🌟 Santa Monica Weekly with Councilmember Lana Negrete

📅 March 16, 2026

Hello all,

I'm writing this from Washington, DC, where I'm attending the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference alongside Councilmember Snell. We're meeting with our federal representatives and lobbyists to keep pushing for the funding opportunities our community needs. It matters, and I'll explain why in more detail below.

Back home, Sunday night ended with a shooting near the Pier, two people injured, and an active investigation. I'm not going to bury that. You'll find the facts right at the top of this edition, because that's how transparency is supposed to work.

This week also has real news to report: the most current crime numbers, a major housing project moving forward, four renter protection wins in court this month, a first-in-California streets milestone, a new Poet Laureate who grew up right here, and a deadline that closes today. Here's all of it.

🚨 Public Safety

🔹 Sunday night at the Pier. At approximately 9:00 PM on March 15, SMPD officers responded to reports of shots fired on the Santa Monica Pier. A large fight involving multiple individuals preceded the gunfire. Two people sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, received immediate medical aid from officers on scene, and were transported to local hospitals. The scene was secured, portions of the Pier were temporarily restricted, and this remains an active investigation with no arrests publicly announced.

I'm leading with this because you deserve to hear it from me directly. Not just from a news alert.

→ 🎯 My take: This is exactly why I've pushed for full staffing, real-time coordination tools, and a consistent downtown deployment model. Not as talking points, but as a sustained operational posture. The work is real. It is not finished. I'm not going to pretend either of those things isn't true.

👉 Read the official SMPD statement

🔹 The most current numbers. The SMPD weekly report for March 1 through 7 shows 108 arrests that week. Year-to-date arrests stand at 954, compared to 550 during the same period in 2025: a 73.5% increase year over year. Year-to-date calls for service total 24,174, up 15.8% from the same period last year. Officer-initiated activity continues to exceed 50% of total call volume. Proactive, not just reactive.

Zooming out to the trend level: Part I crime is down 12.5% year over year (599 fewer crimes). Calls for service are down 3.1%. Traffic citations are up 102%. For the first time in more than 20 years, SMPD has reached full sworn staffing, with 8 to 10 officers deployed daily in the downtown core. The Real Time Crime Center (SMART Center) arrives in the third week of April, giving officers better tools to respond faster and coordinate citywide.

→ 📊 Key crime suppression incidents, March 1 through 7: A kidnapping attempt on Pico Boulevard (suspect located and arrested nearby). A residential burglary on 21st Street where a suspect entered through an unlocked door while residents slept (arrested outside the home). A robbery at a Main Street liquor store (SMART Center used to locate and arrest the suspect shortly after the incident). An organized retail theft operation targeting Sunglass Hut locations across multiple jurisdictions (two arrests, burglary tools and narcotics recovered).

→ 🎯 My take: Technology combined with our on the ground intelligence makes for these quick arrests. I will always  support our Police Department's efforts on being efficient and up to date on technology to support a safer city.

🔹 Fire Department, current week. 307 incidents last week, bringing the year-to-date total to 3,335 calls for service. This week the department also submitted $1.4 million in federal UASI grant reimbursements covering HazMat, Urban Search and Rescue, and Tactical Emergency Medical training and equipment. Those federal relationships are exactly what I am in Washington working to protect and build on.

🔹 Landmarks Commission recap, March 9. Both Structures of Merit on the agenda (1626 California Avenue and 1125 18th Street) entered 180-day negotiation periods. The Commission does not have authority to approve or deny demolition of a Structure of Merit, but uses this negotiation window to pursue preservation outcomes. Both will be worth tracking as they proceed.

🔹 March 24: Realignment Plan 2.0. On Tuesday, March 24 at 5:30 PM, the City Manager's Office presents the next phase of Santa Monica's Realignment Plan to City Council. Every number above exists because of sustained, coordinated investment. This meeting is the roadmap for where we go next on public safety, homelessness response, and economic recovery. Come in person, watch the livestream, or submit written comment before noon on March 24.

