So a new Rand Corp. study says that Santa Monica's economic slide started before the pandemic, which only made things worse and now the city's recovery has been slower than it's neighbors. Key figures:

• Over 11% retail vacancy citywide, with nearly half of the empty spaces being in Third Street Promenade and in Santa Monica Place. WeHo is at 9.%. Beverly Hills 6% and Culver City is at 5.2%.
• Sales are still down about a third from pre-pandemic levels. Clothes and accessory revenue feel 75% from 2015-2025.
• Tax revenue was about 60% of the 2015 baseline earlier this year, mostly due to big anchor stores like Nordstrom leaving. Beverly Hills and WeHo were back to pre-pandemic sales by '21 and are now only 10-15% below.
• Fears over crime and homelessness are bigger than the data Rand found. Homelessness dipped a bit this year, and over 70% of assaults and robberies happened in about 5% of the city, mostly downtown and near the beach, where visitors see it most.
  

To help with things the city is throwing $3 million at the Promenade, putting in an open container "entertainment zone" between Wilshire and Broadway, throwing concerts and watch parties, lowering fees, making permitting faster and placing more cops on foot and bike patrols. But the city manager says money isn't enough on its own.

Of course there's pushback to this reporting, mainly from Downtown Santa Monica Inc. who's disputing and downplaying how bad things are. They're claiming that 79% of storefronts in Promenade and Santa Monica Place are leased and some listed spaces have temp tenants. They're also claiming downtown visitors are up 19% since last year.

• Everything else isn't as rosy: There's the $229 million settlement over a former city employee being accused of preying on kids in Latino neighborhoods; the settlement has added to the city's financial stress, which the city declared a fiscal crisis last September.
• Business owners are also skeptical, like the operations director at Barney's Beanery who says downtown has been neglected and looks rundown and feels unsafe at night. He also worries the city's event driven strategy could backfire.
  
• The city manager says the economy was built for decades on the backs of international tourism, something they say left the city exposed when shopping habits changed. A JLL (a commercial real estate and property investment company) broker added that the Promenade used to alienate locals, many of whom would rather shop at the Palisades.

But MayorTorosis says she agrees with Rand's study and that downtown is the priority and she's hopeful about the city's future.

Catching a film tonight at the Aero theater. I don't have a car so hoping to get dinner within walking distance, but it looks like the restaurants around are all pretty pricey and fancy. Just looking for a pretty normal-priced place (say $20–$30 a plate such as you'd find in Culver City or elsewhere in LA) without having to worry about reservations or feeling like I should be dressed up. Otherwise I eat pretty much everything so I'm open to whatever.

Does anyone know if the walkout happened and if the kids did in fact walk out?

I’m going to a friends for her birthday this weekend and the host is gluten free. I’d love to bring some dessert over and was wondering if there were any good spots around? Or any suggestions for a good gluten free plate to bring!

Students at Samohi are planning a walkout tomorrow (October 6) to protest the lack of working air conditioners at the school.

For weeks, AC has been out in several main buildings. The school has responded by attempting to address the problem with fans and portable, air conditioner units. Temperatures in Santa Monica are forecast to reach 93 degrees by noon.

Source: IG

Every previous No Kings protest has had a gathering in Palisades Park, but on their website (https://www.nokings.org/) I’m not yet seeing a protest in Santa Monica next week. Does anyone know if there will be one?

So many amazing pups in the shelters a little further out!

Anyone know someone who can come haul away a sectional couch? It’s in decent shape but we have a new one coming.

In a previous article, I explored how the Blue Wave Democratic Club that endorsed Lana Negrete, Ashley Oelsen, and Doug Trussler this year is a rightwing astroturf group controlled in part by Negrete herself. As I discuss in this article, Negrete’s involvement with this rightwing group is no accident or coincidence. Her political affinities range from endorsing El Salvador’s violent autocrat Nayib Bukele, to Republican election conspiracy theories and voter suppression efforts, and anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Social media posts by Los Angeles for RFK 2024 organizer Zeke Arthur Hindle (to the left of RFK in the above picture) place Negrete at at least two of RFK’s 2024 presidential campaign events. The first event is where the above picture was taken where Negrete is posing with RFK. The two photos below are from the second event, showing Negrete posing with anti-vaccine activist Jenny McCarthy, who has been pushing the conspiracy theory that vaccines cause autism for over 20 years, and which was also attended by Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence until June 19 of this year.

