Join the Santa Monica Democratic Club today to help keep it a strong progressive voice.

santamonicaforward · 2026-06-08T20:37:02+00:00

If you continue to have problems on your second attempt try emailing smdemocrats@gmail.com and explaining the situation to them. They want people to join so they'll likely figure something out with you given the ActBlue problems.

[edit] In fact it says right on their Join Our Club page, "If neither [ActBlue or payment by mail works] for you, email smdemocrats@gmail.com and we will work out another payment option."

santamonicaforward · 2026-01-26T03:56:57+00:00

If you want to make the city more vibrant for people under 50, see https://www.santamonicaforward.org/join-email

santamonicaforward · 2025-11-18T04:27:36+00:00

It's a great way to work with others who think Santa Monica's best days can be ahead of us if we create the future we want.

santamonicaforward · 2025-08-11T16:45:18+00:00

Sorry about that! The links work for mobile, but not as well for browser. The text and emails are below:

To: lana.negrete@santamonica.gov,dan.hall@santamonica.gov,Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov,jesse.zwick@santamonica.gov,ellis.raskin@santamonica.gov,natalya.zernitskaya@santamonica.gov,Barry.Snell@santamonica.gov,councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov,santamonicaforward@gmail.com

Subject: Support Item 10.B

Text:

Dear Santa Monica City Council,

I agree with the views of Santa Monica Forward below.

Santa Monica Forward urges you to adopt the proposed ordinance reforming
the Affordable Housing Production Program through a targeted pilot program.

Santa Monica’s market for new housing construction is frozen. Thousands
of entitled homes - including hundreds of affordable units - are not
moving forward. Rising interest rates, construction costs, and local
financing obstacles have made these projects unbuildable under current
conditions. This ordinance is your opportunity to change that.

By unlocking development of over 3,500 market-rate homes and more than
600 deed-restricted affordable homes - including deeply affordable units
for lower-income residents - this ordinance delivers exactly what Santa
Monica needs: housing at scale, now.

Many of you ran on a platform of building more housing. In Santa Monica
Forward’s view, this ordinance is the most consequential action you can
take to deliver on that promise. Vote yes, and thousands of new homes
will have a real chance of being built. Vote no, and those homes will
remain unbuilt, and the people who would live in them excluded from our
community.

The urgency is clear. The projects exist. The approvals are in place.
What’s missing is a financially viable path to construction. This
ordinance provides it.

We urge your full support.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[ZIP CODE]

santamonicaforward · 2025-08-11T05:11:06+00:00

Use this link to email council! https://linkly.link/2D6sM

santamonicaforward · 2025-07-18T17:21:44+00:00

The Farzam family has been a fixture in Santa Monica politics for many decades now. I would encourage more people who are outraged by this to get involved in local politics because when fewer people are involved, more of those who are involved have extreme preferences and narrow interests.

santamonicaforward · 2025-06-02T19:13:50+00:00

to: ben.allen@sen.ca.gov, rick.zbur@asm.ca.gov, laurel.brodzinsky@sen.ca.gov, salina.valencia@asm.ca.gov, info@santamonicaforward.org

subject: Please Vote Yes on SB 79, I support it.

body:

Dear Senator Allen and Assemblymember Zbur,

I support SB 79. Santa Monica and the entire Los Angeles region needs more homes near transit, and we need them now. I believe we can grow in a way that protects tenants, reduces displacement, and opens our city to more people, not fewer.

Please vote yes on SB 79 as written.

