Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, December 7, 2019

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Mountain View News Saturday, December 7, 2019


SUPERVISORS FAST-TRACK 
HOMELESS HOUSING PLAN

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – The Board of Supervisors 
unanimously approved a motion by Su-pervisor Kathryn 
Barger with co-author Supervisor Janice Hahn to initiate a 
strike team of county agencies and private sector partners 
to develop a plan with concrete, measurable and attainable 
housing solutions to tackle the homelessness crisis.

“We’re at a critical junction in our efforts to combat the humanitarian 
crisis on our streets,” Barger said. “Our current 
approach to building housing is unsustainable, unaffordable 
and ineffi-cient. My motion organizes and streamlines 
the County’s work to construct interim and perma-nent 
housing.” 

“There are people dying on our streets and our current 
strategy is not good enough,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. 
“We need to address homelessness with the same level of 
urgency as we would a natural disaster. That means changing 
our strategy, turning our attention to shel-ters and 
emergency housing as well as continuing to build new affordable 
and permanent sup-portive housing.” 

The motion directs the CEO to develop an Urgent Housing 
Plan and identify all sources of capi-tal funding to support 
it. Additionally, the motion calls for the CEO to collaborate 
with a private sector housing expert to spearhead the plan. 

“The government is not the expert in building housing,” 
Barger added. “Our partners in the pri-vate sector know 
how to get the job done quickly and affordably. With the 
help of a strike team composed of County Departments, 
I’m confident the private sector expert will think critically 
and creatively to construct housing rapidly.” 

The motion cites successes in other jurisdictions, such as 
the City of San Diego, where local lead-ers have pushed for 
immediate housing solutions, like Sprung structures, modular 
and pre-fabricated units, to serve as bridge housing. 
These facilities serve as a temporary stay for people transitioning 
into permanent housing while they receive supportive 
services from health counse-lors, substance abuse 
counselors, case managers and outreach specialists. 

The initiative also calls for a robust communications and 
outreach strategy to engage with im-pacted communities 
and emphasizes increased transparency and accountability 
concerning the development of homeless housing. Beginning 
December 10, the Board of Supervisors will re-ceive 
bimonthly public updates on the progress of the Urgent 
Housing Plan. 

The motion, found here, directs the CEO to: 

• Develop a process by which all steps necessary to 
implement the urgent housing plan, in-cluding permitting, 
zoning and approval processes, are streamlined and 
expedited, work-ing in consultation with LACDA, DPW, 
Planning, Fire, HI, Sanitation Districts, DPH and others, as 
appropriate. Also consider appropriate exemptions to Title 
22. 

• Identify ongoing and one-time funding for capital 
projects to be used for the develop-ment of homeless 
housing. 

• Identify a housing expert from the private sector to 
provide oversight for the develop-ment and implementation 
of the plan. 

• Develop a robust communications and outreach 
strategy to engage with communities im-pacted by the implementation 
of the plan. 

• Schedule bimonthly set item on the Board’s agenda 
for status reports beginning on De-cember 10, 2019.

ALL SAINTS CHURCH WITH

THE PASADENA SYMPHONY

 The Pasadena Symphony’s annual Holiday Candlelight 
concert returns to All Saints Church on Saturday, December 
14. Having sold out for the past eight years, the symphony 
offers two performances to meet community demand 
at 4:00p.m. and 7:00p.m. The architecturally exquisite 
and acoustically sonorous All Saints Church, Pasadena’s 
equivalent of a European cathedral, provides the perfect 
setting to hear your holiday favorites - all performed by 
candlelight. Audiences are going to love each and every 
moment of this cherished holiday tradition.

 Back by popular demand, Pasadena Symphony Music 
Director David Lockington will conduct an array of choruses 
including the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, the Donald 
Brinegar Singers and the L.A. Bronze Handbell Ensemble, 
set against the backdrop of the Pasadena Symphony. Special 
guest Sarah Uriarte Berry will accompany the orchestra as 
vocalist. With countless Broadway credits under her belt 
including Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Diana 
in the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning Next To 
Normal and Les Miserables’ Eponine, Berry is sure to bring 
an unforgettable performance.

 This year’s program has something for everyone to ring 
in the holiday season, from traditional holiday classics to 
popular standards. Hear Deck the Halls, Joy to the World, 
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Sleigh Ride, 
Hallelujah! and many cherished favorites. The venue offers 
fully assigned individual seating throughout All Saints’ 
glorious interior, ensuring that the audience can enjoy their 
experience with ease and have a well-deserved break from 
the hustle and bustle of the season. Top off your holidays 
with lasting memories for the whole family at this time-
honored tradition.

 Tickets to Holiday Candlelight with the Pasadena 
Symphony are limited and will sell out. Seats start at $20 
and may be purchased either at pasadenasymphony-pops.
org or by calling the box office at 626.793.7172.

YOUTHFUL VOICES BRING HOLIDAY

CHEER TO RETIRED TEACHERS


Durfee School Advanced Chorus will perform at Retired Teachers meeting.

