AR 18 SUPP CORRESPONDENCE PART 2 — Pasadena City Council, May 23, 2022

McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Eloise Kaeck
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2022 7:01 AM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: religious land rezoning
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Please support the initiative to have unused land owned by religious institutions to be repurposed for affordable housing. Church membership continues its decline; and congregations are left with large buildings and 30 old people to carry on. This is a major opportunity to allow religious institutions to do housing ministry for families and seniors unable to afford the high rents now. I helped with Pasadena's homeless count two years ago and my heart goes out to women younger than me who are vulnerable to assault and bad weather and hunger. They are normal people sleeping in cars and everywhere. Expedite the permitting process too! My ADU took inordinate time with bureaucratic inefficiency.

Thank you for your concern for affordable housing.
eloise kaeck
Summit Avenue, Dist 3
05/23/2022
Item 18
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Allie Schreiner
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2022 10:54 AM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Rezone religious land for affordable housing!
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Dear Mayor and City Council,
My name is Allison Schreiner.

I have lived, worked in and around the Pasadena area for the past 25 years. In that time I have seen housing/rent prices soar and it become increasingly more difficult for middle class/working families to afford to live in this great city and participate/contribute to all it has to offer.

I support the proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

There are ways that this zoning amendment can be written that will assure that it will work and actually produce affordable housing, and there are ways that it can be written that will assure that it will not work. For example, if the amendment allows for sufficient density at each site, then projects will be financially feasible, and the zoning amendment will work. But if it does not allow enough density at each site, then projects won't be financially feasible, and the zoning amendment will be virtually useless.

There are other factors, such as the process of approval for each project, that will have bearing on whether the zoning amendment will work or not.

Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) has addressed these factors in their letter, so I recommend that the council seriously consider what MHCH has proposed.

We desperately need more affordable housing in Pasadena. Please pass a zoning amendment that works to create more affordable housing! It is essential for residents of this great community. Let's make it accessible to more citizens, families across the economic spectrum! Thank you.

Allison Schreiner
05/23/2022
Item 18
1 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: stephen talbert
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2022 11:06 AM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Rezone Religious Land for Affordable Housing
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Dear Mayor and City Council:

I support the proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

There are other factors, such as the process of approval for each project, that will have bearing on whether the zoning amendment will work or not.

Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) has addressed these factors in their letter, so I recommend that the council seriously consider what MHCH has proposed.

We desperately need more affordable housing in Pasadena. Please pass a zoning amendment that works to create more affordable housing.

Thank you.

Susan Talbert
Pasadena, CA
Sent from my iPhone
05/23/2022
Item 18
1 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:

Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 1:37 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: rezone religious land for affordable housing
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Dear Mayor and City Council:

I attend Pasadena Foursquare Church and own a condo in Pasadena with my husband.

Due to our daughter and her family not being able to find affordable housing in Pasadena and what I have seen in our own condo complex, I support the proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

Since being on the HOA Board of my condo complex, I have noticed a consistent overturn of rental residents. This begins when an owner who cannot afford to stay in their unit, sells it cheaply to a person who flips the unit for more money who then rents it out at an outrageous price. Due to this, people who cannot afford to stay move out and there becomes a revolving door. As a result, the absence of these families with small and elementary aged children causes the City of Pasadena and Pasadena Schools to suffer.

We have also had homeless people relieve themselves in the bushes around our property. As a result, some owners sold their units and moved because they did not feel safe when they went out for walks.

I believe affordable housing on church land can be one way to solve the problem so families can find homes to raise their children and invest themselves into Pasadena and the schools.

Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Lori Holloway
05/23/2022
Item 18
1 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Chase Stafford
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 2:47 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Rezone religious land for affordable land
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Dear Mayor Gordo and City Council,
I support the proposal to rezone land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

I am a Pasadena homeowner and a member of Pasadena Foursquare Church. I want to see more affordable housing built because I care about my neighbors who are homeless and those who can no longer afford to live here. I also care because I want my kids to be able to afford to live here, whether or not they have high paying I urge you to ensure the zoning amendment is written in a way that will assure affordable housing gets built at a significant scale. The need for more affordable housing is great and this is a valuable opportunity for Pasadena to walk the talk and lead on afforable housing.

Thank you for your public service to all Pasadena residents.

Chase Stafford
05/23/2022
Item 18
1 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Jonah Kanner
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 4:08 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Please support affordable housing on congregational land Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button, Learn more....

Dear Mayor and City Council members,
Thank you for considering the proposal to rezone congregational land for affordable housing. I am writing in support of this innovative and much needed zone change.

I am writing as a person who works, volunteers, and prays in Pasadena, and who rides my bike on Pasadena streets seven days a week. Spending even a little time in Pasadena makes it immediately clear that we have a crisis of people experiencing homelessness. Recently, my 10-year-old son and I were unable to load our bikes at the Allen Street metro station because a person was asleep in the elevator. How do I explain to my son that some people have to sleep in elevators, because we don't give them any other options? Clearly, we need to be providing better support for struggling people in our city.

I know this issue is also important to all members of the city council. Thank you for the work you have already done to support more affordable housing in Pasadena, including creating affordable housing at Heritage Square.

I support rezoning congregational land because churches and temples are ideal sites for affordable housing.

There are many congregations already involved in helping homeless and low-income individuals with food clothing, and other services. These supporting environments are essential if we want to both help folks get into housing, and access the support and services they need to thrive. Please, let's give congregations a chance to provide our community with much needed affordable housing so we can continue to see our homeless count I urge you to adopt a zoning policy that will work to allow congregations to have affordable housing built on their underutilized land. The staff recommends zone changes only for commercial and public/semi-public zones, which excludes most congregations in our city. Please make sure that you pass an ordinance that works for tax credit funded projects.

Thank you for the work you are doing for our city.

Sincerely,
Jonah Kanner
05/23/2022
Item 18
•
1 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Jill Shook •
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 7:11 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse; Madison, Steve; Felicia Williams :Andy Wilson ([email protected]); Masuda,
Gene; Kennedy, John J.; Hampton for Pasadena Board of Education Tyron Hampton Gordo, Victor; Reyes, David
Co: Anthony Manousos; Bert Newton; Burns Philip; Maxwell Ogden
Subject: re: To our city Council Members, analysis of the staff's religious land zoning proposal, please review and provide feedback, Thank you! Jill Shook for MHCH CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more Dear Mayor Gordo and City Councilmembers,
Vice Mayor Andy Wilson requested that we provide some hard data regarding the difference between what the Housing Department proposes, and what we propose, regarding rezoning religious land (Item #18 on the agenda). Please note that our proposal simply increases the units per acre from 32 to 36 and asks that the development standards for projects in commercial and PS zones be no more restrictive than those of an RM32 zone.

Phil Burns (principal of the Aroyo Group), Blair Miller (city planner for the City of LA) and Max Ogden (Cal Tech) identified all the churches in commercial and PS zones that could have 50-unit projects on their property—the minimum size for a project to be competitive and obtain tax credit and other funding. Their analysis considers both zoning capacity and actual available space to build. "Space to build" was calculated as parking lots + any older, non-historic, non-sanctuary buildings.

Please note that only a few of these churches have indicated interest in having affordable housing built on their property. This analysis just indicates the potential for development if they are interested in providing affordable housing. Here's the bottom line:
• The current staff recommendation of 32 du/ac with development standards based on adjacent zone would allow only 3 additional churches to have affordable housing built on their property. None of these churches have indicated interest in having affordable housing on their property.
• Our recommendations (36 du/ac and development standards for RM32 zones) would add 7 more potential sites. Several of these churches have indicated interest in having affordable housing built on their property.