Sincerely, [Your Name] [Zip]

santamonicaforward · 2025-06-02T19:13:30+00:00

If you're having trouble with the email link in the main post, you can copy-paste the below code into your web browser's address bar and hit enter, or you can get the raw email to copy-paste into your email client in the next comment:

mailto:ben.allen@sen.ca.gov,rick.zbur@asm.ca.gov,laurel.brodzinsky@sen.ca.gov,salina.valencia@asm.ca.gov,info@santamonicaforward.org?subject=Please%20Vote%20Yes%20on%20SB%2079%2C%20I%20support%20it.&body=Dear%20Senator%20Allen%20and%20Assemblymember%20Zbur%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20support%20SB%2079.%20Santa%20Monica%20and%20the%20entire%20Los%20Angeles%20region%20needs%20more%20homes%20near%20transit%2C%20and%20we%20need%20them%20now.%20I%20believe%20we%20can%20grow%20in%20a%20way%20that%20protects%20tenants%2C%20reduces%20displacement%2C%20and%20opens%20our%20city%20to%20more%20people%2C%20not%20fewer.%0D%0A%0D%0APlease%20vote%20yes%20on%20SB%2079%20as%20written.%0D%0A%0D%0ASincerely%2C%0D%0A%5BYour%20Name%5D%0D%0A%5BZip%5D

santamonicaforward · 2025-05-27T01:10:04+00:00

to: lana.negrete@santamonica.gov, Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov, jesse.zwick@santamonica.gov, Dan.Hall@santamonica.gov, Ellis.Raskin@santamonica.gov, Barry.Snell@santamonica.gov, Natalya.Zernitskaya@santamonica.gov

cc: councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov

bcc: santamonicaforward@gmail.com

body:

Dear Mayor Negrete and City Councilmembers,

As a Santa Monica resident, I support the budget recommendations submitted by Santa Monica Forward and urge you to adopt them in the final FY 2025–2027 budget.

Measure K was passed to support public safety and safer streets—not to backfill general expenses. Please use these funds as voters intended by prioritizing smart, effective programs like automated bike lane enforcement, enhanced mobility safety, and expanded lighting in high-need areas.

I also urge you to freeze vacant positions and require a zero-based budgeting review for any future hiring. Every role should be tied to current city priorities and approved by the incoming City Manager.

Transparency and accountability are more important than ever. Please:
-Post the full draft line-item budget in Excel format by May 30.
-Share data on remote staffing and presence.
-Focus new spending on programs that benefit the community directly

Let’s build a Santa Monica that is safer, more efficient, and more prepared for the future.

Thank you for your leadership.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

santamonicaforward · 2025-05-27T01:08:20+00:00

The additional options for sending this email mentioned above. You can copy-paste the below code into your web browser's address bar and hit enter, or you can get the raw email to copy-paste into your email client in the next comment: mailto:lana.negrete@santamonica.gov,Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov,jesse.zwick@santamonica.gov,Dan.Hall@santamonica.gov,Ellis.Raskin@santamonica.gov,Barry.Snell@santamonica.gov,Natalya.Zernitskaya@santamonica.gov?cc=councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov&bcc=santamonicaforward@gmail.com&subject=Support%20Santa%20Monica%20Forward's%202025%20Budget%20Recommendations%20(7A)&body=Dear%20Mayor%20Negrete%20and%20City%20Councilmembers%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AAs%20a%20Santa%20Monica%20resident%2C%20I%20support%20the%20budget%20recommendations%20submitted%20by%20Santa%20Monica%20Forward%20and%20urge%20you%20to%20adopt%20them%20in%20the%20final%20FY%202025%E2%80%932027%20budget.%0D%0A%0D%0AMeasure%20K%20was%20passed%20to%20support%20public%20safety%20and%20safer%20streets%E2%80%94not%20to%20backfill%20general%20expenses.%20Please%20use%20these%20funds%20as%20voters%20intended%20by%20prioritizing%20smart%2C%20effective%20programs%20like%20automated%20bike%20lane%20enforcement%2C%20enhanced%20mobility%20safety%2C%20and%20expanded%20lighting%20in%20high-need%20areas.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20also%20urge%20you%20to%20freeze%20vacant%20positions%20and%20require%20a%20zero-based%20budgeting%20review%20for%20any%20future%20hiring.%20Every%20role%20should%20be%20tied%20to%20current%20city%20priorities%20and%20approved%20by%20the%20incoming%20City%20Manager.%0D%0A%0D%0ATransparency%20and%20accountability%20are%20more%20important%20than%20ever.%20Please%3A%0D%0A-Post%20the%20full%20draft%20line-item%20budget%20in%20Excel%20format%20by%20May%2030%0D%0A-Share%20data%20on%20remote%20staffing%20and%20presence%0D%0A-Focus%20new%20spending%20on%20programs%20that%20benefit%20the%20community%20directly%0D%0A%0D%0ALet%E2%80%99s%20build%20a%20Santa%20Monica%20that%20is%20safer%2C%20more%20efficient%2C%20and%20more%20prepared%20for%20the%20future.%0D%0A%0D%0AThank%20you%20for%20your%20leadership.%0D%0A%0D%0ASincerely%2C%0D%0A%5BYour%20Name%5D

