For Rent sign (Photo – Rob G.)
The South Pasadena City Council met on Wednesday, February 19, to discuss various topics, including potential rent stabilization, the appointment of a new city manager, and the council’s priorities for 2025.
By Daniel Peters
The primary discussion at Wednesday’s meeting centered around the potential implementation of rent stabilization ordinances aimed at curbing rising rent costs in South Pasadena.
Rent Stabilization
HR&A Advisors, a real estate and economic development consulting firm, led the discussion, presenting data collected from focus groups and census polls.
HR&A defined rent stabilization as limiting annual rent increases while allowing for vacancy decontrol (meaning landlords can set any market rent when a tenant moves out).
The council engaged in a lively discussion, and public comment was split on the issue. Some local residents argued that rent stabilization would foster community growth by helping families feel secure in their rental properties and preventing price gouging. In contrast, rental property owners expressed concerns that such ordinances would limit their ability to improve their properties and could eventually force them to sell to larger corporate owners.
It is important to note that no ordinance was adopted at this meeting, as it was purely a discussion among council members, HR&A, and the public. Further talks on rent stabilization will continue at the next city council meeting.
New City Manager
The South Pasadena City Council officially appointed Todd Hileman as the new city manager. Hileman previously served as city manager in Palm Desert and has extensive experience working in small, mid-sized, and large cities across the Midwest.
He succeeds interim city manager Sean Joyce, who held the position for just two weeks. The council is confident that Hileman’s vast experience in critical areas will lead to great success in South Pasadena.
2025 City Council Priorities
Mayor Janet Braun led a discussion outlining five key priorities for the city council in 2025.
- Finance: Mayor Braun emphasized the need to improve the city’s financial reporting, which she described as having been insufficient for many years. The city plans to hire a finance director and a senior accounting controller. Emergency preparedness was also highlighted to ensure the city is prepared for natural disasters or other citywide emergencies.
- Infrastructure: The mayor stressed the importance of repairing streets, sidewalks, and gutters, advancing the library and community center master plan, the Arroyo Golf Course master plan, and other infrastructure projects. “There is a lot of infrastructure within this city that has not been addressed for decades,” said Mayor Braun.
- Housing: This priority overlaps with many of the issues discussed in the rent stabilization conversation.
- Governance: This includes combining commissions, setting annual priorities, onboarding the new city manager, and discussing whether the city treasurer should remain an elected position.
- Operational Efficiencies: Working with the new city manager to establish a communication strategy with residents.
The next city council meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 5.
> Watch the full South Pasadena Council Meeting on February 19, 2025 at this link.
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