Government language can sometimes feel full of taglines and summaries that don't always tell the whole story. When something affects your daily life, it is worth taking a closer look. Don't hesitate to ask questions. If you don't get a clear answer, ask again. Your City Council works for you, and thoughtful questions from residents genuinely make our decisions better.

👉 View the City Council meeting calendar 

👉 Watch City Council meetings live on YouTube

✈️ Representing Santa Monica in Washington, DC

🔹 Making the case at the federal level. I am at the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference this week, March 16 through 18 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, alongside Councilmember Snell. We are meeting with our federal representatives and lobbyists to continue pushing for funding opportunities for our community: housing resources, public safety grants, infrastructure investment. These conversations don't happen by themselves, and Santa Monica needs a consistent, informed voice in that room.

→ 💡 The $1.4 million in UASI grant reimbursements the Fire Department submitted this week is one concrete example of what federal relationships deliver. SaMo Bridge, which has connected over 300 individuals to services since April 2025, runs on similar grant foundations. I go to conferences like this to bring something back.

👉 Learn about the NLC Congressional City Conference

🛣️ Safer Streets

🔹 Santa Monica Boulevard is getting a genuine safety upgrade. Following City Council's review of the Santa Monica Boulevard Safety Study on February 24, staff has been developing revised recommendations for presentation to Council in April. These revisions prioritize pedestrian safety and Vision Zero objectives, and the scope is meaningful:

Lane widths are being reduced to a 10-foot general standard, down from current segments running 11.75 to 12.6 feet. Bus stop placement is moving from roughly 52% far-sided to over 80%, eliminating the sight-line obstruction directly linked to pedestrian crash risk. Bus-only lanes are being expanded substantially in both directions. A raised pedestrian crossing standard is being developed for unsignalized intersections, where crash data showed the highest injury severity. And pedestrian recall is being prioritized at signalized intersections, so walk signals activate automatically in every cycle rather than requiring a button press.

→ ⚡ Wilshire too. Staff is proactively applying the same standards to the Wilshire Boulevard improvement project, currently in the bidding process. Rather than delay the bid, they are redesigning concurrently so revised lane widths, far-sided bus stops, and raised crossings will be incorporated before construction begins in the field. Smart approach, and the right one.

→ 🎯 My take: When the data shows where crashes happen and what design changes reduce harm, we change the design. Period. However, as a business owner I do voice concerns over a balance and not taking away needed parking for customers. That is why attending community outreach meetings and speaking up is important. We need to hear what impacts your side of the street.

🔹 Santa Monica is about to become the first jurisdiction in California to launch automated bike lane enforcement. Two SMPD parking enforcement vehicles are now equipped with AI-powered camera systems designed specifically to identify and cite bike lane parking violations. Each system includes an onboard computer, a context camera, and a license-plate reader. These prototypes begin testing over the next two weeks, with the remaining five camera assemblies to be installed on additional vehicles later this month. A public communication campaign launches in late April. A 60-day warning period begins May 1. Citations begin July 1.

→ 🎯 My take: Illegally parked vehicles in bike lanes don't just slow cyclists down. They push them directly into traffic. Automated, consistent enforcement at scale is how we actually address it. First in California.

🔹 A major new housing project is coming to Ocean Park. Trammell Crow Company and SR Watt, with architect AC Martin, are advancing a 456-unit mixed-use residential project at 2716 Ocean Park Boulevard (the current Watt office building site). Of the 456 units, 46 will be deed-restricted affordable: 15 at Moderate Income, 15 at Low Income, and 16 at Very Low Income. The unit mix spans studios through three-bedrooms, including nine ground-floor townhomes. A formal Architectural Application was submitted February 26. The project team expects an ARB appearance in the coming months. Construction is scheduled to begin Q1 2028, with completion in early 2030.

→ ⚡ 456 units with 46 deed-restricted affordable units on a single site would represent one of the larger residential developments in Santa Monica in recent years. More affordable supply, is how we make it possible for working families and long-term residents to stay in this city - it’s just too bad it isn’t more than 20%! I also would love to see first time buyer programs and townhome/ condo purchases made possible for working class families. I am continuing to work with staff on what is possible around workforce housing. True projects that actually serve up housing to the middle class. It’s important and it’s personal for me!

