Our latest Santa Monica Pulse polling asked residents to weigh in on the recent decision to relocate the Spirit Awards — making it the second film ceremony the city has lost in recent years. Last year, the city lost the American Film Market when the event relocated to Las Vegas after 33 years in Santa Monica.

The city’s official stance is that the departure of the Spirit awards was related to a construction project at the Pier. Our question was designed to gauge whether residents believe other facts were also at play. Respondents were able to choose all the options they thought applied. 

84 percent said public safety issues (including homelessness and crime) were a top reason for relocating. Almost 29 percent cited disruptive protests and strikes at area hotels. About 12 percent said increased travel costs, and 30 percent wrote in their own reason.

The write-ins included comments such as “insufficient safety protocols” and “bad city attitude towards business.” Many of the write-ins referenced concerns over safety and homelessness, as well as high costs that might make Santa Monica less attractive than other cities. You can read more write-in comments here.