SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, August 4, the city of Santa Monica announced that the Santa Monica City Council approved the establishment of a Housing Focused System of Care, a locally controlled model gives the city direct authority over homeless services from street outreach through permanent housing.

“Rather than relying on others to coordinate our homeless response activities, Santa Monica is choosing instead to build a system we control, so no one falls through the cracks between agencies,” said Mayor Caroline Torosis. “This is what it looks like to take responsibility for both our neighbors and our neighborhoods at the same time.”

The plan replaces Santa Monica’s reliance on the county-run system with a new program built around four linked priorities, including 1) local prioritization to place people connected to Santa Monica into the proper type of housing facility; 2) robust on-site services; 3) City-directed security, and 4) good-neighbor agreements.

In establishing the Housing Focused System of Care, initial Council directed activities include:

-Stabilization housing the city controls. The City will bring the 34-room Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street under City management. Placements are limited to people who meet the City’s Santa Monica Program Participant, or SMPP, criteria. The City defines that as someone who became homeless in Santa Monica, has been homeless in the city for three or more years, or is a frequent user of City services as verified by staff. Moving forward, at the Palms Motel and at any future site, City outreach teams will also ensure that SMPP individuals are matched to facilities that can properly support the persons recovery process.

-A placement option for every street encounter. The City will fund the activation of 35 currently unfunded beds at The Salvation Army’s Bell Shelter, ensuring that City outreach teams and first responders always have a shelter referral option available for people who do not meet the SMPP definition, while also adding needed capacity for the regional system. In that manner, other jurisdictions that work with The Salvation Army will also have access to available beds funded by the City.

-Replacing congregate shelter with scattered site interim housing. Staff will identify other non-congregate sites in and around Santa Monica to replace the capacity of SaMoShel, the City’s existing 60-bed congregate shelter, ensuring the City builds upon, not deceases, sheltering options.

“Throughout the whole system, every site will operate with clear outcome goals, on-site services and on-site security,” said Aileen Reynolds, Director of Housing and Human Services. “This is about accountability, to the people we serve and the people we’re trying to help.”

The plan adoption follows 14 community meetings held between April and July 2026 and arrives days after the 2026 Point-in-Time Count found unsheltered homelessness in Santa Monica down 18.7 percent – even as homelessness rose 1.2 percent across Los Angeles County Continuum of Care – with Santa Monica’s total count falling 11.6 percent to 718 people from 812 in 2025.

For more details, visit www.santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/housing-focused-system-of-care.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD—Businesswoman and TV reality star Lisa Vanderpump, known for her role on the Bravo series “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Vanderpump Rules,” recently removed the PUMP logo from the TomTom Restaurant & Bar in West Hollywood.

On Monday, August 3, crews were spotted removing the PUMP sign. Lisa Vanderpump and her husband Ken Todd currently own multiple restaurants such as SUR, PUMP, and TomTom, each located in West Hollywood, with other restaurants located in California and Nevada. 

In 2018, TomTom was originally co-operated with her former SUR employees and TV reality stars, Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz. TomTom gained strong recognition from the television show, “Vanderpump Rules.” The bar was listed for sale in March 2026, marking the end of both the Toms’ minority partnership with Lisa and Ken once a permanent buyer is finalized. 

PUMP closed its original location at 8948 Santa Monica Boulevard at the corner of Robertson Boulevard and moved down the street to the Garden Bar near TomTom at 8932 Santa Monica Boulevard in August 2023. PUMP was marketed as a more sophisticated dining experience, while TomTom was known for bar food and drinks. 

While Lisa and Ken are currently looking for a new owner, TomTom is set to continue operating during its regular business hours from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays, noon to 2 a.m. on Saturdays, with operations closed on Monday. 

While the PUMP branding was removed, a “Business for Sale” sign replaced it. The new sign now sits atop the building next to the TomTom marquee.

