Additional Documents

CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2025, AT 7:00 PM

AMENDED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

Amended Additional Documents to the May 21, 2025 City Council Meetings. The attached

documents include submitted written public comments and amendments to the agenda.

Submit by no later than 12:00 p.m., on the day of the City Council meeting. Correspondence

received after this time will be distributed the following business day.

AMENDED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS TO THE MAY 21, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

Public Comment on Item No. 5

Public Comment_Wai-Tse Grace Siao_Item No. 5

Public Comment_Tom and Jennifer Abbott_Item No. 10

Public Comment_Bill Mustard_Item No. 23

Public Comment_Angelo Gladding_Item No. 23

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CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2025, AT 7:00 PM AMENDED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS Amended Additional Documents to the May 21, 2025 City Council Meetings. The attached documents include submitted written public comments and amendments to the agenda. Submit by no later than 12:00 p.m., on the day of the City Council meeting. Correspondence received after this time will be distributed the following business day. AMENDED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS TO THE MAY 21, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Public Comment on Item No. 5 Public Comment_Wai-Tse Grace Siao_Item No. 5 Public Comment_Tom and Jennifer Abbott_Item No. 10 Public Comment_Bill Mustard_Item No. 23 Public Comment_Angelo Gladding_Item No. 23 1

From: Adam Bray-Ali To: City Clerk"s Division Cc: Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth Subject: Public comment Agenda item #5 Date: Monday, May 19, 2025 3:19:06 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Good evening City Council and Mayor. As you look at the details and information available in the report you receive today as part of the city council meeting, agenda #5, know that this is part of a broad and important part of our regional economy. The various tenant right's groups are pushing your council to vote for costly, complex and ineffective controls that they believe will create more affordable rental options and opportunities in the city. Fortunately, there are excellent and real examples of what the actions they are demanding will create. In Pasadena, the Pasadena Tenants Union, supported by the group called Tenants Together created a ballot measure in 2022 that is cratering rental property values while saddling the city with a new department of 21 full time employees and an annual budget of almost $6,000,000 in order to register and then regulate rental housing. In Los Angeles, there has been registration and rent controls since 1978. All you need to do is drive over the bridge to Highland Park and see the impact of the type of systems being advocated by these statewide non-profits funded by Michael Weinstein along with the recently defeated Proposition 33. South Pasadena remains an expensive place to live, driven by high demand and excellent lifestyle. It is a safe and well managed community. Paying for repairs, paying for mortgages at decade's high interest rates and paying increasing property tax bills eventually are paid with rent. Those costs are not always high and you can quickly look at any rental website to see how relatively affordable rental rates in South Pasadena remain compared to the cost to purchase in the city. I urge you to look for positive ways to encourage new construction in the city and to help renters with pointing out the significant price controls that exist on a statewide level since 2019 that provide eviction protections, rent increase protections and other valuable tenant rights. Thank you, Adam Bray-Ali -- Adam Bray-Ali 2

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage DRE#01859026 3

From: Adry Hezekiah To: City Council Public Comment Subject: Agenda 5 - Renter Protections (or lack thereof!) Date: Monday, May 19, 2025 11:09:46 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Hello! My name is Adry Hezekiah. I cannot make it in-person this time around so instead send this email to say: I’m appalled, though not surprised, at the lack of renter protections & moves to secure affordable housing for South Pasadena residents. Opting for a paltry relocation assistance fund instead of actually working to ensure your residents don’t get evicted to begin with, is an absolute sham! Stop with the favoritism for your wealthy landlord property management chums & knock it of with greed grift. We can all see that the attitude is “F you, I got mine!” & it’s gross. Look around you - this is not a situation unique to South Pasadena & allowing it to keep growing out of control won’t help. When the unhoused reach numbers you can’t hide or move into the next town will it be enough for change? When every park bench and bit of lawn gets covered in rough sleepers and tent camps will it be enough? You should have voted in favor of this months ago but instead we have people in power who don’t want checks & balances for their rich pals & who claim 47% of residents struggling with rent burden aren’t a “majority” and therefore aren’t a problem. This is absolutely vile behavior & I hope you take a long look at your priorities & values and try harder to show compassion & live out values of inclusion and care for the greater good of the entire community. I won’t hold my breath but I will hold out some hope. Sincerely, Adry Hezekiah 4

From: Aileen Kelly To: City Clerk"s Division Cc: Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #5 Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 8:27:56 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend 53% of my income on rent. I am rent-burdened, I vote and I am not alone. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies and developers. We are asking you to do your jobs and protect residents not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Aileen Kelly South Pasadena Renter 5

From: Alexander Aquino-Kaljakin To: City Council Public Comment Cc: City Clerk"s Division; Janet Braun; Jon Primuth; Sheila Rossi Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #5 Date: Monday, May 19, 2025 10:02:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend around 30% of my income on rent. I am on the brink of being rent-burdened, and will soon become rent burdened when my rent is raised this summer. I am not alone. And all of us renters, the majority of this city, are voters. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies and developers. We are asking you to do your jobs and protect residents not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Alexander Aquino-Kaljakin South Pasadena Renter 6

From: Ana Camacho To: City Council Public Comment Subject: Agenda Item # 5 (05.21.2025 Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 11:47:54 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend 44% of my income on rent. I am rent-burdened, I vote and I am not alone. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies and developers. We are asking you to do your jobs and protect residents not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Ana M. Camacho South Pasadena Renter 7

