Friday, October 30, 2026

PUSD Says It Filed Design Application for 110-Unit Employee Housing Project

[Rendering courtesy Pasadena Unified]

City-commissioned traffic study will examine nearby streets and a possible signal at Pasadena Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard

Pasadena Unified School District says it has filed a design-review application for 110 below-market employee rental homes at the former Roosevelt Elementary School site in Pasadena, with neighborhood traffic questions unresolved.

The application is undergoing review by Pasadena city staff before the project can return to the Design Commission for Consolidated Design Review, according to PUSD’s Oct. 29 facilities bond newsletter. The district has not announced when commissioners will consider the proposal.

Traffic and vehicle access were the most frequent questions at a Sept. 22 community open house at Brookside Golf Club, the district reported.

Pasadena has engaged an independent transportation consultant to examine effects on nearby streets and intersections, including whether a traffic signal is warranted at North Pasadena Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard, the district newsletter said.

PUSD said Oct. 29 that it expected a draft traffic analysis within several weeks. The city will consider its findings as part of the project review. No conclusions from the study were included in the newsletter.

The proposal covers approximately five acres at 315 N. Pasadena Ave., where Roosevelt Elementary closed in 2020. Plans call for apartments and townhomes available to district employees whose household incomes are no more than 120 percent of area median income. All 110 units would rent below market rates, with 30 percent reserved for households earning no more than 80 percent of the median, according to PUSD.

On its project webpage, PUSD identifies Pasadena Avenue as the primary entrance for residents and visitors, with secondary access from Rosemont Avenue for residents and emergency vehicles. PUSD says the development would include approximately two parking spaces per unit, including guest parking.

At the open house, neighbors also asked about employee eligibility, building height, the use of the property, landscaping and operating hours. PUSD said arrangements for operating hours and lighting have not been finalized.

The Design Commission held a preliminary consultation on Aug. 11, but that meeting did not grant final approval. PUSD says the project is intended to help recruit and retain employees in a costly housing market. The city must finish reviewing the current application before the next design hearing can be scheduled.