The LA County Board of Supervisors voted to scale back the Flood Control District’s Big Dig program for Hahamongna Watershed Park, thanks, in part, to local Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s leadership. They added efforts to increase stormwater capture and groundwater replenishment and other measures to enhance sustainability. Judge James Chalfant was scheduled on Tuesday to consider whether the revisions satisfied his court order that the Big Dig program must fully comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.  The Arroyo Seco Foundation intends to argue for more modifications to the plan to solve problems of dangerous air pollution, too many trucks per day, large permanent devastation zone, inadequate habitat mitigation and threats to wildlife and recreation. Contact Supervisor Barger (Kathryn@bos.lacounty.gov) with your thoughts on how best to balance the need to prevent flood damage and still protect the fragile ecosystem behind the dam. Please see the Arroyo Seco Foundation website for news on the project and information on how you can help, http://www.arroyoseco.org/index.htm.

There has been progress on another difficult regional issue, affordable housing. The state law requiring local jurisdictions to allow accessory dwelling units in single-family zones is being implemented. Hopefully the new units will provide housing for family members and caregivers. They are limited in size so they can be absorbed in neighborhoods without excessive adverse consequences.

Glendale has had a series of residents speaking at city council meetings over the past several months with stories of frequent large rent increases, and calling for rent control. The city council and Housing Authority were scheduled to consider the issue at a joint meeting on Tuesday. The staff report for that meeting contains much information about housing needs in California. Per the State Housing and Community Development’s 2017 “California’s Housing Future” report, housing production statewide has averaged less than 80,000 new homes annually over the last 10 years, far below the projected need of 180,000 new homes annually. The majority of California renters pay more than 30% of their income toward rent, and nearly one-third pay more than 50% of their income toward rent. Unstable funding for affordable home development is impeding the ability to meet California’s housing needs, particularly for lower-income households.

Overall homeownership rates are at their lowest since the 1940s. The report outlines past, current and future efforts in Glendale to solve the housing crisis but does not recommend rent control. The Glendale staff report is available via a link from the agenda, http://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/city-clerk/agendas-minutes.

Although the meeting will have taken place prior to publication you can still comment to the council if you have thoughts on the issue. Regardless of what action, if any, is taken on Dec. 5, the Glendale Tenants Union intends to continue to push for rent control. More information on them, visit http://www.glendaletenants.org/.  

This is the time of year property owners pay their property taxes. 1978’s Proposition 13 has resulted in long term owners paying much less than new purchasers for property valued the same. We all benefit from city and county services and those of us “old timers” who can afford it should consider donating to a non-profit service provider. We can direct our money to something property taxes used to cover better, such as education or healthcare. In essence we can cut out the middleman and decide where our contribution toward civilized society should go. There are many worthy groups. Two that CVCA recommends are Friends of Rockhaven and V.O.I.C.E.

FoR and the Gangi Co. are still working to locate adequate funding to create a historic park at the site. V.O.I.C.E is still trying to save the Verdugo Hills Golf Course from development.

The next Crescenta Valley Community Association meeting will be on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. at the La Crescenta Library, 2809 Foothill Blvd. We do not meet in November and December due to the holidays.