OPA January Monthly Meeting Recap: Here is the full recording and here are some highlights from the meeting:

Downtown Parking Rate Increase Paused: From Lana Negrete: Many of you—especially downtown businesses and residents—spoke up about how the proposed parking changes would impact access and vitality. We heard you. As a result, the City is holding off on implementing new downtown parking structure rates while a downtown-specific approach comes forward for Council review on January 27.

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) / Kindergarten Roundup Planned for Jan. 22: The annual event is an opportunity for Santa Monica and Malibu parents of children entering TK or Kindergarten for the upcoming year to meet the principal and teachers of their neighborhood school, learn about before and after school care and begin the registration process for the upcoming school year. This year’s event is in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year. Visit the SMMUSD new student enrollment webpage for more information and to find your neighborhood school.

Santa Monica welcomes Chief Jacob: City Manager Oliver Chi appointed Darrick Jacob as Santa Monica's police chief, at the end of last year and Jacob was formally sworn in at a ceremony this week. Jacob, with SMPD since 2004 and acting chief since August 2025, is the first internal candidate chosen in over 40 years. His priorities include crime reduction, homelessness, traffic safety and community engagement, achieving full department staffing. More details here.

SMPD 2025 by the Numbers: SMPD responded to 124,848 calls for service last year—down from the prior year, reflecting smarter, more focused operations. Arrests were up nearly 23% due to more targeted enforcement. About 25% of calls are homelessness-related, involving outreach, mental-health crises, and welfare checks.

New Year, New Santa Monica: Downtown glow-up continues with offramp cleanup, landscaping and fresh sidewalks: The City issued this press release detailing how some of the $60M commitment to improving downtown is being spent, including Planting fresh landscaping with approximately 300 California native plants at the 4th/5th Street off-ramp, planting new trees, pruning other trees, and establishing a regular power washing schedule for five downtown public parking structures.

New self-certification building permit program aims to streamline business openings, boost economic growth: Opening or improving a commercial business in Santa Monica is getting even easier, thanks to a new, first-of-its-kind self-certification program for building permits recently approved by the City Council. This will allow them to begin construction faster by cutting out the normal plan review process during plan check, with permits promised in five business days or less. More details in this SaMoNext post and here is an official City press release about it.

Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights Tests the Waters on Housing Ballot Measure for Airport Land: Over the weekend, rumors swirled that leadership at Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) is preparing language for a citizen-led ballot initiative for the fall that would allow up to 3,000 units of housing to be built on land currently occupied by Santa Monica Airport. If it moves forward, the measure would appear on this November’s ballot. More details here.

Favorite Palisades restaurant rises again in Venice, with the same heart, and stellar pasta: The patio at Cinque Terre West in Venice is petite but cozy, with a handful of tables and counter seating that offer a prime view into the bustling kitchen. Nestled onto a busy stretch of Rose Avenue, it feels smaller and even livelier than the original Cinque Terre West, a local favorite in the Gardens at Palisades strip mall in the center of the town. Vinzoni and his wife, Marlo, who lost multiple businesses in the Palisades fire, and whose home was also damaged, are once again starting to feel like part of a thriving community. More details here.