A. A primary goal of Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights is to support, defend and enhance rent control and tenant protections even in the face of state intervention by:

  1. Advocating repeal of the Ellis Act and advocating repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Act, or modifying it to limit how much rents can be raised upon vacancy and to make clear it does not apply to affordable inclusionary units required in new multifamily developments.
  2. Enhancing local efforts to address the effects of state-imposed vacancy decontrol and enforce protections of tenants from harassment and unfair evictions.
  3. Providing counseling and legal assistance for all renters by City-funded legal services for low-income tenants and by aid and referrals through our hotline (394-0848).
  4. Defending the rights and security of tenants in condo-converted buildings, while respecting the concerns of homeowners in those buildings.
  5. Tenants are entitled to peace, privacy, and dignity. The protections they should be afforded include: freedom from harassment; well-enforced habitability laws, continuation of base amenities; protection from toxic substances (such as mold, asbestos, and lead paint); reasonable guest visitation; protection of established roommate privileges; strong anti-discrimination laws and family- and domestic-partner protection laws; and the right to communicate with other tenants about conditions or circumstances in their buildings.

B.  Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights strongly supports programs that seek to preserve and expand the supply of affordable housing and maintain the historic ethnic and economic diversity of our city.

  1. Housing policies should encourage the preservation of existing affordable housing and protect the tenure of existing tenants, including Section 8 tenants.
  2. To preserve the character of residential neighborhoods and to reduce the loss of existing housing, Santa Monica should reduce development heights and densities in multifamily zones.
  3. Most new multifamily housing development activity should be shifted to mixed-use projects in select commercial and industrial zones where pedestrian access to retail and transit services can be provided.
  4. The City should adopt an inclusionary housing program that provides at least 20% on-site affordable units in each new multifamily development in residential zones. Affordable units must be equal in size and amenities to market units.
  5. Santa Monica should focus on affordable housing in meeting its regional responsibilities for housing production.  Emphasis should be nonprofit-provided housing, including temporary, transitional, and permanent housing for the homeless.
  6. The City should facilitate affordable homeownership opportunities for moderate income Santa Monicans, while opposing condo-conversion schemes that create displacement and harassment risks for existing residents.
  7. The City should provide incentives for new affordable housing by reducing planning and zoning constraints and by expediting development review of housing projects with at least 80% of units reserved for low-income residents, while respecting neighborhood quality-of-life concerns.
  8. Santa Monica must adopt policies that ensure the achievement of the goals of Proposition R, which requires that 30% of all new multifamily housing each year be affordable to low- and moderate-income households. The City and Redevelopment Agency should maximize funding for preserving, purchasing land for, and developing affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families.
  9. Housing policies should protect residents from the adverse effects of residential and commercial development by managing the rate of construction and should preserve existing buildings (such as courtyard apartments and cottage bungalows) that add history, charm, or character to the community.
  10. The City and Rent Control Board should strictly enforce all owners' requirements under the Ellis Act and enforce all owners' agreements to keep deed-restricted units affordable.
  11. Encourage preservation and development of housing dedicated to senior citizens sufficient to meet the growing need.
  12. SMRR supports the enactment of a "Visitability" ordinance for new and/or substantially remodeled homes to (1) meet the housing needs of those with disabilities or who "age in place" and (2) to ensure that people with disabilities have basic visitation access to all new housing, where such an ordinance can be implemented in a fair and reasonable manner and without imposing unduly excessive costs on homeowners.

C. Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights supports Santa Monica as a model Lifelong Learning Community – a community committed to strengthening educational planning for all ages and stages of life with opportunities that enhance the personal, social and professional goals of all residents. SMRR supports breadth, diversity and equity in educational programming to achieve social and economic justice for all students.

