"We have too many already and the average person that lives in this city cannot afford to live in them. What is affordable when the average price for a single is $1,500 a month when someone is working a minimum wage job and going to school at the same time? Affordable would be $500 a month, but this is not going to happen in Santa Monica. People are fed up being taken advantage and lied to by the City Council and their shenanigans."
Oct. 1, 2014 Whitney Scott Bain

"The City of Santa Monica has experienced the highest increases in rental prices within Los Angeles County. We currently have a massive jobs-to-housing imbalance, diminishing the quality of life for both residents and workers. Losing the Redevelopment Agency has hurt the city's ability to provide a housing safety net and we must take action to help our most vulnerable residents. Our community deeply cares about the less fortunate and our socio-economic diversity. This has been clearly illustrated through the 1979 rent control charter amendment, and again in 1990 with an adjustment mandating 30% of all housing built be designated for low-moderate income levels."
Oct. 1, 2014 Nick Boles

"The City's overbuilding of commercial office space in the 1980s and the state's destruction of our affordable housing stock through the Costa-Hawkins Act in the 1990s has created a great demand and a greatly reduced support of affordable housing in Santa Monica.

I support producing new affordable and work force housing, as well as purchasing/rehabbing/deed-restricting existing affordable housing, so people can live closer to work (cutting down pollution and congestion) and so we can enjoy a diverse community of people from all income levels.

I support directing the bulk of new residential development outside of existing neighborhoods, so as not to encourage the displacement of existing residents and affordable rents.

New housing should be focused in our downtown, in the formerly light industrial zone on our City’s east side, as well as along our major commercial boulevards -- and in those cases, scaled to fit nearby neighborhoods. We also need to emphasize the creation of more two and three-bedroom units as part of this production, so that families can find a home in our community; as well as some affordable 'starter' units so that young people who grow up here have an opportunity to remain in the community."
Oct. 1, 2014 Michael Feinstein

"Given market pressures on housing, for 30 years it's been clear that to maintain Santa Monica's historic economic diversity we need dedicated affordable housing. Many Santa Monicans depend on the City’s affordable housing programs and we must do everything in our power to preserve affordable housing units and explore ways of expanding affordable housing opportunities so that Santa Monicans can remain in the city. More affordable housing does not necessarily or always mean more development. Through the purchase of run-down buildings, non-profit housing corporations could can renovate these structures and increase the affordable housing stock in the city. Every single person on the council recognizes the need for more affordable housing, and it may mean some new development, as we must be looking for ways to increase the affordable housing supply so that that police, firefighters, teachers and other workers can afford to live here. Ultimately, this will also minimize commuters and car trips, reducing traffic."
Oct. 1, 2014 Frank Gruber

"We have an extreme jobs/housing imbalance in our city, with 90,000 residents but a population of 250,000 or more during the day. This is exacerbated by our location on the ocean, which means that we have only 2 directions of egress, east and south, (north being very limited). Because of this imbalance and the fact that Santa Monica has some of the highest housing costs in the region, we desperately need to put affordable housing for low-income families near our Expo stations.

We know that families at income levels less than 30% of Area Median Income (now $65,200 for a family of four) drive 25-30% fewer miles when living within 1/2 mile of transit than those living in non-TOD areas. When living within 1/4 mile of frequent transit they drive nearly 50% less, whereas higher income households drive more than twice as many miles and own more than twice as many vehicles as Extremely Low-Income households living within 1/4 mile of frequent transit. See: http://chpc.net/dnld/AffordableTODResearch051514.pdf. Building truly affordable housing near the Expo has a double effect of alleviating traffic and maintaining the economic diversity of our city."
Oct. 1, 2014 Sue Himmelrich

"Yes Santa Monica should add more affordable housing units with truly affordable rents to support working families and individuals that work in Santa Monica, as well as seniors and tenants that are displaced through no fault, or Ellis Act, evictions. Small units of affordable housing are not necessary more affordable. Tiny studio and one-bedroom units are still are priced too high for working families and those on low fixed incomes. I have worked with community leaders and elected officials to help adjust the calculations for affordable units in Santa Monica and to require that developments include more units for those on very low and extremely low incomes, and include more two and three bedroom units. This action will help those who work here to be able to live here, and correct our jobs housing imbalance."
Oct. 1, 2014 Jennifer Kennedy

"I support affordable housing if it is affordable. The idea that we need to come after the elderly and longtime owners of property in Santa Monica - the residents, in other words - and squeeze them once again for more money, does not make it sustainable nor affordable. Better management of our economic surroundings is what it calls for. It is essential to not constantly run over the edge of our financial boundaries. We should not have to turn to outside or unreasonable resources to collect what we should have managed for in the first place."
Oct. 1, 2014 Terence Later

"We've always struggled to produce enough housing affordable to moderate- and low-income families and individuals. State law, regional mandates, and our City Charter all require that we produce affordable housing.

Many of our existing residents struggle with market-rate rents. Further, we're a city with more jobs than places for employees to live.

If there's no housing in Santa Monica affordable for someone's income range, even after stretching the household budget, they're forced to live elsewhere. People who work in Santa Monica, but live somewhere else, must commute — adding to our traffic problems.

Many of our jobs in Santa Monica, even for someone working full-time, pay moderate or even low incomes. For those working families, the market rate rents may be too high. Our current affordable housing policies focus on multi-bedroom, family housing.

Santa Monica also has a responsibility toward persons with disabilities, and other households on limited, fixed incomes, including seniors. The demand for such housing, at low- and very-low income levels, is even higher than for working families, because market-rate rents are even farther out of reach.

Our commitment to affordable housing keeps us an egalitarian, diverse, and inclusive community, with households of all sizes and income levels."
Oct. 1, 2014 Kevin McKeown

"Santa Monica is a City where real estate values and soaring rent is forcing middle class residents out of the City. Soon there will be the wealthy, and renters protected by rent control, and no income levels or stratas of society between. Affordable housing is needed for a diverse city where teachers, fire fighters, and police; families; and many average income residents can continue to live easily. Affordable housing gives long term residents on low incomes a chance to live near their work. Purchasing existing units and deed restricting add to City housing stock without fresh construction."
Oct. 1, 2014 Richard McKinnon

"Affordable housing will have a beneficial component to our cultural and socio economic diversity. Having people living where they work has many benefits including the relief of traffic density and congestion, additionally people tend to spend their money where they live, which sustains our local economy."
Oct. 1, 2014 Zoë Muntaner

"Santa Monica graduates over 500 students from high school each year. Even if only a fraction of these students remain in Santa Monica or come back after pursuing higher education opportunities, most will want to live on their own (not with their parents). Affordable housing for low and moderated income workers is needed in Santa Monica and our region to house our home-grown young adults and their new families."
Oct. 1, 2014 Pam O'Connor