Santa Monica City Council ratifies local emergency for Palisades fire, authorizes temporary zoning and tenant protections

The City of Santa Monica City Council on Jan. 8 ratified a proclamation of local emergency tied to the Palisades fire and approved a revised emergency order that allows displaced schools and childcare centers to temporarily relocate into properties not normally zoned for those uses, tightens enforcement against price gouging, suspends selected preferential parking and short-term rental restrictions, and preserves eviction protections for tenants and their pets.

City Attorney Doug Sloan summarized the legal basis for the action, saying the city manager “issued an emergency order or proclamation on January 8 due to the tragic fire in the Palisades adjacent to Santa Monica,” and that the municipal code requires council ratification within seven days to extend the order.

Council members said the measures aim to speed housing and service continuity for residents displaced by regional fires. The core provisions of the order include: temporary suspension of conditional-use permit requirements so schools and childcare programs can operate in nonresidential buildings; temporary suspension of some preferential parking enforcement to help displaced people park near…