We're especially concerned that New Life Holiness, an African American church on N. Fair Oaks, be included in this zoning amendment since they have been ready to move forward with a project since early 2020. Their project would be around 50 units--the minimum to be competitive for tax credit and other funding. It has been suggested that this church could ask for a variance or CUP, but, in reality, Item 18 neither the variance nor the CUP would be able to increase the number of units, a variance can only tweak the development standards not the density. Additionally, the affordable housing 1 development community has already indicated to us that they are not willing to take on the cost and the risk of a discretionary approval in Pasadena for such a relatively small project. So, the only way for this church to be able to have affordable housing on their property would be to increase the units per acre to 36.

ANALYSIS OF RELIGIOUS SITES IN COMMERCIAL AND PS ZONES

THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
These are congregations that have capacity for 50 units, including maximum density bonus:

Existing Zoning & Space to Build (without zoning amendment) - 6 (only two of these have expressed any interest
St. Andrew's (Parking address: 140 Chestnut St.)
Scottish Rite Cathedral (150 N. Madison Ave.)
Christian Science Church (80 S. Oakland Ave.)
First Baptist (Parking address: 150 E. Holly St.)
All Saints Parking (Parking address: 200 N. Euclid St.) Knox Presbyterian (225 S. Hill Ave.)
Added by Staff Proposal - 3: (only one has expressed interest) Lake Ave Church (434 Maple Way)
Church of Latter Day Saints (770 N. Sierra Madre Villa Ave.) Hill Av Grace Lutheran (73 N. Hill Ave.)
Added by adjusting the development standards to RM-32 adjacent to low-density zones - 4:
(only one has expressed interest)
First Lutheran Church (808 N. Los Robles Ave.)
St. Philip (151 S. Hill Ave.)
Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene (3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.) Mission Gathering (789 N. Altadena Dr.)
Added by adjusting the density from 32 to 36 du/ac with development standards that come with 32 du/ac zoning. (Note: all will require reasonable affordable housing concessions to address development standard limitations) - 3: (only one of these has expressed interest) New Life Holiness Church (2005 N. Fair Oaks Ave.)
Bridge Church (400 W. Claremont St.)
Living Waters Church (835 Hastings Ranch Dr.)
If you support a staff proposal that amends the staff's proposal to 36 du/a with the development standards for 32 du/a there would be only about 5 churches served by of the ten that have expressed interest. This is a great start. There are some other congregations which also have a theoretical zoning capacity over 50 units, but they are very limited on space as defined above, so it's doubtful that they could reach 50, even with affordable housing concession permits.

As you can see, our proposal is extremely modest but it could potentially produce several hundred units of affordable housing without encroaching on single family neighborhoods. It would bring millions of dollars of investment in additional to the investment of local materials, local job and local contracts due to Pasadena's 20/20/20 rule. It would also help us meet our RHNA numbers. But most importantly, it will address an urgent need for more high quality affordable housing in our city. If this experiment works, it could be expanded to include institutional land or tweaked to include more congregations.
2 We hope and pray that you will be favorable to making the needed adjustments to the staff proposal.

Please send it back to the Planning with the Housing Department to work together on an adjusted proposal that will serve to provide affordable housing for our city.

Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you!! Anthony Manousos and Jill Shook for Making Housing and Community Happen [email protected]
www.makinghousinghappen.org
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Tim Wendler -
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 7:22 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Item 18 - RELIGIOUS FACILITIES WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING Some people who received this message don't often get email from 1 i Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more....

