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The Dirt on the Fast-Food Ban
A ban on fast food restaurants in the Third Street Promenade has been retroactively reestablished but Santa Monica’s Planning Commission has asked City Council to revisit the ordinance later this year. In November 2018, in order to ensure that the Promenade maintained its authentic characteristics, City Council adopted an urgency Interim Zoning Ordinance (IZO) to prevent the proliferation of fast food restaurants on the …
Santa Monica Surcharge Dirt
Wildfires have become a way of life in California, relentlessly ravaging lives and communities. But millions of electric utility customers will continue to be reminded of their potential for more destruction – every month for at least the next 15 years. Beginning last October the state’s three largest investor-owned utilities – Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas …
The Dirt on The Permit
I am sure you’ve heard about property owners making alterations to their homes without permits…but what about the construction of a major hotel on Ocean Avenue? The Shore Hotel, a luxury Ocean Avenue hotel (you know the one, its bright blue pool and heat lamp torches look incredibly inviting at night) seems to have been built without the required permits. The owners have agreed …
The Dirt on Spec vs Custom Home Development
DID YOU KNOW? Construction spending this year is up 4.1% from last year, according to new data for September. During the first nine months of the year, some $1.058 trillion was put toward public and private construction, compared with $1.016 trillion for the same period in 2019. Speaking of construction; have you ever wondered why some homes tend to seemingly “go up overnight” while …
5 Mysterious Stories Told By Santa Monica Realtors
Being an agent for Santa Monica isn’t always sunshine and ‘ritas on the beach. Sometimes we run into some homes that offer more than just walk-in closets. Check out a few of our agents’ “spooky” house stories. Names have been removed to protect the innocent. -Nope, F*** This; “There was this one house that had a great location, was two stories, kind …
Buying the Farm
Farmers will get roughly $46 billion from US taxpayers this year (mostly for very large farmers reliant on exports): government support will account for about 40% of total farm income this year. Debt in the farm sector is projected to increase by 4% to a record $434 billion this year and farm bankruptcies have continued to rise across the country, especially for smaller farmers. Meanwhile, the …
Selling Phil Hill’s 1920s Spanish
About 10 days ago, after a 10 day marketing period and a 7 day escrow our listing at 266 20th St closed escrow. It is an extraordinary North of Montana home. This property was a realtor’s dream; it was unique, full of character & history and received a flurry of activity from many, very interested buyers. I had intended to share its rich and …
The R1 Zoning Dirt
SB 1120 is rushing toward the Assembly floor, possibly Tuesday, September 1st. It crushes single-family neighborhoods and directly attacks current homeownership by over-riding single-family zoning everywhere. SB 1120 is an attack on single family homeownership at all income levels. It allows apartment building developers, and financial speculators to build up to 4 rental properties where one home now stands – yards and garages are not required. This seems to be an all out assault on single-family home …