City Hall Scoop

The South Pasadena Public Library and South Pasadena High School (SPHS) have partnered to increase access to e-books and e-audiobooks for students. This unique collaboration strives to promote literacy and digital learning by making the library’s large collection of digital books available through Sora, the high school’s reading app for students.

The school-library partnership provides easy access to thousands of age-appropriate titles for students’ use inside the classroom, at home and on the go, 24/7. Through Sora, students can now borrow titles from the school’s collection of classroom and pleasure reading, and also access South Pasadena Public Library’s juvenile and young adult digital collection. SPHS students can get started by watching the tutorial on the SPHS Library website. To add access to the South Pasadena Public Library’s collection, follow the instructions in our tutorial video. 

Cathy Billings
Library Director

With the cancellation of the regional stay at home order, the LAC Health Officer Order (HOO) issued on Nov. 25th is now in effect until the county issues a new HOO later this week. On Friday, January 29 they will issue a new HOO allowing restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining with occupancy limits & masking requirements.

1/26/21

Yesterday, the State lifted the Regional Stay Home Order and moved all counties back into the Blueprint for a Safer Economy color-coded tiers. Los Angeles County, along with the majority of the State, is in the most restrictive purple tier.

With the lifting of the Regional Stay Home Order, the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order that was issued on Nov. 25 is now in effect until a new Health Officer Order is issued later this week to more fully align with the sector openings permitted in the purple tier.

The following is allowed with adherence to all of the sector specific directives to ensure distancing, wearing of face coverings, and infection control:

• Private gatherings outdoors up to 3 households and up to a total of 15 people
• Museums, zoos, aquariums outdoor operations at 50% occupancy
• Cardrooms outdoor operations at 50% occupancy
• Miniature golf, go karts, batting cages outdoor operations at 50% occupancy
• Outdoor recreational activities are open
• Hotels & motels for tourism and individual travel allowed
• Fitness facilities open for outdoor operations
• Personal care services open indoors at 25% capacity
• Indoor mall, shopping center, lower-risk retail open at 25% indoor capacity; food courts and common areas closed

The following restrictions remain in effect until January 29:

• Restaurants, wineries and breweries remain open for pick-up, delivery, and take-out only.
• Non-essential businesses closed from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Residents are advised to stay home as much as possible and always wear a face covering over their nose and mouth when they are outside their household and around others.

The HOO is posted on Public Health’s website.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts to keep Los Angeles County residents safe and healthy. 

1/26/21

  The Small Business Stabilization Loan Program is an affordable and flexible business loan program to support and help stabilize businesses in Los Angeles County. Loans range from $50,000 to $3 million, and can be used for working capital, equipment purchases, inventory, or refinancing of existing loans at higher interest rates.   We will begin accepting applications on January 28, 2021, and the application period will remain open indefinitely. In order to apply, eligible businesses will be required to attend the “Applying for An Affordable & Flexible LACDA Loan” webinar and complete a one-on-one counseling session. Learn more at bizstabilization.lacda.org.

1/25/21

The COVID-19 Living History Project is the newest online exhibit presented by the South Pasadena Public Library Local History Collection. The COVID-19 Living History Project was launched by the library in May as a way to capture and preserve a record of South Pasadenans’ experience of the pandemic. The online exhibit features stories and photographs contributed by community members that detail personal stories of school closures, distance learning, stay-at-home activities, remote work, employment, social gatherings, community building, and more. In addition to the online exhibit, all photo contributions to the project can be viewed on the library’s Flickr page. If you missed any of our previous online exhibits you can browse them on the library’s website.

Cathy Billings
Library Director

1/25/2021

Stay home with those you live with, stay safe. Keep your distance and wear your face covering if you are outside

1/25/21

The City of South Pasadena, in partnership with the Housing Rights Center (HRC), will host an online Housing Rights Workshop for residents of South Pasadena on Monday, January 25, 2021, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Workshop will provide information on tenant and landlord rights, Fair Housing Laws, COVID-19 resources and protections (AB 3088 and local ordinances), and rent and eviction laws (AB 1482). In addition, the City will provide an update on local affordable housing initiatives, including inclusionary housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).The purpose of the workshop is to gather public input on housing related issues in the City of South Pasadena. There will be opportunity for questions and comments during the live workshop. The online workshop will be conducted over ZOOM. Registration is required at www.bit.ly/SouthPasHousing.For more information on fair housing resources, please visit southpasadenaca.gov/residents/housing/fair-housing or housingrightscenter.or

1/25/21

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Weather-Activated Shelter Program is a short-term weather activated emergency response to provide individuals experiencing homeless a safe and supportive short-term shelter during severe inclement weather. This program operates to protect individuals from the rain and cold weather to avoid conditions such as hypothermia, pneumonia and other conditions caused by cold temperatures.

Sites will be activated starting at 11:00 a.m. Friday January 22 and will remain open until 7:00 a.m., Saturday, January 30.

Individuals can call 2-1-1 to request transportation services to the augmented sites that are activated.

Local shelter is open at Loma Alta Park in Altadena

Service Provider : Volunteers of America LA

Address : Loma Alta Park, 3330 N. Lincoln Ave. Altadena, 91001

Phone Number : (909) 634-4495

Number of beds : 47

Population: Co-ed

1/25/21

For many reasons, 2020 was a challenging year for all of us. While complying with the safer at home orders, the Public Works Department was able to complete numerous routine proactive maintenance assignments. Our most notable accomplishments include the following:

• Secured over 9.3 million dollars of grant funding for the North-South Corridor Intelligent Transportation System Deployment on Fair Oaks Avenue and adjacent corridors project.
• Parks Division received a $29,854 rebate payment from SoCal Water$mart for Fair Oaks median retrofit.
• Secured 6 million dollars of grant funding for Fremont Avenue “Complete Street Project.”
• Construction of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Monterey Road and Orange Grove Avenue.
• Camino Del Sol and Alpha Avenue Paving Project completed.
• Fair Oaks Avenue Traffic Signal Improvements Project design completed.

FY2018-19 Street Improvement Project design will be completed at the end of January 2021.

• Secured $216,577 of CDBG funds for the Sidewalk Replacements & ADA Ramp upgrades.
• California Transportation Commission approved the City’s FY2019-20 Expenditure Report for the SB1 Funding.
• Bicycle shelters and hitches were installed throughout the City, adding 196 bicycle parking stations.
• Responded and completed more than 3,550 customer requests.
• Trimmed more than 2,100 City trees.
• Planted 88 new trees.
• Filled more than 250 potholes.
• Removed and replaced more than 250 linear feet of sidewalks, curb, and gutter.
• In conjunction with SMART Families, we made updates to Meridian Avenue between Monterey and Kendall Avenue, including updating pavement markings and street signage.
• Cleaned and inspected more than 340,000 linear feet of wastewater lines.
• Retrofitted approximately 100 streetlights to LED.
• Completed a City-Wide Climate Action Plan, adopted in December 2020.
• Maintained our American Green Zone Alliance (AZGA) and Tree City USA status.
• Updated the City Hall Courtyard featuring permeable pavers to capture rainwater, which will recharge groundwater.

In 2021, the Public Works Department will continue to look for additional grant opportunities to deliver the projects representing the City Council’s priorities and meet our community’s desires and aspirations. The department will also do everything it can to continue providing high-quality customer service to South Pasadena residents. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at (626) 403-7370 or via email at PWServiceRequest@southpasadenaca.gov. Working together, we can make a difference.

Shahid Abbas
Public Works Director

1/22/21