By Peter Spelman Santa Monica
Organizers of Proposition A have raised over $166,000 to ostensibly protect Santa Monica property owners from a landmarks ordinance which has resulted in only 16 Landmark Houses and one small historic district in Ocean Park in over 26 years.
Who has that kind of money and why are the stakes so high? The answer is simple. Developers and other real estate interest have much gain my gutting the landmarks ordinance and destroying protections for residents. $166,000 is not a “grass-roots movement,” as the organizers of Prop. A would have Santa Monica voters believe, but simply another developer-funded initiative to destroy what we residents love about our city.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 19, 2003. Read the original PDF.