The listing for TomTom has been marketed by Urbanlime Real Estate and Zacuto Group and is set to include all operating assets associated with TomTom and the PUMP brand. According to marketing materials, the sale includes intellectual property, social media accounts, furniture, fixtures and equipment, goodwill and proprietary operating systems.

It is unclear whether a sale would include a complete transfer of ownership or a simple restructuring of the business.

By Ryley Metten

SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department held a free, family-friendly community event on Tuesday, August 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. Known nationally as National Night Out, the event will include police vehicle displays, kids’ activities, resource booths, entertainment, food, and giveaways. There will also be live music, K9 demonstrations, and a chance to meet officers and firefighters.

The first 1,000 residents who arrived received free Habit burgers, so attendees. The event was held at Santa Monica City Hall, with free parking available in the Civic Center Parking Structure. The SMPD is seeking to build trust by developing a stronger relationship with the community, and also to celebrate the city in general.

National Night Out first began in August 1984 as a symbolic campaign in which neighbors turned on their porch lights and sat outside together. The inaugural event united 2.5 million people across 400 communities in order to send a message to criminals that neighborhoods were organized and fighting back. This year, organizers predict 38 million neighbors across 17,000 communities will participate.

By Milan Manesh

BEVERLY HILLS—The community of Beverly Hills recently gathered to celebrate its annual National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4. National Night Out is a free family block party dedicated to fostering relationships between public safety agents and residents. It was held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the 400 block of Rexford Drive.

National Night Out offers residents an opportunity to learn about crime prevention and the services public safety agents provide. Residents and visitors are encouraged to meet with local police officers and fire personnel. There is a wide range of education available, including public safety demonstrations and interactive displays.

The family-friendly event offering food trucks, live entertainment, emergency vehicle displays such as SWAT trucks and Bearcat, block parties, and hands-on demonstrations.

National Night Out is celebrated each year on the first Tuesday of August by communities across the United States. The main goals of this event are to harness relationships between law enforcement and residents and encourage a strong community through neighborhood engagement. 

The 400 Block of North Rexford Dr. was closed from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the event, while many guests opted to park for free at the Rexford/Civic Center after 5 p.m.

By Ryley Metten

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On July 30, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LACDPH) closed Good Times at Davey Wayne’s located at 1611 N. El Centro Avenue in Hollywood. According to the LACDPH, the popular 1070s themed retro bar and nightlife hot spot, was closed due to the infestation of vermin-rats. According to LACDPH, the mandatory closure was the result of an 11-point deduction on their health score citing the presence of rodents. The closure is reportedly temporary. The reopening date is unknown. Davey Wayne’s enthusiast walked through what appeared to be an old garage sale and went through a secret entrance that was honestly a vintage refrigerator door. The backyard bar resembled an old Airstream motor home and featured a backyard patio. This is not the only business in our viewing area to be closed by LACDPH. There are dozens more listed on the report outside of the Canyon News coverage area. The complete updated list of businesses with their violations may be found on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s website. On July 24, Casa Martin, located at 1251 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, was also closed due to the presence of vermin, and some insanitary conditions. Adequate handwashing facilities; supplied & accessible 2.0 MINOR Proper cooling methods 4.0 MAJOR Food in good condition, safe and unadulterated 4.0 MAJOR Food contact surfaces: clean and sanitized 4.0 MAJOR Consumer advisory provided for raw/undercooked food 2.0 MINOR No insects, rodents, birds or animals present 11.0 MAJOR On July 31, Tikkun Holistic Spa, located at 1460 4th Street in Santa Monica, was closed to the public due to excessive chlorine. Mechita Deli, located at 7712 Santa Monica Boulevard, in West Hollywood, had three major violations. The following came directly from the LACDPH report. Proper hot and cold holding temperatures 4.0 MAJOR Time as a public health control; procedures & records 4.0 MAJOR No insects, rodents, birds or animals present 11.0 MAJOR The swimming pool at 949 N Larrabee Street Apartments in West Hollywood was closed due to electrical hazards, entanglement, and lighting issues.

