McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Barrett Schreiner
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 1:09 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Rezone religious land for affordable housing
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Dear Mayor and City Council
My name is Barrett Schreiner. I am a member of Pasadena Mennonite Church, which is located in District 4.
Individually, and as a member of Pasadena Mennonite Church, 1 am very committed to affordable housing in the Pasadena area. Our church, which currently has significant space that is little used, has considered using that space to construct additional housing to help alleviate the housing shortage and unacceptably high rents in Pasadena. This is a matter of justice--plain and simple--and Pasadena churches certainly can play a role in the solution.
In short, 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.
Thank you.
Barrett Schreiner
05/23/2022
Item 18
1 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Dan Huynh
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 1:09 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Congregational Land Agenda Item 18
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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.
First off, I want to thank the mayor and council for creating a dedicated Housing Task Force. The lack of affordable housing and tenant struggles in Pasadena has been a chronic emergency that has long needed all of the city's attention. I have been a renter in District 3 for the last seven years and work in Pasadena as well.
Since my days revolve around the city and my community in the Northwest, I can't help but notice how few options are given to working people and families to stay housed. For instance, in 2019, a new landlord forced me and an entire building of families out by increasing the rent $1,000. My then neighbor was sending his daughter to a special education program at a PUSD elementary school, one of the few that he, as a single father, could afford and commute to. Tragically, much like Jefferson Elementary, they shuttered their doors due to declining enrollments. When I asked staff at Jefferson what they think was happening, they said their students' families were leaving because they could no longer afford Pasadena. Through tenant organizing I've come to learn that these events are not the exception; they are connected and a widespread community issue that has its roots in the city's housing policies. This is why changing the zoning for churches to create affordable housing is one key action that city council can take to stem the rising tide of economic pressures that poor working families have been facing for years.
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.
The need for affordable housing is "desperate," as Mayor Gordo has pointed out. 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 spiraling 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 years. 05/23/2022
Item 18
1 Thank you,
Dan
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Suzanne Bruins
Sent:
Monday, May 23, 2022 1:41 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Allowing Churches to Build Affordable Housing on their Excess Lands 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...
My name is Suzanne Bruins. I do live in Altadena but I am an active member of Pasadena Presbyterian Church and taught in the Pasadena Unified School District for 39 years.
There are many talking points that apply to the issue of rezoning to allow churches that wish to build affordable housing on their excess lands. BUT I simply do not understand what the objections could possibly be considering the dire housing crisis that Pasadena is facing. Make the process appropriate, make the process easy and allow affordable housing to be built throughout the city as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Suzanne Bruins
Altadena, CA 91001
:05/23/2022
1 Item 18
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Bert Newton
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 1:56 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Item 18 rezone religious land; letters from people at risk.
Attachments: NewGuidingLight-Church-NFO-DisplacedMembers-1.pdff 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've attached 3 letters signed by members of a group of people who are at risk of being displaced and having to leave Pasadena.
Rev. Bert Newton
Making Housing and Community Happen
05/23/2022
Item 18
Date: May 27, 2022
Dear Pasadena City Council,
We appreciate our city's commitment to affordable housing. As you know, one of the biggest obstacles to building affordable housing is a lack of sites. About ten churches in Pasadena would like to have churches are not properly zoned for this use. For this reason, fask affordable housing built on their underutilized land. Yet most of these will permit housing and make it possible for projecs to qualify for that the city create a citywide religious land zoning amendment that process. This will assure that these projocts will succeed with funding funding sources like tax credits, and that will streamline the approval and provide well-designed, beautiful housing in a timely fashion.
The housing crisis is real, and the need is urgent, as avident from these statistics:
521 in our last homeless count (2019)
• 700 students considered homeless in PUSD
• 19% of all PC students have experienced homelessness. this way. We ask that you do all you can to pass this amendment as Pleasa allow interested Pasadena congregations to serve our city in soon as possible. Thanks for your consideration.
Signed Diane Thee
Printed
name: Diane bee
Addross::
Cell (optional):
New Guidey Lishut
Date: 5/23/22
Dear Pasadena City Council,
know, one of the biggest obstacles to building affordable housing is a We appreciate our city's commitment to affordable housing. As you lack of sites. About ten churches in Pasadena would like to have affordable housing built on their underutilized land. Yet most of these that the city create a citywide religious land zoning amendment that churches are not properly zoned for this use. For this reason, l ask will permit housing and make it possible for projects to qualify for process. This will assure that those projects will succeed with funding funding sources like tax credits, and that will streamline the approval and provide well-designed, beautiful housing in a timely fashion.
The housing crisis is real, and the need is urgent, as evident from those statistics:
* 521 in our last homeless count (2019)
700 students considered homeless in PUSD
19% of all PCC students have experienced homelessness.
this way. We ask that you do all you can to pass this amendment as Please allow interested Pasadena congregations to serve our city in soon as possible. Thanks for your consideration.
signed Bette Black
Printed
name:
_ Betty BLACK
Address:
Cell (optional):
pasadina, Ca 91103
Date: 5-22-22
Dear Pasadena City Council,
Wa appreciate our city's commitment to affordable housing. As you know, one of the biggest obstacles to building affordable housing is a lack of sites. About ton churches in Pasadena would like to have affordable housing built on their underutilized land. Yet most of those churches are not property zoned for this use. For this reason, 1 ask that the city create a citywide religlous land zoning amendment that will permit housing and make it possible for projects to quality for funding sources like tax credits, and that will streamline the approval process. This will assure that those projects will succeed with funding and provide well-designed, beautiful housing in a timely fashion.
The housing crisis is real, and the need is urgent, as evident from those statistics:
• 521 in our last homeless count (2019)
• 700 students considered homeless in PUSD
• 19% of all PCC students have experienced homelessness.
