Santa Monica Next

City Council Approves Loan to Rehab Virginia Ave. Affordable Apartments - Santa Monica Next The following is a submission from the city. The Santa Monica City Council Tuesday approved a Housing Trust Fund loan not to exceed $35.7 million to Community Corporation of Santa Monica, or CCSM, for...

“These are individuals and families who have lived in Santa Monica for generations, many growing up in the same apartment they are now raising their own families in,” Mayor Lana Negrete said.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/city...

Council Briefs: Parking Tweaks, Bad Faith Negotiating, Affordable Housing Zoning Changes, Equity Ordinance - Santa Monica Next Next is continuing with a series with new coverage of the city council meetings with a series of shorts that tells the rest of the story that our larger pieces might miss. Last night’s meeting can be ...

The hottest moment came in the first six minutes when AFSCME slammed the city for dishonest negotiating with the city's employees.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/coun...

City Council Moves to Make Downtown Revitalization Measures Permanent - Santa Monica Next But it also Put Certain Limits on Hotel and Pawn Shop Operations The city council continues to adjust its policies in an attempt to stimulate downtown business activity. On Tuesday evening, the counci...

"While the current ordinance lasts until 2028, the move to fully codify measures on Tuesday was to provide greater certainty to the business community and potential tenants that the city is committed to strengthening new and existing businesses for the long term."
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Ride the Steel Wave: Pacific Park Celebrates ‘National Roller Coaster Day’ with the Ocean-Soaring West Coaster This Saturday - Santa Monica Next Get ready to ride the steel wave of National Roller Coaster Day. Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is offering $1 rides on its ocean-soaring West Coaster on Saturday, August 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 ...

Get the barcode on Instagram @pacpark for just $1 to ride on August 16 and enjoy the thrills of the West Coaster's double-helix design and breathtaking ocean views.
santamonicanext.org/2025/08/ride...

Endless Summer C.A.M.P. celebrates Santa Monica’s 150th anniversary in a free day of art, music and play for all ages - Santa Monica Next The following is a submission from the City of Santa Monica. Santa Monica’s 150th Anniversary celebration continues with Endless Summer C.A.M.P. (Community | Art | Music | Picnic), a joyful, free, fam...

Pack a picnic and enjoy a celebration of community, arts, and culture with a free, family-friendly interactive experience in the city’s eco-friendly urban oasis
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Santa Monica Announces Return of Safe Routes to School Program as Pali High Is First School to Re-Open Later This Week - Santa Monica Next Back to School comes early to Santa Monica this year as Pali High students will return to their Downtown Santa Monica home away from home later this week. Pali’s campus could re-open after winter brea...

The improved infrastructure is great, and needed.

The return of the Safe Routes to School program is great too.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/sant...

OPA Update 8/11/25: OPA Monthly Meeting TONIGHT/Monday, Return To School Traffic Tips, & Things To Do This Week - Santa Monica Next OPA August 11 Monthly Meeting TONIGHT/Monday: This month's meeting will be at the Ocean Park Library (@ 2601 Main St.) starting with food and mingling at 6:00pm. We will also be hybrid on Zoom. Here's...

OPA Monthly meeting tonight, and a stack of news from around the city from last week...

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/opa-...

Free Metered Parking for EVs Ends on September 30 - Santa Monica Next For as long as I've lived in Los Angeles (2007, FtR), the State of California has allowed special privileges to electric vehicles and other low-emission vehicles to drive in carpool lanes or for free ...

Starting 10/1: No more free parking no matter what powers your car.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/free...

Kool Happenings: Give Him Enough Rope - Santa Monica Next The idea that, given enough freedom to make foolish decisions, one may eventually use it to one's own detriment, is expressed in a number of different languages as having enough "rope". In Hindi, the ...

Shelia: The more rope they collect in order to tie us up and drag us away, the greater the likelihood that they will end up on the short end of it, either dangling from a symbolic tree, or on the losing side of the tug of war in which they are engaged...

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/kool...

