Writing an Effective Letter to Your City Council Member: Support Eviction Moratorium

During this time of Covid 19, it is more important now than ever that we write to our elected officials and let them know how we feel about public policies that affect our lives. Here are some steps you can take to influence your elected officials here in Pasadena.

Step #1: Contacting your City Council member

1)     If you don’t know what district you’re in or the name of your city council member, you can find out by going to https://www.cityofpasadena.net/find-my-district/

2)     GPAHG will usually send you information and talking points regarding pertinent ordinances that are under consideration by City Council. But if you want to find out for yourself,  

go to http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/councilagendas/council_agenda.asp

Look for the date of the city council meeting and click on agenda. If you see something you want to comment on, look for and download documents and staff reports to give clarity before you write.

3)     Because of the Covid 19 virus, the City Council will meet at 2:00 pm on Monday, March 30. One of the topics on the agenda that we along with the Pasadena Tenants Union will be advocating for will be the Eviction Moratorium. See http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/councilagendas/2020%20Agendas/Mar_30_2020/AR.24%20ORDINANCE.pdf

4)     How to write an effective letter

A good letter identifies who you are, thanks the City Council or City Council member for something they’ve done you appreciate, and then makes an “ask”—a specific request regarding a pending ordinance or legislation that is on the agenda.

Here are two sample letters. Identify the effective and ineffective parts of each letter.

 Imagine you are a City Council member reading the letter. Which one would influence you the most?

Dear Mayor and City Council members,

Why haven’t you done something about greedy land lords evicting people who have lost income or jobs due to the Covid 19 virus. This is shameful! The City should do something. Maybe some of you Council members should contribute your salaries to renters so they won’t be evicted!

Pissed off in Pasadena

Dear Mayor and City Council members,

As a homeowner who has lived in Pasadena for eight years, I feel fortunate to have a home in this beautiful city, but I am concerned about those less fortunate, namely, renters who are at risk of being evicted because they have lost their job or income because of the Covid 10 virus, or have to stay home to take care of their kids. I want to thank you for protecting tenants from eviction in the past and for the current ordinance that would protect tenants from eviction during this emergency.

While I support this ordinance, I feel that it could be strengthened if tenants had a year to pay back rents that they were unable to pay because of this emergency. We don’t know how long this state of emergency will last and people will be out of work. We do know that those who are low and very low-income working in the service sector are going to suffer the most. They will have a hard time repaying rent and need extra time to do so. Please craft your ordinance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.

Respectfully yours,

Dr. M.

Dear Mayor and City Council members,

As a renter here in the city who has worked for five years as a waitress, I have just been laid off. I am a single mom with two kids and don’t know how I am going to pay the rent. Right now I’m paying nearly half of my income on rent, so we barely havre enough for groceries and other basics. I am glad to hear that you have an ordinance that would prevent my landlord from evicting me now that I am unemployed and taking care of my kids, but what will happen if I can’t get back to work for several months? How can I pay back rent in six months? Please extend the time for replaying the rent to at least one year so I don’t get evicted or am forced to leave the city. This is a scary time for me. Please do what you can to help. Thank you!

Your truly,

Sally H.

5. Process for contacting elected officials: You can send your email directly to a City Council member. Here are their emails:

ttornek@cityofpasadena.net, thampton@cityofpasadena.net, mmcaustin@cityofpasadena.net, gmasuda@cityofpasadena.net, smadison@cityofpasadena.net, vgordo@cityofpasadena.net, awilson@cityofpasadena.net, 

Please note it's probably better also to send the letter to the city clerk Mark Jomsky so your letter will be counted:

mjomsky@cityofpasadena.net, 

The following new procedure is going into effect because “social distancing” rules limit the number of people who can attend Council meetings and speak during public comment.

Members of the public may submit comments of any length up to two hours prior to the start of the meeting, at the following email address:  publiccomment@cityofpasadena.net. 

Please be aware that, while these comments will be provided to the members of the body and will become part of the meeting record, they will not be read aloud. Any comment submitted in this fashion will be forwarded to the legislative body prior to the start of the meeting.

During the meeting, members of the public may submit up to 200 words regarding items on the agenda. If you wish your comments to be read aloud during the meeting, please indicate so on the form. If you submit more than one form, only the first one received will be read aloud. The City reserves the right to summarize comments if necessary for the orderly and timely flow of the meeting. All comments in their entirety will become part of the meeting record and will be forwarded to the legislative body.

The Pasadena Tenants Union (PTU) reports that

“We have structures and practices in place to work within these confines both as PTU and as a coalition. :) One item I am happy to share--there were 100 emailed comments of support sent last time to the public comment email."

Your letter will definitely be counted and it will count!