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EVERYONE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WE'RE GOING, I'M GOING TO CALL THE HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE TO ORDER FOR JANUARY 30TH, 2024.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? YES.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE CHAIR AUSTIN IS ON HIS WAY.
UH, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES, MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND RESIDENTS WHO'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO WATCH AND PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING.
UH, AS WE'VE NOTED BEFORE, THE WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE IS FILLED WITH OPPORTUNITIES AND HAS A COMMITMENT TO THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
TODAY'S AGENDA IS FILLED WITH IMPORTANT TOPICS TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND, UH, WAYS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH THE SOLUTION, EITHER TO AID THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THROUGH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS IN COVID-19, UM, AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT ARE, UH, FLOATING AROUND IN THE WORLD TODAY, AND, UH, VECTOR CONTROL EFFORTS AS WELL.
I WILL NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER.
UM, SO SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MAY HEAR, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE AS A CITY IN THAT TIME, BUT WANTED TO, UH, THANK STAFF FOR THEIR TIME, UM, AND EFFORT IN PRESENTATIONS.
UH, AS WE LISTEN, I ASK THAT WE HAVE OPEN INTENTIONS AND WE HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR CITY'S EFFORTS.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE FIRST ITEM? THE FIRST ITEM IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING OF TUESDAY, MAY 16TH, 2023.
IF I CAN GET A MOVER FIRST AND SECOND.
OH FIRST, AND I'M A SECOND RECEIVED, AND, UM, BY VERBAL VOTE, MAY I GET A YAY FOR YAY OR NAY FOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER
UH, COULD YOU PLEASE READ ITEM TWO? YES.
ITEM TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FOLLOW PRESENTATION ON TINY HOMES.
I WILL FIRST AND I WILL SECOND.
AND WE HAVE A STAFF REPORT ON THIS ITEM.
AND I SEE, UH, WE'RE READY, MS. CHANDLER AND MR. DUNCAN.
SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE INVITATION TO PRESENT AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING THIS MORNING.
I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE, UH, PAUL DUNCAN.
HE'S OUR HOMELESS SERVICES BUREAU MANAGER.
AND I'M THERESA CHANDLER, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
SO WE'RE GONNA JUST DO A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF PRESENTATION AND SHARE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS OUT OF OUR, UH, HOMELESS EMERGENCY EFFORTS OVER THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, WE'RE GONNA JUST WALK THROUGH, UM, PINE HOMES AND WHAT ARE THEY, UM, THE LONG BEACH, WHAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND THEN A BRIEF UPDATE THE NEXT STEPS.
UM, SO JUST AS WE, UH, GIVEN AN EMERGENCY STRUCTURE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO MOVE FASTER THROUGH OUR CITY PROGRESS, UM, THE EMERGENCY ALSO ALLOWS US TO BRING TOGETHER SOME OF THE CITY'S BRIGHTEST MINDS FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE CITY.
SO THESE ARE THE GOALS THAT WE SET OUT FOR, UH, WE ENTERED INTO THIS EMERGENCY WITH THE OVERARCHING GOAL TO BUILD CAPACITY TO IMPROVE OUR APPROACH FROM THE SYSTEMIC LEVEL.
UM, WHILE FOCUSING ON PREVENTION, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND HOUSING, UH, WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS OVER THE LAST YEAR, UM, BY INCREASING FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THESE NEW PROGRAMS. UH, WE'VE SPED UP OUR OVERALL RESPONSES AND CREATED LONG-TERM GOALS THAT WILL MOVE US, MOVE US INTO THE NEXT PHASE.
UM, OUR OVERARCHING GOAL, UM, THAT WILL CARRY US INTO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS NEXT.
UM, AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK, UH, SINCE JANUARY 11TH AND BEFORE THAT, UM, OF 2023.
UM, BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING NOW.
ALL RIGHT, SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, UM, I WON'T READ THROUGH THIS, BUT, UH, BRIEF UPDATES, UH, FROM THE EMERGENCY.
AGAIN, WE STARTED JANUARY, UM, 11TH OF 2023.
UM, AND WE ARE COMING TO END VERY SOON.
UM, BUT WE'VE REALLY ENHANCED OUR SERVICE AND CAPACITY.
WE'VE ADDED NEW INTERIM BEDS TO OUR HOUSING STOCK.
UM, WE'VE INCREASED OUR FUNDING, UM, BY A LOT OF DOLLARS, UH, FROM MULTIPLE FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, AND WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS WE'VE HOUSED A LOT OF FOLKS AND WE'VE GOTTEN VOUCHERS IN PEOPLE'S HANDS, AND WE'VE GOTTEN PEOPLE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
WE HAVE OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER BEDS.
SO WE'VE REALLY DONE A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN, UH, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN LONG BEACH FALL INTO HOMELESSNESS, UM, THAT TIME IS SHORT AND THEY HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND THEY HAVE RESOURCES TO CONNECT TO.
SO, VERY QUICKLY, WHAT ARE TINY CONES? SO TINY HOMES, UH, BASICALLY TAKE A FRACTION OF THE TIME TO BUILD AND ASSEMBLE, UM, AND JUST A FRACTION OF THE COST.
UM, THERE, IT'S NOT AN ENCAMPMENT, IT'S ACTUALLY A COMMUNITY.
SO WE BRING ALL THE TINY HOMES TOGETHER.
UM, IT'S A STABLE INTERIM HOUSING PROGRAM
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WHERE THE RESIDENTS ARE OFFERED RESOURCES AND SECURITY TO HELP THEM TO COVER, RECOVER FROM THE TRAUMA LIVING ON THE STREETS, UH, WHILE THEY WORK WITH CASE MANAGERS TO MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.SO IT'S REALLY A BRIDGE HOUSING SPACE OR, OR TEMPORARY PER TEMPORARY HOUSING SPACE WHILE FOLKS MOVE INTO THAT.
THERE'S OTHER TERMS THAT YOU CAN USE, UM, INTERIM OR BRIDGE OR TRANS, UH, TRANSITIONAL.
UM, AND THE SITE'S PRIMARY FOCUS IS JUST ASSISTING FOLKS, UM, TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
UM, THE TINY HOMES ARE BUILT OFF SITE AND THEY'RE TRANSPORTED TO WHATEVER LOCATION IS IDENTIFIED TO ACCOMMODATE THEM.
UM, THEY'RE VERY, VERY MOVABLE.
SO IF WE MOVE FROM THE SITE THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN LONG BEACH, WE COULD MOVE THEM TO ANOTHER SITE IF NEEDED, PRETTY EASILY.
THE COST OF BUILDING AND OPERATING A TINY HOME VILLAGE, UH, IT VARIES DEPENDING ON SEVERAL FACTORS SUCH AS THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF THE VILLAGE, THE TYPE OF TINY HOMES THAT ARE USED, UM, CONGREGATE AMENITIES OR NON CONGREGATE ADDS, ADD-ONS LIKE, UM, EN SUITE SHOWERS AND TOILETS, THE DURABILITY AND BUILDING MATERIALS, AND THE LEVEL OF SERVICES PROVIDED.
UM, HOWEVER, THE TINY HOME VILLAGES ARE GENERALLY MORE AFFORDABLE TO BUILD AND OPERATE THAN TRADITIONAL SHELTERS.
SO THERE'S JUST A FEW EXAMPLES, OR THERE'S MANY EXAMPLES ACTUALLY.
UM, BUT I POSTED JUST A FEW UP HERE FOR YOU.
SO THERE ARE SIX TINY HOME VILLAGES, UH, IN LA.
UM, THESE ARE LOCATED AT CITY LOTS AND PARKS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, UH, THERE'S TINY HOME VILLAGE IN TORRANCE.
I'M CANYON RIVERSIDE AND OTHER SPACES LIKE SANTA BARBARA, SEATTLE, SANTA CRUZ, AUSTIN, OAKLAND, LIVERMORE, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
SO WE HAVE PROVEN TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MODEL FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, PAUL'S GONNA TALK ABOUT THE OVERVIEW THAT HE'S GONNA PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UM, SO WHY IS THERE A NEED AND WHY DO WE PURSUE, UH, THIS PROJECT? UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 70% OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN LONG BEACH, EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
SO, UH, AS MUCH AS WE'VE ADDED ADDITIONAL BEDS OVER THE LAST YEAR, THERE IS STILL NEED FOR ADDITIONAL BEDS BEYOND OUR CURRENT CAPACITY.
AND AS WE LOOK AT, UH, BEDS, REALLY TRYING TO GIVE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES AND LOOKS, UH, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, ONE THING THAT WE SAW IS REALLY THE EFFICACY AND INTEREST IN NON CONGREGATE SHELTER OPTIONS WITH THE USE OF MOTEL AND MOTEL ROOMS. UH, PEOPLE VALUE HAVING A PRIVATE SPACE, IT FEELS SAFE, THE ACCESS TO HAVING A SINGULAR RESTROOM AND REALLY SOMETHING THAT MATCHES WHAT YOU WOULD, UH, SEE WITH A PERMANENT HOUSING CENTER.
UM, SO, UH, AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW, WE'VE STARTED THIS PROJECT LOOKING AT HAVING IT BE AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER DUE TO, UH, SOME UNSEEN FACTORS.
UH, WE DID HAVE TO PIVOT, PIVOT AND LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL SPOTS THAT COULD HOST THIS PROJECT.
SO, UH, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE CORNER OF SPRING STREET AND CALIFORNIA AVENUE.
UH, ON THE SCREEN YOU CAN SEE A, UH, RENDERING OF WHAT THE SITE COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVES ON THE SERVICE BUILDING IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE LOCK.
UH, BUT THIS IS TENTATIVELY WHAT THE SITE WOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, WHEN BUILT.
SO TRYING TO, THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF WORK THAT DOES NEED TO HAPPEN TO THE SITE TO ADD PARKING, UH, TO GET UTILITIES AND, UH, THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS IN PLACE.
UH, SO THIS INCLUDES PLUMBING, ELECTRICITY, UM, REPAVING, ENSURING THAT EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE, UH, TO PROPERLY OPERATE THE UNITS AS WELL AS COMMON SPACE AT THE SITE.
UH, WITHIN THE COMMON SPACE, WE'D BE LOOKING FOR PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONGREGATE.
SINCE EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL SPACES THEMSELVES, IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH AREA THAT REALLY ARE MEANT FOR A SINGLE PERSON.
SO YOU ALLOW FOR, UH, SOCIAL GET TOGETHERS.
WE'RE REDOING SOME OF THE OUTDOOR SPACE, BUT ENSURING THAT THAT EXISTS IN THE INDOOR SPACE.
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN MEET WITH CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, TO DISCUSS SERVICE NEEDS AS WELL AS HOUSING GOALS.
SO THOSE ARE ALL BEING FACTORED INTO, UH, THE PROJECT ON THE SITE.
UM, AS WE LOOK AT, UH, DIFFERENT AMENITIES IN THE PROJECT OVERALL, UH, IT IS 33 SINGLE OCCUPANCY UNITS SPREAD OVER TO 12 DIFFERENT, UH, MODULAR UNITS THEMSELVES.
SO THERE ARE SIX UNITS THAT ARE A DA UNITS.
UH, BY THE PROJECT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A MINIMUM
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OF 15%.SO THOSE UNITS HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SPACE WITHIN 'EM.
UH, WE DO HAVE IN UNIT RESTROOMS AND SHOWER, WHICH WAS A REQUIREMENT OF APPLYING FOR THE FUNDING.
UH, AND THEN A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE REALLY IDENTIFIED WANTING TO HAVE CLIMATE CONTROL.
SO EACH UNIT HAS AN HVAC SYSTEM, WHICH IS INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED, UH, THAT WAY IN THE WINTER THEY CAN HAVE HEAT AND THE SUMMER AIR CONDITIONING.
UM, AND THEN ONE THING THAT, UH, WE REALLY LOOKED AT IN OUR RESEARCH OF OTHER PROJECTS, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, SEVERAL TINY HOME VILLAGES, UH, ALONG THE WEST COAST THAT HAVE HAD FIRES WHERE MULTIPLE UNITS HAVE BURNT DOWN.
UM, AND KNOWING LIKE THAT IS A POSSIBILITY, UH, THESE WERE THE ONE UNIT, UH, ONE PROPOSAL WHERE THERE WAS AN ACTUAL FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM BEYOND JUST THE FIRE RATING THEMSELVES OF THE MATERIALS.
SO REALLY TRYING TO FACTOR IN SAFETY AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMON SPACE, BUT REALLY TRYING TO BUILD IN THINGS TO THE PROJECT AND THE SPACE THAT WE'LL BE ENGAGING.
UH, AS WE LOOK AT SERVICES, UH, WE'LL HAVE, UH, THE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT, UH, BUT WE'LL ALSO HAVE OTHER THINGS LIKE ENSURING THE SAFETY AND CONTROL OF THE SITE.