Mayor Gordo and Members of the City Council:

Thank you for your active support of housing including the Mayor's Housing Task Force and your support of projects like Heritage Square South and the Civic Center. As a Planning Commissioner representing District 5, lave followed the development of the proposed zoning code amendment to allow more flexibility for religiou institutions to develop additional affordable housing for our community. I support the staff recommendation and encourage you to do so as well:
• We need more housing especially affordable housing - our community is telling us that, and we should listen.
• We need to be careful, then, when we do have proposals that do improve housing supply, we should seek to embrace them, not try to find reasons not to support them. • We have been discussing this as a community for quite a while, and I think we have taken too long, so let's accomplish something now. There may be opportunities to expand this down the road to include other community institutions, but let's not delay this improvement to, for instance, debate definitions of institutions for another six months or longer.
• Staff has done a great job of consolidating all the input and finding a good approach and I support the staff recommendation.

Thank you for your consideration of this important measure. -Tim Wendler
Pasadena, CA 91104
05/23/2022
Item 18
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Bert Newton
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 8:11 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Cc: Kennedy, John J.; Jill Shook; Anthony Manousos
Subject: Rezone Religious Land for Affordable Housing, Item 18 CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more...

Dear Mayor and City Council,
I'm writing to support rezoning religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing in a way that will actually produce much needed affordable housing units.

There are only 6 church sites in the city that currently have the zoning that makes an affordable housing project pencil out, and most of those have not expressed any interest in having affordable housing built on their land.

The proposal coming out of the Planning Department will work for only 3 additional sites. The density that it proposes is too low and the development standards are too limiting.

The staff recommendation proposes a base density of 32 dwelling units per acre, using the development standards of "the least restrictive abutting zoning district," so, even though the site may be on a major thoroughfare, if it abuts single family zoning, it will be subject to the development standards of single family homes, which will, of course, kill those projects. The development standards need to be appropriate to the density.

The analysis by MHCH tell us that by adding just 4 more dwelling units per acre, for a minimum of 36 dwelling units per acre, and using more reasonable development standards, 7 churches would be added to the list of those where building affordable housing would be feasible.

This is a modest and very reasonable proposal.

The Planning staff should consult with the staff at the Housing Department on these matters.

All of this housing will fit into the surrounding neighborhood. It will go through design review. Think of how Marv's Place fits into the neighborhood. That is what we are talking about.

The proposal being made by MHCH is reasonable and modest. It will only apply to churches in Commercial and PS Zones, not to churches in the middle of neighborhoods.

The state policy of Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing mandates cities to spread affordable housing evenly throughout their jurisdictions. Rezoning church land would be a step in that direction. If we are not going to take this step, then what steps are we going to take to do that? This one would be modest, if we can't do this one, then that signals that we aren't going to spread affordable housing evenly throughout Pasadena.

Please rezone religious land for affordable housing in a way that facilitates its spread throughout the city. 05/23/2022
Item 18
1 Thank you,
Rev. Bert Newton
Making Housing and Community Happen

RECEIVED
2022 MAY 23 AM 9:31

BUNGALOW HEAVEN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Mr. Victor Gordo, Mayor May 22, 2022
Ms. Felicia Williams, City Council District 2
Ms. Jess Rivas, City Council District 5
Subject: Zoning Code Amendment for Religious Facilities with Affordable Housing Dear Mayor and Council Members:

The Bungalow Heaven Neighborhood Association (BHNA) would like to go on record as supporting City initiatives that encourage the building of more affordable housing to address the current un-housed crisis in our state. While our association has a few concerns about the proposed zoning code amendment for religious facilities with affordable housing, we respect the City's intent to identify solutions to provide more affordable housing within our city.

