S A N TA M O N I C A
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY
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VENICE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT FIRE SPREADS TO BOARDWALK BUILDING PAGE 2
January 15 – January 21, 2021 Volume LXXI, Issue 76
Santa Monica Pier to Close During Weekends
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
City cites warm weather forecasted for Santa Monica By Sam Catanzaro
With temperatures reaching the 80s expected, city officials are closing the Santa Monica Pier for five days in a row along with all weekends this month. On Sunday, the City of Santa Monica announced that the Pier will be closed during
weekends during January to prevent crowds as COVID-19 cases rise in Southern California. On Tuesday, the City then announced that the Pier will be closed Thursday January 14 and Friday January 15 as well with warm weather expected to draw visitors to the beach. In addition, the Pier will close for Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “The extended closure is due to forecasted warm weather and the need for all Los Angeles County residents to remain at home,” the City said in a press release. According to the National Weather Service, the high for Thursday is 78 degrees, Friday 81, Saturday 78, Sunday 78 and Monday 74.
The weekend is normally the busiest time at the Pier and the weekend closure will impact vendors already hit hard by the decline of tourism The City did not respond to comment regarding if there is any effort to aid these vendors. Pacific Park’s rides, including the Pacific Wheel, remain closed to the public all week. According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, a record 16 Santa Monica residents died with COVID-19 last week. As of January 13, a total of 90 Santa Monicans have died with the virus. In addition, 357 COVID-19 cases were reported
in Santa Monica last week, eight short of the record of 365 two weeks ago. “We are tragically losing more than 1,300 people a week to this disease. You or the person right next to you stand a very good chance of having the coronavirus and you may not know it, but as a carrier, you risk the health of many others. Your infection could lead to 20 infections in just a matter of a couple of days and someone along that path of transmission could die from it. These are not normal times, so we can’t go out and act as if nothing is going on,” said Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Dr. Baraba Ferrer on Wednesday.
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January 15 – January 21, 2021
Venice Homeless Encampment Fire Spreads to Boardwalk Building Over 100 firefighters respond to Ocean Front Walk fire Tuesday morning
By Sam Catanzaro
Over 100 firefighters responded a fire that started at a Venice homeless encampment before spreading to a 68-year-old building. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), the fire was reported at 6:19 a.m. at 800 Ocean Front Walk. The blaze–dubbed the “Ocean Front Fire”– damaged a 68 year-old, two-story, commercial structure that was vacant when an outside fire at a homeless encampment on the south side of the building extended into the structure. The Department says the fire briefly threatened two nearby structures, including another home. According to the LAFD, it took 116 firefighters 2 hours and 17 minutes to put out the fire using “largely defensive firefighting operations”. The LAFD says any contents within the heavily damaged and now unstable 68-year-
old building have yet to be identified. No injuries are currently reported. “LAFD Investigators are now at scene of what is considered an active investigation,” said LAFD spokesperson Brian Humphrey. According to LAFD Deputy Chief in Charge of Operations for the West Bureau Armando Hogan, the arson team will make an official determination of cause but noted that during colder weather crews often respond to calls for warming fires at local homeless encampments. The fire is the latest blaze to break out near a Venice homeless camp. In Venice alone, six such fires were reported in less than a month between September and October. In addition, just last week a RV went up in flames along Penmar Golf Course. In the wake of these fires, some of which
A fire burns in a vacant Venice building Tuesday morning.
are believed to be arson, Los Angeles City Council passed a motion last fall calling for a $25,000 reward for information leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any acts of arson in Venice starting in September 2020. According to the motion, reports indicate that the September 14 Rose-Penmar fire, and the September 15 Sunset-Hampton fire were
Photos: Citizen
set deliberately. There was also an attempt by someone to light a tent on fire near the Rose-Penmar encampment on September 21, the motion states. Additionally, residents of an encampment on Third Avenue report that some of their tents were doused by gasoline in the early morning hours of September 10. This is also the second RV to catch fire in Venice in recent months, following a similar incident in September.
