Santa Monica Disabilities Commission forms adaptive swimming access committee
Fewer adaptive swim slots prompted the Santa Monica Disabilities Commission to form a committee focused on access and pool lane decisions.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — commission forms committee on adaptive swimming, annual public forum/public hearing, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Commissioners want to know how much adaptive swimming capacity has been lost, what changed and whether those slots can be restored.
Adaptive swim slots have shrunk at the Santa Monica Swim Center. At a meeting of the Santa Monica Disabilities Commission, commissioners said opportunities for swimmers with disabilities, particularly children, had declined from earlier months. Families valued the program, commissioners said, and one member called swimming lessons essential for children with disabilities. The Santa Monica Disabilities Commission voted to create an ad hoc committee led by a commissioner to focus on improving access.
An aquatics manager’s letter laid out pool-capacity limits and lane-allocation guidelines. Commissioners wanted to see how those guidelines shape decisions among competing requests. One commissioner disputed the explanation for fewer slots, noting that the Santa Monica Swim Center has long rented lanes to teams and other groups. That commissioner urged a response seeking restored access, while others focused on establishing how much capacity had been lost and what changed.
The Santa Monica Disabilities Commission discussed using other pools, including Santa Monica College, where a commissioner said residents had taken lessons before COVID. The vice chair raised reasonable accommodation requests and regional center funding and vendor processes for specialized instruction. Commissioners noted that another facility could require insurance, trained lifeguards and instructors, and vendor arrangements; public access to the college pool also remained unclear. The new ad hoc committee will examine ways to improve adaptive swimming access.
Annual Public Forum/Public Hearing: Big Blue Bus and City of Santa Monica “MOD” Service Presentation and Q&A
At the Santa Monica Disabilities Commission’s annual forum, Big Blue Bus staff described 17 routes and the Brighter Blue 5-year plan. The plan calls for 10-minute service on key corridors, longer operating hours and better rail connections. Staff said seniors, riders with disabilities and Medicare card holders pay $0.75 cash or $0.60 with a reduced-fare TAP card.
Staff described MOD, a shared-ride service for seniors and people with disabilities booked through Lyft or dispatch. Weekend trips have returned since the COVID suspension, and staff gave the low-income one-way fare as $1. Commissioners and attendees asked about expanding destinations and simplifying reduced-fare applications, which require proof of eligibility and a passport-style photo.
One commissioner described buses passing a wheelchair user with low vision at a stop near Santa Monica Civic Center and said a requested light had not been installed. Big Blue Bus staff apologized for missed pickups and promised to check the stop and relay concerns to operations and training. The Santa Monica Disabilities Commission heard concerns about wheelchair boarding, the lack of an online ADA complaint form, operator conduct and unreliable stop cues.
Commission liaison questions development access and housing
A Santa Monica Disabilities Commission liaison raised accessibility, affordable housing and emergency access concerns while reporting on Architectural Review Board and Planning Commission reviews. The commissioner cited a proposed 232-unit project with 24 on-site affordable units and said SB 79 limited local discretion over large developments.
Residents seeking accessible homes need to know whether proposed units and emergency routes will meet their needs.
Emergency planning turns to accessible alerts
At the Santa Monica Disabilities Commission’s forum, the Office of Emergency Management’s chief resilience officer described evacuation hazard maps and plans for multilingual alerts. She said text-to-911 is available and a free emergency response training class is planned for November; attendees asked about power outages, extreme heat and accessible communications.
Alert formats and evacuation plans affect whether residents with disabilities can get information and leave safely.
Written comment seeks reliable bus stop cues
The Santa Monica Disabilities Commission heard a written request for consistent audio and visual cues when Big Blue Bus vehicles arrive and riders request stops. The commenter described delayed or muted announcements and unreliable confirmation signals. The chair said the recommendation would be sent to Big Blue Bus staff.
Riders who cannot hear or see a stop confirmation may not know whether a bus will stop.
Housing staff outline aid and resource gaps
At the Santa Monica Disabilities Commission’s forum, Housing and Human Services Department staff described homelessness prevention, housing assistance and a grants program allocating $10 million annually. Commissioners asked about housing waitlists, meeting notices and a central webpage for disability resources. Staff said website improvements were underway and welcomed follow-up on what to include.
A central resource page could help residents find housing assistance and accessibility information without searching across programs.
