A new ballot measure is coming to town, backed by none other than Santa Monica Mayor Himmelrich. But according to our latest Santa Monica Pulse, residents don’t seem to be on board. The measure would increase the transfer tax on certain real estate transactions to help fund “homelessness prevention,” among other goals. It would greatly expand the city’s ability to repurpose existing buildings or construct new buildings for the purpose of affordable housing throughout Santa Monica. It would also provide minimal independent oversight on how the money is spent and little ability for most residents to offer input on the location of the housing. 

When asked if they would support or oppose this ballot measure, three quarters of residents said oppose. Only 11 percent said they would support the measure, and another 13 percent said they weren’t sure or needed more information. 

Residents may not be a fan of the Mayor’s ballot measure, but they did weigh in on other priorities for City Council. When asked if the city should increase funding for the Santa Monica Police Department to prioritize hiring more officers, about 77 percent of respondents said yes. About 15 percent said no, and just eight percent said they weren’t sure. The question came after a report found that the SMDP is facing a record shortage of officers. 

We also asked residents to weigh in on their priorities for the upcoming election for new members to the City Council. When asked what their top priority was, respondents were pretty evenly split between reducing homelessness (23 percent), stopping over-development (22 percent) and increasing police presence (25 percent).

Another 23 percent wrote in their own option. Concerns over public safety and homelessness were common responses for those who wrote in an answer. Many also said they wanted to see “all of the above” dealt with.

Only five percent said constructing affordable housing should be a top priority for a new Councilmember.