that does not have resident input
• Landmarks Commission (all volunteers) should maintain three key functions and not burden staff
We support the staff’s recommendation to keep the Landmarks Commission and reject the proposed process
changes. We want it to 1) keep review of demolition applications for buildings 40 years of age or older to prevent
worthy buildings from being missed because of staff’s limited time/focus on the issue 2) require that those filing
demo applications pay a fee for the use of a consultant thus reducing cost obligation on city 3) keep Landmark
Commission meetings monthly to ensure timely and comprehensive review and dialogue and direct staff not to
return to Council with IZO modifications to the demolition process until the Landmarks Commission has met,
reviewed and commented on staff’s proposal with the opportunity for full public input. Landmarks Commission will
not meet until July 29th.
• Maintain City appointed Boards, Commissions and Task Forces
From the one-minute rule of City Council, eliminates funding for city-recognized neighborhood groups, reduces Code
Enforcement staff as well as staffing for the GO System and then suspends most of the City-appointed Boards,
Commission and Task Forces, it is a clear signal that eliminating residents’ voices is a City goal. The City Clerk has
started a process to improve efficiency and effectiveness of how these entities are run and she should continue to
identify ways to streamline and improve the quality of analysis and reporting from them.
• Return Code Enforcement staffing of 3 FTEs to original FY 20-21 level to keep residents safe and healthy.
Our codes are written to protect us; how can that occur if we do not enforce them in the neighborhoods and
boulevards? Multiple neighborhood groups have brought code enforcement ongoing issues to the City during the
last year, to limited results. We agree with the movement to SMPD, which will enlarge ability to deal with code
enforcement issues at night and during the weekends.
• Retain Development Agreements (DAs) monitoring report.
The City negotiates DAs to obtain ongoing community and economic benefits. Without this monitoring, sites will be
even more overt about not complying to DA negotiated requirements
• Provide parks’ and fields’ maintenance at a level that ensures the health and safety of residents and visitors.
We believe this has been addressed in the new budget but want to ensure that it has been adequately addressed.
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• Utilize Housing Trust Funds to support housing clients
These funds should be used to do outreach to the Affordable Housing Wait List, assist with their applications for the
City’s 1,500 federal housing vouchers and connecting them with vacant apartments that they might be eligible to
rent.
• Restore annual funding of approximately $45,000 for City-sanctified Neighborhood Groups’ annual newsletter
Funding of a once-a-year newsletter for the City-sanctioned neighborhoods should be restored. This newsletter
helps us gain exposure to residents, obtain new members, and continue the focus on resident advocacy and
involvement in local government and activities. More than ever, we need to continue to build and maintain our
neighborhoods. If $20,000 can be restored to the Virginia Avenue Park Parent Groups (Parent Connection Group
and Familias Latina Unidas) with 67 registered participants I would recommend that the $45,000 needed to send an
annual newsletters to all neighborhoods’ residents be reinstated to inform and update thousands of residents.
• Reinstate opening of all libraries at least one day a week.
Libraries have always been one of any community ‘s foundational services, especially here in Santa Monica.
Without these buildings being opened they will begin to atrophy as will their inventories, programs, and
communities. We understand the concerns about social distancing and cleaning and these barriers should not stop
us from using these community facilities. Monies can be found in the Housing Trust Fund from GSH monies, with
libraries being one the specific items that can be considered a “community activity” or eliminate free parking for City
staff and City Council. In the private sector, first park of the day is always the employee’s expense. Given the City’s
focus to get cars off our streets and the need to reduce City costs, staff and City Council should take public
transportation or pay to park. A back of the envelope calculation (1,871 staff with 60% driving and monthly parking
cost of $150 would yield about $2 million/year (1,800 X .6 X $150) X 12 = $2 million). As staff is looking for
sustainable long-term sources of revenue to maintain and protect essential services it can be achieved through
“reduction of ongoing costs” i.e., elimination of free parking for City employees or as they have suggested for
residents “increasing cost recovery through fees”. We recommend both approaches be taken, and the libraries be
brought back and not moth ball our library buildings, inventories, programs, and staff.
• Reinstate Reed Park Ambassadors
Wilmont Board members have driven, walked, and ridden by Reed Park during the COVID “safer at home” restriction
and have seen our main park, has been taken over by the homeless population. We request Reed Park Ambassadors
be reinstated and we work to continue the process of having residents, adults and children, believe they can go to
Reed Park and have a safe and clean experience as promised by document - Santa Monica: A Plan for the Future
II. Defund the Following Budget Items to Fund the Restoration Items Identified Above. At a Minimum, Provide
Performance Management Metrics for the Following Budget Items
Everyone in the City will be affected by the new budget. We recommend defunding, or at a minimum, identifying the
timing and expected results for the following budget elements
• Do not allocate funds to the $1 million Economic Recovery Fund in FY 20-21. The City has significant business
interests who have funds to address issues: Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Santa Monica, Travel and Tourism
and other Business Improvement Districts. If this fund is approved, IT SHOULD ONLY BE USED TO HELP EXISTING
LOCAL BUSINESSES REOPEN AND THRIVE.
• City Council should not fund their $100,000 discretionary fund and allocate it to foundational services.
• In the CIP budget:
Alternative Resources
• CO460 – Annual Paving and Sidewalk Repair ($1,000,000) – Do not reallocate this capital project to existing
budgeted resources. Paving and sidewalk repair have been eliminated in the past years and this work needs to
be done to ensure neighborhoods are safe and well. Criteria to keep projects included: 1) represent critical
infrastructure needs, projects that cannot be deferred without compromising essential operations or public
health and safety and projects that generate revenue. We put residents and all others working or visiting our
City in jeopardy when we do not maintain our paving and sidewalks. If you are going to delete capital projects
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that do not affect health and safety, possibly look to the vehicle replacement CIPs with appropriate maintenance
and update of existing vehicles, as necessary.
