As we are info our Labor Day holiday weekend and entering September 2025, the state of DC Fast Charging is getting worse, not better.

In the past week we have seen some disturbing trends.

1. Victory Park DC Fast Chargers which on 8/20/25 had been labeled out of order appeared as operational on the PowerFlex app. Calls to PowerFlex asking for confirmation led to a variety of responses, but that basically the chargers are offline.  But at the same time, people had gone to the chargers and attempted to use.  Although the DC Fast chargers appear to be off. people are confused by the app vs signage as has been the case over the course of the way these chargers have been managed.  So that was the first incident.
2. Robinson Park, with 5 DC Fast chargers, we now from the app and from seeing the chargers in person that 1 has been out of order for about a year, maybe longer, we have no idea what the issue is with this charger, #5 has been offline for a very long time, we do not know if it was ever online.   So according to the app there should be 4 working DC Fast Charges. Well surprise, there is online 1…. YES ONLY 1 WORKS. The app shows 4.  Only #4 is operational. The errors on the three units is varied from appears to be working to flashing errors,  This is an absolute travesty.   But the city continues to state that they are proud of their number of chargers.

We don’t know what has transpired within the PWP group that manages these valuable and critical resources, but it speaks volumes as to what is a chronic problem with the city.  From the top down, the lack of accountability has continued.  The City Manager who is ultimately responsible for this embarrassing state of affairs is nowhere to be found on this issue. Copied and countless emails. Phone calls unreturned.

I urge everyone who has had the experiences I have with the EV DC Fast Charging to call and email the people who are responsible for having spent millions of our dollars to implement these systems, and continue to spend our tax dollars to manage, and are failing miserably.

The city may try to claim that chargers are operational on their website, but we know now that it is all smoke and mirrors, these status postings are not reliable or accurate.  The app is not reliable or accurate.  The people who manage this program are failing just like the chargers.

I urge those who rely on DC Fast Charging to contact city staff and their elected representatives.

Also, new is a Change.org petition to help drive home to the city the urgency of what is taking place.

Continue to call and express concern, these are the people who are responsible for the state of EV charging in Pasadena.

City Manager Miguel Marquez miguelmarquez@cityofpasadena.net phone (626) 744-4333

David M. Reyes davidreyes@cityofpasadena.net
General Manager, Department of Water and Power
150 S. Los Robles Ave. #200, Pasadena, CA 91101
626-744-7598

Varoojan Avedian vavedian@cityofpasadena.net
Assistant General Manager
Pasadena Water & Power – Power Delivery Division
1055 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 350, Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 744-7851

Susana Castro scastro@cityofPasadena.net
Senior Executive Assistant
626-744-7029

If you call the above people don’t expect a return call, usually they don’t return calls, which is a whole other topic.  Not return the call of your community members and residents is a total slap in the face, like a big disrespect to it’s residents.  Why do they think it’s ok not to return phone calls?  That’s another topic.

Others and the media that need to be contacted to express the dire state of charging.

Victor Gordo,

Mayor

Tyron Hampton, CD1

Rick Cole, CD2

Justin Jones, CD3

Jess Rivas,

Vice-Mayor, CD5

Gene Masuda, CD4

Steve Madison, CD6

Jason Lyon, CD7

Entire Pasadena City Council 

City Manager Miguel Márquez

Pasadena Now: editor@pasadenanow.com

Pasadena Star News: opinion@scng.com

Colorado Blvd: editorial@coloradoblvd.net

LA Times: andrew.khouri@latimes.com

LAist / KPCC: dwagner@scpr.org

According to reports and on the website, the 2025 Rental Registration Opens September 1, 2025 – October 31, 2025.

But if you go to the website to register there is nothing that states that registration is not open.

In addition the Rent Stabilization Dept has the most ridiculous benfits to landords posted on their website:

Benefits for Landlords

Basically they are gouging landlords by increased registry fees of 100% calling their launch a “soft toss” well that is absurd.  Why would landord be the ones to pay for hard misses of the department it seems mediocracy is the norm. and no accountability for actions.

There is ongoing pressure on the city of Pasadena to provide compost to residents.  Compost was provided once many years ago and it was hugely popular.

Now with SB 1383 there are specific elements that call for the purchase of compost.

Specifically

• Procurement of Compost:

  SB 1383 mandates that jurisdictions procure a specific amount of products made from recycled organic waste, including compost and mulch. This helps create a market for compost and promotes its use in various applications. 

E-WASTE RECYCLING

The next city e-waste event is here! Bring your obsolete electronics to our One-Day E-Waste and Document Shredding event on Saturday, August 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brookside Park Lot I, 360 N. Arroyo Blvd.  Document shredding is limited to three legal sized boxes. Pasadena residency is required.

Please note: The line will close at 2pm to allow for the processing of remaining customers. Event duration is subject to truck capacity. For more information, please call (626) 744-7311.

