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August 15 - August 21, 2025 Volume CXXIII Issue 214
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Santa Monica Approves $34.8M Loan to Rehabilitate Rent-Controlled Apartments The approval will fund extensive renovations, including upgrades to gas, water, and electrical systems, heating and cooling, plumbing, sewage, structural repairs, and accessibility features
The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday authorized a $34.8 million Housing Trust Fund loan to the Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM) for the rehabilitation of a 40unit rent-controlled apartment complex at 2033-2101 Virginia Ave., ensuring longterm affordability and improved living
conditions for residents. The property, built in 1947-48, was acquired by CCSM in 2020 with a $15.2 million city loan to prevent displacement of low-income tenants after the previous owners listed it for sale. The additional $19.6 million approved Tuesday will fund extensive renovations, including upgrades to gas, water, and electrical systems, heating and cooling, plumbing, sewage, structural repairs, and accessibility features. The project also includes $1.8 million for temporary tenant relocation and moving support. “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. “We are pleased the city is able to facilitate this rehabilitation, in partnership with CCSM, to keep these Santa Monicans housed and ensure they have safe and habitable living conditions.” Existing tenants will return at their current rent-controlled rates, subject to annual adjustments allowed by city code. Once vacated, units will be restricted to extremely low, very low, and low-income households earning up to 80% of the area
median income. The project may also help Santa Monica meet its state-mandated affordable housing obligations, pending approval from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, as 21 of the 40 units were found unfit for habitation during a July 2025 inspection due to issues like severe deterioration and faulty utilities. The total loan exceeds the city’s Housing Trust Fund per-unit guidelines, requiring council approval. It includes a $1.25 million state matching grant and accounts for cost escalations since 2020 due to construction, relocation, and insurance increases. CCSM secured an additional $850,000 federal grant and a $24,999 city sustainability grant, and anticipates a $200,000 reimbursement from California’s
Low-Income Weatherization Program. Construction is set to begin in October, with tenant relocation planned for December 2025 to January 2026. The project is expected to be completed by March 2027, with tenants returning between December 2026 and January 2027. The loan is repayable after a 55-year term, and 20 project-based vouchers from the Santa Monica Housing Authority will support ongoing affordability. The council’s decision follows a February closed-session discussion and cost-reduction efforts by CCSM, which cut estimated rehabilitation costs by $5.9 million through competitive bidding. The project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Section 15301 for existing facilities.
Palisades High Parents Frustrated by $450 Parking Fees at Temporary Santa Monica Campus While the city touts the 72% discount off its standard $20 daily rate as an accommodation, some Palisades parents say it’s still an unmanageable cost and that other options are limited
As Palisades Charter High School students return this week to their temporary campus in downtown Santa Monica, some parents are raising concerns over
transportation logistics—particularly the steep price of parking, which runs more than $450 per semester. The parking passes, which allow students to use Santa Monica’s public structures near the former Sears building on Colorado Avenue, were offered at a discounted rate of $5.50 per day. That adds up to $451 for the 82-day fall semester, plus a $6 fee for the required access card. While the city touts the 72% discount off its standard $20 daily rate as an accommodation, some Palisades parents say it’s still an unmanageable cost and that other options are limited. One parent, who requested to remain anonymous due to privacy concerns, called the situation “untenable.” “My son starts school Wednesday and, at the moment, his only real option is that I drive and pick him up—or he pays daily to park,” the parent said. “That was the suggestion from the school, but this just isn’t a realistic long-term solution for us or
many other families.” The parent, whose family recently moved to the South Bay, said the school gave little advance notice before releasing the limited number of parking passes, which reportedly sold out within minutes. “It felt random,” the parent said. “They announced it last Tuesday and the passes were gone right away. Only 250 spots were available.” The City of Santa Monica says it worked with school officials to offer discounted parking in response to the emergency relocation of Palisades High, which is temporarily housed in Santa Monica while construction continues at its original Pacific Palisades campus. In addition to the paid option, the city pointed families toward the GoPass program, which offers K-12 students free rides on LA Metro and Big Blue Bus lines. The Metro E Line and several bus stops are located near the school, providing a nocost public transit option.
However, the anonymous parent said Metro access isn’t viable for many Pali families who don’t live near train lines or have reliable connections to transit hubs. “We don’t live anywhere near a Metro station, and these systems weren’t designed for park-and-ride use like in other cities,” the parent said. “The school hasn’t provided any assistance or realistic alternatives.” The city says it is also emphasizing pedestrian safety and promoting carpooling, biking, and walking as part of its “Back in Motion” campaign ahead of the school year. But with Palisades High students returning to class ahead of most Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District students, many parents feel unprepared for the shift in routine.