1 David Yakobson
From: RADER_ROB <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 3:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Council Mailbox
Subject: Public comment on City of Santa Monica Special Meeting of July 29, 2025 / Item 16-A / Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Council Members,
I wish I could be there in person but I have a conflict with Santa Monica College’s Special Meeting of its Board of Trustees at 5 pm tonight.
For 20 years (2002 through 2022), I served as a City appointee on first the Bayside District Corporation and then its successor, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM). Overall, I served for approximately 15 years as Treasurer, 1 year as Vice Chair, and 2 years as Chair, including during the pandemic. I was Treasurer when we organized a more formal PBAD (Property-Based Assessment District) which was created to take on new duties and responsibilities downtown, primarily ambassadors; an increased level of maintenance / cleaning; additional marketing /promotion / outreach; and strategic planning all to be paid for by assessments on the properties in Downtown Santa Monica in 3 diƯerent rate-paying districts (in addition to the various existing City assessments on the Promenade and Downtown and licenses to film permits and ICE promotions).
When the change was made to DTSM as a PBAD, the former Bayside District Corporation recommended more formal representation for property owners, although the City had always carefully maintained a balance of property owners, businesses (lessees of the property owners), and members of the public. Indeed, I was appointed to Bayside as general member of the public as I was then Chair of the Wilshire / Montana Neighborhood Coalition and helped to represent residents’ voices on the Bayside and DTSM Boards. Please note, almost all literature involving the DTSM (and Bayside previously) expressly referred to all these diƯerent interests as does the Service Agreement with the City.
Because the City was giving up complete ability to appoint all members of the Bayside Board in order to improve the Downtown via property-based assessments, it was decided that property owners would elect 6 members, the City would appoint 6 members, and the City would retain a final seat for the City Manager or his/ her designate. Again, this was to ensure that all voices were heard and all viewpoints considered, yet the City Council and City Manager would retain a majority that could be independent of just the interest of property owners. I know this because I was the Board member who made the motion to adopt the 6 + 6 + 1 plan, as I had the benefit of sitting next to former Mayor Ken Genser who was helpful to me in the wording (as he often was!).
When I applied for Bayside District, I referred to the Promenade as being Santa Monica’s Roman Forum, a public space of commerce but also of community, where people could have entertainment, meetings, and gatherings, including bars, movie theaters, bookstores, and unique events. It was always intended to be more than just maximizing sales, or rents. In fact, the City would generally use its appointments to counter-balance market considerations to reflect our collective aspirations that Downtown Santa Monica was more than just a mall. Although the City often appointed property owners or businesses, they were people who took a larger view then merely maximizing rents; these owners included Wally Marks; John Warfel; Bill Tucker; Johannes van Tilburg. I learned enormous amounts from the constructive dialogue we shared. Our consultants (especially Project for Public Spaces) would take videos and pictures of visitors of all ages who were smiling and having a Special Agenda Item 16-A
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Special Agenda Item 16-A
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2 good time on the Promenade, noting that our street performers and urban authenticity were our advantages against an antiseptic mall atmosphere.
While I am embarrassed by the nostalgia, it feels like we have lost that reflective quality that encouraged engagement with multiple viewpoints. Most of the property owners seem to have only very limited concerns, and instead want to blame the City for District problems (which are really national ones, including a massive shift in retail and oƯice leasing). As property owner, former Chair, and City-appointed Board Member Johannes van Tilburgh said at the meeting when we adopted the “Promenade 3.0” plan in spring 2021, the vacancies in Downtown could be ended the moment property owners chose to reduce their rents (or as an economist would say, when they moved rent to the “market-clearing” price).
The City has never avoided taking bold action. When former Mayor Denny Zane worked with property owners to renovate and create the Bayside District, it was only the latest of several refurbishments of Third Street that the City had engaged in. But it was the one that “took”. We need to reinvent and reinvigorate the Downtown, and – in a time of less resources – we need to start the governance model that actually worked, one that encouraged giveand-take amongst diƯerent interests. Without a strong component of voices of the public, I fear that the assessments (which have not been raised in approximately 5 years) will continue to lose purchasing power and DTSM will wither away.
I am happy to discuss this at greater length with any of you, as my 20 years on the Boards of DTSM and Bayside gave me a strong opportunity to learn how to craft compromises that led to success both economically and culturally, including the very 6 + 6 + 1 compromise you are discussing tonight that worked so well for 15 years. I hope you take the bold actions necessary to once again re-invent Downtown Santa Monica for a new era – one where there is less demand both for oƯice space with tele-commuting and for retail with online vendors such as Amazon.