Please call and request compost be provided to residents.  Many are working on restoring their soil health after the fires and the city could do more to provide compost as mandated by SB 1383

The city of Pasadena has a serious problem with speeding vehicles, but specifically there are certainly issues with speeding on Washington Blvd.  The city of Pasadena has made some efforts albiet too little too late.

Now with pressure from local councilmember Rick Cole, there is pressure to make some change.  Enforcement is one of the critical components of traffic safety. If you don’t enforce the speed limits then drivers will drive whatever speed they can and they will regardless of dangers to other drivers and pedestrians and cyclist.

Pasadena DOT has been somewhat uncooperative, without any details and in after a recent public records act request, initially was told that there was no data, now staff was advise by the City Attorney to provide the data that was requested.  The data being requested is for year to date 2025 for all speed feedback signs on Washington and Los Robles, which is less than five signs.

Pasadena PPD has limited staffing and it shows because patrols and officer presence is certainly very limited. It is a rare to see an patrol.

Where is the city manager and why is he not engaged in these critical parts of managing our city and keeping our residents and community safe?   For the most part Mr. Marquez is non responsive to both emails or calls. Not once has he returned calls.  And maybe one out of 50 emails will there be a response.  A city manager is one of the top paid positions in the city and this lack of responsiveness is certainly cause for concern.  Council needs to address this.

The city of West Hollywood has implemented a speed reduction program funded by state money.

From a recent email newsletter from Rick Cole regarding speed on Washington, to make things more imperative school is going back into session, and the speed limit is actually 30mph in several locations, and actually 25 when school is session.    These signs regarding school in session and the 25mph limit are confusing and need to be corrected.    What people need to understand is that if you travel 10mph over the limit in a 30mph zone it is usually much more dangerous than traveling 10mph over in a 40mph zone.  The higher the speed the higher the risk of injury and damage.  I believe the relief from enforcement was very temporary, because it was very limited.  There needs to be a repeat and organized effort managed to change driver behavior. Having a limited presence while ok for the day or two or three… doesn’t get us closer to the goal of changing driver behavior.

WASHINGTON BLVD TRAFFIC AND SPEED DATA

The recent tragic collisions on Washington Blvd emphasize the need to slow the deadly speeds.

In response to our request, Pasadena’s Transportation Department conducted a new speed study. With a volume of 17,764 vehicles over 24-hours, the study recorded a big speed increase over studies conducted years ago. Traffic engineers use a standard  measurement of the speed at or below which 85% of vehicles travel on a road under free-flowing conditions. The number for Washington Blvd. was 44.5 mph — or ten miles above the 35 MPH speed limit on a street with an elementary school, a library, residents and businesses.    

While recent enforcement patrols provide temporary relief, lasting change requires changing the current street conditions. Our volunteer Task Force will be meeting to analyze alternatives next month and we’ll be reporting to a community meeting this fall.

If you expect to hear good news regarding DC Fast Charging, sorry to break the news, there is no good news.

Victor Park Currently we have had the DC Fast Chargers at Victory Park UNUSABLE for many weeks, with no signage or update available. Basically no communication from the people who are in charge.

Glenarm Arroyo is a mess.  Basically one or two of the PWP DC Fast chargers may work, and both are in handicap parking locations.

Other locations,

Robinson Park – has been getting higher use, maybe 3 of the 5 chargers work. Other times there are errors.

Del Mar 1 charger works sometimes, still no clarification on where the 3 chargers staff claims are available.

Shopper’s Lane is a shitshow with the 6 chargers that may work, there’s always a line of cars waiting. after the 2 hour parking was put in place… it got significantly worse.  City staff has zero clue regarding the parking for EV DC Fast Charging.

Marengo Plaza while there may be several chargers available here, they are not noted properly on the app, and many that are shown as available do not work. And new chargers that have been installed are Tesla NACS capable but the app doesn’t show this correctly.

So what is notably embarrassing is that there is no site that has 100% operating chargers, there’s actually no site that has 75% working chargers.

Meanwhile city staff are out. Not returning calls or emails.

I encourage all to contact your council person and let them know that this is unacceptable.

Morales, Helen <hmorales@cityofpasadena.net>

The following are responses to your questions:

1. Registration occurs annually, the second registration period opens on September 1, 2025 and the deadline is October 31, 2025.
2. The Public Accessible portal will be available when registration opens on September 1, 2025.
3. The Registration fee covers the Budget as mandated by the Charter Article XVIII (Charter) and passed by the Board
4. Passthroughs of any kind are prohibited by the voter approved Charter.
5. Any and all consultants have been paid in compliance with City policy.
6. No question asked.
7. Residential rental property built after February 1995 remain subject to Just Cause protections and registration requirements.

