Santa Monica’s new mayor sworn in amid backlash over Ocean Avenue housing plan

Controversy surrounds new Santa Monica mayor

Santa Monica has a new mayor, but some residents aren't happy with who was chosen to lead the city.

LOS ANGELES - Carolyn Torosis was sworn in as Santa Monica’s new mayor Tuesday night in a packed City Hall, where applause quickly gave way to some voicing concerns over her alleged involvement in a controversial housing proposal.

Several residents openly confronted Torosis during the meeting, accusing her of previously knowing about a county-backed plan to convert two luxury Ocean Avenue properties into interim housing for people with severe mental illness — and failing to notify the public.

What they're saying:

"She lies, can’t be trusted, and quite possibly is a psychopath," one resident said during public comment. Another caller claimed, "Our new mayor had previous knowledge of plans to put severely mentally ill [people] on Ocean Avenue."

The project, which FOX 11 first reported on in October, moved forward quietly until neighbors said they were blindsided with almost no notice. Residents sent more than 600 letters to the Los Angeles County supervisor’s office and the Santa Monica City Council, prompting the proposal to be paused.

During a tense council meeting in October, Torosis — then a councilmember — denied knowing about the plans months in advance. "I just want to refute that statement. It is not true I have known about the project since [November 2024]," she said at the time.

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However, emails obtained by FOX 11 show Torosis was included in project discussions as early as last December. In one exchange, a consultant asked Torosis for a letter of support for the Ocean Avenue locations. Torosis replied: "By when do you need the letter of support? I’m copying our City Manager and Housing Director for awareness."

Those emails have intensified criticism from residents already concerned about Torosis’ other job as policy director for Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.

"It’s a concern to many residents that she would be dishonest over something like that, and she continues to work for L.A. County — so the conflict continues to be there," said Ashley Oelsen, a Santa Monica resident.

The other side:

Not all comments were critical. Supporters urged the community to judge her by her record. "Carolyn is a good human being who is genuine. She’s going to put the city first," one resident said.

In a statement to FOX 11, Torosis said the Ocean Avenue property addresses were "never revealed" to her before she forwarded the inquiry to city staff. She added that the city had no approval authority over the proposal and that officials agreed the locations were "not ideal."

Torosis also emphasized that the project is no longer moving forward.

"Further review of the record would show that the city never provided a support letter for the Ocean Avenue project," Torosis wrote in an email to Fox 11. "As the press release from the city shows, all councilmembers, including the [then] mayor, were made aware of the project by Acting City Manager Polachek only after it received funding."

Torosis said she remains committed to evaluating all proposals fairly: "It is my responsibility to explore every avenue toward improving the quality of life for all residents — not just those who have the time and resources to make their voices heard in City Hall."

The Ocean Avenue project had been scheduled to be discussed at Tuesday night’s meeting but was removed from the agenda.