1 City Council Meeting: May 26, 2026 Santa Monica, California ORDINANCE NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA REPEALING AND REPLACING SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 2.62, CREATING CHAPTERS 2.73 AND 2.74, AND AMENDING CHAPTERS 2.50, 2.64, AND 2.66 TO IMPLEMENT VARIOUS BOARD AND COMMISSION CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA 2025 COMPREHENSIVE
BOARD AND COMMISSION REVIEW
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica (“City”) maintains over twenty-five volunteer bodies that have various administrative, regulatory, or review authority for the purpose of making recommendations to the City Council; and
WHEREAS, In the spring of 2025, City staff conducted the City’s Boards and Commissions Comprehensive Review (“Review”) to make the administration and purpose of boards and commissions impactful, efficient, aligned with available City resources, and empowering for residents and community members to meaningfully contribute; and WHEREAS, at the Council’s January 13, 2026 regular meeting, City staff presented the Review; and
WHEREAS, the Review’s recommendations include changes, including consolidating the Housing Commission and the Human Services Commission into a new Housing and Human Services Commission, reducing membership on the Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission and Arts Commission, and converting the Urban Forest Task Force into a codified City Commission; and
WHEREAS, on January 27, 2026, Council established a new Restorative Justice Commission (“RJC”) to replace the current Landback + Reparations Task Force; and 2 WHEREAS, implementation of the Review recommendations and RJC direction requires amendments to the Santa Monica Municipal Code.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Ordinance Number 1168 establishing a housing commission is hereby repealed in its entirety.
SECTION 2. Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 2.50.020, Creation of Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission, is hereby amended to read as follows:
2.50.020 Creation of Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission (a) Pursuant to Section 1000 of the City Charter, a Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission is created. The Commission shall consist of nine members and shall be appointed by the City Council. As of July 1, 2027, the Commission shall consist of seven (7) members and shall be appointed by the City Council. In addition to the requirements for appointments of commissioners set out in this Section below, the Commission and commissioners shall be subject to all the terms of Article X of the City Charter setting forth procedures for appointment of commissioners, terms, and meetings. (b) All commissioners shall:
(1) Reside in the City;
(2) Have a significant commitment to the public safety and wellbeing of the City and those who reside, work, are students or own property in the City; and (3) Have knowledge of or experience with law enforcement, public safety policies and issues, or social services policies and issues. 3 (c) At all times, two commissioners shall be individuals who were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five at the time of the appointment. These commissioners shall not be required to have knowledge or experience satisfying subsection (b)(3) above at the time of appointment.
(d) In addition to the seven voting commission members, there shall be one additional ex officio non-voting commission member who shall be an individual who meets the criteria set forth in subsections (b) and (e) of this Section and is jointly recommended by the Police Chief and the SMPOA. If the Police Chief and SMPOA cannot agree on a recommendation, this ex officio position shall remain unfulfilled. (e) Persons holding any paid office or employment in the City government, including, but not limited to, sworn offices and non-sworn employees of the SMPD, shall not be eligible to serve as commissioners. Practicing attorneys who handle, or are members of firms or entities that currently handle, criminal or civil matters involving the SMPD also shall not be eligible to serve as commissioners.
(f) Within six months of appointment, each commissioner shall participate in training relevant to providing oversight of law enforcement and to the understanding of racial justice. Such training shall include participation in the SMPD Community Academy; a training session of two hours or less presented by the SMPOA that will address topics including the rights of police officers under the Police Officers Bill of Rights; and reasonable additional required training identified by the Commission, which may include programs offered by the National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, the Association of Local Government Auditors, entities with experience providing racial justice training, or other similar bodies.
4 The Commissioners initially appointed to the Commission shall have until May 31, 2022 to complete the required training. Failure to complete the required training will result in removal from the Commission.
SECTION 3. Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 2.62, Human Services Commission, is hereby deleted and replaced to read as follows:
Chapter 2.62 Housing and Human Services Commission.
2.62.010 Creation of the Housing and Human Services Commission (a) Pursuant to Section 1000 of the Santa Monica City Charter, a Housing and Human Services Commission is hereby established. The Commission and members shall be subject to all of the terms of Article X of the Charter setting forth procedures for appointment of members, terms, and meetings.
(b) The Commission shall consist of seven (7) members all of whom shall be residents of the City of Santa Monica. Two (2) members shall be participants in an affordable housing program, and shall each serve two-year terms. The remaining five (5) members shall each serve four-year terms. One (1) affordable program participant must also be at least 62 years old and one (1) affordable housing program participant must be unhoused or formerly unhoused. No member shall hold any paid office or employment in City of Santa Monica government.
2.62.020 Powers and duties of the Commission
The Commission shall act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the production and preservation of affordable housing and to the social, economic, and wellness needs of vulnerable community members, including, but not limited to, marginalized populations, low-income households, older adults, youth and 5 families, the LGBTQ community, women and girls (including transgender women and girls), people of color, and people experiencing homelessness. The Commission shall encourage the full participation of the Santa Monica community in shaping the City’s future and shall demonstrate a commitment to fairness, equity, social justice, and democracy.
