Friend of CHOA,
It is 12 days to our Sharing Gathering, Saturday morning (9:30am to 11:30am), on October 19th. We share all the updates, and what just occurred, and what is coming up, in regards to housing in Arcadia. We put this in the perspective of how the faith community is involved, and where there are opportunities to make an impact. See the flier at the end of this email. RSVP so we know you are joining us, see the link below.
RSVP for October 19th
As we count down to the 19th, we will share a bit of information, to give you more insight of what is presented. In this email, we explain why we will present an award to City Councilmember April Verlato, and thank her for 8 years on City Council, determined to work on housing solutions, despite opposition and the challenges. Please come and join us to thank April for all her efforts. We will have a large group picture at the end of the presentation, so feel free to get in that picture!!!
Peace,
–Mike Veerman
CHOA Team Lead
Thank you Councilmember April Verlato for 8 years of service
City Councilmember April Veralto, for 8 years, provided thoughtful service for all of us in Arcadia, particularly on housing matters. CHOA will present April an award, as a symbol of our gratitude. She has demonstrated sacrifice, leadership and persistence for housing in these 8 years.
We will have a few folks come to share their gratitude to April, and their perspective on what she has meant to us.
Why do we say she sacrificed? Back in the first part of 2021 (3 years ago), Councilmember Verlato decided the City of Arcadia needed to do something with the growing number of unhoused in Arcadia. She proposed 15 temporary shelters, “Tiny Homes”. There were a number of residents that opposed this idea, and protested at each of the City Councilmembers homes, including April’s (see the picture below.)
She received continued negative feedback, at City Council meetings, and online. Most of the opposition was targeted at April. That is emotional sacrafice, to absorb all that criticism. Sadly, this affected the majority of the five City Councilmembers, and the temporary shelter effort was halted.
And over the years, she just kept going. The opposition and the negative feedback did not stop her. She risk more criticism in forging ahead.
Protests of “Tiny Homes” in front of Councilmember April Verlato’s home, in May 2021.
Source: Fox 11 LA news: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw_vlbxx64I
Strikingly, April kept working regionally. She also served for multiple years as the Vice President of the Council of Governments (COG), working and sharing ideas with other cities around Arcadia, to regionally find solutions. She was on their Homelessness subcommittee and put in a lot of time, and effort. That is sacrifice!
Why do we say April Verlato demonstrated leadership? She proposes new approaches for Arcadia. For the temporary shelters, she shows how it is possible. April ideas turn into concrete plans, including the grants for funding, and getting the partners.
The long-term solution to have many more people with stable housing, is to build more housing, as well as affordable housing. That is beginning to happen right here in Arcadia. While April was Mayor, City Council unanimously voted 5-0 in February 2024 to rezone several key areas around Arcadia to be both commercial and residential. This means developers can build mixed-use projects, with business like restaurants on the bottom floor, and several stories of residential units above.
As an example, as Mayor this year, April Verlato saw mixed-use development come to Arcadia. One of a handful of examples is the Alexan Azalea project, at 150 N. Santa Anita Ave (across the street from the Rusnak car dealership). This project is going to build 319 housing units, with 26 of them deemed for affordable housing, see the pictures below.
Arcadia Mayor April Verlato presents a certificate to Reece Pettersen, a Trammell Crow Residential development associate. Photo on the left courtesy of the city of Arcadia
Source: https://heysocal.com/2024/05/25/construction-set-to-begin-on-large-mixed-use-complex-in-arcadia/
Why do we say April shows persistence? April keeps moving forward, with new ideas, and making those happen. Her last time as Mayor of Arcadia, she put together the Homelessness Symposium in February 2024, where staff from 16 city presented what is working, what has been challenging, and what they need to re-evaluate in regards to offering services for the unhoused in their cities. Many city councilmembers and city staff from those cities were all there..and more from other cities.
This was held in our Community Center in Arcadia. This was no small matter to have a forum for homelessness solutions and information, for cities, by cities. We need to continue to find ideas to feasibly address homelessness in our cities. (See the picture on the right of April welcoming everyone, and two pictures below showing the many city staff and councilmembers attending.)
We could keep going with more examples. You get the idea. April has given so much.
Yes, we are going to miss City Councilmember April Verlato. We are deeply thankful for her efforts to push us forward to provide affordable housing, and consider solutions to homelessness in Arcadia.
The faith community needs to make an equal effort to what April and the city have done. We need to work together.
Thank you April for your example.
