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# More than $400M set aside for new projects this year
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/more-than-400m-set-aside-for-new-projects-this-year/
- Published: 2003-09-23T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:59:02.000Z
- Author: John Wood
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*Improvements: The year’s top ten total $221 million capital improvements, despite the difficult economy.*

Making city a better place is an expensive proposition Despite its budget woes this year, City Hall has earmarked more than $400 million for new buildings, and better roads and parking structures.

Most of the money is set aside for a few large projects — $67 million for the new library, $28 million for new buses and $9 million for repairing roadways.

And even though $401 million may seem like a lot, this year’s capital improvement budget is $11 million less than last year.

Of the $401 million, only $77 million is new money. The rest was budgeted last year but not spent, so it rolled over to 2003.

Finance director Steve Stark said all of the money is at city officials’ disposable whenever they need it.

“When we put money in the budget, the department is telling us we need that money available to spend,” he said.

Stark said the budget for improvements is often unrelated to the condition of City Hall’s economics because much of the money comes from other sources, such as grants and bonds.

“There is not a direct relationship to the budget and capital projects,” he said. “The capital improvements are really driven by the availability of special funds as well as the general funds, so it’s not uncommon for that number to jump up and down as we look into the future.”

Budget manager Janet L. Shelton said of the new $77 million allocated this year, $10.4 million comes from the general fund, which local politicians have direct control over.

Those figures are in stark contrast to years past. In the prosperous year of 1999, about $150 million in new money was set aside for improvements and nearly $35 million was from the general fund, according to city documents.

However, officials say it’s unlikely the full $401 million will be used this year.

“What it’s become now is kind of a wish list,” City Councilman Bob Holbrook said. “It won’t all get spent.”

Still, Holbrook said Santa Monica’s City Hall is in a better position than many others in California and is able to put a substantial amount of money towards Regardless of where the $401 million comes from, it already has been siphoned into various pools and earmarked for certain projects.

Here is a breakdown of this year’s 10 projects with the biggest budgets. These numbers do not reflect any money set aside for future years. ■ The Main Library Money allocated: $67,172,467.39 Total project cost: $72 million Description: After years of planning, a brand new main library is being built at Sixth Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. The project is expected to take at least three years to complete. ■ The Big Blue Bus campus expansion Money allocated: $60,060,093.39 Total project cost: $81,871,000 Description: Will go towards a new fueling area for natural and gas buses, and service vehicles, upgraded administrative offices, and additional work space, repair areas and parking. ■ New buses for Big Blue Bus Money allocated: $27,839,606.51 Total project cost: Ongoing Description: Money will go towards buying new buses. Currently, the money is being spent to buy 40-foot liquefied natural gas buses. ■ Low-and moderate-income housing Money allocated: $12,105,889.00 Total project cost: Ongoing Description: Money is given to nonprofit corporations for buying, rehabilitating or constructing affordable housing. Though it is technically a loan from City Hall, the money is rarely paid back. ■ Seismic retrofit of parking structures Money allocated: $10,018,264.12 Total project cost: $27,050,200 Description: Money is used to reinforce the aging parking structures downtown. Repair and retrofit for structures No. 7 and No. 8 is underway now. ■ Virginia Avenue Park Money allocated: $9,559,629.45 Total project cost: $12,768,787 Description: The Virginia Avenue Park is currently being expanded from 5.8 to 9.5 acres. The new park will include more green space, basketball courts, an outdoor stage and other amenities. ■ California Incline, pier bridge Money allocated: $9,352,130.41 Total project cost: $9,206,576 Description: Money will be used to reconstruct the California Incline, which goes from the Pacific Coast Highway up to Ocean Avenue, and widen the pier bridge. It includes seismic upgrading.

Note: It appears from the above figures that the finances — i.e., the money allocated as of last week — for this project have changed since the budget was adopted in June. ■ Street repair and resurfacing Money allocated: $9,337,347.85 Total project cost: Ongoing Description: Money is used to repair and resurface streets and parking lots in Santa Monica. It also includes money to remove and replace sidewalks damaged by tree roots. ■ Affordable housing trust fund (TORCA) Money allocated: $8,303,168.52 Total project cost: Ongoing Description: Money raised through this fund is available for various housing projects. The City Council is expected to consider this week whether a portion of the proposed new Ocean Park Community Center homeless shelter should be funded with housing money. ■ Big Blue Bus fleet management technology Money allocated: $7,171,013.29 Total project cost: $10,797,000 Description: Includes new radios, computers, electronic bus arrival signs, automated passenger counting machines, onboard security cameras, global positioning systems and other upgrades. ■ Total for top 10 projects, 2003: $220,919,609.93 ■ All improvement projects, 2003: $400,926,051.00

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 23, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/092303.pdf?ref=smdp.com)