In response to the financial hardships brought on by the California Housing crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Glendale has partnered with Glendale Community College to take significant actions to make a long-lasting positive impact on local students in need. The Glendale City Council authorized the execution of a Servicing Agreement between the City of Glendale and Glendale College Foundation to use $1.309 Million in local City Measure S funds to implement and administer the newly established Low Income Student Rental Assistance Program (LISRAP).
LISRAP is an affordable housing program designed to provide rental housing assistance to very low income, Glendale-resident students living alone or with family. Housing assistance must be paid to the landlord of the identified Glendale housing unit on behalf of the student household. The program will be operated by, and in conjunction with, Glendale Community College’s recently approved Fresh Success Program to provide qualifying students supportive services such as education and employment support skills.
Glendale Community College established the Fresh Success program in partnership with the Foundation for California Community Colleges and the United States Department of Agriculture with the goal to improve basic skills, literacy, and employability of CalFresh recipients. The program provides a comprehensive and tailored system of ongoing case management and wraparound supportive services for high-risk students who face financial insecurities.
By partnering with the City of Glendale, the Fresh Success program will be expanded to include housing support in either emergency rental assistance or ongoing subsidized rent. This will allow both the City of Glendale and Glendale Community College to address the issue of housing insecurity and homelessness, which serves as a significant educational barrier to financially insecure individuals.
Glendale Mayor Vrej Agajanian stated, “The City of Glendale continues to put a great deal of time, effort, and funding into affordable housing initiatives to assist our community. We are dedicated to using every mechanism in our reach to encourage unique and innovative partnerships, like that found with LISRAP and Glendale Community College.”
“We appreciate city leaders recognizing that financial insecurity is a very real challenge facing GCC students,” said Yvette Vartanian Davis, GCC Board of Trustee President. “City Council is making an investment in our students, which is an investment in our community.”
Fresh Success aims to enroll up to 250 food and housing insecure students in its inaugural year, seeking to expand the program to 400 students by the 3rd year.