Governor Signs “Slow Down, Move Over” Law Creating Protections for Stranded Motorists - Santa Monica Next Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 390 into law which extends protections already given to police officers, highway workers, Caltrans employees and other people doing official work ...

New law aims at reducing traffic deaths on highways.
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OPA Update 8/7/25: New City Manager Oliver Chi @ OPA Monthly Meeting Next Monday, 15′ Great White Shark Spotted Near the Pier, Chez Jay’s 66 Year Anniversary Party, & Other Things To Do This Weekend -... OPA August 11 Monthly Meeting Monday: This month's meeting will be at the Ocean Park Library (@ 2601 Main St.) starting with food and mingling at 6:00pm. We will also be hybrid on Zoom. Here's the zoo...

This week's pre-weekend roundup includes everything from news about sharks near the pier to deals for the end of restaurant week.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/opa-...

Streetsbloggers and Yolobus Step Up to Provide Clear Ways to Take Transit to See the A's - Streetsblog California Looking to see the A's in West Sacramento? This article has the links and maps to plan your trip on bus or rail.

Looking to take transit to see the A's play? Yolobus has a plan to help locals, and a Streetsblogger made a map for the best ways to walk from the Amtrak and light rail stations.

cal.streetsblog.org/2025/08/06/s...

Now To October: Free Saturday Morning Fitness – Wellness & Waves on the Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica Next The following submission and above photo is from the Pier Corporation. Start your weekend with movement, mindfulness, and ocean views as Wellness & Waves continues on the Santa Monica Pier each Saturd...

Move, Breathe, and Recharge by the Sea With Weekly Runs Under the Iconic Pier Arch Sign and Yoga-Pilates on the West End.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/now-...

Conservancy Invites You to Celebrate the 66th Birthday of Chez Jay - Santa Monica Next The following comes via the Santa Monica Conservancy. This Saturday, August 9th, Chez Jay celebrates its 66th Anniversary. This legacy business, located just off Route 66, is a designated Santa Monica...

Sounds like a fun way this weekend to celebrate some Santa Monica history.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/cons...

SMPD Stats Show Shocking Drop in Traffic Enforcement - Santa Monica Next Statistics released in an email from the City Manager show a shocking drop in the amount of traffic stops made by the Santa Monica Police Department over the last decade. In 2015, the department issue...

Less than 800 citations in 2021? What the heck were they doing?

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/smpd...

OPA Update National Night Out Tonight, OPA August Monthly Meeting Next Monday, SMPD to Increase Enforcement Against Illegal Off-Highway Vehicles, & More! - Santa Monica Next This newsletter came out yesterday and this copy has been lightly edited to remove events from last night. OPA August 11 Monthly Meeting Next Monday: This month's meeting will be at the Ocean Park Lib...

National Night Out is tonight!
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An update to the headline - it's just one building. Sorry if it confused anyone.

Plan Would Replace Santa Monica Business Park with 375 Unit Mixed-Use Housing Project - Santa Monica Next Major changes are coming to the Santa Monica Business Park on Ocean Avenue (adjacent to the Santa Monica Airport to the South and Clover Park to the West) if a project outlined in a permit application...

It's SMO and Clover Park Adjacent. People have argued we need more housing NEAR the future airport park. Well, here it is.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/plan...

Reminder: BBB Service Changes Go Into Place on Sunday, 8/10 - Santa Monica Next The following is a reminder from the City of Santa Monica. Beginning Sunday, Aug. 10, the city of Santa Monica Big Blue Bus will implement a series of service improvements designed to make riding easi...

Friendly reminder - BBB will be adding more service this coming Sunday. But check your schedule before heading out to make sure the timing you're expecting is still in place.

santamonicanext.org/2025/08/remi...

CA Senate Passes Bill that Will Allow LA to Buy Fire Ravaged Lots to Build Low Income Housing Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the allocation of $101 million in taxpayer funds for “multifamily low-income housing development” on lots that were ravaged by the deadly Palisades and Eaton wildfires.