We are also pleased to see that the amendment includes protection for Landmark Districts and Historic Neighborhoods in the final staff recommendation. We encourage the City Council to include these protections in the final amendment.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Mark
Mark Munger
President, Bungalow Heaven Neighborhood Association
P.O. BOX 40812 • PASADENA, CA - 91114-7812
PHONE: 626-585-2172 • E-MAIL: [email protected]
WEBSITE: WWW.BVNGALOWHEAVEN.ORG 05/23/2022
Item 18
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council,
Pasadena needs more affordable housing. As a longtime advocate of housing as a human right, I have pushed for more affordable units citywide on underutilized land. However, I have serious concerns at this time about amending Pasadena's Zoning Code to create a new Land Use Category, "Religious Facility with Affordable Housing" ("the Amendment"), given the many issues raised, questionable purpose, inherent inequity as written, disregard for the entire community, and limited possibility to increase significantly housing affordability. Furthermore, in compliance with State law (CA Govt. Sec. 65030) and best professional planning practices, the Staff Report does not disclose or discuss the potentially vast unintended consequences. Thus, as a Planning Commissioner and Design Commissioner, I voted against recommending the Amendment for the following reasons:
• The Amendment creates a new land use category--"Religious Facility with Affordable Housing"--that supersedes an existing use with 'By Right' zoning, setting a precarious precedent. "By Right" development eliminates the underlying zoning, substitutes development standards for those that would apply, and precludes any form of public, Planning Commission, or City Council participation in the approval process (other than appeals to the Council of a Design Commission approval).
• There is no draft ordinance to review and approve. The ordinance will amend the Zoning Code. Staff reports are not used to regulate land use but Zoning Codes are. The exact language of the proposed ordinance for the Amendment, as members of the Planning Commission requested, should be provided to the public and the City Council before any actions are taken. • The Amendment essentially creates "mini-Planned Developments" (PDs), a de facto form of spot-zoning citywide. Like the PD, the Amendment would erase base zoning designations; however, in this case a project would not be subject to contextual design considerations and discretionary review in any form. The eliminated discretionary reviews would include Pre- Development Review ("PPR") by the City Council (required for 50 units or more), Planning Commission recommendation and City Council approval (currently required for PDs), and (potentially) Zoning Hearing Officer review for any affordable housing concessions (currently required for all eligible projects). This means church-housing developers would be given carte blanche to build projects as they see fit that might be out-of-scale and context with their surroundings, citywide with no oversight. Given the number and location of churches, this 'one-size-fits-all approach is consequential (see maps in Staff Report, Attachments E. and F.). • The Amendment erodes due process. 'By right' undermines all public participation that has established the underlying zoning, including the 2015 General Plan Land Use Element Update and subsequent Specific Plan Updates now underway. This disregard for the public process and lack of governmental transparency further erodes the community's confidence and trust in the City Council and City staff. The City has spent approximately $5 million in public funds on consulting and outreach costs, and the community has volunteered countless hours towards those efforts. 'By Right' eliminates the right of the community to weigh in on development issues that concern them. All developers, including affordable housing ones, should abide by the community's underlying zoning and standards and respect the public engagement process.
• If the Amendment is designed to help failing churches, then selling their surplus land at Fair Market Value, instead of doing ground leases, is more likely to ensure longer-term viability for religious institutions. If church property is ground leased, religious institutions put their property at risk if the developer defaults on its financing. Have churches been provided a clear picture of the risks of ground leasing their land, which subsidizes development? While it benefits and protects the developer, the church's lease revenue for its land may be far less than if the church sold its property at Fair Market Value. • Furthermore, if the underlying purpose of the Amendment is to help failing churches become financially solvent by building housing, "By Right" zoning may constitute favoritism, a special privilege that is contrary to the constitutional guarantee of equal protection. What makes a religious business any better suited as a landlord than any other one? • Extending the financial opportunity to all non-profits, especially those located in Public/Semi- Public zones, which currently prohibits housing would broaden the possibility of constructing more affordable housing citywide and do so in an equitable manner, a far better approach.

Pasadena does not need any more market-rate housing. If the purpose of the Amendment is genuinely to provide more affordable housing then, as the Planning Commission initially recommended, 100% of the units must be affordable. Staff has argued that 20% needs to be market rate to make the project 'pencil out' for developers. But no evidence has been presented in terms of development pro forma that has been analyzed by City staff. • If application of the State Density Bonus law results in additional housing units, would the additional units be market rate or affordable?
• The Amendment supersedes all previous entitlements for a site and is based on considering the 'least restrictive' adjacent use in applying development standards. This means that all single-family residential districts-the 'most restrictive use' - adjacent to church properties are not considered or protected and might be severely impacted.

