1 Vernice Hankins
From: Peter DiChellis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 7, 2022 4:05 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Attorney Mailbox; Ramon Batista; POA Subject: Agenda Item 8A - Budget Priorities
EXTERNAL
As a long‐time resident of Santa Monica, I strongly support substantial additional funding for police and for criminal prosecution by the City Attorney’s office (which is desperately needed to to policy failure at the County level ‐‐ see below).
Those who live and work in Santa Monica are forced to endure far too much criminal activity. SM budget cuts and budget allocations have worsened this, including by allowing violent repeat offenders to commit crime after crime, which puts citizens and arresting SMPD officers at risk. In a previous email, I provided recent examples, which I have copied and pasted below.
It is long past time to substantially increase anti‐crime funding, including prosecuting and jailing violent and repeat misdemeanor offenders. To protect those who live and work in Santa Monica, increase funding now. Take repeat offenders off the streets.
Peter DiChellis
951 ‐16th St., #4 ‐ 90403
310.453.6559
*****
Recent examples (based on news reports and publicly available law enforcement documents; names withheld):
1) On January 16, an individual was arrested for Assault/Elder Abuse in Santa Monica after being cited and released by the County for a separate offense the day before. Despite other previous arrests, including for Great Bodily Injury Assault, the County cited and released him again the day after his 1‐16 Santa Monica arrest for Assault/Elder Abuse. 2) On January 21, a different individual was arrested in Santa Monica for Unlawful Use/Possession of Tear Gas. This was after being cited and released by the County in November for an Elder Abuse Assault in Santa Monica. 3) On January 23, an individual was arrested in Santa Monica for Making Violent/Criminal Threats. He was cited and released by the County two days later, despite a November Santa Monica arrest for using a knife to slash tires in a parking structure (Vandalism) and a previous Great Bodily Injury Assault arrest. 4) On January 28, an individual was arrested in Santa Monica for Arson of an Inhabited Building. This was after being cited and released by the County in December for Brandishing an Imitation Firearm in a Threatening Manner in Santa Monica.
‐END‐
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From: Elizabeth Van Denburgh <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 11:31 AM
To: Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; [email protected]; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; councilmtgitems
Cc: David White; Susan Cline; Anuj Gupta
Subject: City Cnl. Mtg. 2/8/22 - Item 8A - Financial Status Update and FY 2021-22 Midyear Budget and Adoption of Resolutions - NEED FOR PROPORTIONAL FUNDING BY # of RESIDENCES FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER
EXTERNAL
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members,
BACKGROUND: As described by the LUCE, we are a city of neighborhoods. Historically, the city has generously produced an annual newsletter for each city‐sanctioned neighborhood. Lisa Parson, Special Assistant to the City Manager ‐ Equity and Community Recovery, reporting to Anuj Gupta, Deputy City Manager, has indicated in a January 27th email that each neighborhood is being offered via a new application (which we have not seen yet) the addresses for our neighborhood and a $7,000 grant fund.
ISSUE: The various neighborhoods have different populations and the $7,000 will not cover the ability of the most populous neighborhood, Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) to produce and mail a newsletter to each residence. Based on preliminary estimate from a local printer, the cost for a generating and mailing a newsletter is $1.00 ‐ $1.25 per newsletter. Wilmont is estimated to have 23,000 residents with an estimate of 10,000 residences in the neighborhood. The fixed grant of $7,000 will not be enough to cover the variable cost of $10,000 to $12,500 for the 10,000 Wilmont residences. Other neighborhoods have fewer residents. I strongly believe that direct mail is the best approach to reach and communicate with the broadest spectrum of residents. They can them become aware and if they choose, active in their neighborhood group. Not everyone will be able to use Venmo and a QR code to access membership in their local neighborhood group.
SOLUTION: Lisa Parson has pointed out to neighborhoods that some cities e.g., Mountainview, CA does proportional funding and uses a simple formula based on the number of residents in a given neighborhood, instead of giving an equal amount to each organization regardless of size. I would request that the city move forward on a more equitable approach to funding the neighborhood newsletters. Since we are now managing the generation and mailing of them vs. the city, the variable costs based on residences are significant between neighborhoods.
CALL TO ACTION: I appreciate the efforts of the city and believe that this is a more equitable choice and will continue to support Santa Monica as a city of neighborhoods. Please update the midyear budget to include a proportional funding approach for the neighborhoods' newsletter production and mailing process.
