By Lookout Staff

December 26, 2023 -- Where did the Palisades Park squirrels go? Why are there so many knife attacks? And what will happen to my gas stove when Santa Monica goes electric? Those were some of the questions raised at the start of a year that would see planning the future of the Airport and the Civic Auditorium take center stage, along with building more housing and tackling the persistent problem that once earned Santa Monica the nickname "Home of the Homeless."

JANUARY

Guards Equipped with High Tech Begin Patrolling Public Parking Structures
January 3, 2023 -- Security guards armed with cameras and tracking devices have begun patrolling Santa Monica's 10 public parking structures in the Downtown area nightly, City officials report.

A Squirrely Question
January 4, 2023 -- Where are the squirrels? That question is being asked on a flier in Palisades Park as concerned residents send a flurry of emails to Councilmembers seeking an answer.

City Seeks to Recoup Nearly $100 Million in Sex Abuse Settlement Costs
January 9, 2022 -- The City of Santa Monica is seeking to recover nearly $100 million it used from its General Fund to settle sex abuse cases involving former employee Eric Uller, according to financial statements from the City.

Santa Monica To End COVID Emergency
January 11, 2023 -- Santa Monica will end its health emergency for the cornonavirus pandemic on February 28, nearly three years after it was declared, City officials announced Tuesday.

Stabbing Outside Mental Health Facility Furthers Trend
January 13, 2023 -- A man was stabbed outside a home for the mentally ill in Santa Monica Tuesday, furthering a trend that has seen knives increasingly used in local crimes.

Lawsuit Seeks to Void Transfer Tax Hike
January 18, 2023 -- The City Council on Tuesday will take up a lawsuit in closed session that seeks to void the transfer tax hike approved by Santa Monica voters in November.

Michigan Man Extradited for Santa Monica Murder
January 20, 2023 -- A Michigan resident was arrested and extradited to Santa Monica Wednesday for the murder of a man found stabbed to death in his car at a beach parking lot in November.

Angry Speakers Push Back After Lengthy Closed Session
January 25, 2023 -- A four-hour closed session Tuesday yielded one eagerly awaited decision by the City Council and unleashed the frustration of those who had packed the chamber waiting to speak.

Airport Plan Takes Off
January 25, 2023 -- The City Council late Tuesday night began planning for the future of Santa Monica Airport (SMO), "a thousand year project," one top City official said, that "is just too much to imagine."

Metro to Explore Hubs for Homeless Passengers When Trains Are Emptied
January 30, 2023 -- Homeless passengers removed from LA Metro rail trains when they stop running late at night may soon have an alternative to spending the night at the station or on the streets.

Santa Monica Tops LA Region in Rent Growth Despite Recent Drops
January 31, 2023 -- Santa Monica rents dropped for the fifth straight month in January but continue to outpace the growth rate of other LA Metro cities, according to a report released by Apartment List on Thursday.

FEBRUARY

November Election Spending Broke Local Record
February 1, 2023 -- Local campaigns for City Council and ballot measures spent some $2.7 million in the November election, making it the most expensive in Santa Monica history. The campaigns spent an average of $68 for every ballot cast.

Developer Scores $375 Million Financing to Develop Vons Downtown Site
February 6, 2023 -- One day after Vons market closed its doors, Related California announced Monday it has secured $375 million in financing to build a 280-unit apartment development on the prime Downtown site.

Council Caught in a Tight Spot on Development
February 13, 2023 -- The City Council on Tuesday will face a volatile political dilemma -- change the unique nature of Santa Monica's four Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts or open the floodgates to virtually unchecked State-sanctioned development.

No Reliable Data to Support Key Housing Number
February 14, 2023 -- The data used to approve City policies, establish financial support programs and pass tax measures for "severely rent-burdened" households is wildly inaccurate.

North of Montana 7th Most Expensive Zip Code in U.S.
February 15, 2023 -- North of Montana was the 7th priciest zip code in the U.S. last year with a median home sale price of $4.378 million, according to a ranking released this week by PropertyShark.com.

Council Votes to Declare Homelessness Emergency
February 15, 2023 -- The City Council Tuesday night unanimously voted to declare a Local Emergency on Homelessness that will boost funding and speed up hiring to address a worsening crisis.

Fewer Officers Tackling More Crime, Chief Tells Council
February 16, 2023 -- Facing a serious staffing shortage, Santa Monica police are initiating more calls for service, as both crime and arrests are on the rise, Police Chief Ramon Batista told the City Council Tuesday.

