🌟 Santa Monica Weekly with Councilmember Lana Negrete

📅 March 2, 2026

Hey Santa Monica,

Some wins take time. My 16A item — the one I've been bringing to Council in different forms for close to two years, co-sponsored this round with Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick — officially passed last Tuesday night. We're one step closer to making it easier for entrepreneurs to turn empty storefronts into restaurants and gathering spaces, and I'll tell you more about what that means below.

But that win is just one piece of a week packed with momentum. The Genesis Invitational brought tens of thousands of visitors — and a serious revenue boost — to our downtown parking infrastructure. FIGS doubled down on Santa Monica with a major office expansion. Our Therapeutic Transport Team posted two full years of data that prove the program works. New businesses keep opening across the city. And the One SaMo People's Academy — a program I've been working on behind the scenes for longer than I can remember — is officially accepting applications.

Oh — and it felt like summer at the beach this weekend. In February. I'll take it.

Big update. Data, context, and heart. Let's go.

🚨 Public Safety

🔹 Year-to-date arrests are up 71.8% — and calls for service are up 15.6%. Through February 21, SMPD has made 732 arrests compared to 426 during the same period in 2025. Year-to-date calls for service total 18,841. This is continued, sustained, measurable progress — not a one-week spike. Proactive, coordinated enforcement between patrol, CIT, the Downtown Services Unit, and K-9 keeps delivering results week after week.

→ 🎯 My take: I've been pushing for this kind of data-driven, targeted policing for years. When I see these numbers alongside stronger filing coordination with the City Attorney's Office, it tells me the model is working. But we don't get complacent. We keep pushing.

🔹 Crime suppression across the city. This week's operations included coordinated enforcement in the Downtown footprint, Pico corridor, Wilshire corridor, and beach areas. Patrol, CIT, and DSU units conducted directed operations in high-complaint corridors. Proactive stops led to multiple arrests for no-bail warrants, parole violations, burglary, and narcotics possession. Officers also investigated bias-related vandalism at a local church and a death investigation that was ultimately ruled an accidental overdose.

Key Crime Suppression Incidents (Feb 15–21):

🔹 Traffic enforcement stayed strategic despite rainy conditions. Officers focused on school zones, PCH, Downtown, and high-collision corridors. Enforcement included directed safety operations, school drop-off monitoring, and pedestrian/bicycle safety efforts.

Notable Traffic Incidents:

🔹 Homelessness response remained a significant priority. Officers recorded 573 homeless-related dispositions and responded to 21 encampment calls. Patrol and specialized units conducted periodic checks in Tongva, Reed, and Palisades Parks. Business outreach along the Wilshire corridor addressed recurring trespass and quality-of-life concerns. Compassion and enforcement go together — that's the model, and we're staying the course.

🔹 Community engagement across every neighborhood. Officers attended Mid-City, Northeast, Wilmont, Ocean Park Association, and Pico neighborhood meetings with crime dashboard presentations and Q&A. Youth outreach included a Grant Elementary presentation in partnership with Animal Control. CPTED security assessments were conducted for Downtown and Wilshire corridor businesses. This is how trust is built — face to face, block by block.

🔥 Fire Department Update

🔹 325 calls for service this past week. 2,772 year-to-date. The department averaged roughly 46 incidents per day, with 42 in the most recent 24-hour period alone. The majority were emergency medical responses, along with fire alarms, traffic collisions, hazard investigations, and public service calls.

🔹 Recruit Academy Week 7: Truck Company Operations. Recruits expanded their fireground knowledge beyond engine company functions — covering ventilation, forcible entry, search operations, ladder placement, and suppression support. They also observed a live fire pump inspection in a newly constructed building within the city, connecting field operations with built-in fire protection systems. Strong, steady progress toward frontline readiness.

🔹 EMS team taught Hands-Only CPR at Santa Monica College. Bystander CPR is a critical link in the chain of survival, and Santa Monica consistently leads in bystander CPR rates. Initiatives like this help save lives. Period.

🔹 Honoring Eddie Davis — Santa Monica's first Black firefighter. The department hosted a station tour for the Davis family this week, followed by a proclamation recognizing Eddie's legacy. Hired in 1965 during a period of deep racial tension across the country, Eddie entered the fire service when integration required courage, resilience, and quiet determination. He earned the respect of his colleagues and community over a long career. His legacy reminds us that institutions change because individuals are willing to step forward and stay committed to excellence. A fitting tribute as Black History Month came to a close.

Fire Prevention Weekly Data:

🧠 Therapeutic Transport Team (TTT): 2025 Year-End Results

🔹 Two years in — the program is doing exactly what it was designed to do. The Therapeutic Transport Team, launched in January 2024 with LA County's Department of Mental Health, responded to 336 calls for service in 2025. Demand remained consistent across all twelve months, peaking in March (37) and August (36). Average incident time: roughly 1 hour and 49 minutes.