UH, WITH SECURITY ON SITE, UH, THREE MEALS PER DAY WILL BE PROVIDED ON SITE.
THERE'LL BE A WARMING KITCHEN THERE, BUT BUILDING OUT A FULL KITCHEN FOR 33 UNITS JUST, UH, ISN'T FINANCIALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, ISN'T A, A GOOD FINANCIAL USE.
SO REALLY WILL BE USING AN OUTSIDE CATERING VENDOR TO BRING IN THE FOOD.
UH, AND THEN REALLY LINKING PEOPLE TO A WIDE OF DIFFERENT SERVICES, UH, TRYING TO LOOK AT THEIR FULL HEALTH NEEDS AS WELL AS GETTING PEOPLE CONNECTED TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT FUNDING AND HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IN FUNDING TO MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN.
UH, THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE HAVE APPLIED FOR AND UTILIZED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN.
UH, THE FIRST WAS, UM, WE HAD GOTTEN IN FUNDING THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, UH, THROUGH OUR HOME ALLOCATION ROUGHLY.
THE CITY GOT ABOUT 10 MILLION.
WE SET ASIDE SOME FUNDING, UH, FOR A TINY HOME PROJECT WITHIN THAT POT OF FUNDING.
AND THEN, UH, SECONDARILY THERE WAS THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH, UH, PROJECT HOME KEY IN THE SECOND ROUND.
SO WE APPLIED, UH, THAT REALLY KIND OF ALIGNED TO WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
UH, THAT FUNDING DID REQUIRE THAT STUDENT HAVE ITS OWN BATHROOM, SO IT KIND OF SET UP SOME ADDITIONAL PARAMETERS, BUT THAT ALLOWED US TO BRING IN SOME CAPITAL.
UH, AND THEN SOME ONGOING OPERATING FUNDS.
IN THE LONG TERM, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT HALF AND SOME OTHER FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE, UH, TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONS OVER TIME ON SITE.
SO THE MANUFACTURER FOR THIS IS CONNECT SHELTER, WHICH IS A SUBSIDIARY OF CONNECT HOMES.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR AROUND 20 YEARS, UH, AND THEY HAVE HISTORICALLY BUILT PREFABRICATED, UM, HOMES AND BASICALLY A GIANT WAREHOUSE.
THEY SHIP IT OUT ON A CONTAINER AND THEN THEY ASSEMBLE ON SITE.
SIMILAR CONCEPT HERE, UH, IT IS NOT A MODIFIED CONTAINER.
THEY LOOK LIKE A STANDARD SHIPPING CONTAINER, UH, BUT ARE BUILT FROM, FROM GROUND UP.
UM, SO THEY ARE BUILDING THEM.
THEY WILL SHIP THEM OUT TO THE SITE, AND THEN ONCE AT THE SITE, THEY'RE CONNECTED INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON SITE.
UM, AND THEN JUST LOOKING AT OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON SITE.
UH, WE HOSTED A MEETING WHERE, UH, MEMBERS FROM THE SURROUNDING AREA AS WELL AS FRIENDS OF, UH, WILLOW PARK, SOME OF THE NEARBY BUSINESSES AND, UH, NEIGHBORS WERE ABLE TO JOIN, UM, TO GET SOME INITIAL INFORMATION.
WE'VE DONE SOME OTHER LISTENING SESSIONS AND ENGAGEMENT.
UH, OUR COMMITMENT IS TO CONTINUE THAT ENGAGEMENT UP UNTIL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, UH, AND HAVING WAYS THAT IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE ARISING THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN ENGAGE WITH US WITHIN THE CITY LEADERSHIP TO, UH, TRY TO RESOLVE ANY ISSUES THAT ARISE AS THE PROJECT GETS ON PEOPLE.
AND THEN THERE'S JUST SOME INFORMATION FOR STAYING CONNECTED ON, UH, GETTING OTHER INFORMATION AROUND OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AGAIN, JUST TO AS A SMALLER GROUP, ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, AS THIS PROCESS HAS GONE ON, I WANNA THANK VICE CHAIR ALLEN, UH, I'M SORRY, VICE CHAIR AUSTIN, UM, ESPECIALLY AND HIS COLLEAGUES ON THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL WHO REALLY MOVED
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TO THIS WORK FORWARD AND HAD A VISION FOR IT, UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.SO TO SEE IT COMING TO FRUITION, UM, WITH NEW LEADERSHIP ON THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE VETERANS WHO, UH, CHAMPION THE CAUSE.
IT'S REALLY, UM, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE.
SO I WILL, UH, DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS OF STAFF VICE CHAIR.
THANK YOU, UH, MADAM CHAIR, AND, UH, GREAT TO BE HERE.
THIS IS, THIS STILL A LITTLE, LITTLE MORE INTIMATE
UH, I WANNA THANKS SCOTT, FOR, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
THIS IS, UH, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO, TO SEE THE PROGRESS BEING MADE.
UH, I WILL JUST SAY THAT PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN A LITTLE, LITTLE, UH, I THINK WE WERE AMBITIOUS WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD.
UH, WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, AN EFFICIENT SOLUTION OR, UM, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE TIMELY, UH, AND THEN ADDRESS OUR, OUR NEEDS AS A CITY, OF COURSE.
UM, AND THEN I, I SAW THE POINT, A FRACTION OF THE COST, WHICH WAS, WAS DEFINITELY A MOTIVATOR.
UNDERSTANDING THE, WHAT IT, WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO HOUSE PEOPLE AND, AND BUILD, RIGHT? UH, WE DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE BUREAUCRACY, WHICH IS PART OF THE, THE, THE, UH, THE PROCESS.
UH, BUT, BUT, UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT DETAIL WENT INTO THIS AND, AND THOUGHT WENT INTO THIS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALL THE BASES ON THE DISABILITY NEEDS AND, AND, UH, THE FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE AMENITIES THAT I THINK ARE MAKE FOR A WELL THOUGHT OUT PROJECT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY ONE THAT WILL PROVIDE, UH, THE DIGNITY AND, AND MEET THE NEED.
UH, I AM REALLY INTERESTED IN SEEING THIS AND HOPEFUL WE CAN GET THIS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND, AND, UH, SCALE UP SO THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A, A SOLUTION FOR ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS FOR, FOR, UM, OUR CHALLENGES WITH THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.
UM, I DID, SO I DID HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING SOME OF THE, THE SPECIFICS, RIGHT? UM, IS THAT, IS THAT DRIVEN BY, BY STATE LAW, OR DO WE DEVELOP THE STANDARDS FOR FULL-TIME HOMES? A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
ONE IS RESPONDING AND MAKING SURE WE MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE, UH, PROJECT HOME KEY REGULATIONS, BUT ALSO IN LOOKING AT RESEARCH AND, YOU KNOW, RECEIVING ALSO FEEDBACK AND INPUT FROM ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING, UH, HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THE NUMBER ONE ANSWER WAS HAVING RESTROOMS, SO, UH, INDIVIDUALIZED RESTROOMS. SO THOSE WERE, UH, RESPONDING TO FEEDBACK OF PEOPLE THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH AS WELL.
SO THERE'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
AND SO, YEAH, I, I WOULD LOVE SOME BACKGROUND ON, ON WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS, IF THERE ARE ANY STANDARDS FROM, FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, RIGHT? MAY MAYBE WE, CAN WE JUST SET THE BAR FOR THEM? YEAH.
SO THESE ARE, UM, THESE ARE NOT REVIEWED.
THE UNITS THEMSELVES ARE NOT REVIEWED AT A LOCAL LEVEL BECAUSE THEY'RE THE MANUFACTURED UNITS, SO THEY MUST MEET THE CALIFORNIA CODE.
UM, IN THIS CASE, THEY EXCEED THAT.
THERE ARE OTHER TINY HOME UNITS THAT DO NOT GET INTO THAT, BE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THEY ARE SET UP.
UM, THESE, HAVING THE RESTROOMS BUILT INTO EACH OF THE UNITS AND THE INCREASED, LIKE ELECTRICAL CAPACITY, THEY DO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE STATE.
UM, AGAIN, WE THINK THIS IS A QUALITY PRODUCT.
LOOKING AT, UM, DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THERE ARE ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS IN THIS SPACE CURRENTLY.
AND THEN, UH, TWO MORE QUESTIONS CAME TO MIND.
NUMBER ONE WAS, UH, THE, THE BIDDING PROCESS.
CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT THAT WAS? HOW MANY BIDS CAME IN? UM, HOW WE ENDED UP ON, ON THE CONTRACTOR CONNECTED SHELTERS? SO WE DID RELEASE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
UH, OUR CENTRAL PROCUREMENT TEAM REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UH, MANUFACTURERS IN THE SPACE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND ONLINE.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE IN FOUR, UH, PROPOSALS THAT MET THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
INDIVIDUALIZED RESTROOMS, UH, WAS ONE OF THE KEY THINGS BEING ABLE TO DELIVER, UH, IN THE TIMEFRAME.
SO THE REVIEW PANEL, UH, HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT, UH, PERSPECTIVE FROM THE BUILDING SIDE TO THE SAFETY SIDE, UM,
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AS WELL AS COST EFFECTIVENESS.AND THIS WAS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING REALLY MET THE, UH, BEST MET THE INTENT WHILE STAYING RELATIVELY, MOST OF THEM WERE PRETTY SIMILAR IN COST EFFECTIVENESS.
THERE WASN'T A GREAT DIFFERENCE ACROSS THE FOUR, UH, BUT THIS BEST MEANT ALL THE OTHER MAJOR THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, UH, TIMELINE IN TERMS OF
SO, UH, ONE CAVEAT IS DEFINITELY, UH, WE ARE STILL, WHEN WE CHANGED SITES, WE WERE REQUIRED TO RESUBMIT TO THE STATE.
SO WE ARE STILL, UH, WAITING ON FINAL APPROVAL FROM THE STATE FOR THAT FUNDING.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, THE MANUFACTURER OF THESE UNITS IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE ABOUT TO BE INTO A STORAGE BASE WHERE WE'RE PAYING FOR STORAGE WHILE WAITING TO GET THE SITE GOING.
SO WE STARTED, UH, THAT PROCESS WHEN IT WAS GOING TO BE AT THE MSE.
UM, SO AS SOON AS WE CAN GET APPROVAL, UH, AND GET THE SITE DONE, WE'RE HOPING SOMETIME EARLY 2025, EARLY TO MID 2025.
UH, JUST DEPENDS ON THE STATE PROCESS.
WELL, THE STATE DID, UM, DID APPROVE FOR US TO REAPPLY, SO THAT WAS GOOD NEWS.
SO WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THAT FIRST TO SAY IF WE COULD REAPPLY BECAUSE WE HAD A NEW SITE, BUT THEN THEY SAID, YES, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND THEY SUBMIT.
SO, SO I'LL JUST ADD COMMENTS ON THAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TINY HOME SOLUTION AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I'M NOW, NOW I'M CONCERNED ABOUT STATE BUDGET, RIGHT? THE DECISION THAT TO BE MADE IN SACRAMENTO AROUND BUDGET SHORTFALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU LISTEN TO.
SO YOU BELIEVE MOST, IT'S EITHER 68 BILLION OR 38 BILLION, LIKE, BUT IT'S BIG.
UH, AND SO THAT SAID, I MEAN, I THINK WE, WE GONNA BE VIGILANT IN OTHER COMMITTEES AND ASPECTS OF, UH, OUR ADVOCACY IN SACRAMENTO AS WELL.
YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
UH, SO ONE IS, UM, WELL, I JUST WANNA START OFF BY SAYING, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATED, UM, UM, OUR, UM, TERESA CHANDLER'S COMMENTS AROUND, IT'S NOT AN ENCAMPMENT, IT'S A COMMUNITY, RIGHT? I THINK REALLY STARTING FROM THE PLACE THAT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT A TINY HOME COMMUNITY IS RIGHT.
UM, AND, UM, CLAUDE, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, SHARE CURVE WORK AROUND KIND OF, UH, COALESCING THE COMMUNITY AROUND THIS, REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS, REACHING OUT TO MEMBERS OF THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE'S GONNA BE INVOLVED IS VESTED IN THE PROJECT AND SUCCESS.
UM, AND SO I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, AND SO ONE WAS, UM, SINCE THEY ARE SINGLE STANDALONE UNITS MADE FOR ONE PERSON, DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR SITE WON'T BE ALLOWED FOR COUPLES? OR ARE COUPLES ALLOWED TO USE THOSE INDIVIDUAL UNITS? YEAH, WE HAVE SOME OTHER SPACES THAT ARE COMING UP WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT.
UH, THOSE ARE MORE CONDUCIVE SPACE WISE FOR LIKE A COUPLE.