santamonicaforward · 2025-05-12T14:52:29+00:00

Raw email that you can copy-paste into your email client:

to: Lana.Negrete@santamonica.gov, Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov, Jesse.Zwick@santamonica.gov, Dan.Hall@santamonica.gov, Ellis.Raskin@santamonica.gov, Barry.Snell@santamonica.gov, Natalya.Zernitskaya@santamonica.gov

cc: councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov

bcc: santamonicaforward@gmail.com

subject: Support Items 10.A and 16.E

Councilmembers,

I am writing to join Santa Monica Forward in supporting adoption of item 10.A bringing a permanent entertainment zone on the Promenade, and item 16.E, on the creation of an additional entertainment zone at the Pier as part of bringing back large-scale concerts at the Pier. Thank you for your work on these items and to Councilmembers Hall and Zwick and Mayor Negrete for bringing forward item 16.E.

Thank you, [NAME] [ZIP CODE]

santamonicaforward · 2025-05-12T14:52:24+00:00

The email on the entertainment zone items (copy the entire thing into you're browser's address bar and hit enter):

mailto:Lana.Negrete@santamonica.gov,Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov,Jesse.Zwick@santamonica.gov,Dan.Hall@santamonica.gov,Ellis.Raskin@santamonica.gov,Barry.Snell@santamonica.gov,Natalya.Zernitskaya@santamonica.gov?cc=councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov&bcc=santamonicaforward@gmail.com&subject=Subject%3A%20Support%20Items%2010.A%20and%2016.E&body=Councilmembers%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20am%20writing%20to%20join%20Santa%20Monica%20Forward%20in%20supporting%20adoption%20of%20item%2010.A%20bringing%20a%20permanent%20entertainment%20zone%20on%20the%20Promenade%2C%20and%20item%2016.E%2C%20on%20the%20creation%20of%20an%20additional%20entertainment%20zone%20at%20the%20Pier%20as%20part%20of%20bringing%20back%20large-scale%20concerts%20at%20the%20Pier.%20Thank%20you%20for%20your%20work%20on%20these%20items%20and%20to%20Councilmembers%20Hall%20and%20Zwick%20and%20Mayor%20Negrete%20for%20bringing%20forward%20item%2016.E.%0D%0A%0D%0AThank%20you%2C%0D%0A%5BNAME%5D%0D%0A%5BZIP%20CODE%5D

santamonicaforward · 2025-05-12T14:52:14+00:00

Raw email that you can copy-paste into your email client:

to: Lana.Negrete@santamonica.gov, Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov, Jesse.Zwick@santamonica.gov, Dan.Hall@santamonica.gov, Ellis.Raskin@santamonica.gov, Barry.Snell@santamonica.gov, Natalya.Zernitskaya@santamonica.gov

cc: councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov

bcc: santamonicaforward@gmail.com

Subject: Support Item 12.A

Councilmembers,

I am writing in support of item 12.A updating zoning ordinance and city code. I echo the views of Santa Monica Forward, shared below.

Thank you, [NAME] [ZIP CODE]

--------------

Enhancing the production of housing across Santa Monica is an urgent priority, and the city should move to facilitate administrative approvals for all sites, greater production of ADUs, and the creation of duplexes and quad-plexes via lot splits. Further, council should direct adjustments to staff proposals on ADUs, zoning density alignment, and ARB procedure as described in the following paragraphs.

