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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE JOINT MEETING: GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL AND
GLENDALE HOUSING AUTHORITY
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Policy Follow-up for Glendale Rental Assistance & Stability Program
1. City Council Motion approving the Glendale Rental Assistance and Stability Program Policies & Procedures and Staffing;
2. City Council Motion Directing Staff on Policy Choices Related to Glendale Rental Assistance and Stability Program Implementation;
3. City Council Motion Directing Staff to Request a 20% Attorney Services Waiver from LACAHSA and Use Any Released Funds to GRASP Direct Assistance.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for December 2, 2025 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Glendale Rental Assistance and Stabilization Program (GRASP) is the City’s new prevention-focused rental assistance program funded through the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA) Renter Protection & Homelessness Prevention (RPHP) allocation. Previously Council authorized $1.1 million in LACAHSA funds to establish GRASP and $300,000 to fund the existing LIFERAP program.
The attached GRASP Policies & Procedures Manual translates LACAHSA requirements into a clear, locally administrable program structure. It includes eligibility criteria aligned with County guidelines, a two-tiered Critical/Non-Critical grouping that ensures housing security threats are prioritized, and a transparent Points Rubric similar to preference systems used in Section 8 programs. It also outlines the City’s approach to outreach, documentation, verification, case management, payment rules, quality control, and compliance.
This report requests Council approval of the GRASP Policies & Procedures Manual, authorization to begin program implementation and staffing, and direction on several policy choices needed before launch. Specifically, Council direction is needed on:
1.Eligibility Settings - Whether to maintain eligibility at less than or equal to 80% AMI (LACAHSA standard) or lower it further (e.g., ≤50% AMI or ≤30% AMI). 12 25-89063
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2.Prioritization Structure -Whether to preserve the Critical/Non-Critical grouping or merge all applicants into a single queue.
3.Points Rubric -Whether to adopt the proposed scoring system, modify point weights, add categories, or replace the rubric with an alternative (such as a lottery or first-come/first-served model).
4.Target Populations -Whether to adopt staff-recommended service targets of 20% seniors and a minimum of 10 GCC student households, or adjust/eliminate these targets.
5.Attorney Services Requirement -Whether to fund a full attorney-services program using the required 20% LACAHSA set-aside, or authorize staff to request a waiver by crediting Glendale’s existing investment in renter education through the Rental Rights Program.
If Council supports the waiver approach, approximately $334,000 would shift from the attorney-services requirement into direct rental assistance, increasing GRASP’s impact while retaining a modest budget (~$87,000) for targeted outreach and limited legal navigation support.
Upon approval requested in this report, staff will proceed with hiring two hourly Case Managers and one hourly Intake & Outreach Coordinator level employee, finalize SOPs and forms, configure the case-management and finance systems, and coordinate with community-based organizations, and other partners to prepare for program launch of GRASP.
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RECOMMENDATION
That City Council approve and authorize implementation of the GRASP as outlined in the attached Policies & Procedures Manual, along with the staffing and administrative structure. The current design represents the strongest balance between LACAHSA compliance, best practices, operational feasibility, equity, and transparency. Staff also recommends City Council authorize staff to pursue the attorney services wavier.
ANALYSIS
On September 30, 2025, the Council approved allocating $1.1 million to establish the Glendale Rental Assistance and Stabilization Program (GRASP) and $300,000 to continue Low Income Family Emergency Rental Assistance Program. GRASP is designed to operate within the requirements of LACAHSA under its Renter Protection & Homelessness Prevention (RPHP) framework. LACAHSA is the countywide public agency that coordinates, funds, and monitors housing programs using countywide Measure A sales tax funding. RPHP encompasses three toolsets: Emergency Rental Assistance, Temporary Rental Assistance, and Short-Term Income Support.
This report requests approval of the GRASP Policies & Procedures (Exhibit 1) and authorization to implement. GRASP is a prevention program that keeps Glendale renters housed through three time-limited forms of aid: Emergency Assistance (to resolve eviction, utility shutoff), Income-Support Assistance (short-term monthly support while income recovers), and Special Assistance (one-time barrier removal with a clear housing nexus). The GRASP policy was drafted to align with LACAHSA RPHP guidelines and applicable law.
Staff also seeks Council direction on two policy options: (1) service targets (e.g., seniors and student household), and (2) final settings for the prioritization rubric used to assign points to applications.