January 15 – January 21, 2021
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January 15 – January 21, 2021
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Man jumps off parking structure in Monday suicide By Sam Catanzaro
A man died by suicide Monday after jumping off the Santa Monica Place parking structure. According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), police and the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) responded to the 1500 block of 4th Street a little after 4:30 a.m. on Monday, January 11. First responders arrived to find the victim, described as a 30-year-old male, injured at the scene. According to the SMPD, police and fire crews
Photo: Google
attempted to treat the man before he died. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner has not yet released the identity of the man. The incident marks the sixth death by suicide at a downtown Santa Monica parking structure, as reported by the Santa Monica Lookout. According to the LA Coroner, there have been 14 public deaths by suicide in Santa Monica since 2018. Anyone with information about the incident should call the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8495. Anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide should contact the Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or text “Home” to 741741, for immediate assistance 24 hours a day.
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Demonstrating an outpouring of support from the Santa Monica community, individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations contributed over $1.1 million in 2020 through the City’s We Are Santa Monica Fund. These funds will assist residents facing food insecurity through the Virginia Avenue Park Food Pantry, advance racial equity work, and support small businesses that face closure due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “This past holiday season was unlike any other, and the needs in our community are greater than ever before. The community’s holiday response to those needs shows how much love, care and commitment exists in every corner of Santa Monica. I am so proud that, in our darkest moments, we continue to support one another,” said Mayor Sue
Himmelrich. “On behalf of Council, I extend my utmost gratitude for every donation, and for this community spirit that will lead us through to brighter days ahead.” The We Are Santa Monica Fund was created in spring 2020 in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund is administered through the California
Food, see page 6
January 15 – January 21, 2021
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January 15 – January 21, 2021
Court Ruling Indicates When Outdoor Dining May Return Appeals court upholds LA County’s outdoor dining ban By Chad Winthrop
A recent court ruling upholding Los Angeles County’s outdoor dining ban gives some indication when local restaurants may be able to resume al fresco service. On December 20, 2020, the 2nd District Court of Appeal issued a ruling directing Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant to show at an upcoming hearing why his December 15 rejection of
Food, from page 4
Community Foundation and donations to the fund support non-profit and emergency City services in four areas including: 1. COVID-19 Relief for Santa Monica Residents donations support impacts of COVID-19 on Santa Monica residents including housing insecurity and food insecurity. 2. Business Recovery Support donations provide support to efforts aimed at recovery so our businesses can continue to serve the community.
the County’s outdoor ban should remain in place. Chalfant will present his case to the three-justice panel during a February 10 hearing, meaning the appellate court’s stay will prevent the resumption of outdoor dining until at least that date. “The preliminary injunction order is stayed until further order of this court,” the appellate panel ruled. LA County’s three-week outdoor dining ban went into effect on November 25 amid rising COVID-19 cases. The California Restaurant Association and a downtown LA restaurant owner, however, filed lawsuits challenging the action in Los Angeles Superior Court. On December 15, Judge Chalfant sided with the plaintiffs, though noted California’s overriding outdoor
dining ban–recently renewed by Gov. Gavin Newsom–prevented outdoor dining in LA County until the state order expires. Chalfant instead prohibited the county from implementing its dining ban beyond the original three-week time period. “By failing to weigh the benefits of an outdoor dining restriction against its costs, the county acted arbitrarily and its decision lacks a rational relationship to a legitimate end,” Chalfant wrote. “The balance of harms works in petitioners’ favor until such time as the county concludes after proper riskbenefit analysis that restaurants must be closed to protect the healthcare system.” The County appealed Chalfant’s decision on December 17, the day after its outdoor dining ban expired. With the overriding
3. Black Agenda in Santa Monica donations are a vehicle to support the Black Agenda in Santa Monica and citywide efforts to advance racial equity in our community. For general donations made without a support project selected, 10% will be used to implement the Black Agenda in Santa Monica. 4. Food Pantry at Virginia Avenue Park donations help serve those facing food insecurity in our community. Established at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Virginia Avenue Park emergency food pantry has provided over 300 individuals and families with fresh groceries each week, distributing 10,000 food
boxes in the past 41 weeks. In December, the City Council contributed $10,000 in Council discretionary funding, and committed up to another $10,000 to match contributions made from the public to the Virginia Avenue Park Food Pantry through December 31, 2020. Through the end of 2020, this contribution was more than matched. Every dollar donated to the We Are Santa Monica Fund will help someone in our community through this emergency,” said Chief Communications Officer Debbie Lee. “We are deeply moved by the generosity of our Santa Monica community to help those struggling to feed their family. The pandemic
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
People dine outdoor in Santa Monica over the summer.
state law, however, there was no immediate practical consequence. Now at the February 10 hearing, the appellate court will decide on the future of LA County’s outdoor dining ban.
has compounded the needs around food and housing security and the We Are Santa Monica Fund will continue to seek donors to address these needs.” A full list of donors will be included in the Second Quarter Donations Information Item scheduled to post on the City’s website in February 2021. Donations to support the emergency efforts in the areas covered by the We Are Santa Monica Fund can be made at www.calfund. org/wearesantamonica or by contacting Debbie.Lee@smgov.net.
