Caroline Torosis

Caroline Torosis
Mayor of Santa Monica, California
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 9, 2025
Preceded byLana Negrete
Mayor Pro Tempore of Santa Monica
In office
December 11, 2024 – December 9, 2025
Preceded byLana Negrete
Succeeded byJesse Zwick
Member of the Santa Monica City Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 8, 2022
Commissioner, Santa Monica Rent Control Board
In office
2016 – December 2022
Personal details
BornCaroline Torosis
Santa Monica, California
PartyDemocratic
OccupationAttorney
Politician

Caroline Torosis is the mayor of Santa Monica, California. Since 2022, she has served on the city council, and she previously served as Mayor Pro Tempore from 2024 to 2025.[1][2][3] Tororis was sworn in as mayor on December 9, 2025.[4]

Background and career

Caroline Torosis holds a Juris Doctor degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and she also holds a degree from UCLA.[2] She has worked as a consumer rights attorney.[5] In 2016, Torosis was elected to the Santa Monica Rent Control Board.[6] Torosis was re-elected to the Rent Control Board in 2020.[7] She was then elected to the Santa Monica City Council in 2022, receiving the highest number of votes among all candidates.[8] In 2025, Torosis was sworn in as mayor[9] by California State Assemblyman Rick Zbur.[10]

In 2025, Torosis received a California Assembly District 51 Community Excellence Award for her work coordinating the regional response to the Palisades Fire.[11] In 2026, Torosis was one of eight United States mayors selected to participate in the Just City Mayoral Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.[12] In 2026, she was named to the Los Angeles Business Journal's list of the 500 most influential leaders in Los Angeles. [13]

In addition to her role as Mayor, Torosis also serves as a policy director for Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.[2] She has been described as a "workforce and economic development expert."[2] She also serves on the Los Angeles Women's Leadership Council.[13]

Housing policy

Torosis has backed programs that support affordable housing.[14] In 2020, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported that Torosis was focused on preserving the availability of Santa Monica's rent controlled housing and protecting tenants.[15] In 2022, as a member of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, Torosis supported new housing registration and reporting requirements for property owners.[16] In 2023, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported that addressing homelessness was one of Torosis' legislative priorities.[17]

In 2025, public reports emerged that a local developer planned to develop interim supportive housing on Ocean Avenue.[18] The facilities were intended to provide approximately 49 beds for people with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance-use disorders, with services operated by St. Joseph Center and funding administered through Los Angeles County. The proposals were initially paused following criticism over inadequate public outreach and were subsequently cancelled by Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who cited a breakdown of trust with the community.[19] According to the Santa Monica Daily Press, Torosis had forwarded inquiries from the project's representatives to city staff in late 2024.[20] While some commenters suggested that Torosis should have disclosed information about the project to the public, Torosis stated that she had not been working with the project's developers and did not learn any information about the project when she forwarded the inquiry to city staff.[20][4] Torosis later stated that she believed the Ocean Avenue site was an inappropriate location for the proposed facility.[20] Following these events, Torosis voted to support "transparency standards for supportive and transitional housing projects."[4][20][21]

In May 2026, Torosis and five other city councilmembers approved a renter aid program that would provide $6 million in rental assistance to Santa Monica renters.[22] Torosis called for greater flexibility in distributing funds to residents so that tenants could receive funds on a faster basis.[22] Later that year, Torosis supported City Charter amendments that, if approved, would provide new eviction protections for renters.[23]

Economic development

In 2023, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported that Torosis was meeting with local business leaders to investigate whether Santa Monica should adopt a fair work week law.[24]

In 2025, the Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved a plan to revitalize the City's downtown area through new investments in public safety and economic development.[25] Torosis described the program as a "renaissance" plan for Santa Monica.[25] According to the Los Angeles Times, the plan implemented the goal of Torosis and allied councilmembers to "boost economic activity in the city."[26] The Los Angeles Business Journal described Torosis as being the one who "spearheaded" the plan, which helped bring an influx of visitors to Santa Monica during the 2026 World Cup.[27] At her 2026 Santa Monica State of the City address, Torosis reported that Santa Monica had achieved a structurally balanced budget ahead of schedule.[28] In July 2026, Torosis reported that Santa Monica planned to continue to invest in new downtown businesses to appeal to visitors, including "experience-based attractions." [29]

