Supervisor Barger listening to CM Masuda with City Manager Márquez in the middle (Photo – Office of Kathryn Barger)
The Joint Meeting between the Pasadena City Council and Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kathryn Barger was held on April 16.
By Chase Jones
Pasadena City Manager Miguel Márquez opened the special meeting by acknowledging the partnership between Pasadena and the County of Los Angeles the night of the Eaton fire.
It was roughly 6:15 pm when fire first started in Altadena, and by 8:10 pm the Pasadena Convention Center was opened as an evacuation center. Within hours, over 1,200 people were at the convention center, some needing medical care that was difficult to provide at this location. Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger stepped in to help. Multiple Los Angeles County ambulances transported people to facilities where they could get needed care. This collaboration was the first of many Los Angeles County and Pasadena created ten different forms of recovery task forces. Los Angeles County also coordinated efforts with the federal government for the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Eaton Fire Cleanup.
“I predict it is going to be one of the fastest cleanups of an urban wildfire we’ve seen yet, and I think that’s testament to the good partnership and progress we are seeing with the county of Los Angeles,” said Pasadena City Manager Márquez.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Barger noted the importance of Pasadena’s support, citing the Rose Bowl facility as a key location helping both cities through this rough time. The availability of this facility made it possible to stage response equipment and personnel all in one place and to direct from a single location, rather than a dispersed response.
North Lake Avenue “Kaiser” Property Development Update
David Klug, Pasadena Director of the Office of Economic Development, presented an update on the plans for the former Kaiser owned property on North Lake and Villa. Mr. Klug laid out a timeline of key events, beginning with the City taking formal ownership of the property in November of 2023. Klug highlighted a community meeting on March 27, 2025, held at the request of the City Council, at which ideas were gathered from locals. Mayor Gordo, Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas, and City Manager Márquez were all in attendance, and confirmed that the community, the Board of Supervisors and the City Council were in agreement on the uses for the site. Despite being unused for over a decade, 12 firms have proposed developments for this site, proving that the property remains valuable Development expectations from City staff and the community include:
- 60-80% of affordable housing units, with a focus on low-income and workforce housing.
- Community spaces for art, music, and playgrounds.
- Sustainable design, green building practices, and water-efficient features.
- Public amenities such as gyms, dog parks, community gardens, cafes and small businesses.
- Safe and accessible parking.
- Supportive services for mental health, job training and education programs.
- Medical clinic and wellness center, as well as a food bank and community kitchen space.
Of the 12 proposed developments, the highest priority is to be given to whichever development proposes the greatest number of affordable units. If an equal number of units are proposed, priority shall be given to the entity that proposes the deepest average level of affordability. The Pasadena Office of Economic Development will decide on a development, and it will be brought to the City Council consideration.
Planning for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games (LA28)
Deputy City Manager Alex Souto Reported that on March 20, the Rose Bowl and LA28 entered into a Games Agreement, naming the Rose Bowl as the official venue for 2028 Olympic men’s and women’s soccer semifinals and finals. Metro has announced plans to leverage the opportunity presented by the 2028 games to create permanent improvements supporting sustainable transportation during and after the games. The Pasadena Department of Transportation has partnered with LA28, Metro and other agencies like Caltrans and the City of Los Angeles, to advance mobility initiatives.
There are agreements in place with multiple Pasadena hotel properties, planning to provide accommodations to LA28 visitors, with additional hotel negotiations still ongoing. The assigning of hotels to stakeholders is set to take place in 2026. The staff of the Office of Economic Development has engaged nearby cities to explore partnerships in relation to the games, it will be hosting a workshop focusing on contracting preparedness.
Partnerships between local businesses and Visit Pasadena and Shop Local were recommended to promote tourist guides, watch parties, shopping, and dining within Pasadena. Public safety also was addressed. Pasadena’s law enforcement and fire department intend to meet on a regular basis up to the event, participate in major special event training exercises, and also study the security detail for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Information on Measure A Homeless Funding
This special meeting ended with a discussion of Measure A–Homeless Initiative among members of the City Council, Supervisor Barger, and Marco Santana, Representative of the Homeless Committee in Los Angeles County. Measure A provides funding for homeless services and capital development programs working towards ending homelessness. Measure A funds are available for other uses, which has led the Pasadena Department of Housing to look into this possible funding opportunity. Pasadena has an urgent need for interim housing for over 300 unhoused individuals; this discussion included conversations on how the City and County can work together to combat homelessness.
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