January 15 – January 21, 2021
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January 15 – January 21, 2021
OPINION
Saving a Failed Marriage – Part 1 SMa.r.t. Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
After several decades of wedlock and blind pursuit, our Santa Monica City Council finds itself in a failed marriage with the development community – succumbing to developers’ need and greed, to increased heights, densities and rents, in exchange for a modest amount of “inclusionary housing.” Only 8% of this increased housing qualifies as “affordable” while bringing with this housing the problems of infrastructure and the increasing loss of our city’s character. And now the state is requiring us to proceed under economic penalty with yet another 8,900 units in the next 8 years - 6,700 of which are to be “affordable.” This would be a 20% increase in population coupled with a 20% increase in infrastructure – water, power and sewage, fire and police, schools and libraries, etc. - all of which to be paid for not by developers or by our nearly bankrupt city or by the state – but by the residents! As in any failing marriage, is the goal sustainability
or infinite dysfunction? Adherence to this housing element of infinite growth promises to be the end of Santa Monica as we know it! At an early December council meeting, it was encouraging to see Councilmember McKeown seeming to realize inclusionary housing was not working in achieving a more balanced housing inventory, and hopefully is open to reconsidering alternatives. Inclusionary housing combines low rent units in buildings together with market rate units. But Santa Monica’s goal of 30% has only produced 8%, and this 8% reverts to market rate at the end of a 55 year cycle. Additionally, the “inclusion” of affordable units with market rate units only serves to increase housing costs and rents for the other market rate units including workforce housing. How has this worthy goal of building affordable housing led us so far astray? Where has our city council been during the past two decades of dense building while succumbing to the development community? This unsuccessful marriage of our city council lusting for affordable housing and the development community lusting for more density and height comes at the expense of our residents and the indigenous character of our
beachfront environment. The developer’s dream has become our economic, environmental, and social nightmare – facing huge budget and pension problems, traffic and infrastructure deadends, council in-fighting, and on and on! Simply put, the current approach to providing affordable housing has not, will not, and cannot work with any reasonable degree of success. Unfortunately, past city councils didn’t have the vision to see this runaway train. This week’s and next week’s articles will deal with these housing requirements – this week with the “inclusionary” housing dilemma, and next week with the pressure to “up-zone” our beachfront city – having increased current 4, 6, 8, and 10 story height limits just 3 years ago and now yet again? We need to rethink how we produce affordable housing. Adding 8%, or even 30% inclusionary housing to every new project will never meet the need. And there’s no city or state money to subsidize inclusionary housing. On the other hand, Santa Monica is the largest landowner in the city – by last count 177 parcels ranging in size from .17 acres to multiple acreage in all parts of the city. For example, using 12% of the BBB surface parking lot at the corner of 7th & Colorado, and 500 feet from the freeway and adjacent to other
SMa.r.t, see page 9
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low rise residential and commercial buildings, could produce +/- 130 units in 2, 3 & 4 story staggered designs, and can achieve net zero efficiency. There are similar sites at the parking lot at 2nd & Santa Monica and the Colorado frontage of Memorial Park, etc. And this approach would maintain our city’s low to mid-rise character with far better designs than the facadomy of block apartment buildings we’re seeing all over the downtown area. When you remove the added cost to the developer for inclusionary housing, you also remove the economic excuse resulting in monolithic block design. Moreover, these garden apartment designs would continue the long history of courtyard housing in Santa Monica. There would be no land cost, no land financing or carry cost, no property tax or permitting costs, savings in low-rise construction costs, and no return-on-investment – all adding up to 30% or more of reduced market rents. A one-bedroom apartment renting for $2,500-3,000/month would be $1,750-2,100/month. Moreover, development of affordable housing on public land allows the possibility of future ownership of one’s apartment. With the city owning the land and using their credit to borrow design and construction monies – to be paid back over 20 years with rental income – tenants can become “owners in waiting.” But this is for a later discussion, let’s not complicate the immediate issue. Realizing the city has become a cash cow for the development community, our response to the housing element will go a long way toward shaping the future of our city in creating the place where we live, work, and play. Santa Monica will
always attract developers large and small. The success of this marriage will be maintaining Santa Monica’s character and identity, a low rise city of landscape and courtyards, and its relaxed beach culture. To clarify, this approach to affordability isn’t to suggest that we have infinite possibility in adding affordable housing, but it does suggest that we have long been in need of an overall master plan. Not a downtown plan or a gateway plan, not a general plan or a zoning ordinance, but a comprehensive plan where the housing element is only one of several coordinated studies looking at our infrastructure and transportation systems, cultural and institutional elements, commercial and industrial segments, healthcare and city services, residential districts, open space and our economy. Our penchant for piecemeal planning and development agreements have aided the development community for far too long! We need to look at this city as a whole system. An overall master plan is long, long overdue!! Stay tuned next week when Part 2 discusses the unnecessary lunacy of “upzoning.” Ron Goldman FAIA for SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) Thane Roberts, Architect, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Ron Goldman FAIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, Architect, Building and Fire-Life Safety Commission, Samuel Tolkin Architect, Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA, Planning Commissioner, Marc Verville CPA Inactive, Michael Jolly, AIRCRE For previous articles see www.santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/writing.