• CO786 – Demolition of Parking Structure 3 ($3,459,000)– Do not proceed with the demolition of Parking
Structure 3 into an empty lot. There has been no discussion of any entity with the money and resources to build
on the property. While this will now be funded through the Housing Trust Fund, why not keep the Parking
Garage and associated revenue (businesses will appreciate the ease of doing business and many customers will
not be traveling by public transportation).
• CO786 (Demo of Parking Structure 3 - $3,495,000), CO546 (Early Childhood Lab School - $686,808) and CO715
(Vision Zero Projects - $440,000) were all General Funded capital projects until the COVID pandemic. How was
specific, alternative funding found for these projects vs. from the General Fund? Recommend that specific
policies be put in place to verify that specific funding cannot be available before General funding is used. Why
were General Fund monies being used if specific revenue dollars were available? Again, why are we giving
$686,808 to the ECLS which is owned by Santa Monica College and we are only charging them a land lease of
$1/year. We need to, as has been shown by these economic trying times, ensure that arms-length transactions
are the fiscal policy for the City.
General Fund
• TBD - Upgrade Non-Networked EV Charging Station - $492,295 – We recommend defunding this project for
various reasons including: 1) Planning Commission and Task Force on the Environment recommended massing
EV chargers in groups of 20 or so and not placing them on residential streets. The Wilmont Board does not
support EV chargers being placed on residential streets because parking will be eliminated for residents and just
as importantly, these charging stations create a 24/7 commercial event in front of resident’s homes with people
pulling in and out of these spaces constantly as well as increasing traffic. For this CIP, the dynamics of EV
charging are creating an environment where the City cannot keep up with the technology, nor should they try.
They should pivot their approach to do the hard work of developing policies and procedures to help residents
put chargers e.g., level 2 in apartments and condos by working with Southern California Edison to evolve and
stabilize the electric infrastructure. With TOU rates for residents, nighttime charging will always be cheaper
than these commercial charging stations and allow residents not to worry or incur “overstay” charges. The
City’s EV strategy needs to be evolved in support of residents’ time and money, and not in support of
commercial one-car charging stations in our residential areas.
• Utilize the Vision Zero FTE in Mobility to a limited-term assignment of two years to work on achieving cost
beneficial improvements and a plan in all the top 10 most dangerous intersections in the City as well as by mode
of transit. With this plan, assign Vision Zero responsibility to the mobility department across all modes of
transportation to be assessed and when monies become availability.
• The restored General Fund Sustainability FTE position looks to be focused on macro issues and businesses based
on the FTE description: Restores a Sustainability Analyst to advance the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan to
minimize the local and regional impact of climate change; restores leadership responsibilities of the Chief
Sustainability Officer as a manager level position/participant in City's leadership Team and $25,000 in financial
support for Sustainable Works; business greening program involved with BIDs and participation in CA Green
Business Network.. Identify the roles and responsibilities of this position to address and define a Sustainability
Framework for residents and includes working with RRR.
• Have the restored Water Sustainability FTE perform a cost/benefit analysis of the City’s journey toward water-
independence including operational, CIP and ongoing costs to ensure that water-independence is the
appropriate path for our financially challenged City in this decade.
• Determine how much of Resident Requests & PROW Permitting is in support of development. It is doubtful that
a resident is going to request a traffic control plan or oversize load permits. These types of expenses are not
incurred by residents and their time, especially with respect to traffic control plans for development should be
recovered from the development imposing the traffic impact.
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III. Support Staff Fiscal Recommendations
• We support the removal of fee waivers for Building and Safety for sustainability-related installations such as
solar panels.
• We support the removal of fee waivers for Planning for designations of Landmarks and Structures of Merit and
subsidy for historic consultants be eliminated.
• We support the change to Expenditure Control Savings incentive policy i.e., one-third of each year’s General
Fund non-salary operating budget savings may be reappropriated to the department that achieved that savings
while the remaining savings is incorporated in the General Fund balance be changed to have all savings released
into the General Fund at least through FY 22-23.
• We support the delaying of the water self-sufficiency by 2023 target and reduced or cancelled several capital
projects to ensure the funds remain self-supporting through FY 2024-25. We request an analysis by the newly
restored Water Sustainability FTE to determine the cost/benefit of water self-sufficiency, especially in this fiscal
environment. Is it financially appropriate to become water independent in this decade?
• We support the delay of the RRR rate study planned in October 2020 to July 2021. Residents and businesses
understand that the RRR department has had new challenges with the decline of a recycling market and other
market forces. Have the RRR help residents and businesses understand the new cost challenges to this
department and what can be done to mitigate it before the rate study to allow community stakeholders to
understand and dialogue the issues involved in this potential rate increase.
IV. Question Staff Fiscal Recommendations
• We do not support staff’s recommendation regarding the Shared Mobility Pilot Program to adjust the per device
fee from $135.46/device/year to $105/device/year because the argument is that the adjustment will better
align revenues to recover the City’s costs of administering the program. It makes no sense to lower the fee to
better recover the City’s costs so we maintain the rate should stay the same or be increased to cover full costing
of the City’s cost of this pilot.
• We would like to see a proforma financial analysis of what the impact is of reducing fee for conducting
commercial transaction on public property from $1/device/day to $.20/trip for mobility operators. If this
reduces the revenue generated by changing to this fee structure, we do not support it.
• The fee study approved on January 14, 2020 for EV charging kWh rates resulted in a full cost recovery rate
(including staff time) of $0.43/kWh. The EV Subcommittee and Task Force on the Environment recommended a
fee of $0.25/kWh and staff recommended a user fee of $0.30/kWh. In the June 9, 2020 8B Staff report a key
tenant is to focus on sustainable long-term sources of revenue to maintain and protect essential services and
that includes “staff looking at increasing cost recovery through fees”. We only support these EV chargers in
groups of 10-20 as recommended by Planning Commission and Task Force on the Environment in 2017. We
support charging a fully loaded cost of $0.43/kWh and recommend that non-networked charging stations be
identified as stranded assets and removed.