UM, SO WE WOULD LOOK TO FEW BALANCE REFERRALS WITH, FOR COUPLES AT 59 50 AS THAT COMES ONLINE, HAS SIMILAR, UH, HOPEFULLY A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THIS, BUT, UM, THEY'LL BE OPENING AROUND AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE'D LIKE TO MATCH COUPLES TO THEIR SINGLE INDIVIDUALS TO THOSE PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN LIFE WOULD BE AVAILABLE IS JUST AS AN AMENITY? YEAH.
WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE, LIKE A DIGITALLY, UH, ACCESSIBLE SIDE.
AND THEN THE LAST TWO QUESTIONS I HAD WERE JUST AROUND THE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
YOU MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE POINTS THAT YOU SAID YOU WILL NOT PROGRAM LOCATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDING EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? YEAH.
SO WE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE EFFORTS.
AND SO WE GO INTO COMMUNITIES, OR WE'RE LOOKING AT SPACES.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
AND SO WE, UM, WE MADE SOME MISTAKES AND, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT WE COULD MOVE INTO EMERGENCY SHELTERING FOR A TEMPORARY AMOUNT OF TIME INTO A SPACE WHERE THERE WAS ALREADY ACTIVE ACTIVITIES HAPPENING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE CAME BACK TO THE TABLE WITH COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS, UM, WHO WERE SUPPORTIVE FOR THE WORK, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND WE CAME UP WITH, WITH SPECIFIC AGREEMENTS THAT BASICALLY SAID, WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK AT PROGRAMMING IN SPACES THAT ARE ALREADY BEING PROGRAMMED.
WE DON'T WANNA TAKE PROGRAMS AWAY FROM GIVING AS WE'RE LOOKING AT OPTIONS.
HOWEVER, WE DO NEED TO PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CHURCHES AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR SPACE FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
AND SO THAT'S A BIG CALL TO ACTION THAT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING OUT FOR THIS EMERGENCY EFFORT
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ONGOING.WE'RE GONNA NEED TO LOOK FOR MORE SAFE PARKING LOCATIONS AND SAFE RV LOTS AND MORE SPACES FOR TINY HOMES.
THIS WAS SO HARD TO FIND A LOCATION THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE THESE TINY HOMES.
UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF OUR KEY MEMBERS.
SO, YEAH, AND I THINK I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT.
AND I THINK, UH, TO SHARE, KURT SHARES HIS PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? I THINK WE ALL NEED, UM, AS COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS COMMUNITIES ALSO RALLY AROUND THE VISION, RIGHT? EVERYONE SAYS THAT THEY WANT TO HELP WITH HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT? BUT THAT REQUIRES ALL OF US TO MAKE CERTAIN SACRIFICES.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE SITES FOR THESE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING EQUABLY ACROSS THE CITY ABOUT WHERE THEY GO, UM, AND HAVING THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR, WITH OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT IT.
UM, AND THE LAST THING WAS, I WAS, I, I PERSONALLY WAS KIND, WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH LIKE THE, THE AMENITY, THE, UM, UM, ECHOING, YOU KNOW, VICE CHAIR AUSTIN AROUND JUST KIND OF THE CARE THAT HAS GONE ON.
AND AS YOU ALL WERE OUTREACHING TO THE COMMUNITY AND THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU WERE DESIGNING THIS SITE, CAN YOU JUST ADDRESS A LITTLE BIT AROUND MAYBE SOME OF THE CONCERNS YOU WERE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THE WAY THIS IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT? SURE.
UM, SO WE, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
WE ALSO HAVE CONCERNS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CLOSENESS OF THE OIL DAIRY, THE OIL DAIRY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IS CLOSE TO THE SITE.
UM, BUT WE'RE DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON OUR END, THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS, IT'S ACCOMMODATING AND THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN A HEALTHY SPACE.
UM, AND, UH, ALSO REPURPOSING THAT LAND.
SO THIS IS A 15 YEAR PROJECT, AND SO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, IT'S VERY, IT'S PARK SPACE, IT'S NOT PARK SPACE.
AND SO WHAT CAN WE DO, UM, AS SOON AS WE'RE LEAVING THAT PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN STILL UTILIZE THOSE SPACES.
UM, SO THAT CAME UP, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WILLOW SPRINGS IN GENERAL, THERE HAS BEEN A PLAN FOR A LONG TIME TO REPURPOSE SOME OF THESE SPACES, UM, THAT WE HAVE JUST NOT HAD THE FUNDING TO REPURPOSE.
SO THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY FOCUS IN ON THAT AREA.
UM, AND SO AS WE WOULD DO IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL, UM, LEAVING SOMETHING BETTER THAN WE FOUND COMING BACK TO THAT AGREEMENT.
YEAH, I THINK WITH ANY PROJECT, THERE'S SOME CONCERN OF WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT WITHIN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
DOES THIS ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS? SO REALLY PULLING ON PAST EXPERIENCE WITH PROJECTS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, AND DESIGNING IN FACTORS THAT HELP IN TRYING TO ALLEVIATE THAT, ALLEVIATE THAT.
UM, HAVING ADEQUATE OUTDOOR SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO CONGREGATE, UH, HAVING SECURITY ON SITE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL, UH, ENSURING THAT IT'S ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS OF WHAT IMPACT WILL THIS HAPPEN.
ONE OF THE MYTHS I WOULD LIKE TO EXPEL IS THAT ONCE PEOPLE ARE IN THE TINY HOMES, THEY'RE ACTUALLY COWS.
SO THERE'S CONCERN THAT OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS ARE GONNA IMPACT THE COMMUNITY AND STEAL FROM OUR BUSINESSES.
WELL, NO, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE INCOME AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA SPEND THE BUSINESSES AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ACTIVE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND LIKE, THIS IS HOUSING AND THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO BE, AND THEY NEED TO BE CLOSE TO SERVICES AND BUSINESSES SO THEY CAN SHOP, THEY GET GROCERIES, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO CATCH A BUS OR WALK TOO, YOU KNOW, FAR IN ORDER TO GET THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED, THEIR BASIC NECESSITIES.
AND SO IT IS, UH, AN ADDITION TO A COMMUNITY NO MATTER WHERE THESE KIND OF COMMUNITIES END UP.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S JUST ADDING TO, YOU KNOW, MORE SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
WELL THAT AS AN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, NOW I KNOW, UH, SO I REPRESENT THE NINTH AND MY, UM, OUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER NOW MAYOR, RICHARD.
RICHARD, I KNOW WE WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH COMMUNITY AROUND THE A C TRANSITIONAL
UM, AND SO WE HAD TO DO, YOU KNOW, DIRECT ENGAGE WITH YOU ALL, DONE THE COMMUNITY THERE, AND THEN ALLOWING FOLKS TO HAVE KIND OF ACCESS TO LIKE, BRING UP ANY ISSUES OR ANYTHING THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE.
IF COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAD CONCERNS OR ONGOING QUESTIONS, HOW IS THAT BEING HANDLED? YEAH, SO THEY CAN REACH OUT TO US DIRECTLY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO SIT UP MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND WE JUST GO OUT AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION, AND THEN PEOPLE COME AND SEE THE SITE.
WE DO WALKTHROUGHS OF THE SITE.
UM, PEOPLE HAVE FULL ACCESS TO US AS A TEAM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE LOCATION.
AND SO WE JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET AS INVOLVED AS THEY WANT TO BE OR HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THAT'S, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL.
UM, I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, AMONGST OUR, PARTICULARLY THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT WAS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE A, B, C, UM, WAS ACTUALLY BRINGING PEOPLE OUT AND ALLOWING 'EM TO TOUR THE SITE AND SEEING KIND OF THE SURPRISE ON PEOPLE'S FACES WHEN THEY SAW THE QUALITY, HOW IT ORGANIZED, WHAT THE AMENITIES WERE, SEEING THE FOLK, YOU KNOW, THE OVERSIGHT, THE SUPPORT OF THE, I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL.
[00:30:01]
FOR AMAZING QUESTIONS AND CHECKING ALL OF MY OFF THE LIST SO I WON'T REPEAT ANY.SO JUST A COUPLE BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, MS. TAYLOR, YOU, YOU TOUCHED ON THE THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT FOLKS, WHEN THEY MOVE IN HERE ARE NO LONGER UNHOUSED AND, UH, SAFE AND FOOD AND THE THINGS THAT COME WITH THAT IN TERMS OF STABILITY AND HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, SO COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE? YOU MENTIONED IT'S A 15 YEAR COMMITMENT, BUT IT ISN'T 33 PEOPLE FOR 15 YEARS.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT, UM, THE VISION FOR THE FOLKS WHO WILL BE SERVED AND WHAT MAYBE AN AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY WOULD BE? SURE.
UM, YEAH, SO OUR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TYPES, UM, THERE'S BASICALLY THREE EMERGENCY SHELTER, AND THEN THERE'S A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TYPE, AND THEN THERE'S A PERMANENT HOUSING
SO EMERGENCY SHELTER THAT'S LIKE 30 DAYS OR SHORT OR SHORTER, WHERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY TRYING TO GET STABLE AND GET CONNECTED TO CASE MANAGEMENT.
THEN IF THEY'RE GETTING INTO A PERMANENT HOUSING PLAN, IT'S HARD TO FIND PERMANENT HOUSING, RIGHT? SOMETIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH VOUCHERS AT HAND THAT LANDLORDS COULD TAKE, AND IT TAKES THEM A YEAR TO FIND A PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION.
SO THEY NEED AN INTERIM SPACE.
SO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS 90 DAYS TO, IT COULDN'T GO UP TO A YEAR, I THINK.
UM, BUT PEOPLE ARE DUE TO MOVE ON.
AND SO PEOPLE WILL BE IN AND OUT OF THESE, THIS, THESE TIME HOMES AS THEY MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOW BARRIER TO ENTRY FOR FOLKS.
SO THE REFERRALS WILL COME OUT OF THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
SO FOLKS THAT YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH POTENTIALLY WHO ARE IN A VERY SHORT EMERGENCY SHELTER SITUATION, UM, TO BUILD THAT COMMUNITY.
WHAT ABOUT PETS? PETS ARE ALLOWED ON SITE, SO WE'LL HAVE A NICE OUTDOOR SPACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO OUT THERE WITH YOUR PET AND ALLOW THEM TO GET FRESH AIR.
SO, UH, THE NICE PART ABOUT INDIVIDUAL SPACES TOO IS, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR OTHER SHELTERS BEING AN OPEN SPACE, WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING, YOU GOTTA PUT YOUR, YOUR ANIMAL ON THE CRATE.
SINCE YOU CAN CLOSE THE DOOR, YOU CAN ALLOW YOUR PET OUT AND YOUR SPACE CAN JUMP UP AND SLEEP WITH YOU ON THE BED, IF THAT'S READY.
WANT YOUR BED TO SLEEP WITH YOU.
SO THAT'S A GREAT OPTION FOR PEOPLE WITH THAT.
UH, WE'LL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MADAM CLERK, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT'LL LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND UP.
UM, MY NAME AND I'M, I, UH, I VOLUNTEER AT ST.
I VOLUNTEERED DOWN AT THE ENCAMPMENT.
UM, I ALSO VOLUNTEER AT THE MISSION AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE A BC SHELTER IN THE ANAHEIM SHELTERS.
ALSO VOLUNTEER AT SPRINGS PARK FOR, UH, LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COMPOST.
BUT I ALSO USED TO WORK IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S COMING OUT OF THAT OIL DAIRY.
SO, UM, THE MONEY FOR THIS PROJECT, IRONICALLY, HAS BEEN PROCURED BY SENATOR GONZALEZ.
SENATOR GONZALEZ ALSO AUTHORED SV NUMBER 1 3 7, WHICH STATES THE FOLLOWING.
THE LEGISLATURE FINDS AND DECLARES THAT IN ADDITION TO INCREASING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH SHOWS DIRECT HEALTH IMPACTS FROM PROXIMITY TO OIL EXTRACTION.
B, THESE IMPACTS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO LIVE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OIL EXTRACTION AND WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS.
C, PROXIMITY TO OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION POSES SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISKS, ESPECIALLY DUE TO INCREASED AIR POLLUTION.
D STUDIES HAVE SHOWN EVIDENCE OF HARM AT DISTANCES LESS THAN ONE, UH, KILOMETER APPROXIMATELY 3,200 FEET.
SO IT'S DANGEROUS TO SOMEONE'S HEALTH TO BE WITHIN 3,200 FEET OF AN ACTIVE OIL.
WELL, THIS SITE IS NEXT TO AN ACTIVE OIL WELL, AND IT'S WITHIN 3,200 FEET OF MORE THAN 100 ACTIVE OIL WELLS AND HUNDREDS MORE SUSPENDED AND CAPPED WELLS, WHICH ARE ALSO LEAKING POLLUTANTS.
IN FACT, IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PUBLIC G IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIGNAL HILL OIL FIELDS.
A SIMPLE LOOK AT THE MAP WILL SHOW YOU THAT THE, UM, SO-CALLED COMMUNITY IS SURROUNDED BY THE CITY OF SIG HEALTH, UM, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, FAR FROM ANY RESIDENTS, UH, LONG BEACH, FAR FROM
[00:35:01]
ANY THE SCRUTINIZED EYES OF THE PUBLIC.UM, SO WHAT EXACTLY IS COMING OUT THAT WHALE? WELL, THERE ARE NUMEROUS, UM, GASES, PARTICULATE MAT, UH, PARTICULATE MATTER OF LESS THAN 2.5 MICRONS, WHICH CAN BE BREATHED INTO THE LUNGS, METHANE, NITROGEN, DIOXIDE, OZONE, AND A NUMBER OF VOLATILE AND ALL ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, INCLUDING BENZENE, BENZENE, N HINE, FORMALDEHYDE, TOLINE, AND XYLENE.
SOME OF THESE ARE KNOWN CARCINOGENS AND, UM, SO, AND THEY ALSO CAN CAUSE NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE.
UM, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN, OH, SORRY.
SO I SENT A LETTER, EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO TOM MOCA, CITY MANAGER, AND HE SAID, FOLLOWING, WE HAVE STUDIED THE SITE AND IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS AND SETBACKS FROM THE WELL TO BE SAFE FOR INTERIM HOUSING.
THIS IS MERELY MOUTH NONSENSE.
THERE ARE NO SETBACKS IN CALIFORNIA.
IT'S THE ONLY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE TO EXACTLY WHAT STANDARD TO GONZALEZ BILL TIME.
UM, I WANNA ECHO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UH, PETER MENTIONED, UH, UH, PARTICULARLY THE PART ABOUT, UH, WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE MIDST OF AN INDUSTRIAL AREA THAT IS IN BEING IN LONG BEACH, UH, UH, AND THE HUNDREDS OF OILS.
I, I LEAD A GROUP CALLED THE TOXIC BIKE TOUR.
AND, UM, AND, UH, WE HAVE A TOUR BEGINNING IN, UH, THAT, THAT WILL BE ON MARCH THAT ACTUALLY RUNS EXACTLY, UH, ADJACENT TO THIS.
AND WE PICKED THIS LOCATION BECAUSE OF, UH, AS WE MENTIONED, THE HUNDREDS OF LOCATIONS, UH, THAT ARE UNSAFE.
UH, NOW, UH, YES, UH, PARTICULATE MATTER IN THAT THE WESTERN SIDE OF LONG BEACH IS, UH, IN NOT JUST PARTICULAR MATTER, BUT ALL THE OTHER POLLUTES ARE, ARE INCREDIBLY HUGE.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST, UH, UH, POLLUTED AREAS IN THE ENTIRE NATION.
UH, AND, UH, THE, UH, WESTERN SIDE OF LONG BEACH IS WHERE WE HAVE JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE HEAVY INDUSTRY IN LONG BEACH.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PORTS, THE FREEWAY, THE, UH, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, REFINERIES.
UH, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST, UH, INCIDENCE OF ASTHMA, PARTICULARLY CHILDHOOD ASTHMA, UH, BUT, UH, ADULT ASTHMA AS WELL.
IT'S NOT COVID, IT'S NOT A COLD.
IT IS, IT, IT'S, IT'S BECAUSE I, I HAVE ASTHMA.
UH, UH, ALL, ALL THIS STUFF PRODUCES, UM, UH, UH, ALSO RESULTS IN, UH, UH, NEUROLOGICAL AND ENDOCRINOLOGY, UH, DISORDERS, WHICH, UH, I DON'T THINK HE EVEN MENTIONED.
UH, AND, AND, AND I'M A WALKING POSTER BOOK FOR THAT AS WELL.
'CAUSE I HAVE CANCER, UH, AND, UH, UH, HYPOTHYROIDISM AND, UH, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS.
UM, SO, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS ABOUT, NOT FROM AN ACADEMIC STANDPOINT, BUT FROM A, A, YOU KNOW, UH, LIVED EXPERIENCE.
UH, AND SPEAKING OF THAT, I'VE BEEN, UH, WORKING ON HOMELESS ISSUES, UH, DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, UH, UH, PERMANENT TRANSITIONAL AND EMERGENCY SHELTER HOUSING FOR THE LAST, WELL, FOR ALL OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER, UH, SINCE 1977.
UM, AND I'M ALSO A FORMERLY, UH, UNHOUSED PERSON, UH, FIVE YEARS, UH, UNHOUSED.
AND, UH, UH, AND, UH, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ARE, YOU KNOW, I, I TAKE AN, AN ISSUE WITH, UH, UH, UH, UH, THE, UM, CLOSE TO SERVICES.
THIS IS NOT CLOSE TO SERVICES.
I MEAN, IF YOU COUNT HOME DEPOT, YOU KNOW, AND THE DOLLAR TREE, THAT KIND OF, THAT LITTLE COMMERCIAL AREA.
BUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, UH, AN UNHOUSED PERSON OR NOW HOUSE PERSON IN THIS LITTLE BOX, INHUMANE LITTLE SQUARE BOX, UH, THAT, UH, IS GONNA NEED TO GO TO HOME DEPOT AND, AND BUY SOME TWO.
UH, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, UH, I, I HEARD AN ISSUE UP THIS STINK, MR. THAT YOUR TIME TODAY ATE.
UM, I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF FOR, UH, COMING OUT AND CONTINUING TO WORK ON THIS.
WE KNOW THERE'S MORE CONVERSATIONS TO BE HAD, BOTH WITH COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THE PROCESS, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE CONTINUED OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT, UH, WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WITH, UH, DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
UM, I'M REALLY PROUD DISTRICT FIVE IS STEPPING UP, UM, IN THE SOLUTIONS AREA, UM, AND HELPING TO AFFORD SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE CITY'S BEEN LOOKING TO FOR,
[00:40:01]
UH, ADDRESSING, UH, OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS AND POPULATION.SO, THANKS TO STAFF FOR COMING OUT.
AND MADAM CLERK, IF WE COULD DO A ROLL CALL.
THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ ITEM THREE? ITEM THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE FILE AND UPDATE ON COVID-19 SLASH FLU AND R-V-R-S-V STATISTICS AND IMPACTS.
UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TODAY, I BELIEVE.
CAN I GET A MOTION? AND A SECOND? SECOND VICE CHAIR.
AUSTIN, SECONDED BY MEMBER RICK ODI.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OUR RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN LONG BEACH AND, UH, WHAT RESOURCES ARE PRESENT IN THE CITY.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, JUST TO GO OVER THAT, WE'VE CHANGED KIND OF HOW WE TALK ABOUT RESPIRATORY VIRUSES.
SO IT USED TO BE FLU AND COLD SEASON, AND NOW IT'S REALLY RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON.
UH, THERE'S MANY RESPIRATORY VIRUSES DURING THIS SEASON, WHICH IS REALLY KIND OF THE FALL WINTER TO EARLY SPRING, TRADITIONALLY KIND OF NOVEMBER THROUGH APRIL.
UM, SO PRESENTLY IT IS COVID-19, UH, RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS OR RSV FLU INFLUENZA, UH, AND THEN A, A MULTITUDE OF COMMON COLD VIRUSES.
SO JUST TO KIND OF GO OVER THE, UH, SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS. AND BASICALLY THEY'RE ALL VERY SIMILAR.
SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT JUST BASED ON YOUR SYMPTOMS TO TELL KIND OF WHAT YOU HAVE.
THERE'S LITTLE NUANCES, BUT IN GENERAL, THEY ALL KIND OF GIVE YOU KIND OF THE, THE FLU HEADACHEY TYPE OF THING.
UM, SO HOW ARE RESPIRATORY VIRUSES CIRCULATING IN LONG BEACH RIGHT NOW? SO, UM, FOR RSV AND FOR INFLUENZA, THEY'RE BOTH DECREASING.
AND COVID-19 IS TOO, WE WILL, WE'LL GET TO THAT.
SO THE TOP, UH, FIGURE OVER THERE ON THE RIGHT IS RSV BY SEASON, AND THE LATEST, UH, YEAR IS THAT DARK GREEN, THE ONE THAT'S MAKING THE BIG MOUNTAIN
UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT RSV FOR THIS SEASON IS HIGHER, UM, THAN IT'S BEEN, UH, HOWEVER, THE ACTIVITY HAS BEGUN TO DECREASE AFTER THE SPIKE DURING DECEMBER, SO THAT'S GREAT.
UM, AND SO FAR WE'VE HAD 328 RSV CASES, UH, REPORTED DURING THIS SEASON.
UM, WHICH AGAIN, STARTS IN THE FALL.
UH, AND THEN INFLUENZA ACTIVITY IS THAT, UH, GREEN, UM, KIND OF THAT SPRING GREEN, UH, MOUNTAIN BUMP.
AND, UM, IT IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED, UM, TO PRIOR YEARS, BUT NOT, NOT AS HIGH AS IT WAS LAST YEAR, WHICH IS THAT LARGE ORANGE ONE.
UM, BUT IT'S BEGINNING TO DECREASE AFTER A SPIKE IN NEW CASES.
UM, 1,227 INFLUENZA CASES, UH, HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
AND THREE INFLUENZA ASSOCIATED DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED SINCE THE START OF THE, UM, 20 23, 20 24 SEASON.
AND WE FEEL THAT FLU ADMISSIONS MAY HAVE ACTUALLY PEAKED IN MID-DECEMBER.
SO ADMISSIONS INTO THE HOSPITAL.
SO COVID-19 ACTIVITY IS ELEVATED CURRENTLY.
WE ARE SORT OF SEEING IT KIND OF, UM, WE'RE HAVING THAT HOLIDAY BUMP THAT WE USUALLY HAVE, UM, CASES ARE STARTING TO DECREASE.
SO, UM, ORANGE IS THIS CURRENT, UM, YEAR, UM, IN PREVIOUS YEARS WE HAVE SEEN CASES IN HOSPITALIZATIONS, UH, AFTER THE HOLIDAYS STARTING IN LATE NOVEMBER.
UM, AND WE HAVE SEEN IN 2023 THAT THERE WERE 66 CONFIRMED COVID-19 DEATHS.
UM, THIS IS 78% LOWER THAN LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, AT OUR HIGHEST, WE WERE AT 600, UM, 40 DEATHS, WHICH WAS IN, UH, 2021.
AND THE CDC LEVELS FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY, UM, HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE IN LOW, UH, WHICH IS THE PURPLE LINE.
AND SO YOU CAN COMPARE THAT TO THE BLUE AND THE ORANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, WHICH WERE MUCH HIGHER AT THIS TIME.
SO, JUST TO BRIEFLY REVIEW HOW RESPIRATORY VIRUSES ARE SPREAD OUT OF ALL OF 'EM, UH, EITHER DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE VIRUS, UH, OR TOUCHING YOUR FACE AFTER YOU'VE COME IN CONTACT WITH AN INFECTED SURFACE OR EXPOSURE TO DROPLETS FROM AN INFECTED PERSON'S COUGHING OR SNEEZING.
SO VACCINES AND OTHER PREVENTION TOOLS.
UH, SO THERE'S A MULTITUDE OF WAYS THAT
[00:45:01]
YOU CAN PREVENT RESPIRATORY VIRUSES FROM WASHING YOUR HANDS AND CLEANING AND AVOIDING TOUCHING YOUR FACE AND STAYING HOME WHEN YOU'RE SICK, COVERING YOUR COUGH AND SNEEZES.UM, SO SOME VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO FOR COVID-19, THE CDC RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE SIX MONTHS OF AGE AND OLDER RECEIVE THE UPDATED 20 23, 20 24 MRNA COVID-19 VACCINE, UM, TO PROTECT AGAINST THE SERIOUS OUTCOMES.
THE FLU VACCINE IS BASICALLY THE SAME, SO EVERYONE WHO'S SIX MONTHS OF AGE AND OLDER, UM, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS, UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS, PREGNANT PERSONS AND INDIVIDUALS GREATER THAN 65 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, IS RECOMMENDED TO GET A FLU VACCINE EVERY SEASON.
UM, AND THEN RSV IS, UH, SOME NEW THINGS HAVE HAPPENED AROUND RSV VACCINATION, AND SO INFANTS YOUNGER THAN EIGHT MONTHS OF AGE ARE RECOMMENDED TO RECEIVE A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY IMMUNIZATION BEFORE OR DURING THEIR FIRST RSV SEASON.
AND THAT REALLY IS NEW FOR THIS RSV SEASON RIGHT NOW.
UM, OR INFANTS CAN BE PROTECTED THROUGH RSV VACCINATION OF THEIR MOTHER DURING PREGNANCY.
