Matthew Hall

Crime: RAND finds Santa Monica violence rose downtown, but most crime stable citywide

Aggravated assaults and robberies in Santa Monica roughly doubled over the past decade, but the increase was overwhelmingly a downtown problem, and most other crimes have held steady across the

By Matthew Hall

/ 3 Oct 2026

Map of Santa Monica showing crime hot spots concentrated in downtown area between Broadway and Colorado Avenue

Tourism: RAND finds Santa Monica hotels filling rooms but earning less

Santa Monica's hotels are filling rooms at a higher rate than their regional competitors, but they are taking in less money to do it, and the city'

By Matthew Hall

/ 1 Oct 2026

Santa Monica beachfront hotels and tourism district with Pacific Ocean views, illustrating the city's hotel occupancy and lodging sector challenges

Retail and office: RAND says Santa Monica sales down a third, vacancies among region's highest

Santa Monica's retail sales have fallen by about one-third from pre-pandemic levels and are still declining, while its storefront and office vacancy rates remain among the

By Matthew Hall

/ 1 Oct 2026

Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade showing storefronts and vacant retail spaces in downtown Santa Monica, California

Homelessness: RAND finds Santa Monica's homeless count stable, but concentrated downtown

Santa Monica's homeless population has held relatively steady for a decade but it remains heavily concentrated downtown, where it has more impact on businesses and visitors, according to

By Matthew Hall

/ 1 Oct 2026

Downtown Santa Monica commercial district with storefronts, representative of the area where homeless population is concentrated

Housing: RAND says Santa Monica reformed approvals, but homes still take 6 years to build

Santa Monica has overhauled the way it approves housing, but the reforms have not yet produced more construction, and a typical project still takes more than six years to go

By Matthew Hall

/ 1 Oct 2026

Construction site or housing development in Santa Monica, California

RAND study: Santa Monica's economy lags peers, but crime and homelessness picture more mixed

Editor's Note: The RAND report is detailed and SMDP will publish additional stories in the coming days with more specifics on each of the study areas and recommendations.

By Matthew Hall

/ 1 Oct 2026

RAND study: Santa Monica's economy lags peers, but crime and homelessness picture more mixed

Gott's Roadside hopes to revitalize long dormant corner of Wilshire with it's particular take on Americana

Gott's Roadside, the Napa Valley roadside stand turned James Beard America's Classic, will open its first coastal location Oct. 2 at the northeast corner of Fourth

By Matthew Hall

/ 1 Oct 2026

Gott's Roadside restaurant exterior at Fourth Street and Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica near the Pier, showing patio seating and storefront

Officials identify man who killed wife, then himself, in Pico Boulevard home

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has identified the Santa Monica couple found dead Saturday inside a home in the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard as Nicole Rabitzsch,

By Matthew Hall

/ 30 Sep 2026

Officials identify man who killed wife, then himself, in Pico Boulevard home

Police say Pico Boulevard deaths were murder-suicide

A man fatally shot his wife before taking his own life inside a residence in the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica police said. Detectives determined the deaths of

By Matthew Hall

/ 27 Sep 2026

Police say Pico Boulevard deaths were murder-suicide

Starbucks to close two Santa Monica stores in latest wave of cuts

Starbucks will close stores on Main Street and Wilshire as part of a plan to shutter about 250 underperforming coffeehouses across North America according to a statement from the Company

By Matthew Hall

/ 25 Sep 2026

Starbucks to close two Santa Monica stores in latest wave of cuts

Pedestrian in critical condition after crash downtown

An elderly woman is in critical condition after being hit in a downtown intersection on Thursday night. According to the Santa Monica Police Department, officers responded to the intersection of

By Matthew Hall

/ 24 Sep 2026

Pedestrian in critical condition after crash downtown

Ocean Ave. braces for wave of new traffic with two-month closure of Moomat Ahiko Way

The Moomat Ahiko Way on- and off-ramps to and from Pacific Coast Highway will fully close for about two months beginning as early as Monday, Sept. 28, as crews

By Matthew Hall

/ 24 Sep 2026

Moomat Ahiko Way ramp to Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, showing the area affected by the two-month closure for the Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project