PROGRAM LAUNCH AND OVERVIEW
Staffing and Operations
GRASP will launch with a lean, compliance-ready team sized to the initial LACAHSA allocation and expected demand. Roles are cross-trained so intake, verification, and payment processing continue smoothly during outreach clinics and surges, and reporting meets LACAHSA monitoring requirements. To remain adaptable for future funding cycles, new positions will be hired as hourly, giving Council the ability to pivot to different program models in subsequent years without long-term staffing commitments. 14 25-89063
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Team structure
Program Manager & Supervising Case Manager (Existing) - 1.0 FTE. Overall program leadership; queue oversight; final eligibility/benefit determinations; Standard Operating Procedures and quality control; fraud/waste/abuse oversite; LACAHSA reporting; Council/stakeholder briefings.
Case Manager (2 positions) - 2.0 FTE total. Case management; document collection; verification against policy; arm selection (Emergency/Income- Support/Special); benefit sizing using approved worksheet; landlord/utility/vendor coordination; payment packet assembly (W-9/EFT); monthly follow-ups for continuing aid; closure.
Intake & Outreach Coordinator - 1.0 FTE. “Front door” operations:
online/phone/counter intake, completeness checks, appointment scheduling, language-access routing; outreach logistics for openings/clinics; partner referrals; payee setup support; basic dashboards and KPI updates.
Outreach and Application Process
Upon Council approval, staff will open recruitment for 2 Case Managers and 1 Intake & Outreach Coordinator and, in parallel, the GRASP team will: finalize SOPs, standard letters/forms, and the Income-Support sizing worksheet; configure the case- management system (queues, two-source checkpoints) and Finance/AP workflows (vendor/W-9/EFT);and stand up LACAHSA-compliant reporting templates, audit folders, and a brief staff training plan.
GRASP will run a focused, multilingual outreach campaign to reach renters most at risk of housing loss while ensuring broad public awareness. The City will combine digital, print, and in-person strategies, leverage trusted community partners and relevant City departments. To align with LACAHSA’s timelines-and to ensure that Glendale launches alongside LACAHSA’s finalized forms, software tools, and reporting templates and to give staff enough time to plan and organize, staff anticipates opening the GRASP application window and initial waiting list in late February or early March 2026.
Roughly 30–45 days before opening, staff will circulate a GRASP brief and the draft application link to internal teams and hold a coordination meeting with key community organizations.
Two weeks before opening, the City will post the dates, provide information on how to apply (online and in-person) on the housing website and GlendaleRentalRights.com, and issue social media posts and printed flyers in English, Armenian, and Spanish. One week prior, City partners will receive a reminder packet with ready-to-share materials. 15 25-89063
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GRASP will launch with a two-week public opening to establish an initial pool of applicants and then continue on a rolling basis for verified Critical cases and targeted referrals that advance Council set-asides.
Eligibility for Glendale GRASP program
GRASP targets Glendale renters at risk of housing loss. To qualify, a household must meet baseline criteria aligned with LACAHSA and the attached policy. Meeting the checklist below moves an application forward to prioritization, it does not guarantee funding.
Residence: Rents and occupies a Glendale unit as the primary residence. Income: Gross household income less than or equal to 80% AMI for household size.
Documentation: Can provide required proof (or approved alternatives). Risk or hardship: Shows one of the following:
oImmediate housing threat: nonpayment eviction/UD, utility shutoff or imminent shutoff;
oRecent hardship (within 12 months) with a housing nexus, such as:
good-cause job loss/reduction, medically out-of-pocket costs, or essential car repair/childcare needed to retain employment.
Explicit exclusions: Currently homeless households and owner-occupied/mortgage cases are not eligible.
Prioritization of Applicants
To keep the process fair and auditable while focusing on imminent risk, GRASP uses a two-step method: first, each application is labeled Critical or Non-Critical; •Critical (served first): Imminent eviction/UD or utility shutoff. •Non-Critical: Eligible hardship without an immediate threat.
Second, applications are ranked within their group by a Points Rubric that adds weight for lower income households, higher rent burden, vulnerability indicators (e.g., disability, age 62+, single-member, children), and recent instability (e.g., job loss, medically costs). Staff will serve cases in score order within each group. Ties are broken by timestamp and, if needed, a micro-lottery. This is similar to Section 8 practice, where housing authorities use preference-weighted waitlists to sequence assistance so the highest-need households move forward first.
