In partnership with
June OPA Monthly Meeting Next Monday (June 8): The meeting is at the Ocean Park Library @ 2601 Main St. starting with food and mingling at 6:00pm. We will also be hybrid on Zoom. Click here to add the OPA monthly meeting and Zoom link to your calendar. Here's the zoom link, and here's the schedule:
6:00 - 6:30: Food, refreshments and mingling
6:30 - 7:30: Guest Speakers:
City Attorney Heidi von Tongeln
SaMo Police Department
SaMo Fire Department
Barbara Wallace, Street Repaving
Others TBD
7:30 - 8:30: Board business, including the Summer SOULstice event (June 20), Make Music Day (June 21), July 4 parade, & more)
Bowlmor Construction Quarterly Update: We spoke with a representative for the project at Pico & 3rd St. last week, and here are some key updates:
Offsite work for the foreseeable future is complete and there shouldn’t be any digging in the street from us.
Ground floor (same level as existing public sidewalk and alley) concrete decks will be complete by the 2nd week of June, Level 2 concrete decks (50% of the overall square footage of the project) will be complete by the 2nd week of July.
For those remaining concrete pours, traffic closures will be the same as they have been….but the good news is that we’re almost through the truly uncomfortable phase.
Wood framing (on top of concrete decks) will begin at Level 1 (same level as existing public sidewalk) on 6/15/26. Traffic closures for wood framing deliveries will be less imposing than the traffic closures have been for the concrete pours. The norm will be that only the parking lane directly adjacent to the jobsite will be unavailable when wood framing deliveries occur, all other standard active traffic lanes will remain active. Wood framing deliveries will occur daily or almost daily for approximately 4 months.
We hope to be wrapping up work in Q4 2027, with final Certificate of Occupancy in January 2028.
Two New Exciting SaMo Restaurant Openings this Week: On June 9, the local burger chain “The Win-Dow” opens at 930 Montana Ave. with fun specials all week (here’s their Insta for more details here) and on June 10 the Raising Cane’s brings their wildly popular fried chicken strips to 1401 3rd St. Promenade in a beautiful new space along with grand opening promotions that include a chance for a year’s worth of free chicken (here’s their Insta for more details). The space was designed with the city's surf-and-skate culture in mind, featuring a Ferris wheel mural inspired by the nearby pier, surfboard disco light installations and California-themed merchandise. Here is an SMDP article with more details about both openings.
Santa Monica General Fund reaches structural balance as city unveils $909M spending plan: Santa Monica's general fund is on track to achieve structural balance for the first time in years, city finance officials told the City Council at their last meeting, presenting a proposed $908.1 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27 that pairs a financially stable operating plan with the city's most ambitious capital investment program since the pandemic. Finance Director Oscar Santiago told council members the current fiscal year is projected to close with an $8.95 million surplus — a dramatic turnaround from October 2025, when the city was staring down a projected $29.6 million deficit for the coming year. More details here.
Proposed $109.8 million Capital Improvement Program marks robust return to investment in public spaces: This SaMo press release details the four main project goals (Preparing for major events, Reinvesting in parks and open spaces, Maintaining and updating citywide infrastructure, & Modernizing transportation and mobility) and the timing for next steps (including presenting to City Council on June 23 for approval).
One dead in Ocean Park Apartment Fire: "The Santa Monica Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire this morning at approximately 8:37 a.m. at 2628 5th St. that resulted in one fatality. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and fire conditions in a second-floor apartment located at the rear of a two-story garden-style apartment complex." More details in this City release and this SMDP report.
SMPD Weekly “Blue Notebook”: Here is their fun weekly video update of police activity and what’s upcoming.
Santa Monica’s World Cup Summer Is A Global Cultural Invitation: The World Cup “kicks off” later this week (yup…I went there) and “This summer, Santa Monica is preparing to step onto the world stage. From June 11 through July 19, the coastal city will transform into one of the largest fan engagement destinations connected to the FIFA World Cup, anchored by six weeks of programming designed to merge sport, music, wellness, art, mobility, and community into a citywide celebration by the Pacific.” This write-up highlights many of the events planned throughout the 6 week span.
The Street Seen: 2921 to 2929 Main St (Anderson): In 1923, a 1-story, multi-tenant retail building is constructed on the northeast corner of Main and Bay St. The building has many tenants over the years, but since 1936, there is a liquor store tenant on the prominent corner. More details here.
Councilmember Dan Hall Newsletter: Here is his weekly newsletter, with his thoughts on news in and around the city over the past week, upcoming calendar of events, and much more.
Palisades Will Rogers Fourth of July 5K/10K Run Returns Home: It “will return to Pacific Palisades on July 4 for its 49th annual running, following a one-year relocation to Venice Beach necessitated by the Palisades Fire. The event offers four distances: a 10K run, a 5K run/walk, the Dick Lemon Run — a high school competition 5K — and a half-mile Kids Fun Run." More details here.
