Pasadena, California Celebrating 59 years of community service Summer 2021 LAND USE/PLANNING WPRA IN MOTION WPRA 2021 ANNUAL MEETING NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY BREAKING NEWS COMMUNITY 2021 WPRA annual meeting tackles housing crisis Members elect board; board presents awards n the evening of May 27, the West Pasadena Residents’ Association Oconvened its 2021 annual membership meeting, online for the second year. Th e theme of the Zoom meeting was “Th e Housing Crisis: How do we build our way out of the aff ordable housing shortage?” Program director and moderator Avram Gold, WPRA vice president/ Communications, assembled a team of experts comprising elected offi cials, a member of city staff , and two nonprofi t developers to examine the topic from a number of critical angles. Special awards: Th e WPRA, when moved by exceptional service to the community WPRA presents Community Service Award to Rose Laveaga. WPRA director Joan Hearst, and city, bestows a special commendation left, presents Rosa Laveaga with a WPRA Community Service Award during its annual to deserving individuals and/or meeting on May 27. She was honored for her more than 25 years of dedication to our parks organizations. and the Arroyo Seco. For the full story turn to page 10. (Photo by Avram Gold) Th is year the WPRA presented Community Service Awards to Rosa For the full story and additional coverage of the annual meeting, see pages 8-10 Laveaga, our city’s former Arroyo Seco project supervisor, and to Priscilla Taylor, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo who recently retired from the WPRA board of directors aft er 26 years. “Aff ordable housing enriches diversity in Pasadena, and the recent pandemic drove home how important it is to have workforce housing nearby. We don’t want Board election: During the meeting, fi refi ghters, teachers and police offi cers living 90 miles away.” members also elected its board of directors. Directors for the 2021-2022 fi scal year are (alphabetically): District 6 Councilmember Steve Madison “Every [legislative] session we see scores of bills that are intended to control how ■ Geoff rey Baum ■ Mic Hansen local jurisdictions, like Pasadena, balance historic preservation and neighborhood ■ Dan Beal ■ Kenyon Harbison compatibility with the demands for more and more housing.” ■ Dave Bise ■ Joan Hearst ■ Blaine Cavena ■ Susan Kinney ■ Evan Davis ■ Mark Mastromatteo Miss our annual meeting? ■ Pete Ewing ■ Nancy Walker ■ Avram Gold ■ Linda Zinn Visit wpra.net/topic/events for a description of the meeting and links to You Tube recordings. — By Chuck Hudson, editor WPRA IN MOTION Bringing down the house By Dan Beal where we live. Most of us agree that more of the mayor- President, WPRA housing is desperately needed for the homeless, appointed low-income workers and many mid-income Housing Task earners. Force will assist in hanks to all of you who joined us for our the October 2021 on-line annual meeting on May 27, and We’ve seen home-grown Pasadena-compatible adoption of a new special thanks to participants Mayor solutions, like the ingenious proposal to T Housing Element Victor Gordo, Councilmember Steve Madison, repurpose more than 500 apartments for the of the General County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, State “missing middle” — those whose incomes are too Plan (more Assemblymember Chris Holden, State Senator high for assistance, but too low for market-rate wonkishness, I Anthony Portantino, Pasadena’s Planning rental or purchase. [See page 4 for more on the know, but lurking and Development Director David Reyes, and “missing middle”] in there are state noted developers of non-profit housing Charles On the other hand, we’ve seen proposals in mandates for Loveman Jr. and Robin Hughes. Sacramento to allow 4, 6, 8 or even 10 market- over 9,400 new Dan Beal WPRA’s annual meetings traditionally have rate units on former single-family lots, largely housing units). included programs addressing major issues. by for-profit developers, without being required And, of course, there’s the state legislature’s In recent years, we tackled the fate of the 710 to consider city or neighbor opposition, zoning continuing machinations. We’ll stay engaged Freeway, homelessness, the future of the Arroyo codes, environmental impact, voter-approved and keep you informed. Seco, and preparation and response to severe limitations, infrastructure capacity (overloaded On the brighter side emergencies, to mention just a few. sewers, anyone?) or most anything else. WPRA is able from time to time to use some This year’s program, however, took issue Whether or not you were able to hear the savings in our budget to make small grants or engagement to new heights (I can praise the discussion at our annual meeting, please take a contributions to worthy causes. Recently we program since I had little to do with producing look at the summary starting on page 8. If you donated $2,000 to both