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Points Rubric (Council-tunable weights)
Category Criteria Points
Income ≤30% AMI +6
31–50% AMI +4
51–80% AMI +2
≥91% +5
81–90% +4
71–80% +3
61–70% +2
51–60% +1
Rent Burden (contract
rent + required tenant-
paid utilities ÷ gross
monthly income)
≤50% +0
Vulnerability Disability +3
Senior 62+ +2
Single-member household +1
Children <18 present +1
Instability (last 12
months)
Job loss/reduction (good-cause/involuntary) +2
Major medical expense or temporary
disability (with housing nexus)
+2
GRASP will maintain two ranked active queues, Critical and Non-Critical, built from the two-week opening. Each application is time-stamped and scored. Staff will work in order from the top of the Critical list first, then proceed through the Non-Critical list as funds allow and set-asides are met. As cases are approved, funds are drawn and those applicants move off the active list. When a case closes or assistance expires, unused dollars return to the pot.
At selection, staff will confirm which assistance arm best stabilizes the tenancy at the lowest reasonable cost:
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Emergency Assistance pays verified rental or utility arrears and may authorize prospective months one-at-a-time when needed to resolve an active threat, with reasonable assurance of resolution. Payments go directly to landlords/utilities. Income-Support Assistance provides monthly, time-limited support while a household recovers income. It is paid to the household with a monthly verification that funds support housing stability.
Special Assistance is a one-time payment to remove a distinct barrier with a housing nexus (e.g. essential car repair to preserve employment), with vendor pay preferred.
Target Groups
To reflect Council priorities while keeping one unified process, GRASP will use tracked set-asides for two cohorts:
•Seniors (62+): A target of at least 20% of households served annually.
Seniors apply through the same portal. Their cases are labeled and tracked. If monthly monitoring shows staff is behind the target, staff will run senior- focused outreach (libraries/senior centers, partners).
•Glendale Community College (GCC) students: At least 10 student households per year served via a simple GCC referral pathway established by the Low Income Student Rental Assistance Program. Students must meet standard eligibility required by LACAHSA. there is no separate student program and no preference over Critical cases.
Both set-asides operate within the same Critical/Non-Critical lists and points rubric.
Attorney Services Requirement & Potential Waiver
Baseline requirement
LACAHSA’s RPHP guidelines require jurisdictions to dedicate 20% of their annual allocation to Legal Services and Renter Education. For Glendale’s 25-26 FY allocation of $2,105,698, that equals $421,139.60.
Eligible uses include:
Pre-eviction and eviction defense
Right-to-counsel–type services
Limited payments tied to court activity
Legal representation and consultations
Renter outreach and education
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Policy options for Council
To comply, Council must decide whether Glendale will fund an attorney-services program or seek a waiver based on the City’s existing investment in renter education and counseling through the Rental Rights Program. The sections below outline both pathways and their budget impacts.
1. Fund a legal/education program at the full 20% ($421,139.60). a. Several implementation models are possible:
i. Contract an agency (non-profit legal aid provider) to take Glendale cases.
ii. Hire a dedicated attorney (City-staffed or time-limited contract) to advise/represent renters within the eligible scope.
iii. Tenant counsel assistance fund (per-case reimbursements or vouchers to approved providers).
iv. Education emphasis (multilingual outreach, trainings, printed/online content) blended with limited-scope legal consults.
v. Request a LACAHSA waiver.
2. Glendale may request a LACAHSA waiver by showing adequate investment in the same category (Legal Services & Renter Education). The City already funds the Rental Rights Program (RRP), which provides multilingual renter education, counseling, workshops, and outreach year-round. On that basis, staff proposes applying to waive the 20% requirement.
a. Waiver credit amount: $334,000.00 (current General Fund investment in RRP renter education/outreach/counseling). Reduce the RPHP legal/education set-aside from $421,139.60 to $87,139.60 (≈4%), and redirect $334,000 to direct prevention under GRASP.
Staff Recommendation
Request the waiver (crediting $334,000 in RRP renter education/counseling/outreach) so that $334,000 shifts into direct assistance for GRASP.
1. How staff would use the remaining $87,139.60 (staff recommendation):
a. Strengthen marketing and outreach for the Rental Rights Program. b. Reserve a modest portion for basic legal services through a local provider (e.g., letter review, notice clarification, deadline guidance, UD navigation).
This approach maximizes immediate prevention impact (more rent paid, more shutoffs prevented) while meeting LACAHSA’s objectives through a lean, high-leverage 19 25-89063
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legal/education strategy. If the waiver is not approved, staff will return with a full-funding plan for the 20% set-aside.
