There is only so much it can though. Until the Expo line is done, the 3 ramps onto the 405 stifle growth. I mean, already I can see cars backed up to Bundy from 3:30 to 7. You just can't feed that many people into SM and get them out again. The Expo will help, but you then have to live near the stops. And, oh god, when Obama comes to town.... I voted for the guy, but good god, a 45 minute commute takes 4 hours. He's like a snowstorm to LA traffic.
I think the Expo line will be a key factor. It will link SM with DTLA and there's plenty of cheap housing in between. And linking to DTLA (Union Station) is important because it's the link to the rest of SoCal through Metrolink. The LA rail system used to be a joke, but it's rapidly becoming useful.
On the flip side of it, if you actually live in Santa Monica everything is extremely walkable. I quit my previous company in March to start my own and have only used 8 gallons of gas since then.
I didn't own a car in while living in Santa Monica for almost eight years (though my girlfriend did have one). Between my legs and the buses I didn't need one.
