Accessibility Panel to Vote on Annual Report Detailing Housing Guide, Ableism Education

The Accessibility and Disability Commission is scheduled to consider approving its annual report for the 2025-2026 fiscal year on Tuesday, Aug. 25, a document that catalogs a year of work on accessible housing, emergency readiness and public education about ableism — and that discloses which of its own goals the commission dropped along the way.

The report, dated Aug. 10 and addressed to the City Council, states that it is submitted for information purposes only. Chair Valerie Struski signed the transmittal memo, which lists three attachments: a Report of Accomplishments, a Report of Commission Attendance and a work plan running from July 28 through June 22, 2027.

The memo states the attached documents were reviewed and approved by the commission at its special meeting on June 23 and its regular meeting on July 28.

The commission is a strictly advisory body. Its stated purpose is to advise the council on accessibility issues in Pasadena, and it holds no independent power to enact policy. Any policies, procedures, programs or legislation it recommends would move forward only if the City Council chose to act on them, and the City Council retains final authority.

For residents with disabilities, the annual report functions as the commission’s formal accounting to elected officials of what it delivered over the past year and what it did not.

The report organizes the year under three ad hoc committees. The first, on community engagement and education, was co-led by Struski and Commissioner Patricia Herrera, with Commissioner Aaron Johnson. It reported completing the Robert Gorski Access Award nomination and selection process, identifying collaboration opportunities with the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities, the City of Los Angeles, the Altadena Town Council and City of Pasadena commissions and advisory bodies, educating the community about ableism and disability etiquette, and engaging community-based organizations including the Junior League, the Elks Lodge, Leadership Pasadena, the Chamber of Commerce and Pasadena Media to increase awareness of the needs of the disability community.

The committee’s ableism education work included a virtual session scheduled for May 20 at 10 a.m. featuring speaker Peter Mendoza, planned as a collaboration with the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities and Civitan. The report also records that an in-person event is planned for Oct. 14 featuring Tiffany Yu. One action item remains open: assembling resources to help community members navigate reasonable accommodation processes in schools, housing and elsewhere.

The second committee, covering policy and program development and emergency preparedness, was co-led by Commissioners Janie Lynn Heinrich and Melly Rosehaven. It carried forward work on emergency preparedness education, on research into city practices for people with disabilities — including recommendations to the City Emergency Manager and the Pasadena Public Health Department on revisions to the Emergency Operations Plan — and on collaboration with law enforcement. Two action items were discontinued: providing plain-language communication feedback to the Public Information Office and collaborating with the city’s Policy and Programmatic Accessibility Team.

Work also began on an Emergency Contact Information Sheet to hand out at the Adaptive Sports Festival, meant to go somewhere easily accessible such as a go bag. The report notes the Fire Department is donating folders for the emergency preparedness guide, and that as of January the Pasadena Fire Department had green folders for storage of the guide that were to be picked up.

The third committee, on infrastructure and accessibility improvements, was co-led by Commissioners Liz Schiller and Andrea Jennings. It reported finalizing and publishing the Accessible Housing Guide and reaffirming commission support for All Ages and Abilities Guidelines. Continuing items include communication with the City Building Official on accessory dwelling unit standard plan updates — including free accessible and ADA-compliant standard plans and overnight on-street parking passes for accessory dwelling unit residents — collaboration with the Department of Transportation on Greenways, Safe Streets for All, the Active Transportation Plan and planned corridor upgrades on Pasadena Avenue and North Lake, and continued input and recommendations on improvements to the public right-of-way and curb ramp installations. Collaboration with community partners including One Arroyo on universally accessible trails in the Arroyo Seco is listed as discontinued.

A presentation calendar for the same period, approved March 24, accompanies the report. It records a presentation from Katie Brandon, executive director of Pasadena Village, in September 2025; one from FASTlink DTLA, partnering with Butterfly, on an accessible transit program in December 2025; one from the Department of Transportation in February; and one from the Planning Department in March. The calendar also carries a monthly commitment to support the iBook Club of Pasadena, including dissemination of its monthly newsletter.

The attendance report shows the commission held 11 meetings during the reporting period, with two scheduled meetings canceled. Schiller recorded perfect attendance at 100 percent. Jennings, Struski and Heinrich each attended 10 meetings, or 90.91 percent. Rosehaven attended nine, or 81.82 percent. Herrera attended seven, or 63.64 percent, and Johnson attended five, or 45.45 percent. The record also lists Casey Jagusch, District 2, at seven meetings, or 63.64 percent, and Cy Estabrook, Mayor, at one, or 9.09 percent. The District 1 seat was vacant and recorded no attendance.

The Accessibility and Disability Commission is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the Jackie Robinson Community Center, 1020 North Fair Oaks Ave., in Pasadena. For more information call (626) 744-4124 or visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/agendas/.