In January 2026, along with Councilmembers Dan Hall and Ellis Raskin, Torosis introduced an "Affordability Agenda" that would deliver programs to address rising housing costs and the rising cost of living in Santa Monica and the Southern California region.[30] Torosis has also called for additional funding for the Santa Monica social services grant program.[31] She has also supported Santa Monica's Restorative Justice Fund, which will provide $3.5 million in funding to address racially-motivated harms.[32]

References

  1. ↑ "Santa Monica to Swear in New Mayor". Patch News. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Caroline Torosis to Be Sworn as New Santa Monica Mayor". Canyon News. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
  3. ↑ "Councilmembers Torosis and Zwick to Begin Mayoral Transition Amid Controversy". MSN. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
  4. 1 2 3 Seedorff, Matthew (December 9, 2025). "Santa Monica's new mayor sworn in amid backlash over Ocean Avenue housing plan". FOX 11 Los Angeles.
  5. ↑ "Mayoral Transition Highlights Contrasting Styles, Focus". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
  6. ↑ "Santa Monica Council Incumbents Sweep, LV Loses Big". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  7. ↑ "New Council to Be Seated, Mayor Picked Tuesday". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  8. ↑ "Liberal Establishment Makes Comeback". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  9. ↑ Santa Monica City Council Meeting December 9, 2025. City of Santa Monica – YouTube. 2025-12-09. Event occurs at 1h33m22s. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  10. ↑ Santa Monica City Council Meeting December 9, 2025. City of Santa Monica – YouTube. 2025-12-09. Event occurs at 1h32m1s. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  11. ↑ "Assembly District 51 Community Excellence Awards". Rick Chavez Zbur, Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair, 51st District. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  12. ↑ "Mayor Torosis Selected for National Fellowship on Urban Equity". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  13. 1 2 "LA Business Journal LA500 2026". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
  14. ↑ Alin, Maaz (January 21, 2026). "Santa Monica Council Approves Expanded Affordable Housing Pilot". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Re-elected rent control board talks shop". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  16. ↑ Casuso, Jorge (March 16, 2022). "Proposed Charter Amendment Requires All Units to Register with Rent Board". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
  17. ↑ Snowden, Scott (March 9, 2023). "New Councilmembers reflect on early priorities". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
  18. ↑ Quinton, Gavin (January 12, 2026). "In pricey Santa Monica neighborhood, a battle rages over supportive housing". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  19. ↑ Hall, Matthew (October 27, 2025). "Supervisor cancels controversial Ocean Ave. housing projects". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Hall, Matthew (December 9, 2025). "New emails further link Councilwoman Caroline Torosis to controversial housing development, despite her public denials of prior knowledge". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  21. ↑ Hall, Matthew (November 7, 2025). "New email claims Councilmember Torosis worked with developers on controversial housing long before public disclosure". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  22. 1 2 Hall, Matthew (May 29, 2026). "Council approves $6M renter aid program to combat evictions and homelessness". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  23. ↑ Alin, Maaz (July 20, 2026). "Santa Monica council sends rent-control eviction protections to November ballot; new-occupant measure splits vote". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  24. ↑ Adams, Grace (January 6, 2023). "Torosis, Chamber of Commerce discuss potential of fair work week ordinance in Santa Monica". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
  25. 1 2 "Caroline Torosis to Be Sworn as New Santa Monica Mayor". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  26. ↑ "Struggling Santa Monica's recovery plan: More cops downtown, luring back lost business shop". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  27. ↑ "As World Cup Ends, Experts Examine Impacts". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
  28. ↑ "Main Street hosts a hopeful State of the City". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
  29. ↑ Kang, Jass (July 13, 2026). "Downtown Santa Monica, Third Street Promenade seeing increased traffic with World Cup, Block Fest". Spectrum news. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Opinion: Mayor Torosis, Councilmembers Hall and Raskin Unveil Bold Cost-of-Living Agenda to Ensure Everyone Can Thrive in Santa Monica". Santa Monica Next. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  31. ↑ Alin, Maaz (August 17, 2026). "Santa Monica Council advances $9.2 million social services grant program amid pleas for more funding". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  32. ↑ Chiriguayo, Danielle (February 5, 2026). "Santa Monica to address historical injustices with new fund". KCRW. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
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