[{"_1":2,"_96":-5,"_97":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,73,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},"mediaId",6645865,"mediaKeyId","3533021-a05be497032ca21397449949a6ceef59","parentId",3533021,"title","Norwalk residents urge council to adopt 3% rent cap and tenant protections during public comment","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",5933000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533021-a05be497032ca21397449949a6ceef59&start=5933&end=5933","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533021-a05be497032ca21397449949a6ceef59/thumbnail_5933000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6645865/Norwalk/Los-Angeles-County/California/Norwalk-residents-urge-council-to-adopt-3-rent-cap-and-tenant-protections-during-public-comment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645865-fd93b3d8d52f9283cc31709c4ad69f0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141181&Signature=M~JKpRAs0q7t4ZhUwjyG0oEtGUp8cWs-3WKzLqGI7J3xAThiwsZeTnudSivQO8SYjmobUdvopYilN0GYWVjXl1j0IsL0xj5dx4bqTaku3zw9qsMllQ8eqVQKdXyelv1E-PFhIEqpiyvhLowVWszvZTHEWRocLl~L~4TXRhCVNQ6r4pdXQXK8XWQMshpFUdd3W9c79IDDTIdcRzXr~nzqCKf1DUSqgDJQNP7ElhTFsOB0LPcGrDWJDkjKpyHRAcgZO3Nt4Frw4NGW-Hkc-2DCX7H8aQWiUyNdVTOMfZW6WpB39TBLlxDLgwsxPYo1vIjhB9PY5uftU7fNjZvT3FFuvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-28T00:55:29Z","article","Several Norwalk residents and tenant organizers used the meeting’s public comment period to urge the City Council to consider rent stabilization and tenant-protection measures, including a commonly requested 3% annual cap on rent increases and cited protections used in nearby cities.

Speakers described the effects of rising rents on seniors, people on fixed incomes and long-term renters. Yesenia Lopez said she supported \"only a 3% rent control hike\" for seniors and renters on limited incomes. Multiple commenters referenced recent rent‑stabilization efforts in nearby jurisdictions — including Cudahy, Maywood, Huntington Park and Bell Gardens — and asked Norwalk to adopt similar limits and enforcement tools.

Speakers related health and housing consequences tied to high rents. Daniel Chavez referenced research and statewide homelessness trends, saying older adults are especially vulnerable to eviction and that statewide homelessness had risen; Jesse Flores, who identified himself as executive director of a local tenants group, urged the council to pair tenant protections with other measures such as enforcement of a recently discussed smoke‑free multifamily‑dwelling ordinance. Flores cited peer‑reviewed research linking housing instability and eviction risk to worse health outcomes and premature mortality.

Several speakers described individual hardship. A resident who identified herself as Rosario Seguera said she lives at Centerpoint Villas Apartments and faces rent increases of up to $100 per year that could force her to leave because Social Security does not cover higher rent; others spoke in Spanish through an interpreter and asked the council to provide translation at future meetings so non‑English speakers can participate more fully.

No council action or staff report on rent stabilization occurred during the meeting. Council members did not deliberate or vote on rent-control legislation at this session; speakers asked the council to investigate options and consider drafting or studying an ordinance to stabilize rents, and several asked the city to bring translations and outreach to future meetings.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - 5/27/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents and tenant organizers used the public comment period to ask the Norwalk City Council to adopt rent stabilization measures, including a proposed 3% annual cap and 50% Costa/CPR (citizen protection ratio referenced), citing seniors on fixed incomes, eviction risk and neighboring cities that have adopted similar limits.","taxTitle","Norwalk, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",4534,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":76,"_43":77,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6645868,"Council approves consent calendar and adopts Resolution No. 25-16 to close two street‑safety projects",192,3722000,3914000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533021-a05be497032ca21397449949a6ceef59&start=3722&end=3914","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533021-a05be497032ca21397449949a6ceef59/thumbnail_3722000.jpg","/articles/6645868/Norwalk/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-approves-consent-calendar-and-adopts-Resolution-No-25-16-to-close-two-streetsafety-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645868-79c8d54c54e7e4ced77dc19bf8d6f094/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141181&Signature=OqbE4ao1Vf7dTo5otjN-pTLr1zEIm9Q6x-7P7Lmxwu6pPd~q~RGa~XLN-x-IOSIQzDcsl5o0zJIfSaP~9jxmR84X1PLqAdL2LZt04~vd-ekGvUj46Cehv-dmJwHqabcLsxr8d1Jx1U0Y~~mNQaL6fIe2hGcB7uPE4JWjm-SdEiA5Y1c54NSO1-0lPdh1dwY1wmLX6rFLbqt9qdskLDBejwp2eqLIK~LSnA6~B8uQhQVkiOgO55qw7XAz11iqy6qeQIhcjLzNatlb4hNEE3zUO502QsDm1ms4sdLYPf4hPvvia0UaNHJchvi7Ww6hYcE6l~pNXtLv52WlagYBqIWrjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Norwalk City Council approved eight consent calendar items and adopted Resolution No. 25-16 to appropriate street renovation funds to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 6, allowing final payments and contract closeout for City Project Nos. 7228 and 7230.