Yours,
Rob Rader
Former Chair, Vice-Chair, and Treasurer of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. / Bayside District Corporation (2002 – 2022) C-Level Executive in Business, Government Relations, Operations & Legal Affairs Technology, Media & Digital Platforms
Santa Monica College Board of Trustees
The KCRW Foundation Board of Directors
Bridges Education Group Board of Directors
310.480.3229 (mobile)
[email protected]
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rob-rader/57/139/535
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
1 Mitchell Kois
From: John Alle <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 7:33 AM
To: John Alle
Subject: Follow-up to my email sent today at 6:45 AM Resized (easier to read) Documents
EXTERNAL
Hello.
Please click the link for easier to view document attachments Document 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JAElS2UhhDXTqWOHMw8a_mQQ9mJITulQ/view?usp=sharing Document
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KA7KpoRS8uIBi4DyjDXfYe3ZbwiNbdF7/view?usp=sharing ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the attached Memo from Santa Monica Councilmember Barry Snell to the City Manager to unilaterally replace the current Board Members appointed by the Council two years ago, prior to the expiration of their terms.
Now is the best time to dismantle the City-controlled nonprofit DTSM, Inc., get rid of the mandatory assessments property owners and businesses must pay, and create a true business improvement district (BID) that other successful cities have with hundreds of property owners, that are not controlled by the City.
Best and closest examples are Larchmont Blvd. in Hancock Park and Old Pasadena, each with 2 or 3 times the number of individual property owners. Their BID is not controlled by the City.
The City's financial and logistic responsibilities to clean garages, public spaces, empty trash dumpsters, etc., provide lighting and maintain landscaping in public areas, and maintain public safety will remain.
Information our team has collected from City Hall leads us to believe - - Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
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2 DTSM CEO Andrew Thomas colluded with the City Council to remove the existing DTSM, Inc.
Board Members and be replaced by SMRR operatives who will agree to give him the $300K + salary he demanded.
This is legitimate corruption. Truly another new low for the City.
We will contact assessment-paying DTSM Stakeholders to arrange a combined inperson and zoom meeting to discuss dismantling the assessments and required payment prior to 2028, and establishing a new BID (perhaps even block by block) and lawsuit against the City.
Thanks to all who have the courage to stay informed and who take the time to let the City Council know your views on their policy proposals.
Below are the links to the Agenda and live broadcast of the meeting as well as the City Council email addresses. Comments emailed to Council must include the Agenda item # and be received by Tuesday at noon to be included in the Public Record.
AGENDA for August 29, 2025
https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=1467 [email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
You can watch the meeting live beginning at 5:30 p.m. at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Citytv16santamonica
John Alle 310 990 7124
--
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
3 John E. Alle
JOHN ALLE COMPANY
The Santa Monica Coalition/Safe Cities
www.johnallecompany.com
www.thesantamonicacoalition.org
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
4 Mitchell Kois
From: John Alle <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 6:46 AM
To: John Alle
Subject: Please see the attached Memo from Santa Monica Councilmember Barry Snell to the City Manager to eliminate and replace the current Board Members with a selection of their own, prior to
EXTERNAL
Please see the attached Memo from Santa Monica Councilmember Barry Snell to the City Manager to replace unilaterally replace the current Board Members appointed by the Council two years ago, prior to the expiration of their terms.
Now is the best time to dismantle the City-controlled nonprofit DTSM, Inc., get rid of the mandatory assessments property owners and businesses must pay, and create a true business improvement district (BID) that other successful cities have with hundreds of property owners, that are not controlled by the City.
The City's financial and logistic responsibilities to clean garages, public spaces, empty trash dumpsters, etc., provide and maintain landscaping in public areas, and maintain public safety will remain.
Information our team has collected from City Hall leads us to believe - - DTSM CEO Andrew Thomas colluded with the City Council to remove the existing DTSM, Inc.
Board Members and be replaced by SMRR operatives who will agree to give him the $300K + salary he demanded.
This is legitimate corruption. Truly another new low for the City.
We will contact assessment-paying DTSM Stakeholders to arrange a combined inperson and zoom meeting to discuss dismantling the assessments and required payment prior to 2028, and establishing a new BID (or not, perhaps even block by block, and lawsuit against the City.
Thanks to all who have the courage to stay informed and who take the time to let the City Council know your views on their policy proposals.
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
5 Below are the links to the Agenda and live broadcast of the meeting as well as the City Council email addresses. Comments emailed to Council must include the Agenda item # and be received by Tuesday at noon to be included in the Public Record.
AGENDA for August 29, 2025
https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=1467 [email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
You can watch the meeting live beginning at 5:30 p.m. at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Citytv16santamonica
John Alle 310 990 7124
--
John E. Alle
JOHN ALLE COMPANY
The Santa Monica Coalition/Safe Cities
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
6 www.johnallecompany.com
www.thesantamonicacoalition.org
Cell: (310) 990-7124
Office: (626) 795-1511 (310) 319-1511
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
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Special Agenda Item 16-A
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1 Mitchell Kois
From: Nikima Newsome
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 10:50 AM
To: Mitchell Kois
Cc: Maria Dacanay-Wisner
Subject: Fw: Proposed Early Termination of Downtown Santa Monica Appointees Please process as an add to. Thanks.