🔹 Our City Attorney's Office has been winning for Santa Monica renters. The Consumer Protection Unit has notched four significant outcomes this month that deserve to be named:

On March 3, the LA Superior Court dismissed a 2020 lawsuit challenging the City's COVID-19 eviction moratorium, ending a years-long legal battle.

On March 10, the California Court of Appeal upheld the City's case requiring an affordable housing unit to remain affordable for the useful life of the building. The court also awarded the City $140,000 in attorneys' fees.

On March 13, oral argument before the Court of Appeal on a case involving tenant relocation practices. The panel indicated unanimous agreement with the City and stated a written decision is coming.

In separate recent judgments, three tenants will receive over $50,000 in unpaid relocation fees, and two landlords will pay the City over $40,000 in penalties and attorneys' fees.

→ 🎯 My take: The Consumer Protection Unit does not always get the headlines it deserves. These are wins for real people with real housing situations who are entitled to the protections the City has enacted on their behalf. Massive credit to the entire CAO team.

🔹 The Montgomery Summit delivered for Santa Monica. The 23rd annual Montgomery Summit wrapped at the Fairmont Miramar on March 10 and 11, drawing more than 1,200 entrepreneurs, investors, and technology executives for two days of programming on innovation and private markets. Hotel blocks across The Huntley, The Santa Monica Proper, The Georgian, and others were fully booked. When the tech investment world comes to Los Angeles, they come here. Every year. That is not an accident, and it is not something I take for granted.

🔹 St. Paddy's Day brought the Promenade to life Saturday night. March 14 delivered exactly what the Entertainment Zone was designed to enable: a packed evening on the 1300 block with live Irish-folk-rock, an outdoor bar, games, a city-wide pub crawl extending the energy into Downtown bars, and free admission. This is the template for activating Downtown after dark and giving people a reason to stay later. I want more of it.

🔹 New businesses keep choosing Santa Monica. A few highlights from this week:

Kilte has opened its flagship store at 1306 Montana Avenue, featuring their signature knitwear collection. A vote of confidence in Montana's draw as a premier retail corridor.

Sweathouz is now open at 2903 Lincoln Boulevard (sauna and cold plunge), and a second Santa Monica location is already under construction at 2225 Broadway. When a business opens one location and immediately builds out a second in the same city, the market is saying something.

Uptown Dumpling is under construction at 1332 2nd Street Downtown, bringing xiao long bao and specialties to the 2nd Street corridor.

Sonia's, a neighborhood coffee spot, is under construction at Arizona Avenue and 15th Street.

And Eater LA recently updated their "Best Santa Monica Restaurants" editors' list, a timely reminder of what this city's dining scene still delivers.

→ 🎯 My take: The Santa Monica Music Center has been in my family for more than 55 years. I know what it means when someone bets on a neighborhood. Every one of these openings matters. Walk in. Say welcome.

👉 Eater LA's Best Santa Monica Restaurants

🎓 Education, Civic Life and Community

🔹 Last call. People's Academy applications close today. The One SaMo People's Academy is a free, six-week course opening City Hall to residents who want to understand how their local government actually works: how budgets are built, how decisions get made, what each department does, and where your voice fits in all of it. Twenty-five spots. First cohort starts April 30, Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 PM.

Government can feel complicated and closed off. It shouldn't. This program grew from something I started doing on my own, City Hall tours for students and curious residents. It took more than two years to formalize, and it required going a little rogue to get there. The goal was never just education. It was connection. Local government belongs to the people. This is one more door I'm keeping open.

👉 Apply for the One SaMo People's Academy — closes TODAY

🔹 Santa Monica has a new Poet Laureate. At its March 10 meeting, the City Council officially appointed Jay Baldwin as Santa Monica's Poet Laureate for the 2026 through 2028 term. Born and raised right here in Santa Monica, Jay is a poet, elementary school librarian, slam poetry veteran, and longtime participant in Pride Poets. Jay has performed at The Moth and competed in slam events across the West Coast. Jay grew up in our schools and work in our schools. Jay knows this community from the inside. Jay will succeed our inaugural Poet Laureate, Anne Carmack, who served with real distinction.

👉 Read the official Poet Laureate announcement

🔹 Nine PAL youth finished the LA Marathon on March 8. Police Activities League runners, alongside City staff members Snow Hansen and Trenton Graham, completed all 26.2 miles. PAL staff, alumni, and Youth Leadership Council members cheered at checkpoints throughout the course. PAL's fastest runner crossed the line in 4 hours and 16 minutes. What the PAL program builds in young people shows up in moments like that.

🔹 East Pico Safety Project: community celebrates improvement. About 50 residents gathered last weekend at the newly opened Intelligentsia Coffee at 3010 Pico Boulevard to mark the completion of quick-build safety improvements between 27th Street and Centinela Avenue: bulb-outs shortening crossing distances, hardened centerlines, and median-gap closures designed to make the corridor safer for everyone. A business-sponsored scavenger hunt highlighted the new elements, and resident feedback gathered on-site will help shape future permanent upgrades along the corridor.

🔹 Staying accessible every week. I was at a neighborhood association meeting in person this week (hybrid session), and those rooms keep delivering. Parking concerns on residential streets, business questions, public safety issues resolved in real time. My virtual office hours in the evenings were the same: new neighbors getting oriented, ongoing concerns addressed, residents bringing exactly the kind of specific, informed questions that make it easier to make good decisions. This is what availability looks like day to day.

Virtual sessions evenings after 6 PM. In-person mid-week at City Hall. Weekends at the farmers market.

👉 Book Office Hours with Councilmember Lana Negrete

🔹 TODAY, March 16. People's Academy applications close.

👉 Apply now

🔹 Tonight, March 16, 7:00 PM. Architectural Review Board. Agenda includes an 8-story, 339-unit mixed-use development at 1723 Cloverfield Boulevard in the Bergamot Transit Village Zoning District.

🔹 Wednesday, March 18. Planning Commission. Includes a study session on the Airport conversion, an important engagement point in the ongoing Great Park planning process.

👉 View the meetings and agendas calendar

🔹 Friday, March 21, 1:30 to 3:00 PM. Cyanotype photography workshop at the Main Library with Camera Obscura Artist in Residence Sara Hassan Khani. One of the earliest photographic printing methods. No skills or equipment needed.

🔹 Tuesday, March 24, 5:30 PM. City Council meeting plus Realignment Plan 2.0. Come in person, watch live, or submit written comment before noon.

👉 View the City Council meeting calendar

🔹 Saturday, April 11, 11 AM to 12:30 PM. Meet Poet Laureate Jay Baldwin at the Main Library. Free and open to all.

👉 Santa Monica Poet Laureate program

🔹 April 30. One SaMo People's Academy begins. Six weeks. Thursday evenings. (Apply today if the deadline hasn't passed when you're reading this.)

🔹 Book time with me. Virtual, in-person, or find me at the farmers market on weekends.

👉 Book Office Hours with Councilmember Lana Negrete

📱 Stay Connected

Got an issue to report? Want to make sure the city hears you?

👉 Report an Issue

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.

👉 Follow me on Instagram

🌟 Closing Thought: All of It, Honestly

Progress is not a press release. It is data, follow-through, and showing up for this city fully, including on a Sunday night when something serious happens at the Pier, and including from a hotel room in D.C.

I did not run for office to share only the good news. I ran to show up for Santa Monica the way it deserves. That means the 73.5% year-over-year increase in arrests and an active investigation at the Pier in the same newsletter. It means court wins for renters and an honest account of what still needs work. That is not a contradiction. That is just being straight with you.

March 24 matters. Come in, ask hard questions, and make this city work better for everyone in it. And if the People's Academy deadline has not passed when you read this, go apply right now.

Most importantly, have a beautiful day in 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