Vartan Gharpetian

First and foremost, we must complete our historic survey throughout the city, like we did in South Glendale, during my term on the City Council. I voted in favor of funding and conducting a historic survey at the time and the city identified over 420 properties that became eligible to be designated as historic resource!

After completion of the survey throughout the city, the city shall then notify all the owners of such properties in writing, that their property is identified as eligible to be designated as historic resource. Additionally, the city must require the owners to maintain their properties, otherwise the owners are obligated to pay a fine for purposely neglecting their properties to be deteriorated, defined as “DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT”. In cases of identified illegal modifications and demolitions, the city shall apply a similar fine as implemented in demolition by neglect.

Currently, the city has received $8,000,000 from the State (by Senator Protantino) for the renovation of Rockhaven. However, the current council has not given any clear direction or recommendation to renovate Rockhaven and not let it deteriorate.

This is an example of Demolition by Neglect.

Andre Haghverdian

I believe the city should provide assistance (Grant / loan) to maintain these properties. Without offering any help can’t punish the owner since it may not have the resources for the repairs needed. Provided the assistance, the city shall develop fees/ citation for the damages and deterioration of the historic components.

Vrej Agajanian

No response submitted

James Clarke

The concept of 'demolition by neglect' strikes a dissonant chord in me. Such willful neglect of historic properties is not just an oversight; it's an erosion of our cultural heritage, something I find deeply troubling and entirely unacceptable.

To address this issue, we need a robust, proactive inspection regime. Regular checks should be mandatory for properties within historic districts, ensuring timely maintenance and preservation. Property owners must understand the significance of their custodianship of history and be held accountable for their role in its preservation.

I was lucky enough to have rescued an 1886 Italianate style Victorian home in the Hudson Valley, NY during covid. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places and we are currently two years into renovations. Our electrical contractor often refers to us as the “custodians” of the house, and that absolutely resonates with me.

The penalties for neglect must be more than just a slap on the wrist. We need to impose substantial fines and, where necessary, legal actions that reflect the severity of the loss to our community's historical tapestry. These penalties should be significant enough to act as a real deterrent, ensuring property owners take their responsibilities seriously.

Furthermore, I advocate for empowering our community in this preservation effort. Encouraging vigilance and reporting from residents can be instrumental in early detection and prevention of neglect. Just as the British take pride in their heritage, we in Glendale should foster a similar sense of collective responsibility. It's about creating a culture of preservation, where each of us plays a part in safeguarding our history.

Ardy Kassakian

The loss of a historic or unique structure is terrible. It is truly heartbreaking to see character homes and properties fall into disrepair. In such circumstances, the city should be able to identify these properties and with the help of city staff and other resources find ways to help owners to maintain their properties. One such property that comes to mind is the beautiful craftsman home at 612 S. Central Ave. right next to the violin shop.

One of the ways to ensure properties are well maintained (at least in the exterior parts that are visible to the public) is to bring back our neighborhood services and code enforcement staff to survey, find and report properties that fall into the mentioned categories and then work with the ownership to bring them back to life. To do this, we need staff and funds to pay for it. I will ask the city to find ways to bring back this type of staffing because we can use it and it will ensure that the property owners aren’t allowing properties to go into disrepair on purpose.

Lastly, we need to work quickly and find ways to do things that have been languishing on the city’s to-do list like restoring Rockhaven Sanitarium. I have supported the idea of making the property into a community center and am eager to see the project start soon. I will support all efforts to see this completed soon. I do not support the sale of the property to private developers as has been considered in the past by prior councils.

Karen Kwak

The clearest current case of “demolition by neglect” is the Rockhaven Sanitarium, and the guilty party is the City of Glendale, since 2008. In cases of “demolition by neglect,” the fines should increase for every year that the property is neglected. When the offender is the City of Glendale, those fines should be paid to the parties that have experienced the greatest loss from that neglect—in this case, to the Friends of Rockhaven.

I have also heard of many cases where upkeep on properties is neglected in an effort to drive tenants out of rental apartments, such as the Glendale Gardens complex. In these cases, financial penalties should be paid to the affected ten- ants in those neglected buildings.

Denise Miller

The severity of the enforcement actions should be proportional to the level of neglect and the significance of the historic property. It's essential to strike a balance between enforcing preservation standards and working collaboratively with property owners to ensure the long-term protection of historic resources.

• Implement fines for property owners found guilty of "demolition by neglect." The fines should be substantial enough to act as a deterrent and consider the se-verity of neglect and the historic significance of the property.

• Require owners to undertake necessary restoration or maintenance work to bring the historic resource back to an acceptable condition. This could include repairing structural damage, addressing water infiltration, or restoring architectural elements.

• Withhold tax credits or other financial incentives if the property owner is benefiting from either of these for maintaining a historic property. Consider with-holding until the property owner demonstrates compliance with preservation standards.

• Allow authorities to place liens on the neglected property, making it more difficult for owners to sell or transfer ownership until the necessary preservation measures are taken.

• Implement public awareness campaigns to educate the community about the value of historic preservation and the consequences of neglect.

• Include language in the purchase contract that forbids property owners from demolishing a property they knowingly purchase that has a historic designation.