Making Housing and Community Happen

Hello Everyone,

In this featured article we will introduce to you three amazing individuals from Pasadena using their gifts and talents to serve our community! We call them Housing Rock Stars! God doesn’t call us to be mere observers but to be participants in God’s great work and do our part as people of faith. As someone seeking to follow Jesus, I work with youth and find great joy in doing that. What are your gifts and talents? And how could you use them today to bless someone? Marisol Torres

Stories in this issue 

• MHCH Housing Justice Forum: “Pasadena Rent Control Is In Effect, Despite What Some People Say–Know Your New Rights and How to Assert Them.” Discussion led by Michelle White and Bee Rooney.
• Invitation to join us at Pasadena’s Black History Parade this Saturday, Feb. 18, at 9:30 am at Bethel Church on the parade route.
• Prayerfully Bending the Arc of the Universe Toward Racial Justice by Bert Newton, with video of our affordable housing vigil confessing our racial inequities and committing to righting wrongs.

• Local Black Affordable Housing Rock Stars: Jasmin Shupper, Michelle White, and Andre White. Video of Andre White telling his story and sharing his Spoken Word “Breathe.”
• A Great Joy : Our Videographer Morgan Duff-Tucker just gave birth to her first child, a boy!
• Join us for “MHCH 101” and learn how you can engage in our housing justice work, a monthly series starting March 7.
• Join the National Low Income Housing Coalition….for a webinar on homelessness and Housing First.

Click Here

Honoring Local Black Affordable Housing Rock Stars

by Anthony Manousos

This week I’d like to give a shout out to African American leaders here in Pasadena who are affordable housing rock stars. It has been a joy and a privilege to know and work with these amazing people:

Jasmin Shupper (pictured above) started the Greenline Housing Foundation that provides down payment grants so people of color can purchase homes. Because of redlining and other discriminatory practices, it has been difficult for people of color and, specifically, African Americans to purchase homes and acquire generational wealth. Greenline raised over $300,000 last year to help homebuyers of color with down payments and correct this historic injustice. She convenes the Restorative Justice 710 Freeway Coalition and also serves on the board of the San Gabriel Valley Community Land Trust, which was birthed by MHCH. You can listen to this inspiring podcast about Jasmin’s work in which she talks about her faith and how her church (Fellowship Monrovia) encouraged her to start her nonprofit. Her goal this year is to raise $500,000 to help people of color purchase homes. Click here to hear Jasmin on a podcast “Nonprofits on the Rocks” by Matt Kamin. and check out https://greenlinehousing.org/ and  https://vimeo.com/795764829. 

Michelle White, executive director of Affordable Housing Services, has been an advocate for housing justice for over 30 years and recently help lead the successful rent control campaign. She is also a Quaker and dear Friend.

Andre White is a member of our Congregational Land Committee that advises churches that want to have affordable housing built on their underutilized land. He is Harvard-trained and grew up as a Hilton Head native Islander where his family owns 40 acres of land going back to Reconstruction. He has helped develop affordable housing nationwide. Passionate about housing justice, he makes sure that churches get a fair payment for a long-term ground lease when they have affordable housing built on their land.  

I am grateful to be able to work alongside these affordable housing rock stars as well as  many others in our city who are committed to ending homelessness, preventing displacement, and ensuring that everyone is decently and affordably housed.  Yes, we can!

 I highly recommend watching this 9-minute video of Andre White, which includes not only his moving story but also a “spoken word” tribute to George Floyd called “Breathe.”

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

While reading through the articles for this week, I am reminded of the scripture in Mathew 25:35-40 in which Jesus tells us that nations will be judged on how they treat the poor, sick and marginalized:  “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

As a Christian I believe that God wants our lives to overflow with mercy, love and compassion, as was the case with Dr. King, the late Pasadena City Council Member John Kennedy and Rev. William Barber. I want to encourage you, as I was encouraged by reading this week’s newsletter  to believe that we can make a difference. Marisol Torres   

Black Affordable Housing Rock Stars

Dr. King, the Poor People’s Campaign and Councilmember John Kennedy

by Anthony Manousos

Dr. King deserves recognition for his commitment to affordable housing and ending poverty. (Incidentally, since I’m being Pasadena-centric, did you know Dr. King spoke three times in Pasadena—In 1958, 1960, and 1965—at Friendship Baptist Church and CalTech?)

