2005 has been quite a year. This was a year that the citizens and bureaucrats alike began thinking seriously about the future of Santa Monica. In addition to updating land use and circulation elements of the city’s general plan which will dictate development for decades to come, a number of major new projects were initiated, under construction or just buried.
Macerich Co.’s proposal for a new Santa Monica Place included plans to completely rebuild the facility with full underground parking, an office complex, and three, 20-story condominium towers faded into the sunset — not because of community opposition which was substantial, but because of uncertainty over who would occupy one of the two major anchor spots after it was announced that Robinsons-May would close in early 2006. An expanded and enhanced Virginia Park finally opened as did the new skate park, “The Cove.” The new Santa Monica Public Library was completed and officially opens in a couple of weeks. Santa Monica College’s Madison Theater — now named the tonque-twisting “Performing Arts Center and Music Academy of Santa Monica College” — is under construction.
Disasters weighed heavily on our minds in 2005. Between the Dec. 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricanes Rita and Katrina that devastated parts of the deep South in August and September, Santa Monicans generously contributed millions of dollars to disaster relief. After Katrina, the Santa Monica Red Cross alone serviced 256 families representing 423 individuals, including dozens of school-aged children. Many of these families are now living here and we welcome them to our community.
Familiar places have gone. The old main wing of St. John’s Health Care Center is dust. Fisher Lumber on 14th Street and Toys R Us in downtown Santa Monica are both closed. The old Rand Corp. buildings are history as are the old police headquarters.
Many city problems are still with us. Homelessness is still No. 1 and $200,000 was allocated to hire former Los Angeles County Supervisor Ed Edelman to find regional solutions to homeless problems. City Hall has added a number of expensive new programs to get the chronically homeless off the streets and will spend tens of thousands of dollars more to measure the effectiveness of city’s homeless services next year.
Parking and traffic problems will continue as a result of inane planning decisions. Islands and modifications to Colorado Avenue have been approved to slow and discourage traffic. Parking variances eliminating on-site parking requirements are forcing drivers to compete for shrinking parking space on already choked streets. This, along with dozens of blocks of new restricted parking zones, means you can kiss off finding a parking spot in our commercial areas.
Gang violence is still with us. Two young Santa Monica men were gunned down on March 5. Santa Monicans Hector Bonilla and Jonathan Hernandez died in a hail of bullets at a private party at the Moose Lodge on Ocean Park Boulevard. The alleged shooters are awaiting trial for the murders, as is a 17-year-old Pico neighborhood youth who has been charged with the 2003 murder of Jalonnie Carter.
In early October, an alleged Los Angeles gang member was shot to death near the Santa Monica Pier. Unfortunately, complaints of gunfire, primarily in the Pico neighborhood, are still commonplace and for the most part, ignored by our politicians.
Due to continued high prices for real estate, Santa Monica residents are being forced out of rent-controlled apartments in record numbers. Instead of imposing fees and/or implementing other restrictions to protect rent controlled tenants, city leaders do nothing while speculators price gouge and intimidate, buildings get flipped and developers line their pockets on the backs of the poor and powerless. 2005 saw many community leaders move on and new ones move in. Santa Monica College president Dr. Piedad Robertson left and Dr. Chui L. Tsang, from San Jose City College, was tapped to fill her shoes. Planning and community development director Suzanne Frick resigned to accept the position of planning director in Long Beach. Her replacement has not been named. City Manager Susan McCarthy retired and was replaced by former San Diego City Manager Lamont Ewell. We wish them all good luck.
Next year is an election year. Barring a huge scandal, the three incumbents for City Council will probably be reelected if they run again. The two political powers — the Santa Monicans For Renters’ Rights folks and the business interests — will spend humongous amounts of money promoting their own agenda. Unless voters wake up and smell the coffee.
In the end, I predict nothing much will change and that’s too bad. (Bill Bauer is a longtime Santa Monica resident and a freelance writer.)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 26, 2005. Read the original PDF.