- Santa Monica Disabilities Commission. Housing and Human Services staff provided a high-level overview of department divisions and programs, including homelessness prevention, human services grants, and housing voucher and assistance programs. Commissioners raised concerns about affordable housing processes, waitlists, meeting notifications, and creating a centralized disability resources webpage.
- Santa Monica Disabilities Commission. The Fire Prevention Coordinator presented on Fire Department programs including Community Connect, the Aware California app, defensible space inspections, expanded ambulance operator staffing, and outreach efforts. Commissioners raised concerns about outreach to apartment residents, building design safety, and how Community Connect information is used in emergencies.
- Santa Monica Disabilities Commission. The Chief Resilience Officer presented on evacuation planning, hazard maps, El Niño preparedness, multilingual emergency alerts, text-to-911, and upcoming CERT training. Commissioners and attendees asked about landlord outreach, extreme heat in apartments, power outage communications, and accessibility in communications and call centers.
- Santa Monica Disabilities Commission. Big Blue Bus staff presented service and fare information, including the Brighter Blue 5-year service plan and MOD service details. Commissioners and attendees raised concerns about bus stop lighting, wheelchair boarding/securement, operator training, complaint form accessibility, reduced-fare application barriers, and fare enforcement practices.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
SANTA MONICA had 15 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCEAnnual Public Forum/Public Hearing: Santa Monica Fire Department Presentation and Q&A (Community Connect, Aware app, outreach, ambulance operator program). The Fire Prevention Coordinator presented on Fire Department programs including Community Connect, the Aware California app, defensible space inspections, expanded ambulance operator staffing, and outreach efforts. Commissioners raised concerns about outreach to apartment residents, building design safety, and how Community Connect information is used in emergencies.
- GOVERNANCEPublic Input (Public Forum Items): Curb Drop-Off Allowances, Flyer/AI Design Concern, and Invisible Disabilities/Rent Control/ADHD Summit Proposal. The Commission received written and live public input related to public forum topics, including requests for brief curb drop-off allowances for disabled residents, concerns about using AI for a forum flyer, and a call for stronger protections for renters with invisible disabilities along with a proposal to host an ADHD summit in Santa Monica.
- GOVERNANCEPublic Input (Non-Agenda Items): Dyslexia and Public Education. During non-agenda public input, one community member described personal experiences with dyslexia and advocated for effective dyslexia remediation in public education, citing instructional results and a long-term effort to define sound structures of American English.
- GOVERNANCETechnical Advisory Committee Participation: Local Roadway Safety Plan (Vision Zero) – Commissioner Interest. The Commission discussed identifying a member to participate on a technical advisory committee for the City’s local roadway safety plan update. A commissioner expressed strong interest, and the Chair summarized the expected duties and meeting commitment and planned to follow up with staff to confirm participation details.
- GOVERNANCEPublic Works Parks and Recreation Vision Plan (Written Materials Only; Staff Absent). The Chair noted Public Works staff were unable to attend but provided a prepared overview in the commissioners’ packet regarding the Parks and Recreation Vision Plan and action plan, including accessibility priorities for parks, open spaces, and the beach, and a link for public feedback.
- GOVERNANCEAd Hoc Report: National Disability Employment Awareness Month. A commissioner reported that the ad hoc group still wanted to pursue a proclamation, noting it was late for the current year but suggesting keeping the ad hoc active and using Los Angeles County’s proclamation as a base for a Santa Monica version in a future year.
- GOVERNANCEChair Announcements and Policy/Resource Updates (Disability Employment Awareness, Invisible Disabilities Week, Section 504 ruling, CDC survey redesign, California legislation, accessibility resources, AI bills). The Chair made announcements and shared policy and resource updates affecting people with disabilities, including county proclamations, a federal court ruling related to Section 504, a proposed CDC survey redesign, state legislative updates, digital accessibility resources, and AI-related bills signed or vetoed by the Governor.
- GOVERNANCELiaison Report: Arts Commission. A commissioner reported difficulty tracking Arts Commission meetings due to changes and cancellations and noted participation in a special meeting discussing a draft framework related to planning policy and LA 28. The commissioner requested improved clarity and coordination on meeting information.
- GOVERNANCEAd Hoc Report: Santa Monica Website Quality Assurance Review. Commissioners reported that they planned to compile information and circulate it within weeks as part of the website quality assurance review work, referencing prior materials as a starting point.
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