During the final year of his life, in 1968, Dr. King focused on two causes that made him many enemies and may have cost him his life: opposing the Vietnam War and leading the Poor People’s Campaign for economic justice. An important aspect of the Poor People’s Campaign was to petition the government to pass an Economic Bill of Rights, which demanded, among other things, construction of 500,000 low-cost housing units per year until slums were eliminated. Today Rev. William Barber is carrying forward Dr. King’s call for economic as well as social justice:

Instead of spending nearly $180 billion per year on mass incarceration, we could use those resources to build and maintain affordable housing for everyone. We could put the 18 million vacant homes to their intended use and end homelessness. The trillions of dollars being created and spent by the government and the Federal Reserve show that we have the resources to solve these problems and end this injustice. See Fact Sheet.

In 2018 Jill, Bert Newton and I partnered with Rev. Barber’s Poor People’s Campaign and made it the focus of the Palm Sunday Peace Parade, which lifted up Jesus as the Prince of Peace and attracted around 150 people of faith each year.  2018 was also the year when we started our nonprofit Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH).

In 2020 Pasadena City Council member John Kennedy was given the MHCH Affordable Housing Rock Star award and has a special place in my heart because he was such an ardent advocate for affordable housing. He called for 1,000 units of affordable housing for low- and very-low-income residents in 1,000 days. Through his passionate persistence he helped our city to reach this goal. He also supported rezoning religious land for affordable housing and cast a vote in favor of this policy last summer. To our shock and dismay, he died three days later. We grieve his loss but are grateful that his legacy lives on. This year Heritage Square South—a project that will provide a supportive home for 69 unhoused seniors—will open up in Kennedy’s district. It was a project that would not have happened without his support.

The best way to honor the memory of this amazing man is to continue to advocate for what he liked to term “the least of these” and make sure that everyone in our city is decently and affordably housed. Yes, we can!

Stories in this issue – CLICK HERE

• Black History Month: King and Councilmember John J. Kennedy.
• MHCH Housing Justice Forum: “Pasadena Rent Control: It Is In Effect, Despite What Some People Say–Know Your New Rights and How to Assert Them.”
• Two joys this week: A win for democracy and for our homeless neighbors!
• “How Federal, State and Local Law and Policies Segregated US Cities….” “Segregated by Design,” a video based on Richard Rothstein’s Color of Law.
• Black Affordable Housing Rock Stars: King and Council member John Kennedy. Video with John Kennedy receiving his award.
• The Pasadena Affordable Housing Coalition Update by Ed Washatka.

Feb 3 , 2023

Hello Everyone!

Today, I want to say how grateful I am to work with Making Housing and Community Happen! Although I am new to the MHCH team, my husband and I are local pastors and have found that since connecting with MHCH a real value in this  information for our work in ministry and community. 2nd Thessalonians 1:3 says “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.”

As communities of faith we are always looking for ways to connect with the community, to show the love of Christ, be God’s hands and feet.  Take a moment to read our Newsletter and sense how the Spirit may use you! With topics like Safe Parking, Rent Control, Meeting City officials; I’m certain you’ll find something valuable for your church and community to get involved with! Suzanne’s story on Safe Parking has really tugged at our heart!

“I Am So Blessed…” Reflection on the Safe Parking Program

It was a great joy to hear Suzanne share her story at the January MHCH Forum: “Emergency Shelter for Our Unhoused Neighbors: Safe Parking and Safe Haven.” Several of our safe parkers have been housed and we are praying that Suzanne will be next! Here is her testimony from our Forum:

Hello, everyone! My name is Suzanne and I have been with the Safe Parking Program for about a year. I ended up in the program because I had several major health issues—cancer and a stroke and I lost my hearing in one ear.

I was a legal assistant for many years and I just ran out of money. I didn’t know what to do and I was very scared and had only lived in my car two days. I had been visiting friends for a couple of years but had no where to go. I was afraid that the police were going to arrest me.

Then I found out about the Safe Parking Program and I’m so blessed. I was accepted and it has provided me with a foundation from which I can try to get my life back together. Because I have restrooms, I have a safe place to park with a lot of light at night, I have other safe parkers, and we take care each other. You don’t feel alone [like when you’re on] some dark street somewhere.

The restrooms are number one for those of us who don’t have a home, so that’s terrific! On top of that I have made many friend with the congregation and the safe parking committee. I’ve gone hiking with one of the people, traded books, reading ideas and that helps you maintain a sense of who you are.

Because you can lose that if all of a sudden you’re a thrown into a situation with a lot of mentally ill people, addicts. [The Safe Parking program makes you feel] grounded and also to have fun, to have people to talk to. I have been to some of the [church] services. Everyone has been so generous with me.

I was in shell shock but I am very much centered now that I have this experience here at the church.

