The City of South Pasadena has finalized the language of the ballot measure that we’ll be voting on in November. Not only is it a mouthful, but the wording makes it sound appealing to those who haven’t been informed as to how this measure will negatively impact the majority of South Pasadenans.
South Pasadena has had a citywide three-story building height limit since voters adopted it in 1983. After the City was sued in 2022 for not having a certified Housing Element, the City agreed in a settlement that they would attempt to repeal the building height limit. Because a voter-initiated ordinance can only be repealed through the ballot process, the City is now required to ask voters if they want to repeal the height limit.
However, because of how the ballot measure is crafted, a YES vote repeals the height limit but only in designated zones. The City blatantly states in the ballot language and in their community outreach that this measure is necessary to ensure that high density housing won’t be built in single-family neighborhoods. The neighborhoods that would be preserved through approval of this measure would be mostly those in Monterey Hills and the estate neighborhoods between Fair Oaks and San Marino as well as the neighborhoods along Arroyo Drive toward Pasadena (see maps below). The ballot language would make one think that only commercial areas would be impacted by increased height limits. However, all of Huntington Drive and Fair Oaks have existing residential buildings as do the arterial streets that are already zoned for commercial/high density.
What does this mean for renters?
There are thousands of South Pasadenans currently occupying multi-family housing and small single family homes in the proposed redevelopment zones. If the ballot measure passes, those who currently live in these buildings would be subject to “Just Cause Evictions” should their homes be demolished to make way for taller market rate buildings. It is important to note that there are no protections against Ellis Act evictions. Also, because the City failed to increase relocation fees for renters, every household evicted as a result of this measure would receive only one month’s rent relocation fee. When asked by SPTU how this ballot measure benefits South Pasadenans who are already living in these zones, the City had no answers.
Additionally, the ballot measure claims that by allowing taller buildings only in these zones they will increase affordable housing opportunities. However there is no guarantee that new construction will include affordable units. Even if the developers choose to trigger the bonus density and include 10% affordable to their project, a ten story 100 unit building would only gain 10 affordable units which would be a net loss of 5 to 10 existing below market rate homes not a gain in affordable housing opportunities Additionally, some of the units that the State and City consider “affordable” are not rentals but homes for purchase.
South Pasadena Tenants Union is encouraging renters and all residents to VOTE NO on the Neighborhood Preservation & Local Control Measure.