V. Adopt Financial Policy and Analyses Framework
• The Pier Fund has not been able to sustain an adequate balance to cover both its operating costs and large
capital expenditures in the past and has received General Fund subsidies to support the Pier Fund’s capital and
operating needs. Staff reports that the Pier Fund is reducing services and deferring many of its significant capital
projects to maintain a positive fund balance with the need for General Fund Support. We expect the Pier Fund
to find other funding mechanisms to support its capital needs and not utilize General Funds monies. All
enterprise funds should be self-sustaining, and the Pier Fund is no exception.
• The Beach Fund will close a projected shortfall in FY 20-21 of about $3.3 million with a one-time loan from the
General Fund of $0.6 million, $0.1 million restricted cash account and a loan of Developer Agreement funds of
$2.6 million. We support the use of loans to the Beach Fund and not providing a direct subsidy. It raises the
question of where Developer Agreement (DA) funds are maintained, managed and criteria for allocation.
• The June 9, 2020 Staff report states:
As the community emerges from quarantine and looks to the City for a return to service, including the
continuation of programs that are being provided through the use of one-time funds, the City will
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require sustainable long-term sources of revenue to maintain and protect essential services. Staff is
pursing three approaches to address this concern.
First, staff is looking at increasing cost recovery through fees…
Second, another avenue to assist in bringing back services in public-private partnerships…
Finally, staff seeks direction to include a tax revenue measure on the November 2020 ballot…
These approaches put increased financial burden on residents (increasing fees, tax revenue measure) or places
private-public partnerships in play, which erode the City’s and residents’ control. It would seem there should be
a fourth concept:
As the community emerges from the quarantine it should focus on providing the foundational services
based on revenue and not overextend itself into non-cost beneficial innovation. If we must pick
between libraries and parks vs. innovation, we as a City pick libraries and parks.
• As the June 9, 2020 Staff report states, “Any restorations made to expenditures must be based on real gains in
revenues. Additionally, restoration will need to be balanced with the rebuilding of the City’s reserves as well as
resuming and catching up on capital infrastructure maintenance and replacement that is being put on hold
during the years leading up to recovery.” Zero based budgeting should be utilized to put together a perspective
on cost management and performance management for the City. CIPs must be rejustified if they are not
maintenance. Positions added must have clear roles and responsibilities with clear objectives and results that
they are measured on.
• We recommend that the change to five-year forecasts be made permanent. As can be seen during the last three
months, the rate of change and dynamics can barely be forecasted for two-five years, more less ten.
V I. Discuss Housing Trust Fund Available Balances and Current/Future Uses Discussions
It has come to our attention that the Housing Trust Fund and its current resources of $25.7 million and an additional
$25.9 million in FY 20-21 have not been part of the discussion to narrow the $150 million budget gap the City
faces. Why is that? While the Housing Trust Fund has historically been used to bankroll affordable housing projects
undertaken by Community Corporation, the restrictions on the sources of the money are not limited to affordable
housing. Below is a summary regarding the Housing Trust Fund from an article by Jorge Casuso of the Santa Monica
Lookout, May 5, 2020.
The sources of the Housing Trust Fund money are: 1) approximately $15 million/year from loans repaid by the former
redevelopment agency and 2) $8 million/year from revenues from Measures GS and GSH which was approve by Santa
Monica voters in 2016 and increased the City's sales/use tax by 0.5 cent. The only restrictions on the loans repaid by the
former redevelopment agency is that 20% of the money is mandated for affordable housing by the State and the rest of
the money could be used to bankroll capital improvement projects within Santa Monica's Earthquake Redevelopment
District which includes two-thirds of the City. It would seem no discussion has been had regarding using these monies
being used to further assist landlords in earthquake retrofits of their buildings so when the next disaster hits e.g., an
earthquake we are READY for that one. The intent of GS and GSH, which advised the City on how to use the money, was
to "maintain and improve Santa Monica community services" via the ballot language. The "Impartial Analysis" of the
measure by former City Attorney Marsha Moutrie lists "the services and programs that potentially could receive
funding" and they include "but are not limited to: education, afterschool programs, affordable housing, police, fire,
paramedic and emergency 911 response, public transit, environmental and library services." Base view of when
With the cost of new affordable construction being $750,000 per unit we need to have a discussion of how to best use
these funds in this time of financial hardships. We recommend that these funds be considered to support no-
interest/low interest loans to accelerate/complete earthquake retrofitting in Santa Monica. We know that crises do not
stop just because we have been through two in 2020. The most likely crisis to hit the City is a large earthquake. This
would not only potentially result in injuries or even loss of life but in the destruction or long-time rehabilitation of
housing and buildings that have been identified to need to be earthquake retrofitted.
These crises require major changes to Santa Monica’s fiscal spending patterns. Our city’s government must meet
regulatory budget requirements, develop a new culture of municipal frugality to address our current situation, develop a
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balanced and broad base view using available revenue and a foundational services and maintenance needs as our guide
and prepare us for future fiscal shocks from natural, national or global events beyond our control.
Supported by Wilmont Board
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Neighborhood Council priorities for City Council – as of November 29, 2020
The city-recognized non-profit neighborhood organizations that participate in the
Neighborhood Council -- Friends of Sunset Park (FOSP), Mid City Neighbors, Northeast
Neighbors (NEN), North of Montana Association (NOMA), Pico Neighborhood Association
(PNA), and Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) discussed this topic at our
November 21 meeting and agree on the following recommendations.