Specifically, the Commission’s powers and duties are as follows:
(a) Recommend to the City Council policies, programs, and projects that guide and advance the provision, production, and preservation of affordable housing in Santa Monica.
(b) Recommend to the City Council specific housing and human services programs necessary to serve the unmet needs of residents of the City. (c) Make recommendations to Council regarding Housing Authority programs and activities.
(d) Review the City Manager’s proposed budget for housing and human services and make recommendations to the City Council.
(e) Review national, state, and local legislation which may have an impact on housing and human services for vulnerable communities in the City and make recommendations to the City Council.
(f) Consult and maintain contact with groups and individuals who are concerned with the challenges, opportunities, and services of vulnerable City residents, and hold meetings and public hearings on housing and human services programs as necessary to receive input from these groups and individuals, coordinating with the scheduled events of other boards and commissions as appropriate.
6 (g) Schedule, participate in and conduct public hearings to determine the housing needs of the residents of the City as part of the development of the Housing Assistance Plan component of the City's annual Community Development Block Grant submission, and transmit the findings of said hearings to the City Council. These hearings may be coordinated with other scheduled events of other boards and commissions as appropriate.
(h) Recommend to the City Council specific housing programs to meet the needs of the residents of the City, based on information from public hearings and forums. (i) Review, comment and make recommendations to the City Council on procedures and policies to provide affordable housing for City residents and to implement the City's housing programs.
(j) Review, comment, on the proposed funding for housing programs funded through the City’s annual Community Development Plan process.
(k) Prepare an annual assessment on the extent to which local agencies and programs of the City, County of Los Angeles, and other entities are achieving goals and objectives for affordable housing, and transmit to City Council for review. (l) Conduct public forums on housing programs and issues in conjunction with other boards and commissions, including but not limited to the Housing Element, the Housing Assistance Plan, and the Tenant Ownership Rights Charter Amendment (TORCA) program.
(m) Make recommendations on all Housing Authority programs and activities. (n) Develop an annual budget and workplan for activities such as speaking engagements, mailings and liaison activities.
7 SECTION 4. Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 2.64, Arts Commission, is hereby amended to read as follows:
Chapter 2.64 Arts Commission.
2.64.010. Findings and purpose.
The City Council finds and declares:
(a) The lives of citizens of the City can be enriched by exposure to art in its various forms.
(b) Recognizing and encouraging the arts is a basic service of local government. (c) Innovative programs for ensuring artistic expression in the City must be developed. (d) The creation of an Arts Commission will ensure a regular and ongoing assessment of art programs in the City.
2.64.020 Creation of Arts Commission.
(a) Pursuant to Section 1000 of the City Charter, an Arts Commission is created. The Commission shall consist of seven (7) members. The members shall be appointed by the City Council. The Commission and members shall be subject to all of the terms of Article X of the City Charter setting forth procedures for appointment of members, terms and meetings.
(b) All members shall reside or work in the City and shall be actively involved in the arts. No member shall hold any paid office or employment in City of Santa Monica government. The Commission shall represent the diversity of the community and shall include minorities and working artists, but not limited to the following disciplines:
(1) Performing arts such as drama, music, and dance.
8 (2) Visual arts such as painting, sculpture, photography, material arts, digital art, game design, interactive media, and new media installations. (3) Communications arts such as film, television, online videos, podcasting and radio.
(4) Literary arts such as literature, poetry, and journalism. (5) Design & Creative Industries such as architecture, urban design, landscape design, fashion design, industrial/product design, graphic and communication design, interior design.
(6) Folk, Traditional & Cultural Arts such as traditional crafts, heritage arts, indigenous arts, cultural performance traditions, community-based and vernacular arts. (7) Interdisciplinary & Hybrid Arts such as cross-disciplinary, transmedia, collaborative, research-based and experimental practices.
Commissioners may represent one or more of the disciplines indicated above.
2.64.030 Powers and duties.
The powers and duties of the Commission are as follows:
(a) Advise on art programs in the City.
(b) Provide advice to the City Council on matters relating to the arts. (c) Work cooperatively with City boards and commissions, the Santa Monica Unified School District, Santa Monica College, and the Santa Monica Arts Foundation in promoting art in the City.
(d) Solicit private funds and grants earmarked for art activities in the City. (e) Encourage public and private partnerships to assure the survival of art and artists in the City.
9 (f) Develop and make recommendations to the City Council an art acquisition program for the City.
(g) Review and make recommendations directly to the City Council all proposals for art works for public buildings and public spaces.
(h) Encourage the flow of art into the City and stimulate art activities among residents of the City.
(i) Advise on such art programs and activities as may be delegated to it from time to time by the City Council including the selection of artists for art programs and projects and the award of contracts for art projects and programs. (j) Make decisions without regard to the residency of the artist.
