A safer bike commute is on its way!
Hey friend, have you heard?
Culver City just approved my motion to permanently switched to a brighter shade of green for bike lane markings across the city.
✅🚴♂️ Bike lanes are about to get a lot brighter (and safer)
This will make bike lanes more visible so drivers notice them sooner — especially at intersections and driveways.
The brighter color also lasts longer as it fades, so it stays within federal safety standards longer, reducing maintenance costs.
The new color passed with myself, Councilmember McMorrin, and Mayor Puza voting in favor. So the new green is here to stay!
That wasn't the only big item from Monday night's meeting.
⛽️🚫 Council approves appeal of costco gas station near preschools
The Council also approved an appeal on the Costco fueling station expansion in West Culver City, sending the project back to the start for environmental approvals.
Last year, the Council voted 3 to 2 to bring the item back after additional environmental concerns came to light, with myself, Councilmember McMorrin, and Mayor Puza voting in the majority.
The original plan would have placed a 30-dispenser gas station, the largest in the city, about 213 feet from a daycare and 186 feet from a preschool.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has raised many concerns about air quality impacts on kids from gas stations.
So we reversed the Planning Commission's CEQA exemption — meaning the project now has to go through a full environmental review before it can move forward.
Kids deserve to grow up breathing clean air, and I’m grateful that our Council is doing our part to protect our kids from these very real environmental harms.
🍺🚫 Council explores regulations on sober living homes
We also had an important discussion about sober living homes.
Residents in the South Clarkdale neighborhood raised concerns about the concentration of sober living facilities in a neighborhood overlapping both Culver City and LA.
Council directed staff to explore a local licensing program, better data tracking, and regulatory options that protect both neighbors and the rights of people in recovery.
More to come on that one.
⛺ Homelessness down for 5th year in a row
And we received great news in an update on homelessness.
While final numbers will be released in the coming months, our housing and homelessness department shared that the homeless count numbers show another decrease for a fifth year in a row in Culver City.
The decreases were seen across all categories, including individuals, cars, vans, RVs, tents, and makeshift shelters
That's real progress — and we're not stopping there. Culver City is updating its full Homelessness Plan, with community meetings happening this month.
🚍 Two fare free days added for Culver CityBus!
Council approved my motion 5-0 to add Earth Day and Transit Equity Day to the free fares calendar, joining Clean Air Day, New Year's Eve, and Bike to Work Day (for those who are biking).
Because fare free days allow us to envision a future where our community investments boost .
Tonight at 7: SB-79 plan, Hayden Tract Specific Plan, Civic Assembly question, and World Cup/Olympics!
Now — tonight's meeting is full.
Here's what's on the agenda for Monday, March 16th at 7pm:
We'll dig into SB-79 — the state's new Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act — and what it means for Culver City neighborhoods.
We'll vote on the question our Civic Assembly will ask — the citizens' panel working on one of the most important policy questions facing our city.
And we'll get an update on the Hayden Tract Specific Plan, including big decisions about height and density in one of our most unique districts.
We'll get an update on the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics — including potential community screening events right here in Culver City.
We'll discuss creating a Joint Powers Authority — a major financing tool that could fund city obligations and future special projects.
It's going to be a long but important night.
You can watch on Zoom or in person at Council Chambers — 7pm tonight.
Hope to see you there.
Around town
🏠 Breaking ground on 93 affordable homes!
I’m also proud to share that on Friday, we broke ground on Jubilo Village— 93 new, affordable homes for 93 families.
It all started with an extraordinary act of generosity from Culver Palms United Methodist Church, whose leaders and congregants chose to give up the majority of its land to build 93 affordable homes for low-income and formerly homeless families.
Then came a partnership with the non-profit Community Corporation of Santa Monica, state and federal grants thanks to Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove, advocacy from community groups like Our Culver and Culver City for More Homes, and neighbors who organized for years to make this vision real.
Finally, it took Culver City putting our money where our values are and committing our city dollars to make sure these homes were realized.
This project reminds us that our community and our government can tackle big problems when we have the creativity, the coalition, and the courage to do things differently.
Jubilo Village will provide stable homes for families, students, and workers in our community for decades to come — and it shows what’s possible when we choose to invest in each other.
I’m so grateful to everyone who made this moment possible. We didn’t just break ground on a building. We took another step toward building a Culver City for all of us.
Thanks for taking the time to catch up with me. I hope you have a fantastic start to your week.
And hope to hear from you tonight!
- Bubba