The neighborhood organizations endeavor to keep our members informed and to advocate on
their behalf regarding both neighborhood and citywide issues, with the goal of improving the
quality of life for Santa Monica residents. Neighborhood organizations are where issues are
fully discussed and various points of view are aired. In a Council or Planning Commission
meeting, the residents are not part of the discussion and do not have the opportunity to have a
give-and-take with the decision-makers. It is essential to continue to build the base in the
neighborhoods so that resident perspectives can be voiced. This can only be realized by
restoring city support for an annual mailer and providing an easy way for residents to find their
neighborhood organization on the city website.
Short term goals:
1. City Council December 15th study session re the Housing Element Update -- At that
December 15 meeting, staff may ask the Council members for “direction.” We ask the
Council to give the staff direction to assemble a report on California cities that are
actively challenging the numbers required by the state’s Regional Housing Need
Allocations (RHNA).
This information is available from the Palo Alto-based Embarcadero Institute, which
argues that the California Dept. of Housing & Community Development (HCD) used “an
incorrect vacancy rate and double counting” to come up with 900,000 excess housing
units to be assigned to cities across the state. It also found that the HCD housing targets
would “encourage market-rate housing development at the expense of affordable
housing.”
At the November 18 Santa Monica Planning Commission study session, Commissioner
Mario Fonda-Bonardi voiced serious doubts about the RHNA allocation for Santa
Monica.
Background: Unlike 50 other California cities, Santa Monica chose to ignore the October
deadline to appeal our RHNA allocation from SCAG (Southern California Association of
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Governments). This allocation requires zoning for 8,874 new housing units by 2029,
with about 70% of the total required to be affordable.
The public scoping meeting for the Housing Element Update Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) will be held on December 10 at 5:30 PM –
https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/live-event/bxxeeakf
The deadline for submitting written comments to Rachel.Kwok@smgov.net is Dec. 31.
Additional info:
https://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/PCD/Environmental-
Reports/NOP%20Housing%20Element.pdf
Reading and research:
- Embarcadero Institute -- https://embarcaderoinstitute.com/
- “Craven Santa Monica Solicits Input after the Fact for Additional 8,874 Housing
Units They Agreed to” – 11/4/20 – Santa Monica Observer
https://www.smobserved.com/story/2020/11/04/news/craven-santa-monica-solicits-
input-after-the-fact-for-additional-8874-housing-units-they-agreed-to/5021.html
2. Oppose the “bad housing bills” (SB 1120, etc.) that are expected to be re-introduced in
the state legislature in December. We request that the City Council agendize this matter
for discussion, voice opposition to these bills, and urge our local State Senator and
Assemblyman to also oppose them.
3. Assign at least one Council member and at least one Planning Commissioner to
participate in CALE (California Alliance of Local Electeds) --
https://www.caleelecteds.org/ -- CALE is a network of mayors, councilmembers, and other
current and former elected officials, current and former appointed officials, and individuals with
expertise. They advocate in Sacramento on significant issues that contribute to the betterment of
California’s cities, including preservation of local control, and support of forward-thinking
legislation.
4. Restore funding for annual city mailing of newsletters (membership appeal letters) for
the city-recognized Neighborhood Organizations. For years, the city mailed
membership invitations to all residents in our neighborhoods. This is how we reach new
residents, encourage current members to renew, and increase our memberships. A staff
member told us earlier this year that the cost to the City is approximately $41,000 to
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print 2-sided 8x11 letters (that we format) and include return envelopes addressed to
each organization, then send them via bulk mail to all residents in the city.
Prior to the restructuring, the city offered $4,000 matching grants to each organization
plus an annual mailing, or mailings twice-a-year for organizations that didn’t apply for a
grant. Given the economic challenges faced by the City at this time, we are not
requesting the restoration of the matching grants program. The January mid-year
budget agenda item may provide an opportunity to restore the annual mailing.
5. Restore links to the website of the Neighborhood Organizations to the dropdown
menu of new city website home page. Currently, the only way to find us is to use the
“search” function. The neighborhood associations were previously listed in the left side
menu under “Living Here.” https://www.smgov.net/content.aspx?id=4241
6. Restore the ability of Council members to ask clarifying questions during Public
Comment. In the past, during in-person Council meetings, after a resident spoke at the
podium, Council members could ask questions to clarify the public comment. With the
teleconference meetings, once the 2-minute comment is ended, the phone connection
is broken and that opportunity for the Council to request any clarification from the
caller is lost.
Request that staff ask callers to remain on the phone line in the event that a Council
member has a request for clarification. Also, require people speaking during public
comment to state whether they live in Santa Monica.
7. Restore an accurate month-at-a-glance city Calendar of Events with a link on the city
website home page so the public can know when the City Council and various Boards
and Commission are meeting, without having to check every web page.
http://calendar.smgov.net/city/eventcalendar.asp -- There’s no longer a link to this
calendar on the home page, and it currently shows incorrect information (Commission
meetings that have been cancelled or had dates changed.) Residents cannot participate
in public meetings if they don’t know when they are occurring.
8. Restore meetings and the significance of Board and Commissions
a. Restore regular Housing Commission meetings – it has met only once since
March and has not been scheduled to discuss the Housing Element Update.
b. Review and correct the composition of the Committee created to re-evaluate
Boards & Commissions, which is staff-heavy and lacks resident representation.
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c. Restore the Landmarks Commission ability to recommend and discuss agendized
items of significance to Santa Monica’s historic preservation beyond those
directly connected with its quasi-judicial role.
d. Meetings of the following boards, commissions, task forces, and appointed
bodies remain suspended: Clean Beaches & Ocean Parcel Tax Citizens
Oversight Committee, Commission for the Senior Community, Commission
on the Status of Women, Disabilities Commission, Social Services
Commission, the Task Force on the Environment, and the Urban Forest Task
Force. Their work and advice to the Council and/or Planning Commission has not
been able to be discussed or forwarded. An example is the Social Services
Commission, which asked to meet to review the Miramar Development
Agreement to suggest additional resident benefits, but was not allowed to do so.
As a result, the project will go forward without including any new community
benefits.
