* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. DUGGAN HERE. COUNCILMAN [00:00:01] AL? HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ORANGA. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS [ROLL CALL] ODI. HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I'M HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. IF EVERYONE CAN JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, CAMBODIA GEN, IN HONOR OF ALL THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY. THANK YOU. IF YOU COULD, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT CAN, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND AND FACE THE FLAG AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALRIGHT, FOLKS, WELL WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S, UH, LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL MEETING. IT'S APRIL 16TH. UH, OUR VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN COULDN'T BE WITH US THIS EVENING. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] SO, UH, UH, SO, UH, WE HAVE A LIMITED, UH, NUMBER OF MEMBERS. WE DON'T HAVE A LONG AGENDA TONIGHT, BUT LET'S NOT JINX IT. UM, WE HAVE, UH, THREE PRESENTATIONS. WE'RE GONNA START. WE WITH DENIM DAY, WITH LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. I'M SORRY. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. OKAY. [ DENIM DAY 2024] UH, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. SEXUAL ASSAULT IS AN INEXCUSABLE VIOLATION THAT LEAVES A LIFETIME OF SCARS ON THE VICTIM. SOCIETY MUST RISE UP AND NOT TOLERATE THE INTOLERABLE. UH, IT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THIS ISSUE AND TO FIGHT AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DEVASTATING EFFECTS THAT IT LEAVES, UH, UPON ITS VICTIMS. I'M LEAD RAY BANDER. I'M THE COMMANDER OF THE DETECTIVE DIVISION IN THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT. I STAND HERE ALONG WITH CHIEF OF POLICE, WALLY HUISH, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF DON MOCK AND COMMANDER MIKE SODA. AND WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF, UH, SUPPORTING THIS WORTHY CAUSE OF DENIM DAY. UM, AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SHARON. WE FROM INTERVAL HOUSE THERE. YOU'RE THANK YOU, COMMANDER. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SHARON. WE WITH INTERVAL HOUSE. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED THAT DENIM DAY, LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO GROW EACH AND EVERY YEAR, REALLY RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT TO OUR LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HAS MADE DENIM DAY LONG BEACH SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF. WHEN WE STARTED DENIM DAY 20 YEARS AGO, THINGS, THE INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP OF OUR LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE NEVER DREAMED THAT WE WOULD BE SO WELCOMED BY OUR COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT A SUBJECT THAT IS SO DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT. UM, THE ABILITY FOR US TO EXPAND OUR AWARENESS AND HAVING EVENTS AT OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND INCREASING AWARENESS IN THAT WAY, AND REALLY HELPING OUR COMMUNITY CHANGE THE WAY WE RESPOND TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN HAS BEEN A HUGE, INCREDIBLE SUCCESS. THANK YOU FOR MAKING DENIM DAY LONG BEACH SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CITY THIS YEAR. WE ARE PROUD TO, ONCE AGAIN BE ON SITE AT WILSON HIGH SCHOOL. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN FOR BEING ABLE TO JOIN US THIS THURSDAY. AND THE STUDENT LEADERS AT WILSON HAVE REALLY HELPED LEAD THE CHARGE FOR US MAKING DENIM DAY THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT WITH OUR YOUTH AND OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE ALSO VERY PROUD THAT FOR THE THIRD YEAR WE WILL ALSO BE AT JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL. WE, THEIR FEMALE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND ASSOCIATED STUDENT BODY HAVE ALSO TAKEN A HUGE OWNERSHIP IN LEADERSHIP FOR MAKING THESE, UM, AWARENESS EVENTS HAPPEN. IT IS MY HONOR NOW TO INTRODUCE ELLA OV FROM WILSON HIGH SCHOOL AND JASMINE JUAREZ FROM JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL. GOOD EVENING, CITY LEADERS. MY NAME IS ELLIS SUBINA AND I'M THE SENIOR CLASS TREASURER OF THE ASSOCIATED STUDENT BODY AT WILSON HIGH SCHOOL. SINCE THE PANDEMIC THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN QUITE A CHALLENGE FOR SO MANY OF US YOUTH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THIS. STUDENT LEADERS AT WILSON ARE SO PROUD TO CONTINUE HOSTING DENIM DAY LONG BEACH ON OUR CAMPUS. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AT THE HIGHEST RISK FOR DATING AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, AND WE FEEL IS IT EX IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE OTHERS ON [00:05:01] HOW TO STOP AND PREVENT THIS VIOLENCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON DENIM DAY AND HELPING US TO SPREAD OUR MESSAGE. THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO US TO SEE OUR CITY LEADERS SUPPORTING OUR, SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU. HANG ON BEFORE WE CONTINUE FOR A MINUTE, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT LAST NAME, COUNCILMAN SUPER. YOU GOT ANYTHING, ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY REAL QUICK? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, ELLA, FOR BEING HERE AND I, I DON'T THINK TODAY HAS SAW YOUR JERSEY. IF YOU CAN TURN AROUND AND SHOW THEM REAL QUICKLY THERE. YEAH. PERFECT. . SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IS GO FORTH. YEAH. AND SO, UH, YEAH, UH, ELLA AND HER FAMILY, THEY'RE FOURTH DISTRICT RESIDENTS, BUT, UH, WE'RE PROUD OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, IN TWO MONTHS WE'LL GRADUATE FROM WILSON HIGH SCHOOL AND IN THE FALL, BE IT UC, SANTA BARBARA. SO, CONGRATULATIONS ALL YOUR SUCCESSES. SHE, SHE IS, UH, ELLA'S MY GREAT, UH, NIECE AND, UM, HER MOM IS IN THE AUDIENCE HERE, ELAINE. SO THANKS. THANK YOU FOLKS FOR BEING HERE. WELCOME. GOOD JOB. ALRIGHT, LET'S CONTINUE. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JASMINE JUAREZ AND I AM THE SECRETARY OF THE FEMALE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AT JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL. THROUGH THE ASSOCIATED STUDENT BODY AND FEMALE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY LEADERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INTERVAL HOUSE AND LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE USED OUR PASSION AND CREATIVITY TO CREATE A CAMPAIGN THAT ENGAGES STUDENTS IN A POWERFUL WAY FOR DENIM DAY. AND THIS MONTH OF APRIL, WHICH IS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, WHILE WE ENGAGE OUR YOUTH, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ELSE IN LONG BEACH TO BRING OUT YOUR FAVORITE PAIR OF JEANS ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24TH, AND WEAR DENIM, BREAK THE DRESS CODE AS A SYMBOL AGAINST RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND VIOLENCE TOWARDS WOMEN. THANK YOU FOR CARING ABOUT OUR CITY'S YOUTH AND HELPING US TO STOP VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS? NO. ALRIGHT. WELL, UH, WE HAVE SOME RECOGNITION FOR YOU RECOGNIZING, UH, THIS TRADITION. HOW MANY YEARS HAS BEEN GOING ON? 20 YEARS, YOU MENTIONED THIS YEAR. IT'S 20 YEARS THIS YEAR. LET'S HEAR IT, UH, FOR THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR KEEPING UP THIS TRADITION FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. AND WE'LL JOIN YOU DOWN THERE FOR A PHOTO. THANK YOU. UH, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ALL GUYS IN. OKAY, HERE WE GO. 1, 2, 3. THERE YOU GO. ALRIGHT, CONGRATULATIONS. SORRY. A DOING A PICTURE AND I CODE . ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW HAVE OUR, UH, OUR MONTHLY PET ADOPTION. SO WET IN, IN INVITE UP ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. THEY TYPICALLY TAKE A MOMENT TO, TO SET UP. [ ACS PET ADOPTION] ALRIGHT, LET'S, UH, LET'S HELP WITH THE, WITH THE ROPES. HELLO. UM, HELLO ESTEEMED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND HONORABLE MAYOR. UM, WE'RE FROM LONG BEACH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY OUR AWESOME VOLUNTEER PATTY AND OUR SHELTER PET OF THE MONTH. SO TODAY I WANT YOU TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A LADY BUG WHO JUST ARRIVED AT THE SHELTER THIS MONTH. SHE'S ABOUT 30 POUNDS AND 10 MONTHS OLD AND CAN BE SCRIBED AS A SWEETIE PIE WHO ENJOYS CUDDLES FROM EVERYONE. A FUN FACT ABOUT HER IS THAT WE THINK SHE MAY BE PART DACHSHUND, WHICH EXPLAINS [00:10:01] HER FUN SIZE. SO SHE'S HALF, SHE'S PROBABLY HALF PIT BULL, HALF DACHSHUND. UM, YOU COULD SEE IT IN THE BACK FROM HER TAIL. SHE'S DACHSHUND. THEN IN THE FRONT SHE HAS LIKE LITTLE FURROWED EYEBROWS. UM, THAT LOOKS LIKE A DACHSHUND AS WELL. UH, SHE'S THE PERFECT SIZE IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT. SHE'S CALM, FRIENDLY, AND EVERYONE HAD A BLAST HANGING OUT WITH HER BACKSTAGE. UM, SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A LOVING COMPANION WHO WILL BRING ENDLESS JOY TO YOUR LIFE, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN LADYBUG, RIGHT? LOOK AT LADYBUG. SHE'S SNIFFING. KEEP GOING. ALRIGHT, SO, UM, VACCINES PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE, PREVENTING OUR FURRY FRIENDS FROM VARIOUS DISEASES. WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH CAMP CLINICS AGAIN TO HOST A LOW CAUSE VACCINE CLINIC, UM, AT OUR ANIMAL SHELTER. SO LISTED HERE ARE OUR, UM, REMAINING APRIL DATES, SO APRIL 22ND AND 26TH AND 29TH. UM, AND AT OUR SHELTER, UH, THE CLINIC OFFERS A VARIETY OF VACCINES, INCLUDING THOSE AGAINST, UH, RABIES AS WELL AS MICROCHIPPING. YOUR ANIMAL. UH, VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST 60 DOGS. UM, ANY RESIDENT CAN PARTICIPATE. UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A LONG BEACH RESIDENT, WE JUST WANT YOUR ANIMAL TO BE HEALTHY. UM, AND ALL CATS MUST BE IN A CARRIER AND DOGS ON A LEASH. SO WE HAVE, UM, SOME ADOPTION EVENTS LINED UP. WE HAVE TWO EVENTS, UM, HOSTED IN DISTRICT SEVEN'S, UH, COUNCILMAN URAN S FOR THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. LOVE GOING ON . ALL ADOPTION FEES WILL BE WAIVED AT THE EVENT. AND INFORMATION ABOUT SPAY, NEUTER, VOUCHERS, PET LICENSING AND PET LAWS, UM, WILL BE PROVIDED. OUR NEXT EVENT WILL BE NEXT MONTH IN MAY AT VETERANS PARK. UH, WE ALSO HAVE OUR EVENT, UM, ON FOUR 20 AT PET SUPPLIES PLUS, UH, FROM 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AND YOU CAN MEET ALL OF OUR FURRY FRIENDS, INCLUDING LADYBUG IF SHE'S THERE. UM, SHE'S A CUTIE, SO SHE MIGHT BE SNATCHED UP. UM, AND, UM, AND THEN LASTLY, HERE'S OUR INFORMATION. IF YOU WANT TO ADOPT VOLUNTEER, FOSTER, OR DAN OR DONATE, UM, ANYTHING HELPS. UM, OUR SHELTER IS OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, STARTING AT 10:00 AM AND YOU CAN FIND ALL OF TODAY'S INFORMATION AND MORE ON OUR WEBSITE, LONG BEACH.GOV/ACS. PERFECT. TIME . SO, UH, LADY BUG IS, IS IS READY TO GO. SHE'S GOT A LOT. OKAY. SHE'S CAUGHT ON TO SOME SMELL. SHE'S VERY CURIOUS AND VERY FRIENDLY. AND, UH, AND I WILL SAY I SAY IT EVERY MONTH, BUT WE HAVE A PERFECT RECORD. EVERY ONE OF THE PETS THAT WE BRING IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PET ADOPTION, THEY GO HOME WITH A FAMILY. SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP UP THE STREET RIGHT AND WE WANT LADYBUG TO HAVE A FAMILY TO GO HOME TO. CORRECT. ALRIGHT, SO I, I THINK WE HAD SOME, WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO SOME MATCHMAKING OVER HERE. I SAW A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE, A LITTLE CHEMISTRY THERE. BUT IF YOU, UH, WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE LADYBUG A HOME, YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR CONTACT US ALL THE INFORMATION'S UP ON THE SCREEN. UH, AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BAT A THOUSAND AS IT RELATES TO, UH, CONTINUE IN THE PROMOTE, UH, THE INCREDIBLE ANIMALS THAT ARE LONG BEACH SHELTER. LET'S HERE FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW HAVE OUR, OUR FINAL PRESENTATION ON CAMBODIAN, CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE, REMEMBRANCE DAY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, UH, AM AS A CHILD OF GENOCIDE, SURVIVORS TERM OF REFUGEE [ CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE DAY] CAMP. IT'S MY DUTY TO REMEMBER AND CONDUCT THIS PRESENTATION. I DO HAVE LARYNGITIS A BIT, BUT THAT'S TODAY'S SO IMPORTANT THAT I HAVE TO BE HERE TO MAKE SURE, UH, WE DO