  1. SMRR reaffirms its strongest commitment to our public schools and college including their teachers and support staffs. A well-educated community is in the best interests of all Santa Monicans. We support high quality affordable early childhood education, childcare, and recreational and youth services for our community.
  2. The City, School District and College should develop an on-going partnership that recognizes and serves the full community’s interest in maintaining excellent public schools.
  3. The City, in order to ensure high quality public education in core curriculum and bilingual education, special education, music, fine arts, and PE, should continue on-going financial support for our schools and help develop ongoing sustainable funding from a number of sources. SMRR recognizes it is the responsibility of the School District to determine the best use of such funds.
  4. The City, School District and College should take leadership roles in a community partnership to implement programs that ensure every child is born healthy, enjoys learning, and enters school ready and eager to succeed.
  5. Santa Monica College should continue its leadership role in promoting appropriate workforce and economic development programs in support of workers and businesses in Santa Monica.
  6. Santa Monica College should continue to seek long-term solutions to access to the College for Santa Monica residents, including joint City-College collaborations. SMRR supports the many programs of Santa Monica College that provide ongoing educational opportunities to Santa Monica residents. SMRR is committed to vocational and academic programs to meet the needs of our diverse community.
  7. The City, in cooperation with the School District and College, should fulfill its previous commitment to ensure that quality affordable childcare is available to every Santa Monica family who seeks it.
  8. Santa Monica should ensure meaningful opportunities for advocacy, empowerment and participation in community affairs for all students, including the establishment of an on-going advisory Santa Monica City Youth Commission.
  9. The expansion and continuation of excellent programs that effectively reach out and address the needs of students to achieve success are a sound community investment and should remain a high priority in community, college, and school affairs.
  10. SMRR supports employment programs including programs for youth in public and private jobs emphasizing internships, service learning, apprenticeships, and mentoring which are designed to lead to meaningful and long-term employment.
  11. The City, the College, and the School District should continue to collaborate to preserve, enhance, and provide accessible and available recreation and cultural activities and facilities for all people in our community.
  12. SMRR will work with groups throughout the State and Nation to support full funding for educational mandates and to oppose measures that put public education in peril.

D. SMRR supports ensuring the continued prosperity of our local economy while protecting the community from excessive development and the traffic it generates.  SMRR is committed to protecting residential neighborhoods from intensification of nearby commercial development.

  1. SMRR opposes increasing commercial heights and densities in any commercial district in Santa Monica.
  2. Santa Monica should lower height and density standards on commercial boulevards.  Since commercial development generates much more traffic than housing, land-use policy should favor housing over commercial uses above the first floor on these boulevards.
  3. Commercial development should not exceed the capacity of the City’s infrastructure nor be permitted where it adversely affects residential neighborhoods. The City should set limits on total commercial development permitted in Santa Monica based on infrastructure capacity.  Certificates of Occupancy for new developments should not be issued until all mitigation measures required by environmental review are completed.
  4. Land-use policy and zoning decisions should make sure that communities burdened by development gain tangible benefits from development.
  5. Regional and international visitors are important ingredients to Santa Monica’s fiscal success and add important multicultural dimensions to our community life. However, future efforts should place greater emphasis upon development of services and activities that primarily seek to serve and attract local Santa Monica residents and nearby local markets first. The goal of meeting Santa Monica community needs first should be reflected in the nature of permitted uses, heights and densities, the marketing strategies of each district, and the public events sponsored and their outreach programs. Small, locally owned businesses should be protected, encouraged, and facilitated.

E. SMRR is committed to keeping Santa Monica at the forefront of enlightened environmental policy. We strive to make our community and environment better than the way we found them and to that end are determined to improve and strengthen our world-renowned sustainability programs.

  1. The “Sustainable City Program” should become the guiding principle in policies and decisions made by the City Council, City departments, and all City boards and commissions.
  2. Santa Monica, both public and private entities, should reduce its ecological footprint by increasing use of clean, renewable energy; implementing aggressive energy-conservation measures; and promoting land-use and infrastructure policies that encourage walking, biking, and public transportation.
  3. The City, School District, and College should continue to improve and expand their recycling, waste-reduction, and toxic-recovery programs.
  4. Santa Monica should strongly support water-conservation and urban-runoff-reduction programs and encourage other cities to fulfill their obligation to take the steps needed to reduce pollution in Santa Monica Bay.
  5. Santa Monica should enhance its efforts at integrating cleaner alternative-fuel and zero-emission vehicles into its fleets.
  6. Santa Monica local shuttle systems should be expanded to serve and connect our neighborhoods, commercial areas, our beaches and our parks, while making them more convenient, efficient, and economical.
  7. Developers of new commercial and housing projects should be required to provide transit passes at no cost to their employees and residents of their projects.  Hotels should provide free transit passes to guests.

F .Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights believes that it is the right of all community members to feel safe and secure. Addressing crime requires the commitment of the entire community and the formation of partnerships between the people and the Police Department. SMRR is committed to working with the SMPD to promote a comprehensive community-based approach to law enforcement.