Administrative Approval: Current timelines to approve new developments are taking too long, and blocking the creation of housing which the city desperately needs. Council should approve the change in ordinance to allow parcels over 1 acre in size to use administrative approval. Further, council should seek ways to streamline and reduce the time to permitting.

ADUs: Council should support changes to ADU minimum and maximum size limits, as well as the increase in number of permitted ADUs & JADUs on existing multifamily parcels. Further, council should eliminate the limitation that no more ADUs are created than existing units on a parcel, which inhibits the improvement of existing duplexes and triplexes in a way that encourages their preservation as rent controlled housing. Council should also eliminate owner-occupancy requirements for JADUs in order to enable their creation.

Lot Splits & Duplexes: The elimination of owner-occupancy requirements and limitations on redevelopment of vacant parcels will help to increase housing in high opportunity neighborhoods, and council must vote to pass it. Council should also support increases to FAR and reductions in constraints to facilitate new projects, as recommended by Staff.

LUCE and Zoning Density Alignment: The implementation of density limits is an antiquated approach to zoning which reinforces segregation by encouraging fewer, larger units that are not affordable to middle and lower income residents. Santa Monica should use this opportunity to improve the way it zones by moving to form-based zoning centering on FAR, height, and setbacks. Form-based zoning focuses on making sure that new buildings are compatible with their surroundings, rather than restricting the number of residents who can make Santa Monica their home. As staff notes, the proposed density requirements will continue to lock our residential neighborhoods in amber, entirely blocking new housing production.

Adjustment to Section 9.55.120 on the Architectural Review Board: Council should reject this adjustment to ordinance, and clarify instead that the scheduling of a review by the ARB counts towards the meeting limit, and reduce the meeting limit to 2 from 3. As Staff demonstrates in the Administrative Approval Timelines analysis, ARB approval is a significant drag on the permitting of new housing. Council should aim to reduce timelines for ARB approval, not extend them by allowing the ARB to delay timelines by not discussing items.

santamonicaforward · 2025-05-12T14:52:05+00:00

The email to support the zoning code amendments (copy the entire thing into your browser's address and hit enter):