→ 📊 By the numbers: Of those 336 calls, 184 resulted in a transport to an appropriate facility — a 55% transport rate. The TTT van itself handled 57 of those transports (31%), meaning every one was a transport that didn't require a police unit, fire engine, or ambulance. That frees up critical first-responder resources for other emergencies.

Transport Method Breakdown:

→ 💡 Disposition data: 5150 involuntary psychiatric holds accounted for 137 incidents — roughly 41% of all calls — underscoring the severity of crises the TTT team responds to daily. An additional 30 incidents resulted in voluntary 6000 holds, 25 were resolved voluntarily, 38 individuals refused services, and 42 calls were cancelled en route.

→ ⚡ The gap we need to close: TTT currently operates weekdays from 9 AM to 5:30 PM. But roughly 61% of all requests came in outside those hours, including 27% on weekends. The demand is real. There's a clear opportunity to explore expanded hours as the program matures.

🔹 The program also serves as a critical resource for our unhoused community, with unhoused individuals involved in 47% of all calls.

→ 🎯 My take: This connects people in crisis to behavioral health support while freeing up our first responders. That's not just a good idea — it's working. Huge credit to our Health and Human Services team and our partners at DMH.

💼 Economic Development

🔹 When the biggest events come to LA, the world comes to Santa Monica. The Genesis Invitational returned to the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades last week — its homecoming after being relocated in 2025 due to the wildfires. And just as the NBA All-Star Weekend showed us, when a world-class event sets up shop in our region, Santa Monica is where people want to be. Tournament organizers partnered directly with the City, purchasing prepaid parking spaces at Beach Lots 4 South and 5 South for event workers and running shuttle service to the Riviera.

→ 📊 The numbers tell the story. During the tournament window (Feb 19–22), daily peak occupancy across all downtown structures and lots was 69% higher than the first week of February, and 30% higher than the week prior. Revenue during that four-day stretch hit $238,000 — more than double the $117,000 generated during the Feb 5–8 baseline, and 43% above the previous week. That four-day total was the highest accumulation of downtown parking revenue since the last Genesis Invitational in February 2024. Tournament organizers also generated $106,195 in City revenue through prepaid beach lot purchases alone.

→ 🎯 Looking ahead: Our team is already working with the LPGA to provide similar parking support for the 2026 U.S. Women's Open at the Riviera in early June. Two weeks, two major events, same story: when the spotlight comes to LA, people find their way to Santa Monica. Massive kudos to our Parking Division staff for making this operation seamless.

🔹 My 16A item passed — and it's headed to staff for analysis. Last Tuesday at Council, the item I co-sponsored with Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick officially passed after close to two years of work. In plain terms: we're directing staff to explore ways to make it easier to convert vacant retail spaces into restaurants and hospitality uses — by looking at options to waive, reduce, or defer certain fees and remove process barriers that make projects financially impossible before they even open their doors.

→ 💡 What's on the table: Wastewater and sewer-related fees. Outdoor dining flexibility. Tenant improvement costs like grease interceptors, ventilation, ADA compliance, fire/life safety, and utility upgrades. Time and process efficiency.

→ 🎯 Why this matters to me personally: As the owner of Santa Monica Music Center — a family business going on 56 years — I understand what it takes to bet on a neighborhood. We cannot expect entrepreneurs to take a chance on Santa Monica if we're not willing to meet them halfway. I've previously brought forward efforts on wastewater and fee barriers, and while those didn't advance at the time, there's now broader support to revisit them. That's how progress works: you stay persistent until alignment catches up.

🔹 Santa Monica's business community keeps growing — corporate HQs and new storefronts alike.

→ FIGS — the publicly traded medical apparel company headquartered here since 2019 — expanded its footprint at Santa Monica Gateway on Colorado Avenue, growing from 26,000 to nearly 40,000 square feet. FIGS reported record Q4 2025 revenues of $201.9 million (a 33% year-over-year increase) with full-year revenues reaching $631.1 million and continued double-digit growth projected for 2026. The company closed 2025 with 2.9 million active customers worldwide — and this expansion represents one of the largest office leases signed in Santa Monica over the past year.

→ OPositiv Health, a women's health supplement company now carried at Target, Walmart, and CVS, expanded to roughly 26,000 square feet at the same property. OPositiv is also the lead sponsor of the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk right here in Santa Monica — a cause close to my heart as a breast cancer survivor.

→ Even as the broader LA office market continues to struggle, Santa Monica's premier properties are attracting and retaining companies that want to grow. Flight to quality is real — and our city is where companies are expressing interest in opening or expanding.