LAUREL CANYON/TOPANGA CANYON—On Monday, August 3, detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s North Hollywood Division are seeking the public’s help to identify additional victims following the arrest of a suspect in a violent sexual assault investigation.

The LAPD reported on July 19, around 8:30 p.m., the victim was walking home from the gym on the pedestrian bridge at Laurel Grove Avenue and Valleyheart Drive when the suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her by the hair, forcefully pulled her to the ground, and sexually assaulted her by penetrating her with a foreign object. The assault was interrupted by witnesses, causing the suspect to flee before the attack escalated further.

North Hollywood detectives immediately launched an extensive investigation, canvassing more than 50 businesses and locations in the area to identify surveillance footage and investigative leads. Those efforts resulted in the Community Alert flyer released on July 29, with the media and the public, detectives received multiple tips that led to the suspect’s identification on July 31.

On August 3, around 10 a.m., North Hollywood Detectives, with the help of Metropolitan Division personnel, served a search warrant and arrested Rodrigo Melgar, 27, on Burbank Boulevard, west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. He was booked for Sexual Penetration With A Foreign Object in violation of California Penal Code section 289(c) under Booking Number 7291756.

Detectives with the LAPD North Hollywood Division believe there may be additional victims or witnesses who have not yet come forward. The suspect is known to frequently utilize public transit, including local bus routes, as his primary means of transportation.

“This arrest is the result of outstanding detective work, relentless determination, and the strong partnership between our investigators, the media, and the community,” said Lieutenant Monique Valenzuela, Commanding Officer, North Hollywood Detective Division. “Our detectives never stopped pursuing every lead, and every tip we received brought us one step closer to identifying and apprehending this violent offender. While we hope today’s arrest brings the victim a measure of peace, our work is not finished. We encourage anyone who may have had contact with this suspect or believes they may have been a victim to come forward and speak with our detectives.”

Anyone who may have encountered the suspect, experienced a similar incident, or have information related to this investigation is asked to contact LAPD North Hollywood Area Detectives at (818) 754-8300. During non-business hours or weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477) or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org.

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—On Monday, August 3, the city of Santa Monica announced that it implemented updates to California’s Ralph M. Brown Act under Senate Bill 707. The legislation modernizes California’s open meeting laws to increase public participation, accessibility and transparency in local government.

Changes impacting Santa Monica City Council meetings include:

-Hybrid meeting participation: Council meetings now offer two-way remote participation.

-Enhanced accessibility: The council meeting agendas webpage offers meeting participation instructions in Spanish. During meetings, space will be provided for members of the public who wish to use personal interpreters/devices. As always, community members may contact the City Clerk’s Office to receive council meeting agendas electronically.

-Expanded community outreach: Additional efforts will be integrated to encourage participation in public meetings, including outreach to non-English-speaking communities through local partnerships.

Santa Monica will continue to implement these changes and remains committed to ensuring that residents have meaningful opportunities to participate in local government decision-making.

Visit www.santamonica.gov/process-explainers/how-to-participate-in-a-city-council-meeting for more details how to participate in council meetings.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—The city of Malibu announced that it will be holding a Household Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Collection on Saturday, August 15. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residents can bring their old electronics, batteries, paint, and more for a safe, convenient disposal—without leaving the car. The event will be held at Malibu City Hall located at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road at the Upper Parking Lot.

All containers must be clearly labeled to identify the contents. Maximum amount of paint/motor oil accepted is 15 gallons or 125 pounds per trip. Participants are strongly encouraged to remain in their vehicles.

Accepted materials list include:

Paint (water-based only)
Used motor oil
Anti-freeze
Automotive and household batteries
Compact fluorescent bulbs (unbroken)
Electronics

The city schedules its events on the third Saturday in February, April, June, August, and October. If it rains, the event will be cancelled.

By Danny Jones