September 2, 2026
The Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City is pleased to endorse two excellent candidates for City Council and one for State Senate.
Councilmember Lana Negrete was born in Santa Monica, is a graduate of Samohi, and has been fighting for residents, not monied interests, her entire public life. She opposed Sacramento’s efforts to take control of local land-use decisions with laws that override the City’s ability to preserve its neighborhoods, and wants to protect communities from private equity companies buying and demolishing homes to build high-density apartment buildings.
Lana opposed SB 79, a state mandate to increase large-scale development in residential neighborhoods without input from local residents or their elected officials. Every councilmember except Lana voted to support SB 79 and, when it passed, to rapidly implement it by upzoning neighborhoods.
Lana, a Santa Monica small business owner, has always been committed to safety, transparency, and advocating for residents. Whenever possible, she also acts to resolve individual issues residents have with the City. We need her on the Council.
Commissioner Ashley Oelsen is a current member of the City’s Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment. A biologist, Santa Monica renter, and environmental activist, Ashley led the successful fight against our City Council’s attempt to carve out Santa Monica from Coastal Commission jurisdiction without any public input or hearings.
Council’s original plan, which was crafted into legislation at the state level (AB 1740), would have made Santa Monica the only California city to eliminate Coastal Commission oversight, enabling luxury condos (with zero affordability requirements) to be built on our coastline.
Ashley sounded the alarm and was instrumental in stopping this deeply undemocratic, anti-environmental legislation. Smart, accessible, knowledgeable about our city government, and community-focused, Ashley will make an important resident-forward addition to the Council.
Brian Goldsmith for State Senate. With so much decision-making about local planning being shifted to the State, it’s imperative to have a state senator who will fight to ensure local residents have a meaningful say in decisions that affect their communities. Brian Goldsmith will be that Senator. His opponent is supported by the usual big money, big development interests our communities have fought against for years. This race offers two dramatically different visions for Santa Monica. We urge you to vote for Brian.
Please circulate this to your friends and neighbors. In the coming weeks, you will see invites to fund-raising events in support of each of them. Please meet them, talk to them, and if you agree, contribute to their campaigns, because your support as well as your vote is vital.