I would like to say one more thing. If you need me to speak to other groups in the San Gabriel [Valley], I will come with you to tell them all the benefits and how it will make a huge difference in a person’s life. Thank you.

Stories in this issue:

• Black History Month: Jackie Robinson, Affordable Housing Builder.
• MHCH Housing Justice Forum: Pasadena Rent Control: “Know Your New Rights and How to Assert Them.”
• Joy #1: “Persistence Pays Off for Democracy” by Bert Newton.

• Joy #2: Meeting with our Amazing New City Manager Miguel Marquez by Jill Shook.
• “Yes in My Backyard: Delivering Housing Solutions. “ Upcoming Bonita Democratic Council Zoom Event on Thurs. Feb 9 with Jed Leano and Jill Shook.
• Joy #3: “‘I Am So Blessed’: Reflection on Safe Parking” by Suzanne.
• Busting Myths, Providing Solutions: “Affordable Housing Is Good for the Environment” by Anthony Manousos.”

Click here:

Hi Everyone!

It’s me again, Marisol, excited about my second blog entry! This week I’m especially impressed by an article by our MHCH Co-Founder, Anthony Manousos in our weekly update that features our homeless count that took place in Pasadena last Tuesday. Anthony took part in the January homeless count with activist Sonja Berndt and Mark Chase.

He added a quote by Jill Shook that resonated with me and made me wonder: What if we could all take a moment and remember that “…in God’s scheme of things everyone counts and everyone matters.” How would that change our day, our decisions, our community?

“When you’re counting homeless people—and it’s so important to do that to get the Federal funding we need—in God’s scheme of things everyone counts and everyone matters because we’re made in God’s image. Throughout the Bible you find long lists of names of people because people matter.” Jill Shook, MHCH Co-Founder

Stories in this issue:

• Were You or Your Family Members Displaced by the 710 Stub? Apply for the 710 Working Group by Tues., Jan 31.
• Upcoming Zoom Event “Yes in My Backyard” with Jill Shook and Jed Leano, Chair of San Gabriel Valley Housing Trust.
• “Everyone Counts, Including Our Homeless Neighbors” by Anthony Manousos.
• “Who Subsidizes Whom? or Why Suburbia is Financially Unsustainable” by Bert Newton (with video by Not Just Bikes).

To see our News Letter for January 27 click here

Hi Everyone!

My name is Marisol, I’m new with MHCH and this is my first blog! I’m especially excited about an article in our weekly update that features Episcopal Bishop John Harvey Taylor who is calling for 25% of all LA churches to provide affordable housing on there underutilized land. Wouldn’t it be great if all denominations made this kind of commitment! And please note that our Housing Justice Forum is tonight. Come, learn how churches are providing temporary shelter through Safe Parking and Safe Haven and a path to become housed. So far 24 have been housed in last 2 years! To register for to nights event click here. 

To see our News Letter for January 20 click here

We hope to see you tonight!

Episcopal Bishops Pledge To Commit 25% of Church Land to Affordable Housing on MLK Day

We at MHCH applaud the Episcopal Church for its strong commitment to affordable housing and racial justice. We are reprinting excerpts from this article that appeared in the Episcopal News Service.

 Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, along with Bishop John Harvey Taylor and Mayor Karen Bass, issued a rousing call for housing and socioeconomic justice at the Jan. 15 annual King Day celebration in the Diocese of Los Angeles, where more than 40,000 are homeless and five people die daily on the streets.

 Curry delivered a spirited “the power of love urges us on” revival message to hundreds of cheering and applauding ecumenical, church, civic, and community leaders who packed Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in the city’s historic Leimert Park neighborhood for the annual celebration.

 Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, along with Bishop John Harvey Taylor and Mayor Karen Bass, issued a rousing call for housing and socioeconomic justice at the Jan. 15 annual King Day celebration in the Diocese of Los Angeles, where more than 40,000 are homeless and five people die daily on the streets.

 Curry delivered a spirited “the power of love urges us on” revival message to hundreds of cheering and applauding ecumenical, church, civic, and community leaders who packed Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in the city’s historic Leimert Park neighborhood for the annual celebration.

 Taylor said the diocese, in embracing truth-telling and its own legacy of racism, is in part focused on housing equity, “which Dr. King was talking about over 60 years ago.”

 Bishop of Los Angeles John Harvey Taylor pledged that 25 percent of its churches would work toward building affordable housing on their campuses.