Wary Council Discusses Ways to Tweak Housing Plan
February 24, 2023 -- The City Council trod carefully on Tuesday when discussing how to implement its housing plan, fearing that any changes viewed as restricting development could incur the wrath of the State.

Santa Monica Releases 'Roadmap' for Existing Buildings to Go All Electric
February 27, 2023 -- Santa Monica on Monday published an "Electrification Roadmap" that would eventually require property owners to transition from gas to electric before they can rent, sell or make major renovations to existing buildings.

Santa Monica Rents Drop for 6th Straight Month
February 28, 2023 -- Santa Monica rents dipped by -0.7 percent in February, marking the sixth straight monthly drop, with the median rent now standing at $2,157, according to a report released by Apartment List on Tuesday.

MARCH

City Report Weighs Pros and Cons of Driverless Cars
March 1, 2023 -- As the first entirely driverless car in LA County prepares to hit Santa Monica streets this month, the City's top transit official released a report on the local status of autonomous vehicles (AVs).

Construction of Nearly 700 Housing Units Kicks Off
March 2, 2023 -- Tishman Speyer broke ground Monday on a senior building that launches the initial phase of the "Santa Monica Collection" development, which in total will add 677 housing units at eight Downtown sites.

Health State of Emergency Ended With Little Fanfare
March 3, 2023 -- The coronavirus emergency declared by the State, County and City three years ago quietly terminated at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday without any official announcement that a landmark moment had been reached.

Transitioning to Electricity Could Cost Property Owners Up to $1 Billion
March 6, 2023 -- Given the age of Santa Monica's building stock, it will likely cost property owners between $500 million and $1 billion to electrify all existing buildings, according to a cost analysis by the City.

City Revenues to Take Five Years to Recover
March 7, 2023 -- Santa Monica's economy is "showing signs of softening" and revenues are not expected to fully recover for another five years, according to a recent report to the City Council.

Electrification Roadmap Just a Start, City Officials Say
March 8, 2023 -- When the City released a "roadmap" to electrify existing buildings, the document -- touted in a press release -- caught many residents and property owners by surprise.

Council Creates Department to Focus on Housing and Homelessness
March 13, 2023 -- After once again declaring homelessness its top priority, the City Council on Saturday unanimously directed staff to create a new department and allocate new tax dollars to tackle the persistent problem.

Council Sets Fees for Concealed Carry Weapon Licenses
March 15, 2023 -- Santa Monica residents will pay $617 for a concealed carry weapon (CCW) license after the LA County Sheriff's Department (LASD), which charged $150, stopped processing them for the city.

Homeless Man Stabs City Worker in Palisades Park
March 16, 2023 -- A City worker was stabbed by a homeless man he tried to rouse from his sleep Wednesday morning in Palisades Park, according to police.

Why Homeless Knife Attacks Have Increased in Santa Monica
March 16, 2023 -- A dangerous mix of legal knives, illegal drugs and lenient State laws are likely driving a surge in stabbings among the homeless in Santa Monica, according to police.

City Could Face Lawsuit Over New Gun Licensing Fee
March 20, 2023 -- A gun rights advocacy group is threatening to challenge Santa Monica's "ridiculous" concealed carry weapon (CCW) licensing fees, arguing they discourage residents from exercising their second amendment rights.

Police Bust Apparent Cell Phone Theft Ring
March 21, 2023 -- A missing phone ringing inside a car in the parking lot of a Main Street nightspot led police to more than 20 phones stolen by what appears to be an organized theft ring of Columbian nationals.

Little Progress Moving Needle Exchange Program Indoors
March 23, 2023 -- More than six months after former Mayor Sue Himmelrich requested that the County move a program that hands out clean needles to drug users indoors, the effort has reached a standstill.

Westside Food Bank Warns of 'Hunger Cliff'
March 24, 2023 -- With California poised at the edge of a "Hunger Cliff," the Westside Food Bank (WSFB) is bracing for a surge in the need for food starting next week, according to the Santa Monica-based non-profit.

Council Takes Major Step to Meet State-Mandated Housing Quota
March 27, 2023 -- The City Council last week approved zoning changes to implement the City’s State-Certified Housing Element while attempting to preserve what is left of Santa Monica's seaside character.

Santa Monica Rents Rise After Declining 6 Months
March 28, 2023 -- Santa Monica rents rose for the first time in seven months, as the national rental market appears to be returning to conditions before the coronavirus shutdown, according to Apartment List's latest monthly report released Tuesday.