Sincerely,

Helen Morales

Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2025 10:42 AM
To: Morales, Helen <hmorales@cityofpasadena.net>
Cc: Márquez, Miguel <miguelmarquez@cityofpasadena.net>

Date: Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: Pasadena Rent Stabilization Department –
To: Rent Stabilization Dept <rentstabilization@cityofpasadena.net>

Couple questions.

1. How do you renew before the expiration of the current registration in my case August 31, 2025.  If a renewal is not possible then please send extension certificates valid until the actual availability of the registration renewal process.
2. Where is the public accessible portal where one can see the properties that are registered and not registered?  Mandated by Measure H.
3. Why is the fee almost 100% higher vs last year? Please explain the out of control budget of the RS and PHRB actions.
4. With all the punitive actions being taken by PRHB and RS dept, Why is there not even 1% of the registration fees allowed to be passed through to the tenants?
5. Where is the hundreds of thousands that was and is being squandered on consultants?
6. Stop spending the money of hard working people on small property landlords. Being penalized for having property built before 1995.
7. How are properties built after 1995 not part of the RS/PHRB regulations?  Big developers get off scott free and continue to build build and laugh all the way to the bank.

Makes me sick!

Link to watch video
I encourage everyone who lives in Pasadena to watch this meeting.  Especially some of the public comments.
Watch the video with comments at
1:27.
2:44
2:54
3:00 landlord
3:16

Some very good comments.

Matthew Reyes

The actions of the board and rent stabilization department un unison are a complete and utter fiasco and hurting renters and landlords alike.

Dr Gary Hampton-Maat-Hotep
Link

They actions are full of gotcha’s.
Helen Morales talks about a “soft toss” two years late… and the issue with registration, another fiasco.
Now the department is implement late fees for something that is not even up and running. I cannot renew.
The registry doesn’t even allow people to see who is registered and who is not.

 
Why does the city of Pasadena still use outdated streaming platform and not YouTube like other adjacent cities?

