🌟 Santa Monica Weekly with Mayor Lana Negrete — October 27, 2025

Happy almost-Halloween, Neighbors!

As porch lights flicker on and all the cute little superheroes and spooky ghosts take over the sidewalks, this week is about looking out for one another.

After a few heavy moments alongside some joyful ones, I’m focused on what matters: clear information, steady follow-through, and streets that feel safe for every family. You’ll always get straight talk from me, a table where we can disagree without tearing each other down, and accountability that actually holds. Public safety isn’t a press release; it’s a promise we keep block by block.

That’s how we turn this spooky season into a safe, neighborly one—and how we keep Santa Monica moving forward together.

🚓 Public Safety & Civic Life

🔹 SMPD & SMFD weekly snapshot (Oct 12–18): 2,326 calls for service; 63 arrests; 560 calls tied to homelessness; 16 encampments addressed. SMFD ran 356 incidents (233 Rescue/EMS; 5 fires) and completed prevention work and community training. Why it matters: Resources are focused where data shows need. My take: Precision + compassion — outreach where possible, enforcement when necessary.
👉 How to file a police report👉 Report non-emergencies to 311

🔹 Halloween safety, citywide: Please use crosswalks, add something reflective to costumes, and slow down on neighborhood streets. Why it matters: We want fun for all, not boo-boos or ER visits.
👉 See Trick-or-Treat Downtown details (3–6 PM)👉 Montana Ave Halloween Hop (3–6 PM)

🔹 City Manager’s Realignment Plan :

This week, the Council will review City Manager Oliver Chi’s Realignment Plan — a major step toward aligning City departments, leadership, and resources with our shared goal of keeping Santa Monica safe, clean, vibrant, and transparent.

Over the past few years, I’ve worked to bring City departments and local businesses together to address long-standing challenges — including hosting roundtable meetings with the Water Department, City Attorney, City Manager, and restaurant owners to challenge egregious wastewater fees and re-evaluate outdated square-foot pricing. I’m grateful that Oliver has taken that work to heart and is pushing it forward.

I also appreciate that he accepted my invitation to meet with the District Attorney’s Office and our City’s prosecution team to strengthen coordination with our Police Department. Increasing prosecution rates not only validates the hard work of our frontline officers but also helps prevent repeat offenders from cycling back onto our streets.

His leadership has also been instrumental in fast-tracking permitting, streamlining signature events, and bringing back outdoor concerts — work that represents countless emails, meetings, and collaborations with various departments. As someone whose day job is rooted in live music, arts, and culture, I’ve long worked to break through hurdles within the organization that slow down creative activation. Oliver’s willingness to sit down with me and others to problem-solve has been invaluable. Together, we’ve worked with stakeholders on everything from the police substation at the mall to large-scale events at the Pier and beaches, helping re-energize our city’s creative spirit. These efforts are also helping better coordinate events citywide so our calendar reflects a cohesive, exciting rhythm for residents and visitors alike.

Unfortunately, in recent weeks, some Councilmembers have tried to rebrand and take credit for this work — turning the City Manager’s Realignment Plan into political propaganda by renaming it a “renaissance.” It’s disheartening to see history rewritten and collaboration minimized, especially when many of these ideas were introduced, voted down, or resisted years ago. What matters most isn’t who claims ownership, but that the work finally moves forward.

Credit belongs where it’s due — to City Manager Oliver Chi, who has unstuck the gears and put his foot on the gas to advance efforts that have been in motion for years, in some cases since 2021. His boldness, responsiveness, and commitment to collaboration have given our city the momentum it deserves.
👉 Read the Realignment overview

💼 Economic Recovery & Downtown Vitality

🔹 Dodgers blue on the Promenade: Thank you to everyone who packed the pep rally and watch parties — this is exactly what we created the Entertainment Zone for: safe, joyful, family-friendly energy that supports local businesses. We had a blast, and we won!

🔹 Parking Structure 5: reopened: Emergency shoring is complete and the structure is open again — a relief for Downtown users and nearby schools.
👉 City update

🔹 Streets & mobility upgrades: East Pico paving (26th–Centinela) ramps up this week; work zones roll through mid-November with final striping before the holidays. Remember: Plan extra time and watch for crews.