Thank‐you,
Elizabeth Van Denburgh
Wilmont Chair
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From: Stacy Dalgleish <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 11:59 AM
To: Elizabeth Van Denburgh; Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; [email protected]; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; councilmtgitems Cc: David White; Susan Cline; Anuj Gupta
Subject: Re: City Cnl. Mtg. 2/8/22 - Item 8A - Financial Status Update and FY 2021-22 Midyear Budget and Adoption of Resolutions - NEED FOR PROPORTIONAL FUNDING BY # of RESIDENCES FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER
EXTERNAL
Thank you Elizabeth.
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members,
I support this option.
Stacy
Stacy Dalgleish
Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors
On Feb 8, 2022, at 11:30 AM, Elizabeth Van Denburgh <[email protected]> wrote:
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members,
BACKGROUND: As described by the LUCE, we are a city of neighborhoods. Historically, the city has generously produced an annual newsletter for each city‐sanctioned neighborhood. Lisa Parson, Special Assistant to the City Manager ‐ Equity and Community Recovery, reporting to Anuj Gupta, Deputy City Manager, has indicated in a January 27th email that each neighborhood is being offered via a new application (which we have not seen yet) the addresses for our neighborhood and a $7,000 grant fund.
ISSUE: The various neighborhoods have different populations and the $7,000 will not cover the ability of the most populous neighborhood, Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) to produce and mail a newsletter to each residence. Based on preliminary estimate from a local printer, the cost for a generating and mailing a newsletter is $1.00 ‐ $1.25 per newsletter. Wilmont is estimated to have 23,000 residents with an estimate of 10,000 residences in the neighborhood. The fixed grant of $7,000 will not be enough to cover the variable cost of $10,000 to $12,500 for the 10,000 Wilmont residences. Other neighborhoods have fewer residents. I strongly believe that direct mail is the best approach to reach and communicate with the broadest spectrum of residents. They can them become aware and if they choose, active in their neighborhood group. Not everyone will be able to use Venmo and a QR code to access membership in their local neighborhood group.
SOLUTION: Lisa Parson has pointed out to neighborhoods that some cities e.g., Mountainview, CA does proportional funding and uses a simple formula based on the number of residents in a given neighborhood, instead of giving an equal amount to each organization regardless of size. I would request that the city move forward on a more equitable approach to funding the neighborhood Item 8.A
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3 of 12 Item 8.A
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2 newsletters. Since we are now managing the generation and mailing of them vs. the city, the variable costs based on residences are significant between neighborhoods.
CALL TO ACTION: I appreciate the efforts of the city and believe that this is a more equitable choice and will continue to support Santa Monica as a city of neighborhoods. Please update the midyear budget to include a proportional funding approach for the neighborhoods' newsletter production and mailing process.
Thank‐you,
Elizabeth Van Denburgh
Wilmont Chair
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February 8, 2022
City Council
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Re: Item 8.A – Financial Status Update and FY 2021-22 Midyear Budget and Adoption of Resolutions
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
As you begin your discussion of the City’s finances tonight, we first wanted to thank you for your efforts around public safety, especially at the Pier.
The new Pier Task Force immediately addressed the public safety concerns for our guests, workers, and permitted vendors. The collaboration across departments and with the County Department of Public Health has been an incredible success. A big thank you and tremendous appreciation to the individual task force members. We believe the team comprised of police and fire departments, code enforcement and public works personnel should be permanently assigned to pier and beach areas moving forward. It is imperative the City continues to fund permanent personnel for this task force.
As a working group of residents, and business owners/operators, our number one priority is to protect our most valuable assets and guest experiences in the City. That includes ensuring the Pier, beaches and surrounding neighborhoods are safe.
We understand the Santa Monica Police Department is long overdue for an updated staffing plan. Ongoing staffing needs for SMPD include 13 more public safety officers, 11 more peace officers downtown, and 7 more officers assigned to the Homeless Liaison Program. Also critical to the success of the police department is the resumption of funding for the cadet program. We urge you to direct staff to craft a budget with these allocations to the police department. Finally, any planned staffing eliminations to public safety divisions that would negatively impact the continuation of these efforts should be immediately reversed.
We understand you have many challenging decisions to make tonight and over the next few months regarding the City budget. We believe our collective financial stability hinges on a safe and clean city that welcomes visitors and allows local business people to thrive in a fair and equitable economy.
We look forward to an ongoing dialogue with you about our City’s future.