October 1, 2025 through September 30 of 2026 thank you there any questions from the Charter administrative we’re doing a better job this year. I’m getting this information out. This is important for tenant and landlord to know what’s coming down on the financial pipe have any questions or comments before we go to public comment on this item to comment The only damn thing why is that was written type of way to be self standing not all this bullshit 50% 90 days 30% 91+50% late fee will come back in six months and update us useful fee in registration compliance six months from the date of the registration date of the registration six months from one six months from today Since April 1 six months absent yes yes yes yes Rodriguez no no Henry Gonzales alternate motion passes for discussion, figuring that out right as mentioned earlier I four has been pulled, but if there are any public comments here in chamber or online for item, and if I could ask board members to pull yourselves out of the queue I have three public comments for this item 1st comment from Dr. Gary Hampton right next to Simon that is really powerful and it would be very silly to throw it away, but it is even more relevant for this item because in this case you are not talking about landlords who exist in the nebula state of may or may not be intending to comply with Charter you were talking about landlords who are defying The whole protecting actively to deal with. We need to have a stronger option than just referring them to Office who gets to make their own decision whether from Dr. Car Hampton correct correct related to remedies for unlawful staff working directly with City attorney‘s office to clarify the meaning of chapter 6, and Charter amendment instead of the attorney coming to the board directly, and then the board directing staff to propose changes. Staff should not be coming to the board with recommendations instead, the board should be giving those recommendations directly to staff who should then draft propose changes there should be no tentative decision by board prior to an appeal. Hearing appeal should be hearing and therefore should review all evidence, including new evidence 10 time. Period for argument is not enough time 45 minutes should be the maximum for each side, there should be at least 15 minutes rebuttal time for each item directly with the Attorney office in order to come here and certain information. I don’t know what was supposed to be for this money being paid for that attorney for this board that illegally hired I talked about that that attorney come here. Explain that to you what your options are The staff go say fuck you right you’re gonna be here a lot. Fuck you thank you that includes your time from Matthew Rio public comment on zoom from Bonnie Wallace OK OK thank you very much once again I’m gonna keep it shorter than my previous ones. One of the board members recently said We’re here to listen to the land. I consider is a little bit of that again so the late fee discussion that you guys have been having a symptom of the problem the problem is you’re charging for the landlord you know if you that would be good. That would be helpful for the tenant you think this is gonna help the tenant it’s not gonna help the tenants. This is going to hurt. This is so frustrating you want to help you have $1 million budget what are you gonna do with that you gonna mean what you’re doing is not helping what you’re doing is going to hurt that might be hard for you to swallow may not understand a paradigm shift a mind blowing concept, but mind blowing paradigm shifting and raising your awareness and consciousness to understand what is going to happen with these policies people are gonna sell the highest higher and luxury apartments or they put the rent up this is how it goes. This is how it goes. Centralized government centralized control leads to positive economic community. We’re having my opinion a bigger concept the late fee $90 is what is charging consideration 50% pay the tenant landlord. Have any questions or comments go thank you Jackeline when you’re ready from Simon Gibbons process to approve to keep in mind when you come to the other section of the agenda that we are being limited to an increasing gross income to a quarter percent, whereas our expenditures are increasing enormously, and you be talking about one of those pieces of expenditure you’ll be able to make a choice as to how much that is please be mindful From Dr. Hampton. This is probably implementing motherfucking implement .5% of the damn thing that you’re implementing is not being properly implemented. This is the only damn thing. The damn thing is that certain type of way to be self standing not all this bullshit all this bullshit proposal for the 2.25 you guys pretty much have to do we know where it came from Freedom of speech you can keep your comments to the agenda item which is the AGA. Thank you so much don’t talk about but you’re getting out in the context of 2.25 that I have for the department is all connected. That’s what I’m talking about. Talk about you. Talk about you. You’re the chair get some thick ass skin. You don’t like it to the AGA sir. We have a long evening ahead of us. A lot of people come out to the AGA thank you. This is all connected and the way you want to try to limit my speech type of motherfucking way 30 seconds 2.25 and operating company with better proposal Thank you that includes your time from Rosen. You guys are so cool. OK so let me give you a little more information so you could get a picture of what this really looks like. Let me back up. I should’ve asked who in this room sitting up at this board. Our landlord can see a only two and all the rest of your tenants I get it. It makes a lot of sense so let me just show you what this looks like for a minute because it’s laughable so one of my units they pay it’s a studio unit. It’s $943 a month wow I’m a great landlord probably half what it should be, but that’s OK And so I get to raise it. This is so comical .2.25% which I did some quick math cause I’m not stupid and that comes to a whopping $21 a month that I wait because now I have to subtract that $17.83 that I have to pay you for I don’t know What so I think I come out of this with just over three dollars a month. Did you hear me or should I repeat it? That’s who you are hurting I’m not just up here to make you to waste my night to come up here and just talk to you because I’m angry. I am angry for a good fucking reason because you guys don’t get it you really don’t get it but let me go on so let me tell you my most expensive property it’s a one bedroom beautiful front unit. She’s very happy all our landlords love Christmas present and you know what they’re not gonna care that I didn’t pay because you’re still gonna pay my rent because we’re very good to them and we do by the way we do all our own work because to keep their rent slow my husband goes in unclogged the fucking plumbing when it’s when it’s clogged up. OK we do the plaster work. We do as much work as our these are that I want you to see the face of small time, landlords mom and landlord whatever you wanna call people that work their asses off won’t be able to buy the property and then do their own work as much as possible to maintain it because we wanna keep our been there forever do I wanna hurt them? Absolutely not you’re hurting me before we used to raise around every three or five years now you have forced me to raise it every year things to run 17.83 $17.83 so I just earned a whole approximately $30 more and when I say I earned, I’m not shit. I’m not done because I have to pay more time. Has time is expired. Your time is expired. Your time is expired, madam item Just being respectful that we’ve been told twice tonight to fuck off. Fuck you just you know decorum for the council chambers thank you very much next we have a motion for the PGA Brandon.

If you own a Tesla you know that charging is a critical part of charging… No charge and you are not going anywhere.

With a Tesla Model 3 one of the first Model 3 releases some of the systems may have been questionable in their design.

Being able to charge whether it be at home or on the road is critical, being able to charge using 110, 220 is critical to EV’s.

For some reason Tesla has stated that the Power Conversion System is not covered under the battery warranty, although it is a critical component of the battery.

Having done the majority of charging using Tesla Supercharging may have impacted the PCS failures.

The other issue is that the PCS failures appear as messages that basically make no sense.

The PCS is composed of three models that are 16amps each, when one fails your ability to use AC charging drops from 48amps to 32amps, when two fail you charge max is 16amps. Which is where we are at.

It’s been quite sometime since we noticed the cryptic messages displayed on the app stating that there is a grid issue or that the wiring in our home is not supporting the charging at over 16amps. I finally had enough and not only took our car to a neighbor who has a Tesla charger and experienced the same issue, then had an electrician come out and confirm that our wiring is good, that we should have no problem charging at 48amps.

Extremely concerned I opened a service request with Tesla. They have quoted a repair estimate of over $2600!  Yes $2600 to repair something that is critical to the charging of our Tesla.

I would think that Tesla having run a variety of diagnostics and upgrading our original HW 2.5 to HW 3 would have detected these issues and advised that there was a failure, but there was no mention.  And these warning with charging limitations have been present for a very long time. Even before the HW 3 upgrade. So I estimate that the vehicle was most like still under the mfg warranty at the time.

Regardless the vehicle has less than 50,000 miles and a critical charging component has failed.

Supposedly there is a Technical Service Bulletin