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FILM REVIEW:
“YOU’RE MY WOMAN”
BEHIND THE SCREEN By Kathryn Whitney Boole The name of this movie does not fit the story. Directors should beware of choosing titles that will not resonate with the audience unless they are extreme film history buffs. In the Michael Mann movie Thief (1981) the line “You’re my woman and you’re my man,” is spoken by Tuesday Weld to James Caan in a scene in a diner. That film classic was the inspiration for writer/director Julia Hart’s I’m Your Woman. Hart’s film is absolutely worth watching. I believe it will be one of those “sleeper films” that will grow into a cult favorite. First of all, Rachel Brosnahan’s performance in the lead role of “Jean” is intense. Jean is a complete turnaround from Broshahan’s “Mrs. Maisel.” Here Brosnahan portrays the emotional arc of a woman of the 1970’s who has been taught to accept her place but has a personality and level of intelligence that don’t fit that role. She takes her cues from other people, as she’s been taught. As Brosnahan herself says, “Everything is happening to Jean for the first time.” Then as events cause her world to crash around her she starts heeding her own instincts, especially when her circle of acquaintances begins to include more enlightened people. Brosnahan also took her first producing job with this movie. She says in an interview that Hart took her under her wing to educate her, and she was able to see how the director smoothly was able to elevate the cast and crew to their highest level of creativity. Hart has a background in theatre, so with a relatively low budget, was not afraid to choose superb non-name theatre actors for her supporting cast. Arenze Kene as “Cal” was born in Nigeria and raised in
January 15 – January 21, 2021
Rated R 120 Minutes Released December 11th on Amazon Prime London and has a strong background in theatre. Marsha Stephanie Blake who plays “Teri” is a tiny dynamo of a character actor who has been underrated for far too long. She and Brosnahan worked together in a 2016 stage production of Othello in New York. The movie is beautifully shot by cinematographer Bryce Fortner and the set design and costumes are meticulously realized for the period without being “in your face.” I was struck by a pair of clogs Jean wears. I used to sell those shoes – in the 70’s. The music by ASKA, an up and coming Japanese composer based in LA, is perfectly placed to provide the ambiance of the period and hook your emotions without overpowering the visuals. Jean is kind of a Tuesday Weld character. She is of her generation and in many ways is already the antithesis of it. This is a classic bad guy thriller turned on edge and seen from an unusual perspective. The characters who are front and center in this film are those marginalized in most of the films from the 70’s. Through the excellent cast and sharp writing, you will be drawn into the minds of complex characters without being inundated with superfluous detail or overdone narrative. Though it’s a period piece, the story is universal. There are still mysteries left at the end for you to contemplate, as in real life, though you can strongly sense where Jean is headed with her life. Aside – if someone wants to do a biopic of the shockingly tumultuous life of Tuesday Weld, Brosnahan should be your choice for the lead role. Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com.