Sincerely,
Laurel Rosen Michael Ricks
President/CEO 2021-22 Board Chair
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Business Strike Team Members
Greg Morena Len Lanzi
Co-Chair Co-Chair
Judy Abdo, resident
Pam O’Connor, resident
And representatives of the following:
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
Main Street Business Improvement Association
Montana Avenue Merchants Association
Macerich/Santa Monica Place
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Firefighters, Local 1109
Santa Monica Peace Officers Association
Santa Monica Pier Lessees Association
Santa Monica Pier Corporation
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism
The Independence
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From: Denise Anderson-Warren
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 12:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fwd: Budget Excess & Master Plan
Please process as an add‐to for 8.A
From: Ron Goldman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 12:21:53 PM
To: David White <[email protected]>; Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Sue Himmelrich <[email protected]>; Kristin McCowan <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]> Cc: Denise Anderson‐Warren <Denise.Anderson‐[email protected]> Subject: Budget Excess & Master Plan
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor, Councilmembers, and City Manager,
I read with interest in yesterdays’ Santa Monica Daily Press about a $30.7million budget excess, and there was to be some discussion in that regard at tonight’s council meeting. I understand that the budget for this year has been established, however with this addition, I would hope that you could find $2‐2.5 million dollars (6‐8% of the $30.7 mill) to hire a private consultant to do a G.I.S. (Geographic Information System) master plan over the next 2 years without taking virtually any staff or council time. Avoiding the very serious problems that ad hoc development is creating for the city, it is imperative that you do away with all this piecemeal planning and have a data‐driven plan that can readily be modified, adapted to changing tourism, infrastructure, etc., etc., to avoid the horrific and “piecemeal” process ruining Santa Monica’s beachfront garden environment. Understanding the state mandates of the housing element, this study could also include a range of revisions to the zoning code which would provide incentives for better design and development without infringing on state requirements. Time is not on Santa Monica’s side and to postpone doing this would be absolute negligence on your part.
Mayor and Council, there is absolutely no excuse for not standing up for your residents and your city.
Here’s hoping,
Ron Goldman FAIA
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Santa Monica City Council
City Hall
1685 Main Street, Room 209
Santa Monica, CA 90401
RE: Audit Subcommittee Review of Homeless Services Delivery in the City of Santa Monica by Moss Adams
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and City Councilmembers,
The Social Service Commission generally supports external audits of City programs, however, we felt compelled to weigh in on the Moss Adams proposal, voted on by the Audit Subcommittee, due to the scope of the audit.
While Moss Adams has proven to be a trusted partner, we feel that the scope of the audit is too broad and will not be capable of a truly detailed analysis within the complexity of the City of Santa Monica’s homeless services. While the scope of work devotes time to an analysis of the multijurisdictional ecosystem that serves our unhoused population, we urge Moss Adams to focus attention on identifying the unmet needs and gaps in care that city staff and City Councilmembers can directly address and remedy.
The Social Service Commission would also like to point out that the Human Services Grants Program has remained at the same funding level since 2015, with significant cuts during COVID-19. This despite massive rising need as the city’s homeless population increased, rent skyrocketed, and protections for renters slowly eroded away. The Social Service Commission recommends:
• Increasing the funding to the Human Services Grant Program • Create a new category inviting applications for innovative pilot programs to address unmet needs with a promise of long-term funding if they can show positive outcomes.
• Pursue, create, and support capital initiatives beyond the HSGP, particularly developing supportive housing and providing quality, local psychiatric facilities, staffing, and beds.
An audit is a wonderful tool in the hands of dedicated policy makers to inform the discussion, not define it. We urge the Audit Subcommittee and Moss Adams to scale down the scope and help the City uncover unmet needs or gaps in services that can be solved.
Sincerely,
The Santa Monica Social Services Commission
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From: Ellen Hannan <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 3:07 PM
To: Elizabeth Van Denburgh
Cc: Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; [email protected]; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; councilmtgitems; David White; Susan Cline; Anuj Gupta Subject: Re: City Cnl. Mtg. 2/8/22 - Item 8A - Financial Status Update and FY 2021-22 Midyear Budget and Adoption of Resolutions - NEED FOR PROPORTIONAL FUNDING BY # of RESIDENCES FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER
EXTERNAL
Thank you. Great letter.
Ellen
On Tue, Feb 8, 2022 at 11:30 AM Elizabeth Van Denburgh <[email protected]> wrote:
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members,
BACKGROUND: As described by the LUCE, we are a city of neighborhoods. Historically, the city has generously produced an annual newsletter for each city‐sanctioned neighborhood. Lisa Parson, Special Assistant to the City Manager ‐ Equity and Community Recovery, reporting to Anuj Gupta, Deputy City Manager, has indicated in a January 27th email that each neighborhood is being offered via a new application (which we have not seen yet) the addresses for our neighborhood and a $7,000 grant fund.
