CDBG advisory committee shifts small-park dollars, approves $605,000 for YWCA building repairs after safety review

Members of the City of Glendale CDBG Advisory Committee voted Feb. 28 to move $100,000 among city capital projects and to recommend a $605,000 CDBG award for building repairs at the YWCA of Glendale and Pasadena’s Lexington Street property.

The committee voted to reduce previously designated allocations for the Elk Mini Park and Wilson Mini Park playground replacements from $250,000 apiece to $200,000 and to place the $100,000 difference into a Pelincony Park renovation project. The motion passed on a roll call vote after staff described Pelincony as an older park in need of backstop fencing, asphalt replacement around a baseball field and half court, bleacher repairs and irrigation work.

Why this matters: The Pelincony decision preserves half a million dollars for municipal mini-park projects while shifting a relatively small amount to address infrastructure deterioration at one of the city’s older parks. The committee framed the change as a schedule- and scope-neutral reallocation intended to let staff proceed with bidding and construction timetables already in place.

What the staff report said Tamar Kabanjian, administrative associate in the Community Services & Parks Department, presented status updates on multiple City and community capital improvement projects. Among the projects under design or construction were: work at Pacific Park (natural grass field redesign and an Edison Elementary artificial-turf replacement), playground and pool shade-structure installations and an associated splash pad, and capital projects at community agencies including Catholic Charities (a roofing replacement) and YMCA Glendale (a completed first-floor all-inclusive locker room). Kabanjian told the committee the Pacific Edison artificial-turf replacement project had been scoped to improve drainage and review fence and seating needs; the project team was evaluating infill options and planned phased implementation. She said the Pacific Park playground and pool shade-structure work was under construction and that restrooms and shade canopies were expected to be finished by April 2025.

Applicants and committee deliberations Two community applicants presented for capital funding during the meeting: Kids Community Dental Clinic (a clinic relocation/expansion project) and YWCA of Glendale & Pasadena (Lexington building preservation and systems repairs).

- Kids Community Dental Clinic (Burbank/Glendale). Executive Director Dale Gorman described a plan to expand a clinic into a 3,200-square-foot former commercial site in Glendale to add recovery and sedation capability for children with special needs, panoramic x-ray capacity, and more clinic chairs. He said the organization has raised multiple grant commitments but continues a capital fundraising campaign. Committee members pressed the applicant about project timing, permitting and how the clinic will document the percentage of its patients who are Glendale residents if it receives CDBG capital funding.

- YWCA of Glendale & Pasadena. Deborah Sall, YWCA CEO, and the YWCA’s architect and construction manager outlined proposed electrical, HVAC and roof work for the 1939 Lexington building that houses shelter and community services. Architect/manager statements emphasized fire/life-safety risk from aging panels (a single, low-amp service and outdated fuses on an approximately 14,000-square-foot building), the need to separate the building’s electrical service from the adjacent gym and to install modern HVAC systems. The presenters told the committee plans and earlier engineering documents exist but must be updated and resubmitted to city plan check; Glendale Water & Power (GWP) coordination and possible transformer or meter work could affect schedule and costs.

Architect/consultant remark: “What we’re here today is not … a desire or a wish, but something we find that is absolutely critical and necessary to make sure the building is safe,” the architect said during the presentation.

Committee action on capital recommendations After interviews and deliberations, the committee voted to recommend $605,000 in CDBG capital funds to the YWCA Lexington building preservation and rehab project for City Council approval. Committee members cited the project’s fire/life-safety priority, existing project planning documents, and the YWCA’s role providing shelter and services as reasons for prioritizing the award.

The committee also adopted a contingency rule for CIP funds: staff were authorized to apply small adjustments to the awarded amount if the final federal allocation differs from estimates. The committee directed staff to allow up to a modest, pre‑set percentage increase (as recorded in committee minutes) to the awarded CIP amount without returning for another meeting; if final federal funding fell short, the committee asked staff to reduce awards proportionally or convene a special meeting if deeper cuts were required.

What’s next The committee’s CIP recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for final approval. Staff indicated they will continue coordinating with GWP, planning, and applicants to finalize plan check submissions and timelines. The YWCA and the dental clinic were each told to continue permitting work and to report back with any material changes to scope or schedule.

Ending note Committee members emphasized that the CIP vote prioritized immediate safety needs while preserving funding for smaller municipal playground projects. Staff noted that federal CDBG allocations are estimates until HUD funds are finalized and told members they would return to the committee if final funding differed significantly from current estimates.