On Thursday, June 12, 2025, the Greater Los Angeles REALTORS® Beaches Region 1 hosted a Meet and Greet with Santa Monica Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya at the Millennium Santa Monica. We had a healthy turnout of 20 engaged local members attended, which featured wine, food, and productive networking. The event provided an opportunity to discuss housing, development, and ways to strengthen partnerships between REALTORS® and the City. The conversation was moderated by our Government Affairs Director, Jerard Wright.

Councilmember Zernitskaya expressed strong support for increasing housing production and acknowledged that excessive red tape continues to slow development. She emphasized the need to explore diverse housing models that balance affordability, homeownership, and responsible planning. She welcomed community feedback on potential policy tools like TORCA to help increase property ownership with a thoughtful attitude, and also noted that the city’s airport redevelopment study is expected to be released in early July. The study is an opportunity that could lead to the creation of new housing, green space, and a future community hub.

When asked what drives her, Zernitskaya pointed to youth development and the importance of planning with future generations in mind. That same forward thinking shapes her approach to Santa Monica’s fiscal goals. She discussed efforts to revitalize the Third Street Promenade as an “entertainment zone” to support local tourism and stimulate economic activity, especially as the city prepares to welcome global visitors during the 2028 Olympics. GLAR looks forward to continuing this dialogue and keeping members engaged as these initiatives move forward.

Thank you to Niko Leasing LA & Millennium Santa Monica for hosting us at this beautiful venue!

A special thank you to VestaPlus MLS for sponsoring this regional event!

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