Santa Monica Observer - Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Dear Mayor Davis, Councilmembers and City Attorney Sloan, The purpose of this open letter is to express grave concerns regarding the constitutionality of item 5-K agendized for the upcoming September...

City staffer made unilateral decision to affect the composition of policymaking body which is supposed to be comprised of seven councilmembers and two housing voucher holders, including one with...

The City of Santa Monica violated my civil rights by failing to engage with me in an interactive process after I requested a reasonable accommodation to be able to call in and offer my public comment...

It seems to me that the neighborhood groups would like to eat the cake (as in receive public funding from the City) and eat it too (as in engage in legislative advocacy), without so much as a...

It is this Council's responsibility to the voters to demote Sue Himmelrich from the position of Mayor – in order to protect democracy. Himmelrich acts like a dictator who controls, intimidates and m...

Amid an affordable housing and homelessness crisis, why would the City want to suspend all meetings of the Housing Commission "until City Council considers its annual appointments in June 2022" (May 1...

Urged by Mayor Himmelrich (a supporter of SMRR), and Councilmember Davis (a supporter of Santa Monica Forward), Council attempted to unlawfully reappoint Chair Buchanan to her sixth term, and...

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express my concerns regarding the news of the State of California Bar appointing George Cardona as Chief Trial Counsel. Since the California State Bar is...

At the July 15, 2021 meeting of the Santa Monica Housing Commission, Chair Michael Soloff proceeded with the selection of the leadership even though commissioners had not yet been appointed by the...

The following is a written public comment submitted to the Santa Monica City Council on 6/29/21 This is to request that Mayor Himmelrich refrain from nominating or voting for SMRR-endorsed Council...

If you are wondering how your tax dollars are spent on addressing the homeless crisis in Santa Monica, do not ask the City as they would likely not be able to answer. They would probably even think...

The main purpose of this letter is to urge the City Council and Councilmember McCowan to reconsider Mr. Cardona's position as stated in his January 6, 2021 response to Olga Zurawska's Demand to Cure...

A Demand to Cure and Correct alleges a Brown Act violation regarding the selection of Council leadership, calls for Council to conduct new vote without participation of Councilmember McCowan. Letter...

Throughout Santa Monica, about 1,488 residents currently live in subsidized housing known as Section 8, a federal program administered by the Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA). These are the...

Over the past two years eight lawsuits have been filed by clients and former employees against the City’s sole provider of homeless services, The People Concern. A current lawsuit by a former...

Thanks to community advocacy, City Council approved $669K in funding for improvements to Samoshel - an interim housing facility located on City property, leased and operated by OPCC dba The People...

We oppose the extension of funding for OPCC dba The People Concern, unless the City commissions an independent fiscal and performance audit. If the City extends the funding, we propose it should be...

I have serious concerns about the qualifications and performance of the Santa Monica Social Services Commission, and particularly its Chair Mr. Parent, as well as the staff liaison Ms. Yavari, whose...

This Council is about to approve $1.6M in public funding for OPCC dba The People Concern, supposedly for the provision of homeless services. This is despite the City being on notice for at least two...

The homeless count is a cause for celebration for homeless services providers because it gives them an idea of how much public funding they will be receiving to sustain themselves for another year....