Frequently Asked Questions
WHY MEASURE SOS?
Why do we need Measure SOS?
A careful assessment by independent engineers found that more than 63% of South Pasadena's 69 miles of streets are in Fair, Poor or Very Poor condition. Repairing streets before they fail protects taxpayers by avoiding far more expensive reconstruction.
Why now?
Every year repairs are delayed, costs increase. The right repair at the right time saves taxpayers millions and preserves the streets we already own.
For years, a tight local budget forced Public Works to be reactive — patching over 1,000 potholes a year instead of repaving full streets. That "Band-Aid" approach let the underlying asphalt fail completely, and now those compounding issues make basic patch jobs ineffective.
How bad are our streets?
Independent engineers evaluate the condition of streets using a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) — the national industry standard for measuring pavement quality on a scale from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate streets in better condition. South Pasadena's average PCI is approximately 54, meaning most of our streets are rated "Fair," "Poor," or "Very Poor." At this stage, many streets have deteriorated beyond simple pothole repairs and now require more extensive rehabilitation to avoid complete reconstruction.
How do South Pasadena's streets compare to other cities?
A PCI of 54 places South Pasadena below all neighboring cities — lagging the regional average in the San Gabriel Valley by more than 20 PCI points. Communities with PCI scores in the 70s and 80s can preserve their streets with lower-cost preventative maintenance rather than expensive reconstruction.
City | Pavement Condition Index |
|---|---|
San Gabriel | 84 |
Alhambra | 76 |
San Marino | 70 |
Temple City | 58 |
Pasadena | 57 |
South Pasadena | 54 |
What is the goal of Measure SOS?
The City's goal with Measure SOS is to raise South Pasadena's PCI to approximately 70, the point at which streets can be maintained much more cost-effectively. Repairing streets before they fail is the smartest way to protect taxpayers and avoid much higher costs in the future.
A PCI of 70 is the tipping point for both safety and cost. At 70, the road surface stays smooth enough to keep tire grip and suspension stability intact. It's also where maintenance costs turn a corner: spending $1 on preventative maintenance at PCI 70+ saves $6 to $10 in future reconstruction costs.
What happens if we don't act?
Without Measure SOS, more streets will deteriorate into complete reconstruction projects, increasing costs and delaying repairs for neighborhoods.
South Pasadena's PCI is projected to decline from the mid-50s to the mid-40s over the next 10 years if no new resources are added. Deferred maintenance gets more expensive over time — as much as 50x more.
A street that needs routine maintenance today can cost roughly $50,000 per mile versus up to $2.5 million per mile once it deteriorates to the point of needing full reconstruction, and costs for maintenance, repair, and reconstruction continue to rise about 5% annually.
Why is it called Measure SOS?
SOS stands for Save Our Streets — a reminder that fixing streets now is the most fiscally responsible option and these projects can't wait.
Does the current condition of our streets impact safety?
The current condition of South Pasadena streets raises safety concerns primarily related to vehicle handling, driver visibility of faded markings, and pedestrians and bicyclists navigating uneven terrain, potholes, and cracks.
South Pasadena's streets are already causing harm to cars and people, and that damage is showing up in the City's bottom line: general liability insurance premiums have tripled in three years, from $642,829 to $2,226,000, driven by 200+ claims for property damage, falls, and other injuries tied to deteriorating streets and sidewalks.
To limit an even steeper premium increase, the City also raised its self-insured retention from $100,000 to $250,000 per claim — a calculated risk that saves $450,000 annually, made possible in part by the City's commitment to targeted street investment.
HOW MEASURE SOS WORKS
What projects will it fund?
Measure SOS funds can only be used for street rehabilitation, pothole repair, fixing cracked pavement, upgrading aging storm drains under roads that prevent flooding, fixing deteriorating curbs and sidewalks, and safety improvements connected to street projects.
Will every neighborhood benefit?
Yes. The City's engineering plan phases work throughout South Pasadena over approximately ten years. Street projects will be prioritized using independent engineering assessments, so repairs are made where they are needed most to avoid reconstruction that is far more expensive. The plan also addresses repairs that need to be made to infrastructure below the streets (water and sewer lines) so the work is done in tandem with street repairs.
Will my street be repaired, and when?
The City has prepared a phased project list. Specific timing may change as engineering advances, but projects are prioritized objectively based on expert analysis and maximum return on taxpayer investment to avoid more costly repairs in the future.