 Turning to Bass, he said: “One doesn’t get a chance to make a campaign promise to the mayor very often, but here goes: We have 128 churches, not just in your magnificent city but all over six counties in Southern and Central California. Homelessness is a regional crisis, and we’re committed to building affordable permanent supportive housing on 25 percent of our church campuses.”

 Two such projects currently are under construction; one more will break ground in the summer, Taylor said. “There are 10 more on the drawing board. By your inspiration, and the light of Dr. King’s witness, as we follow the presiding bishop and by the grace of Almighty God, there are 20 more to come in the name of love.” Click here for entire article.

Making Housing & Community Happen (MHCH)  Housing Justice Forum

“Emergency Shelter For Our Unhoused Neighbors:  Safe Parking and Safe Haven”

When: Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7:00 pm via Zoom

To register, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqcuqhqzgrE9ABk9RRYcf3xyXiM3OEAezT

Erica Tamblyn is the chair of the Safe Haven Bridge to Housing Program.  A member of the Building and Grounds Committee, Erica is the head of the Paces Deferred Maintenance Team.  She is a member of the Rapid Response Team and the Sunday Food Ministry.  Erica and her wife, Marilyn have been All Saints parishioners for 23 years.  She is passionate about sumo wrestling and is a lifelong NY Yankees fan.

The Rev. Sharon M. Ruff Richter was a writer, editor, and Chinese translator for 25 years before feeling called to ministry. She has been pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Pasadena since 2018. In addition to pastoral duties, she leads Trinity’s Food Bank Ministry, Safe Parking Program, and Rejoicing Spirits ministry for adults experiencing developmental or cognitive disabilities.

Tashera Taylor is the CEO of Foothill Unity Center, which provides emergency food, health services, holiday assistance, personal goods, and shelter for people who live in eleven city service areas. Tashera earned a degree fom Azusa Pacific University and Oklahoma State.

For more information, contact anthony@makinghousinghappen.org or jll@makinghousinghappen.org

This is a sample letter for you to send to Mayor Gordo and the Pasadena City Council in support of allowing Safe Parking as a permitted use on religious property. Please feel free to personalize this letter and to add your own thoughts. 

Please send it to:

vgordo@cityofpasadena.net,jerivas@cityofpasadena.net, jlyon@cityofpasadena.net, justinjones@cityofpasadena.net, thampton@cityofpasadena.net,smadison@cityofpasadena.net,fwilliams@city ofpasadena.net, gmasuda@cityofpasadena.net,correspondence@cityofpasadena.net 

Allow Safe Parking as a Permitted Use for Religious Institutions

I am writing because I’m  concerned about our unhoused neighbors living on the street and in their vehicles. On December 28, a 60-year-old woman named Corina Monroy was murdered here in Pasadena in the 99 Cent Store parking lot on Los Robles Ave, where she lived in her van. She was a kind, friendly person involved with Lake Avenue Church and was well loved by many. I don’t want to see tragedies like this happen again.

For this reason, I am asking you to allow Safe Parking as a permitted use for religious institutions in our city. Safe Parking is a program that allows people in their vehicles to sleep in designated parking spots, with supportive services, security and case management to help them become housed.

Safe Parking was a policy recommended by the Mayor’s Task Force and in our city’s Housing Element, where it was supposed to be studied in 2024.  I urge you to implement this policy as soon as possible.

A church in our city has a Safe Parking pilot program for over two years, with no serious negative incidents. The church partners with Foothill Unity Center that provides case management and support to help parkers to become housed. The church also contracts with a security company to ensure safety. So far, several parkers have been housed or have entered into a rehab program. 

Churches are permitted to have unhoused people sleep on their campus or in their social hall, but not in their vehicles in their parking lots. I urge you to allow Safe Parking as a permitted use for religious institutions, just as the City allows the Safe Haven program where people sleep outdoors or in tents on religious land.  Permitting Safe Parking will make it easier for religious institutions to apply for grants to run this program properly. If Corina Monroy had been in a Safe Parking program, she would likely still be alive.

Your name

Organizations to be available at our Annual Celebration, “Uniting for Housing Justice”

Dec. 3^rd, from 2-4:30pm. At the FUMC—First United Methodist Church.

To demonstrate unity and how it takes us all to address the complexities of housing justice the following list of organizations will be present on tables with displays at our Annual Celebration on Dec. 3^rd. This is a huge opportunity for people to get to know housing resources and the people listed (Those with * are not confirmed)

Our goal is not only to ensure that affordable housing gets built, but also to build what Dr. King calls the Beloved Community. That’s why we call our nonprofit “Making Housing and Community Happen.” “Uniting for Housing Justice”—the theme of this year’s celebration, lifts up the community and partners we work with, such as LA Voice, the Pasadena Tenants Union, Foothill Unity Center, the Clergy Community Coalition, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, the Pasadena Affordable Housing Coalition, and more. Together we are uniting for housing justice and making a real difference!