UM, AND SO, UH, CURRENTLY PREGNANT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO BE VACCINATED, UM, DURING THE RSV SEASON, WHICH WILL, UH, YOU ARE NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED AFTER JANUARY 31ST.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A NEW VACCINE FOR THIS SEASON FOR ADULTS RECOMMENDED FOR ADULTS 60 YEARS AND OLDER, UM, WITH CLINICAL DECISION MAKING.
SO OUR, UH, RESPIRATORY VIRUS RESPONSE, WE, UM, OUR IMMUNIZATION CLINIC AT MAIN HEALTH, UM, PROVIDES FREE COVID-19 AND FLU VACCINES FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED.
WE HAD, UH, SEVERAL OVER 10 COMMUNITY VACCINATION CLINICS THAT PROVIDED FREE FLU VACCINES, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY TO THOSE WHO WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON THOSE WHO ARE UNINSURED OR OLDER.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION LINE TO ASSIST WITH, UM, APPOINTMENTS AND RESOURCES AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTIONS PROGRAM AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS, UH, WITH HIGH RISK, UH, LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND CONGREGATE FACILITIES TO PROVIDE REALLY HANDS ON, UM, OUTBREAK, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDANCE AND HELP WITH INFECTION CONTROL PRACTICES, AND THEN, UM, HELP WITH OUTBREAKS AND TO REALLY PROMOTE VACCINES AND TREATMENTS.
SO, UH, JUST TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF OTHER UPDATES.
SO THE STATE RECENTLY UPDATED THEIR COVID-19 ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE GUIDANCE TO, UH, MOVE AWAY FROM A SET FIVE DAY ISOLATION PERIOD WHEN YOU TEST POSITIVE TO, UH, MORE OF A SYMPTOM BASED, UH, ISOLATION PERIOD LIKE WE DO WITH OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES.
SO NOW THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU REMAIN ISOLATED FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS AFTER YOU'VE BEEN FEVER FREE WITHOUT MEDICATION AND YOU'VE HAD OTHER SYMPTOMS IMPROVING.
UH, YOU SHOULD STILL WEAR A MASK INDOORS FOR AT LEAST 10 DAYS FROM SYMPTOM ONSET OR YOUR FIRST POSITIVE TEST.
UM, CLOSE CONTACTS, HIGH RISK, CLOSE CONTACT SHOULD TEST WITHIN FIVE DAYS AND TEST RIGHT AWAY OF NEW SYMPTOMS, DEVELOP, AND ALSO MASK INDOORS AROUND HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS.
WE DO IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, BEACH, AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY HAVE MORE PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR HIGH RISK POPULATIONS.
SO HEALTHCARE WORKERS, UH, WE HAVE AN ORDER THAT REQUIRES HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO EITHER BE VACCINATED FOR FLU AND COVID-19, OR WEAR A MASK WHILE THEY'RE DOING PATIENT CARE ACTIVITIES.
UM, AND WHEN HOSPITALIZATIONS, UH, GO UP INTO THE MEDIUM LEVEL, WE ALSO HAVE A CONTINGENCY THAT REQUIRES MASKING OF ALL HEALTHCARE WORKERS, WHETHER THEY'RE VACCINATED OR NOT, IN ALL VISITORS TO HIGH RISK FACILITIES, OTHER RESOURCES.
SO FOR UNINSURED, UNDERINSURED AND GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED INSURED INDIVIDUALS, WE, UM, HAVE OUR MAIN HEALTH IMMUNIZATION CLINIC AND OUR MOBILE VACCINATION AND FOR INSURED INDIVIDUALS NOW FOR COVID-19 VACCINATIONS.
UM, PHARMACIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, IS WHERE YOU CAN GET VACCINATED REALLY.
AND ALSO SOME HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
SO VACCINE RESOURCES, UM, COMMUNITY CLINICS, FESTIVALS, OUR MOBILE ACCESS CENTER, AND OUR MAIN HEALTH ORGANIZATION CLINIC.
UM, AND THIS IS OUR WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF OUR RESPIRATORY VIRUS VACCINES AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION LINE.
SO JUST IN CLOSING, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY SEASON HAS ITS OWN RESPIRATORY VIRUSES AND ALL OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN CHARACTERISTICS AND THE SEASON HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS.
[00:50:01]
WE REALLY GET A HIGH AROUND DECEMBER, UM, EARLY JANUARY, AND THINGS ARE KIND OF LEVELING OFF.AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR VACCINATIONS FOR OUR, UM, OUR POPULATION AND HAS REALLY HELPED.
AND THEN HAVING, UM, ACCESS TO TREATMENTS AND THEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP WITH
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION QUESTIONS.
UH, QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES, VICE CHAIR AUSTIN, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE, THE INFORMATIVE, UH, REPORT.
I, I DID HAVE, UH, ONE QUESTION.
SO WHAT IS THE, THE UPDATED VACCINE? WHAT SHOULD WE, WHAT SHOULD WE DO RIGHT NOW? SO, UH, AS FAR AS LIKE, SHOULD YOU GET IT OR, YEAH, IS THERE, IS THERE, THERE IS AN, THERE'S AN UPDATE THAT CAME OUT THIS FALL AND THAT'S THE 2324 KIND OF SEASON COVID-19 VACCINE.
UM, AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT YOU'RE INSURED.
IT'S USUALLY AT A PHARMACY AND IF YOU'RE UNINSURED YOU CAN GET IT AT, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND EVERYONE SHOULD, SHOULD GET ONE SIX MONTHS OF AGE AND OLDER.
SO ARE WE OUT OF THAT BUSINESS IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW WHO GET VACCINES? SO WE DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY VACCINE CLINICS, SO WE'RE NOT OUT, YOU KNOW, AT KING PARK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU CAN COME TO OUR IMMUNIZATION CLINIC AND STILL GET VACCINATED, BUT IT'S FOR UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED INDIVIDUALS.
INSURED INDIVIDUALS IS, UM, PHARMACY.
UH, SO I NOTICED ON A COUPLE OF THE GRAPHS, WE DIDN'T HAVE DECEMBER DATA, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT JUST HASN'T BEEN MADE AVAILABLE YET, RIGHT? YEAH, WE JUST NEED TO UPDATE THIS ONE.
UM, AND THE LAST WAS, UM, IN, UM, FOLLOW UP TO THE QUESTION QUESTION, UM, FOR ACCESS TO KIND OF, UH, IMMUNIZATIONS.
ARE ANY OF THOSE AVAILABLE AT THE RON ARIA HEALTHTECH EQUITY CENTER? UM, I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK FOR SURE.
UH, I KNOW THAT IS DEFINITELY OUR, WAS ONE OF OUR, UM, GOALS.
UM, I THINK IT'S BEEN A STAFFING ISSUE AS FAR AS HAVING PEOPLE AT RUN RA WHO CAN GIVE VACCINATION, BUT I'LL, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU FOR SURE.
YEAH, THAT WAS JUST, JUST A QUESTION WHETHER WE HAVE CLINIC SPACE THERE, SO, YEAH.
UM, AND OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S IT.
I JUST WANNA THANK THE TEAM FOR THE CONTINUED HARD WORK, UM, THAT YOU HAVE DONE, UH, TO, TO HEAR THE REAL NUMBERS OF THE 70% DROP, IT WAS 600, THAT THE 66 AND 66 IS STILL TOO MANY.
UM, BUT WE'VE COME A LONG WAY AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS
SO JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE HARD WORK OF THE TEAM.
UM, SO YOU TALKED ABOUT THE COVID SHOT.
I KNOW THAT SOME FOLKS, SO FLU SHOT CAME OUT EARLY IN THE FALL MM-HMM.
AND THERE IS SOMETIMES CONVERSATION AMONG COMPROMISED FOLKS OF GETTING A SECOND FLU SHOT IN THE JANUARY TIMEFRAME.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S RECOMMENDED FOR MOST FOLKS OR IS THAT USUALLY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IN COMPROMISED FOLKS? I HAVEN'T HEARD.
UH, THE FLU SHOT USUALLY ONE FOR THE SEASON IS A NOT FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THEY USUALLY RECOMMEND AROUND OCTOBER SO THAT THE IMMUNITY WILL LAST THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SEASON.
UM, AND, AND WE KNOW THAT WE USED TO HAVE A DASHBOARD THAT KEPT TRACK OF, YOU KNOW, WE SOMETIMES YOUR DAILY INFORMATION AND THAT, THAT ISN'T ACTIVE ANYMORE.
WHERE COULD SOMEONE, UM, A CONSTITUENT GO IF THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, LOCALLY HERE IN LONG BEACH? WE'LL OBVIOUSLY REFER 'EM TO THIS UPDATE OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING, BUT IF SOMEONE HAD SOME CONCERNS, UH, AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS LOOKING LIKE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO COULD THEY REACH OUT TO? THEY COULD REACH OUT TO US.
I PROBABLY WOULD, UM, RECOMMEND THEM CALL THE VACCINE LINE THE HELPLINE, AND THEN THEY COULD GET RAPID AND WE COULD GET THEM.
I DID SEE, I THINK ON THE LAST SLIDE THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF EVENTS COMING UP, BUT I SEE THAT YOU DID, UH, SO THERE WILL BE SOME COMMUNITY CLINICS INCLUDING THE KUAI FESTIVAL, VETERAN STATE PARADE, SHELTER,
SO THOSE ARE PLACES WE WERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE REALLY TRY TO HIT THE FALL.
SO NOW IT'S, WE'RE COMING INTO OUR CLINIC.
WELL, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY AND THE UPDATE.
WE KNOW, UM, WHEN THIS WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED IN DECEMBER, I THINK WE WERE JUST HEADING INTO THAT TIME WHERE PEOPLE WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE SEEING IN THE COMMUNITY.
OH, I DID HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION BECAUSE SOMEBODY MADE AN OFFHAND COMMENT.
UM, FOR THE FOLKS THAT I KNOW THAT DID GET COVID THIS GO AROUND, UH, DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UH, MOST FOLKS SAID IT WAS A PRETTY MILD CASE.
WHAT IS, UM, WHY SHOULD FOLKS STILL BE TESTING AND NOT ASSUMING IT'S A COMMON COLD OR JUST RSV, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE VALUE IN TESTING FOR COVID FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, HEALTH AS WELL? OH, THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT QUESTION.
SO ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IS SO YOU CAN GET TREATED, UM, 'CAUSE THERE IS A TREATMENT.
THE TREATMENT WORKS FOR COVID.
IT IS, UH, PAXLOVID, IT IS FIVE DAYS AND
[00:55:01]
YOU NEED TO TAKE IT WITHIN THE FIRST, UH, FEW DAYS OF GETTING SYMPTOMS. SO IF YOU WAIT TOO LONG, THEN IT'S NOT AS EFFECTIVE.UM, AND IT REALLY DECREASES YOUR RISK OF GETTING HOSPITALIZED OR DYING FROM COVID.
AND THEN SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT YOU CAN LIMIT KIND OF YOUR ACTIVITIES AROUND OTHER HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS.
SO, UM, SAY FAMILY MEMBERS, IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEOPLE, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, AND LIMITING YOUR TRAVEL.
SO I STILL THINK IT IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN FOR YOUR OWN HEALTH SO THAT YOU CAN BE AWARE AND KIND OF LOOK FOR COVID SYMPTOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE STILL, UM, AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK, UM, I KNOW A FEW FOLKS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE LONG COVID SYMPTOMS FROM TWO YEARS AGO, UM, THEY CAN BE DEBILITATING.
SO UNDERSTANDING IF YOU HAVE COVID OFFICIALLY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND IT GOES BACK TO THAT COMMUNITY HEALTH PIECE IN THAT RESPECT FOR THE FOLKS YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH.
IF YOU ARE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, IF YOU GO TO THE MOVIES, UM, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING HOME TO.
UH, SO THANK YOU DR. DAVIS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD WE, UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? IT COULD BE CALLED FOR BOTH THEN PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER RACHEL, UH, E ASID.
UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ ITEM FOUR? YES.
ITEM FOUR IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE PRESENTATION ON THE CITY'S VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAM.
MAY I GET A MOTION? UH, MOTION FIRST, SECOND.
DO WE HAVE A STAFF REPORT ON THIS? YES.
MY NAME IS JUDITH L AND I'M THE MANAGER FOR THE BUREAU OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE TO YOU ABOUT OUR VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAM.
I OVERSEE A LOT OF PROGRAMS IN THE BUREAU, INCLUDING FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION.
SO IT'S KIND NICE TO NOT TALK ABOUT SIDEWALK TODAY,
BUT WE OTHER PROGRAMS, WE ALSO DO THE RECREATIONAL WATER QUALITY HAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, NOISE, LEAD HEALTHY HOMES, AND ASTHMA CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN THE FIELD.
