Every week we put our faith into action. This week our action is a petition aimed at getting the Pasadena City Council to approve a conditional use permit for the Safe Parking Program located on the All Saints parking lot.

This week’s action letter is addressed to:

Rick Cole, District 2
Gene Masuda, District 4
Jess Rivas, District 5
Steve Madison, District 6
Jason Lyon, District 7

Dear Councilmembers Cole, Masuda, Rivas, Madison and Lyon:

As parishioners at All Saints Church in Pasadena, we strongly support the Safe Parking program envisioned to be operated on a parking lot owned by All Saints on the southeast corner of Walnut St. and Euclid Ave. in Pasadena, which is a part of the All Saints’ campus.

As you know, the City of Pasadena issued a Minor Conditional Use Permit (MCUP) to allow the Safe Parking program to be operated at this location. On September 25, 2025, the Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) considered various appeals to the issuance of the MCUP and voted 5-0 to approve the MCUP. Specifically, BOZA voted:

1. That the project is exempt from environmental review pursuant to the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and
2. To uphold the Hearing Officer’s decision and approve the Minor Conditional Use Permit with conditions.

Further appeals ensued, which the Pasadena City Council considered at its meeting on November 17, 2025. There, the City Council voted 4-3 that the project was exempt from CEQA. However, because a 5-3 vote was needed to affirm BOZA’s findings, the matter did not carry. A subsequent motion to reopen and continue the public hearing to a City Council meeting on January 12, 2026 similarly failed by the same 4-3 vote.

As things now stand, the matter is in limbo and the Safe Parking program cannot move forward. At the City Council meeting on November 17, 2025, it appeared even the City Attorney was confused as to what the next steps should be. She suggested the matter could only be placed on the agenda through a “motion for reconsideration”. However, it is unclear if the above-referenced “motion to reopen” was a motion for reconsideration, or if there are other procedural steps needed to ensure that the matter is considered at the January 12, 2026 City Council meeting. We will respectfully leave determination of the appropriate procedural steps to you.

The homeless problem in Pasadena is an epidemic that needs a humane and compassionate solution, and the Safe Parking program is an important step towards addressing this crisis. Indeed, most of your colleagues in the City agree, including a majority (but regrettably not a “supermajority”) of your council members. The Safe Parking program is too important to be left in bureaucratic purgatory, which is where it will unfortunately remain without your immediate help. We therefore urge you to do whatever is necessary to place this matter on the January 12, 2026 agenda.

Sincerely,

The parishioners and staff of All Saints Church, Pasadena, CA

Take Action by signing on to this letter at the Action Table.

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For personal actions or information, here are some helpful resources:

Contact the White House at https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ or leave a phone comment at 1-202-456-1111.

If you ever need to look up your member of the U.S. House of Representatives or your U.S. Senators check here: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

To find contact information for your California State Senator or California State Assemblymember check here: www.senate.ca.gov and www.assembly.ca.gov.