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The
percentage of city of Santa Monica employees
living in Santa Monica has hovered around 15-16%
for the past five years. Currently, the city
has 1,906 permanent employees, 298 of which live
in Santa Monica. This represents 15.6% of
municipal employees. On average city employees
traveled 11.6 miles to work in 2002. |
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The city has a goal to nurture a diverse,
stable, local economy that supports the basic
needs of all segments of the community. Local
employment of city staff is an important step
towards this goal. Employing local residents to
work in the city increases the potential for the
money being generated in the local economy to
stay in the local economy. Additionally, the
distance employees travel to work is important
as it contributes to the number of cars on the
road and their associated impacts. Vehicle
travel as part of an employee’s daily commute
can have significant impacts such as increased
congestion, vehicle emissions, air pollution,
and soil and water contamination. Local
employees may be more likely to utilize public
transportation, walk or bike to work. Those who
drive to work will drive shorter distances and
will thus contribute less to traffic congestion
and to the associated pollution and greenhouse
gas emissions.
There has been no shift in the economics of cost
of living in Santa Monica which would make it
more affordable to city employees.
However, the city added 118 units of affordable
housing last year, and 389 more affordable
housing units are in the process of being
developed. The availability of more affordable
housing
might increase the percentage in the future. |
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