🔹 New businesses opening across the city:

→ 🎯 My take: Every one of these is a bet on Santa Monica — and every bet matters. Support local. Walk in. Say welcome.

🏠 Preserving Our Diversity (POD): Growing Strong

🔹 The POD program keeps gaining momentum. POD provides monthly cash assistance to eligible low-income, long-term Santa Monica senior renters aged 65 and older, helping them reach an after-rent income of $986 for a one-person household or $1,724 for two. Following continued outreach and an update to length-of-tenancy eligibility criteria late last year, the program has received 25 new applications and enrolled 7 new seniors so far in 2026 — bringing total participation to 228, with a long-term goal of 300.

→ 🎯 My take: This program reflects who we are — a community that takes care of the people who've been part of Santa Monica for decades and helps make sure they can afford to stay. If you know an eligible senior, please spread the word.

👉 Learn about POD eligibility and apply

📞 POD direct line: (310) 458-8215 | 📧 podprogram@santamonica.gov

📚 Education, Libraries & Arts.

🔹 Frieze Los Angeles wrapped its seventh edition — and it delivered. I attended the VIP breakfast and preview at the Santa Monica Airport campus, and I left thinking the same thing I always think after Frieze: how do we build a full week of this energy throughout Santa Monica? How do we make sure our local businesses feel the ripple effect? I joined our Recreation & Arts team to connect with artists, representatives, and cultural leaders — and one thing struck me: there's beautiful community-facing art connected to Frieze that sometimes feels hidden from the main fair. I'd love to see more of that work brought into the heart of our neighborhoods so every resident feels invited in. Art shouldn't feel exclusive — it should inspire curiosity, conversation, and connection.

🔹 Tech & Tasks at Pico Branch Library — a story worth sharing. An older couple came in seeking help to locate their missing son. They wanted to create a missing person flyer but didn't know where to begin. Library staff and volunteers stepped in — designing a flyer, posting to Nextdoor, and walking them through next steps including filing a police report. The couple left deeply grateful. It's a small story that speaks volumes about the role our libraries play every single day.

🔹 Under One Roof exhibition now open at Airport Arts Center. Our newest exhibition opened to over 200 attendees, showcasing current artwork by Santa Monica Studios 3026 artists curated by LA-based art critic Peter Frank. The show spans sculptures, paintings, textiles, photography, ceramics, prints, and drawings, celebrating the nearly 25-year legacy of Studios 3026. Under One Roof runs through May 3, Thursday–Sunday, noon–5 PM.

🏗️ Infrastructure & City Operations

🔹 Ocean Boulevard water main break — repaired quickly and thoughtfully. Late Wednesday afternoon (Feb 18), a water main break hit the 1400 block of Ocean Boulevard. Our Water Resources team responded within minutes. Understanding the impact on nearby businesses — Water Grill, The Georgian Hotel, North Italia, The Whaler — they made the strategic call to reduce flow and delay shutting off service until after 10 PM, letting businesses serve customers through peak dinner hours. They went door to door to personally notify every affected business. Repairs were complete by roughly 2 AM. That's what thoughtful, professional public service looks like.

🔹 Marine Park Auditorium floor fully refurbished — and it looks fantastic. After years of heavy use, the floor has been completely restored. Marine Park Auditorium is one of our most heavily used community facilities — hosting camps, classes, the popular 1SoulOfCali Creative Arts Camps, and serving as one of our top rental sites for birthday parties, quinceañeras, baby showers, and community gatherings. In 2025 alone, the facility hosted 119 permitted groups on top of regular programming. Great work by our Public Works Facilities Team.

🔹 2025 seismic retrofit enforcement update. Our Code Enforcement team opened 18 cases related to Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings last year. Two buildings have been demolished with permits issued for new developments (one on the Promenade, one on Wilshire). One Promenade building is undergoing retrofit construction now. Five properties are in plan check, ten remain in enforcement, and eleven administrative citations have been issued. Looking ahead: soft-story building enforcement begins this spring with 180 properties on the list. Important work to protect public safety and make our building stock more resilient.

🔹 RRR zero waste team presented to City colleagues. A few reminders that surprised even staff at the meeting:

→ 🟢 Green Bin (Compost): All food scraps — bones, meat, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, dairy, food-soiled paper like plates and napkins. But no dog waste — that goes in your black bin.

→ 🔵 Blue Bin (Recycling): Glass, plastic containers, cardboard — clean, dry, and loose. Not stuffed in a plastic bag. No soft plastics like chip bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, or Ziploc bags — those go in your black bin.

→ Learned something new? Share it with a friend or someone in your household.

👉 Your guide to recycling and composting

⚾ Play Ball!

