CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MARCH 24, 2026
A special meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor Torosis at 5:35 p.m., on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at City Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA.
Roll Call: Present:
Also Present:
CONVENE/PLEDGE
STATEMENT OF
ACCOUNTABILITY
(LAND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT)
LEVINE ACT
DISCLOSURE
PUBLIC INPUT
COUNCILMEMBER
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
NEIGHBORHOOD
ORGANIZATION GRANT
PROGRAM GUIDANCE
Mayor Caroline Torosis
Mayor Pro Tern Jesse Zwick
Councilmember Lana Negrete
Councilmember Dan Hall
Councilmember Ellis Raskin
Councilmember Barry Snell
Councilmember Natalya Zemitskaya
City Manager Oliver Chi
City Attorney Heidi von Tongeln
Interim City Clerk Denise Anderson-Warren
On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 5:35 p.m., with all members present. Councilmember Raskin led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The City of Santa Monica Statement of Accountability (Land Acknowledgement) was read into the record by Councilmember Zemitskaya.
No Councilmembers made disclosures regarding the Levine Act (Govt Code Section 84308).
Members of the public Andrew Hoyer, Clare Thomas, John C. Smith, and Elizabeth van Denburg commented on item 16.A.
In accordance with Council Rule 6(y), all Councilmember Discussion items were considered and approved in one motion unless removed by a Councilmember for discussion.
16.A. Request of Mayor Torosis, Councilmember Hall and
Councilmember Raskin to Direct Staff to Review and Clarify Neighborhood Organization Grant Program Guidance, was presented.
Motion by Councilmember Hall, seconded by Mayor Torosis, to approve the recommendation to include the following:
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The City Council direct staff to:
1. Review the unanimous Council direction from September 30, 2025 regarding the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program,
confirming that public funds not be used to take positions on political candidates;
2. Ensure that the program application, guidelines, and related materials are fully consistent with Council direction;
3. Refine and clarify program guidance, including through updated application materials and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), to explicitly state that:
a. Neighborhood organizations may conduct education and outreach related to ballot measures, provided such activities are informational in nature;
b. The use of funds for communications, including mailers, to inform members about meetings, events, and programming is permissible; c. Organizations are required to submit a proposed annual budget at the beginning of the grant period, consistent with prior practice, and are not required to obtain pre-approval for each individual expenditure;
d. Neighborhood organizations may host meetings between their members and individuals running for office, provided such activities are conducted in a neutral and information-sharing manner; e. Any requests for demographic information from participating organizations or their members are strictly voluntary;
4. Confirm that Neighborhood Organizations may form or operate separate affiliated entities to perform political activities;
5. Clarify the City Council's intent that if a Neighborhood Association forms or operates an affiliated entity to exercise their First Amendment right to endorse political candidates, that entity cannot receive taxpayer resources or participate in the City's Neighborhood Organization Grant Program;
6. Reaffirm that Neighborhood Organizations participating in the City's grant program should be entities that are engaged in the performance of civic community building functions;
7. Confirm that only those groups that qualify, apply, and are identified as an official Neighborhood Organization will be listed by the City as an official participant of the City's Neighborhood Association Grant Program;
8. Further, confirm that elected officials and staff are not barred from meeting with groups who choose to endorse political candidates in their official capacity as representatives of the City to give briefings or answer questions;
9. Return with any additional recommendations necessary to ensure clarity, accessibility, and consistency in program implementation; and
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ADJOURNMENT
10. Following the release of updated application materials and FAQs, re-open the application period for the 2025-26 Neighborhood Organization Grant Program to allow interested organizations to apply in light of the clarified guidance.
The motion was approved by a 6-1 voice vote, with Councilmember Negrete voting no.
On order of the Mayor, the City Council special meeting adjourned at 12:18 a.m.
ATTEST:
Denise Anderson-Warren
Interim City Clerk
3 APPROVED:
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Caroline Torosis
Mayor
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