Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Articles written by Houman Hemmati


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  • A New Dawn in Santa Monica: Embracing Mayor Phil Brock's Vision for a Revitalized City

    Houman Hemmati, Special to the Observer|Dec 18, 2023

    As the sun rises over our beautiful Santa Monica beaches, marking the end of Mayor Gleam Davis's tenure and the beginning of Mayor Phil Brock's, there's a palpable sense of hope and anticipation in the air. Today, we stand at the threshold of a new era, an era where the voice of the residents reverberates through the corridors of City Hall, promising a future that aligns with the dreams and aspirations of those who call Santa Monica home. Mayor Phil Brock, a true son of Santa Monica, takes...

  • Crime Wave Hits Montana Avenue in Santa Monica

    Houman Hemmati, Santa Monica Resident|Sep 18, 2023

    Dear Mayor Davis & Honorable members of the Santa Monica City Council, I hope you're having a pleasant Labor Day Weekend. In case you're unaware, I wanted to inform you of a major crime wave that's hit Montana Avenue businesses in Santa Monica this weekend. Last night, several businesses, including the restaurants Margot's and Bardonna and a Pinkberry franchise were broken into, vandalized and looted. And today, at least one other occurrence happened when a woman (shown in the photos below)...

  • A Sustainable, Affordable, and Compassionate Solution for Our Homeless Crisis

    Houman Hemmati MD PhD, Special to the Observer|Aug 20, 2023

    Dear Mayor Davis and Members of the Santa Monica City Council, I am writing to express my deep concerns over the proposed plan to address our homelessness issue by constructing multi-million-dollar accommodations in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world. Not only is this approach economically imprudent, it would likely be ineffective in achieving our overarching goal: providing safe and stable housing for every homeless person in our city. I would like to present an...

  • SMMUSD Plan to Buy Civic Auditorium Disregards its History, the Needs of Public, and Prohibitive Cost

    Houman Hemmati, Special to the Observer|Aug 20, 2023

    My open letter to SM City Council and School Board on the quarter billion $+ plan to acquire the Civic Auditorium: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, Santa Monica City Council, Mayor Gleam Davis Dear Members of the SMMUSD Board of Education, City Council, and Mayor Gleam Davis, I am writing to you as a concerned citizen of Santa Monica and a parent of two school children in the SMMUSD. The proposed plan to purchase and repurpose the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is...

  • Rather than Spending Billions On Urban Housing, Consider Purchasing Land in Places like Palmdale, CA, where Land is Cheaper

    Houman Hemmati PhD, Special to the Observer|Jul 24, 2023

    Subject: An Alternative Perspective on Addressing Homelessness in Santa Monica Dear Editors, The Santa Monica City Council's recent discussions around resolving the city's homelessness and related crime crises have given rise to a proposition that seems both unfeasible and impractical. This proposal suggests constructing housing units for the homeless in Santa Monica, which, while well-intentioned, raises significant concerns regarding the fiscal burden on our city, the potential magnetization...

  • Resident Asks Santa Monica City Council to Explain "Water Shortage" After Year of Record Rainfall

    Houman Hemmati, Special to the Observer|Jun 28, 2023

    Dear Mayor Davis & Honorable Santa Monica City Councilmembers, I hope you're all having a good start to your summer. I never thought I would have to escape Southern CA to experience some warmth but just returned from 11 days in Florida. Upon returning, I was shocked to hear the news that Santa Monica is declaring a continued Level 2 Water Shortage. Despite the drought being declared long over due to obvious severe rainstorms that have forced us to dump fresh water into the ocean, for some...

  • A Miracle for Santa Monica: Pro-Developer Council Member Kevin McKeown Resigns.

    Houman Hemmati, Santa Monica Resident|May 31, 2021

    A miracle just happened for the residents of Santa Monica that can save our city forever: Councilmember Kevin McKeown, who has served for decades in this role, just unexpectedly announced his resignation effective 2 weeks from now to a shocked Council and city. Why is this a miracle? Because Kevin had been leading the efforts to enrich wealthy developers by using "equity" and "anti-racism" as a BS excuse to upzone the entire city (including single family R1 zoned communities) for high density,...