At last Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting, she introduced a recommendation directing staff to enter into discussions with the YWCA of Santa Monica and the city of Santa Monica to consider partnership on a project that “may include a provision of housing for the YWCA’s program for individuals over 18 years of age who have been in foster care.”
SMC acquired the property at 14th Street and Pico Boulevard six years ago as a site for a proposed literacy center. The center was never built and the college is just holding onto the land at the moment. Greenstein proposed that the vacant lot be developed to “serve the community through Santa Monica College and the YWCA,” which is next door.
Greenstein was a longtime co-chair of the politically powerful Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR). SMRR’s No. 1 goal is the creation of affordable housing. So it’s not surprising to see even former SMRR leaders still push the organization’s agenda on any area of governance with the resources and clout necessary to implement their programs.
Housing for young adults who’ve been in foster care is just one of many scenarios that could result from the college becoming a co-developer of property. Any proposal involving housing would likely name City Hall as a source of funding and a third party, in this case the YWCA, as manager or operator of whatever is created.
Although other possibilities such as housing for foreign students were mentioned during discussion, the specific mention of the YWCA’s program in Greenstein’s recommendation is a strong indication of where this is really going. And, especially after City Councilman Richard Bloom had already sent a letter to the Trustees supporting her suggestion.
The college Board of Trustees, by unanimously voting for this, apparently doesn’t realize that SMC’s mission is education, not housing. I think it’s wholly inappropriate for the college to be involved in non-educational ventures or take on the responsibility and liability of the housing business unless it’s directly related to its academic purpose.
I think the YWCA’s desire to help young men and women over 18 who’ve been in foster care is admirable. However, I just don’t think the college should take on the roll of partner in this venture.
“bad idea of the year” — The comes from Nancy Greenstein, chair of the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees
Creating more affordable housing has become an obsession with the venerable SMRR organization. They’ll look under every rock and stone to find someone to help them create more of it. By using their considerable power and control of the City Council, Santa Monica/Malibu Board of Education and the College Board of Trustees, SMRR’s agenda takes precedent over real needs which is exactly why you have SMC looking into housing former foster care clients.
What next? SMRR leaders brokering deals with the school district partnering on apartments for the homeless or foreign nationals? How about nonprofits and foundations partnering with City Hall to house “underpaid” hotel employees, SMRR campaign workers or impoverished young adults who can’t make it on their own? You know they would if they could.
It’s all just more development in a city where most people would rather see less development. Just take a look at the oversized buildings going up at Main and Pacific streets, the 1500 block of Broadway and 26th and Berkeley streets — both on Santa Monica Boulevard. That’s just four low-income housing projects with hundreds of units currently under construction by city-affiliated affordable housing provider Community Corp. of Santa Monica.
SMRR’s fixation and providing as much affordable housing as possible is completely out of control. Maybe it’s time to step back and ask, “How much is too much?”
And doesn’t this open the door for additional SMC development and expansion which many residents oppose, except of course when it’s low-income housing?
Greenstein’s suggestion does nothing to enhance the college as an academic institution. Although it would make more sense if it were faculty or student housing or even housing for low-income Santa Monica seniors that could be part of, for example, a student mentoring program.
SMC partnering in nonacademic housing is almost as dumb as suggesting that CCSM should conduct math, history and literature classes. (Bill Bauer is a 35 year Santa Monica resident and has a lot of opinions about a lot of things. Bauer can be contacted at)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 15, 2006. Read the original PDF.