9. Increase support for small neighborhood-serving businesses which are the heart of our
neighborhoods and have served us for decades.
10. Prioritize health and safety
a. Hold public hearings re Gandara Park (harmful effects of the landfill) and
Ishihara Park (installation of an injection well connected with the aquifer).
b. Increase the frequency of street cleaning and sidewalk cleaning. Trash is
collecting on commercial streets, and residential streets with deciduous street
trees currently have mounds of debris in the gutters and streets.
c. Tell Southern California Edison to stop installing bright red lights in the alleys.
As SCE has installed taller light poles in Sunset Park neighborhood alleys, they’re
required to notify the FAA about new “obstructions” being installed near the
Santa Monica Airport. The new poles are actually shorter than some of the
neighborhood trees. The FAA merely “recommends” rather than “requires” the
red lights. But until the City tells SCE to stop, more and more residents will have
extremely bright red lights shining into their bedroom windows all night long.
Longer term goals – We will be discussing these more at our December meeting.
1. Prioritize restoration of services/projects – As new revenue is received, how will the
prioritization of services/projects be determined? E.g., just because we did it in the
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past doesn't mean we need it in the future. Ensure neighborhood input/principles
are considered as services/projects are enabled/restored.
2. Public safety -- Protect our residents and neighborhoods from crime.
3. Homelessness -- Create a comprehensive and compassionate plan to assist the
unhoused.
4. Protect vulnerable renters.
5. Development -- Oppose developments that do not fit the character or the
needs of our community.
6. City budget -- Continue analyzing city expenditures in order identify savings and
restore services while waiting for revenues to increase.
7. Free meeting space -- Restore access to free meeting space for neighborhood
organizations at the libraries when they reopen.
8. Inform residents -- Include information about the neighborhood organizations in the
SaMoNews email blasts that are sent from communications@smgov.net and the
Seascape newsletter when it resumes --
https://www.smgov.net/departments/CMO/seascape.aspx
9. Advance notification of development and public works projects – Set up a system
in which residents within a given neighborhood or zip code are notified about
upcoming development and capital improvement projects. Examples of when this
didn’t happen are the narrowing of Ocean Avenue for the new bike lanes, the new
“no right turn” from southbound Ocean Avenue onto the California Incline, and the
plan to move Public Landscape Maintenance from one neighborhood to another.
10. Boards & Commissions and Santa Monica Forward -- Some of the Boards,
Commissions, and Committees are loaded with members of Santa Monica Forward.
As vacancies occur and as some of the terms run out in June 2021, appoint resident-
oriented applicants recommended by neighborhood organizations. Also, require that
all members be Santa Monica residents.
11. Zoning
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a) Revive the neighborhood organization 80-page “wish list” from the 2010 Zoning
Ordinance update, most of which was ignored.
b) Oppose commercial intrusions into residential neighborhoods, the upzoning of
Pico Blvd., and administrative approval for CUPs without a public hearing.
c) Extend the 75-day window for protesting demolition permits in order to allow for
landmarking.
12. Prevent the use of unzoned Airport land before 2029 by the city in a way that
removes it from potential park land. We need to avoid more city departments
moving there and carving out pieces, such as the now-suspended plan to move the
Public Landscape Maintenance Division to Airport property next to homes.
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January 24, 2021
Subject: City Council January 26, 2021 – Agenda Item 8‐B, Financial Status Update and FY 2020‐
21 Midyear Budget
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members,
The Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) Board of Directors SUPPORTS the
following staff recommendations with specified recommended actions to ensure monies are
optimized and focused on results:
Addition of one position to the Homeless Unit in Community Services to address local
demand for homeless coordination and regional homeless planning ONLY IF a simple
Homeless scorecard is developed that provides quarterly updates to the Council and
community on homeless costs (across all departments/divisions) and results of monies
spent on homelessness issue.
o Cost neutral change due to elimination of vacant positions in Police Department
Addition of two positions in Code Enforcement Division in Community Development (with
ability to handle complaints at night and weekends) to address quality of life concerns
o Cost neutral change due to elimination of vacant positions in Police Department
Offer a 3‐1‐1 line with a customer service position and updating Santa Monica Works to
become SaMo311; this technology must be managed as a telephone and online app that
works together to give timely feedback to residents
o Cost neutral change due to elimination of vacant positions in Police department
Provide eviction counseling to assist tenants who face losing their homes due to rent
unpaid during the pandemic
Fund the Inspector General position that will support the newly formed Public Safety
Reform and Oversight Commission
o Cost neutral change due to elimination of vacant positions in Police Department
$50,000 ($.05 million) increase to support economic recovery at Airport through creation of
a limited term Property Management Specialist in the Community Development
Department to support leasing and property management work.
o Approval should specify the length of time of the limited term position
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The Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) Board of Directors DOES NOT
SUPPORT the following staff recommendations.
Community Broadband Fund request for $677,500 to fund the construction and installation
for Verizon’s deployment of Phase III and IV of 5G Small Cell Deployment
o This budget item is poorly explained and it is not clear why the City has to
appropriate money for a project that Verizon Wireless is paying the City to do
o Numerous residents have been very concerned about the safety and health of
having 5G deployment close to their house/business. What are the rules for appeal
and relocation for this item?
Special Revenue Funds: The budget item states “The state Low Carbon Fuel Standard
Program (LCFS) requires that revenues generated through this program be used for clean
transportation projects. The EV Charging Station project will procure and install new EV
charging ports at both off‐street and on‐street locations throughout the City. … Staff
recommends allocating $50,000 in available LCFS special revenue funds to expand the EV
charging network.”
o Eliminate the on‐street location element of this budget item.
Wilmont members voted on and passed the following resolution: “Wilmont
supports the halt of commercial invasion/expansion into residential
neighborhoods and supports parking standards that allow existing residents
to park on the street near their homes in this R3/R2 neighborhood”
Use monies to put in large clusters in off‐street locations as
recommended by Planning Commission and Task Force on the
Environment.