🔹 Cleaner transit, healthier air: Big Blue Bus continues moving toward a zero-emission fleet with recent state grants and yard upgrades. My take: Keep stacking grants + infrastructure so riders feel the difference in reliability and ride quality.
👉 BBB electrification update

🏠 Homelessness & Housing

🔹 Off-Site Affordable Housing Incentive (pilot): The Council’s pilot is live, with staff preparing follow-ups to keep production moving and ensure strong deed-restriction terms and on-time delivery. Why it matters: I want to track and ensure that if developers are gonna buy their way out of inclusionary affordable that we track to ensure those affordable units are actually being built at the same rate the market rate ones are. 👉 Status of Development Projects

🔹 Local safety-net dollars at work: Measure A (formerly Measure H) funds are expanding co-deployed outreach, senior support, and housing retention. We also boosted emergency aid for undocumented families affected by recent enforcement actions. My take: Keep people housed and stabilize families; it’s both humane and fiscally smart!

🎓 Education, Youth & Community

🔹 K-Pop Demon Hunters Day Camp (Marine Park, Tue Nov 4): High-demand pop-culture day camp (waitlist moving). Why it matters: Safe, positive spaces for kids on school breaks.
👉 Program details & registration

🔹 Arts & culture — City Yards Resident Artist: Join Debra Scacco and guest Emma Robbins for Woven Waters at the Airport Arts Campus Fri, Nov 1 @ 12 PM.
👉 Event info

🔹 Sister City 50th with Fujinomiya: We renewed our decades-long friendship, cultural ties that remind us civic life is bigger than any one news cycle. The best part was it included our SAMO High students studying Japanese and the students from Japan who stayed with host families  👉 Read the Sister City update

🎀 Breast Cancer Awareness — Community & Courage

I walked this weekend with our Making Strides Santa Monica community. As a survivor, I’m always humbled by the fighters, families, and caregivers who show up. If you’re able, please support or volunteer. Why it matters: Early screening saves lives.
👉 Support Making Strides

📅 Dates & Community Events

🔹 Thu, Oct 31 — Halloween in SaMo (3–6 PM):
 👉 Trick-or-Treat Downtown👉 Montana Ave Halloween Hop

🔹 Sat, Nov 1 — Día de los Muertos at the Pier: altars, art, and performances.
👉 Event details

🗂️ What’s Next in City Hall

On Tuesday, October 28, the Santa Monica City Council will consider Agenda Item 16 F, a proposal calling for transparency, clarity, and meaningful community engagement for all supportive-housing and bridge-housing projects in our city. The item directs the City of Santa Monica Manager to coordinate closely with LA County, developers, and service providers to ensure neighborhoods and businesses are informed, included, and heard from—from the earliest project discussions through approvals and operations. It also asks for robust standards: public notifications, an accessible FAQ webpage, a hotline for questions, and clear performance metrics for accountability.

Your voice matters. If you believe in open government, neighborhood involvement, and the right of residents and businesses to weigh in before major decisions are made, please consider doing one of these:

• Submit a written comment to councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov with “Item 16 F” in the subject line.

• Register to speak at the October 28 meeting (starting at 5:30 pm) and ask for your 2 minutes of public comment time. This items public comment will be heard after closed session.

• Share this message with neighbors, local businesses, or community groups who believe in inclusive decision-making.

Let’s make sure our city listens—not just acts—and that big decisions don’t happen to the community but with it

🔹 Planning Commission — Wed, Oct 29 (study session: sign code/digital displays):
 👉 Planning Commission meeting details

🔹 City Council — Tue, Nov 18 (tentative items): follow-up actions on the Off-Site Affordable Housing Incentive, BBB yard infrastructure, and Digital Signage Ordinance.

👉 Council meetings & agendas

📱 Stay Connected

Got an issue to report? Want to make sure the City hears you?👉 Report an Issue (Santa Monica 311)

For behind-the-scenes updates, quick announcements, and event reminders:
👉 Follow me on Instagram

🌟 Closing Thought

Halloween’s a good metaphor for local government: lots of moving parts, some spooky rumors now and then, and at the end of the night you want the lights on, the streets safe, and the truth about what’s in the bag. Santa Monica isn’t perfect, but when we work together, living here can be sweeter than candy.

I’ll keep pushing for clear information, civil debate, and real accountability — because trust isn’t built by press releases; it’s built by results. Be safe out there, wave to your neighbors, and if you’ve got extra mini-Snickers… I accept donations. 🎃😉