At the City Council meeting on the evening of Monday, March 10, the council voted 3-1 in favor of directing the city manager to appropriating $16 million dollars for the Jubilo Village affordable housing project.
Action Item 1 (A1) called for, “Consideration of a Request from Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM) for a $16 Million Residual Receipts Loan for the Jubilo Village Affordable Housing Project.”
The item didn’t need a four-fifths vote because they only voted to appropriate the funds in the budget, rather than to fully commit to the project. Mayor Dan O’Brien was the sole no vote, with Council Member Albert Vera abstaining.
“Everyone wants this project,” said O’Brien, before pointing out that the state has let Culver City down by not coming forward with the funding. The main conflict, both among the council members and the public speakers, was whether the city can afford this amount.
Still, Council Member Yasmine-Imano McMorrin raised the motion to appropriate the funds, seconded by Council Member Bubba Fish, before the item passed 3-1.
Action Item 5 called for, “Recommendation from the Ad Hoc City Council Policies Subcommittee to Adopt a Resolution Amending Council Policy Statement No. 3405 (Public Notification and Community Engagement).” That passed unanimously, as did A2: “Discussion of Culver City Becoming a Climate Emergency City and a C40 Member; [and] Discussion of Building Safety Codes and Emergency Preparedness in Response to Recent Wildfires.”
Action Item 3, “Report on and Discussion of Culver City’s Sanctuary City Policies; [and] Consideration of an Amendment to the City’s 2016 Anti-Hate Resolution,” will return as an agenda item, with some concerns that members of the local Muslim community were unable to attend on Monday due to observing Ramadan.