Work to have apt. and condo buildings add EV chargers to their
parking garages. Residents, generally, do not want to drive around
looking for charging.
On‐street EV charging is a 24/7 commercial activity (I assume in 2021
we are making people pay for their charging (and if we’re not we
should be) and idle charges are in play)) in front of people’s homes,
has been mostly sited because of ability to access electricity without
large capital cost not because it is the right place to put it and it is
unclear what is the speed of these chargers: Level 1, 2 or 3 i.e., 120
volt, 240 volt or 480 volt, so what are the voltage of these chargers?
A level 2 charger could take 6‐8 hours to charge if you are at 10% of
your charge amount.
Finally, on‐street charging causes reduction of parking spaces for
everyone, EVs or non‐EVs, adds to curb chaos of delivery vehicles in
residential neighborhood and these chargers will be obsolete in less
than 2 years.
Expenditure Adjustments – Other Funds. We do not support the $1.5 million increase to
fund the purchase of imported water to meet residential and business demand while repair
to local groundwater wells is completed.
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o The City received extensive settlement funds through litigation when it settled the
contamination of the City’s wells by Boeing, Gillette, et al. Why weren’t those
monies used to fix the local groundwater wells then?
o Residents had both their water and waste‐water rates increased by up to 15% on an
annual basis for five years starting in early 2020. While imported water is 30% more
expensive, why did we have our rates increased so much if we are going to become
independent of MWD in 2023?
Do not approve this budget item until the economics of water rates and the
use of our aquifers are explained in a write‐up to the Council and residents.
We understand the goal of becoming independent of MWD for water.
What has never been laid out is how expensive is that going to be
based on well infrastructure and other CIP costs that have not been
specified for achieving this City goal.
Do not proceed with giving staff approval to proceed with developing a digital Out‐of‐Home
advertising and wayfinding program.
o Do not further commercialize the City with this program of 25 – 50 kiosks cluttering
our sidewalks and buildings; these infrastructure projects become obsolete very
soon, we have Google maps and this is for tourists not for residents.
o Do not start chasing this kind‐of advertising revenue. We are a City that serves
residents; tourists look for an authentic City not an advertised one.
Next Steps in the Budget Process – Community Outreach
o This section of the staff report states “It will therefore be more important than ever
before to understand the community’s needs as staff and the Council develop the FY
2021‐23 Biennial Budget”.
It appears that staff thinks this is best accomplished by using 600
activities mapped to 27 areas which were developed by five positions
in the City Manager’s Office
The complexity of the developed framework, it includes not just the
municipal government but every aspect of services a community
provides, is a non‐starter approach from the beginning.
o Staff will use this “framework” via a “survey tool asking
community members to rank these same areas of services”.
We honestly do not know what that means but we know it will
not represent what the residents of Santa Monica want.
Specifically, it will not be a statistically valid survey that
represents the various demographics of Santa Monica and it
will over represent business and visitors. We have opposed
these cherry picking, non‐statical and non‐resident focused
surveys before and do so again.
o Historically the City has performed statistically valid resident
surveys and we request that be done again. Does the City not
want valid statistical information?
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In addition, Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) Board of Directors URGES
the City Council to include the following in the mid‐year budget update:
Restore funding for annual city mailing newsletters (membership appeal letters) of for the
city‐recognized Neighborhood Organizations. For years, the city mailed membership
invitations to all residents in our neighborhoods. This is how we reach new residents,
encourage current members to renew, and increase our memberships.
o Our understanding is that the total cost to the City is approximately $41,000 to print
2‐sided 8"x11" letters (which we format) plus return envelopes addressed to each
organization, and then send them via bulk mail to all residents in the city.
o Background: Prior to the restructuring, the city offered $4,000 matching grants to
each organization plus an annual mailing, or twice‐a‐year mailings for organizations
that did not apply for a grant. Given the economic challenges faced by the City, we
are not requesting the restoration of the matching grant program or the 2nd mailer
at this time.
Restore the “Neighborhood Organizations” web page link to the new city website home
page drop‐down menu. Currently, the only way to find us ‐
‐ https://www.smgov.net/content.aspx?id=4241 ‐‐ is to use the “Search” function.
o Before the city web site was updated, the neighborhood organizations were easy to
find as they were listed in the home page left side menu under “Living Here.” With
the new home page, perhaps the "Safety" list under the "Programs" tab would be a
good location. https://www.santamonica.gov
We look forward to working with the City to continue together to identify and execute on
residents’ priorities.
Thank‐you,
Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont)
Board of Directors
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From:DiaryofTieira Ryder
To:councilmtgitems
Subject:Community priorities (affordable housing, housing, and more housing) item 8
Date:Saturday, March 13, 2021 10:58:42 AM
EXTERNAL
Richard Hilton from the housing team recently said that he couldn’t vote in favor of the “rightto return” for black residents that have been displaced because it happened “so long ago” but
that isn’t true! Black residents and others are still being displaced up until today and I was oneof them! Also, 60 years is not that long ago, that means the city likely disrupted the childhoods
of residents who are likely around today! The so called liberal city is OK with disrupting andruining the lives of other residents! Some of the locals complain about our unhoused residents
utilizing the sidewalk to sleep but many of those same complainers will stand and block thesidewalk when they see a black person walking towards them, hoping that person will walk
around them in the street or muddy grass because the city has made one group of residentsthink that they own every ounce of space on the Westside!
I’m one of the residents that hasn’t been able to get affordable housing in the city even though
I worked for years at a tech company and did other work through the city and Venice. SantaMonica has created most of the congestion that we have on the Westside by refusing to build
affordable housing and as I’ve stated it has and continues to displace black residents and manyother groups of residents. (The working class, students, veterans, and seniors)
There is a rumor that Santa Monica city has catered to White Eastern European Immigrants
when it comes to affordable housing. Residents should be provided a basic demographic list tosee which demographics have applied for housing and who actually got the housing they
needed in a reasonable time.