SO WE OFFER A LOT OF SERVICES AND, UM, VECTOR CONTROL IS ONE OF OUR KEY PROGRAMS IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, WE ARE SMALL AND MIGHTY TEAM, BUT WE DO HAVE A FIELD SUPERVISOR, TWO VECTOR CONTROL SPECIALISTS, AND TWO SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
AND WHAT WE DO, OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO PROMOTE AND SAFEGUARD THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN LONG BEACH LIFE, PREVENTING DISEASES AND ELIMINATING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 50 PLUS YEARS,
AND SO THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UH, MANY OF OUR SPECIALISTS ARE STATE CERTIFIED LICENSE AND THEY COMPLETE THEIR CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS TO STAY CURRENT IN THE FIELD.
UM, THE KEY PART OF, UM, INTEGRAL PUBLIC HEALTH ORIENTED APPROACH IS VECTOR CONTROL.
UH, SO WHAT DO WE DO? UM, WE DO, UM, MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE AND ABATEMENT.
I KNOW THERE'S A HIGH INTEREST IN MOSQUITO, BUT OUR VECTOR CONTROL ACTUALLY PROVIDES CITYWIDE VECTOR CONTROL SERVICES.
AND IN MY NEXT SLIDE I'LL GO OVER SOME OF THE MAPS, UM, OUR MAPPING SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHICH, UM, VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICTS PROVIDE SERVICES IN OUR CITY.
BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THIS, UH, THINGS THAT WE DO TO, UM, CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE AND ABATEMENT.
UH, EVERY WEEK I KNOWN BREEDING SITES.
WE HAVE ABOUT 12 TO 20 AREAS IN THE CITY WHERE WE KNOW THEY, THEY HANG OUT, RIGHT? AND SO WE USE THAT TO, UM, VEIL AND UM, TO ADJUST PLAN.
UM, WE ALSO, WE'RE ONLY ONE OF THE FEW VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICTS IN THE AREA TO HAVE SENTINEL CHICKENS.
WE SEND THE SAMPLE TO THE STATES AND THAT HELPS US DETERMINE IF WE HAVE, UM, ST LOUIS'S ENCEPHALITIS VIRUSES THAT ARE, UM, LINGERING AROUND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WHERE ELSE DO WE TREAT? UM, STREET STORM DRAIN WETLANDS, CATCH BASINS, STANDING WATER CURBSIDE.
SO YOU'LL SEE OUR TRUCKS GO OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING.
WE WANT TO GO OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND AS, UM, EARLY AS WE CAN SO THAT, UM, WE, WE HAVE LESS IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT MOST OF THE TREATMENT, UM, ARE, UM, EPA CERTIFIED AND AGAIN, ARE VECTOR CONTROL SPECIALISTS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDES AND REGULATIONS.
AND THEY, THEY, THEY KNOW THE FORMULA TO USE SO THAT IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE FOR
[01:00:01]
THE COMMUNITY.SO I WANTED TO SHARE THIS MAP WITH YOU TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF HOW UNIQUE LONG BEACH IS.
UM, WE HAVE THREE VECTOR CENTRAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE SERVICING OUR CITY.
AND THE TOP LEFT CORNER, THAT RED SMALL AREA, THAT PINKISH AREA, THAT AREA IS SERVICED BY COMPTON CREEK MOSQUITO CONTROL, UM, DISTRICT.
AND THEN THE YELLOW PARTS ON THE EAST SIDE OF LONG BEACH, THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA THAT'S SERVICED BY GREATER LA VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU HAVE MOSQUITO RELATED COMPLAINTS AND YOU LIVE IN THE EAST SIDE PART OF THE CITY, WE WILL REPORT, YOU'LL CALL OUR DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHY NOT
SO THREE THIRDS OF THE CITY IS, IS SERVICED BY US, THE LONG BEACH HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAM.
AND WHAT'S UNIQUE IS THAT WE DON'T JUST DO MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE AND ABATEMENT.
WE ALSO DO, UH, UH, UH, A MYRIAD OF VECTOR CONTROL SERVICES.
SO THAT INCLUDES YOUR FEE ABATEMENT, RADIO SURVEILLANCE, ROLLING CONTROL AND EDUCATION AND VECTOR BORN DISEASE EDUCATION.
AND WE DO PROVIDE A LOT OF CONSULTATIONS.
WE WORK WITH OUR CITY FACILITIES.
UM, LOCAL FOOD FACILITIES OR RESTAURANT OWNERS WILL TYPICALLY CALL US TO HELP US, UM, HELP WITH THEIR, UM, PEST CONTROL ISSUES INSIDE THE RESTAURANTS.
AND THEN ANYONE THAT MAY HAVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT NEEDS OR, YOU KNOW, JUST HELPING, UM, HELPING THEM IDENTIFY SOME OF THE INSIGHTS THAT ARE LINGERING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'LL CALL US AND WE'LL BE OUT THERE AND, AND HELP WITH THAT.
THE OTHER, UM, UNIQUE PART ABOUT THIS IS THAT, UM, OUR VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, HEALTH FUND.
AND SO THE MISS
AND SO WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING CHALLENGES BECAUSE THAT HEALTH HEALTH FUND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S COMPETING PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO, UM, THINK ABOUT AND REALLY STRATEGIZE ON WHERE THE MONEY GOES TO HELP US, UM, PERFORM A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH CONTROL ACTIVITIES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS IN THE CITY.
UM, THIS SHOULD ACTUALLY SAY, AND I APOLOGIZE, IT SHOULD SAY INTEGRATED VECTOR CONTROL MANAGEMENT.
AND SO THIS IS THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE APPLYING THIS YEAR, IS THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAM OR MOSQUITO CONTROL, UM, SEASON, IS THAT WE WANNA APPLY ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS.
WE WANT THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND HEALTH EDUCATION TO BE HIGHLY PRESENT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO THE MOSQUITO CONTROLS.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN US IN OUR, IN OUR VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY.
UM, MOSQUITOES, THEY'LL GO IN THEIR BACKYARDS, THEY'LL GO INSIDE YOUR HOMES.
AND THEN, SO WITH LIMITED STAFF, WE REALLY RELY ON THE PUBLIC AND BUSINESSES TO HELP US CONTROL WHERE MOSQUITOES ARE.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL, WE'LL USE, UM, PREDATORS OR, UM, SUCH MOSQUITO FISH, UM, TO REDUCE THE, THE MOSQUITO LARVA, TPA, AND THEN PREVENTATIVE PRACTICES, UM, ENCOURAGING GOOD WATER MANAGEMENT, MOSQUITO PREVENTION HABITS.
AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA APPLY PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS IF WE DON'T HAVE TO.
SO IF WE CAN RELY ON OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC TO HELP US CONTROL THE MOSQUITOES, UM, IT REALLY HELPS WITH OUR, UM, IMPLEMENTATION AND THEN PHYSICAL CONTROL, CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE, ELIMINATING CURRENT AND FUTURE MOSQUITO PRODUCTION, JUST AGAIN REQUIRES TO HELP FROM THE PUBLIC AND PHYSICISTS.
AND SO WE DO, WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR SOCIAL, WITH OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM TO GET THE MESSAGES OUT.
MOSQUITO SEASON TYPICALLY STARTS AROUND MARCH THROUGH SEPTEMBER, BUT AS WE SAW LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY LINGERED UNTIL NOVEMBER.
AND SO WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, CHANGES IN, IN OUR WEATHER, REALLY, WE MAY NOT HAVE A MOSQUITO SEASON, RIGHT? WITH THE, UM, WITH THE RAIN, WITH THE HEAT, IT JUST, IT, IT CAN GO ON.
SO WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE THOSE MESSAGES OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHEN THESE MOSQUITO, UM, POPULATION ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN AND WHAT THEY CAN HELP US WITH.
UH, WHAT ARE WE DOING THIS YEAR? THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
UM, WE'RE WORKING IN IDENTIFYING NEW APPLICATIONS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE 50 PLUS YEAR OF EXPERIENCE WHERE WE KNOW, WHERE WE KNOW, UM, THE BREEDING SITES OF THE MOSQUITOES, BUT THERE COULD BE OTHER AREAS THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE FINDING.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE EIGHTIES MOSQUITOES, WHICH REALLY BROUGHT US THE DENGUE AND THE WESTLAWN VIRUS.
AND SO THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS THAN OUR TYPICAL
[01:05:01]
UH, WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR EQUIPMENT AND INVENTORY AND SUPPLIES ARE READY TO GO WHEN WE DO HAVE AN, AN EMERGING, UM, SITUATION THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH.
UM, INCREASE OUR PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UTILIZING THIS, UM, INTEGRATED VECTOR CONTROL MANAGEMENT PLAN AND IDENTIFYING DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, UM, SUCH AS THE STERILE INSECT TECHNIQUE, MOSQUITOES, WHERE STERILE MALES ARE RADIATED AND THEY'RE RELEASE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT TO MATE WITH THE FEMALES.
AND THEN THEY, THEY CAN'T PRODUCE ANY EGGS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I JUST CAME BACK FROM THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND REALLY LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT.
AND THERE'S SOME, UM, TECHNOLOGY THERE THAT'S, UM, MAY NOT BE AS EXPENSIVE AND MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD EXPLORE HERE IN LONG BEACH.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO STUDY THAT.
UM, I DO WANNA SAY THAT WE'RE PRETTY FORTUNATE IN LONG BEACH THAT WE HAVE BUILT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR REGIONAL VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT PARTNERS, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, WE ESTABLISH THAT MUTUAL AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
GREATER LA WAS REALLY HELPFUL IN ASSISTING US WITH OUR DENGUE, UM, VECTOR CONTROL RESPONSE IN THE LAST MONTH.
SO I'M, I'M VERY PLEASED WITH, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE VECTOR CONTROL COMMUNITY.
WE DO, UM, WORK TOGETHER AND, UM, SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UH, COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS COME,
UH, SO I, I WAS VICE NO QUESTIONS.
UM, SO FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SENTINEL CHICKEN IS, COULD YOU JUST KIND OF GO A LITTLE BIT INTO WHAT, WHAT THAT IS AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT? SO THE SENTINEL CHICKENS, THEY, UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE COOPS IN LONG BEACH, AND THEY GET, UM, UH, IF THEY GET BIT BY, UH, A BIRD.
'CAUSE THE WAY IT TRANSFER, IT TRANSMITS IS THAT, UM, THE, THE BIRD WILL, THE MOSQUITOES WILL BITE THE BIRD, RIGHT? AND THEN THE BIRD WILL CARRY THAT VIRUS.
SO THE BIRD'S ACTUALLY THE FOLKS.
AND SO IF THEY, UH, BITE THE CHICKEN AND, UM, AND WE, SO WE TAKE BLOOD, BLOOD SAMPLES FROM THE CHICKEN ONCE A WEEK AND WE SEND IT TO THE STATE.
AND IF THE STATE DETECTS THAT, THAT THERE'S A SLE VIRUS, THEN THEY CAN, THEY, THEY'LL LET US KNOW AND WE CAN, WE CAN APPLY MORE TREATMENT IN THE AREA OR, OR INFORM THE STATE THAT WE HAVE DETECTED SLE IN LONG BEACH.
WE DON'T TEST FOR WEST N THE WEST NILE VIRUS.
I DON'T THINK THE BIRDS, UM, HAVE THE, UM, OKAY.
SO THEY, THEY DON'T BELIEVE SO.
UM, AND THEN, UM, FOR, AGAIN, FOR COMMUNITY, IF PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DENGUE IS, RIGHT, BECAUSE I'LL ADMIT LIKE AS EPI, WHEN I HEARD THAT WE WERE TESTING FOR DENGUE HERE, THE CITY, I WAS LIKE, REALLY GUE? SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIKE WHAT DENGUE IS AND WHY? I THINK KIND OF THAT WAS A SURPRISE FOR MANY OF US TO HEAR THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I HAVE DR. DAVIS, HELP ME WITH THAT HERE.
SO DENGUE IS A
AND, UM, IT IS A DIFFERENT MOSQUITO THAN, UH, AND THE ONES THAT CARRY WEST WITHOUT VIRUS AND THE ONES THAT CARRY ZIKA.
UM, AND THEY, UM, THEY HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN TOPICAL CLIMATE, SO THAT'S WHERE YOU TEND TO SEE DENGUE.
BUT WITH OUR CHANGING CLIMATE, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE MORE LOCALLY ACQUIRED DENGUE.
SO USUALLY THE, THE WAY THAT DENGUE WOULD SHOW UP IN LONG BEACH IS THAT YOU WENT TO THE PHILIPPINES OR MEXICO OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND YOU, UM, GOT IT THERE AND YOU CAME BACK AND WE DETECTED IT.
SO IT WAS TRAVEL RELATED, BUT THIS YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR BOTH IN LONG BEACH AND PASADENA, THAT IT WAS LOCALLY ACQUIRED, MEANING ON THE MOSQUITO IN LONG BEACH, HAD THE VIRUS AND, UH, BIT SOMEBODY, AND THEN THEY GOT IT.
SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT INDICATOR OF OUR CLIMATE CRISIS AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF VECTOR CONTROL.
UM, IT'S, IT'S DENGUE'S LIKE REALLY CAUSING A LOT OF PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
LIKE, IT'S, IT'S A REAL EPIDEMIC THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND SO IF WE WANT TO TRY TO KEEP IT, AND IT CAUSES, YOU KNOW, DEATH AND REALLY SEVERE PAIN AND LONG LASTING ISSUES, UM, AND SO, AND YOU CAN GET IT AGAIN.
UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHT OF WHY WE NEED A GOOD, STRONG, SOLID VECTOR CONTROL, UM, IN ORDER TO PREVENT IT FROM CONTINUING TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TAKE ROOT AND BECOME
[01:10:01]
BUT I USUALLY START ON THE PRESENTATION BY SAYING THAT MOSQUITOES ONE OF OURUM, AND THEN, UH, AND THE LAST QUESTION WAS, I DON'T THINK THAT I BEING REPRESENTED IN THE NINTH DISTRICT, I, I REMEMBER THAT WE HAD COMPTON CREEK.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALIZED THAT MY DISTRICT WAS COVERED BY THREE DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
UM, COULD YOU GIVE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AS TO WHY THE CITY IS COVERED BY THREE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, IF YOU KNOW? I, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 50 PLUS YEARS.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN, HOW OLD ARE WE NOW? LIKE 120 PLUS YEARS.
AND SO MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS JUST HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED.
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE SETTING UP THE, THE DISTRICT OR THE BENEFITS ASSESSMENT IN TERMS OF, UM, WHICH AREAS ARE COVERED, I BELIEVE ABOUT 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO OR GREATER LA WE, YOU KNOW, THE EAST SIDE PARTS OF LONG BEACH.
AND THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, GAIN THAT, THAT, UM, RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT OR PROPERTY OWNER SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS STATE, UM, AREAS IN, IN, IN THAT, IN THAT PART OF THE, THE CITY.
I JUST FIND IT IN, I, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY.
WE ARE UNDERSTAND HOW THESE DISTRICTS WERE SET UP AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, WHAT THE FACTORS WERE, UM, THOUGHTS WERE WHEN, WHEN THEY WERE ESTABLISHED, BECAUSE YOU THINK ABOUT EAST LONG BEACH IN THE LA DISTRICT AND THEIR BORDER IS ORANGE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, HOW DID, HOW DID IT, HOW, HOW DID IT PASS OVER HERE? CERTAINLY, YEAH, YOU CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT.
WE HAVE SEVERAL REGIONAL VETERANS CONTROL DISTRICTS.
ORANGE COUNTY HAS THEIR OWN GREATER LA UH, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, UM, LA YOU KNOW, GREATER LA JUST COVERS A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, BIG LARGE PART OF LA COUNTY.
AND SO I THINK THERE WAS SOME POLITICAL SUPPORT AT THAT TIME, OR NO POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THIS SIDE.
UM, AND SO I, YOU KNOW, MY APOLOGIES, I DON'T HAVE THAT HISTORY, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT AND, UM, NEXT TIME WE COME BACK, MAYBE WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH JUSTIN.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR WORK THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, THIS MAP, IT MIRRORS MAPS OF OLD THAT, UM, HUDSON IN HERE, INEQUITIES IN HOW THEY WERE BUILT.
SO WHY SOMETHING WAS DONE 50, 70 YEARS AGO.
AND WE STILL HAVE THAT PRACTICE.
AND, AND THE KNOWING WHY IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO MAKE CHANGE OR EVEN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR, I DID HAVE QUITE ANOTHER QUESTION FOLLOW UP.
IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, WHAT IS IT, IS IT REQUIRED TO, TO, TO RUN AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM? WHERE ARE WE AT TODAY? SORRY? NOW WHERE SHOULD WE BE IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROGRAM, OR WE'RE LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT $800,000 A YEAR TO, TO RUN, UH, A VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAM.
SO THIS WHOLE AREA IS COVERED BY HOW MANY EMPLOYEES.
SO I, RIGHT NOW I HAVE TWO, UH, ONE SUPERVISOR, TWO VECTOR CONTROL SPECIALISTS, SO THREE FTES AND THEN 2 1 50 SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
VEGAS, THERE'S EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TIME TOO.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNICABLE DECEASED TEAM BECAUSE THEY GET A LOT OF THE NOTIFICATION OF WHERE THE, UM, THE RE RESIDENTS WHO ARE ILL OR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SUFFERING.
AND THEY'LL NOTIFY US AND THEN WE'LL IMPLEMENT OUR VECTOR CONTROL, UM, RESPONSE PLAN BASED ON WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT THERE.
I TALKED ABOUT FUNDING THAT IS ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE WENT AFTER THE BENEFIT ASSESSMENT WHERE PROPERTY OWNERS, WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO SUPPORT THAT, UM, THAT TAX ASSESSMENT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE SO CLOSE, BUT, UM, THE APARTMENT OWNERS RALLIED AGAINST US, AND WE DIDN'T MEET THAT 51% TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO THAT WE HAVE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR OUR EFFECTIVE CONTROL PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE EXPLORING, UM, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, UM, STRATEGIES THAT, UM, WE'RE REVIEWING.
AND SO CERTAINLY THE HISTORY WILL, WILL HELP US LINE THAT UP AND HOPEFULLY GET US TO A GOOD PLACE WHERE WE CAN TRY AGAIN, SEE HOW WE CAN SUSTAIN EFFECTI CONTROL PROGRAM BECAUSE
[01:15:01]
IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH.AND I APPRECIATE THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF DR.
DAVIS'S COMMENT ABOUT HOW, UM, THE CHANGING CLIMATE IN OUR, SO YOU HAVE SEASONAL EMPLOYEES, SEASONAL FOR WHEN WILL BE THE QUESTION SOON AND, AND HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT'S COVERED BECAUSE I, I THINK YOU PUT A MAP IN MY FRONT YARD.
'CAUSE I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO'S DEEPLY IMPACTED BY MOSQUITOES.
I AM THE ONE IN THE HOUSE WHO GETS BIT IN ALL THE TIME.
AND IT WAS MONTHS LONG OF CHALLENGES.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE MANY RESIDENTS DOING ALL OF THE THINGS OF TIPPING OUT THE WATER AND, AND CHECKING THEIR YARDS AND DOING THOSE THINGS.
AND IT WAS STILL, UM, REALLY DIFFICULT.
SO WE WORRY FOR OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, OUR ELDERLY POPULATIONS WE'RE REALLY SUSCEPTIBLE.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION HERE TODAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.
UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, MADAM CLERK, CAN WE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
AND WE'RE GONNA REALLY QUICKLY RUN THROUGH, UH, ITEM FIVE, JUST A REALLY QUICK UPDATE ON, UH, IF YOU COULD READ ITEM FIVE.
MADAM CLERK ITEM FIVE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON THE LONG BEACH HOUSING PROMISE.
CAN WE GET A MOTION? UH, MOTION FIRST, SECOND.
AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY RAPID PRESENTATION AND A RESPECT FOR FOLKS TIME.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
I'M LUIS RAMIREZ, AND I AM THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE STILL LIKE OUR OLD NAME BECAUSE WE LEFT IT ON THE SLIDE DECK STEP, BUT THIS IS AN UPDATE ON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY.
SO I THINK WHEN WE START THINKING AND HAVING DIALOGUES ABOUT HOUSING, ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER WHAT IS WITHIN THE CONTROL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? SO FOR US, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE CONTROL OVER PUBLIC LAND, WHAT GETS BUILT ON IT, ZONING REGULATIONS, ENTITLEMENTS, UH, PLAN CHECK FEES, AND THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS, AS WELL AS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE INVEST IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOCAL FUNDS AVAILABLE THROUGH ENTITIES SUCH AS THE L-B-C-I-C, THE LONG BEACH, EXCUSE ME, LONG BEACH COMMUNITY, UH, COMPANY, UH, THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL ARE ITEMS SUCH AS, UH, THE, THE STATE AND FEDERAL BUDGET, UH, REGULATIONS RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION, UH, AND HOUSING AND BUILDING CODES, UH, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL CONDITION OF THE ECONOMY.
AND, FOR EXAMPLE, IMPACTS TO SUPPLY CHAINS, WHICH AS EVERYBODY, UH, REMEMBERS DURING COVID, THAT LED TO A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, WHICH CREATED, UH, A, A RISE IN A RACE IN, IN THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION, WHICH MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT AND, AND BUILD HOUSING PROJECTS.
UM, SO THAT SAID, I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY, UH, TO PARTNER WITH AGENCIES SUCH AS L LA UH, LONG BEACH, UH, UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, AND THE CAL STATE UNIVERSITY, CAL, CAL STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, TO COME UP WITH, UH, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE, UH, STABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR, UH, RESIDENTS, STUDENTS, AS WELL AS THE STAFF THAT WORKS, UH, WITH ALL THE THREE AGENCIES.
UH, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO LEVERAGE, UH, OUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, FOR EXAMPLE, SO THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR FUNDING TOGETHER AND NOT COMPETE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
UH, WHEN WE'RE APPLYING, UH, FOR VARIOUS GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING, UH, WE CAN PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE DEVELOPERS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO APPLY FOR NOVAS, UH, SO THEY CAN GET FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND WE CAN ALSO WORK TOGETHER TO, UH, INFLUENCE BOTH, UH, OUR, OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO MAKE MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE, UH, FOR HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IN THE CITY.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALSO WORK TO CREATE, UH, FLEXIBLE HOUSING, UH, FOR STUDENTS.
UH, AND WHEN WE SAY FLEXIBLE HOUSING, IT'S HOUSING THAT CAN SERVE THE NEEDS OF BOTH, UH, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE CAL STATE LONG BEACH UNIVERSITY.
UH, AND ENSURE THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS ARE COMING ONLINE, THAT STAFF THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY AND
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THE, THE, THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AS WELL AS STUDENTS THAT ATTEND THESE, UH, THESE INSTITUTIONS, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS TO APPLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, AND THAT WE MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE AND ARE ABLE TO WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT OPTIONS THEY HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.UH, UM, ANOTHER THING THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER, UH, IS THAT WE CAN WORK ON CREATING, UH, TRAINING, UH, FOR, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, START RECRUITING THE, THE FUTURE, UH, BUILDERS THAT WILL HELP US, UH, INCREASE THE WORKFORCE, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, IN, IN CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS THE TRAINING THAT'S REQUIRED FOR US TO HAVE STAFFING, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE CITY, UH, FOR THE INSPECTION OF A LOT OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
SO, UH, THESE ARE SOME, UH, GRAPHS THAT UP, UP, UP ON THE SCREEN THAT SHOW, UH, THE PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION THAT RENTS, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, HISPANIC AND LATINOS, ALMOST 70% OF THE, THE POPULATION HERE IN THE CITY RENTS VERSUS OWNING A HOME.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, 80% OF THAT COMMUNITY RENTS VERSUS OWNING A HOME.
UH, AND WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, TO NON-HISPANIC WHITES, THE MAJORITY 55%, UH, OWN A HOME VERSUS RENTING.
AND SO THIS STARTS TO PAINT A PICTURE ABOUT HOW, UH, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY REALLY DOES BEGIN TO HAVE A LARGE IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THEIR ABILITY TO, UH, UH, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT OF, OF POVERTY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HIGH COST OF, OF, OF RENT AND HOUSING IN THE CITY, UH, THESE GRAPHS RIGHT HERE ALSO START TO SPEAK, UH, ABOUT, UH, OUR HOUSING STOCK.
UH, IN GENERAL, OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN, UH, AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE, WHICH AS YOU CAN, AS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT A DEMAND AND, AND, AND THE LARGE DEMAND FOR HOUSING VERSUS THE AMOUNT OF THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING AVAILABLE THAT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE, THE COST OF HOUSING IN THE CITY.
UH, WE ALSO START LOOKING AT THE AGE OF OUR HOUSING AND THE MAJORITY OF THE HOUSING IN THE CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, 84, 80, 80 2%, AS SHOWN IN HERE, TENDS TO BE OLDER HOUSING STOCK, UH, BUILT BEFORE THE EIGHTIES WITH, UH, ABOUT 71% OF IT BEING MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT PERIOD OF TIME OF 50 YEARS IS USUALLY THE, AT LEAST WITH MODERN BUILDINGS, THAT IS WHEN A BUILDING STARTS TO OUTLIVE ITS USEFUL LIFESPAN, AND IT STARTS TO REQUIRE A LOT MORE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP, UH, FOR IT TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND FUNCTION AS INTENDED.
