Palisades Fire: Santa Monica local Emergency Order aids recovery, fights price gouging, facilitates housing support

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Jan. 16, 2025) – The city of Santa Monica is assisting recovery efforts through the adopted Emergency Order to support businesses, monitor and enforce anti-price gouging, and provide resources for property owners wishing to rent available apartments, homes or accessory dwelling units to those impacted by regional wildfires. 

A summary of information on local and regional recovery resources is available at santamonica.gov. 

The Emergency Order suspends enforcement of restrictions on short-term rentals if they are rented to people displaced by the fires, allowing property owners wishing to list available homes to rent them for less than 30 days during the emergency. Minimum lease requirements for those housing people displaced by the fires are also suspended. 

In addition, property owners are permitted to rent furnished or unfurnished units for less than one year to people displaced by the fires during the emergency. 

Rent control laws are still in effect and price gouging will be closely monitored and strictly enforced. 

Offering units to people displaced by the fires requires filling out a simple registration form, having a business license, and listing the unit. For more information on housing for fire victims, including how property owners can offer units for rent, click here. 

The Consumer Protection Unit of the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office is actively investigating reports of suspected price gouging in the city and educating local businesses and property owners on the law. 

Anyone who experiences price gouging — a price increase exceeding 10 percent for goods and services, including the price of housing after the declared fire and wind emergencies — should report it immediately to Consumer.Mailbox@santamonica.gov or file a complaint by visiting smconsumer.org. 

Find more information on price gouging here. 

Though Santa Monica did not see any active fires and no structures burned, local resources are available to support anyone impacted by the Palisades Fire. 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering home disaster, business disaster and economic injury disaster loans. They have set up free walk-in business counseling at the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce to help those affected by the fire with their applications. Hours are Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2525 Main St. #103 – this service will not be available on Monday Jan. 20 due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. 

In addition, the Small Business Development Centers (part of the SBA), is holding free walk-in business counseling Friday, Jan. 17, at the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce from 1 to 4 p.m.  

Santa Monica businesses are open and ready to serve evacuees, first responders and the general public. View promotions and offers, from 25 local hotels extending substantial discounts to first responders and evacuees, and from over 50 restaurants, bars, salons, retail, health and wellness and car rental services. 

Residents and visitors looking for ways to help local businesses can support their favorite Santa Monica restaurant or retailer as they are able, including purchasing gift certificates for future use or to give to friends and loved ones affected by the fire. 

Support local vendors at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, now open in all locations as regularly scheduled. 

Santa Monica Pier invites the community to support by purchasing gift cards from Santa Monica restaurants, shops and small businesses and bringing them to Locals’ Night on Jan. 23. Gift cards will be collected and donated to those in need.  
 

Visit Santa Monica businesses using Big Blue Bus or the Metro E Line. Both transit agencies have suspended fares with Big Blue Bus resuming fare collection starting Tuesday, Jan. 21. For Big Blue Bus routes, service changes and the latest information visit bigbluebus.com.  

As air quality improves, review the bike map, and take advantage of a dense network of bikeways and convenient bike racks. 

Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, remains closed past Lincoln Boulevard. If driving to Santa Monica, exit the I-10 at Lincoln or Cloverfield Boulevards, or Centinela Avenue due to continued PCH closures. 

All Santa Monica areas north of San Vicente Boulevard remain under an Evacuation Warning. Residents may voluntarily return to this area but should remain prepared with gathered essentials and be ready to leave if conditions worsen. City emergency officials are closely monitoring next week's weather conditions and will share pertinent updates via social media and SMAlert.  

Sign up for SMAlerts for important safety information and follow the city on Facebook, X, or Instagram for regular updates.  

Access to evacuated areas in surrounding communities is not available through Santa Monica. Access permissions and restrictions to evacuated areas in surrounding communities are controlled by the Los Angeles Police Department. For information on access permissions and restrictions, contact city of Los Angeles officials.   

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health has issued guidance on safe cleanup, air quality precautions, and ocean water quality. Find the latest information here.  

Santa Monica’s tap water is safe to drink. Watch this video message on water serviced by the city of Santa Monica. If you get your water serviced through LADWP, call 1-800-DIAL-DWP for official information. 

Santa Monica’s Emergency Operations Center has moved into a monitoring position as the Palisades Fire emergency response shifts toward regional recovery. The city will continue to support the evacuation warning area and curfew north of San Vicente Boulevard until it is lifted, as well as our neighbors to the north in response and recovery efforts.   

The FEMA westside Local Assistance and Disaster Recovery Center is located at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, and open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.  

For countywide recovery resources, visit recovery.lacounty.gov.   

 
For more information about donations and the latest on city recovery resources, events and facility closures, and continued Palisades Fire updates, visit Santamonica.gov.