City staff member Mario Mera told the council that the two HSIP projects were completed and that outstanding items remained only because of final payment questions and scope issues. \"This is the final step to contract closeout,\" Mera said, adding that all parties had reached agreement and the resolution would allow the city to make the final payments and close the projects.

The consent calendar (eight items) was moved and seconded and passed by roll call. The council then took up Resolution No. 25-16. A motion to adopt the resolution was made and seconded; roll call votes recorded Councilmember Margarita Rios — Aye; Councilmember Valencia — Aye; Vice Mayor Perez — Aye; Councilmember Mariela — Aye. The resolution passed on a 4-0 vote as recorded.

No public speakers registered on the consent items or on Resolution No. 25-16.

","The Norwalk City Council approved eight consent calendar items and adopted Resolution No. 25-16, appropriating funds to finalize payments and close out Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 6 projects (City Project Nos. 7228 and 7230). The actions were adopted by roll call.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":78,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6645873,"Norwalk council hears consultants’ plan to replace five-step pay scale with nine-step salary structure",1546,5460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533021-a05be497032ca21397449949a6ceef59&start=3914&end=5460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533021-a05be497032ca21397449949a6ceef59/thumbnail_3914000.jpg","/articles/6645873/Norwalk/Los-Angeles-County/California/Norwalk-council-hears-consultants-plan-to-replace-five-step-pay-scale-with-nine-step-salary-structure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6645873-7b05150fa3ff8c6a2801e4d262102b5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141181&Signature=XOfd4nmplw3DZ9LBtLV0o8nQt0CrryR-8tOY1k3X4O0vO88g04VJhpStTGvzU3m-LzzjW90OQ6qz0eKAp0Pb6yv6WyT1nG3ymmhdMDCaNVoNpt3aW1RTdKZUEIvasbkoSESrSlYzFHIcGh39uis9Xzv1xaQL1ApWbZ8QlUcfyjHd-wxRDjMMnleeSd9wzgx-3YqXQQphZmsbJAnPihz5-lZ6x73mME95j1K2saDp01bOaw4vrm0lLF~H-2zKKFirmGAzqpCO~FDaxVM6oxeORPQ-CfdePDMrlOgdiG11TUbigAfiIqzoY23AcqDDgee0TXiTAbAjJKg-NuklBro4lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Norwalk City Council on the evening of the meeting heard a presentation from CPS HR Consulting and TrueComp on a comprehensive classification and compensation study recommending a shift from the city’s current five-step salary schedule to a nine-step pay structure designed to improve market alignment and create greater room for employee wage progression.

The consultants told the council the review benchmarked 44 classifications against six comparable cities and found those benchmarks covered about 40% of Norwalk’s jobs; they recommended a nine-step structure with 3.3% step-to-step increases and consistent 5% separation between pay grades to avoid pay compression and support internal career ladders.

City human resources staff initiated the study at the council’s direction to address what consultants described as internal equity discrepancies, limited progression for employees at the top of existing ranges and market competitiveness. \"No employee in this plan that we recommend will have a reduction in pay,\" Vicky Quintero Brashear of CPS HR Consulting said, adding that most employees would receive some pay increase when moved into the new structure. Technical specialist Igor Shagalev explained the proposed system would provide nine steps for movement and a clearer matrix for assigning promotions and job families.

Consultants said the match to comparator cities (Carson, Downey, Gardena, Pico Rivera, Torrance and Whittier) produced sufficient anchor data to extrapolate recommendations to non‑benchmarked positions. They reported 64% of benchmarked jobs were at or above market and 36% lagged the market. They also told the council that 57% of Norwalk employees were currently at the top of the five-step ranges, limiting upward movement under the existing system.

Council members asked procedural and implementation questions. Councilmember Margarita Rios asked whether an employee at one step in the old system could end up at a different step in the new system; consultants replied yes and noted individual movements would vary based on current salary and the new grade assignments. Consultants and city staff said the bulk of technical work is complete but final decisions remain: staff must finish leveling a small number of jobs, assign each employee to a specific new step, calculate the fiscal impact, and return to council with a finalized structure and cost estimates.

Mayor Ayala and other councilmembers remarked that a modern, consistent salary structure would make administration simpler and support recruitment and retention. City staff said they expect to bring a finalized structure back to council in the coming weeks.

The council took no formal vote on the study during the meeting; staff will return with finalized grade assignments and the associated budget impacts before any implementation decision.

","CPS HR Consulting and TrueComp presented a citywide classification and compensation study recommending a move from Norwalk’s five-step pay system to a nine-step structure to improve market alignment, internal equity and employee progression. Council members asked questions; staff will return with final grade assignments and cost estimates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Norwalk residents urge council to adopt 3% rent cap and tenant protections during public comment

Council approves consent calendar and adopts Resolution No. 25-16 to close two street‑safety projects

Norwalk council hears consultants’ plan to replace five-step pay scale with nine-step salary structure