Council Passes Contract to Aid Local At-Risk Tenants as Part of Consent Calendar

The City Council passed eight items on the Consent Calendar on Monday, including a $118,000 contract with Housing Rights Center to aid households at risk of falling into homelessness after the city’s rent moratorium expires.

“The [Housing] Department believes it is of the utmost importance that adequate resources are in place to serve and support residents at risk of falling into homelessness, especially after eviction moratoria are lifted and anticipated waves of evictions follow suit,” according to a city staff report.

“Extensive research indicates that tenants with legal representation are much more likely to avoid an eviction judgment compared to unrepresented tenants. Attorneys may be able to keep eviction filings off tenants’ records, arrange for alternative housing, negotiate reasonable amounts of time for tenants to move out, reduce or eliminate money owed to the landlord, or help tenants apply for rental assistance. The city will allocate the remaining $118,098 of CESH funding to the Housing Rights Center in order to fund an additional legal support position specifically for Pasadena residents,” according to the report.

The city’s rent moratorium is scheduled to end six months after the pandemic emergency ends.

Other items included:
• A $194,413 purchase order with SSP Innovations for the upgrade of a mobile geographical information system and a software license agreement with the Pasadena Water and Power Department.
• A $400,000 service contract with ATI Restoration for asbestos, lead and mold abatement services at various and water facilities. The contract includes the option of two one-year extension periods not-to-exceed $80,000 each period, subject to the approval of the city manager. If both options are exercised, the total contract amount would be $560,000.
• The city manager can enter into a $269,570 contract with ACCO Engineered Systems for the labor and materials to replace the GT-3 Chiller Compressor #2. The contract also includes a base contract amount of $245,070 and a 10% contingency of $24,500 to provide for any unforeseen change orders.
• A $2 million contract with Paveco Construction Inc. to furnish labor and materials for utility and miscellaneous street repairs. The contract has an option for two additional one-year terms at $2 million per year subject to the approval of the city Manager. If the two additional one-year terms are exercised, the total contract amount will be $6 million.
• A contract with Linkedin learning for online employee training services not-to-exceed $79,443.
• An item from last week’s Municipal Services Committee was also contained in the consent calendar. Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) will only pay for the energy actually received, at the rate of $69 per megawatt hour from COSO Power Holdings. During the first five years, PWP will not be taking any energy and hence will not be liable for any payments for the first five years.