Pasadena households of all ethnicities and income levels own and maintain single-family homes and the City's largest land use zone in terms of area is single-family residential. The Amendment would allow upwards of 75 multi-family units next to a single-family house or duplex. There would be no limit if all units were affordable to very-low-income tenants and 2 adjacent homeowners would have no recourse, except to appeal the physical design. Given the number and location of churches, this 'one-size-fits-all' approach is also consequential. • The Amendment allows a density of 32-units per acre on any parcel regardless of size with a "By Right" 75-unit cap. Why were these amounts specified and why are they appropriate citywide?
Exceeding the 75-unit cap requires only a Minor Conditional Use Permit (MCUP). The MCUP means that exceeding the cap would be approved at the City staff level with no public process, required noticing and community outreach. This would, again, by-pass the Planning Commission and other discretionary public review bodies. • In preparing the Amendment, the City made no concerted effort to reach out and inform the public at large--especially potentially impacted neighborhoods--about the long-term impacts of an Amendment that severely limits their civil right to appeal. • In preparing the Addendum to the General Plan EIR, about nine (9) properties were identified where housing is not now allowed that would benefit from the Amendment, which Staff refused to disclose by address (See Attachment F.). Because noticing of the CEQA document is not required by statute, neither the public at large nor the surrounding property owners of the identified sites were ever notified of potential impacts, which also includes negative impacts on their property values.
• Findings of Approval for the Amendment cannot be made as it is not in compliance with State law or the City's General Plan. CA Government Code Sections 65030 and 65033 require public participation at every level of the planning process. In particular, Section 65030 states:

The Legislature recognizes the importance of public participation at every level of the planning process. It is therefore the policy of the state and the intent of the Legislature that each state, regional, and local agency concerned in the planning process involve the public through public hearings, informative meetings, publicity and other means available to them, and that at such hearings and other public forums, the public be afforded the opportunity to respond to clearly defined alternative objectives, policies, and action.
• Importantly, Guiding Principle #7 of Pasadena's General Plan also states: "Community participation will be a permanent part of achieving a greater city." At no time has the public at large been adequately notified or given the opportunity to review viable alternatives or the proposed language of the Amendment. The majority of input has come from a small number of proponents led by affordable housing developers and several churches. • The Amendment does not require units to remain affordable should the property be sold and no longer under religious facility control. Affordable housing covenants should be recorded and run with the land, not the financing.
3 • The Amendment is silent on how providing housing on church-owned land will be non- discriminatory if in conflict with religious beliefs. Under the US Constitution, the First Amendment states that "..Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This may permit churches to discriminate against such groups as the LGBTQ community and people of color or other faiths. • The definition of 'religious facility' in the City's Zoning Code is broad and vague, which the Amendment does not address. The Planning Commission recommended more clarity, such as in order to benefit, a 'religious facility' must have operated as such and owned the subject site a minimum of five (5) years prior to applying for permits and provide proof of non-profit status.

Otherwise, any developer could claim to be a 'religious facility and build a "mini-PD" anywhere. Does it have to stay a church for another 5 years post development? • Under CA Senate Bill 9, landmark and historic districts are excluded from residential development beyond the base zoning. However, the Amendment does not similarly exclude church-owned sites within those districts nor does it protect historic or historic-eligible church buildings per the Sec. of Interior's standards, consistent with the City's Historic Preservation Ordinance.

