Alek Bartrosouf says Glendale needs smarter growth, safer streets and a more open budget process
In an Inclusive Voices Media interview, Bartrosouf said Glendale should focus new housing near transit, protect public safety funding and bring residents into budget decisions
Alek Bartrosouf says Glendale can grow without losing itself.
The Glendale City Council candidate says the city needs more housing. But he says that housing should go where it makes the most sense: near transit, near jobs and in places where people can get around without relying on a car.
In an interview conducted by Inclusive Voices Media’s Silva Harapetian, Bartrosouf said Glendale must respond to state housing mandates while protecting quality of life for residents.
“We need to strike a balance,” Bartrosouf said. “We need to understand how state mandates affect our city, but also understanding that we do play a part in adding more housing per state laws and making sure that we’re doing it responsibly and doing it in a smart way.”
Bartrosouf is running for Glendale City Council in the June 2, 2026, municipal election. The city’s election page lists him as a qualified Glendale City Council candidate. Ballotpedia lists Bartrosouf as a nonpartisan candidate for Glendale City Council At-Large and identifies his profession as city planner.
Bartrosouf told Inclusive Voices Media he studied urban planning at UCLA and has worked as a planning professional for more than 10 years. He said that background shapes how he looks at land use, zoning and housing in Glendale.
“I’m an urban planner,” Bartrosouf said. “I studied urban planning at UCLA. I’ve been planning professional for over 10 years, so I know a little bit about land use, zoning, and housing issues here in Glendale.”
His campaign website describes his platform as focused on affordable housing, better infrastructure and transparent government. Ballotpedia says he graduated from Glendale Community College, UC Santa Cruz and UCLA, and that he completed its candidate survey in 2026.
On housing, Bartrosouf said Glendale should steer new development toward areas where residents have more transportation options. He pointed to downtown Glendale, the Metrolink station in South Glendale and the Tropico neighborhood as places where new residential units could make sense.
“I’d like to see more development in downtown Glendale, particularly near the Metrolink station in South Glendale, in the Tropico neighborhood,” Bartrosouf said.
He said that approach could help limit traffic and reduce pressure on city resources by placing housing where residents can walk, bike, take transit or make shorter trips.
“If we’re talking about concerns about congestion, concerns about strain on our resources, our limited resources here in Glendale, we want to focus that development in places where it makes the most sense,” Bartrosouf said.
On the city budget, Bartrosouf did not name specific programs he would cut. Instead, he said Glendale should open the process to more residents before making difficult decisions.
He said city budget sessions now happen during the day, when many residents cannot watch or participate. He said that limits public input on decisions that affect services, staffing and spending priorities.
“What I’d like to see moving forward is making sure that the community is brought into those discussions and is able to chime in and learn, you know, where is the money coming from? Where is the money going?” Bartrosouf said.
Bartrosouf said his campaign platform includes participatory budgeting, a process that gives residents a more direct role in shaping public spending priorities.
“I’m not here to declare very specific things that I think we can cut,” Bartrosouf said. “I think that’s a community decision that needs to be made out in the open in a transparent way.”
He said public safety remains a core priority. Bartrosouf said Glendale residents value the level of police and fire service the city provides, and he said that investment helps explain the city’s safety record.
“Police and fire, as has always been, a top priority,” Bartrosouf said. “Public safety is — people are very satisfied and happy with the quality of public safety that we provide to our residents.”
He said he wants to maintain public safety funding, and possibly expand it, while still confronting the city’s projected budget challenges.
Bartrosouf said Glendale faces a structural deficit in future years and must talk openly about reductions, services and revenue.
“We need to have those honest discussions about where we can find cost savings,” Bartrosouf said.
Transportation and street safety formed the center of Bartrosouf’s final answer. He said he has served two terms on Glendale’s Transportation and Parking Commission and took part in work around the city’s pedestrian master plan.
“As a transportation planner, I know all too well the safety issues of the city of Glendale,” Bartrosouf said.
Bartrosouf said Glendale has a serious pedestrian safety problem. He said cities of Glendale’s size in California rank Glendale worst for collisions involving older pedestrians.
“We rank the worst when it comes to collisions involving elderly pedestrians,” Bartrosouf said.
He said the city can use grant funding and outside money from state, county and Metro sources to make safety improvements. He also said Glendale needs more transportation choices as it grows.
“We owe it to ourselves to have a diverse set of options,” Bartrosouf said. “Options for people to get around, that includes walking, biking, taking transit, and for people to drive, obviously, as well.”
Bartrosouf said the city should not treat every street the same. He said planning decisions should depend on location and need. Downtown Glendale may call for more pedestrian-focused improvements, he said, while canyon areas may require stronger access for cars and emergency evacuations.
“I think it’s context specific,” Bartrosouf said. “I can’t speak in general terms.”
Still, he said safety should guide the city’s approach.
“There is an overarching theme, and has been confirmed through community surveys, that safety is the top priority for many Glendale residents,” Bartrosouf said.
Bartrosouf closed the interview by saying he wants a City Hall that works more openly with residents.
“I want to make sure that we are transparent and open and working with the community to make sure we’re addressing their needs,” Bartrosouf said.
Candidate profile box
Alek Bartrosouf
Race: Glendale City Council At-Large.
Election: June 2, 2026.
Profession: City planner.
Education: Glendale Community College, UC Santa Cruz and UCLA.
Campaign site: AlekForGlendale.com.
Key campaign themes: Affordable housing, safer streets, better infrastructure, participatory budgeting and transparent government.
Interviewed by: Silva Harapetian, Inclusive Voices Media.
Election status: Glendale’s election page lists Bartrosouf as a qualified candidate for City Council.
Box 1: Inclusive Voices Media candidate interview protocol
Inclusive Voices Media has interviewed all but one of the Glendale City Council candidates.
In the interest of fairness and equal treatment for all candidates, Inclusive Voices Media followed the same protocol for every interview. All candidates received an invitation and had the opportunity to select a time slot on the same interview day.
Each interview ran 10 minutes.
All interviews were conducted live-to-tape. That means the interviews were recorded continuously without stopping, editing, retakes or do-overs.
Each candidate received the same questions. No candidate received the questions in advance. The interviews air in alphabetical order.
Inclusive Voices Media says its goal is to provide voters with a fair, transparent and consistent platform so they can hear directly from the candidates and make an informed decision at the ballot box.
All candidates were reached and given the same opportunity. All but one candidate participated.