Projects
ConceptAn idea being explored. Not approved, funded, or costed.
Underused Space Activation
An inventory of what's empty, and a fast path to putting something in it.
Maintain a public inventory of vacant storefronts, unused city property and dead public space, paired with a short-term activation permit that lets community and small-business uses move in quickly.
// the problem
The problem
Nobody has a clear, current picture of what's actually empty in Santa Monica, and the process to temporarily use a space is slow enough that most short-term ideas die before they start.
// the concept
The concept
Publish the inventory, then create a genuinely fast, standardized short-term activation permit — pop-ups, studios, markets, community programming, pilot installations — with terms that always yield to a permanent tenant.
Potential benefits
- Empty space becomes visible and addressable rather than invisible
- Low-risk entry for new businesses and community groups
- Faster feedback on what uses a block can actually support
- Landlords get activity and maintenance at low cost
How it could work
- Build the inventory from existing permit, license and property data
- Define one short-term activation permit with a fixed, short review window
- Publish available spaces and the permit path in one place
- Track how many activations occur and how many convert to permanent tenants
Challenges and open questions
- Accuracy and upkeep of the inventory
- Owner participation is voluntary
- Code, ADA and insurance requirements for temporary uses
- Keeping the permit genuinely fast once it exists
Status honesty: This page describes an idea at the stage listed above. It is not a funded program, an approved policy, or a promise. If it moves forward, this page gets updated with what changed and why.