SaMo fails to reach affordable housing benchmark by 10% — again

The affordable Pico Housing complex at 2802 Pico Boulevard (Credit: Moore Ruble Yudell)
The affordable Pico Housing complex at 2802 Pico Boulevard (Credit: Moore Ruble Yudell)

Santa Monica fell short of the meeting the city’s requirements for the creation of affordable housing by more than 10 percent this year, according to a new report. That shortfall could work against proponents of the LUVE ballot initiative, which, if passed in November, would require all developments larger than two stories to gain voter approval.

Just 34, or 19 percent, of the total 175 affordable units required under city law were built during the fiscal year 2015-2016, the Santa Monica Lookout reported.  In 1990, SaMo adopted Proposition R, which mandated that 30 percent of all apartments and condos built each year must be affordable to low to moderate-income households.

Of the further 981 units in the pipeline for Santa Monica, only 23 percent are designated affordable.

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This year wasn’t an anomaly, either. Since enacting Prop R, the city of Santa Monica has only met the minimum requirement about half the time, according to the city’s housing manager, Barbara Collins.

If LUVE passes on election day, the situation could worsen, since overall development would be curtailed, according to some housing advocates. [SML] and [Curbed]Cathaleen Chen