Huntington Hospital it). We examined the housing shortage, which missed the meeting and would like to see it, it’s Fund’s recognition efforts for its front-line affects the entire city of Pasadena, our county, available on You Tube. I believe you’ll find it well workers and to San Rafael Elementary School. the state (and much of urban America, for that worth your time. Simply visit wpra.net/topic/ With many of us getting ready to bust out of matter) and how we might solve this important events for a description of the meeting and links the COVID cave after so many months and challenge. to You Tube recordings. spend money, please remember your favorite This is a critical subject, and though it seems There will be more housing-related action in the worthy organizations. They’ve struggled to a bit wonky, it really hits many of us, literally, next few months, so stay tuned. The workings stay afloat, too. About us 2021 – 2022 officers 2021 – 2022 board of directors President: Dan Beal ■ Geoffrey Baum, Rose Bowl & Central [email protected] Arroyo Seco Vice President/Administration: Evan Davis ■ Dave Bise, Public services [email protected] ■ Pete Ewing, Land use & transportation The News is mailed each quarter to ■ Mic Hansen Vice President/Communications: Avram Gold nearly 8,000 homes and businesses [email protected] ■ Joan Hearst in the 91105 and 91103 ZIP codes Treasurer: Blaine Cavena ■ Susan Kinney and beyond. [email protected] ■ Mark Mastromatteo Secretary: Kenyon Harbison ■ Nancy Walker, Public safety & traffic Editor: Chuck Hudson [email protected] ■ Linda Zinn ([email protected]) [email protected] Membership, Open Space & Conservation Mission: Founded in 1962, the West Pasadena Residents’ Association is dedicated 2021 – 2022 WPRA Advisory Board P. O. Box 50252 to maintaining the character of our ■ Justin Chapman Pasadena, CA 91115-0252 community and enhancing the quality of life _______________________________ in west Pasadena. ■ Vince Farhat ■ Tom Seifert Service area: The WPRA service area Visit our website at wpra.net is bounded on the north by Colorado ■ Catherine Stringer Boulevard, on the east by Fair Oaks Avenue ■ Fred Zepeda Visit our Facebook page at and on the south and west by the city limits. facebook.com/westpasadena All WPRA activities are funded through membership dues and contributions. The WPRA receives no public funding and has no paid employees. The WPRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation. Contributions and donations are fully deductible to the extent permitted by law. The News 2 Summer 2021 BREAKING NEWS On passing: Becky Wheeler Remembering Becky Wheeler By Bill Bogaard center for inducting new soldiers into Former Pasadena mayor service from all of the southwest United and WPRA president States. To Becky and Marge, that didn’t he passing of Becky Wheeler seem like the right fit, and they launched prompted many memories of my a neighborhood battle in opposition, Tearly experiences with WPRA and highly unusual at the time. A year later, its commitment to maintain and enhance the Pasadena Star-News reported the final southwest Pasadena’s unique quality of life. chapter of that battle under the headline, Today that commitment to quality of life is “ARMY DEFEATED.” shared throughout the city. A couple years later, the City Board In the early 1970s, soon after Claire and I (today’s City Council) announced that moved to Pasadena, I received a call from it supported a developer’s proposal to Becky Wheeler Bud Clary, then president of the WPRA, build two 14-story towers on the Elks Lodge parking at W. Colorado and S. orothy Beck (“Becky”) Wheeler, inviting me to a neighborhood meeting. I former Pasadena resident and self- forget what the issue was, but I was a new Orange Grove. The City Board approved Dstyled citizen activist, died in her sleep lawyer in Bud’s Los Angeles law firm, so it the project, notwithstanding vigorous on Friday, April 9, 2021, one month shy of her did not take long for me to respond, “Sure, opposition led by Becky, Marge and the 94th birthday. I’ll be there.” neighbors representing what had become the West Pasadena Residents’ Association. Becky was born to Dorothy and Bill Beck, Soon afterwards, I found myself serving as But that approval was temporary. The raised in the Sacramento Delta, and attended WPRA president, with a close and frequent neighbors reversed the decision through a the University of California (Berkeley), where working relationship with Becky Wheeler. referendum, with the city-wide campaign she studied English and was a member of My first impression that Bud Clary was opposing the project based in southwest the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After “running the organization” had long been graduating, she was the society editor of Pasadena. Becky was a driving force. dispelled by the reality that Becky, Marge the San Francisco News and one of the first Over ensuing years, the culture and television reporters in the Bay area.