SANTA MONICA—Last week, the California Strategic Growth approved the city of Santa Monica to receive a grant of $49.9 million that will be used to fund city projects. These funds are part of the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program.
A total of $35 million will be used to fund the construction of the planned affordable housing complex at 1318 4th Street. The other $14.3 million will be used for the city’s Department of Transportation sustainable transportation efforts, including the purchase of five zero-emissions electric Big Blue Buses, as the city aims to have a fully electric bus fleet by 2032.
In addition, the city of Santa Monica plans to use the funds to build new bus shelters with seating and to raise the bike lanes on 14th Street to a protected two-way bikeway that stretches between Washington Avenue and Pico Boulevard. A total of $150,000 from the grant will be spent on creating a rent registry to oversee non-rent-controlled rental units.
By Daniel Diquinzio