ISSUE: The various neighborhoods have different populations and the $7,000 will not cover the ability of the most populous neighborhood, Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) to produce and mail a newsletter to each residence. Based on preliminary estimate from a local printer, the cost for a generating and mailing a newsletter is $1.00 ‐ $1.25 per newsletter. Wilmont is estimated to have 23,000 residents with an estimate of 10,000 residences in the neighborhood. The fixed grant of $7,000 will not be enough to cover the variable cost of $10,000 to $12,500 for the 10,000 Wilmont residences. Other neighborhoods have fewer residents. I strongly believe that direct mail is the best approach to reach and communicate with the broadest spectrum of residents. They can them become aware and if they choose, active in their neighborhood group. Not everyone will be able to use Venmo and a QR code to access membership in their local neighborhood group.
SOLUTION: Lisa Parson has pointed out to neighborhoods that some cities e.g., Mountainview, CA does proportional funding and uses a simple formula based on the number of residents in a given neighborhood, instead of giving an equal amount to each organization regardless of size. I would request that the city move forward on a more equitable approach to funding the neighborhood newsletters. Since we are now managing the generation and mailing of them vs. the city, the variable costs based on residences are significant between neighborhoods.
CALL TO ACTION: I appreciate the efforts of the city and believe that this is a more equitable choice and will continue to support Santa Monica as a city of neighborhoods. Please update the midyear budget to include a proportional funding approach for the neighborhoods' newsletter production and mailing process.
Thank‐you,
Elizabeth Van Denburgh
Wilmont Chair
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, February 8, 2022 3:32 PM
To: [email protected]; Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; [email protected]; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; councilmtgitems Cc: David White; Susan Cline; Anuj Gupta; [email protected] Subject: City Council 2/8/22 - Item 8A - Midyear Budget - proportional funding for grants for neighborhood organizations
EXTERNAL
To: Mayor Himmelrich and City Council members
From: Zina Josephs
RE: 2/8/22 agenda item 8-A -- Midyear Budget
Speaking only for myself, I support the letter below from Wilmont Chair Elizabeth Van Denburgh.
However, if you go forward with her suggestion, which I hope you will, the City needs to increase the total amount set aside for these neighborhood grants by the few thousand dollars needed to provide equity for Wilmont, rather than decrease the amount of the grants offered to the neighborhoods with smaller populations.
For example, we seem to have a increasing amount of movement among residents in Sunset Park, with some moving to Venice, Marina Del Rey, Topanga Canyon, Colorado, Idaho, Washington state, etc., and others just moving to different homes or apartments within the neighborhood.
The annual mailing is how we reach residents new to the neighborhood and let them know that there IS a neighborhood organization. Whether they choose to join is then up to them.
And just a reminder that, even with the reduction in revenue due to the pandemic, the City of Los Angeles is still spending more the $3 million per year funding its neighborhood councils.
Thank you for your consideration.
Zina Josephs
*********************************************************************************************************** In a message dated 2/8/2022 11:37:25 AM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes:
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members,
BACKGROUND: As described by the LUCE, we are a city of neighborhoods. Historically, the city has generously produced an annual newsletter for each city‐sanctioned neighborhood. Lisa Parson, Special Assistant to the City Manager ‐ Equity and Community Recovery, reporting to Anuj Gupta, Deputy City Manager, has indicated in a January 27th email that each neighborhood is being offered via a new application (which we have not seen yet) the addresses for our neighborhood and a $7,000 grant fund.
ISSUE: The various neighborhoods have different populations and the $7,000 will not cover the ability of the most populous neighborhood, Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) to produce and mail a Item 8.A
02/08/21
11 of 12 Item 8.A
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2 newsletter to each residence. Based on preliminary estimate from a local printer, the cost for a generating and mailing a newsletter is $1.00 ‐ $1.25 per newsletter. Wilmont is estimated to have 23,000 residents with an estimate of 10,000 residences in the neighborhood. The fixed grant of $7,000 will not be enough to cover the variable cost of $10,000 to $12,500 for the 10,000 Wilmont residences. Other neighborhoods have fewer residents. I strongly believe that direct mail is the best approach to reach and communicate with the broadest spectrum of residents. They can them become aware and if they choose, active in their neighborhood group. Not everyone will be able to use Venmo and a QR code to access membership in their local neighborhood group.
SOLUTION: Lisa Parson has pointed out to neighborhoods that some cities e.g., Mountainview, CA does proportional funding and uses a simple formula based on the number of residents in a given neighborhood, instead of giving an equal amount to each organization regardless of size. I would request that the city move forward on a more equitable approach to funding the neighborhood newsletters. Since we are now managing the generation and mailing of them vs. the city, the variable costs based on residences are significant between neighborhoods.
CALL TO ACTION: I appreciate the efforts of the city and believe that this is a more equitable choice and will continue to support Santa Monica as a city of neighborhoods. Please update the midyear budget to include a proportional funding approach for the neighborhoods' newsletter production and mailing process.
Thank‐you,
Elizabeth Van Denburgh
Wilmont Chair
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