SANTA MONICA—On June 18, council member Greg Morena announced that he will be leaving his position on Santa Monica’s City Council effective June 24 to focus on his business.
“Like so many small independent businesses, I have struggled over the last three months to protect my family, and my employees and their families who work at my restaurant on the Pier,” said council member Morena. “I have taken out loans and gone into the red to feed them, keep up their health insurance, and do everything possible to have jobs waiting for them once this crisis is over. But unless I am able to renegotiate my lease for July and onward, I will no longer be able to remain in business.”
He added, “While this narrative is echoed throughout restaurants in Southern California, what makes my story different is that my landlord is the City of Santa Monica and I am a council member. As such, it is illegal to renegotiate ‘with myself.’”
Morena’s restaurant, The Albright, was founded in 1977 and is known for its seafood. This family business was recognized with the SQA Award in 2016 for being the first sustainable business on the Pier.
Morena was elected into the Santa Monica Council in November 2018 where he focused on meaningful community engagement and creating new opportunities for economic development. He has lived in Santa Monica all his life.
“This is not the end of my involvement in civic life. In the immediate term, I plan to remain at the forefront of the city’s recovery efforts and hope that others will join as we work together to rebuild our local economy,” Morena said. “I have nothing but confidence in Santa Monica’s future. We unite when times are tough and we make change together. This is one of those moments and I look to the future with nothing but hope.”
According to Santa Monica’s City Charter, Morena’s position will have to be filled 30 days after his declared vacancy. This will be discussed at the Council’s meeting on June 23.
