The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education has voted to move forward with entitlements for a workforce housing development at the campus of Roosevelt Elementary School.

The proposed project, in the planning stages since 2021, would rise from a site to the north of the 134 Freeway and Walnut Street at 315 N. Pasadena Avenue. Plans call for the construction of multiple low-rise structures containing a combined total of 115 homes, as well as parking for 211 vehicles.

A conceptual design for the project from SVA Architects shows buildings of up to three stories in the Spanish Revival style. The townhomes and apartments would be set among internal driveways and green spaces, and be accompanied by a community building.

The apartments, which are expected to cater to school district employees, would come in a mix of one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom layouts. Conceptual rents would range from as low as $600 per month for a 700-square-foot one-bedroom unit to as high as $3,500 per month for a 1,500-square-foot four-bedroom dwelling. By comparison, the average rent for a one-bedroom market-rate unit in Pasadena is currently $2,700, while a four-bedroom unit commands more than $4,500 per month.

Site plan for proposed workforce housing developmentSVA Architects

As the school district would seek streamlined approvals through SB 35, at least 50 percent of the homes must be affordable to lower-income households. The project would also make use of AB 2295, a 2022 state bill which allows the construction of housing on properties own by school districts.

Members of the Board noted that the school district has been faced with declining enrollment due to families being priced out of the City of Pasadena. The project was cited as a potential model that could be replicated at other underutilized sites owned by the district.

According to Pasadena Now, the anticipated approval timeline for the project is approximately six months. However, schematic design and third-party reports would need to be completed before the project could be submitted to the city for approvals.

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