OPA Board Member Spotlight - Tess Nelson: After serving as a career Community Manager for WeWork in NYC, Tess relocated to Ocean Park in 2022 and has turned her attention to connecting neighbors with one another in Ocean Park. Driven by a core belief that knowing your neighbor can address the loneliness epidemic and the erosion of social trust in our polarized world, Tess founded the Ocean Park Social Club in October 2024. Together with the Ocean Park Association, Tess collaborates with neighbors to host 1-2 social events per month. Tess is excited to serve as a Board Member of the Ocean Park Association to further support this vibrant community. Tess is a renter in Ocean Park and loves frequenting her favorite local establishments Cobi's, Groundwork Coffee, and Tsukiji Sushi Sen.

Bowlmor Mixed-Use Development Starts to Rise at 234 Pico Blvd.: This Urbanize post details updates on "the project that will consist of a new four- and five-story building featuring 186 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments above approximately 11,000 square feet of ground-level retail space. Plans also call for a 346-car garage."

City & Bay Foundation Expand Beach Dune Restoration by 30 Acres: Phase III of the resilience plan will establish dunes along the entirety of Santa Monica Beach, stretching from the Santa Monica Pier to the Venice border. The project provides natural defenses against sea-level rise while enhancing wildlife habitat. More details here.

Airport Conversion Project moves into next phase with new community survey: The city of Santa Monica has released a draft Framework Diagram for the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project, following nearly two years of public outreach and engagement. The Framework Diagram builds on the five Guiding Principles unanimously adopted by the City Council in January 2025 – Start with Nature, Inspire Wonder, Balance Economics, Amplify Versatility, and Celebrate Place – and synthesizes the input gathered through 87 public meetings, 20 small group discussions with over 370 participants, more than 12,100 online survey responses, and over 50,000 project website visits. More details here and use this link to access the survey.

City Manager Chi Celebrates Success of Samo Bridge Program’s First Year: Oliver Chi wrote this newsletter stating "SaMo Bridge is a collaboration between our City Attorney’s Office, SMPD, our Homelessness Intervention and Prevention Division, and run by our nonprofit partner Exodus Recovery. The concept for the program is straightforward but powerful – for individuals experiencing homelessness who come into contact with law enforcement for low-level offenses, and who have an underlying mental health or substance use need, SaMo Bridge offers an alternative to the revolving door of arrest, citation, release, and re-arrest."

City Appoints Heidi Von Tongeln City Attorney: Von Tongeln, a longtime member of the city’s legal team, had been serving as interim city attorney since August 2025 following the departure of former City Attorney Doug Sloan. She joined the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office in 2012 and was promoted to chief deputy city attorney in 2022, overseeing major litigation and advising city boards and commissions on legal matters. More details here.

Rise in Workers Comp Claims 'Will Be Costly,' Report Warns: The number of open worker compensation claims filed by City workers grew to a record 653 during the past fiscal year, or nearly one-third of all employees, according to a report to the City Council last week. Of the open claims, 301 were filed during the last fiscal year, bringing to $25.9 million the total direct costs to the City, including $15.9 million in medical, indemnity and miscellaneous payments, according to the Workers’ Compensation Annual Report. More details here.

Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project Advances as Crews Construct Temporary Vehicle Ramp: Construction crews have made visible progress on the long-anticipated Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project, with heavy equipment now actively shaping a temporary vehicle ramp to ensure continued access to the iconic pier during the multi-year rebuild. As of early March 2026, operators were observed forming the structure, which will allow cars, delivery trucks, emergency vehicles, and other essential traffic to reach the pier while the existing 1939-built bridge is demolished and replaced. The federally funded project, valued at approximately $35.5 million, aims to deliver a more resilient and functional bridge ahead of major events like the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. More details here.

New data shows Santa Monica is a Spring Break destination for families: "Santa Monica is emerging as a top spring break destination for Los Angeles-area families this year, with new Airbnb data showing a significant uptick in searches for short-term rental stays along California's coast heading into the vacation season. According to Airbnb data, travel to Santa Monica by families this spring break is up, with many travelers coming from Los Angeles County itself. Californians make up 11% of searches for Santa Monica stays, reflecting a broader statewide trend of residents opting for closer-to-home getaways this spring and families account for 60% of Angeleno travelers searching for Santa Monica." More details here.

Meet with Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya: She is inviting members of the community to meet one-on-one during in-person and virtual office hours. More details here along with a link to book time.

Councilmember Dan Hall Newsletter: Here is his weekly newsletter, with details about efforts on Achieving Safe Neighborhoods & Clean Streets (including SaMo Bridge Diversion Program Results), Activating Economic Opportunity & Growth, Developing Affordable, Livable, & Secure Housing for All, and much more.

Today/Monday Deadline to Apply for the One SaMo People's Academy: This new civic learning program is designed to build understanding, transparency, and trust between residents and their local government by offering an inside look at City operations, priorities, and opportunities for engagement. Free. Six weeks. 25 spots. Don't wait. More details here.