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Brian Dennehy Stars In The Tender DRIVEWAYS – His Final Film What makes DRIVEWAYS particularly poignant is that it was Brian Dennehy’s last film before he died and his cinematic presence will be sorely missed. Written by Hannah and Paul Thureen, and superbly directed by Andrew Ahn, this is a tender story about new beginnings and how friendships can relieve the pain of isolation. Kathy, soulfully played by Hong Cha, who was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, arrives in a suburban New York town from Grand Rapids, Michigan with her son 8-year-old son Cody, played by a very gifted Lucas Jaye. Their mission is to clean up the home in which Kathy’s sister April lived until her recent death. The home is cluttered with stuff piled up from floor to ceiling with not an inch of open space – a daunting task of getting the house ready to sell. To give you a visual point of view, think along the lines of Grey Gardens where Jackie Kennedy’s aunt and cousin lived. Although the bones of April’s home might be salvageable, it is hard at first to see through the debris. As mother and son arrive, the next-door neighbor Del, a lonely Korean War vet, brilliantly portrayed by Brian Dennehy,
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Brian Dennehy as Del with Cody, the boy next door played by Lucas Jaye in Andrew Ahn’s “Driveways.”
who gives a powerfully interior performance, watches quietly from his porch. A widower, he eats alone every night, intimately captured by Paul Thureen’s delicate cinematography, which closes in on Del’s loneliness. His daughter Lisa is a judge in Seattle and is trying to find housing for him so they can be closer to each other. The initial relationship between Kathy and Del doesn’t start off so pleasantly, but Cody, a very sensitive, vulnerable child, immediately bonds with him and that relationship is the basic building block of the story. One way that Del fills his time is to play bingo with friends at the VFW and when Del’s friend Rodger, played by an adorable Jerry Adler, forgets to show up to drive him to the center, Kathy jumps in and takes him there. Now because bingo is a form of gambling, the “caller” insists that Cody must leave. There is a big “discussion” and he finally relents and allows the young boy to stay. It is at the VFW center that we meet Del’s other good friend Lester, well played by Stan Carp. However, the relationship between Del and Rodger is particularly close and there are some funny scenes between them. Meanwhile, Cody and Kathy, who does medical transcriptions and is studying to be a nurse, have been staying at a motel but soon it becomes too expensive. She and her son clean out the front porch and that becomes their sleeping quarters. The task of getting rid of the clutter begins in earnest and little by little, they begin to clear out the
mess. In between times, Cody would walk over to Del’s porch and each of them would get absorbed in their reading material while looking over once in a while to make sure make everything is okay. Another neighbor named Linda (Christine Ebersole) shows up one day with her two grandsons, Brandon (Jack Caleb) and Reese, (James DiGiacomo) who you just know are not nice kids. She invites Cody over to play with them and the evening does not end well. This is an emotionally, quietly powerful affecting film, depicting how Del and Cody’s loneliness becomes a pathway to forming a quietly loving relationship. The writing accomplishes this with a minimum of dialogue. It’s also about life’s transitions and friendship which, in only an 83-minute film, captures the essence of each. Ahn’s subtle directing allows his characters to basically find each other and we see how they bond out of a sense of loneliness. One of the joyous moments of the film is the birthday party Kathy organizes for her son at the local skating rink, which turns out to be a failure. Del comes to the rescue and transforms it into a joyous celebration of this special kid. So here we are with new beginnings and endings – for each of these three principal characters have experienced both. What is particularly sad, is that one of our great American actors, Brian Dennehy, who appeared in 180 films as well as television and theatre
productions, is no longer with us, but his body of
work, especially his Oscar-worthy performance in “Driveways,” will live in cinematic memory. Distributor: FilmRise
Release Date: Current Where: USA – VOD Language: English
Music composed by Jay Wadley Running Time: 83 Minutes Rating: PG
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
FILE NUMBER: 2020 208932 ORIGINAL FILING This statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES ON 12/08/2020. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as 1. Infinity Wellness Institute Inc. The full name of registrant(s) is/are: Infinity Wellness Institute Inc., 1801 Century Park E. Ste. 2400, Los Angeles Ca. 90067. This business is conducted by An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 12/08/2020 . I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime). Signed Isabella Lai. This Statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES County on DEC. 08, 2020. NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE). SANTA MONICA MIRROR to publish 01/15/2021, 01/22/2021, 01/29/2021, and 02/06/2021
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SA N T A M ON I C A C OL L E GE
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SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rob Rader, Chair; Dr. Louise Jaffe, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Dr. Sion Roy; Barry A. Snell; Joshua Elizondo, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu