1 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 10:24 AM
To: Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Barry Snell; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: Oliver Chi; Heidi von Tongeln
Subject: SMCLC Objections to 2.10/26 Closed Session 5k for 4th/5th and Arizona Attachments: 4th5thArizonaCouncil2.09.26.pdf
EXTERNAL
Good morning,
Attached please find SMCLC’s letter objecting to tomorrow’s closed session for 4th/5th and Arizona for the reasons outlined in our letter.
Unless these discussions preclude any housing on this site, Councilmember Zwick must be excluded.
Thank you.
Diana Gordon for SMCLC
Item 5-K
February 10, 2026
Item 5-K
February 10, 2026
February 9, 2026
Santa Monica City Council
RE: City Council Closed Session Agenda item 5k
SMCLC strongly objects to any proposal to privatize the land at 4th/5th and Arizona in a closed session process.
This is the last remaining large parcel of undeveloped public land in our downtown.
Starting in 2019, SMCLC and other groups throughout the city, organized widespread opposition to the City’s wildly unpopular plans to privatize this public land with a huge, mostly commercial project.
In 2020 the City Council finally voted to end negotiations with the developer and to require a public process for future plans for the site. Likewise, SMCLC prevailed in its lawsuit over the City’s refusal to comply with state law that it could not dispose of this valuable public property without considering alternatives for the site, including open public space.
As the largest and most important remaining publicly owned site in our downtown, any proposed project would necessitate the fullest community review and a comprehensive environmental analysis of the project’s impacts, as well as reasonable alternatives that would lessen those impacts.
Before any commitment to lease or sell this land, the public is entitled to accurate, complete, and unbiased information to facilitate meaningful public participation and, ultimately, a public vote. The City has already set the precedent for a public vote on the use of airport land - land owned by residents. We expect no less here.
As the City prioritizes a massive increase in housing density, especially downtown, it must also prioritize retaining ownership and expanding public recreational space. Santa Monicans are entitled to the same level of open space commonly found in all great cities.
For these reasons, it’s time to have an open community process to decide what options should be pursued for our public land, a process that includes residents from the beginning, rather than after a project has been shaped in secret.
Lastly, unless these discussions preclude ANY housing on this site, Councilmember Zwick must be excluded from this and future sessions.
Diana Gordon and Victor Fresco
Co-Chairs
Cc: Heidi von Tongeln
Oliver Chi
Neighborhood Associations
Item 5-K
February 10, 2026
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2 David Yakobson
From: Ann Hoover <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 8, 2026 9:46 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Oliver Chi
Cc: Peter James; Susan Cline; Oscar Santiago; Jing Yeo; Heather Averick; Natalie Verlinich; Jennifer Taylor; Nia Tang; Agustin Aleman
Subject: February 10, 2026 Council Meeting - CLOSED SESSION Item 5.K. - 4th/5th & Arizona & Parking Structure - NO SALE! GROUND LEASE ONLY!
EXTERNAL
Resubmitting this public comment from January 27, 2026 - NO SALE PLEASE OF OUR CITYOWNED LANDS; when you sell our public land and publicly-owned assets you constrict and compromise Santa Monica's future. Please do not be short-sighted. Our City should own this land 150 years from now. None of us can predict the future. Let's please have a care for those who come after us.
THANK YOU! Best, Ann Bowman, resident 29 years
Dear Mayor Torosis, Mr. Chi, and Councilmembers -
Regarding this closed session real estate negotiation about City-owned land at 4th/5th & Arizona... ...I strongly urge you please never to sell this public land at 4th/5th & Arizona, if that's what on the table tomorrow night. Please only consider a long-term ground lease.
Why? We owe it to the future financial health of our City not to deplete our City's property inventory today.
We have a fiduciary responsibility to preserve opportunities and flexibility for our City to meet its future needs, both decades or even a century from now. This is a huge, marquee property. So please only consider a long-term lease structure, not a sale.
To wit - Many in the community including me were shocked to learn recently that the City inconceivably deeded the contentious Ocean Avenue properties to Community Corp. back in 2016.
Deeded ocean-view properties!! That was an action, presumably, of the "Gleam Davis crony capitalism and public land privatization Council". I believe it is short-sighted and irresponsible to hand over City-owned properties that will only continue to skyrocket in value over time in what is a land-locked City.
Please preserve the City's ownership of our public lands for an as-yet unknowable future.
N.B. - As a result of so many land transfers in the past 10-20 years, Community Corp likely has a billion dollar+ real estate portfolio. And we have just seen they may have been poised to sell Item 5-K
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3 out to a developer with an extremely bad reputation who you fired from the DTSM Board of Directors. Argh!!
Long-term lease ONLY, please!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Best, Ann Bowman
Resident, 29 years
G.
Conference with real estate negotiator - Gov. Code § 54956.8; property:
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1333 4th/1324 5th Street (“4th/5th/Arizona”) and 1234 4th Street ("Parking Structure 1), Santa Monica, California; City negotiators: Natalie Verlinich, Housing Manager, and Agustin Aleman, Senior Development Analyst; owner of record: City of Santa Monica; persons to be negotiated with: Mee Heh Risdon, Director of Housing, A Community of Friends; Jeff Edgren, Director of Acquisitions, Affirmed Housing; Frank Chang, Vice President of Acquisitions, Linc Housing; Gary Steinhardt, Metropolitan Pacific Real Estate Group; Jay Stark, Principal, The Pinyon Group; Bill Witte, CEO, Related California; David Grunwald, Executive Vice President, RMG Housing; Steven Spielberg, Senior Vice President, Alliant Communities; Andrew Bueno, Bueno Group; Charles Cohen, Project Manager, EAH, Inc.; Daniel Hanasab, Principal, Orum Capital; Luis de la Rosa, Pacific Urbanism; Shant Samuelian, Samuelian Group; Jason Yap, Director of Acquisitions, Sola Impact; Anup Patel, Director of Real Estate Development, West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation; Hunter Simmons, Partner, Bridge Realty Advisors; Mike Lanza, Project Manager, People Assisting the Homeless; Ian Fishburn, Managing Director, Vitruvian Development; under negotiation: disposition of property, price and terms of payment
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document
Item 5-K
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1 David Yakobson
From: Mathew Millen <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 4:40 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Feb 10 Item 5K
Attachments: EAH1413.pdf
EXTERNAL
I am opposed to using the 4th St project for low income housing Homeless Regional Social Services...attached for inclusion are the calls for
service for the EAH Homeless Housing project at 1413 Michigan Ave...don't make the same mistake again.. if you want these services
build it North of Wilshire Blvd...
mathew millen
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1 David Yakobson
From: Elizabeth Van Denburgh <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 9:50 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Dan Hall; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; councilmtgitems
Cc: Oliver Chi
Subject: City Council Meeting - 2/10 - Item 5K - Closed Session - 1333 4th/1324 5th Street - Wilmont Board requests a public process to determine the future use of this land as promised by City Council
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis and Council members,
The Board of the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) strongly endorses the SMCLC letter below. We agree the direction of discussion on this property should be a public process for the determination of the 4th/5th and Arizona city property as promised. The use of a closed session lacks the transparency and accountability that Council promises as part of its governance approach.
Many thanks,
Wilmont Board
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4 David Yakobson
From: Elizabeth Van Denburgh <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 10:11 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Dan Hall; Jesse Zwick; councilmtgitems
Cc: Oliver Chi
Subject: City Council meeting 2/10/2025 - Closed Session 5K - 4th/5th and Arizona city property discussion - Please make this a public process and move forward with transparency and accountability governance framework you promote
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Councilmembers and City Manager Chi, I request that you move Closed Session Item 5K into a public process. This city property should not be clouded with uncertainty about how decisions were made, who made them and what third parties were involved. The use of a closed session for this large piece of property goes against all promises of transparency and accountability made by Council.
Why? We owe it to the future financial health of our City to at least have a public discussion not to deplete our city's property inventory today. As well, this property is the heart of Santa Monica. We have a fiduciary responsibility to preserve opportunities and flexibility for our city to meet its future needs, both decades and even a century from now. This is a huge, marquee property. So please move this item into public discussion.
I was surprised to learn recently that the City inconceivably deeded two contentious Ocean Avenue properties to Community Corp. back in 2016. Deeded ocean-view properties! That action and presumably the lack of transparency of it continues to make residents question the promises of transparency and accountability, something it has been impeling neighborhood groups to do. In addition, there have been two Ocean Ave. properties used by a developer to land bank these properties until they could receive higher development thresholds and we have seen a mental health facility, sober living and "prisoner" housing, as defined by the city, try to be located there with no risk requirement analysis or assessment on the neighborhood. I believe it is short-sighted and irresponsible to hand over City-owned properties that will only continue to skyrocket in value over time in what is a land-locked, three-sided City.
Please preserve the City's ownership of our public lands for an as-yet unknowable future.
With respect to Community Corp and as a result of so many land transfers in the past 10-20 years to Community Corp it is a possibility that it has a billion dollar+ real estate portfolio. And we have just seen they may have been poised to sell out to a developer with an extremely bad reputation who you fired from the DTSM Board of Directors. I would request that Councilmember Snell as Chair of the Audit Sub-Committee identify as a key project for the internal auditors an effort to understand the current state of Community Corporation's Santa Monica real estate footprint/portfolio, 10 year Santa Monica city build/facility management plan and overall assessment of transparency, accountability and ongoing reporting to Santa Monica City Council and residents.
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5 Finally, with respect to city land and the two and half year Santa Monica Realignment Plan passed in October 2025, I would request that the pro forma income statement for this massive program provide a detailed budget of revenue sources and expenses for it. The original Realignment Plan document outlined specific expenses but did not forecast how much revenue (one-time or ongoing) would be generated from the revenue sources discussed and had little numerical specificity. In this way we will know how much of that revenue is one-time i.e., from reserves, selling public land, selling/leasing city rights to private companies, etc. The city needs to be clear about its targets and forecasting to ensure the promises of transparency and accountability in its actions and reporting. We should be tracking, ensuring and reporting the revenue sources generated from the Realignment Plan are growing in the ongoing revenue category and provides a sustainable financial future or discuss other options, openly and on a timely basis.
Many thanks,
Elizabeth Van Denburgh
Wilmont, 45 years
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1 David Yakobson
From: John Cyrus Smith <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 12:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Natalya Zernitskaya; Ellis Raskin; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Caroline Torosis Subject: Item 5.K 4th 5th AZ
Attachments: 4 5 AZ Goldman design.jpg; DCP PARK.PNG
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor, Council members, City Manager Chi,
This public property should serve our entire community, not only a selected few.
There are far better uses for these precious 2.9 acres in the very heart of our Downtown.
See the Goldman design. Then read a vision from 2017.
Thank you for all the work it takes to truly understand this and so many other issues.
John Cyrus Smith
[email protected]