The California Retired Teachers 
Association #71 (CalRTA) will be 
entertained by the Durfee School 
Advanced Chorus at its Friday, 
December 13, luncheon meeting at 
11:30 a.m. The meeting will take 
at the Senior Center Building in 
Arcadia Park (county park), 405 S. 
Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia, next to 
the Lawn Bowling Greens. The cost 
of the luncheon for members and 
guests is $13. For those who pay 
at the door, the cost is $14. Please 
call John Gera at (626)286-0714 
for reservations by the December 
6 deadline.

Under the direction of Suzanne 
Brown, the 23-member Durfee 
Advanced Chorus is an eighth-
grade choral group that has 
received Excellent ratings at 
competitions and has performed 
annually at the L. A. County Fair. 
Director Brown brings to her 7th 
and 8th grade students her wide 
experience of teaching music in 
Pennsylvania schools, performing 
locally as a trombonist with a PCC 
faculty group, and acting as cantor 
and pianist at Saint Rita’s Church 
in Sierra Madre.

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett

 4 TIPS FOR DISCUSSING ESTATE PLANNING WITH 
YOUR FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON


As we head into the thick of 
the holiday season, you’re likely 
spending more time than usual 
surrounded by family and friends. 

The holidays offer an opportunity 
to visit with loved ones you rarely 
see and get caught up on what’s 
been happening in everyone’s 
life. And though it might not 
seem like it, the holidays can 
also be a good time to discuss 
estate planning. In fact, with everyone you love—from 
the youngest to the oldest—gathered under one roof, the 
holidays provide the ideal opportunity to talk about planning. 
That said, asking your uncle about his end-of-life wishes 
while he’s watching the football game probably isn’t the best 
way to get the conversation started. In order to make the 
discussion as productive as possible, consider the following tips.
1. Set aside a time and place to talk

Trying to discuss estate planning in an impromptu fashion 
over the dinner table or while opening Christmas gifts 
will most likely not be very productive. Your best bet is to 
schedule a time separate from the festivities, when you can 
all focus and talk without distractions or interruptions. 
It’s also a good idea to be upfront with your family about the 
meeting’s purpose, so no one is taken by surprise, and are more 
prepared for the talk. Choose a setting that’s comfortable, 
quiet, and private. The more relaxed people are, the more 
likely they’ll be comfortable sharing about sensitive topics. 
2. Create an agenda, and set a start and stop time

To ensure you can cover every subject you want to address, create 
a list of the most important points you want to cover—and do your 
best to stick to them. You should encourage open conversation but 
having a basic agenda of the items you want to address can help 
ensure you don’t forget anything.

Along those same lines, set a start and stop time for the 
conversation. This will help you keep the discussion on track and 
avoid having the conversation veer too far away from the main 
points you want to discuss. If anything significant comes up that 
you hadn’t planned on, you can always continue the discussion later. 
Keep in mind that the goal is to simply get the planning conversation 
started, not work out all the specific details or dollar amounts. 

3. Explain why planning is important

From the start, assure everyone that the conversation isn’t about 
prying into anyone’s finances, health, or personal relationships. 
Instead, it’s about providing for the family’s future security and 
wellbeing no matter what happens. It’s about ensuring that 
everyone’s wishes are clearly understood and honored, not 
about finding out how much money someone stands to inherit. 
While some relatives might be reluctant to open up, being surrounded 
by the loved ones who will ultimately benefit from planning can 
make people more willing to discuss these sensitive subjects.
Talking about these issues is also a crucial way to avoid unnecessary 
conflict and expense down the road. When family members don’t 
clearly understand the rationale behind one another’s planning 
choices, I’ve seen it breed conflict, resentment, and costly legal battles. 
4. Discuss your experience with planning

If you’ve already set up your plan, one way to get the discussion 
going is to explain the planning vehicles you have in place 
and why you chose them. Mention any specific questions 
or concerns you initially had about planning and how you 
addressed them. If you have loved ones who’ve yet to do any 
planning and have doubts about its usefulness, discuss any 
concerns they have in a sympathetic and supportive manner. 
For the love of your family

Though death and incapacity can be awkward topics to discuss, 
talking about how to properly plan for such events can actually 
bring your family closer together this holiday season. In fact, 
our clients consistently share that after going through our 
estate planning process they feel more connected to the people 
they love the most. And they also feel clearer about the lives 
they want to live during the short time we have here on earth. 
When done right, planning can put your life and relationships into a 
much clearer focus and offer peace of mind knowing that the people 
you love most will be protected and provided for no matter what.
Most importantly this holiday season, enjoy being in the moment 
and strengthening your bonds with the important people in your 
life.

Dedicated to empowering your 
family, building your wealth and 
defining your legacy,

A local attorney and father, Marc 
Garlett is on a mission to help 
parents protect what they love

most. His office is located at 55 Auburn Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 
91024. Schedule an

appointment to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love 
and financial security for your

family by calling 626.355.4000 or visit www.CaliLaw.com for more 
information.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com