My goal is to work with other residents who share my same concerns when it comes tohousing that we need. I’d like to do this gracefully with the city but I’ve prepared enough
evidence against the city to go before a judge! No group of residents, mostly white and socalled “Liberal”, should be able to deny anyone housing! To think they have a “vote” or a say
on whether or not the city can build the housing most of us need is not acceptable, no personhas that right! And the fact that the city is keeping the airport space open and hoping to get
another park out of the space instead of housing is even more disturbing! I watch kids innearby cities of Mar Vista and Venice kick balls in alley ways with glass everywhere because
they don’t have any park space but the inconsiderate, mostly liberal city has the nerve to askfor another park as they see the streets filling with tents and locals sleeping in cars and
because they don’t want to see it they call the cops and vote no on more housing!!! Absolutelydisturbing!!!!!!!!!!
Challenge the FAA, overturn measure LC because no resident has the right to vote on whether
or not we need housing! Work with LA city and start utilizing open spaces of the airport andother golf courses to start building the housing we need! Affordable housing only build
locations that are protected through a trust!
Lastly, when it comes to affordable housing, it should include both affordable rent andhomeownership options for the working class, our seniors, students, veterans and others in
need of such housing! No more bad development deals where we get 2 affordable units out of
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100 total units! There are 60,000+ residents unhoused in LA! Open the voucher program to getmore residents housed quickly, especially the dwellers and unhoused seniors, many have
income as I’ve talked with them and they can pass a background check so they don’t need anyinterim services on site, they simply can’t afford $2,000 a month rent! Do better and in the
words of the former “First Lady” #BestBest Liberals, right now you’re acting like TrumpSupporters, denying housing to others is violence!
Best,
Tieira
Working hard to rezone and redistrict the Westside. The racist and classist district lines tellon themselves!!
https://htwws.org/santamonicaairport/
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Map correction (senate district 26 or 50)
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From:DAVIS_SHARI
To:councilmtgitems
Subject:Early Childhood Task Force comments on Adoption of Community Priorities
Date:Friday, March 12, 2021 3:32:01 PM
EXTERNAL
RE: Adoption of Community Priorities to Guide the Budget Process for Fiscal Years
2021-2023
Dear Mayor Himmelrich, Mayor Pro Tem McCowan and Honorable
Councilmembers;
On behalf of the Santa Monica Early Childhood Task Force, I am pleased to share
some thoughts about the priorities that form the backbone of our city’s policy and
resource allocation decisions.
It is clear that opportunities we create for our youngest and most vulnerable residents
underlie many of the priorities articulated in the staff report. Beyond a strong start in
academic learning, the 0-5 years are the wellspring of social and emotional
development, collaboration and sharing, coping and decisionmaking skills, and
simply learning to get along with a broad range of children, adults, and changing
circumstances.
Santa Monica has a well-earned reputation for supporting and encouraging the
development of programs that open minds and doors and facilitate the participation
of children and families in the economy and community. This infrastructure has both
short-term and long-term benefits for the community.
In the short term, look no further than the pandemic year to see that our childcare
resources made vital contributions to community resilience, enabling essential
workers to be on the front lines from the first days of the shutdown. These resources
will be even more important as we strive to recover from the social and economic
havoc wrought by COVID-19. Helping children and their families alleviate some of
the sustained emotional stress of the year is an effect that should not be overlooked.
In the longer term, what our children experience in their early years is foundational
to them but also comprises cornerstones of improving community equity and
inclusion, economic opportunity and recovery, affordability (i.e., affordable high-
quality early care is a key component to overall affordability for families with young
children), connected and engaged community, mental health, physical health, school-
age and community learning, and understanding and valuing environmental
sustainability.
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The infrastructure we have developed to support our youngest residents and their
families will help our community’s recovery efforts. It will also continue to play a
key role in the pursuit of all of the community’s objectives. The Task Force is
committed to promoting the best, most accessible, and most affordable programs for
children and families and working with the community to pursue its policy priorities.
Sincerely,
The Santa Monica Early Childhood Task Force Steering Committee
Shari Davis, co-chair
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Recreation and Parks Commission
March 11, 2021
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street,
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and Council Members,
At its February 18, 2021 meeting, the Recreation and Parks Commission discussed
budget priorities in anticipation of the City Council’s special meeting on March 13,
2021.
The Recreation and Parks Commission voted to recommend that the Council
prioritize the restoration of park planning capacity within the City of Santa Monica.
Restoring such capacity will enable the Santa Monica community to pursue
expansion and maintenance of our recreation and parks system though policies
and projects such as:
o Completion of the updated Parks and Recreation Master Plan
o Implementation of the Memorial Park Master Plan
o Implementation of repairs to and refurbishment of existing parks
o Stewardship of park impact fees and grant opportunities for parks
o Consideration of new bicycle rules for Palisades Park now that the Ocean
Avenue bikeway is complete
o Implementation of community open space at 2018 19th Street
o Consideration of a Butterfly Waystation at the Metro-owned property
adjacent to the SMC/17th Street Expo Station
o Consideration of a dog park at Reed Park
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o Consideration of additional recreation opportunities, such as expanded
swim center hours
Thank you for considering our recommendation as you discuss community
priorities.
