In partnership with
OPA Oct. 13 Monthly Meeting Tonight/ Monday: This month's meeting will be at the Ocean Park Library (@ 2601 Main St.) starting with food and mingling at 6:00pm. We will also be hybrid on Zoom. Here's the zoom link, here’s the full agenda, and here's the schedule:
6:00 - 6:30pm: Food, refreshments and mingling
6:30 - 6:45pm: SaMo Police Department
6:45 - 7:00: SaMo Fire Department
7:00 - 7:15: Jing Yeo (SaMo Director of Community Development)
7:15 - 7:30: Zennon Ulyate-Crow (Abundance)
7:30 - 8:30: Board business, including upcoming calendar of events
The Main Street Block Party returns THIS Sunday, Oct. 19th! Main Street is shutting down to vehicles for a massive, free community festival presented in partnership with the Day of the Dog—the largest pet festival in North America! This all-ages event features:
Day of the Dog (12-5pm): Bring your furry friends for an epic day of fun, featuring dog surfing, pool parties, pup yoga, and over 100 pet exhibitors.
Live Music & Entertainment: Enjoy live performances all day, including a powerhouse female Black Sabbath Tribute band (Mistress of Reality).
VCA Howloween Costume Contest (4-6pm): Get your pets and humans ready to compete for cash prizes in the annual costume contest. Thank you OPA Gold Member Ted Winterer, who is also sponsoring this event. Register for free here.
Ashland Hill Beer Garden (FREE!): Unwind in the beer garden with live music and cash bars, supporting the Ocean Park Association.
Kids' Corner: Little one's can enjoy sports demos, free face painting, crafts, and musical story time with Books & Cookies.
Volunteers Wanted to Staff OPA Booth at 10/19 Day of the Dog Main St. Event: Volunteering for an hour or two at the OPA tent is the best way to get to know other people in the organization and community! Reply to this email to learn more or click here to sign up on our online form.
OPA is Looking for 2026 Board Nominations: Early November is the deadline for 2026 OPA Board Nominations: Reply to this email asap if you're interested in joining the board and want to learn more about it and/or want to nominate someone else.
Have a Library Card? Explore Santa Monica’s local businesses through the SaMo Public Library Community Discount Program: The local discount program we've discussed is has launched in connection with the library. Local participating businesses include Fitoor and Junior Cookies. Check out the full list here and expect more to come!
196 luxury & 84 low-income units open at 700 Broadway (former Von's site) with 3 bedrooms renting for $12,450 a month: The eight-story development, which features studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, includes more than 67,000 square feet of amenity space, a 60,000-square-foot upscale grocery store and a 34,000-square-foot Equinox Fitness Club. The project also incorporates a nearly three-quarter-acre private park on the third floor. Luxury monthly rental rates start at $3,995 for studios, $5,555 for one-bedrooms, $8,400 for two-bedrooms & $12,450 for three-bedroom residences...Community Corporation of Santa Monica will manage the affordable units. More details here.
Tourists are avoiding LA: This LA Times report details that "International tourist arrivals to the state fell by 8% through August, that is more than 170,000 fewer global tourists than last year. This is critical because international tourists spend up to eight times more per visit than domestic tourists. Of all the state’s international travelers, arrivals from Canada fell the most (32%) in the three summer months.
Wide ranging council meeting covers water quality, events and dog bites: Here is the SMDP summary of the agenda for this Tuesday night's meeting.
The Blue Notebook - A Weekly SMPD Recap - September 21 -27: Here is the weekly report of SMPD activity.
The Street Seen: 2702 Main St @ Hill St: After the 1916 retail building on the southwest corner of Main and Hill is moved in 1926, an ever changing parade of tenants occupies the space. The building is currently occupied by Jameson’s. More history here.
SM Housing Costs Among Nation’s Highest Despite Market Cooling: The median rent in Santa Monica reached $2,478 in October, representing a 2.1% increase over the past year, according to the latest Apartment List rent report. The city's rental growth outpaced California's 1.3% average and far exceeded the national average, which declined 0.8% over the same period. Monthly rent increases have remained modest, with September showing just a 0.2% uptick. However, the annual growth rate demonstrates the coastal city's continued appeal despite broader economic headwinds affecting housing markets nationwide. More details here.
Things to Do This Week
Tech St. Santa Monica (Monday): Turning Ocean Avenue and parts of Palisades Park into a vibrant showcase of innovation, entrepreneurship, and community spirit, this event celebrates 150 years of innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, investment into the community, music, entertainment & culture of the City of Santa Monica. This one-day outdoor festival will gather 3,000+ founders, investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators for a full day of connection, innovation, and culture. @ Ocean Ave. tech-week.com For free access, sign up with code LIBRY_FREE.
Live Talks: An Evening with Werner Herzog (Tuesday 8pm): From legendary filmmaker and author Werner Herzog, a compact, effervescent, and deeply personal exploration of art, philosophy, and history that unravels one of our most elusive and contested questions: What is truth—and how to find it in our “post-truth” era? @ New Roads School 3131 Olympic Blvd. livetalksla.org/events/werner-herzog/
Broadstage Palisades’ Road to Recovery - An AirTalk Live Event (Tuesday 7:30pm): AirTalk host Larry Mantle will talk with guests about what the road to rebuilding looks like and how best to navigate this new reality. @ 1310 11th St. broadstage.org/tickets-shows/calendar/palisades-road-to-recovery/
Binge Free Festival: The month-long festival of FREE shows at Santa Monica Playhouse, returns for a Tenth Anniversary Season. Following extensive repair and renovation to our Main Stage due to a flooding incident, we plan to re-open our refurbished Main Stage with the opening of our new Binge Free Festival. Opens Tuesday, Oct. 14 santamonicaplayhouse.com
Locals’ Night on the Pier (Thursday 3:30 - 10:30p.m.): Gather your friends and family and head down to the Santa Monica Pier for youth activities, a car show, local DJs and live music from local bands, art exhibits, and so much more. santamonicapier.org/localsnight
NO KINGS Santa Monica (Saturday 11a.m.-1p.m.): "Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together." @ Palisades Park at Montana Avenue on October 18. https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/840831/
The Game is Changing
The internet was supposed to make it easier to build and connect. Somewhere along the way, we lost the plot.
beehiiv is changing that once and for all.
On November 13, they’re unveiling what’s next at their first-ever Winter Release Event. For the people shaping the future of content, community, and media, this is an event you can’t miss.
OPA & City Meetings
Landmarks Commission Meeting (Monday 7pm): More details & agenda here.
City Council Meeting (Tuesday 5:30 pm): Meetings are hybrid and can be viewed on this YouTube channel. Click here for agenda.
Housing Commission Special Meeting (Tuesday 6:15pm): Click Here for agenda.
OPA Connects Meeting (Wednesday 12pm): Here is the Zoom link.
Planning Commission Meeting (Wednesday 6pm): More details & agenda here.
Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting (Thursday 6pm): Click Here for agenda.
Library Board Meeting (Thursday 6pm): More details & agenda here.
Upcoming Calendar of Events
October OPA Meeting (Monday 10/13)
Main St. Day of the Dog Festival (Sunday 10/19)
OPA Halloween Mixer (Tentatively Wednesday 10/29)
