Report Praises Housing Programs
The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a report on the state of housing in the city despite complaints from landlords and advocates of low-cost housing that the document overlooks the effects of rent control.
The state-mandated report praises Santa Monica’s housing programs. City staff members concede that some information is overlooked but say they hope to complete a comprehensive study on housing and the effects of rent control when census results are released.
The report states that Santa Monica’s population has increased by 9% since 1980, to 96,461, and estimates that the city will need 3,220 additional housing units by 1994.
According to city staff, Santa Monica’s average rent-controlled unit is priced slightly under $500 a month, an estimated 2,500 to 5,000 homeless live in the city, and 57% of the city’s population pays more than 30% of their income for rent. Based on those figures, the report urges the city to subsidize more housing.
Mayor Dennis Zane and some social service agencies, however, dispute the homeless count, saying the population is probably less than 1,000.
In a related matter, the City Council postponed for two weeks a decision on a proposal that would greatly increase the responsibility developers have to construct low-cost housing after landlords and developers raised questions about the plan.
The proposal would require developers of three units or more to include on-site, low-cost housing or pay a fee to the city of $22 per square foot. The threshold for low-cost development under the current ordinance is five units or more and the fee is $6 per square foot.
Developers assailed the plan, saying it could discourage multi-unit development in Santa Monica in light of the city’s need for housing. “It will radically stratify things, where you will have this super luxury housing and this low-income housing and nobody will be left in the middle,” one speaker told the council.
Developers also said the $22 fee was too high and could cost more than developing low-cost units.
City staff members said they will look into the concerns and report back to the council when the matter comes to a vote.
