Santa Monica City Council advances affordability measures and paycheck rule
The package would widen cash assistance for older residents, direct more attention to food and child care, and set a path for local wage enforcement.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — affordability agenda, first reading, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
The proposed POD changes would make 29 applicant households eligible; a separate ordinance would let workers designate someone to collect a final paycheck.
Rent relief, child care and unpaid wages shared one agenda. The Santa Monica City Council approved staff recommendations for an affordability package that would expand the Preserving Our Diversity (POD) cash-assistance program. The proposed changes would lower its minimum age from 65 to 62, include deed-restricted affordable housing and shorten the required time in a rent-controlled unit from 15 years to 10. Staff said 29 households that had applied would qualify under the new rules.
The package would put $23.5 million in Measure GS housing-production funds into Housing Trust Fund guidelines, with the aim of reopening an affordable-housing funding process in 2027. Staff proposed directing additional food funding through the next Human Services Grant cycle and examining affordable grocers on city-owned sites. The city already provides $1.2 million a year in child care subsidies through those grants; staff said another $100,000 annually could help about five more children. The Santa Monica City Council approved further work on protections against landlord interference with tenant organizing.
The Santa Monica City Council also introduced a first-reading ordinance that would require employers to offer workers a form to designate someone to collect a final paycheck if they become unavailable. Staff proposed a 15-day notice to the worker and designee when a paycheck is ready, with education before a July 2027 effective date. A motion to remove that ordinance failed. The Santa Monica City Council asked the City Attorney to return with options for final-paycheck rights as the city brings wage enforcement in-house.
First reading: updates to California Building Standards Code and related tenant protection and construction hours amendments
The Santa Monica City Council introduced ordinances to adopt the 2025 California Building Standards Code and update two local permitting rules. State building codes change every three years. Staff said the city had worked with the state on the formatting and placement of local amendments, while keeping their technical requirements, including long-standing fire sprinkler and alarm rules.
One proposed change would require permit applicants working on tenant-occupied buildings to complete a tenant acknowledgement form before receiving a permit. Tenants would receive notice by certified mail, and applicants would upload the form through the electronic permitting system. The requirement is meant to make tenant notice part of the permit process rather than a separate step.
The other change would define which activities qualify for after-hours construction permits in commercial zones. It would remove an open-ended 500-foot notification rule and shift notification until after an application is filed. Councilmembers asked how the new system would handle public input and work that falls outside the listed activities. Staff said the defined categories were intended to make permit requests more consistent.
City Council approves Third Street Promenade display
The Santa Monica City Council approved a development agreement for a curved digital display at 1355 Third Street Promenade. The deal calls for a one-time $500,000 payment, annual payments of at least $500,000 or 20% of gross revenue, whichever is greater, and city content for 20% of operating time.
The agreement ties display revenue and operating rights to payments, public content and occupancy of a vacant building.
Public speakers weigh affordability and city costs
Speakers addressing the Santa Monica City Council questioned parts of the affordability package, the proposed building-code amendments and the visibility of discretionary fund balances. A business representative opposed the final-paycheck ordinance, while another speaker supported tenant protections; others raised city fees and coastal erosion.
Those comments put permit rules, worker protections and the costs residents pay before the City Council.
City Council approves airport renovation contract change
The Santa Monica City Council approved another contract modification for a building renovation at Santa Monica Airport. Staff said the added $2.1 million would come from approved airport funds, not the General Fund, to address problems including basement water intrusion, electrical service and code compliance; tenants could move in during spring 2027.
The added work increases the project’s cost but does not draw on the General Fund.
City Manager previews election and pier work
The City Manager told the Santa Monica City Council that the pier sign had been removed for refurbishment and is expected back when the bridge is reconstructed in 2027. The report also covered a November 1 bus-rider discount program and voting arrangements for the November 3 election.
Residents have a near-term voting reminder and a longer timeline for the pier sign’s return.
- Santa Monica City Council. Speakers commented on remaining agenda items, including concerns about building code amendment documentation (Item 10A), critiques and suggestions for affordability initiatives (Item 11A), questions about discretionary fund accounting visibility (Item 16A), opposition to the “last paycheck” ordinance from business groups, coastal erosion and El Niño preparedness, and concerns about city fees and taxes affecting affordability.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
SANTA MONICA had 9 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCECouncil approves settlement in Oaklind affordable-housing lawsuits. After convening in closed session on litigation, property negotiations, and other matters, the City Attorney reported approval of a settlement in two lawsuits challenging the affordable-housing project at 1217 Oaklind Street. The settlement includes $250,000 in attorneys’ fees split between the City and Hollywood Housing Community Corporation; Mayor Pro Tem Zwick recused from Items 5D and 5E.
- GOVERNANCEAppeal hearing: designation of 1921 20th Street as a City landmark (granting appeal and designating landmark). Council conducted a de novo appeal hearing of the Landmarks Commission denial of a landmark designation for 1921 20th Street. After staff report, appellant/applicant/property owner statements, Landmarks Commission representative remarks, and public comment, Council granted the appeal and designated the property as a City landmark, with Councilmember Snell recused.
- GOVERNANCEGeneral public comment (non-agenda items): election campaigning, parking policy, alleged harassment/restraining order disputes, public records request, renter issues, airport/Great Park sustainability, ordinance repeal petition, and other concerns. Multiple speakers addressed non-agenda topics including election endorsements and negative campaigning, parking and affordability critiques, disputes involving alleged harassment and restraining orders, a demand for production of public records, renter habitability enforcement, airport/Great Park planning and sustainability, and a petition to repeal Ordinance 2849.
- GOVERNANCEEl Niño preparedness: proclamation of local emergency and preparedness actions. Council adopted a resolution/proclamation related to El Niño preparedness, with staff describing proactive storm preparation, infrastructure inspections, and “Sandbag Saturdays” at Clover Park on November 7, 14, and 21 from 12–4, plus sandbag availability at fire stations.
- GOVERNANCEMayor’s highlight: Big Blue Bus motor coach operator commendation (Anton/Antony Walton). The Mayor recognized Big Blue Bus motor coach operator Anton/Antony Walton for actions taken on October 1, 2026 after observing a Culver City bus operator unconscious and later assisting dispatch and LAPD with critical information during an incident in which the Culver City operator was killed.
- GOVERNANCEApproval of Item 16A (with recusal). Council approved Item 16A. Councilmember Raskin recused because his spouse is a board member of the Santa Monica History Museum .
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