The phased plan runs from now through 2035. Streets are prioritized by current condition, construction readiness, the infrastructure below them (including aging water and sewer lines, so a street isn't repaved and then dug up again), and coordination with major projects. In areas with tighter access, like Southwest Monterey Hills, work is phased to limit disruption to residents. The schedule is preliminary and depends on voter approval.
How are projects selected?
Using pavement condition data, utility coordination and engineering analysis, the City's engineers prioritize projects to make maximum use of the $80 million available from Measure SOS. The goal is to repair streets before they fail to minimize more costly reconstruction that can cost as much as $2.5 million per mile.
Why a 10-year plan?
Pacing the projects over a decade allows streets to be improved efficiently while minimizing disruption and traffic, and efficiently coordinating with other infrastructure work, like repairing and replacing storm drains and utilities under the streets.
How is the City paying for current street projects?
Most street funding today comes from state gas taxes, county transportation measures (Measure R & M), and grants. These sources cover basic maintenance, but not the larger repairs and reconstruction South Pasadena needs.
The City has still made targeted investments where it can: $1.65 million for minor road repair over five years; a $7.5 million Street Improvement Project providing water, concrete, and asphalt improvements to multiple residential streets, expected complete summer 2026; and the $42 million Metro- and Caltrans-funded Huntington Drive/Fremont Avenue Corridor project starting in 2027.
Once the bond money is spent, how will the City maintain these streets going forward?
Day-to-day maintenance — pothole repairs, slurry seals, keeping equipment running — is a separate, ongoing program funded through the City's operating budget and dedicated special revenue sources. By funding the larger capital backlog now, the bond relieves pressure on the General Fund, making it easier for the City to sustain regular maintenance on newly improved streets going forward.
This street construction plan also considered the City’s ability to maintain the repaired streets. The City will allocate $8.4 million in general operating funds over the next 10 years to protect the $80 million bond investment.
COST TO HOMEOWNERS
What will Measure SOS cost me?
The tax rate for Measure SOS is $33 per $100,000 of the assessed value (not market value) of properties. The assessed value is based on the original purchase price of a property and is typically much lower than the current market value.
While homes in South Pasadena sell for millions, the median assessed value is currently approximately $816,000, so the typical South Pasadena homeowner would pay about $269 per year. For reference, a home assessed at $1 million would cost roughly $330 per year.
What is assessed value?
Assessed value is determined under Proposition 13, based on the original purchase price of your home, and can increase by no more than 1% per year. Because homes’ market values typically appreciate by much more than 1% per year, assessed values are typically much lower than the market value of the same property.
How can I estimate the specific cost for my property?
Multiply your assessed value by 0.00033. Your assessed value appears on your annual property tax bill or can be obtained from the Los Angeles County Assessor.
Do businesses share in the cost?
Yes, businesses use our streets too, and all taxable properties, including commercial properties, will pay the cost of Measure SOS. Because businesses often have higher assessed values, they will pay a significant portion of the cost.
Do those who rent their homes pay too?
Bond measures like Measure SOS are repaid through property taxes, and renters do not pay property tax. However, landlords do pay property tax, and a portion of a tenant's rent contributes to property tax.
Will the bond make our taxes higher than neighboring cities?
No. A comparison of estimated property tax impacts among neighboring cities shows that if voters approve the street bond, South Pasadena's overall property tax burden would land in the middle of the range for adjacent cities.
Property Tax Comparison
Estimate Based on FY 2026-27 Assessments
City
total property tax
City of Alhambra
$6,550.95
City of Pasadena
$6,364.64
San Gabriel
$7,410.48
City of San Marino
$9,003.61
City of South Pasadena
$7,084.52
Net Taxable Value
$500,0000
Average
$7,282.84
Median
$7,084.52
What vote threshold is needed to pass the bond?
The bond requires approval by two-thirds of voters.
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS
How do I know the City will deliver on promised street improvements?
Measure SOS is backed by a publicly available, engineering-based Pavement Management Plan. Residents will be able to track projects through annual public reports and independent audits.
What oversight is required?
Measure SOS funds may only be spent on voter-approved projects. Independent audits and public spending disclosure are required.
The proposed ordinance restricts bond funds to specific, eligible capital projects — streets, sidewalks, curbs, and related infrastructure — and requires the City's Chief Financial Officer to publish an annual report detailing how funds were spent in the prior fiscal year. The City already tracks street quality through its PCI, making it possible to report progress publicly over time.
Can these funds be taken away or redirected?
No. By law, every dollar must stay in South Pasadena for street improvements only. No funds can be diverted or taken away by LA County or the state or federal governments.
Will Measure SOS funds help South Pasadena qualify for regional, state and federal matching funds?
Yes. Matching grants from federal, state and regional transportation agencies often require local matching funds. The $80 million from Measure SOS will help South Pasadena qualify for millions more that would otherwise go to repair streets and roads in other communities.
OTHER COMMON QUESTIONS
Why can't the City's General Fund pay for this?
The City's General Fund supports 9-1-1 emergency response, police, fire, parks, libraries, recreation and other essential city services. South Pasadena's proposed General Fund budget for FY 2026-27 is balanced at roughly $45.5 million in both revenue and expenditures — but that budget covers core city services, not the capital funding needed to fix streets. The General Fund cannot absorb decades of deferred street rehabilitation without drastic cuts to essential services that we rely upon to protect our safety and quality of life.
What about gas taxes, county taxes and grants?
The City aggressively pursues outside funding, including funds from LA County's Measures R & M sales taxes, but those sources primarily support maintenance and specific projects — not the basic street repair and rehabilitation we need.
Why doesn't sales tax cover these street repairs?
South Pasadena has a relatively small commercial tax base compared with neighboring cities, like Pasadena, Glendale, and Los Angeles. This limits available sales tax revenue for major capital projects, leaving South Pasadena largely dependent on property tax revenue.
Sales tax provides only about 13% of the City's annual revenue — its commercial districts have historically been small, independent businesses rather than the national chains or car dealerships that typically generate the sales tax revenue other cities rely on for street funding.
Did the SR-710 fight impact street investment?
Yes. For decades South Pasadena fought to stop the SR-710 corridor, which would have had major impacts on South Pasadena neighborhoods and quality of life. This fight limited the City's ability to keep pace with needed maintenance of local streets, leading to the backlog of repairs and rehabilitation now needed. Measure SOS focuses on moving forward with a clear engineering-based plan to bring our streets into better condition.
South Pasadena waged that fight largely alone. With the roads' fate uncertain for over 60 years, officials were sometimes reluctant to invest in streets that might have been demolished had the freeway been approved.
Shouldn't developers help fund these costs?
The City is reviewing development impact fees, but those revenues would take years to materialize and cannot address today's urgent street needs. New development will add to the City's property tax base and help pay the cost of Measure SOS.
The City's new management team and City Council are in the process of reviewing developer impact fees, with additional review expected down the road for capital improvement projects. Measure SOS is an effort to raise the funds needed to make the repairs our streets need today, before the need is even greater.
Is $80 million enough?
The City's analysis identifies needed projects far exceeding $80 million. Measure SOS reflects engineering analysis and a realistic implementation plan designed to maximize taxpayer value while positioning the City to pursue additional outside funding. Once these projects are complete, the City will assess conditions and plan for the next phase of repairs and maintenance to protect our investment in our streets.
The $80 million figure is based on four considerations: 1. developing a 10-year construction plan the City is confident it can implement; 2. prioritizing repairs over reconstruction, which delivers the most value per dollar and raises PCI from 54 to 70; 3. the City's ability to support maintenance of those streets going forward; 4. and the impact of 10 years of construction on residents.
Didn't we just pass a bond measure to repair and upgrade local schools?
Yes. Measure SP, approved by local voters in June, will fund needed repairs and upgrades at our local schools. This $130 million goes directly to the South Pasadena Unified School District and cannot be used to repair streets. However, each day thousands of students walk, bike, and drive on our streets to get to and from school. Repairing our streets and repairing our schools work together to keep our kids safe.
Where can I get more information?
The City of South Pasadena's assessments and plans, as well as the language of Measure SOS, can be viewed at the City's website.
HELPFUL LINKS
-
Why a bond measure? City’s overview: Infrastructure Financing
-
Streets Identified for Repaving/Resurfacing City Generated Repair Map
-
Street Improvements Progress Updates City Webpage
-
Pothole, asphalt, sidewalk and other issues can be reported on the City’s Request A Service page,