From: angelo angeles To: City Clerk"s Division Cc: Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #5 Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 10:12:29 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend about 50% of my income on rent. I am a single parent and rent- burdened, I vote and I am not alone. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies and developers. We are asking you to do your jobs and protect residents not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Angelo Angeles South Pasadena Renter 8

From: Elizabeth Anne Bagasao To: City Council Public Comment Cc: Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth Subject: Public Comment - Agenda Item #5 Date: Monday, May 19, 2025 10:31:02 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend 50% of my net income on rent. I am rent-burdened, I vote and I am not alone. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies and developers. We are asking you to do your jobs and protect residents not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Anne Bagasao South Pasadena Renter 9

From: Cameron Gibson To: City Clerk"s Division Cc: Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #5 Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 9:24:47 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend roughly 43% of my income on rent. I am rent-burdened, I vote and I am not alone. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies and developers. We are asking you to do your jobs and protect residents, not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Cameron Gibson South Pasadena Renter 10

From: Casey Dukes To: City Council Public Comment Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item 5 Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 10:38:16 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Council, As someone who has been following tenant issues in town, I’m disappointed in the report that was prepared outlining tenant protections in South Pasadena. It really feels like this is a low priority for the Council and staff even though the majority of South Pasadena residents are tenants. The last City Council meeting where tenant issues were discussed was in February when consultants from HR&A presented their preliminary analysis for rent stabilization. They were not allowed to fulfill their contract because Mayor Braun brushed the idea of rent stabilization aside even with the knowledge that a significant number of households are rent-burdened. Many residents spoke up asking for protections against unfair rent hikes and were dismissed. Maybe if City staff historically gave attention to tenant issues, this report in today’s agenda would feel like progress, but from my personal experience with the community development department, any issues we raise seem to fall on deaf ears. I am not optimistic that staff will be able or willing to help with future tenant issues. I can’t even get a simple reply back from code enforcement when my property management repeatedly ignores maintenance requests to fix safety hazards in my building. I am pleading with you, Council, to consider the long-term effects of ignoring tenants. Pro- active measures need to be taken to keep families and fixed-income seniors in their homes especially. We cannot easily relocate when our rents go up and our income doesn’t. My family can no longer make monetary donations to SPEF or support local businesses like we once could because our rent has increased so much since we first moved here. This is unsustainable for our community. Please please bring rent stabilization back for discussion. Thank you for your attention. I hope that maybe one day all these comments we write might actually make some change. Casey Dukes Renter SPUSD parent and volunteer South Pasadena small business owner 11

From: Chloe Gilinsky To: City Clerk"s Division; City Council Public Comment Cc: Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #5 Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 8:39:00 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. Without renter protection from financial burden and oversight on the increasing number of rental units being turned into Airbnb's, we risk a transformative change to the community feel of South Pasadena that hurts both renters and homeowners alike. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune to this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend more than 50% of my income on rent. I am rent-burdened, I vote, and I am not alone. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies, and developers. We ask you to do your jobs and protect residents, not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Chloe Gilinsky South Pasadena Renter 12

From: Clemen Avalos To: City Council Public Comment Cc: City Clerk"s Division; Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth; southpastenants@gmail.com Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #5 Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 1:51:23 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisis. I am a renter in South Pasadena, and I spend 50% of my income on rent. I am rent-burdened, I vote and I am not alone. You were elected to represent all residents—not just your friends, corporate landlords, private equity groups, property management companies and developers. We are asking you to do your jobs and protect residents not outside interests. Stop hiding behind weak consultant studies, reports, and poor excuses. Our homes and community are on the line. Sincerely, Clemen Avalos South Pasadena Renter Sent from my iPhone 13

From: Deborah Lutz To: City Clerk"s Division Subject: Public Comment - Agenda Item #5 Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 9:25:27 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Council Members, As a resident and housing provider in South Pasadena, I support efforts to educate both tenants and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities. These efforts are key to encouraging compliance with existing laws and maintaining positive relationships in our community. Improving the city’s website to make it more user-friendly—and a central resource for clear, accessible information and referral links—is a simple and cost-effective step forward. Partnering with nonprofits and other organizations to provide education, mediation services, and rental assistance is another practical approach. One important issue not addressed in the staff report is the growing burden of operational costs that housing providers are facing. I urge the Council to direct staff to explore ways to reduce these costs, in order to help preserve the naturally occurring affordable housing that still exists in South Pasadena. Areas worth examining include tax incentives, permitting processes, insurance costs, and regulatory compliance. If the goal is to support community-based housing providers and preserve the character of South Pasadena, then exploring cost-saving measures must be part of the discussion. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, -- Deborah Lutz 14

From: Drew T To: City Clerk"s Division Cc: Janet Braun; Sheila Rossi; Jon Primuth Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #5 Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 11:33:41 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of South Pasadena. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Braun, Mayor Pro Tem Rossi, and Councilmember Primuth, In February, you voted to throw out a policy that would have protected South Pasadena families, seniors, and workers from being priced out of their homes. You dismissed the fact that more than 43 out of every 100 South Pasadena renters are rent-burdened, saying that wasn’t significant enough to act. 43 rent burdened people and families out of every 100 seems pretty significant to me. According to Pasadena Weekly, a household must now earn nearly $119,000 annually just to afford average rent in LA and Orange Counties. South Pasadena renters are not immune from this crisi