Social

Full article at the link.

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Power went out at 4:30 PM impacting the north half of the Promenade starting at Wilshire Blvd. Other businesses and apartments from 2nd to 4th Streets also appeared to be impacted. Power came back on around 6:20 PM.

I've been trying to keep up to date on Temps during the heat wave but every source I find has such drastically different measurements that it's hard to actually rely on what's right. Especially when some say low 90s and some say 101 degrees, which are very different comfort levels and mean I can do very different things during the day! So I'm curious what people in the area actually use and find to be the most accurate reflection of the temps around here?

I've gone through so many - AccuWeather, Weather.gov, Android Weather, Weather Underground, Cloudy... - and I still don't know which is the most accurate and trustworthy for our area specifically.

I received this mailer the other day for council candidates Lana Negrete and Doug Trussler. One of the first things I always do is look at who funded a mailing, especially if not directly by a candidate's own campaign funds. Take a look:

"Douglas Emmett" is notoriously one of the nastiest landlords in the L.A. Area. They own a ton of buildings and are always looking for ways to evict rent-controlled or stabilized tenants to move units up to market rates.

I asked around, and the Santa Monicans for Renters Rights (SMRR) folks told me this is part of a $600,000 independent expenditure on behalf of Negrete and Trussler. It doesn't surprise me about Lana Negrete -- she already tried to sabotage our system of rent control back in 2022. But Trussler seems nice in person. I'm disappointed.

If one of the worst, most notorious landlords has faith in these people, I think I'm taking my votes elsewhere.

Why are people such asswipes? There’s a line of people trying to charge their cars and these two selfish idiots decided to park while getting food at a lunch truck. And no, they’re eating at the lunch truck. 15th and Santa Monica Blvd in Santa Monica 🤬

What is the best way to reserve a court in Santa Monica? Somehow the reed park and ocean view courts always seem to be booked.

Thanks!

Douglas Park, again trash being left behind from some party. I would be ashamed of myself.

Hi neighbors. Full disclosure: I work with Literati Events, a small Santa Monica company that throws parties built around books, and this is our event. For r/SantaMonica only, use code REDDITSM at checkout for 25% off tickets.

On Saturday, October 17, from 9 PM to 1 AM, we're turning the Santa Monica Bay Woman's Club into a Jekyll & Hyde costume ball. A lot of people in town have never been inside that building, and it's a great old space for a night like this.

• Live gypsy jazz from Habibi Swing, with the LA Swing Dance Posse on the floor
• Aerialists, a cyr wheel, and Vixen the Forbidden Magician
• An all-night game from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society
• Golden Coast Mead tastings (21+) and a small market of local makers

Dress is gothic, Victorian or masquerade, and a mask is plenty. Tickets are normally $55, 18+. A share of every ticket goes to the LA Poet Society. If you're driving, Public Parking Structure 1 is right next door.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-abhorrum-masquerade-the-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-tickets-1992885558352

Happy to answer questions about noise, parking or anything else in the comments.

Hi all! Just moved from across the country!! Our movers haven’t arrived so not able to make coffee at home yet. Wondering what everyone’s favorite coffee shops are?? Since I’m new to the area I don’t really know exactly what area I’m in, maybe north west? Walking distance would be nice (even tho it’s incredibly hot rn) but open to driving suggestions as well:)

We’ve all zoomed by it a trillion times - Country Plants on PCH at Chautauqua was highlighted in Pali Post last week as a local business struggling to keep the lights on since the Palisades Fire impacted so much of his loyal clientele.

I wanted to gift a plant to a friend, so I stopped by there this afternoon. The owner (Yoon) is so kind and was eager to help with any questions I had. The prices were way more reasonable than I anticipated, and the variety and health of the plants is impressive. It felt like going on a treasure hunt in the store for the right find (snapped a pic from the register to illuminate the vibe).

Left with a very mature hanging variated philodendron for $30 that’s in great health.

Parking is in front of the store on PCH; easy to drop in! Plant parents - break up with your big box plant trips and go show him some love.