Thank You Aquasurf for Joining OPA as a Silver Member!!! “Awarded as the best surf school in SoCal! Aqua Surf School teachers are available for surfing instruction, all year round. We teach Private Surf Lessons every day, year-round. Our team has experience coaching people of all ages and abilities. Beginners and experienced surfers are welcomed with aloha to join our surfing classes and surf lessons.” Learn more at aquasurf.com.
OPA Membership Drive: If you enjoy this newsletter and all the events and community work OPA is leading (like last week's Main St. Tree Lighting Festival), please help our efforts by becoming a member or making a donation. Most memberships are $20/year but there is also a $10/year option. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OR DONATE.
Coachella Promoter in Talks With Santa Monica Over Major Beachfront Event Site: City officials in Santa Monica are holding closed-door negotiations with Goldenvoice, the concert promoter behind Coachella and Stagecoach, over a potential lease of a large stretch of beachfront property south of the city’s iconic pier, according to a City Council agenda. The proposed deal would give Goldenvoice access to about 12.5 acres of sand, extending from the area south of the pier to the Pico Boulevard stormwater runoff. The agenda does not specify the type of event being considered, and discussions appear to be in the early stages. More details here.
Multiple Main St. Spots on the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants List: Five SaMo spots grace the list, led by Main St.’s Seline at #13 and followed by Pasjoli at #34. Impressive and exciting to see Chef Dave Beran have both his eateries honored. Here’s the full list.
Realignment Plan Progress Report (from Mayor Lana Negrete):
City staff has created five interdepartmental work streams — Public Safety, Capital Delivery, Infrastructure, New City Services, and Organizational Health — and these teams are meeting bi-weekly to remove obstacles, coordinate execution, and sustain momentum across departments.
What's launching in January: "Our libraries reopen! Fairview ribbon-cutting on January 20, Ocean Park on January 21. The PD Substation will be operational by the end of January. We're expanding the SMPD Downtown Services Unit to 8-10 officers daily (up from 4) starting January 11, and our Homeless Liason Team is already deployed downtown seven days a week (up from 5). The Fire Department launches Advanced Provider Unit coverage seven days a week on January 1, and the Ambulance Operator Program goes live February 1st - these are addressing the homeless population on our streets.
What you're seeing now: Downtown tree pruning on 2nd and 4th Streets is complete, 37 large trees have been planted, power-washing of parking structures happens every five days, and Beach Restrooms #16 and #17 repairs begin this week. Sidewalk repairs, crosswalk repainting, and the City Hall Fountain restoration all kick off in January. Lincoln Boulevard off-ramp coordination, the 4th/5th Street Gateway, and 4th Street median improvements are all scheduled to begin in January too.
Why this matters: Clean streets, functional infrastructure, and visible public safety aren't luxuries — they're the foundation for economic recovery and community trust. People return to places that feel cared for. This isn't window dressing; it's how we rebuild confidence in downtown.
Santa Monica Fire Launches Nurse-Practitioner Unit for Minor 911 Calls: The Santa Monica Fire Department has begun deploying a new two-person Advanced Provider Unit that pairs a nurse practitioner with a firefighter-paramedic to handle non-life-threatening 911 medical calls, allowing many patients to be treated at the scene instead of being transported to a hospital. The unit, which started responding to calls last month and is currently operating Monday through Thursday, is part of the city’s broader two-year Realignment Plan approved by the City Council in October to bolster public safety and emergency services. More details here.
New Public Parking Rates Rolling Out in January: The City issued this press release about "new public parking rates effective Jan. 12, 2026, that are easier to understand and encourage Downtown visitors to stay longer and pay less."
City facility and service closures for Dec. 22 – Jan. 2: Several city of Santa Monica facilities and non-essential services will close or operate at limited capacity from Dec. 22 to Jan. 4, 2026. All city operations will resume as usual on Monday, Jan. 5. All public safety and emergency services will operate normally during the closure. In addition, trash/recycling/green bin pickup, street sweeping, and transportation and parking operations will continue with only minimal disruptions, as detailed below. More details here.
Pier Bridge Replacement Project construction begins: Construction is officially underway on the long-anticipated project to replace and upgrade the 86-year-old Santa Monica Pier Bridge. Construction is expected to continue through the end of 2027. More details here.
The Street Seen: J.D. Kneen Paving Contractor: From 1903 to 1931, contractor J.D. Kneen paves many Santa Monica and Venice streets and sidewalks. More details here.
Community Corp's List of "Opportunities to Give During this Holiday Season": Click here to get details on some ways to help those in need.
Church in Ocean Park is requesting Unwrapped Toys, gift cards, Backpacks: Children between the ages of 0-17 will be able to shop at the Holiday Workshop for toys. Thank u for donating to Families in need at this holiday season Send info to [email protected] for pick up or drop off.
Holiday Cheer Grows on Lincoln: Wines and Pines Christmas Tree Farm brings festive spirit to 2307 Lincoln Blvd, offering fresh-cut trees, warm lights, and neighborhood charm—an easy, joyful stop for locals celebrating the season. 🎄 More details here.
FROM OPA GOLD MEMBER ALFALFA: ALFALFA HOLIDAY CATERING DEALS: Enjoy $20 off catering orders of $100+ through December 31st, with code HOLIDAYS20! Check out our Catering Menu and place orders HERE. Questions? Email us at [email protected]. Terms & Conditions apply.
Things to Do This Week
Hanukkah in Downtown Santa Monica (December 14 to 21, 5 - 7pm @ 1400 block of the Third Street Promenade (between Broadway and Santa Monica Blvd.): Join local community groups as they host Menorah lightings. More details here.
Holiday Cheer on the Pier: Sandy Cane Lane (Locals' Night) (Thursday, 3:30 - 10pm): The final night of the Pier's holiday event features live music, photos with Santa, a festive sand sculpture display, and the popular car decorating contest. santamonicapier.org/localsnight
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OPA & City Meetings
Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment (Monday 7pm): More details here.
City Council Meeting (Tuesday 5:30 pm): Meetings are hybrid and can be viewed on this YouTube channel. 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.
Upcoming Calendar of Events
Upcoming OPA Book Club Meetings: Planned dates are December 3, January 7, February 4, March 4, April 1. Email [email protected] for more info
New Year's Brunch Potluck and Square Dancing (Jan. 4):🕺 Details to follow
Ocean Park Library Reopening Celebration (1/21)