Affordable Housing Developers

• Pasadena Studios (Jim Osterling) will have 180 affordable micro-units that will soon become available on Oakland down by Fuller Seminary (38 of these units can be for those who have been displaced from Pasadena in the past ten years)
• National Core (Phil Hawkey) has just been approved to build 107 senior affordable units in the Pasadena Civic Center, right by the City Hall (10-20% will before seniors experiencing homelessness)
• Heritage Housing Partners (Charles Loveman, ED) provides beautiful affordable homeownership. Right now, they have no availability but will in the future.
• *Bridge Housing is building 70 units for seniors experiencing homelessness, at Heritage Square South—on the corner of Orange Grove and N. Fair Oaks)
• *Salvation Army is close to finishing 69 units for those experiencing homelessness on the corner of Mentor and Union)

Pasadena Organizations:

• Abundant Housing (Jake Pierce) mostly works on State housing policy.
• Door of Hope (Troy Simpson) –provides transitional housing for homeless families with wonderful Christian Support

·        Friends-in-Deed (Ryan Greer) – has the Women’s room, Street Outreach, Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance, a food pantry, and more.

• Greenline Housing Foundation (Jasmin Shupper, ) which helps African Americans with down payment assistance and their Housing Justice group—710 stub.
• Harambee Center (Tina Williams) is sponsoring the 20%ers—supporting those who have been displaced in the past 10 years, to get into 20% of the new affordable units with at least five units or more in size.
• POP! (Brandon Lamar) POP! helped with our advocacy campaigns, and especially the Housing Element

·        PTU-Pasadena Tenants Union (Ryan Bell and team) provides a hotline for tenants and lead the campaign to pass rent control!

• Union Station (Anne Miskey, ED) provides transitional housing, advocacy and case management for those experiencing homelessness throughout cities in San Gabriel Valley
• IMA—(Pastor John Stewart) Interdenominational Ministerial Association-the oldest assoc. of African American pastors in the greater Pasadena area

Safe Parking: 

• Trinity Lutheran Church (Pastor Sharon Richter) hosts the program and
• Foothill Unity Center (Tashera Taylor, ED)—provides food, case management and more

Partners working with our Congregational Land Team (CLC):

• The Arroyo Group (Phil Burns) is a planning firm based in Old Pasadena and known for Planning Old Pasadena, the Playhouse District, and the Civic Center. They work with congregations that have come to us for land use advisement on how to have affordable housing on their underutilized land.
• *Mitchellville (Andre White) also provides professional affordable housing advisement for congregations interested in affordable housing. Andre lives on Hilton Head Island, but works on west coast time.
• LA Voice (Andrea Vocos)—this organization plays a key role on our Congregational Land Team with advice and funding. They do justice policy work at the county and state level.

This is a list of churches and organizations that have partnered with us in action:

¨ Ahiah Center for Spiritual Living

¨ All Saints Church

¨ Bethel Baptist Church

¨ Calvary Christian Center

¨ Clergy Community Coalition

¨ Community Church at Holliston

¨ Door of Hope

¨ Fellowship Church

¨ First AME Church

¨ First Baptist Church

¨ Friends-in-Deed

¨ Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance

¨ Knox Presbyterian Church

¨ Neighborhood Church

¨ New Abbey Church

¨ New Revelation Baptist Church

¨ Pasadena Church

¨ Pasadena Community Christian Fellowship

¨ Social Justice Committee at Pasadena Jewish Temple

¨ St. Andrew’s Catholic Church Social Justice Committee

¨ St. Elizabeth of Hungary Conference, Society of St. Vincent de Paul

¨ Throop Church

¨ Trinity Lutheran Church

¨ Trinity Presbyterian Church, Pasadena

¨ Westminster Presbyterian Church

Churches that have provided financial support

¨ Epicentre Church

¨ Kingdom Causes of Bellflower

¨ La Fuente Ministries

¨ Lincoln Avenue Christian Church

¨ New Hope Baptist Church

¨ New Life Holiness Church

¨ Orange Grove Friends Meeting

¨ Pasadena Foursquare Church

¨ Pasadena Mennonite Church

¨ The Church We Hope For

¨ San Marino United Church of Christ

¨ United Methodist Women of FUMC

Local Businesses

¨ Full Circle Thrift

¨ ​Rosebud Coffee

¨