Thursday, March 31, 2016

City Council Participates in Transit Experience

The latest in a series of "Work Boot Tuesday" meetings involved riding the Beeline Bus throughout the City and learning about the inner workings of our local transit system. The Glendale City Council and members of the public were immersed in the world of transit while touring the City aboard Beeline routes 32, 1, 2 and 4. 

The tour began with a quick primer in setting up and using the NextBus App. A presentation about rider demographics and the regional transit system followed.  Things slowed down a bit when participants stopped at the Glendale Transportation Center where they learned about future plans for a new transit maintenance facility, recommendations for Tropico area transit and 1st/last mile improvements around the train station.

Veteran's Village Grand Opening Celebration



Veterans Village is Glendale’s newest affordable housing project for lower income veterans and their families. It's grand opening will take place on Tuesday, April 5, 2015 at 10:30 AM at 331 Salem Street, Glendale. 

This 44-unit developments was built through a $20.4 million partnership between the Glendale Housing Authority and developer Thomas Safran & Associates. The project consists of 44 units, a mix of 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms.  It will offer specialized social services for the veteran residents provided by New Directions, a nonprofit provider dedicated to empowering veterans and facilitating their return to families.

Get Connected: Economic Development Updates

The Glendale Economic Development Corporation has a new monthly newsletter, connecting residents, businesses and visitors with exciting news and events in Glendale. Sign up to receive the email newsletter here.

Want more frequent updates on new restaurant, shopping, and business activity? Follow @ChooseGlendale on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook. Don’t forget to share your exciting finds with us #ChooseGlendale.

Learning About Safety

Our Safe Routes to School Program drew a crowd at the 15th Annual Cesar Chavez Celebration this past Saturday, March 26, at the Pacific Community Center.  Children and parents had fun while learning life-saving lessons about pedestrian, bicycle, helmet and traffic safety. Participants enjoyed making smoothies on a Blender Bike demonstrating pedal power and played safety games for a chance to win a new helmet. Mr. Stop Sign and Ms. Railroad Crossing Sign were on hand to take photos with event participants.

Our partners from Safe Moves, the leading authority in traffic safety education in the country, brought along safety instructors who shared important street safety information with attendees including the health benefits of using alternative modes of transportation which also relieve road congestion and reduce emissions. Both children and adults were reminded of the rules of the road to be safer while walking, riding and rolling! 

Get Involved - Adults completed Pedestrian Safety Surveys in the ongoing effort by the City of Glendale to help our community be safe drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. If you're interested in helping improve safety throughout the City, you can start by completing this 5-minute survey.

Next Stop - Look for us at  Earth Day 2016 on April 30 in Central Park.

To learn more about our safety education program and how to get involved, please visit GlendaleWalks.com

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

CDD Profiles: Irina Kassabian


Irina Kassabian is dedicated to helping improve people’s lives through her work. She is a Housing Advisor and has worked for the City of Glendale for nearly 16 years. Irina spends a great amount of time ensuring that Glendale residents have the information they need about affordable housing.

The Nuts & Bolts

As a Housing Advisor, Irina assists tenants and landlord with questions regarding housing policies, rules, and regulations. She is also responsible for determining if individuals who live in Glendale are eligible for the Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). 

Helping the Community 
Irina uses her skills in the workplace to make sure the community is updated about new Housing programs and opportunities. She does this by conducting public forums and television interviews to speak to the public about Section 8 and other affordable housing alternatives. 

She also devotes her work time to helping the homeless community in Glendale by volunteering to collect information and data on individuals and families experiencing homelessness.