In conclusion, most of Pasadena's religious-owned property is zoned for housing but little has been built (see the Attachment F. map). No members of the clergy have spoken at Planning Commission or Housing Task Force meetings about the proposed Amendment to allow their congregation to build affordable housing on their surplus property. At the April 27, 2022, Planning Commission meeting, Staff confirmed that only one (1) religious facility, New Life Holiness Church, has approached the City to date to build housing where the zoning precludes it; however, this church has not applied for a zone change. The proposed Amendment appears to be driven more by developers who stand to profit from these housing developments than by churches.

I urge you to continue the Amendment until these and other community issues raised are resolved.

Sincerely,
Julenne Degaer
Julianna Delgado, MArch, PhD, FAICP
Planning Commissioner, City of Pasadena
Design Commissioner, City of Pasadena
Member, Mayor's Housing Task Force
President, Southern California Planning Congress
Professor Emerita, Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
4 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Richard Richardson
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 8:02 AM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Re: Affordable housing
Some people who received this message don't often get email from earn why this is important CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more....

I and my family have lived in Pasadena almost 20 years. During that time, we have lived in affordable housing. We would not been able to live in Pasadena without it. Where we live is associated with the Pasadena Foursquare Church. It is helped to provide a good community of neighbors to raise my daughter with.

I am grateful for the city giving consideration to help address the need for affordable housing. It's a great need especially for families living in the community.

I urge you to adopt a zoning policy that will work to allow congregations to have affordable housing built on their underutilized land. The staff recommends zone changes only for commercial and public/semi-public zones, which excludes most congregations in our city. Please make sure that you pass an ordinance that works by increasing the number of units per acre from 32 to 36, only four additional units.

The need for affordable housing is "desperate," as Mayor Gordo has said. Soaring housing costs are driving low-income residents, especially people of color, out of our city. Even middle-class people can't afford Pasadena's high rents or median home price, which is now over one million dollars. Allowing congregations to address this crisis is in keeping with the city's mission: "All Pasadena residents have an equal right to live in decent, safe and affordable housing in a suitable living environment for the long-term well-being and stability of themselves, their families, their neighborhoods, and their community." Allowing congregations to have affordable housing built on their underutilized land will help the city meet its state-mandated goal of 6,000 units of affordable housing in the next eight 05/23/2022
Item 18
1 years.

Thank you for your consideration,
Richard Richardson
2 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Jennifer C. Duval >
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2022 8:39 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Affordable Housing Pasadena
Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more...

Dear Mayor and City Council
My name is Jennifer C Duval Jackson. I attend First AME Pasadena.

I support the proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

There are other factors, such as the process of approval for each project, that will have bearing on whether the zoning amendment will work or not.

Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) has addressed these factors in their letter, so I recommend that the council seriously consider what MHCH has proposed.

We desperately need more affordable housing in Pasadena. Please pass a zoning amendment that works to create more affordable housing.

Thank you.

Jennifer C. Duval Jackson
05/23/2022
Item 18
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Leslie Cheng
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2022 10:30 AM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Rezone religious land for affordable housing
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Dear Mayor and City Council,
I am one of the pastors at First Baptist Church of Pasadena, and I support the proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

There are other factors, such as the process of approval for each project, that will have bearing on whether the zoning amendment will work or not.

Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) has addressed these factors in their letter, so I recommend that the council seriously consider what MHCH has proposed.

We desperately need more affordable housing in Pasadena. Please pass a zoning amendment that works to create more affordable housing.

Thank you for your consideration,
Leslie Cheng
First Baptist Church Pasadena | Worship Pastor
[email protected]|
FBC

PASADENA
05/23/2022
Item 18

RECEIVED

PASADENA
HER ITAGE 2022 MAY. 23, AM,9: 59
65 I SOUTH ST. JOHN AVENUE
PRESERVATION | ADVOCACY | EDUCATION PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91105-2913 WWW.PASADENAHERITAGE.ORG May 20, 2022
Pasadena City Council
City of Pasadena
100 North Garfield Avenue
Pasadena, California 91101
Re: Religious Facilities with Affordable Housing
Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council,
Pasadena Heritage is supportive of these proposed regulations, and glad to see them further refined. Since the January meeting, we have met with members of Making Housing and Community Happen in the North Fair Oaks neighborhood to understand the issues better. We thank them for inviting us and for taking the time to meet with us.