RPHP Funding
The Glendale GRASP program is funded through the LACAHSA RPHP allocation. If Council directs staff to request the 20% Attorney Services waiver, the City’s revised allocation for FY 2024–25 would be:
Total RPHP Allocation $2,105,698.00 100%
RPHP Direct Assistance Allocation $1,684,558.4 80%
Required Legal/Education Set-
Aside
$421,139.60 20%
Requested Waiver $334,000.00 16%
Revised Legal/Education Set-
Aside
$87,139.60 4%
New Direct Assistance
Allocation if Wavier is approved
$2,018,558.44 95%
GRASP Direct Assistance $1,213,558.44 60%
LIFERAP $300,000 15%
Administration $295,000 15%
Delivery Costs $210,000 10%
Use of Funds
Roughly $295,000 is anticipated for program delivery, which reflects the direct, labor- intensive work required to operate a fully compliant rental-assistance program under LACAHSA. Program delivery covers the frontline functions that make GRASP operational:
Intake and Front Door Operations - staffing the online portal, front counter, phone lines, and email; troubleshooting application issues; scheduling appointments; screening for completeness; providing language access; and routing urgent cases.
Case Management & Verification - detailed review of income, hardship, and tenancy documentation; cross-checking facts; applying two-source verification; landlord and utility follow-up; assembling payment packets; and processing monthly continuing assistance.
Outreach & Clinics - multilingual outreach, printed materials, partner coordination, and in-person support before and during the opening window. Language Access and ADA Accommodation - translation, interpretation, accessible formatting, alternative document methods, and accommodation coordination.
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System Configuration & Payment Processing - case-management system setup, queue building, workflow configuration, integration with Finance/AP, vendor setup, and ensuring all documentation meets audit standards. These are hands-on, time-intensive activities that must occur for every single case. The first year is especially costly because the team must build the entire infrastructure from scratch systems, intake tools, forms, SOPs, dashboards, compliance checkpoints, QA standards, partner workflows, training materials, and audit trails.
An additional $210,000 is allocated to program administration, which encompasses the higher-level oversight and regulatory compliance required by LACAHSA, and standard public-funding practices. Administrative work includes:
Policy Management and Oversight - ensuring all decisions align with LACAHSA RPHP requirements, City policies, housing law, and federal/state regulations. Director- and Supervisor-Level Management - supervision of casework, queue oversight, benefit determinations, exceptions, fraud/waste/abuse review, and training.
Fiscal Coordination & Contract Management - budget tracking, invoice review, reconciliation, vendor/EFT/W-9 compliance, procurement, and contract administration.
Monitoring, Audits & Reporting - preparing quarterly and annual reports; maintaining documentation for the 7-year retention requirement; conducting internal audits; responding to LACAHSA monitoring; and performing quality- control file reviews.
Risk Management & Compliance Tracking - duplication-of-benefits checks, conflict-of-interest reviews, confidentiality protocols, system permissions, and aligning staff practices with approved SOPs.
Documentation, Records & Data Systems - compliance folders, audit-ready documentation, secure storage, data validation, and system maintenance.
Because this is a first-year, first-time rollout, these administrative tasks are more intensive than they will be in later years. Program planning, workflows, quality-control structures, and cross-department systems must be built before assistance begins.
Additionally, since Glendale will be receiving LACAHSA funding later in the fiscal cycle, the City must launch GRASP at the same time that LACAHSA begins preparing the next-year funding round.
This means staff will need to launch Round 1, including the intake window, queue setup, case processing, and payment flow while simultaneously preparing Round 2, which may include:
updating the policy if LACAHSA guidelines change,
submitting new funding applications or compliance materials, 111
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adjusting systems for any revised reporting or eligibility rules, preparing Council reports for the next allocation, and updating SOPs, forms, and workflows for the second cycle.
This overlap effectively doubles the administrative workload for the first year of implementation. Staff will be building a new program, running the first intake cycle, processing cases, reporting to LACAHSA, and preparing for the next funding round-all at once.
Because of this compressed timeline, administrative and delivery costs are higher in Year One, and staffing must remain flexible enough to scale or pivot if LACAHSA adjusts program requirements in the next allocation cycle.
Staffing Costs
The administrative portion covers staffing, systems, and operational supports needed to run a program of this scale. GRASP is the City’s first new rental assistance program since the pandemic, and implementation requires additional infrastructure.
Administrative needs include:
Three new positions: two Case Managers and one Intake/Outreach Specialist Program oversight: performed by the existing staff
Case-management system configuration and finance workflow integration SOP development, data tracking, and compliance reporting required under
LACAHSA
Multilingual outreach and application support
Audit, monitoring, and documentation retention obligations Because this is a first-year, first-time rollout, actual administrative costs may vary. Staff will leverage existing City resources such as Housing infrastructure whenever possible, but initial-year costs are typically higher due to system setup, training, and building new workflows.