Please allow interested Pasadena congregations to serve our city in this way. We ask that you do all you can to pass this amendment as soon as possible. Thanks for your consideration.
Signed_ Kerse
Printed
name: Therere Stevencon
Address:_
Cell (optional):
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: charla bolton
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 2:55 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse
Subject: Hearing #18 Zoning Code Amendment : Religious Facilities with Affordable Housing Some people who received this message don't often get email from [email protected]. 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....
Honorable Mayor Gordo and Members of the City Council:
This email will serve as my statement for the proposed referenced hearing for the purposes of considering a Code amendment to facilitate the development of affordable housing on properties owned by religious facilities which are in active regular operation at the time development is sought.
1. The state has identified the need for many more additional units of affordable housing both in Pasadena as well as the region.
2. Federal and state fair housing law requires that all segments of the population are provided appropriate housing without discriminatory intent or effect.
3. Therefore, although Pasadena has made great efforts to provide affordable housing there is a significant demand for additional units at various below market thresholds to supply housing for those whose incomes do not allow for the purchase or rent of market rate units.
4. Local religious facilities in some cases are experiencing declining membership and aging infrastructure including buildings and thus heavier demand for maintenance and operation while financial support is decreasing .
5. There are fewer development sites in Pasadena for the development of affordable housing. The requirement that 80% of the units yielded by the development of religious facility sites be affordable, is an important requirement to increase supply while cutting back on the consumption of available land by market rate housing.
6. The proposed code amendment connects a potential supply of additional sites with the religious facilities need for additional income, as well as the need to divest burdensome structures, and other features requiring responsible maintenance and repair.
The proposed nexus between items 5 and 6, while worthy of consideration as a way to increase the supply of affordable housing, dictates that great care must be provided for in both drafting the code amendment principal provisions, as well as legislating long term provisions in order to assure these religious facilities are adequately and sustainably compensated since they are forfeiting their property not through the usual method of sale and full upfront compensation. The longer the period of compensation the less likely it can and will be adequately monitored. And the present value of money is better than money said to be received years down the line.
There are three other paramount considerations for the affordable units:
1. The long term maintenance of the units created in the city's affordable inventory consistent with the affordability thresholds that the city maintains for affordable units that they manage. The disbursement of the management of newly created units among a number of not for profits which are unspecified in the proposed Code Amendment is potentially problematic.
05/23/2022
1 Item 18
2. Compatibility provisions which limit multiple family units units to certain zones and excludes them from single family and two family zoning districts
3. Planning Commission and design review requirements.
I am in full support of design review because well designed higher density housing can be compatible in lower density neighborhoods. Form based codes are referred to in the staff report and once again this approach to zoning can create additional compatibility.
Finally, this proposal while meritorious because of the need for affordable housing especially for low income families does require a zoning scheme which provides affordable housing at the same time providing realistic opportunities to attract interested developers while not impacting or unduly concentrating units in certain segments of the city.
Sincerely,
Charla Bolton
Pasadena CA 91106
2 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From: Heather Richardson
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 3:27 PM
To: PublicComment-AutoResponse; Gordo, Victor; Williams, Felicia Subject: Please rezone religious land for affordable housing with the proposed changes from Making Housing and Community Happen
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Dear Mayor Gordo and City Council Members,
My husband and I have been residents of Pasadena for 18 years in District 2. We have had the opportunity to volunteer, work, attend church, and enjoy the diversity of people, architecture, natural areas, art, and culture in this great city. We have raised our seventeen year old daughter here her whole life and she has attended PUSD schools most of her life. Were it not for the affordable housing generously provided by the Pasadena Foursquare Church we would not have been able to remain in this city. Even with an affordable rent it hasn't been easy to keep up with the cost of living. Other neighbors and friends we know have had to leave Pasadena and even our state over the past five years because of rising housing and living costs. We don't want anyone to be without a safe, affordable home to live in our city and we don't want it to happen because we missed an opportunity to advocate for a really great solution that is being proposed through the rezoning of religious land Over the past few years my family and I have been involved in several meetings and written many emails to do our best to understand and partner with our city representatives including Felicia Williams, Commissioner Delgado, and several non-profit and for profit organizations to help bring necessities and housing solutions to those who are un-housed or housing insecure throughout Pasadena. Most recently, my daughter and I contacted Kaiser Permanente about there vacant facilities on Lake Avenue. We know from the Kaiser Permanente website it supports affordable housing so we decided to reach out as members and speak with their real estate manager who explained to us that several unsolicited purchase proposals were turned down because there are plans for its future use. However, nothing definitive has or is being done with this area to serve our city. This is unfortunate and quite unacceptable to us because this is one example of vacant land being unused to provide housing and other health related services to our community for so long. Situations like these along with our own affordable housing story continue to concern us and drive us to find creative solutions to finding ways to develop more affordable homes.
The proposal to rezone religious land in Pasadena for affordable housing seems to be a very great opportunity to provide many needed homes throughout our city. There are many churches interested in using their land for affordable home development. However, the density that is being proposed by the Housing Department must be increased from 32 to 34 units to make it worth the cost and time necessary to develop affordable homes with these churches and developers. Making Housing and Community Happen has proposed a feasible and workable plan that I urge you Mayor and City Council Members to look at so it can be readjusted with the collaboration of the Planning Committee and Housing Department so that more affordable housing units can be provided.
Please do so with urgency as the need for affordable homes is great for so many in our city and we need to readjust the proposal so that the most can be done with it for the greatest affordable home development us on religious land possible. I'm hopeful that this will set a great precedent for other institutions which desire to share their land for this great housing need as well.
05/23/2022
Item 18
...
Thank you for your time and service and for what you have already done to bring more affordable homes into our city.
Sincerely,
Heather Richardson
2