Santa Monica Councilmember Kevin McKeown Retiring After 24 Years

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica Councilmember Kevin McKeown this week announced plans to retire from the City Council.

McKeown has served the city for 24 years and six terms, including two stints as Mayor in 2015 and 2020.

He announced plans to retire from his position on the council effective June 11, sharing the news Tuesday night during the council meeting.

"Thank you. I am grateful for the many years I had the privilege and honor of being able to be of service to the city I deeply love," McKeown said.

McKeown has been a Santa Monica renter for 45 years, and for 25 years, McKeown served local children and teachers as a Macintosh computer consultant for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, city officials said.

He is in the third year of his sixth term and has focused on tenant and rent concerns, affordable housing and environmental sustainability in the city.

In 2015, Councilmember McKeown made a presentation on behalf of Santa Monica to an international audience at the United Nations climate conference where the Paris Accords were agreed to. He served as Mayor in 2020, which was a uniquely difficult year in Santa Monica history as the pandemic brought unprecedented public health and economic challenges.

"Kevin has dedicated his life to making Santa Monica stronger, greener, and more equitable," Mayor Sue Himmelrich said. "I personally was devastated to learn about his plans to retire, and our City Council will sorely miss his depth of experience and his punny humor. Kevin has had a unique ability to coalesce the Council around our shared values and goals and has tirelessly worked to meaningfully advance protections and support for vulnerable tenants and residents. His active correspondence with constituents has been a model of public service."

His work and dedication to tenant rights is part of the legacy he leaves the city, she said.

"This is a man who loves Santa Monica in his bones and demonstrated unrelenting integrity and dedication to the community as a tenured Councilmember," Himmelrich said. "It is hard to imagine a meeting without his perfect radio voice and comedic timing."

Councilmember McKeown is Santa Monica’s Director on the Board of the Clean Power Alliance of Southern California, bringing Santa Monica 100 percent renewably sourced electricity. He also serves on the State of California’s Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, and as the current chair of the regional Westside Cities Council of Governments.

Santa Monica’s City Charter provides that the Council has 30 days after a vacancy is declared to appoint an individual to fill the vacancy. The next steps in that process will be discussed at the Council’s next meeting Tuesday night. In the event that the City Council fails to fill the vacancy by appointment within 30 days after the seat is declared vacant, a special election would be held to fill the vacancy.

For more details about Councilmember McKeown and Santa Monica City Council, visit www.santamonica.gov.

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