Niki
Nikima S. Newsome
City Clerk
City of Santa Monica
(310)458-8211
From: Tudor, Lucian <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 10:30:51 AM
To: Douglas Sloan <[email protected]>; Nikima Newsome <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Barry Snell <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>; Dan Hall <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Proposed Early Termination of Downtown Santa Monica Appointees
EXTERNAL
Dear Honorable Members of the Santa Monica City Council, I am writing to express deep concern regarding the proposed removal of all six appointees serving on the Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. Board prior to the completion of their terms—and notably, without cause or public explanation.
This action, if carried out, would set a troubling precedent for the governance of public-private partnerships in Santa Monica. More importantly, it would undermine public confidence in our city’s commitment to transparency, process, and the fair treatment of its civic volunteers.
Each of us serving on the DTSM Board was appointed through a legitimate and open process. We have dedicated our time, expertise, and energy to supporting the vibrancy and recovery of the downtown district at a critical time.I also dedicate extremely valuable time and resources in supporting this struggling beloved city. Removing duly appointed board members without clear justification is not only disruptive, but risks politicizing what has historically been a productive and collaborative working body.
We respectfully ask the Council to:
1. Reconsider this decision and allow appointees to complete their terms.
Special Agenda Item 16-A
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Special Agenda Item 16-A
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2 2. Provide a clear public explanation of the rationale, if removal is still being considered.
3. Ensure that future actions involving civic boards follow consistent procedures and respect the spirit of public service.
Santa Monica has long been known for its thoughtful, inclusive civic process. We hope the Council will reaffirm that legacy by upholding fairness, continuity, and good governance.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Lucian Tudor
Appointee, Downtown Santa Monica Board
Special Agenda Item 16-A
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Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
1 Mitchell Kois
From: Marc Verville <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 11:57 AM
To: Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Dan Hall; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Ellis Raskin; Jesse Zwick
Cc: councilmtgitems
Subject: SMCC 2025-07-29 Special Meeting Item 16.A. - Removal of all six of the current RCity Council appointed board members to the DTSM Board of Directors
EXTERNAL
To Mayor Negrete and Council Members,
While this belated acknowledgement of the City’s financial crisis is a posiƟve development, replacing all the DTSM Directors by abrogaƟon of adopted City Board processes sets an extremely bad precedent while failing to address the core issues driving the City’s worsening structural deficit: The abandonment of the city by anchor commercial insƟtuƟons due to failed safety, transient homelessness and cleanliness policies and the City’s business-hosƟle policy approach. In this, Santa Monica resembles downtown Los Angeles, another urban core being abandoned for the exact same reasons.
The peer areas such as Century City, AbboƩ Kinney and Marina Del Rey are all thriving for the same reason – they have proacƟvely and steadfastly addressed these issues, funneling businesses and visitors out of both Los Angeles and Santa Monica.
Moreover, the City’s offloading of its safety responsibiliƟes to DTSM has squandered the resources DTSM should have been using for markeƟng and commercial area upgrades.
Failure to address these fundamental issues will push the city into deeper financial crisis regardless of who is on the board of DTSM.
Marc L. Verville
Sunset Park
Former Chair, Santa Monica Audit SubcommiƩee
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
2 Mitchell Kois
From: Dannie Charney <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 9:49 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Subject: DTSM REPLACEMENT- OPPOSE
EXTERNAL
Now is the best time to dismantle the City-controlled nonprofit DTSM, Inc. it is long past time we stop the mandatory assessments that property owners and businesses must pay. We need to create a true business improvement district (BID), that other successful cities have.
These cities with hundreds of property owners are not controlled by the City. This is important.
Both Larchmont Blvd. in Hancock Park, and Old Pasadena are prime examples of this method. Each having 2 or 3 times the number of individual property owners. Their BIDs are not controlled by the City.
Of course the City's financial and logistic responsibilities to clean garages, public spaces, empty trash dumpsters, etc., provide lighting and maintain landscaping in public areas, and maintain public safety will remain.
It appears that DTSM CEO Andrew Thomas has colluded with City Council to remove the existing DTSM, Inc. Board Members and be replaced by SMRR operatives who will agree to give him the $300K + salary he demanded.
This is legitimate corruption. Truly another new low for the City.
This new City Council is operating like the Trump regime while pretending to be liberal. They are not. They are authoritarian and controlling. Dan Hall alone, along with Zwick and Natalya..the YIMBYs. are always outraged and threatening. Now they demand total control of boards and commissions. Stop this. Just stop it.
Danielle Charney
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025
Special Agenda Item 16-A
July 29, 2025