SO AGAIN, UH, SUPPLY AND DEMAND, UH, LESS HOUSING, HIGHER POPULATION HAS LED TO, UH, HIGH PRICE OF, OF HOUSING, OF COST OF HOUSING.
AND THAT HAS HAD A DIRECT IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES AND THE PERCENTAGE OF THEM THAT ARE RENT BURDEN.
UH, AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE TA THE TERM RENT BURDEN, THAT MEANS THAT A THIRD OR MORE OF YOUR INCOME GOES, UH, TOWARDS COVERING THE COST OF HOUSING.
SO IN, ON THE LEFT IS A MAP OF THE CITY, AND YOU START SEEING IN THE DARK, UH, DARK BLUE AND, UH, NAVY BLUE COLORS.
WHERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST RED BURDENED LIVE? AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY ARE MOSTLY IN CENTRAL WEST AND NORTH LONG BEACH, WHICH TEND TO BE THE PLACES WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR LIVE AND PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF RESOURCES.
WHEREAS WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE EASTERN PART OF THE CITY, UH, LESS THAN 40%, UH, OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS AREA ARE RED BURDEN.
YOU ALSO START LOOKING AT THE POPULATIONS WITHIN THE CITY, RIGHT? AND BLACK AND HISPANIC, UH, POPULATIONS, UH, TEND TO BE THE MOST RENT BURDEN.
SO WHEN YOU START LOOKING, FOR EXAMPLE, AT, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATIONS IN THE CITY, WE, WE TALKED EARLIER THAT 80% OF THEM RENT.
AND NOW YOU START SEEING THAT 64% OF ALL THOSE RENTERS ARE RENT BURDEN.
THAT STARTS TO MAKE IT REALLY, REALLY
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DIFFICULT FOR THESE POPULATIONS TO, UH, ESCAPE THE CYCLE OF POVERTY.UH, THAT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, YOU KNOW, CREATES A LOT, A LOT, A LOT OF, A LOT OF ADDITIONAL BURDENS MORE THAN JUST HOUSING.
IT IMPACTS THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, MOVE ON AND GET A HIGHER EDUCATION AND ACTUALLY HAVE A SUSTAINABLE, UH, LIFE WITHIN THE CITY.
WE ALSO LOOK AT HOUSING OVERCROWDING, UH, AS YOU START SEEING HERE IN THIS GRAPH.
UH, AND PROBABLY NOT SURPRISING, UH, MOST OF OUR CROWDING, MEANING THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE LIVING IN A HOME, UH, MORE PEOPLE THAN WHAT THAT THAT DWELLING UNIT WAS INTENDED FOR.
ALSO TEND TO BE IN THE AREAS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR LIVE IN THE CITY, CENTRAL WEST AND NORTH LONG BEACH.
AND THEN WE START ACTUALLY BREAKING IT DOWN BY ETHNICITY.
UH, LATINOS, UH, TEND TO, UH, EXPERIENCE THE MAJORITY OF, OF HOUSING OVERCROWDING.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS GO BACK TO COVID AND HAVE COVID, UH, AS A PANDEMIC REALLY BROUGHT TO LIFE.
A LOT OF THE INEQUALITIES THAT EXISTED THAT WE ALL KNEW EXISTED, BUT SEEMED TO KIND OF FLOW BELOW THE RADAR.
AND WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE LOCKDOWN, UH, THAT HAD TO HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF COVID.
WE SAW A LOT OF FAMILIES LIVING IN OVERCROWDING, UH, CONDITIONS, WHICH MADE IT A LOT MORE DIFFICULT, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR, FOR KIDS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO REMOTE LEARNING WHILE THEY WERE IN LOCKDOWN.
AND MADE IT A LOT OF, A LOT MORE DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES THAT WERE IN OVERCROWDING CONDITIONS TO ISOLATE DURING COVID.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE ARE KEEPING IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ESTABLISHING POLICIES.
UM, WE AS A DEPARTMENT AND AS A CITY, HAVE TAKEN SOME STEPS, UH, TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM.
UH, IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE MET WITH LEADERS FROM THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE CITY COLLEGE AND CAL STATE, UH, TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE MORE HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS, FOR STAFF, UH, BOTH IN THE CITY AND ALSO WORKING AT THE, AT THE CAL STATE AND, AND LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, WE SIGNED AN MOU, UH, WHICH, UH, WILL LEAD TO US COLLABORATING MORE IN BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT MORE HOUSING, AND WE'RE WORKING ON RATIFYING THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, UH, WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO MEET TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL SOLUTIONS.
AND AS A DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS AND WITH OUR HOUSING NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES BUREAU TO, UH, CONTINUE TO BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS ONLINE AND TO CONTINUE ALSO TO, UH, HELP EXPEDITE AND STREAMLINE THE ENTITLEMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR SUPER, UH, FAST TRACK EXPEDITED PRESENTATION.
ON THAT HOUSING PRO, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE WITH ME, SAN LOPEZ, WHO HAS BEEN WORKING WITH PLANNING, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO UPDATE OUR ZONING LAWS TO MAKE IT, UH, MAKE IT EASIER, UH, TO IMPLEMENT HOUSING IN AN EQUITABLE, UH, MANNER THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, MEMBER
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO, TO UPLIFT THAT.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT IN MY DISTRICT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT EXCLUSIVE NEGOTIATING AGREEMENT WITH LBCC FOR THE LOT NORTH, FOR THE MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY, UH, TO PUT IN SOME HOUSING, UM, TO, AND ALSO TO PARTNER ALONG WITH OUR, UM, WHAT'S THIS YEAR, AT SOME POINT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THE, UH, GRAND OPENING FOR THE HIGHER LEARNING CENTER, RIGHT? SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE TANGIBLE THINGS, RIGHT? THAT REALLY CAN MOVE COMMUNITIES FORWARD.
UM, AND, AND I'LL JUST ECHO AND UPLIFT MY GRATITUDE FOR THE WORK.
I THINK AS WE START A NEW YEAR, A NEW CALENDAR YEAR ANYWAY, UM, BEING GROUNDED IN WHAT THE REALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE, THE BURDENS THAT ARE HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY AROUND WRAP BURDENS AND SEEING MAPS, I THINK IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT, UM, AS WE LOOK AT PROJECTS THAT ARE DOWN THE ROAD, UM, TO REALLY GROUND OURSELVES IN WHAT THE COMMITMENT OF THE CITY HAS BEEN.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE AND, AND, UM, MAKING IT CONCISE IN A WAY THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANT PIECES OF THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO AROUND HOUSING.
AND THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US.
YOU KNOW, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT WHAT WE THINK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, RIGHT? UH, WE GOTTA
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THINK ABOUT EQUITY, RIGHT? AND IN THE PAST, AND I THINK IT'S, YOU CAN SEE IT THROUGH THE GRAPHS WHERE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE THE MOST BURDENED BY HOUSING LIVE, THOSE TENDED TO BE THE PLACES WHERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS WENT IN.BUT IF YOU, BUT IF WE WANNA TRULY BE EQUITABLE, WE HAVE TO START THINKING OF WAYS OF BRINGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO HIGHLY RESOURCED AREAS WITHIN THE CITY, RIGHT? SO THAT WE CREATE A PATH FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, AGAIN, END THAT CYCLE OF POVERTY.
PEOPLE HAVE, UH, STABLE HOUSING, BUT ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES SO THAT IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, TRANSPORTATION, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THEY'RE NOT CONCENTRATED IN THE AREAS WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF POVERTY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT AS A DEPARTMENT WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR, IS TO, UH, MAKE DECISIONS THROUGH AN EQUITY FENCE, RIGHT? TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL, UH, BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
AND I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS TODAY FROM, FROM OUR, UH, SUPPORTING OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS, UH, SO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS A VERY DIFFERENT THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WE BUILD IT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT LEVERAGING MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS IS VALUING HOUSING FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
AND SO THERE'S THAT PERCENTAGE, AND WE CAN GET INTO IT IN A DIFFERENT PRESENTATION IF WE'RE DOING, UM, THE 80% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME, LIKE WHATEVER THAT CALCULATION IS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A RANGE BETWEEN 20 HIGH 20 THOUSANDS TO MAYBE 80 OR $90,000 A YEAR IN REALITY IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. UM, THAT'S TWO NUTRITION SERVICES WORKERS, OR THAT'S AN OFFICE MANAGER AND NUTRITION SERVICES WORKER AND THEIR FAMILY.
AND SO THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AND THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON HOUSING ARE US YEP.
AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING IN OUR CITY.
I MEAN, IT COULD BE A, A CLERK TYPIST AND SOMEONE WHO WORKS FOR THE ENERGY DEPARTMENT.
UM, THAT, THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE HEAR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I THINK PEOPLE CONJURE UP SOMETHING OTHER THAN US.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FOLKS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR CITY NOW, UM, WHO ARE SOMETIMES HAVING JOBS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE WORK AND THEY CAN'T AFFORD HOUSING IN OUR OWN CITY BECAUSE OF ALL OF THOSE INCREASES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUING TO REMIND US ABOUT THE OVERALL LONG-TERM WORK, UH, THAT TIES INTO HEALTH IN A VERY DIRECT WAY.
UH, SO I WANNA THANK THE TEAM, MY STAFF FOR BEING HERE, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, DO WE HAVE A DEFINITION OF WHAT OVERCROWDING IS? I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE YOU SAID IT IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OVERCROWDING, WE START LOOKING AT THE OCCUPANCY OF THE SPACE, RIGHT? START THINKING OF A HOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH, UH, THREE BEDROOMS, RIGHT? AND YOU THINK ABOUT MAYBE PUTTING MAXIMUM TWO PEOPLE PER BEDROOM.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE A TWO BEDROOM HOUSE SOMETIMES THAT, THAT IS HOUSING 10 PEOPLE, RIGHT.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE FAMILIES SHARING A UNIT, RIGHT.
SO YEAH, AS WE LOOK AT OVER CRACK, WE LOOK AT THE, THE OCCUPANCY OF THE SPACE AND THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN SPACE.
UH, THERE'S HOMES WHERE THE LIVING ROOM IS A BEDROOM.
AND YOU HAVE BUNK BEDS IN EVERY ROOM BECAUSE YOU JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO PRO, CREATE SHELTER FOR AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
OR THEY'RE TRYING TO CREATE SHELTER FOR AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN AFFORD.
AND JUST TO ADD TO THE, THE DEFINITION OF THE S USE FOR THE DATA, UM, IS ONE MORE THAN ONE PERSON PER ROOM, NOT PER BEDROOM, BUT PER ROOM WITHIN THE HOUSE.
SO A ROOM IS CLASSIFIED AS ANY SPACE, UM, BESIDES THE BATHROOM.
UM, AND SEVERE OVERRIDING IS MORE THAN ONE AND A HALF PERSON PER ROOM.
SO THAT'S THE, THE HEAD STANDARD DEFINITION HAS BEEN USED FOR A FEW DECADES NOW.
AND FOR FAMILIES, SO MY FAMILY WAS A FOUR GENERATION FAMILY, SO I HAD MY GRANDMOTHER, MY DAD, US AND KIDS.
AND SO SOMETIMES IT ISN'T MULTIPLE FAMILIES, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A FAMILY WHO FOR WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCES IS TAKING CARE OF AND LIVING WITH THE REST OF THEIR FAMILY HERE.
UH, AND THEN JUST TO, TO CLOSE THIS OUT, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS MEETING, RIGHT? BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH, LIKE THEY THINK OF PUBLIC HEALTH AS LIKE WE'RE DOING JUST LIKE HEALTH RELATED STUFF, RIGHT? AND I THINK WE DON'T NECESSARILY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT LIKE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, VECTOR CONTROL, LIKE THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT ASPECTS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE'S WELLBEING AND THEIR ABILITY TO LIKE THRIVE AND LIVE MEANINGFUL LIVES.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PUBLIC HEALTH, RIGHT? SO I THINK MEETINGS LIKE THIS ARE IMPORTANT TO BASICALLY SAY LIKE THE, THE BREADTH OF THINGS THAT PUBLIC HEALTH COVERS.
WHICH INCLUDES SOUNDS, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT WHEN YOU START THINKING ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY, TINY HOMES, RIGHT? EMERGENCY SHELTER, THIS IS PART OF A CONTINUUM OF CARE, IF YOU WANT IT THAT WAY.
IT'S PART OF AN OVERALL SOLUTION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SOMEBODY THAT IS REALLY VULNERABLE, UH, PROVIDE RAPID SERVICES AND THEN WORK WITH THEM AS THEY PROGRESS
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THROUGH THAT PROCESS TILL THEY ACTUALLY GET PERMANENT SHELTER.UH, MAY CAN WE TAKE A VOTE PLEASE? YES.
UM, IS THERE ANY GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, UH, WE ADJOURN THE MEETING.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXTRA TIME THIS MORNING.
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.