Commitment to Efficiency & Reallocation of Savings
Despite the higher start-up costs associated with launching a new program, staff remain committed to running GRASP as efficiently and leanly as possible. Wherever feasible, the team will rely on existing Housing infrastructure, shared resources, and City systems rather than creating new administrative layers. New positions will be hired as hourly staff to provide flexibility should LACAHSA modify program requirements in future funding rounds. Staff will also be cross-train staff, streamline workflows, and prevent duplication with the existing programs. Overtime procedures will be refined to minimize manual workload and increase operational efficiency, and outreach will 112
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continue to leverage existing City channels to control costs. Importantly, any savings achieved in administrative or delivery costs during implementation will be redirected into the GRASP direct assistance pool, thereby increasing the number of Glendale households served. This approach ensures that LACAHSA funds are used as efficiently and impactfully as possible, with the maximum benefit flowing directly to renters facing housing instability.
Council Options
While the GRASP Policies & Procedures were drafted to fully comply with LACAHSA’s RPHP requirements, several program elements remain discretionary and can be adjusted by the Glendale City Council. The City may tighten eligibility or strengthen equity tools, but may not go below the minimum standards required by LACAHSA.
1. Initial Eligibility Thresholds - Council may adjust who is eligible for GRASP above the LACAHSA minimums. Options include:
a. Lowering the income threshold from 80% AMI to 50% AMI or 30% AMI. b. Adding population-based requirements, such as limiting eligibility to:
households with children,
seniors 62+,
households below a certain rent-burden level,
or other locally defined vulnerable groups.
2.Critical vs. Non-Critical Grouping - The current model creates two queues:
Critical(imminent eviction, UD filed, utility shutoff)or Non-Critical (recent hardship with a housing nexus, but no immediate threat.) Council has two options:
a.Keep the two-tiered system as designed;
b.Merge all applicants into a single list, treating all cases equally regardless of urgency.
3. Prioritization System (Points Rubric or Alternatives) - The current GRASP rubric assigns points for prioritization. Council may:
a. Adjust point values (e.g., increase weight for disability, or extreme rent burden).
b. Add or remove categories (e.g., award points for veterans or extremely low-income renters).
c. Replace the point-based system entirely with:
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i. lottery model,
ii. first-come/first-served model, or
iii. hybrid system
4. Target Groups - Council may set target service levels for specific priority groups, the current target groups are: 20% seniors 62+, 10 GCC student household.
Council may:
i.Keep the proposed targets
ii.Increase or decrease target levels
iii.Add other groups
5. Attorney Services Requirement & Waiver Option - LACAHSA requires jurisdictions to allocate 20% of RPHP funds toward approved attorney services unless a waiver is granted. With a $2.1M total allocation, Glendale’s 20% set- aside would equal approximately $421,000.Council options:
a. Fund an attorney-services program
b. Request a waiver from LACAHSA
If Council authorizes a waiver:
The $334,000.00 would instead be added to direct GRASP assistance; and
Staff recommends using the small remaining portion (~$87,000) for:
ofocused outreach/education on high-risk areas, and/or a limited-scope partnership with a local nonprofit for light-touch legal navigation (e.g., reviewing notices, understanding UD paperwork).
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
N/A.
FISCAL IMPACT
If Council directs staff to request a 20% Attorney Services waiver, the revised LACAHSA RPHP allocation available to Glendale will be:
Total Revised Allocation: $2,018,558.44
Direct Assistance – GRASP: $1,418,558.44
LIFERAP: $300,000
Administration: $295,000
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Delivery Costs: $210,000
Measure A funding will cover the full cost of wages for the hourly positions. The department will return to Council at a future date to appropriate the funds.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The actions described in this report related to GRASP implementation and staffing are exempt from further environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations ("CEQA Guidelines") for all of the following reasons: 1) the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment under CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(2) because the activity relates to assistance to renters and prevention of homelessness; 2) the activity is not a project under CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) and 15378(b)(4) because it constitutes the creation of government funding mechanisms or other governmental fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment; and 3) the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment, and here, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. Do not approve and authorize implementation of the GRASP as outlined in the attached Policies & Procedures Manual, along with the staffing and administrative structure.
2. Any other alternative not recommended by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Prepared by:
Sipan Zadoryan, Housing Supervisor
Peter Zovak, Assistant Director of Community Development Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Policies & Procedures Manual