🔹 Santa Monica Little League and Pony Baseball kicked off spring seasons this past Saturday. Our Community Recreation team supported Opening Day celebrations for both leagues. SMLL launched its 76th season (!) at Memorial Park with a parade, team intros, and family festivities. Games and practices run mainly at Memorial Park and Clover Park.

🔹 Pony Baseball also celebrated Opening Day, uniting Palisades Pony and SM Pony teams for the season at Los Amigos Park, Marine Park, and JAMS. This season features a brand-new scoreboard at Los Amigos Park, generously donated by the Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica — community partnership in action.

→ 🎯 Behind the scenes: Our RAD team coordinates with both leagues all season on scheduling, field conditions, concessions, storage, and safety. All the things that need to go right so families can just show up and enjoy the games. Here's to a great season for all our young ballplayers.

🌟 One SaMo People's Academy — Applications Are Open!

🔹 This one is personal. The One SaMo People's Academy is officially live, and I am so excited to finally share it with you. This program grew out of something I started doing on my own — giving tours of City Hall to young people in our community. Over time, more and more adults wanted to come along and learn how our city government actually works: how budgets are built, how policies are made, what each department does.

→ 💡 What it is: A free, six-week course meeting Thursday evenings from 6–8 PM, starting April 30. The first cohort is capped at 25 participants. Open to Santa Monica residents, college students, business owners, and community leaders aged 18 and older. Applications are due Monday, March 16.

→ 🎯 Why it matters: The goal isn't just education — it's engagement. I want people to understand how the system works, find their voice, and maybe consider joining a board, commission, or one day running for Council themselves. Transparency starts with understanding. This is that bridge.

👉 Apply for the One SaMo People's Academy

📅 Dates & Community Events

🔹 Monday, March 2 — Architectural Review Board meeting. The ARB reviews design, materials, and landscape plans for a major new mixed-use development at 2800 28th Street — an 8-story project featuring 385 residential units and 168,015 sq ft of commercial space.

🔹 Wednesday, March 4 — Planning Commission meeting. Agenda includes amendments to Santa Monica's local SB 9 implementation, a scoping session on SB 1123 (expanding streamlined approval for small lot subdivisions), and a 2025 Legislative Update on State housing law compliance.

🔹 Thursday, March 5 — Padel Grand Opening at 1318 4th Street with Fernando Belasteguín — widely considered the greatest padel player of all time. Wilson Sporting Goods is sponsoring the kickoff. If you haven't tried padel yet, this is your chance. More energy, more activation, more reasons to come downtown.

🔹 Saturday, March 7 — Montana Avenue Spring Fling, 11 AM–6 PM. Shop new arrivals, score great deals, and explore some of the newest businesses along the avenue. Perfect Saturday.

👉 Spring Fling details

🔹 Through March 16 — People's Academy applications close . Don't wait — the first cohort is limited to 25 residents.

👉 Apply now

🔹 Want to meet with me? Schedule a 20-minute one-on-one meeting — in person at City Hall or virtual.

👉 Book Office Hours with Councilmember Lana Negrete

🤝 Get Connected

🔹 Join your neighborhood group. Santa Monica has seven recognized neighborhood organizations, and they're one of the best ways to stay informed, meet your neighbors, and plug into what's happening on your block. Officers attend these meetings regularly with crime updates and Q&A. Getting involved starts here.

👉 Find your neighborhood organization

🔹 Subscribe to this newsletter. If someone forwarded this to you and you're not yet subscribed — fix that. I share these updates every week to keep you in the loop on the good, the progress, and the work still ahead.

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📱 Stay Connected

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If you haven't already, be sure to follow me on Instagram too for behind-the-scenes updates, event highlights, and my thoughts along the way as I continue to go on this journey with you.

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🌟 Closing Thought: Show Up Informed

Last Friday at the Rotary Club, I sat across from a colleague from Hermosa Beach and we talked about something I think about constantly: how do we protect our coast and still support our communities? It's not either/or. But getting it right takes people who show up informed, build real relationships, and focus on solutions instead of drama.

That's exactly why the People's Academy means so much to me. Because transparency isn't just about what I share in this newsletter every week — it's about creating real pathways for you to understand how your city works, where your voice fits, and how you can shape what comes next.

Whether it's applying for the Academy, joining a neighborhood group, attending a Planning Commission meeting, walking into a new business and saying "welcome to the neighborhood," or simply sharing this newsletter with someone who cares about Santa Monica — every act of engagement makes us stronger.

We're not perfect. But we are moving — with purpose, with transparency, and with real momentum.

See you out there, Santa Monica. 💙

Together, we're building a Santa Monica that works for everyone — a city where families can thrive, businesses can grow, and community comes first.

With gratitude and determination,
Lana Negrete
Councilmember, City of Santa Monica