Renting in Pasadena: Fear of Being Priced out of Pasadena

This is the fifth piece in a series to highlight real life issues for renters in Pasadena. This series is presented in association with Pasadena Tenants Union.

RENTING IN PASADENA (5)

Apartment for rent on E. California Blvd. (Photo – Emmanuel Kraultez).

Pasadena has been my home for 38 years.  I am a Vietnam Era Air Force veteran, retired English teacher from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), and a member of the First Baptist Church of Pasadena on Marengo Avenue, serving as an usher and singing in the choir.

By James P. Clark

James P. Clark

I am fortunate to have Social Security and a pension from LAUSD, but my fear is that I will be priced out of Pasadena.  Where am I to live then?

Landlords are raising rents exponentially and without notice, and in turn they are not matching that up with improvements to the property. On the property where I live, there has been a large tree leaning into the driveway for years.  Tenants have complained to the landlord, but the landlord refuses to remove it.  In the meantime, residents’ cars are getting scratched and dented. The landlord still refuses to remove the tree.  In addition, I had a bathtub that was leaking. It’s a 45-year-old bathtub.  Initially, my landlord refused to replace it. I had to fight my way through that process until it was replaced.

What is the alternative for curbing these rising rental prices? Why aren’t the mayor and city council members of Pasadena listening to concerned citizens?  Why are they so insensitive to the needs of the community?  What is their answer to this housing dilemma? Who decides how cities are built and maintained — the people, developers or the political establishment?  We the people must decide.

I live alone. My partner of many years passed away in January of 2013 of Parkinson’s disease.  I visit her grave every 2 months to bring flowers, and I plan on being buried beside her.  But in the meantime, I’m still here, and I would like to live out my remaining years in Pasadena, stress-free of money worries and losing my housing.

Tomorrow: “Stories About Pasadena’s Affordable Housing Problem”

> You may also want to check:
- RENTING IN PASADENA (4) – Patti Tippo
- RENTING IN PASADENA (3) – Robert M. Roberts
- RENTING IN PASADENA (2) – Krystal Lopez Padley
- RENTING IN PASADENA (1) – Chris Annek