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by Sherrill Kushner

For 15 years, on the second Monday of the month, you could find Ruth Shari at a Landmarks Commission meeting. Shari was the only Commissioner of the seven with a real estate license, which City ordinance requires the Commission to have.

Shari notes that her experience as a realtor offers a distinct perspective: “I saw myself as the liaison between orthodox preservationists on one hand and owners and developers who want to protect their property rights on the other. As someone who professionally represents the interests of owners and buyers in real estate transactions. I can appreciate the mindset of each.”

She prides herself on bringing to the Commission a sensitivity to establishing a collaborative relationship between preservation advocates and owners/developers. To that end, she worked with the City Attorney’s office to revise the Santa Monica Real Estate Transfer Disclosure, a document given to each buyer prior to the sale of property. Through these efforts, the disclosure now provides clearer language on the status of a potential or existing historic resource and specifies how confirmation of acknowledgment of such information is implemented. The signed document is yet another layer of transparency in attempt to prevent buyers from claiming that they had no notice of a property’s historic status.

Shari also pushed for the City to publish an educational brochure with an overview of the City’s preservation program, which was distributed to neighborhood organizations and the Chamber of Commerce, among others. And, along with other Commissioners, she was committed to refining the language of Statements of Action (aka “STOAS”) to enhance their content. A STOA provides the official record of the rationale for a designation or approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness for planned changes in a designated property.

Yet, Shari is concerned that the City’s preservation program is at risk, in large part, because of the City’s alleged financial straits. Some of the Commission’s responsibilities have been reduced or removed. Prior to the budget impact of COVID-19, the Commission reviewed demolition permits in an effort to identify historic resources worth preserving. That no longer is in its purview, which places the burden on the public to identify these potential sites, thereby increasing the likelihood that important historic places may be lost.

“We need as many eyes and ears as possible to earmark imperiled resources which could slip through the cracks and ultimately be lost to the wrecking ball,” she states. Shari is also concerned about crystallizing the criteria under which resources are designated.

After 15 years of service, Shari says that she is available to share her expertise and point of view with City staff, Landmarks Commissioners, or with residents who may need it. She is happy to submit arguments in favor of preservation items, written or spoken.

Shari is currently a realtor at Coldwell Banker in Brentwood and is investigating serving on another City Commission in the near future. The Conservancy congratulates and thanks Shari on her years of devoted service. She is replaced by real estate licensee Jodi Summers.

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