As a passionate advocate for Santa Monica — a community I deeply love for its diversity, vibrancy, and incredible seaside charm — I believe we are at a critical juncture in our city’s history. Our beloved Santa Monica, once a beacon of opportunity and safety, is now grappling with existential threats that jeopardize everything we cherish about living here. From rampant homelessness and unchecked drug use to an alarming surge in violent crime and a faltering local economy, we face challenges that could erode the very fabric of our community if we don’t act now. The good news is that we have a clear choice before us, a choice that could define our future for years to come.
In November, Santa Monica voters will be presented with two distinct visions for our city: one represented by the five Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR)-aligned candidates, and the other by a group of four centrist Democrats — Mayor Phil Brock, Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, Dr. Vivian A. Roknian, and John Putnam — who are supported by Santa Monicans United (SMU) and the Change Slate. These two groups offer profoundly different approaches to the issues threatening our city, and the choice between them could not be more stark.
The Dire Reality Santa Monica Faces
Santa Monica is one of the most beautiful and diverse cities in the country, but it’s no secret that we are in the midst of a serious crisis. The numbers are staggering: we now have one of the highest crime rates in the state of California, and the crimes themselves are becoming more severe and brazen. In the past few years, we’ve seen multiple murders, rapes, assaults, and stabbings — not in some faraway place but right here in our parks, beaches, and public spaces. Smash-and-grab robberies have devastated businesses on the Third Street Promenade, leaving nearly half of the storefronts empty. Residential burglaries and home invasions have left families feeling unsafe in their own homes. Bike thefts, package thefts, catalytic converter thefts, and car break-ins have become everyday occurrences. Needles litter our parks and beaches, a visible and heartbreaking symbol of how far our city has fallen. And our city, to be frank, is effectively broke. With decreased tourism and business Downtown and on the Promenade, we lack funding for basic services like libraries and public safety.
This isn’t the Santa Monica we want or deserve.
The Failed Policies of the DSA/SMRR Slate
The four candidates endorsed by SMRR, the Santa Monica Democratic Club, and Santa Monica Forward, plus one active SMRR member and activist who has made the ballot, have made it clear that they will continue down the same path that got us into this crisis in the first place. They support policies that prioritize rampant development, filling our city with high-rise buildings and expensive, taxpayer-funded housing projects that have done nothing to address homelessness or housing affordability. They refuse to enforce laws that would clear our parks and public spaces of homeless encampments, and instead, they promote policies that make Santa Monica a magnet for homeless individuals by building million-dollar homes for them, funded by the hard-earned money of our taxpayers.
Perhaps most alarming, these candidates support the distribution of needles and drug paraphernalia — like crack and meth pipes — right in our parks or at the very least, in indoor locations within city limits, courtesy of the County of Los Angeles. This approach, under the guise of “harm reduction,” has made our public spaces unsafe for families, children, and residents. Instead of getting addicts the treatment they need, this policy perpetuates the cycle of addiction and homelessness, and keeps our parks and beaches riddled with drug use and crime.
While the SMRR/DSA candidates claim to focus on issues like “climate justice” and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), their efforts to ban natural gas in homes and businesses or prioritize DEI initiatives over tangible safety measures have done little to address the actual concerns of Santa Monicans. They advocate for fewer police officers, and when crimes go unsolved or ignored, their response is to deflect with talk of “restorative justice” and systemic issues rather than enforcing the law.
These candidates will undoubtedly accuse their opponents of being anti-renter or opposed to rent control, but let’s be clear: both slates — those aligned with SMRR and those aligned with SMU — support rent control. This election is not about rent control. It’s about the survival of our city and whether we want to continue on the disastrous path we’re on or choose a better future.
A Better Future with the Change Slate and SMU Candidates
I’ll be the first to say that I haven’t always agreed with every policy put forth by Mayor Phil Brock or Councilmember Oscar de la Torre. But when you look at the totality of their positions and efforts, it’s clear that they have been voices for reason, common sense, and public safety in a city that has been overrun by failed progressive policies. Their efforts, unfortunately, have been drowned out by the louder, more radical voices of councilmembers like Jesse Zwick, Caroline Torosis, and Gleam Davis — councilmembers who are closely aligned with the same SMRR and DSA agenda that is driving our city into the ground.
Mayor Brock, Councilmember de la Torre, Dr. Vivian Roknian, and John Putnam represent a different path forward. These are centrist Democrats committed to pragmatic solutions that will actually improve the quality of life in Santa Monica. Their platform is based on common sense: treating mental health and drug addiction as the medical conditions they are, rather than perpetuating cycles of addiction in our parks; increasing police presence and enforcing laws to reduce crime; supporting businesses and revitalizing our retail districts; and maintaining rent control while promoting sustainable — not rampant —development to address housing needs, prioritizing long-term Santa Monica residents for any new affordable units.
Mayor Brock, who has been falsely accused by SMRR of being a “MAGA Republican,” is actually a proud surrogate for Democrats like Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (whose campaign chose him for loyalty to the party). He recently campaigned for them in Nevada, underscoring the fact that this election is not about party lines. All of the candidates are Democrats — but they represent two very different approaches to governance.
The Choice is Clear
If you like what you see in Santa Monica right now — if you’re content with homeless encampments in parks, skyrocketing crime rates, rampant development that benefits no one but developers, a devastated Promenade with fewer places to shop and eat, fewer police, and the distribution of needles and drug paraphernalia to addicts in our city — then by all means, vote for the five SMRR/DSA-aligned candidates. They will continue the policies that have brought our city to this point of crisis.
But if you’re tired of seeing our beloved city deteriorate and want a change — if you want safer parks, fewer crimes, more businesses, and common-sense governance — then your choice is clear. Vote for Mayor Phil Brock, Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, Dr. Vivian Roknian, and John Putnam. They are the candidates who will restore safety, dignity, and opportunity to our vibrant, diverse community.
Santa Monica deserves better. Let’s make the right choice for our future.
Houman Hemmati MD PhD, Santa Monica.
This op-ed first appeared in the Santa Monica Daily Press on August 20, 2024