Since we are going through the efforts of crafting this ordinance, it is important that it be applied as broadly as possible so as not to concentrate outcomes in one neighborhood and to create more opportunities for affordable housing citywide. We support the inclusion of PS zones, which will cover many of the Post-War religious institutions in Pasadena, particularly in easter portions of the City.

Additionally, it must be said that many of the commercial only areas in Specific Plan areas could reasonably be converted to mixed-use. Retail has struggled due to online shopping and commercial office has struggled due to remote working. Allowing mixed-use would allow market-rate housing to be newly built or created through adaptive reuse. We understand that is a separate effort, but one you will continue to keep in mind as your review the upcoming Specific Plan proposals.

Finally but most importantly, we are supportive of applying the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for projects adjacent to designated or eligible historic resources. This will ensure compatibility with the existing church as well as the adjacent neighborhoods.

Sincerely,
Aan soli.

Susan N. Mossman Andrew Salimian
Executive Director Preservation Director
05/23/2022
Item 18
PRESERVATION | ADVOCACY EDUCATION
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:

Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2022 8:57 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Rezone religious land for affordable housing
Some people who received this message don't often get email from am why this is important CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more...

Dear Mayor and City Council
I am a member of First Baptist Church of Pasadena, and I support the proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

There are other factors, such as the process of approval for each project, that will have bearing on whether the zoning amendment will work or not.

Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) has addressed these factors in their letter, so I recommend that the council seriously consider what MHCH has proposed.

We desperately need more affordable housing in Pasadena. Please pass a zoning amendment that works to create more affordable housing.

Thank you.

Nori Ochi
05/23/2022
Item 18
1 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: eunice kim
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2022 9:14 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: rezone religious land for affordable housing
Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more...

Dear Mayor and City Council
I support the proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing.

There are ways that this zoning amendment can be written that will assure that it will work and actually produce affordable housing, and there are ways that it can be written that will assure that it Will not work. For example, if the amendment allows for sufficient density at each site, then projects will be financially feasible, and the zoning amendment will work. But if it does not allow enough density at each site, then projects won't be financially feasible, and the zoning amendment will be virtually useless.

There are other factors, such as the process of approval for each project, that will have bearing on whether the zoning amendment will work or not.

Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) has addressed these factors in their letter, so l recommend that the council seriously consider what MHCH has proposed.

We desperately need more affordable housing in Pasadena. Please pass a zoning amendment that works to create more affordable housing.

Thank you.

Eunice Kim
05/23/2022
Item 18
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: KIRAGAMI
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 11:09 AM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Rezone Religious Land for affordable housing
Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more....

To whom it may concern,
My name is Gabriel Spagnulo.

I attend church in Pasadena. I live in the Neighboring city of Alhambra. Particularly we live in Alhambra as it is one of the only affordable areas to rent in Los Angeles County. My roommate and I are still in debt over $15,000 in unpaid rent and $7, 000 in unpaid utilities from our last rental.

This is all coming from parts of LA which are considered to be much more affordable than Pasadena & still there is a major crisis and discrepancy in average household income & rent cost; resulting in an inability to pay rent. Especially in high rent cost areas like Pasadena.

Adding affordable housing to church land is a major benefit - to be able to allow people to stay In Pasadena where they would otherwise be forced out by high cost of living. There are many families that would be given a chance to stay on their feet and avoid houselessness by the passing of this Act.

As our representatives we hope that you will hear our call for assistance in this matter of our loved Pasadena friends and families facing potential displacement.

Best,
Gabriel Spagnuolo
05/23/2022
Item 18

Pasadena City CouncilMay 23, 2022

Pasadena City Council
May 23, 2022