Delivering Results

Santa Monica is stabilizing. Core services are being restored. Downtown is rebuilding.

When Caroline took office, the city faced a structural deficit, declining downtown activity, and rising frustration about safety and affordability.

Working with colleagues and city staff, she helped lead a realignment strategy focused on restoring the basics.

 

Results include

  • Stabilized city finances and eliminated the structural deficit

  • Expanded the affordable housing pipeline from 1,000 to roughly 4,000 units

  • Reduced violent crime and burglary across the City by over 12%, doubled traffic enforcement, and increased the number of cases our City Attorney files criminal charges on. 

  • Opened a new downtown police substation strengthening public safety presence

  • Reopened all city libraries with full staffing for the first time since the pandemic 

  • Launched new crisis response programs connecting hundreds of people to mental health services

  • Implemented SaMo Bridge, helping people experiencing homelessness connect to housing and treatment instead of cycling through the criminal justice system

 

With Caroline’s leadership, the City is moving forward again.

 

Affordability & Housing

Santa Monica cannot address affordability without building housing.

Caroline supported expanding the city's affordable housing pilot program from 1,000 units to roughly 4,000 units, dramatically increasing the pipeline of homes for Santa Monicans at a variety of income levels.

Her work has focused on streamlining approvals, increasing income-restricted housing, strengthening affordability requirements, and protecting residents from displacement.

Safe & Clean Neighborhoods

Clean and safe neighborhoods are the foundation of a strong community and local economy.

Caroline helped lead Santa Monica's Realignment Plan to restore core services and strengthen public safety. Progress includes:

  • A new police substation in downtown Santa Monica
  • Increased proactive enforcement and response to quality-of-life issues resulting in an over 12% decrease in violent crimes and burglary across the city.
  • Focused police deployment in high-impact corridors such as the Third Street Promenade
  • Launch of the Therapeutic Transport Team, which responded to over 300 mental health crisis calls in 2025, connecting people to treatment while freeing emergency responders for other calls

Santa Monica is implementing smarter public safety strategies that keep communities safe while connecting people in crisis to care.

Renters & Working Families

The majority of Santa Monica residents rent their homes. Caroline has worked to strengthen renter protections and ensure housing stability for working families.

Her work includes:

  • Establishing Santa Monica's Right to Counsel program for tenants facing eviction
  • Supporting tenant opportunity-to-purchase and community ownership models
  • Defending strong rent control protections
  • Expanding the Preserving Our Diversity program, which now supports over 250 low-income senior renters so they can remain in Santa Monica

Housing stability allows longtime residents to remain part of the community they helped build. Caroline has worked to strengthen renter protections, establish the city's Right to Counsel program for tenants facing eviction, and advance policies that expand housing stability and opportunity.

Cost of Living

Caroline co-authored an Affordability Agenda focused on everyday expenses facing working families.

Key efforts include:

  • Protecting gig workers by ensuring tips are paid fully to workers
  • Addressing hidden fees and improving price transparency
  • Exploring community-based grocery solutions to improve food affordability
  • Supporting early childhood affordability strategies for working parents

Santa Monica will not see a true economic recovery unless the city is affordable for those who live, work and travel here.

Restoring City Services

Caroline helped restore core city services after the pandemic.

Progress includes:

  • Reopening Fairview and Ocean Park libraries with full staffing
  • Investing in downtown infrastructure including the Pier Bridge replacement project
  • Restoring the city's urban tree canopy and improving the public realm
  • Stabilizing city finances to protect essential services

City government works best when it focuses on delivering the services residents rely on every day.