Urgent Call: Blood and Platelet Donors Needed Now: The American Red Cross is urgently calling for blood and platelet donors, warning that a sharp drop in scheduled donations has put the national blood supply under significant strain. Officials say the timing is particularly alarming as the country enters what AAA calls the "100 deadliest days" — the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal crashes involving teen drivers rise by 30% and severe injuries from car accidents, ATV crashes, and other summer activities spike. Appointments can be scheduled at RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-733-2767, or the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
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Things to Do This Week
Raising Cane’s Grand Opening (Wednesday): There’s a sign outside of the new Downtown Santa Monica branch of crazy/popular poultry purveyor Raising Cane’s announcing their June 10 opening at the corner of Third St. and Santa Monica Blvd. instagram.com/raisingcanes
Community Corp. Annual Summer Social (Thursday 5:30pm): This evening promises to be a meaningful celebration of our work, and all our amazing partners and stakeholders. The evening will feature live music, beverages, appetizers, and a variety of raffle prizes. Ticket sales and sponsorships go to support our resident services programs, which support free educational programs, community gardens, fitness classes, leadership training, and so much more. @ Expert Dojo More details here.
Tercero Winemaker dinner at Orto (Thursday): Enjoy a four course dinner featuring Tercero Wines from Los Olivos presented by the winemaker. 502 Santa Monica Blvd. More details here.
An Evening with Vega-Sicilia Winery (Thursday): Join a tasting experience featuring the legendary wines of Tempos Vega-Sicilia, including Spain’s iconic Único alongside elegant white selections from their renowned Tokaj estate, Oremus. Guests will enjoy a curated lineup accompanied by cheeses, charcuterie, and seasonal small bites. $150. 214 Wilshire Blvd. More details here.
Jeremy Renner + Kym Renner + Junior Cookies ❤️ A Cookie With a Purpose: The limited Renner Crunch Cookie is a buttery cookie with milk chocolate, marshmallow crunch loaded with potato chips, pretzels, and cornflakes, and topped with rainbow sprinkles. $5 from each 4-pack will be donated to support Camp RennerVation, helping provide summer camp experiences for children in foster care and at-risk youth. 2726 Main St. juniorcookies.com
World Play Zone at the Metro Station (Weekends, June 11–28): A family-friendly World Cup activation featuring soccer challenges, skill stations, and interactive play. @ E Line Downtown SaMo Station Lot More details here.
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OPA & City Meetings
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.
Disabilities Commission Meeting (Wednesday 6:30pm): More details & agenda here.
Housing Commission Meeting (Thursday 6pm): Click Here for agenda.
Upcoming Calendar of Events
Upcoming OPA Book Club Meetings: Planned dates are July 8 (Trust), Aug 5 (The Night Watchman). Email [email protected] for more info. All meets are at 6pm at the Ocean Park Library (2601 Main St.).
OPA Monthly Meeting: Monday, June 8, 6pm @ Ocean Park Library
Ocean Park Social Club - The Jar Returns to Ocean Park: After a wonderful first event with the national non-profit, The Jar, our friends are back for another dinner & salon on June 24. This next session will be a "Convener" model, where we invite you to bring 2-3 guests with you. This model broadens the community further, allowing us to create a more diverse room of voices. Tickets are $10/person (and includes dinner and dessert!).
RSVP HERE and direct questions to [email protected] and our partner [email protected].
Ocean Park Social Club Summer Picnic Series: Mark your calendars for our bi-weekly summer evening picnics at Hotchkiss Park on the following Thursdays 5:30-7:30pm: July 9, July 23, Aug 6, Aug 20, and Sep 3.
Want to Volunteer for Future OPA-Sponsored Heal The Bay Adopt-A-Beach Clean-Ups? Contact Dave Tann at [email protected]. He is the coordinator for the OPA/Heal The Bay events, always meeting at Tower 26. Dates this summer are 6/28, 7/26, & 8/30.
Resources
Police non-emergency Phone #: Call 310-458-8491 or click here for more info.
Santa Monica 311. Submit non-emergency requests to the City.
Santa Monica Alerts. Sign up for emergency text and email alerts.
SaMoNews. Subscribe to the official newsletter of the City of Santa Monica.
Board and Commission Openings. Volunteer to serve the community!
City of Santa Monica Career Opportunities. Get paid to serve the community!
Santa Monica Animal Shelter. Support our municipal Animal Shelter!
Locals Discount Program is Back! OPA has partnered with the SaMo Public Library to launch a Community Discount Program. Local Ocean Park participating businesses include Fitoor and Junior Cookies. Check out the full list here and expect more to come!