Half a month later, this article that is based on a false premise (there's nothing about low income housing in the law, that was also tabled until next year), is still live at Los Angeles Magazine.

lamag.com/news/ca-sena...

Kool Happenings: Jumping Through Hoops - Santa Monica Next Santa Monica Next is proud to be the online home of former State Senator and County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. You can sign-up to get her email delivered to your inbox directly by clicking here.On a tab...

Well, @damientypes.bsky.social was completely unable to work South Park into a story this week. So let's leave it to the Supervisor...
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Commentary: More Trump and Co. High Speed Rail Sophistry - Santa Monica Next The following article comes to us from Streetsblog San Francisco. Photo: Caltrain in Redwood City, Streetsblog/Rudick Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy had an op-ed in the Sacramento Bee on Wedne...

Sorry not sorry you're getting sued for the HSR money you're trying to steal from California, Sean Duffy

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OPA Update 7/31/25: Thank You AJA Vineyards for Joining OPA as a Gold Member, OPA Housing Committee Meeting This Coming Monday, Margaritas & Mocktails with the Mayor, & Other Things To Do This Weekend... Main St. Closed to Traffic THIS Sunday AM for Festival of Chariots Parade from Approx 10am-12pm Thank You AJA Vineyards for Joining OPA as a Gold Member!!! AJA Vineyards is proud to be Santa Monica's ...

Festival of Chariots on Sunday, National Night Out on Tuesday and a lot more!

santamonicanext.org/2025/07/opa-...

City Council Continues Restorative Justice Efforts Around the Ebony Beach Club - Santa Monica Next The city is one step closer to bringing justice to the family of Silas White following a vote to offer mediation to the White family. White was a prominent Black entrepreneur who owned businesses and ...

The city is one step closer to bringing justice to the family of Silas White following a vote to offer mediation to the White family.
santamonicanext.org/2025/07/city...

Council Wrap: New DTSM Board, Pico Bus Stop Approved, Protected Bike Lanes Approved, Changes to the RAND Developer Agreement and More.
santamonicanext.org/2025/07/coun...

RAND Looking for City Approval to Change Downtown Headquarters Building - Santa Monica Next (Photo: Miles Freeman/Google) RAND Seeks Changes to 25-Year-Old Development Deal to Allow for Mixed-Use At tonight’s City Council meeting, the RAND Corporation is seeking changes in its Development Ag...

Is RAND moving?

santamonicanext.org/2025/07/rand...

Legislative Update: Summer Recess Edition - Santa Monica Next Which Bills Are Alive and Which Have Died in the California Legislature as Electeds Take Summer Break July 18 was the last day for the legislature before its one month summer break and also the last d...

Streetsblog tells us which bills are alive, which ones are law, and which ones are still traveling.

santamonicanext.org/2025/07/legi...

OPA Update 7/28/25: Thank You Ted Winterer for Upgrading Your OPA Membership to Gold, OPA Housing Committee Meeting Next Monday, & Introducing the Ocean Park Book Club - Santa Monica Next Thank You Ted Winterer for Upgrading Your OPA Membership to Gold!!! "Ted Winterer has lived with his family in Ocean Park for 25 years and was a founding member of OPA and its second president. That g...

Shout out to Mayor's roundtable co-host Ted Winterer and a bunch of news and events from our beloved city.

santamonicanext.org/2025/07/opa-...

Eyes on the Promenade: Exciting Storefronts Promise New Offerings - Santa Monica Next Just a couple of years ago, the 3rd Street Promenade seemed to be on its last legs. Storefront vacancies were higher than they should have been. There was a perception that crime and homelessness were...

Culto Futbol, UNIQLO, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza.

The 3rd Street Comeback is in full swing.

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Kool Happenings: Fear And Loathing In America - Santa Monica Next In 1971, "gonzo" author, Hunter S. Thompson, debuted his novel, Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas. His soon-to-be-classic became a seminal part of over-the-top fiction depicting the exploding phenomenon ...

"His obsession has set him crazily careening through a multitude of attempted erasures of segments of that history, which he explains in sentences that sound like the ramblings a person totally wasted on drugs."

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