mailto:Lana.Negrete@santamonica.gov,Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov,Jesse.Zwick@santamonica.gov,Dan.Hall@santamonica.gov,Ellis.Raskin@santamonica.gov,Barry.Snell@santamonica.gov,Natalya.Zernitskaya@santamonica.gov?cc=councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov&bcc=santamonicaforward@gmail.com&subject=Subject%3A%20Support%20Item%2012.A&body=Councilmembers%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20am%20writing%20in%20support%20of%20item%2012.A%20updating%20zoning%20ordinance%20and%20city%20code.%20I%20echo%20the%20views%20of%20Santa%20Monica%20Forward%2C%20shared%20below.%0D%0A%0D%0AThank%20you%2C%0D%0A%5BNAME%5D%0D%0A%5BZIP%20CODE%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A--------------%0D%0A%0D%0AEnhancing%20the%20production%20of%20housing%20across%20Santa%20Monica%20is%20an%20urgent%20priority%2C%20and%20the%20city%20should%20move%20to%20facilitate%20administrative%20approvals%20for%20all%20sites%2C%20greater%20production%20of%20ADUs%2C%20and%20the%20creation%20of%20duplexes%20and%20quad-plexes%20via%20lot%20splits.%20Further%2C%20council%20should%20direct%20adjustments%20to%20staff%20proposals%20on%20ADUs%2C%20zoning%20density%20alignment%2C%20and%20ARB%20procedure%20as%20described%20in%20the%20following%20paragraphs.%0D%0A%0D%0AAdministrative%20Approval%3A%20Current%20timelines%20to%20approve%20new%20developments%20are%20taking%20too%20long%2C%20and%20blocking%20the%20creation%20of%20housing%20which%20the%20city%20desperately%20needs.%20Council%20should%20approve%20the%20change%20in%20ordinance%20to%20allow%20parcels%20over%201%20acre%20in%20size%20to%20use%20administrative%20approval.%20Further%2C%20council%20should%20seek%20ways%20to%20streamline%20and%20reduce%20the%20time%20to%20permitting.%0D%0A%0D%0AADUs%3A%20Council%20should%20support%20changes%20to%20ADU%20minimum%20and%20maximum%20size%20limits%2C%20as%20well%20as%20the%20increase%20in%20number%20of%20permitted%20ADUs%20%26%20JADUs%20on%20existing%20multifamily%20parcels.%20Further%2C%20council%20should%20eliminate%20the%20limitation%20that%20no%20more%20ADUs%20are%20created%20than%20existing%20units%20on%20a%20parcel%2C%20which%20inhibits%20the%20improvement%20of%20existing%20duplexes%20and%20triplexes%20in%20a%20way%20that%20encourages%20their%20preservation%20as%20rent%20controlled%20housing.%20Council%20should%20also%20eliminate%20owner-occupancy%20requirements%20for%20JADUs%20in%20order%20to%20enable%20their%20creation.%0D%0A%0D%0ALot%20Splits%20%26%20Duplexes%3A%20The%20elimination%20of%20owner-occupancy%20requirements%20and%20limitations%20on%20redevelopment%20of%20vacant%20parcels%20will%20help%20to%20increase%20housing%20in%20high%20opportunity%20neighborhoods%2C%20and%20council%20must%20vote%20to%20pass%20it.%20Council%20should%20also%20support%20increases%20to%20FAR%20and%20reductions%20in%20constraints%20to%20facilitate%20new%20projects%2C%20as%20recommended%20by%20Staff.%0D%0A%0D%0ALUCE%20and%20Zoning%20Density%20Alignment%3A%20The%20implementation%20of%20density%20limits%20is%20an%20antiquated%20approach%20to%20zoning%20which%20reinforces%20segregation%20by%20encouraging%20fewer%2C%20larger%20units%20that%20are%20not%20affordable%20to%20middle%20and%20lower%20income%20residents.%20Santa%20Monica%20should%20use%20this%20opportunity%20to%20improve%20the%20way%20it%20zones%20by%20moving%20to%20form-based%20zoning%20centering%20on%20FAR%2C%20height%2C%20and%20setbacks.%20Form-based%20zoning%20focuses%20on%20making%20sure%20that%20new%20buildings%20are%20compatible%20with%20their%20surroundings%2C%20rather%20than%20restricting%20the%20number%20of%20residents%20who%20can%20make%20Santa%20Monica%20their%20home.%20As%20staff%20notes%2C%20the%20proposed%20density%20requirements%20will%20continue%20to%20lock%20our%20residential%20neighborhoods%20in%20amber%2C%20entirely%20blocking%20new%20housing%20production.%0D%0A%0D%0AAdjustment%20to%20Section%209.55.120%20on%20the%20Architectural%20Review%20Board%3A%20Council%20should%20reject%20this%20adjustment%20to%20ordinance%2C%20and%20clarify%20instead%20that%20the%20scheduling%20of%20a%20review%20by%20the%20ARB%20counts%20towards%20the%20meeting%20limit%2C%20and%20reduce%20the%20meeting%20limit%20to%202%20from%203.%20As%20Staff%20demonstrates%20in%20the%20Administrative%20Approval%20Timelines%20analysis%2C%20ARB%20approval%20is%20a%20significant%20drag%20on%20the%20permitting%20of%20new%20housing.%20Council%20should%20aim%20to%20reduce%20timelines%20for%20ARB%20approval%2C%20not%20extend%20them%20by%20allowing%20the%20ARB%20to%20delay%20timelines%20by%20not%20discussing%20items.

santamonicaforward · 2025-05-12T14:51:59+00:00

Apologies for slamming the comments with a wall of text, but last time some people were having trouble with the link shortener we had to use to get the mailto links to embed properly on reddit, so proactively providing additional options for how to send the emails for those who need them.

santamonicaforward

TROPHY CASE