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# All the little differences in SM’s political lines
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/all-the-little-differences-in-sms-political-lines/
- Published: 2006-08-21T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T00:44:06.000Z
- Author: Bill Bauer
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness

The city’s ruling political party, Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) two week’s ago endorsed three candidates for City Council. Last week, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce challenged the SMRR opposition by announcing its endorsements.

The board of directors of the Santa Monica Chamber endorsed Mayor Bob Holbrook and Planning Commissioner Terry O’Day for two of three open City Council seats.

The business interests including the hotel-backed Santa Monicans for Sensible Priorities will support the chamber’s endorsements by bringing out their big guns and bigger money and go toe to toe with SMRR to see who’ll take Council seats on Nov. 7.

According to the Chamber’s press release, “Holbrook has been a leader in changing Santa Monica’s approach to dealing with homelessness over the last two years, supporting a local community court, a ‘voucher to return home’ system and a housing first program.”

“Mayor Holbrook supports local efforts to build workforce housing... and understands the value of having a vibrant business community that financially supports Santa Monica’s high quality of life,” said Tom Larmore, chairman-elect of the Chamber’s board.

In endorsing O’Day, the Chamber said, “O’Day has been an effective planning commissioner for several years with a common sense approach to decision making. He too, has a grasp on the importance of solving homelessness as well as gang violence issues in Santa Monica.”

Kathy Dodson, Chamber President and CEO said, “He will focus on major policy issues such as finding creative solutions to Santa Monica’s parking problems, supporting light rail and metro public transportation and pushing for a land use plan that will resolve Santa Monica’s housing issues.”

The Chamber has described a laudable set of attributes for its candidates of choice, but it sounds like its own arch enemy, SMRR. And that’s exactly the problem. Hyperbole aside, both sides are like each other on major issues. Have you noticed that both Chamber and SMRR candidates embrace SMRR’s long-term liberal philosophies on the “The Big 5” — homeless, parking, traffic, affordable housing and community livability?

Despite the Chamber claiming that Holbrook has been a leader in dealing with homelessness, it’s been SMRR-endorsed Richard Bloom and business-backed Bobby Shriver in the 2004 election who’ve taken a much more active roll in solving homelessness over last two years than Holbrook has. And “building workforce housing?” That’s been a SMRR priority for years, too.

As with the homeless issue, O’Day also has been uninvolved with gang violence and other problems in the Pico neighborhood where he's been a homeowner for the last eight years, say friends and activists who also live there.

Based on O’Day’s votes as a planning commissioner, his common sense approach to parking problems mostly allow businesses to provide even less on-site parking. Holbrook, too, has consistently voted against residents on parking variances and related issues. The question is will their “creative solutions to Santa Monica’s parking problems” benefit businesses out to reduce on-site parking overhead or benefit residents who also need scarce street parking?

As for Holbrook or O’Day pushing for a land use plan that will solve Santa Monica’s housing issues, there are two obvious options. One is to continue to build more affordable housing — another SMRR priority. Or, to upzone to also allow more market-rate housing — resulting in long time Santa Monicans being forced out of older apartments, more density and increased congestion — a developer/business priority.

I don’t see much evidence that either business or SMRR-backed candidates want a tighter rein on homeless services, more resident friendly parking — except for City Councilman Kevin McKeown — or to end traffic calming. Downzoning multi-family residential neighborhoods to help preserve existing housing stock or creating zoning that substantially limits commercial development and market rate housing, as well as affordable housing construction isn’t on their radar screens either.

There’s no room here for new people with bold and innovative ideas. Those with imagination who want change don’t get enough financial backing, can’t compete with the big spenders and their glossy mailers, and are destined to lose. That’s too bad.

No matter the candidate, it’ll still be business as usual. With both political powers in lock step on “The Big 5,” it all boils down to whether you’re a renter (vote SMRR) or a pro-business type (vote Chamber). Undecided? Flip a coin. (Bill)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 21, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/082106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)