  1. Support community based policing. Community policing is a philosophy, a management style, and an organizational strategy that promotes problem solving and police/community partnerships that jointly identify safety issues, determine resources, and apply innovative strategies to create and sustain healthy, vital neighborhoods.
  2. Ensure that each public safety department develops a collaborative relationship with our community, including neighborhood-based organizations and the inclusion of community members in advisory and decision-making processes.
  3. Ensure that the capacity and resources of the Police and Fire Departments are appropriate to address the safety needs of our community.
  4. Include traffic management and pedestrian protection as critical components of a public safety program.
  5. Continue to promote checks and balances assuring an ethical Police Department that does not tolerate actions such as selective enforcement, racial profiling, and violations of constitutional protections.
  6. Ensure sensitivity to issues that impact families and relationships (e.g., domestic violence, concerns with/for juveniles).

G. Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights is committed to assuring the restoration and expansion of our parks and our public open space and the recreational facilities and programs located or conducted there. Santa Monica parks should be the pride of our community.

  1. Substantial progress has been made in restoring our vital parks, but the work is not done. We support the efforts to complete that work and ensure effective maintenance and safety levels in these parks.
  2. We support the goals of and urge aggressive implementation of the City’s Open Space Element and Parks & Recreation Master Plan for the acquisition of more parks and the greening of the City.
  3. We support an increase in non-aviation recreational uses at Santa Monica Airport including the development of active recreational facilities to meet the broad range of needs in our community on residual land not needed for airport purposes.
  4. Implement a process and a plan that would ensure every Santa Monica neighborhood a generous urban forest.

H. Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights is committed to sustaining the broad array of social service programs for seniors, for persons with disabilities, for families, for youth, and for the poor in Santa Monica, including a continued local commitment to humane efforts to meet the needs of the homeless.

  1. Support the right to full enjoyment of and a sense of security in all public places. The civil rights of the housed and the unhoused are and should be equally protected in the eyes of the law and the community.
  2. Homelessness is a national disgrace which can only be solved when we act as one nation in facing its challenge. The Council should consistently speak out to the political community and business leaders of our region, our state, and our nation about this.
  3. The community should be consulted on a regular basis regarding social service needs in Santa Monica through surveys, focus groups and/or public hearings.
  4. Funding for homeless serving programs should maintain a continuum of care model in which emergency assistance programs are supported.
  5. Support the full inclusion of people with disabilities as a basic right and responsibility of the community to facilitate.

I. Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights is committed to assuring a vital artistic and cultural life in our community.

  1. The arts are a part of the success of our local economy as well as a vital part of our community and cultural life and should be nurtured.
  2. Expand the community’s arts and cultural programs to include increased excellence in public art and an increased emphasis upon and support for the performing arts.
  3. The City should assist and facilitate the development of effective arts programs in our schools.
  4. The City should give priority to supporting local artists in its arts programs.
  5. The City should encourage live-work spaces and the retention of the local artist community.
  6. The City should create a professional cultural center in the Civic Center.
  7. SMRR supports historic districts, buildings, and places to maintain historic and cultural depth and neighborhood characters with particular attention to courtyard and apartments and bungalows.

J. Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights is committed to the enhancement of public participation in all aspects of community life, including its political life.

  1. Support affirmative action for full and equal access to community leadership positions, membership on boards and commissions, jobs, contracts, housing, and educational opportunities to all people without regard for race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, disability, or sexual orientation.
  2. The City should increase voter interest and participation in elections by facilitating voter registration and finding convenient voting locations.
  3. Support campaign contribution limitations as adopted by City law and urge consideration of measures that ensure that campaign money for local candidates is principally raised from local residents.
  4. Urge an enhanced non-partisan role for CityTV in airing creative programming and forums and debates involving local issues and candidates for local office.
  5. Advocate that the City ensure the vitality of neighborhood organizations and their inclusion in policy debates including providing resources for the support of existing and new neighborhood organizations.
  6. Encourage broad and early notification of community members about issues of concern.
  7. Santa Monica should support community connectivity and inclusive public involvement through telecommunications technology, with commitment to universal access.
  8. Urge the City to ensure access to residents of the highest quality of cable and other information services in a cost effective method including local public education and government programming.

K. Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights is committed to workers’ rights.

  1. Supports a living wage and fair benefits including respecting and defending the rights of workers in Santa Monica to organize to achieve these conditions, without harassment or intimidation.
  2. Strongly urges the City, School District, College, and the business community to guarantee these rights, promote decent working conditions, and give employees a voice on the job and on boards and commissions that affect the industries, institutions, and organizations in which they work.

L. SMRR is committed to maintaining and enhancing the security and quality of life for all Santa Monica Senior Citizens.

  1. Access to the community must be ensured for seniors through transportation options.
  2. An aging population requires access to affordable healthcare and housing.
  3. Education options must extend throughout one’s life. SMRR re-states its support for life-long learning including for the senior community.

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