2.64.040 Funding and budget.
(a) The annual budget prepared by the City Manager and approved by the City Council shall contain such appropriations as the City Council deems necessary and appropriate to enable the Commission to exercise its powers. (b) Any donations or grants solicited by the Commission and any revenues from art programs and projects of the Commission shall be deposited in a special account in the General Fund. Any amounts so deposited may only be expended for the activities of the Commission.
2.64.050 Appeal to City Council.
Any decision of the Commission selecting an artist for an art project or program or awarding a contract for an art program or project may be appealed to the City Council within twenty days of the date of the action of the Commission. The action of the 10 Commission shall be stayed pending determination by the City Council. The City Council shall act on the appeal at the earliest convenient date.
SECTION 5. Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 2.66, Disabilities Commission, is hereby amended to read as follows:
2.66.010 Creation of Disabilities Commission.
(a) Pursuant to Section 1000 of the Santa Monica City Charter, a Disabilities Commission is hereby established. The Commission and members shall be subject to all of the terms of Article X of the City Charter setting forth procedures for appointment of members, terms and meetings.
(b) The Commission shall consist of nine (9) members appointed by the City Council.
As of July 1, 2027, the Commission shall consist of seven (7) members appointed by the City Council. All members shall be residents of the City who have significant experience in the disability community. Additionally, at least four members shall be persons with disabilities. No member shall hold any paid office or employment in City of Santa Monica government.
2.66.020 Powers and duties of the Commission.
The Disabilities Commission shall have the power and be required to:
(a) Act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to people with disabilities in Santa Monica and their needs as a group. (b) Work cooperatively with City agencies, officials, boards, commissions and departments in developing educational and informational materials and programs about the abilities, rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities. 11 (c) Study and make recommendations to the City Council regarding the special problems that people with disabilities in Santa Monica face in employment, transportation, housing, programmatic and physical access to City services, and facilities and programs stemming from barriers encountered in everyday life.
(d) Work cooperatively with City agencies, officials, boards, commission and departments in making recommendations on the development and implementation of programs and practices promoting disability awareness and the integration of people with disabilities into City life.
(e) Review the City's annual Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Review and Update and provide input to staff on the review process and the content of the report.
SECTION 6. Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 2.73, Urban Forest Commission, is hereby added to read as follows:
Chapter 2.73 Urban Forest Commission.
2.73.010 Creation of the Urban Forest Commission.
(a) Pursuant to Section 1000 of the Santa Monica City Charter, an Urban Forest Commission is hereby established. The Commission and members shall be subject to all of the terms of Article X of the Charter setting forth procedures for appointment of members, terms, and meetings.
(b) The Commission shall consist of seven (7) members all of whom shall be residents of the City of Santa Monica. No member shall hold any paid office or employment in City of Santa Monica government. No less than three (3) members shall have professional experience in urban forestry, landscaping, or horticulture. 12 2.73.020 Powers and duties of the Commission.
The powers and duties of the Commission are as follows:
(a) Advise on citywide compliance with the vision and guiding principles of the Urban Forest Master Plan, including but not limited to tree planting, tree removal requests, species designation changes, and updates to existing urban forestry standards. (b) Advise on proposed tree planting activities in the City and public improvement projects.
(c) Advise on public tree species designations, including adjacent to designated landmarks and within historic districts in conjunction with the Landmarks Commission. (d) Advise on the Heritage Tree Program.
(e) Advise on urban forest funding initiatives including urban forest grant funding opportunities.
SECTION 7. Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 2.74, Restorative Justice Commission, is hereby added to read as follows:
Chapter 2.74 Restorative Justice Commission.
2.74.010 Creation of the Restorative Justice Commission. (a) Pursuant to Section 1000 of the Santa Monica City Charter, a Restorative Justice Commission is hereby established. The Commission and members shall be subject to all of the terms of Article X of the Charter setting forth procedures for appointment of members, terms, and meetings.
(b) The Commission shall consist of seven (7) members appointed by the City Council.
All members shall be residents of the City, and all members shall have subject matter 13 expertise or lived experience relevant to the powers and duties of the Commission. No member shall hold any paid office or employment in City of Santa Monica government.
2.74.020 Powers and duties of the Commission.
The powers and duties of the Commission are as follows:
(a) Advise on matters pertaining to the development and administration of a Restorative Justice Program and the associated Restorative Justice Fund, including eligibility criteria, policies, procedures, standards, and oversight. (b) Maintain contact with groups and individuals interested in addressing the historical and ongoing harms faced by communities that have experienced systemic loss of land, housing, and opportunity in the City, and hold meetings as necessary to receive input from these groups and individuals, coordinating with the scheduled events of other City boards and commissions as appropriate.
SECTION 8. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or appendices thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 9. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional. 14 SECTION 10. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published once in the official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become effective on July 1, 2026.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
HEIDI VON TONGELN
City Attorney