Sincerely,
Lori Brown
Lori Brown
Chair
Recreation and Parks Commission
cc: Andy Agle, Director of Community Services
Recreation and Parks Commissioners
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From:Barry Rosenbaum
To:councilmtgitems; Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; CouncilmemberKevin McKeown; Oscar de la Torre
Cc:Roger Genser; Roger Genser; Barry Rosenbaum
Subject:March 13, 2021 City Council Special Meeting - Item 8-A
Date:Thursday, March 11, 2021 9:46:32 AM
EXTERNAL
March 11, 2021
Mayor Himmelrich and Members of the Council
(Re: March 13, 2021 City Council Special Meeting/Item 8-A Adoption of Community
Priorities to Guide the Budget Process for Fiscal Years 2021-2023)
This letter serves two purposes. As outlined below in paragraph 4, it addresses the
Landmarks Commission’s short-term budget needs and requests. Second, it serves
as a response to the Information Item from the Community Development Director
dated March 5, 2021 regarding the effectiveness of the current demolition process -“Update on Current Interim Zoning Ordinance for Review of Demolition Permit
Applications.” (“Demolition Permit Applications Update”).
On July 14, 2020, the City Council drastically restructured the process for the reviewof demolition applications for properties that are 40 years of age or older. Whereas
previously, all such applications automatically triggered Landmark/Structure of Merit
designation review by the Landmarks Commission, now such review depends entirely
on the public. At the same time, the Council also eliminated the designationapplication fee waiver for non-profit organizations. Members of the Landmarks
Commission raised significant concern about the impact of these changes on the
preservation program as did many community organizations and community
members.
On March 5, 2021, Staff prepared the Demolition Permit Applications Update. This
update demonstrates that the expressed concerns were well-justified. Since the
Council changes to the process were implemented, only one (1) designationapplication has been filed after the review of demolition applications by the public and
no property has yet been designated. Additionally, no other community-initiated
designation applications have been filed. In contrast, during the prior period of
Landmarks Commission automatic review of demolition applications betweenDecember 2018-March 2020, the Commission requested and reviewed twelve (12)
historic assessment reports on properties slated for demolition and designated three
(3) of these properties. There were also three (3) community-initiated designation
applications. The contrast is stark. As one member of the Santa MonicaConservancy stated in correspondence to the Commission about the new process,
“we are stifled.”
At its March 8, 2021 Landmarks Commission meeting, the Commission unanimously
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supported requesting that Council act to restore the prior approach to the City’s
historic preservation program to the greatest extent feasible, recognizing the City’s
continuing fiscal constraints. Certain actions advocated by the Conservancy at this
meeting and supported by the Commission, which the Council could undertake
immediately include:
1. Revise the demolition permit fee to capture the full cost of the historic review
process including the cost of any application for designation, which fees could
also fund expanded staff support for the Commission.
2. Reinstate the landmark and structure of merit designation fee waivers for
non-profit organizations.
3. Use the development agreement historic preservation contributions to assist
historic preservations organizations in undertaking preservation activities
including meeting application costs. This would only be a stopgap measure
given the finite amount of funds available.
4. Provide necessary funding to restore public participation in Commission
meetings which would allow the public to speak on agenda items and respond
to Commission questions as currently occurs at City Council and PlanningCommission meetings.
The Commission will be discussing this matter again at its May 10th meeting and will
provide additional comments to the City Council prior to the Council’s May 25thbudget study session.
Thank you for your consideration.
Roger Genser
Chair, Santa Monica Landmarks Commission
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From:Carol Lemlein
To:councilmtgitems; Sue Himmelrich; kristen.mccowan@smgov.net; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre;Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Christine Parra
Subject:March 13, 2021 City Council Special Meeting/Item 8-A Adoption of Community Priorities to Guide the Budget
Process for Fiscal Years 2021-2023
Date:Friday, March 12, 2021 7:45:19 PM
EXTERNAL
Mayor Himmelrich, Pro-Tem McCowan and Council Members:
I am writing on behalf of the Conservancy Board of Directors to state our priorities and concernswith respect to the Historic Preservation Program in the 2021-2023 budget.
First, we would like to comment on the Information Item provided by Planning Staff regarding
the impacts of the Interim Zoning Ordinance removing Landmarks Commission Review of
Demolition Permit Applications. We have many questions regarding the data provided in the
report. It is presented very obtusely with no reference to the large number of pending decisions;
neither does the analysis consider the potential impact of the greatly increased fees on the number
of designations.
That said, we appreciate the efforts made by staff to provide a monthly listing of submitted
demolition permit applications and online access to permit records. While these capabilities are
no substitute for the review and public discussion which formerly took place at Commission
meetings, they definitely facilitate our review of the demolition applications.
And while we have no more information on the RFP regarding use of funds from the historic
preservation contributions in development agreements than what is described in the Information
Item, we look forward to its publication and hope to be able to use some of these funds to offset
the additional fee burdens imposed last year.
With respect to the budget, we ask you for the following:
· Revision of the demolition permit fee to capture the full cost of the historic review process,including the cost any application for designation. The applicant for a demolition of aproperty listed on the Historic Resources Inventory would pay a demolition application fee,and, if a designation application is filed, a fee to cover the cost of filing for landmark orstructure of merit designation as well as the currently required fee for a consultant’s reporton the nomination.
· Reinstatement of the landmark and structure of merit designation fee waivers for non-profits, and
· Funding to restore public participation in Commission meetings, allowing the public tospeak on agenda items and allowing commissioners to question them, as is now possible inCity Council and Planning Commission meetings. Currently, there is no mechanism to allowthe public to speak on agenda items; only applicants and property owners are allowed in.The public must submit written comments. This is totally inappropriate for a public agencyrequired by code to hold public hearings.
While recognizing the very significant and ongoing fiscal constraints, we are very concerned aboutthe impact the “full cost recovery” approach to fees has on participation in the City’s HistoricPreservation program by individual owners and community members, the neighborhoodorganizations, and the Conservancy.
These program changes have another very negative result. They position preservation as amechanism for reinforcing elitism and privilege rather than a shared community value important
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to us all. Improving social equity in the historic preservation program and recognizing the stories of ourmarginalized communities is a priority. We should be working together to bring these stories to the public ratherthan placing historic designation out of reach of all but the wealthiest property owners.
Sincerely,
Tom Cleys, PresidentSanta Monica Conservancy Board of Directors
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