SaMo Beach Commons
The Santa Monica EcoVillage Network
Permanently Affordable Tenant Controlled Limited Equity Housing
Vision: The intent of this housing model is to re-imagine and regenerate community-based lifeways for the city. As a learning community, residents are actively engaged with the sciences and arts, seeking best practices to mindfully integrate with a sense of community culture, history, and wise ways, thus demonstrating higher quality living patterns within our earth’s living systems.
Santa Monica Needs: A demographic divide has developed within Santa Monica. An estimated 30% of long-time renters have been trapped in rental situations during the gentrification period, a disproportionate number of whom are senior women and people of color. Rising rents over decades accompanied by wage stagflation have eroded the purchasing power of the households, many of whom have been renting for decades.
As long-term renters, not only have they not built-up equity to purchase a home, but also, they have suffered the uncertainty of possibly being evicted under the Ellis Act, particularly if living in older buildings which have lower rents. When evicted, many are forced to leave their social network and neighborhood community to try to find affordable housing elsewhere. As long-term renters, their experience has required them (1) to endure the uncertain stability of their home, social networks and community, due to the ever present possibility of one’s home being removed from the rental market; (2) to tolerate reduced freedom for self-determination than homeowners; and (3) to suffer the reduced financial security that home ownership provides. Because home ownership is the primary asset of working- and middle-class households, renters must abide the economic disparities and permanently reduced economic security, which is unjust. The most vulnerable renters are families and seniors, most of whom have lived in Santa Monica for decades, if not their entire lives. (See Ellis Act Evictions Map 2001-2018: http://www.antievictionmappingproject.net/santamonica.html )
Santa Monica has emerged as a case study in the unintended malign effects of gentrification upon individuals, their rent-controlled rental households and the community-at-large. Yet there is a striking opportunity for inclusive and equitable community empowerment and neighborhood stability, that prioritizes residents.
Emerging Opportunity: The majority (70%) of Santa Monica households rent. A recession provides a period of opportunity to acquire real estate property at distressed prices. By repurposing properties acquired at discounted rates, we can provide relief to community members trapped in rental situations during the gentrification period. By introducing new models to advance permanently affordable, community-controlled, limited equity housing, we can both serve residents and provide opportunities for local commercial expansion and community business development.
Solution: The fledgling Santa Monica EcoVillage Network intends to demonstrate best practices in stabilizing households and rebuilding the community for all residents after the devastating effects of speculation driven gentrification. The approach will conjoin (a) existing housing preservation with (b) multi- generational and diverse community building to create permanently affordable tenant-controlled housing and commercial properties. This development model protects land in a network of community-owned nonprofit land trusts with property improvements held in resident-owned, limited-equity community cooperatives. The cooperatives pay ground rent to the land trusts. The wealth-building accrues to the community by way of the non-profit community land trust(s) and to the members of the limited equity cooperative(s). Thus, Santa Monica can model and demonstrate the benefits of this approach to others who may seek to replicate it. The Santa Monica EcoVillage Network program will model, adaptively evaluate, and expand the capacity of community-based initiatives by fostering a Residents First! approach to enhancing community economic resiliency. To imprint the footprint of our model, our acquisitions plan will focus on older multi-family or commercial properties, possibly aligning with community historic preservation and landmark goals.
Multiple Community Impact Benefits: The eco-village model provides a bundle of social economic and ecological community impact benefits including building neighborhood stability, household financial security, resident well-being, and happiness. The community also benefits from preserving equity, diversity, and cultural capital when gentrification and displacement are avoided. The ecological benefits come from the intentional lifeways and conscious material culture within the community.
Concept Overview: Expand our set of housing strategies to embrace "Permanently Affordable Tenant Controlled Housing" (PATCH) and, possibly, commercial properties, as well. An allied concept is “Community Owned Real Estate” (CORE) for permanently affordable, community-oriented land uses.
Updated: August 31, 2020 Co-Chairs: Arlene Hopkins -&- Diane Miller