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# Does Santa Monica care?
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/does-santa-monica-care/
- Published: 2008-05-05T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T19:28:06.000Z
- Author: Bill Bauer
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

HAS ANYBODY ELSE NOTICED THAT our two chief governing entities — the city and the school district — ignore the pain and suffering of our most vulnerable citizens including disabled children with special needs and seniors and the weak who depend on public assistance housing?

A review of the city’s housing element during Tuesday’s City Council meeting brought forth a litany of complaints about harassment and intimidation by their landlords from very low, low and moderate income tenants living in subsidized, Section 8 and deed-restricted housing. The majority of complaints came from “low income” renters at the Plaza at the Arboretum, 2200 Colorado Ave., and at the Sea Castle, 1725 Ocean Front Walk. Both properties are managed by Metric Property Management, a national property management firm whose Web site boasts about integrity and honesty.

Tenants complained of mold problems, odors, security issues, bad maintenance, shoddy repairs and dark, dank units. They said they were afraid to ask for even basic repairs. They also mentioned the intimidation and constant threats from building managers.

Denise McGranahan, with the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Monica, told council they were working with 30 clients from four deed-restricted buildings who all had grievances. One example involved documents tenants were required to sign giving landlords entry to apartments at any time, day or night, to make repairs after a complaint was made. Such a contract is a clear violation of basic tenant rights.

McGranahan also revealed that vacated deed-restricted apartments were being re-rented out to Arboretum employees, which is a flagrant violation of the Arboretum’s development agreement with the city.

These complaints are just the tip of the iceberg. I have good reason to believe that the city was well aware of these and numerous other tenant/landlord issues through its housing division which administrates many of the subsidized programs, rent control administration and the consumer division in the city attorney’s office.

I’ve also heard the same kinds of horror stories about the low income/public housing properties owned and managed by the city’s own Community Corporation of Santa Monica, for years. CCSM’s complainers are ignored and dismissed as “troublemakers,” according to one tenant I’ve talked to.

If the city turns a blind eye and deaf ear to these abuses, what else has fallen through the cracks?

How about residential space in mixed-use developments? By including condos or apartments in mixed-use developments, developers receive bonuses such as extra height and density, unavailable in strictly commercial projects. When completed and “housing space” is leased commercially, that’s a code violation and one that’s rarely enforced. Worst of all, housing promised is never delivered.

I’m not to sure what’s going on but it seems like a lot of people aren’t doing their jobs. It’s inexcusable that “those in charge” have allowed these situations to happen, let alone continue in a community that says it cares about those in need.

Whether they be school district or city staff, elected politicians or their political appointees, it’s a sure bet that if I’ve heard about these and other maltreatment issues, they have too. It’s only after someone “goes public” that those in charge scramble, make excuses or plead outright ignorance. Pathetic, isn’t it?

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 5, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050508.pdf?ref=smdp.com)