THIS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY TAKING A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I KNOW WE DID EARLIER, BUT THIS TIME IN HONOR THOSE WHO ARE LOST DURING THE CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE IN ALL WARS. THIS YEAR MARKS THE 49TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGIC EVENTS THAT UNFOLDED DURING THE CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE, WHICH LASTED FROM 1975 TO 1979 UNDER THE KARU REGIME. FOR CONTEXT, THE KARU SEIZES CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY AND CARRIED OUT A SERIES ATROCITIES THAT LASTED FOR FOUR YEARS. MY REGIME INFLICTED UNSPEAKABLE ATROCITIES, INCLUDING THE EXECUTION OF COUNTLESS PEOPLE [00:15:01] SUCH AS SCHOLARS, ARTISTS, DOCTORS, MONKS, AND FORCED THEM TO INTO LABOR, UM, FORCED LABOR AND FORCED MANY, UM, INTO LABOR. WE COMMEMORATE OVER 2 MILLION LIVES LOST TO EXECUTION AND STARVATION AND HONOR TO SURVIVORS OF THIS STARK CHAPTER IN HISTORY. YOU KNOW, APRIL HAS, WE BEGAN AS A JOYOUS MONTH, BUT IT'S ALSO A MONTH OF GREAT DESPAIR AND LONG BEACH. DAN, AS THE LARGEST CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY US A TESTAMENT TO THE RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH OF THE SURVIVORS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. OVER THE DECADES, CAMBODIAN POPULATION HAVE DRAWN FROM CULTURAL HISTORY TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ESTABLISHING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES, DEVELOPING NEW ARTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, RAISING FAMILIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY. SO TO STAY PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT AND PAY RESPECT TO THE VICTIMS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES TO THE GENOCIDAL REGIME. AND IT'S ALSO A REASON WHY WE HAVE THE CAMBODIAN ARIAN CULTURAL CENTER, THE KILLING FIELD, MEMORIAL GARDEN, IS THAT THE CULTURE AND TRADITION WERE ALMOST LOST FOREVER, UH, DUE TO THAT TIME. UM, THIS EVENING WE WILL BEGIN WITH A FEW OF OUR SPEAKERS, UM, TEARING YIN AND CANON NUN, WHO WILL, WHO'S FROM THE KILLING FIELD MEMORIAL CENTER. AND THEN CHAD FUNG WILL BE SPEAKING. AND LATER ON WE WILL HAVE ERBIL K AND LOYA TO THE PODIUM WHO WILL DO, UM, LEAD US INTO SMALL, WHICH IS A TRADITIONAL CHANT THAT'S PERFORMED TRADITIONALLY DURING KAMAI FUNERALS AND THE TRANSLATION OF THE SMALL, WHICH, UH, IS, IS ONSCREEN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS ONE. UM, SO LET'S BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER, MR. CANO, FOR THE PLAYBACK. COUNCIL MEMBER HELLO WILL BE HIT. GOOD EVENING. UM, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SPEAK THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ATROCITIES THAT HAPPENED BACK IN 1975 ALL THE WAY TO, UH, 1979. IT'S REALLY, UM, UNSPEAKABLE EVERY TIME WE RECOLLECT THIS MOMENT. UH, I'M ALWAYS TRAUMATIZED, AND THIS HAPPENS TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO SURVIVOR OF THE REGIME, THE GENOCIDAL REGIME OF THE KHM ROUGE. UM, I CAN RECOLLECT THE MOMENT WHEN PEOPLE WERE STOUT TO DEATH OR EXECUTED WITHOUT ANY TRIALS. THEY, WE WERE DEPRIVED OF FOOD EVERY DAY. WE WOULD ONLY BE GIVEN A VERY MEAGER MEAL OF RICE PORRIDGE LIKE WATER, UH, RICE PORRIDGE. AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE THE CITY COUNCILS AND PEOPLE INVOLVED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THESE TWO PART, LIKE TO COMMEMORATE THE KILLING FIELD, UM, TAKE PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN REALLY EDUCATE YOUNG FOLKS AND THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF THE ATROCITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS THING WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH [00:23:03] HONOR, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE KHMER ROUGE REGIME. UM, AS A, AS A SURVIVOR, THE REAL STORY BEHIND HOW I COULD SURVIVE IS HOW TO KIND OF TELL A LIE TO PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT REALLY THE NATURE OF CAMBODIAN FOLKS, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN, UH, CAN BUY TIME BY HIDING YOUR BACKGROUND AND EVERYTHING. UH, I, I USED TO BE A REPUBLICAN KAMAR REPUBLIC SOLDIERS, UM, SERVING IN THE OLD REGIME. AND WHEN THE CAMARO CAME, UH, CAMA REPUBLIC SOLDIERS WERE THE TARGET FOR EXECUTION. AND I WITNESSED A LOT OF EXECUTION OF MY FELLOW SOLDIERS WHO WERE PLACED IN A TRUCK AND THEN LIKE SHOT OR FIRED, UH, AT FROM DIFFERENT ANGLE BY THE CAMARO SOLDIERS. UM, HOWEVER, I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT A SOLDIER, I WAS A BUDDHIST MONK. THAT'S THAT IN MY WAY OF, UH, TELLING THEM SO THAT I CAN SURVIVE. BUT I WITNESSED ALL THESE KIND OF EXECUTIONS LIVE SO DIFFICULT. UH, I KEPT MOVING TO, UH, UH, MOVING TO DIFFERENT PLACES TO THE, UM, WHAT WE CALL MOBILE UNIT. AND, UH, AND I KEPT TELLING ALLY TO EVERYONE ABOUT MY BACKGROUND. AND SO, UM, THIS IS HOW I SURVIVED THE REGIME. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR REX RICHARDSON AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CHAD PONG. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF, UH, LONG BEACH FOR 43 YEARS. AND I'M ONE OF THE GENERATION FROM 1.5 GENERATION THAT SEE THE, THESE ATROCITIES HAPPENED TO, [00:25:01] UM, MY FAMILY, PEOPLE IN MY VILLAGE AND THE ELDERS. SO AS A CHILD, I GREW UP, YOU KNOW, DURING THIS ERA I WAS ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN AND I DIDN'T WITNESS THE EXECUTION OF MY FATHER, BUT I SAW MY MOM GOING THROUGH PTSD FOR TWO, THREE YEARS AFTER HIS EXECUTION OF ALL THE PLACES THAT EXECUTED HIM WAS AT THE TEMPLE THAT I PRAY WITH MY GRANDFATHER. SO MY, MY, MY DAD, HE'S MY HERO. AND EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE TILL NOW I'M 52, I THINK ABOUT MY DAD EVERY DAY I LOOK AT HIM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE, THEY EXECUTED HIM. I LOOK HIM AS MY HERO. SO EVERY TIME, YOU KNOW, I GO THROUGH OBSTACLE AS A REFUGEE, AS A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH, I THINK ABOUT HIM, I THINK OF OBSTACLE AS CHALLENGES, NOT, NOT, NOT A WALL TO STOP ME FROM, UH, ACHIEVING MY GOALS OR MY DREAMS, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO USE THAT AS A MOTIVATION TO, TO LIVE ON, UH, HIS LEGACY. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, SO I LOOK AT THE ELDERS THAT DO COME HERE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS THAT I WATCH LIVING HERE IN LONG BEACH FOR THE LAST 43 YEARS. THEY ARE THE HEROES. THEY SURVIVED SOME OF THE WORST ATROCITIES THAT HAD HAPPENED TO THEM, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, STARVING THEM TO DEATH OR JUST, YOU KNOW, LETTING THEM WRITE THEIR MANIFESTO AND TAKING THEIR LIES BECAUSE THEY SPOKE THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKED TO SPEAK THE TRUTH. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED A PRACTICE DEMOCRACY, SPEAK OUR MIND, COME TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, WITH THE COMMON THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE IN COMMON, BUT ALSO RESPECT AND ACCEPT THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE HAVE. WE SPEAK ABOUT IT, THAT WE RESPECT IT BECAUSE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY USED AGAINST US TO KILL US, TO ANNIHILATE US. AND IN 1979, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LIKE ONE OF THE LAST SPECIES, A HUMAN RACE. YEAH, THE HUMAN, UH, CAMBODIANS, UH, ON ON EARTH. THERE WAS ONLY, UH, 1.9 OF US LEFT ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. SO I FEEL SO BLESSED, YOU KNOW, BEING HERE AT, AT ANOTHER COUNTRY, MAKING A NAME FOR MYSELF, HAVING THE EDUCATION AND BEING SUCH A, AT A DIVERSE, UH, UH, COUNTRY, AND ALSO A DIVERSE, UH, CITY. 'CAUSE LONG BEACH IS KNOWN AS A INTERNATIONAL CITY. SO I WANT EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER ALL THE SACRIFICES, ALL THE HORRIFIC STUFF THAT WE'D GONE THROUGH. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE, WE CAME HERE WITH A DREAM TO BETTER OUR LIFE, TO EDUCATE AND TO EDUCATE. WE LEARNED THE HISTORY, WE LEARNED ALL THE, ALL THE BAD THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO US SO WE COULD MAKE IT BETTER. AND TO MAKE IT BETTER, WE, WE BECOME ROLE MODELS. AND I'M A FATHER OF FOUR AND I WANNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY DOING WHAT'S RIGHT, BY VOTING, BY SHOWING UP, PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUNITY, HAVING FRIENDS FROM DIFFERENT INDUSTRY, THE DIVERSITY WE HAVE, SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN THE WORLD, WHEN THE WORLD GETS A LITTLE BIT DARK, THAT'S WHEN WE ALL NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS, AS YOU KNOW, A A DIVERSE, UH, COMMUNITY TO FIND THAT LIGHT AND TO MY TO FIND THAT LIGHT. WE WILL, WE WILL FIND OUR HUMANITY AND WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH AND, AND MAKE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, SO ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, COUNCILMAN? YEAH, WE'RE GONNA CONCLUDE, UM, IF CAN COME WITH OUR VENERABLE TO CONCLUDE ON THIS MONTH, HONORABLE MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DR. SOLI, UH, LADY AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BEAUTIFY YOUR MIND TO PRAY TOGETHER TO DEDICATE THIS SPECIAL GOOD DEED AND GOOD MARRIED TO OUR BELOVED INNOCENCE, CAMBODIAN PEOPLE WHO PASSED AWAY DURING THE RICH REGIMES AND, AND THE WARS. AND ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO PRAY THIS SPECIAL PRAYERS AND THE SMOKE THAT ALWAYS TRANSLATE TO PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WHO PASSED AWAY DURING THE WAR IN THE PAST AND UP TO THE PRISON AS WELL. [00:32:13] MAY THE SOUL WHO HAD DIE CHILDREN, GEN AND THE SOUL WHO HAD DIE IN THE CHILDREN, WERE RAISED IN PEACE. YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE. YES. I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, UM, TO EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE AND WHO CAME TO JOIN US IN REMEMBRANCE TODAY OF THE GENOCIDE. AND WE HAVE, UM, A REMEMBRANCE, UM, PROCLAMATION TO PRESENT WITH EVERYBODY IF WE CAN COME DOWN WITH THOSE WHO CAME TO JOIN TODAY, UH, TO TAKE A QUICK PHOTO. OKAY. [00:35:59] LET'S HAVE A REPORT BACK FROM CLOSED SESSION, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE HAVE NO REPORT TONIGHT. [CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 15.)] THANK YOU. LET'S TAKE UP CONSENT CALENDAR, PLEASE. OKAY, WE NEED A MOTION. AND SECOND ON CONSENT. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? SEEING NONE, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. COUNCILWOMAN SARA, COUNCIL MEMBER OF MARI AND DEJA. IS IT A YES? MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. UH, THERE'S A REQUEST TO CONTINUE. ITEM 17, UH, LET'S, LET'S HEAR ITEM 17 AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONTINUE IT. ITEM SEVENTEEN'S COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. COUNCILWOMAN SORROW COUNCIL MEMBER BAR RICK SODI. RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE WITH PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED IN THE VISIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTOR VERIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL WAGE PROTECTION AND LABOR STANDARDS. AND REPORT BACK TO COUNSEL IN [17. 24-52970 Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code with proposed recommendations outlined in the Feasibility of Implementing Contractor and Subcontractor Verification for Additional Wage Protections and Labor Standards, including the disclosure whether contractors allocate any healthcare expenditures to their construction workers, and report back to council in 60 days; Request City Auditor to conduct a comprehensive audit of all labor compliance violations reported by subcontractors over five years from the adoption of the contractor verification ordinance; and Request Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to consider adding language in the Legislative Agenda to advocate greater compliance enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations.       Office or Department: Al Austin, Councilman, Eighth District; Suely Saro, Councilwoman, Sixth District; Joni Ricks-Oddie, Councilmember, Ninth District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] 60 DAYS. REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY REQUEST CITY AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT OF ALL LABOR COMPLIANCE VIOLATION REPORTED BY SUBCONTRACTORS OVER FIVE YEARS FROM THE ADOPTION OF THE CONTRACTOR VERIFICATION ORDINANCE AND REQUEST INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER ADDING LANGUAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO ADVOCATE GREATER COMPLIANCE ENFORCEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK. SO DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? UH, YES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO LAY THIS OVER TO A DATE CERTAIN, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. APRIL 23RD, 2024. THANK YOU. IS THAT YOUR SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER? SORROW? THAT'S CORRECT. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON LAYING OVER THE MOTION TO LAY THIS OVER? OKAY. SEEING NONE MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTIONS CARRIED. THANK YOU. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE, PLEASE. OKAY, I SEE, UH, THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT. ROBERT EVANS, UH, CINDY SAGAN, LILIA OCAMPO, SYLVIA TORRES, AND HELENA HARROW. PLEASE COME FORWARD. [ PUBLIC COMMENT: OBTAIN SPEAKER CARD FROM THE CITY CLERK Opportunity to address the City Council (on non-agenda items) is given to the first 10 persons who submit Speaker Cards to the City Clerk beginning at 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the meeting. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to make their comments. ] ARE YOU ROBERT? YES, I AM. ALRIGHT. PLEASE COME FORWARD. UH, I WASN'T, UH, AWARE OF THE PROTOCOL, SO I MIGHT COME BACK IF YOU'D BE SO KIND TO LET ME COME BACK NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT MEETING AND I'LL BE MORE PREPARED AND, UH, CERTAIN CERTAINLY FOR THE PROTOCOL. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. ABSOLUTELY. NEXT SPEAKER IS CINDY SAGAN? YEAH. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CINDY SAGUN AND I AM A CVI PROGRAM SPECIALIST AT CENTRO CHA. ON BEHALF OF THE ONE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION COLLABORATIVE, I AM SHARING A CITYWIDE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE SURVEY, UH, FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, WHICH THE FLYERS BEING PASSED OUT TO YOU IN THIS MOMENT. UM, THIS INITIATIVE REPRESENTS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF VIOLENCE AND ITS IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY AS WE IMPLEMENT INITIATIVES AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. IT IS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE DRIVEN AND LED BY COMMUNITY VOICES. UM, THIS SURVEY [00:40:01] COLLECTION PERIOD STARTED IN MARCH 26TH, AND WE ARE EXTENDING THE PERIOD TO MAY 15TH. IT IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, KAMAI, TAGAL, AND, UM, KAMAI. AND OUR ASK IS FOR OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR, IF YOU CAN SHARE THE SURVEY TO YOUR LI YOUR NEWSLETTER AND SUPPORT US BY REACHING THE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS CITYWIDE. IN ADDITION, UM, I CANNOT STAND BEFORE YOU WITHOUT SPEAKING ABOUT THE UPTAKE OF VIOLENCE AND GUN VIOLENCE SHOOTINGS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE CANNOT ADDRESS VIOLENCE IF THE CITY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS, THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. OUR COMMUNITIES ARE HURTING, AND EVERY DAY WE ARE LOSING LIVES TO VIOLENCE AND GUN VIOLENCE. FEBRUARY 18TH, JOHNNY SANTOS, 32, MARCH 3RD, ADRIAN HERNANDEZ, 20, MARCH 20TH, Y RAMIREZ, 37, MARCH 26, FEMALE. 17, MARCH 4TH, MARIO MORALES MORENO, 51 MARCH A, SORRY, APRIL 4TH, APRIL 14TH, NELSON MARTINEZ. GONZALEZ 30. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND AN AMENDMENT TO CONSOLIDATE CITYWIDE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2025. BUDGET, WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT UTILIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REFRAME EXPECTATIONS FOR BUDGETARY OUTCOMES FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UM, FUNDING THAT IS SUSTAINABLE THROUGHOUT, UM, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LILY CAMPO. UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, A COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, MY NAME IS LILIA OCAMPO AND I AM A HEALTH PRO PROMOTOR FROM CENTRAL CHA, ALSO A FIRST DISTRICT RESIDENT, UM, A LATINO WOMAN. AND THE REASON THAT I AM MENTIONING THAT I AM A LATINO WOMAN IS BECAUSE OUR LATINO COMMUNITY HAS BEEN VICTIM OF BALANCE. UM, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE LIKE ADDRESSED PROPERLY SATISFACTORILY. UH, OUR CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER OF BEING KIDNAPPED ON THEIR WAY IN FRONT OF SCHOOL. UM, STREAM STREET BEND ARE BEING KILLING WHILE EARNING THEIR LIVING. UM, YOUNG WOMEN COMING FROM WORK BEING KILLED, CHILDREN HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO HIDE DURING INSURANCE AT THE, AT THE N NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY. SORRY. FAMILIES DON'T FEEL SAFE, NOT EVEN IN THEIR HOUSES, UM, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY WAKE UP TO CARS, BROKEN WINDOWS, OTHER PARTS STOLEN, UM, WOMAN BEING ASSAULTED AND HARASSED ON THE STREET AND GRAFFITI. SO, EH, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING MORE THAN WHAT YOU ARE ALREADY DOING BECAUSE IT'S NECESSARY. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BEING ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY LIVES IN FEAR THAT, UH, A A BULLET IS GONNA JUST LAY DOWN IN YOUR HOUSE AND KILL ONE OF YOUR CHILDRENS OF YOURSELF OR OURSELVES. SO PLEASE, UH, ADDRESS THIS SITUATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS SYLVIA TORRES. SYLVIA TORRES. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SILVIA TORRES AND I'M A HEALTH PROMOTER AT CENTRO CHA. AND I BELONG TO THE FIRST DISTRICT, AB DECIA AND UNI DE QUE AND VE AND GRAND AND GRAND . [00:45:05] I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN REFERENCE TO THE VIOLENCE EXPERIENCE IN MY COMMUNITY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. GREAT DANGER TO THE GUN SH DUE TO GUN SHOOTINGS OCCURRING DAILY. THEY HAPPEN EARLY IN THE MORNING AND DURING THE DAY, WHICH PUTS STUDENTS IN DANGER COMING RIGHT OUTTA SCHOOL. THE, AS FAR AS THE ACTIVITY GOES, CARS ARE HIGHLY VANDALIZED, BROKEN INTO, UH, TO STEAL WHAT'S INSIDE WORK. TOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR PERSONAL, UH, PERSONAL BELONGINGS. HOWEVER, THE MOST WORRISOME ASPECT OF ALL IS THAT MURDERS HAVE TAKEN PLACE. I ASK MYSELF WITH WHAT SENSE OF SECURITY WILL I CONTINUE LIVING IN NEIGHBORHOODS IN DCIA, GANGAS DE THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF HOMELESS, UH, HOMELESS OR ORGANIZED GANGS. EVERY NIGHT WE FALL ASLEEP THINKING OF ALL THE SHOOTINGS OR CAR THEFTS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR SURROUNDINGS. WE CALL THE POLICE AND THEY TELL US THAT MICROCHIPS SHOULD BE INSTALLED IN THE CARS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY AND MONITOR THEM. AND THEY ALSO TOLD US, THEY'VE ALSO HAD TOLD US THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE DUE TO GANG ACTIVITY. I ASKED MYSELF WITH WHAT KIND OF SENSE OF SECURITY OR WELFARE IS ALLOTTED TO US AS RESIDENTS. I'D LIKE MORE SUPPORT, UH, FROM THE POLICE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CHILDREN, AND EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, OUR FINAL SPEAKER, HELENA HARROW HARO. HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LIN HARO AND I BELONG TO THE FIRST DISTRICT AND I'M A HEALTH PROMOTER AT RO CHA. AND I'M A MOTHER OF FOUR CHILDREN. SOME OF OUR WORRIES THAT AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY ARE ROAD RAGE, VIOLENCE, IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL CAMPUSES, HOMELESS AND, UH, DANGEROUS PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. LOS PARKS AND LIBRARIES ARE IN ITS SURROUNDINGS, WHICH ARE NOT SAFE, ARE NOT SAFE DUE TO, UH, FIGHTS, UH, DIFFERENT GANG ACTIVITY, HOMELESS, RETALIATING AND SHOOTINGS. THE STORES THAT WE SHOP AT, UH, FOR FOOD PANTRY ITEMS, THERE'S ALWAYS STUFF HAPPENING EVERY DAY. AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD, UH, VALUE AS A COMMUNITY, UH, HERE IN LONG BEACH. UH, OUR KIDS ARE BEING IN DANGER, FAMILIES, ET CETERA. [00:50:01] SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS IS TO HAVE, UH, SECURITY SURVEILLANCE AFTER SCHOOL HOURS, IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC LIGHTING, HELP THE YOUTH WITH, UH, DRUG CONSUMPTION AND, UH, GANG PREVENTION, UH, HAVE ACCESSIBLE JOBS, SPORTS ART FOR THE YOUTH IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FOCUS IN GOOD NATURE ACTIVITIES AND ALSO HAVE STRICTER LAWS AGAINST DEAF ACTIVITIES. UH, IMPLEMENT VALUES AND PROVIDE TREATMENT TO THE HOMELESS AND ALCOHOLICS, WHICH MAY BE VIOLENT IN NATURE. CIA MIDDLE SCHOOL? YEAH, I HAVE FOUR KIDS AND TWO OF THEM ARE UNIVERSITIES AND ANOTHER ONES ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL. AND I SEE A LOT OF VIOLENCE TAKING PLACE IN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. AND I THINK HAVING, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, UH, 'CAUSE IT'S HELPS US HAVING A MORE SENSE OF SECURITY. AND I THANK ALL THE SECURITY, UH, PERSONNEL THAT IS THERE TO, UH, LOOK AFTER OUR KIDS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER. CLASSES, WHENEVER THERE'S AN INCIDENT HAPPENING THE DAY BEFORE, MY KIDS KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO BE, UH, LOOKING AFTER, UH, THEIR BACKPACK SEARCH, UM, DUE TO THE INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE MORE WORRIED ABOUT SCHOOL MATTERS INSTEAD OF BEING, UH, THINK INSTEAD OF THINKING AS FAR AS, UH, THEIR BACKPACK SEARCH OR SOMEBODY, UH, TAKING SOMETHING IN FOR THEM. AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THOSE KIDS THAT ARE, UH, IN DIRE STRAITS TO RECEIVE AS MUCH HELP AND ASSISTANCE AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FINISH, FOR THEM TO FINISH THEIR STUDIES. AND THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INSTILL GOOD VALUES TO OUR CHILDREN. AND ALSO PARENTS, UH, SHOULD BE, UH, PRACTICING THESE VALUES, UH, WITH THEIR KIDS AT HOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. RIGHT. WELL, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING DOWN. UH, AND, UM, AND WE, WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, UH, HIGH PROFILE, UH, LAST SIX WEEKS. UM, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN VERY, VERY BUSY. UM, SOME HIGH PROFILE INVESTIGATIONS AND ALL OF THAT, BUT WE, WE ALSO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE KING SAID, DARKNESS CAN'T DRIVE OUT DARKNESS, ONLY LIGHT CAN DO THAT. AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND INVEST IN YOUTH. AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL NOW GO TO, UH, WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM, UH, 16 PLEASE. ITEM 16 IS A REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE FOUNTAIN LY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROJECT EXEMPTION PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 4.2 OF THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE, ADOPT [16. 24-52819 Recommendation to adopt resolution accepting the Fountain/Wehrle Sustainable Communities Project Exemption (SCPE) pursuant to Chapter 4.2 of the Public Resources Code, Sections 21155 through 21155.4;        Office or Department:         Suggested Action: ] RESOLUTION, APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN MAP AMENDMENT FROM FOUNDING CONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOOD TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING, COMMERCIAL, AND DECLARE ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONE CHANGE FROM TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO COMMUNITY R DASH FOUR DASH N COMMERCIAL, WHICH ALLOWS MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PURSUANT TO R DASH FOUR DASH N DENSITIES ON PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 41 51 FOUNTAIN STREET AND 42 20 LEY COURT. READ, READ FOR THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING, DISTRICT THREE. THANK YOU MR. MOCA. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT THAT, UH, ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND [00:55:01] SOME PROJECT UPDATES AND DIRECTION THAT WE NEED FROM THE COUNCIL. BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THOSE, THOSE ARE ITEMS 16 AND 18. UM, WE WANT TO, UH, SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LONG BEACH, UH, WHERE WE'VE COME FROM, WHAT ALL THE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN OVER THE YEARS, UH, WHY WE DO IT, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DEFINITION AND HOW, UH, WE CREATE A, UH, A CITY THAT HAS OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY. AND THEN ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE HIGH OP, UM, THESE, UM, OPPORTUNITY SITES THAT WE HAVE, UH, IN, IN WEALTH RESOURCED AREAS AND, AND WHY THESE PROJECTS ARE COMING FORWARD. SO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE, UH, AND ALSO JUST GROUND US A LITTLE BIT IN THE HISTORY BEFORE WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL TWO PROJECTS. UH, SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CHRISTOPHER KUNZ, OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. AS TOM MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHY WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WHERE WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, AND THEN THERE'LL BE OTHER STAFF THAT'LL GIVE YOU TECHNICAL PRESENTATIONS. SO EVERY AFFORDABLE PROJECT IS A PARTNERSHIP, UH, THAT YOU SEE HERE AT THE TABLE. SO IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AND ALLISON AND I WORK ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS TOGETHER. SO WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A SAFE, DIGNIFIED PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO LIVE THAT HAVE LOWER INCOME AND TO SPEND NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT. UM, ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE INCOME QUALIFIED, UH, EITHER BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UM, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS THAT COULD MAKE AS LITTLE AS $0. YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR UNHOUSED, UM, FOLKS, UH, MORE COMMONLY FOLKS THAT ARE AT 30% OF INCOME, WHICH IS ABOUT $37,000 AND UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH MAY SOUND, UH, LIKE A LOT, BUT PAYING RENT AND FEEDING, UH, TO, UH, KIDS CAN BE A CHALLENGE EVEN AT THAT INCOME. SO WE'RE HERE, UM, TO HELP THEM. AND THOSE INCOME LEVELS COME FROM THE STATE. AFFORDABLE, UH, RENTS ARE, UM, DETERMINED BASED ON AREA MEDIAN INCOME. SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT PROVIDES HOUSING FOR WORKING FAMILIES, UH, STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR RENT. AND IT IS THE NUMBER ONE UPSTREAM SOLUTION TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, IS TO PROVIDE STABILITY TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES. IT PRODUCES NEW QUALITY HOMES THAT REVITALIZE MAJOR CORRIDORS. IT REMOVES BLIGHT BY REMOVING UNDERUTILIZED OR VACANT PROPERTIES THAT SERVE LITTLE OR NO ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT REDUCES OVERCROWDING, UH, MANY OF, UH, OUR UNDERSERVED FAMILIES OR LOWER INCOME FAMILIES. UM, YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO SURVIVE. SO THEY WILL DOUBLE UP, TRIPLE UP. WE HAVE A, UM, HIGH RATE OF OVERCROWDING IN OUR CITY, UM, AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDES SAFE, DECENT HOUSING, UM, TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE SEE ALL OVER OUR CITY. THEY MIGHT BE WORKING, UM, IN THE KITCHEN AT RESTAURANTS WE GO TO, THEY MIGHT BE WORKING, UH, IN HEALTHCARE, ASSISTING US AND OUR LOVED ONES. THEY MAY BE WORKING IN LOCAL SCHOOLS, UM, AND ENSURES THAT RESIDENTS HAVE INCOME AFTER THEY PAY RENT TO SPEND AT OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, CITY. SO, UH, TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE IN WHAT ARE CALLED HIGH RESOURCE OR HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS. SO WHAT THE HECK IS A HIGH RESOURCE AREA? SO IT'S NOT UP TO THE CITY, IT'S DETERMINED BY A STATE, UH, GROUP CALLED THE TAX CREDIT ALLOCATION COMMUNITY COMMITTEE, UH, WHICH WE LOVINGLY REFER TO AS T CAC. AND THEY DEFINE WHAT IS A HIGH RESOURCE, UH, COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S NOT ONLY BASED ON INCOME, IT'S BASED ON RESOURCES. SO THOSE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE, UM, THE BEST SCHOOLS, THE BEST PARKS, ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, ACCESS TO GROCERIES, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS. SOME EXAMPLES OF HIGH RESOURCE AREAS INCLUDE, UM, AREAS OF EAST LONG BEACH AS WELL AS THE BIXBY KNOLLS, CAL HEIGHTS AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING. UM, SO THIS MAP SHOWS YOU EVERY COMMUNITY IS, UM, VALUED BY THIS CITY AND IMPORTANT. BUT IN TERMS OF T CAC AND WHAT'S CONSIDERED HIGH RESOURCE VERSUS LOWER RESOURCE, UM, THE DARKEST BLUE IS OUR HIGHEST RESOURCE COMMUNITIES, THE KIND OF, UM, LIGHTER BLUE, OUR HIGH AND MODERATE RESOURCE COMMUNITIES. AND THEN THAT, UM, SORT OF GREENISH BLUE, UM, AREA IS OUR LOWER RESOURCE COMMUNITIES. AND THEN, UM, WHAT YOU SEE IN THE CHECKED, UM, HATCHING, UH, THOSE ARE HIGHLY SEGREGATED AND HIGHLY IMPOVERISHED, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE REFER, REFER TO AS RECAP. SO UNDER FEDERAL LAW, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THESE COMMUNITIES, UM, TO, UH, REDUCE SEGREGATION AND POVERTY. AND GENERALLY THAT MEANS INVESTING IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ADDING ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE, UH, THE CONCENTRATION OF [01:00:01] POVERTY AS WELL AS SEGREGATION IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. SO WHERE IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEING BUILT IN LONG BEACH? UH, WE HAVE AN ALL OF THE ABOVE HOUSING STRATEGY. UM, SO THAT MEANS WE PURSUE PROJECTS ALL OVER THE CITY AND WE PURSUE ALL TYPES OF PROJECTS, SMALL PROJECTS, LARGE PROJECTS, MIXED INCOME PROJECTS, A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE PROJECTS, MARKET RATE PROJECTS. UM, SO WE ARE PURSUING ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT DUE TO HISTORY, UM, THE MAJORITY OF OUR EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS LOCATED IN, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE AND SIX. SO THAT REPRESENTS DOWNTOWN AND SORT OF THE LONG BEACH BOULEVARD CORRIDOR, WHERE TRADITIONALLY, NOT IN THE MOST RECENT HISTORY, BUT TRADITIONALLY IS WHERE, UH, WE, UH, EXCLUSIVELY PUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO THIS SHOWS YOU CONCENTRATION OF, UM, COMPLETED AND RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. SO YOU SEE THEY ARE IN A NUMBER OF, UM, SPOTS AROUND THE CITY IN SOME EXPECTED AND SOME UNEXPECTED. UM, BUT YOU ALSO SEE A LARGE PORTION OF THIS, UH, MAP IS IN THE GRAY COLOR. SO THE GRAY COLOR ARE, UH, CENSUS TRACKS THAT HAVE ZERO, NONE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, UNITS OR PROJECTS AT THIS TIME. SO THE TWO PROJECTS WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS EVENING ARE BOTH IN A GRAY CENSUS TRACK. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ALL OF THE ABOVE STRATEGY, AND BECAUSE HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY AND ALL OF THOSE STRUGGLES ARE A CITYWIDE PROBLEM, A REGIONWIDE PROBLEM, UH, EVERY COMMUNITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. AND THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS OF GRAY IN THE CITY, UM, THAT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION EVEN IF THEY HAVE NOT, UH, IN THE PAST. UH, SO JUST AS A REFRESHER, IN 2023, UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WAS GIVEN A PRO HOUSING DESIGNATION BY THE STATE FOR ENACTING PRO-HOUSING POLICIES. AND, UM, THE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCLUDED PROVIDING INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH QUALITY HOUSING, ENSURING FAIR AND EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, MAKING SURE THERE'S HOUSING, UM, AT DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NOT JUST IN ONE OR TWO AREAS. AVOIDING THE OVER CONCENTRATION OF LOWER INCOME HOUSING IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LOW RESOURCES AND IDENTIFYING, UH, MECHANISMS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION IN OUR HIGHEST RESOURCE AREAS. SO WHEN WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, WHO GETS TO LIVE IN THEM? LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, UH, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR, UH, COWORKERS AND FOLKS WE INTERACT WITH ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS. UM, WE HAVE A PRIORITY SYSTEM. FIRST PRIORITY IS ALWAYS GIVEN TO, UM, HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FOR SOME REASON, AND, UH, DISPLACED HERE IN LONG BEACH. SECOND PRIORITY, WHICH IS WHERE WE FILL MOST OF OUR SPOTS, IS ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS THAT QUALIFY INCOME WISE, UM, THAT RESIDE WITHIN LONG BEACH. UM, TYPICALLY WE DON'T GET TO PRIORITY NUMBER THREE, BUT IF WE DID, UM, THAT WOULD BE HOUSEHOLDS THAT, UM, WORK IN LONG BEACH OR ENROLLED IN SCHOOL, UM, IN LONG BEACH, BUT DON'T YET LIVE IN LONG BEACH. SO, UH, ALLISON'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR APPROACH TO WHAT ARE CALLED PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS, WHICH IS PART OF HOW WE, UH, FINANCE AND OPERATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. GOOD EVENING. THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, COMMONLY KNOWN AS SECTION EIGHT, IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLOWING CITIZENS TO SEARCH FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE OWNED BY PRIVATE LANDLORDS. THE GREAT THING ABOUT COMMITTING OUR PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS, IS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO MOVE INTO AREAS WHERE THERE IS A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THEY ONLY HAVE TO PAY UP TO 30% OF THEIR ADJUSTED INCOME WHEN THEY ARE IN PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING. THEY CAN UP TO 40% IN THE FIRST YEAR, AND THAT CAN BE INCREASED AS LONG AS THE RENT IS CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE. THESE PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS, ONCE COMMITTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, DO ALLOW A HIGHER LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY. AND HUDSON'S MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PLACE THEM INTO AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. AS CHRISTOPHER HAS ALREADY SHARED. THESE ARE PLACES IN WHICH THE CENSUS, UM, THE POVERTY LEVEL IS LESS THAN 20%. THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER COMMITMENT IN DISTRICT THREE. AND WHILE THE AREA DOES NOT INDICATE, UM, THAT THERE IS LESS THAN A 20% POVERTY LEVEL, IT IS MUCH CLOSER THAN ANY OTHER OF OUR CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS. [01:05:01] FAMILIES, UM, THAT ARE SELECTED AND PLACED INTO PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS ARE ALREADY DETERMINED AS TO WHERE THEY WILL GO BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE CONTRACTS. BUT AFTER A YEAR OF SUCCESSFUL TENANCY IN THOSE BUILDINGS, THEY CAN ALSO USE THAT VOUCHER TO PORT IT ANYWHERE ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO GO. IT IS NO LONGER A PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER AT THAT POINT. IT CAN BECOME A TENANT-BASED VOUCHER. SO IT IS A WAY TO GET ONTO AND INTO A SUBSIDIZED PROGRAM AND THEN BE ABLE TO USE IT ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE VOUCHER IS ACCEPTED. THE COMMITMENT TO THE FOUNTAIN PROPERTY WILL RESULT IN AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF $8.8 MILLION BECAUSE IT WILL SUPPORT 18 HOUSE HOUSEHOLDS OVER TWO 20 YEAR PERIODS. THIS MAP JUST SIMPLY SHOWS THAT THE WALKABILITY SCORE FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WHILE IT IS STILL NOT CONSIDERED FULLY OPPORTUNITY, PROVIDES A NUMBER OF AMENITIES THAT REFLECT THE GOALS AND MISSION THAT HUD HAS FOR COMMITTING THESE VOUCHERS. IT HAS GREAT ACCESS TO GROCERIES, IT HAS EXCELLENT SCHOOLS SHOPPING AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE FAMILIES TO ENGAGE IN AND SEE MARKET RATE FAMILIES WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL IN, UH, THEIR LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY. AS INDICATED, WE HAVE ONE IN SECTION THREE, AND AS CHRISTOPHER, UH, ALLUDED TO EARLIER, MOST OF OUR HOUSING HAS BEEN ALONG THE LONG BEACH QUARTER AND IN DISTRICT ONE. SO, UH, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, JUST HOPEFULLY YOU LISTEN, UH, INTENTLY TO EVERY MOMENT OF THESE PRESENTATIONS, BUT IN CASE YOU DON'T, UM, I HAVE SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS, UH, THAT I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER FROM THE STAFF TABLE. SO THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, THEY'RE NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, THEY'RE PART OF A LARGER CITYWIDE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS OUR HOUSING NEEDS. UM, ALLISON AND I COULD TALK TO YOU ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT ABOUT WHY THESE PROJECTS ARE IMPORTANT, THAT THEY'RE MEANINGFUL, THAT THEY'RE IMPACTFUL TO THE RESIDENTS, UM, THAT WE SERVE, THAT THERE'S A MORAL IMPERATIVE TO DO THEM. UM, BUT EVEN IF YOU DISAGREED WITH ALL OF THAT, UM, THE CITY IS LEGALLY REQUIRED TO ADDRESS FAIR HOUSING, TO REDUCE HISTORIC RACIAL AND INCOME SEGREGATION, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY PRESENT IN THIS CITY. UM, AND TO CREATE NEW, UM, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. SO WE'VE BEEN ON A WHOLE JOURNEY, WHICH, UH, REGARDING FAIR HOUSING, UM, UH, WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA, UH, TOOK OFFICE, UM, SEAN DONOVAN BECAME THE HUD SECRETARY, AND THEY CAME OUT WITH WHAT'S CALLED THE, UM, FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING RULE. AND WE DID A HUGE ASSESSMENT THAT WE LOVINGLY CALL THE A FH AND IT SHOWED THAT WE'VE GOT SOME ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND THAT WE NEED TO, UM, ADDRESS CONCENTRATED POVERTY, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO OPEN UP OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY TO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. UM, SO HE WAS REPLACED BY JULIAN CASTRO AND WE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HUD. UM, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION. MR. TRUMP TOOK OVER, UH, MR. OR DR. CARSON TOOK OVER AT HUD, HE REMOVED THE FAIR HOUSING RULES, NO IMPACT ON THE CITY. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THAT SAME YEAR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ENACTED THOSE FEDERAL RULES AS STATE LAW, UM, HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO WE'VE BEEN UNDER, UH, WHAT'S CALLED THE, UH, AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING RULE, UH, EVERY YEAR. UM, AND THEN, UH, WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN TOOK OFFICE AND SECRETARY FUDGE, UH, CAME INTO HUD, SHE REINSTATED THE FAIR HOUSING RULE THAT WAS IN PLACE, UH, DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. SO ON BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, WE ARE REQUIRED TO NOT JUST ADDRESS OVERT DISCRIMINATION, BUT AS A CITY TO TAKE SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITY, UM, IN, IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE OUR HIGHEST RESOURCES. UM, SO AGAIN, UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS INCLUDE FAMILY HOUSING AND THAT ARE COST EFFECTIVE AND CRITICAL TO PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS. AND, UM, I HOPE YOU'VE LEARNED SOMETHING IN OUR PRESENTATION. UM, SO WE'RE GONNA HAND IT OVER TO THE TECHNICAL EXPERTS THAT ARE GONNA GIVE YOU THE TECHNICAL PRESENTATION, UM, FIRST REGARDING THE FOUNTAIN WORLEY PROJECT AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK, UH, TO HELP ANSWER, UH, ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SO WE'RE READY FOR THE NEXT UH, PRESENTATION. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS SENIOR PLANNER, AMY HARBIN WILL PROVIDE THE PROJECT OVERVIEW THIS EVENING FOR THE GENERAL PLAN MAP AMENDMENT AND ZONING MAP AMENDMENT OF THIS ITEM. [01:10:02] THANK YOU, ALLISON. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A GENERAL PLAN MAP AMENDMENT ZONE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROJECT EXEMPTION, WHICH WOULD FACILITATE CONSISTENCY FOR A TRANSIT PRIORITY PROJECT THAT INCLUDES A 100% AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING PROJECT WITH 73 UNITS AND 67 AT GRADE PARKING STALLS. THE SUBJECT SITE IS LOCATED AT THE DEAD ENDS OF FOUNTAIN STREET AND WARLEY COURT. TWO PROPERTIES ENCOMPASS THE SITE, WHICH TOTALS 70,000 SQUARE FEET IN LAND AREA. THE LARGER PARCEL WAS USED FOR A RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITY FOR YOUTH, WHICH VACATED THE SITE IN 2015. THE SMALLER SITE IS USED FOR OFFICE SPACE. ALL BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ON SITE WILL BE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE APPROVED MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS AS A TRANSIT PRIORITY PROJECT. THE PROJECT SITE IS ADJACENT TO SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY USES TO THE SOUTHWEST AND NORTH AND A SMALL PORTION ALONG THE EAST PROPERTY LINE. THERE IS ALSO A COMMERCIAL USED IN LARGE PARKING AREA ALONG THE SOUTH AND EAST PROPERTY LINES AS WELL. THE PHYSICAL PROJECT, WHICH IS APPROVED PER THE CITY'S HOMELESS ORDINANCE, IS A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT. AS MENTIONED, THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF TWO BUILDINGS WITH 73 TOTAL UNITS, INCLUDING A MANAGER'S UNIT 67 AT GRADE PARKING STALLS, PERIMETER LANDSCAPING, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMMON SPACE, AND WROUGHT IRON FENCING WITH GATES AT THE FOUNTAIN STREET AND WORLEY WORLEY COURT VEHICULAR APPROACHES. THE APPROVAL WAS BASED ON THE PROJECT'S CONSISTENCY WITH THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN, LAND USE AND HOUSING ELEMENT GOALS, APPLICABLE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND POLICIES. IN ADDITION TO THE 20 20 20 45 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT'S REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGIES AS A TRANSPORTATION PRIORITY PROJECT. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE WEST ELEVATION WHERE YOU CAN SEE BOTH PROPOSED BUILDINGS, THE SMALLER BUILDING, BUILDING B TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS SET BACK APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE IS THREE STORIES AND HEIGHT AND WILL HAVE 22 UNITS. BUILDING A, WHICH IS THE LARGER BUILDING HAS 51 UNITS, OFFICE AREA FOR SERVICES. AND A COMMUNITY ROOM BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS IS AN OUTDOOR OPEN SPACE AREA, APPROXIMATELY 4,100 SQUARE FEET IN AREA, WHICH INCLUDES A CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA AND COMMUNITY GARDEN. OTHER COMMON OUTDOOR AREAS ARE TWO ROOFTOP DECKS ON BUILDING A WITH ABOUT 650 SQUARE FEET EACH, WHICH FACE WESTWARD. THE PROJECT HAS 36 1 BEDROOM UNITS, 18 TWO BEDROOM UNITS AND 19 THREE BEDROOM UNITS, AND IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS FAMILIES, INCLUDING LARGER FAMILIES. THE ENTITLEMENTS HERE TODAY ARE THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT AND ZONE CHANGE WILL BRING CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE PROJECT AND THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN, PLACE, TYPE AND ZONING DISTRICT. THE PHYSICAL PROJECT, WHICH WAS APPROVED IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR BY THE CITY'S SITE PLAN REVIEW COMMITTEE IS 100% AFFORDABLE MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT. THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED FOR ITS CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, LAND USE AND HOUSING ELEMENT GOALS AND POLICIES. IN ADDITION TO THE 20 20 20 45 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGY IS A TRANSIT PRIORITY PROJECT. TO PROVIDE A BIT OF BACKGROUND ON SITE HISTORY, THE LARGER PART OF THE SITE WAS ORIGINALLY A HOME FOR YOUTH. HOWEVER, OVER THE YEARS, THE FACILITY HAD OPERATIONAL ISSUES AS WELL AS OTHER NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD. EVENTUALLY THE FACILITY CLOSED IN 2015. AFTER THE CLOSURE, THE CITY BEGAN THE PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THE POORLY OPERATED FACILITY WITH THEIR NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY DID NOT RETURN TO THE SITE. INSTEAD, THE CITY SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE SITE TO HELP ACCOMPLISH STATE MANDATED HOUSING GOALS AND TO HELP THE CITY ADDRESS DOCUMENTED FAIR HOUSING DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO HOUSING IN HIGH RESOURCE NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS THE BRYANT NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THIS SITE IS LOCATED. THEREFORE, IN MAY, 2017, THE LONG BEACH INVESTMENT COM, THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO PURCHASE THE SITE. FINALLY, A PRICE OF 4.2 MILLION WAS AGREED TO, AND IN MARCH OF 2018, ESCROW CLOSED ON THE SITE USING RESTRICTED STATE HOUSING MONEY. AS A RESULT OF USING THE RESTRICTED STATE HOUSING MONEY FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY CAN ONLY BE DEVELOPED WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THIS LOCATION HELPS THE CITY ADDRESS DOCUMENTED FAIR HOUSING DISPARITIES IN HIGH RESOURCE AREAS. THE SITE LOCATED IN THE RED CIRCLE WITHIN THE HIGHEST AND HIGH, HIGH AND HIGHEST RESOURCE AREAS IS WHERE FAMILIES CAN ACCESS QUALITY JOBS, QUALITY [01:15:01] SCHOOLS, AND HAVE BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HIGH RESOURCE AREAS IS A PRIMARY FAIR HOUSING GOAL OF THE CITY AND IS REQUIRED UNDER STATE LAW. THE PROPOSED PROPERTIES HAVE A GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE OF FOUNDING CONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE PROPOSAL IS TO CHANGE THE GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL MODERATE DENSITY CONSISTENT WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES THAT FACE ANAHEIM STREET DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE PROJECT SITE. THIS PORTION OF THE ANAHEIM STREET CORRIDOR HAS BEEN DESIGNATED TO FACILITATE A COMPATIBLE MIX OF DENSER COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES LOCATED ALONG A HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT CORRIDOR. GIVEN THE LEVEL OF BUS SERVICE PLANNING, BEST PRACTICES GENERALLY RECOMMEND THE LOCATION OF DENSER DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A QUARTER OR HALF MILE OF TRANSIT. SO EXPANDING THE PLACE TYPE NORTHWARD WITHIN THAT CATCHMENT AREA IS RECOMMENDED. ZONING IS PROPOSED TO CHANGE TO CCN, WHICH IS OUR COMMUNITY FOUR N DISTRICT THAT ALSO ALLOWS RESIDENTIAL USES CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED PLACE TYPE AND WITH THE PROPERTIES DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH FACING ANAHEIM STREET. THE R TWO DISTRICT CURRENTLY ONLY ALLOWS TWO DWELLING UNITS PER LOT, WHICH IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH EITHER THE EXISTING CONDITIONS NOR THE APPROVED TRANSIT PRIORITY PROJECT CONSISTING OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES AND DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS IN THIS HIGH RESOURCE AREA. THE CHANGE IN ZONING DISTRICT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE CHAIN WITH THE CHANGE IN GENERAL PLAN PLACE TYPE WILL MAXIMIZE, WILL NOT MAXIMIZE THE ALLOWABLE DENSITY UNDER THE UPDATED PLACE TYPE, BUT WOULD ACHIEVE LOCAL PLANNING AND HOUSING OBJECTIVES BY HAVING A 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT NEAR A MAJOR CORRIDOR OR WELL SERVED BY TRANSIT AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO JOBS. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT. THE DEVELOPER MAILED OUT FLYERS ABOUT THE PROJECT AND KNOCKED ON DOORS TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT WITH RESIDENTS IN EARLY SPRING OF 2023. A COMMUNITY EVENT ALSO HELD AT THE PROJECT SITE BY THE DEVELOPER IN MAY OF 2023. SINCE THE PROJECT INVOLVES A CITY OWNED PROPERTY, APPROXIMATELY 1700 NOTICES WERE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND TENANTS WITHIN A 1000 FOOT RADIUS ON JANUARY 18TH, 2024 FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING THAT TOOK PLACE IN EARLY FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR. FOR THAT MEETING, STAFF RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, NOT IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT, AND ONE EMAIL WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PHYSICAL PROJECT. ANOTHER OUTREACH EVENT WAS HELD AFTER THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON FEBRUARY 15TH, WHICH WAS HOSTED BY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE AND OVER 25 PEOPLE SPOKE AT THAT MEETING AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. OVER 20 VERBAL COMMENTS BOTH IN FAVOR AND OPPOSITION OF THE PROJECT WERE RECEIVED. FOR THIS MEETING TONIGHT, STAFF HAS RECEIVED, I BELIEVE NOW IT'S UP TO SIX COMMENT LETTERS SINCE THE PROJECT WAS REVIEWED. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT'S REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGY AS A TRANSIT PRIORITY PROJECT, A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROJECT EXEMPTION, OR A STAFF FONDLY CALLS IT A SKIPPY, WAS PREPARED FOR THE GENERAL PLAN, MAP, AMENDMENT, AND ZONE CHANGE PURSUANT TO PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE SECTION 2 1 1 5 5 0.1. AT THIS TIME, STAFF IS PROPOSING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ONE ADOPT RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE FOUNTAIN WORLEY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROJECT EXEMPTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN MAP AMENDMENT. AND THREE, DECLARE AN NORDEN AGAINST APPROVING A ZONE CHANGE. AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE'LL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE 11 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. LET'S SET THE CLOCK FOR 90 SECONDS. I'LL READ ALL 11. UH, AND THEN PLEASE COME FORWARD IN OR ORDER. JOEY SHIELDS IS FIRST, THEN CONNOR WEIR, AARON FOLEY, KAREN REZA, JORDAN WYNN, TARA SEAVERS, OR TERRE, UH, OR TERRY. TARA. TARA. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ELSA TONGUE, CHARLENE WYNN, MYRON WALLEN, NICOLE LOPEZ AND ISMA ENRIQUEZ. ALRIGHT, JOEY, YOU'RE UP. AWESOME. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOEY SHIELDS AND I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER WITH LINK HOUSING. UM, WE ARE THE DEVELOPER OF 4 1 5 1 EAST FALLON STREET. LINK IS CELEBRATING IT'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR AND AS A LONG BEACH BASED NONPROFIT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER AND OWNER. UM, WHEN WE BUILD IN COMMUNITIES, WE ARE HERE TO STAY, UM, AND ENSURE THAT OUR IMPACT STRETCHES WELL BEYOND JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT ALSO THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND BRINGING HIGH QUALITY JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE BUILT IN. UM, OUR APPROVED, UH, FOUNTAIN STREET DEVELOPMENT, UM, IS A 73 UNIT AFFORDABLE [01:20:01] HOUSING COMMUNITY FOR WORKING FAMILIES AS WELL AS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND, UH, WE HAVE KEY SUPPORT IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS WELL FROM THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT HAVE COME IN, UM, PRIOR TO TONIGHT'S MEETING. UM, AND AS YOU'LL HEAR THROUGHOUT COMMA TONIGHT, UM, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT THE CITY IS BRINGING, UM, THIS, THESE ACTION ITEMS, UH, TO THE TABLE TONIGHT TO BRING OUR, UH, DEVELOPMENT IN LINE, UM, WITH THE UNDERLINING ZONING AND GENERAL PLAN STATUS. UM, LINK LOOKS FORWARD TO, UH, CONTINUING TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, DEVELOPMENTS, UM, INCLUDING DISTRICT THREE. UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU ALL AND UH, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CONNOR. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS CONNOR WEIR AND I'M A LONG TIME DISTRICT THREE RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THERE'S A CRISIS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS CITY, AND FEW DISTRICTS IN THE CITY ARE LESS AFFORDABLE THAN DISTRICT THREE, LIKELY OR NOT. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS CRISIS IS TO BUILD MORE HOMES FOR PEOPLE WHO SO DESPERATELY NEED THEM. I WANNA REPRESENT A GROUP THAT IS NOT HERE, THAT CANNOT BE HERE TONIGHT, AND THAT IS THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO NEED THESE HOMES. PEOPLE WHO COULD LIVE, LIVE NEAR GOOD SCHOOLS, JOBS AND TRANSIT. IF THIS DEVELOPMENT IS APPROVED, I'M HERE BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP WITH ONE FAMILY FOR WHOM THIS IS COMING TOO LATE. I MET MY FORMER EMPLOYEE, AMY OVANDO, WHEN SHE WAS 22 YEARS OLD AND NEWLY GRADUATED FROM CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS. SHE LIVED IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT IN A THREE BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH HER MOTHER AND HER BROTHER YOSHUA. I GOT TO KNOW THEM OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS WORKING TOGETHER, MENTORING YASHUA, AND HAVING ALL THREE OF THEM OVER FROM MULTIPLE DINNERS AT MY HOME. THERE WERE SOME OF THE MOST GENEROUS, HARDWORKING, AND MOST FAMILY ORIENTED PEOPLE I KNOW, AND THEY TRIED SO HARD TO MAKE IT IN LONG BEACH. AMY AND HER BROTHER BOTH GOT MASTER'S DEGREES AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH. THEY GOT GOOD JOBS, BUT THEY HAD STUDENT DEBT AND THE COST OF LIVING, ESPECIALLY RENT SOARED AFTER COVID. THEY TRIED SO HARD ALONG WITH THEIR MOTHER, WHO WAS A CAREGIVER FOR AN ELDERLY DISTRICT THREE RESIDENT. THEY HAD THREE WORKING AGE PEOPLE LIVING IN A THREE BEDROOM APARTMENT. THEY ALL SHARED ONE CAR AND YET THEY STILL COULDN'T MAKE ENDS MEET. AFTER RUNNING UP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN CREDIT CARD DEBT TRYING TO SURVIVE IN LONG BEACH, THEY MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO MOVE TO TENNESSEE. I LOST A GREAT EMPLOYEE, AN ELDERLY THIRD DISTRICT. THANK YOUR TIME UP PRESIDENT. PARDON? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. TIME'S UP. YES, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT IS AARON FOLEY GREAT. AFTER AARON IS KAREN. HELLO, MY NAME IS AARON FOLEY AND I'VE BEEN A RENTER IN LONG BEACH FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. AND I'M A MEMBER OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED, WHICH IS IN SUPPORT OF THESE PROJECTS, AS WE ALL KNOW AND HAS BEEN SAID. WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS THE CITY AND NOT JUST IN THE AREAS HISTORICALLY, WITH THE LOWEST INCOMES FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. BY CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE PROPOSED LOCATIONS, WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING PATHWAYS FOR THE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE LIVING, WORKING, AND GOING TO SCHOOL IN OUR COMMUNITIES. BY BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BETTER RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO BETTER TRANSPORTATION, SCHOOLS, FOOD, AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED FOR A HEALTHY LIFE. THEY ALSO ARE DEEPLY INVESTED IN PRESERVING THESE RESOURCES FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES. AND OTHERS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES, WE WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY IT ADDS TO A CITY THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS KAREN, THEN JORDAN. GOOD EVENING. KAREN , THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH GRAY PANTHERS, AND WE ENTHUSIASTICALLY AND SUPPORT THIS PROJECT. WE HAVE DONE, UH, SEVERAL PROJECTS WITH LINK HOUSING WHERE WE'VE HELPED TO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS. LINK IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPERS THAT WE WORK WITH. THEY NOT ONLY BUILD, BUT THEY MANAGE, WHICH CAN TURN A BUILDING BAD VERY QUICKLY, AND THEY MANAGE WELL AND THEY CONTINUE TO OWN. AND THEY ARE HERE FOR KEEPS. THERE ARE IS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT THESE BUILDINGS. WHEN I TOLD THE SENIORS AT THE SENIOR CENTER THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER BUILDING COMING, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. SO WE'RE LOSING SO MANY SENIORS BECAUSE THEY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I AM ONE OF THOSE SENIORS. UH, I LIVE ON THE AVERAGE SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK. A LOT OF THE SENIORS THAT GO TO THE SENIOR CENTER LIVE ON LESS THAN $1,200 A MONTH. I'M ONE OF THE LUCKY ONE, UH, ONES I GET THE AVERAGE. UH, IF WE WANT TO REALLY TRULY INVEST IN OUR SENIORS SO THEY CAN AGE IN PLACE, WE NEED TO HAVE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. AND WE COMMEND THE DEVELOPMENT STAFF AND ALLISON KING. THEY HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB IN WORKING THIS PROCESS. THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND THIS, UH, SINCE OUR, UM, COMMUNITY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT [01:25:01] IS JORDAN. HI THERE. UH, MY NAME'S JORDAN WYNN. I'M A HOUSING HOMELESSNESS ADVOCATE FOR LONG BEACH AND THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 16. OVER THE YEARS, UH, I'VE STOOD HERE ADVOCATING FOR NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS, UH, DEEPLY, UH, DEEP AFFORDABILITY TARGETING IN LONG BEACH. AND THE PROPOSED SITE AT FOUNTAIN AND WORLEY COURT IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF HOUSING THAT WE NEED. THIS NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WILL BE TARGETED AT LOW AND VERY LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AT 30 TO 60% AREA MEET AND INCOME WITH 72 UNITS AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES, INCLUDING 18. SPECIFICALLY FOR FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES. LINK HOUSING HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT CITY PARTNER IN DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS ACROSS THE CITY. AND THE FOUNTAIN PROJECT IS A CONTINUATION OF THIS GREAT WORK. THE ZONING CHANGES AND EXEMPTIONS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE WILL HELP SERVE THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH FANTASTIC NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS. THIS ALSO POSITIONS LONG BEACH AND DISTRICT THREE AS LEADERS PUSHING FORWARD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS. SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE SAID OF MOST CALIFORNIA CITIES. THIS SITE HAS BEEN PRIMED BY CITY INVESTMENT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE GROWING AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS THAT LONG BEACH HAS AND BREAKS OUT OF OLD HOUSING PATTERNS BASED ON THE VESTIGES OF HOUSING, SEGREGATION AND REDLINING. LINK HOUSING WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE IDEAL PARTNER TO COLLABORATE WITH. NEARLY HALF OF ALL RENTERS IN LONG BEACH ARE COST BURDENED AND OUR NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONTINUES, UH, TO PERSIST. HAVING LIVED JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM THIS PROPOSED SITE, LITERALLY JUST DOWN THE BLOCK OFF OF FOUNTAIN, UH, I KNOW THAT THIS NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WILL BRING GREAT BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS ARE NEEDED AS THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY FACES THE SPECTER OF GENTRIFICATION. I URGE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE ITEM 16 AND TO CONTINUE THE JOURNEY TO CREATING LONG BEACH THAT IS AFFORDABLE FOR ALL ITS RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS TARA. TERRY. TERRY? YEAH. IS IT TERE? TERE. ALRIGHT, GOOD. JUST CHECKING ODD SPELLING. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE SPELLING WAS RIGHT ON HERE. THANK YOU UHHUH . WELL, GOOD EVENING. UM, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED ON 14TH STREET FOR 53 YEARS, A SHORT BLOCK FROM THE PROPOSED FOUNTAIN STREET DEVELOPMENT. YOU LIKE US AND OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE SEEN THE IMPRESSIVE PLANS. WE ARE IN FAVOR OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO WHY AM I HERE TO OBJECT IN A WORD ACCESS? HA. HAVE EACH OF YOU BEEN TO THIS LOCATION IN PERSON LATELY? WALK AROUND THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PROPERTY AND THE ADJACENT STREETS. IF YOU DID, THE PROBLEMS OF ACCESS WOULD BECOME GLARINGLY APPARENT BEFORE YOU VOTE. COME THERE FIRST. SEE HOW LACK OF ACCESS WILL IMPACT BRYANT ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS, THE RESIDENTS AND STAFF OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AND THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS LACK OF PLANNING GUARANTEES TO CREATE REAL AND PERMANENT TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND ACCESS PROBLEMS THAT WILL CONTINUE AND WORSEN. DON'T DISMISS THESE OBJECTIONS AS, AS A NOT IN MY BACKYARD ISSUE. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THE COLORFUL MIX OF PEOPLE AND IS ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE. WE KNOW AND LIKE EACH OTHER, DELAY THE VOTE. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS PROJECT SUCCESSFULLY ACCESSIBLE. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE, LET'S, LET'S GET THROUGH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT IS ELSA. AFTER ELSA IS CHARLENE. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ELSA TUNG, DISTRICT FIVE, HOMEOWNER AND PRINCIPAL AT BOUTIQUE URBAN PLANNING, RACIAL JUSTICE CONSULTANCY, KEY IMPACT AND FORMER STAFFER, UH, AT LONG BEACH FORWARD, UNDER WHICH I PARTNERED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY, UM, ON MULTIPLE PLANNING PROCESSES. COUNCIL MEMBERS DON'T WE JUST LOVE A GOOD RIBBON CUTTING. I'M PROUD TO HAVE JUST SEEN MAYOR RICHARDSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DR. SOLI SORO, UH, TODAY, EARLIER TODAY AT THE WELLSPRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AT ANAHEIM AND WALNUT AND COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. IN A FEW YEARS, I HOPE THAT YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE THE PRIDE AND PHOTO OP OF THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THIS FOUNTAIN OF WORLEY. A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT. AS YOU HEARD FROM STAFF'S PRESENTATION, IT IS THE CITY'S BOTH STATUTORY AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SUPPORT NOT ONLY NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, BUT ALSO TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING. CENTRAL LONG BEACH BEARS DISPROPORTIONATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR NEW HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD DENSITY ACCORDING TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT, WHICH IS BASED ON THE LAND USE ELEMENT, THE LUE, WHICH FRANKLY LOOKS THE WAY IT DOES BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE OF RACIST CLASSES. NIMBYISM FROM EAST LONG BEACH AND BIXBY NOLES BACK IN 20 17, 20 18. THOSE MEETINGS WERE SUPER, SUPER UGLY. THE RESULTING LUE PERPETUATES RACIAL CONCENTRATIONS [01:30:01] OF POVERTY AS AND IS AN UNJUST DENSIFICATION OF THE ALREADY MOST DENSE AND LOW INCOME PARTS OF THE CITY. WHILE MOST OF EAST LONG BEACH DEFINED AS HIGH RESOURCE, JUST AS YOU SAW FROM STAFF'S PRESENTATION REMAINS SUBURBANIZED AND UNTOUCHED. SO THIS IS A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY FOR DISTRICT THREE. AND THE NEXT, UH, COUNCIL ITEM DISTRICT FIVE. UH, TO THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOLVING THE HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING CRISIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CHARLENE. AFTER CHARLENE IS MYRON. IS CHARLENE HERE? OKAY. SO NEXT IS MYRON. AFTER MYRON IS NICOLE. GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR RICHARDSON. I'M A MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH GREAT PANTHERS. THE GREAT PANTHERS ARE A SENIOR ADVOCACY GROUP IN LONG BEACH. BEFORE I, UH, GIVE REST OF MY REMARKS, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE CITY STAFF FOR THEIR WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. SO THE LONG BEACH GREAT PANDAS HAVE WORKED WITH LINK HOUSING GROUP IN THE PAST TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE AND SUPPORTIVE OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. FOR SENIORS IN LONG BEACH, THE LINK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS, FOUNTAIN STREET APARTMENTS DEVELOPMENT IN THE ZAIA NEIGHBORHOOD WILL PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR 72 APARTMENT HOMES FOR FAMILIES, INCLUDING 18 HOMES FOR HOUSEHOLDS IN WHICH ONE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS HAVE A DISABILITY, PLUS ONE PROPERTY MANAGER UNIT FOR A TOTAL OF 73 HOMES. AND IMPORTANT FOR US, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIORS TO APPLY FOR HOUSING. THE FOUNTAIN STREET APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT WILL TRANSFORM UNDERUTILIZED AND DILAPIDATED VACANT STRUCTURES ON TWO LOTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING ONGOING BLIGHT AND NUISANCE ISSUES. NOW THEY WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO QUALITY APARTMENTS WITH ONSITE PROGRAMMING FOR WORKING FAMILIES. THIS PROJECT WILL MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER AND IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY. WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS NICOLE, THEN ISMA. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NICOLE LOPEZ. UM, I LIVE ON 14TH STREET, A BLOCK AND A HALF AWAY FROM THE PROJECT. I'VE LIVED IN MY HOME FOR 20 YEARS AND 30 YEARS IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, THE PROJECT IS GREAT, NO ISSUES, BUT THE PROJECT AS PRESENTED. NOW ISSUES. YOU HAVE THIS PACKET IN FRONT OF YOU. I PROVIDED A HARD COPY AND AMY SHOULD HAVE ALSO GIVEN IT TO YOU IN THE PACKET FOR THIS EVENING, BECAUSE TIME IS LIMITED, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS, UM, SOME GENERAL CONCERNS, SPECIFICALLY NUMBER ONE, NUMBER FOUR AND NUMBER EIGHT ON THE DOCUMENT. NUMBER ONE IS ABOUT THE TIMELINE. UM, THE SITE PLAN REVIEW COMMITTEE A YEAR AGO WAS ALLOWED TO APPROVE A PLAN DESPITE INCORRECT ZONING. THE PROJECT TIMELINE IS BACKWARDS REGARDLESS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S GOVERNOR'S DIRECTIVES TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT LOOKS LIKE A BACKDOOR DEAL AMONG DEVELOPER FRIENDS. THERE SHOULD BE A PROCESS AND THE PROCESS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED. BOTTOM LINE NUMBER FOUR, SKIPPING DOWN THE GENERAL CONCERNS. UM, I DID A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, SO I'M NOT GIVING YOU INFORMATION THAT'S NOT PUBLIC. ANYBODY COULD HAVE GOT THIS AND LINK HOUSING GOT IT AS WELL TOO. UM, WE, WE WERE SOLD, UM, UH, THE PROJECT THAT THE ONLY ACCESS WAS ON FOUNTAIN STREET AND WORLEY COURT, AND THAT'S NOT CORRECT. THE ASSESSOR ID, THERE'S TWO ASSESSOR ID NUMBERS THAT ALLOW RIGHTFUL ACCESS FROM ANAHEIM STREET, UH, THROUGH WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE DIALYSIS CENTER AT THE FRONT TO THE BACK OF WORLEY COURT. YOU HAVE THAT DOCUMENT, UM, AS ATTACHMENTS TWO AND THREE IN THIS PACKET. AND THEN THE, THE LAST ITEM I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS NUMBER EIGHT. THIS PROPERTY IS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY PROJECT TO CHANGE ZONING BETWEEN PCH AND 10TH STREET, UM, ON OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. I ASK THAT YOU PAUSE YOUR APPROVAL TONIGHT TO PUSH THIS, UM, PROJECT FORWARD AND UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY GET SOME MORE INFORMATION AND REALLY WORK TOWARDS HAVING ACCESS FROM ANAHEIM STREET. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP TO THE PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS ISMA ENRIQUEZ. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING ESTEEM MAYOR REX RICHARDSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE STAFF. MY NAME IS ISMA ENRIQUE. I AM A BREWING, A VIKING AND A DIRT BAG, AND PROUD TO CALL LONG BEACH HOME. I ALSO HUMBLY SERVE THE, AS A LONG BEACH COMMISSIONER ON THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS APPEALS AND CONDEMNATION. AS AN ARCHITECT, I SERVE THE BOARD OF AN AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AND THE CALIFORNIA HOUSING COMMITTEE. AFTER I GRADUATED FROM C-S-E-O-B, I LIVED NEXT TO ANAHEIM SEMINAR FOR SIX YEARS. I REALLY ENJOYED MY TIME THERE AND MISS IT, BUT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO AFFORD A LARGER APARTMENT. THE FUND PROJECT NOT ONLY WILL PROVIDE THE HOUSING FOR FOLKS MOST IN NEED, BUT IT WILL ALSO COMPLIMENT A NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THE SCALE FROM AN URBAN LENS WILL NOT TOWER OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WITH A THOUGHTFUL UN DESIGN, IT WILL BLEND WELL WITH THE CITY'S URBAN FABRIC. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY ALREADY RENT BURDEN, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CHOICE TO LIVE CLOSER TO JOBS AND AMENITIES. LINK. [01:35:01] A LONG BEACH DEVELOPER HAS CREATED MANY VIBRANT COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND HAS AFFORDED MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS THE DIGNITY THEY DESERVE. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN GIVEN A THOUGHTFUL EVALUATION BY THE GREAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND HAS RECEIVED SITE APPROVAL, SITE AND REVIEW APPROVAL AS WELL AS PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSION APPROVAL. I SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS PROJECT. I HOPE YOU WILL ADOPT AND ACCEPT THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO I DON'T HAVE YOU ON MY LIST. WHAT IS YOUR NAME? FRANK PRYOR. FRANK, I CAN, I'LL GIVE YOU 90 SECONDS. GO AHEAD. THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I, UH, LOOKED ON THE INTERNET TONIGHT. THE ONLY MEETING I COULD FIND WAS LONG BEACH, NEW YORK. IT'S AT 7:00 PM AND DID IT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES. UNDERSTOOD. WE'RE A MUCH BETTER LONG BEACH, BUT PLEASE CONTINUE. ANYWAY, UH, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. UH, I OWN QUITE A FEW PROPERTIES IN LONG BEACH. I'VE OWNED OVER A HUNDRED IN THE LAST 51 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN BUYING PROPERTY. I OWN A COUPLE PROPERTIES NEAR THIS THING. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO LOW INCOME HOUSING OR ANY OTHER KIND OF HOUSING. UH, I THINK IN THE LAST 100 PROPERTIES I OWN, UH, SECRETARY TOLD ME I HAVEN'T RAISED ANYBODY'S RENT IN OVER 21 YEARS. SO SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE PASSED AWAY AND THAT'S WHEN I, I WILL RAISE THE RENT WHEN I RE-RENT A PROPERTY. BUT, UH, I'M JUST WONDERING IF ANYBODY UP THERE KNOWS HOW MANY SQUARE FEET THIS PROJECT IS ON THE COUNCIL. 'CAUSE I WENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. NOT ONE OF 'EM KNEW IT'S 100,000 SQUARE FEET AND I BELIEVE THERE'S LIKE 55 PARKING SPACES. THERE'S NO PARKING AT THE SCHOOL. IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE SCHOOL. THERE IS NO PARKING LOT. THEY CLOSE THE STREET EVERY SINGLE DAY. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM TWO 30 TO THREE 15. YOU CAN'T ENTER THAT STREET BECAUSE IT'S SO CROWDED FROM THE PEOPLE PICKING UP SCHOOL. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE PROJECT EXCEPT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE PARKING. UM, PARKING'S HUGE. THAT PROPERTY WILL BE THERE FOR OVER 100 YEARS. ONCE IT'S BUILT, UH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THAT OR AT LEAST PAUSE ON THIS. I NEVER GOT ANY KIND OF NOTICE UNTIL IT WAS THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHEN IT WAS ALREADY APPROVED. SO I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T GET A NOTICE BEFORE THAT. I WOULD'VE GONE DOWN AND SPOKE ON IT. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE PROJECT. LIKE I SAID, LOW INCOME HOUSINGS FINE WITH ME. IT SHOULD BE ONE STORY LOWER. THANK. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. PARKING, UH, UNITS LESS SO THEY CAN PROVIDE FOR, FOR PARKING. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. THE PARKING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING ON THIS ITEM. UH, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL NOW TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. SO I, I WANNA THANK, UM, DIRECTOR KOONS FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION. I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS AND I DO WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON THIS. UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, LINK HOUSING, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAVE BEEN, I APPRECIATE THEIR WORK WITH ME OVER THE LAST YEAR. WE'VE DONE NUMEROUS SITE VISITS. I'VE STOOD ON THE CORNER OF TERMINAL AND FOUNTAIN. I'VE STOOD IN FRONT OF BRYANT SPECIFICALLY CHOOSING THE TIME WHEN THEY MAKE THAT STREET ONE WAY FOR, UH, PICKUP AT THE END OF SCHOOL. UM, BUT I THINK IT'S, I THINK LINK AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS. WE'VE REENGAGED WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. UH, THEY HELP FLYER DOOR TO DOOR, UM, WITH MY STAFF TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, ON FOUNTAIN STREET. NOW. I KNOW I CAN BE DETAIL FOCUSED SOMETIME. UM, BUT IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH EVERYONE. WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT I MET WITH LINK TO DISCUSS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PROJECT, UH, DESCRIPTION. THIS PROJECT STARTED OVER FIVE YEARS AGO. THE CITY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY WITH THE INTENT AND CAN'T GO AROUND NOT BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS A PROBLEM BACK THEN. NOW WE FAST FORWARD TO TODAY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS SKYROCKETED. THAT NEED IS SKYROCKETED. SO I'M HAPPY THAT THIS IS IN THE THIRD DISTRICT. UH, AND WE'RE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND WE'RE PROVIDING 72 FAMILIES HOMES. [01:40:02] NOW, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE COME OUT AND WORKED WITH ME AND TALKED WITH ME ABOUT THIS PROJECT. UM, I THINK AS WE HEARD, THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT'S NOT ROOTED IN FEARMONGERING ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S ROOTED IN REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE LIVING IN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT. WE HAD A GOOD COMMUNITY MEETING IN FEBRUARY. THERE WERE MANY, MANY THINGS DISCUSSED, AND I THINK THERE WERE, UM, CONCERNS WERE ALLEVIATED DURING THE COMMUNITY MEETING. UM, CONCERNS ABOUT LINE OF SIGHT LOOKING INTO PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS, THE HEIGHT OF THE PROJECT, UH, WHAT KIND OF SECURITY THE PROJECT WOULD HAVE, WHAT LANDSCAPING, DOWN TO LANDSCAPING. THE CONCERNS ALWAYS CAME BACK TO PARKING AND INGRESS AND EGRESS. THIS WAS THE COMMUNITY'S FOCUS. AND THIS HAS BEEN MY FOCUS. I'VE WALKED THE PROPERTY WITH LINK HOUSING. UM, I'VE WALKED ON WHIRLY. I GO BACK ON THE WEEKEND TO MAKE SURE, UM, I GO BACK TO LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AT TRAFFIC. SO WE'VE REHASHED THE PARKING SEVERAL TIMES AND THIS, UH, PARKING IS NOT DETERMINED BY THE CITY. THIS PARKING IS. UM, I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CORRECT WITH THAT. I'M CORRECT WITH THAT. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN REGULATE. CORRECT, CORRECT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SO WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING, UH, IN YOUR DISTRICT. AND JUST TO REITERATE, UM, HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, THE PARKING IS DETERMINED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BY THE LEGISLATURE. UH, THIS PROJECT CONCEIVABLY COULD HAVE HAD ZERO PARKING, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN A NEGATIVE OUTCOME. SO EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE LACK THE LEGAL AUTHORITY, UM, WE ALWAYS TRY TO USE THE, THE POWER PERSUASION AND DISCUSSION, UM, WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS TO GET A, A REASONABLE OR, OR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PARKING IN A PROJECT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN THIS CASE. UM, THE PROJECT DOES HAVE PARKING. IT'S NOT AS MUCH PARKING AS, AS SOME, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEELS IT NEEDS, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE THAN IS REQUIRED. UM, AND THESE ARE LOW INCOME PERSONS, UH, 25% OF WHICH HAVE DISABILITIES. SO WE DO NOT EXPECT EVERY HOUSEHOLD TO, TO HAVE A CAR. AND AGAIN, IT'S 76 PARKING SPOTS. CORRECT. 67. ALRIGHT. UM, IN WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND PUBLIC WORKS, WE ARE LOOKING TO CHANGE STREET SWEEPING. THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE HAVING TO GET UP AT 5:00 AM WHEN THE PARKING COULD BE MORE IMPACTED. SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. UM, BUT LOOKING AT THE INGRESS AND EGRESS, AGAIN, I KNOW THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SIGNED OFF, BUT DURING ONE OF OUR VISITS, UM, AGAIN REFERRING BACK TO WHEN I WAS THERE DURING BRYANT DROP OFF, IT WAS REALLY, UM, IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY DO CLOSE THAT STREET OFF TO ONE WAY AND LITERALLY THERE ARE CARS STACKED UP. SO THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITH, I NEED THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER TO GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. HOW MANY MINUTES ARE WE? I'M OUT OF TIME. IT IS YOUR DISTRICT. IF YOU WANNA JUST TO CONCLUDE YOUR LINE OF QUESTION. YEAH. I'D TO KEEP GOING HERE. YEAH. UM, SO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IT'S A COORDINATION. THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE, UH, FOR US AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO WITH OR WITHOUT THIS PROJECT, UH, AS YOU'VE SEEN, AS I'VE SEEN AS THE COMMUNITY HAVE SEEN, UM, THERE IS AN ISSUE ABOUT HOW PICKUP AND DROP OFF IS, IS CONDUCTED. THAT SCHOOL IS A GREAT SCHOOL, BUT IT WAS BUILT A VERY LONG TIME AGO, APPARENTLY WITH NO CONSIDERATION AS TO HOW PICKUP AND DROP OFF WOULD WORK AT THAT SCHOOL. UM, AND THEN, UM, WE JUST WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERS. SO THAT CLOSURE THAT OCCURS DURING, UM, PICKUP, THAT'S A INFORMAL CLOSURE. THAT'S NOT A CITY CLOSURE OF THE STREET. IF AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE NEEDED TO ACCESS, THEY WOULD BLOW RIGHT THROUGH THE CONES. THEY WOULD DO WHAT THEY HAD TO DO. UM, SO I THINK THERE'S SOME COORDINATION FOR US TO DO, UH, MYSELF, ERIC'S TEAM, YOUR OFFICE, UM, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT, UM, HOW WE CAN, CAN WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE ACCESS, UM, THE BEST IT CAN POSSIBLY BE, UM, THERE, THERE AT THE SCHOOL. ALRIGHT, THANK [01:45:01] YOU. UM, SO LINK HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OUR CITY TEAMS TO IDENTIFY SOME, UH, OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS THAT'S GOING TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE INGRESS AND EGRESS CONCERNS FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE AROUND THE PROPERTY AND WHO WILL BE LIVING ON THE NEW DEVELOPMENT. IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE AND WITH LINK AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS PARTNERS, UM, TO, TO DO THINGS LIKE, UM, LINK HAS TO DO PAVING IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THEIR PROJECT, BUT I'D LIKE THEM TO EXTEND THAT OUT. AND, UM, THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY HAS SOME, UH, STREETS THAT ARE, UH, IN DESPERATE NEED OF REPAVING AND SIDEWALKS AND TREES. SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS MANY OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS AND BENEFITS AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT, UM, TO, TO BRING THAT TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE FOR A ZONING CHANGE TODAY, UH, WHICH WE'RE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO DO, BUT THIS IS NOT THE END OF THIS STORY OF THIS PROJECT, RIGHT. SO THIS PROJECT STILL NEEDS FUNDING FROM THE STATE. UM, AND THEN, UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING THEY START CONSTRUCTION, UH, SOMETIME NEXT YEAR, IT TAKES A COUPLE YEARS TO CONSTRUCT IT AND THEN IT'S OCCUPIED, UM, THEREAFTER. SO WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING IN YOUR DISTRICT AND I KNOW THERE WERE THERE A COUPLE FOLKS THAT JUST DIDN'T WANT THE PROJECT, BUT MOST FE FOLKS HAD HAD VERY, UH, SPECIFIC FEEDBACK AND THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO IMPROVE. SO WE TAKE THAT ALL TO HEART. I KNOW THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM DOES, SO I THINK YOU ALREADY MENTIONED IT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE THE TREE SPECIES AND PEOPLE WANT THE TREES TO BE AS TALL AS POSSIBLE AND AND OBSCURE THE BUILDING. WELL THEN YOU WANT PLANT SPECIFIC SPECIES THAT GROW FASTER AND PROVIDE BETTER COVERAGE. UM, THE ARCHITECTURE OF FOLKS DIDN'T LOVE THE COLOR PALETTE, IT'S JUST PAINT. WE'LL CHANGE THE COLOR PALETTE. SO WE'RE CONTINUING WORK ON SOME OF THOSE DETAILS, UM, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM YOUR RESIDENTS, UM, AS WELL AS ON SOME OF THOSE HARD INFRASTRUCTURE PIECES TO MAKE THE PROJECT AS BENEFICIAL AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I BELIEVE YOU HAD ADDRESSED AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING THE QUESTION ABOUT ACCESS FROM ANAHEIM. CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT PLEASE? RIGHT, SO THERE'S A REFERENCE TO ACCESS FROM ANAHEIM. UH, THERE IS A BUILDING ON ANAHEIM. IT'S A CONTINUOUS SET OF BUILDINGS, BUT YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH THE BUILDING, THE DIALYSIS CENTER, UM, TO ACCESS, UM, SOME PARKING BACK THERE. SO IF WE HAD CONTINUED THE PRIOR USE, WHICH NO ONE WANTED TO, THAT WAS A NUISANCE USE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE THAT, UM, ACCESS, BUT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE LEGALITIES OF THAT EASEMENT ARRANGEMENT, IT'S NOT GONNA APPLY TO THE NEW USE NOR WOULD IT MEET CITY CODES AND FIRE CODES FOR ACCESSING. UM, SO THAT'S, UM, WHY WE'RE WITH THE ACCESS ON FOUNTAIN AND WORLEY AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT WORLEY, SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THAT AS THAT EMERGENCY ACCESS ONLY. IS THAT DAY-TO-DAY ACCESS? IS THAT DURING CERTAIN HOURS? CAN WE MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO WORLEY? SO THOSE DETAILS CONTINUE, UM, BASED ON, ON THE COMMUNITY COMMENTS, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY TO USE THE, UH, ANAHEIM AS ACCESS FOR THIS PROJECT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE INGRESS, INGRESS AND EGRESS ON THIS. I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THIS. SO THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, I AM SORRY ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THAT. UM, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. IT'S, UM, GOING TO BE, UH, DEMOLISHED. THERE'S A PROCESS TO THAT, BUT IT IS GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND YOU ALL AS NEIGHBORS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ENDURE WHAT YOU HAVE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. I WANNA, I WANNA THANK ALLISON KING AND, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR HER WORK, HELPING WITH THE SITUATION AND OUR HOMELESSNESS BUREAU MANAGER, PAUL DUNCAN AND THERESA CHANDLER, YOU DID OUTSTANDING, OUTSTANDING WORK FOR THE SITUATION THAT WAS THERE. UM, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE. ALRIGHT, THE MO, THAT RECORD IS NOTED. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, I WANNA THANK STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE KNOW IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS CONTEXT MATTERS, OUR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS MATTER, UM, NOT JUST FOR THIS PROJECT, AS YOU SAID, BUT FOR ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR SETTING THAT CONTEXT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CONTINUALLY GO BACK TO, UM, AS NEW PROJECTS ARE ON THE HORIZON. I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN DUGGAN FOR HER LEADERSHIP, UH, FOR HER COMMENTS TONIGHT AND HER DESIRE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'LL JUST ADD MY, MY BRIEF COMMENTS HERE. I'M TRYING TO CUE UP. I DON'T SEE, OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SUB BERNARD, BUT I DON'T SEE YOU HERE. YEAH, [01:50:01] GO AHEAD. THE SYSTEM IS NOT THANK YOU FOR INDULGENCE. UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK TO THIS, UH, BRIEFLY. THIS IS AN AREA THAT USED TO BE PART OF DISTRICT FOUR. I REPRESENTED IT FOR, UH, SIX AND A HALF YEARS. UH, IF YOU SAW IN THERE, THE FIRST YOUTH HOME LEFT IN OCTOBER, 2015. I, I TOOK OFFICE SIX MONTHS BEFORE THIS, SO THAT, THAT WAS A HEAVY LIFT TO RESOLVING THAT ISSUE FOR THE NEIGHBORS. MY FIRST SIX MONTHS IN OFFICE. UM, I, I JUST DON'T THINK THIS PROJECT HAS ANY COMPARISON TO WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE NEIGHBORS AND, UM, NOT WANTING TO HAVE ANYTHING CLOSELY RESEMBLING THAT BACK. UH, THAT, THAT USE AT THAT TIME WAS A HUGE IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORS. UH, A HUGE IMPACT ON THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, SO I, I THINK THAT WOULD RESOLVE THE TIME. SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID AT THAT TIME WAS WE REPAVED BELMONT AND FOUNTAIN SO WE COULD HAVE THAT FLOW OF TRAFFIC FOR THE SCHOOL THAT WAS, UH, TOUGH BEFORE. SO THAT'S A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. AND I THINK THE DIALYSIS GROUP WENT IN ON MY WATCH, UH, CHRISTOPHER KONS, IF YOU RECALL THAT. UM, SO, UM, BUT I DID RECEIVE BECAUSE OF MY HISTORY THERE. I DID, DID RECEIVE A FEW QUESTIONS JUST TONIGHT AND, UM, I THINK EVERYTHING HAS BEEN ANSWERED, BUT, UM, MR. KUNZ, IF YOU COULD JUST, UH, REITERATE THAT THERE WAS PUBLIC OUTREACH TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN PARTICULAR THE SCHOOL. IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN REQUIRED PER STATE LAW, BUT THAT IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN. AND, UM, AND WHETHER OR NOT ONE INDIVIDUAL DID NOT RECEIVE SOMETHING, THERE WAS A DILIGENT EFFORT FOR OUTREACH ON THIS PROJECT. WOULD THAT BE A FAIR ASSESSMENT OR ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE HAVE DONE, UM, FORMAL OUTREACH ON THIS PROJECT IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT PHASES. SO JUST FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT, THIS IS COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, BUT IT WAS COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR. UM, AND WHEN YOU WERE IN OFFICE, WE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE FACILITY AND CLOSING THE FACILITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE YOUTH FACILITY DID NOT REOPEN. UM, WE THEN HAD, UM, THE, UM, CITY ACQUIRED, UM, THE PARCEL AND WE DID SO USING AFFORDABLE MONEY, SO IT HAD TO BECOME AN AFFORDABLE PROJECT. AND WE HAVE HAD COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS SINCE 2017 ON THIS PROJECT. UM, THERE'S BEEN FORMAL NOTICES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT NOT EVERYONE GETS THEIR MAIL OR DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN. SO THAT'S WHY IN THE MO MOST RECENT PERIOD AFTER THIS TRANSITION TO COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, WE REENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN HAS HAD MULTIPLE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE'VE HAD MEETINGS AT THE SITE, WE'VE HAD MEETINGS AT OTHER LOCATIONS. SO I, I APPRECIATE AND I'M HARDENED WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE NOTICE. BUT WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF NOTICE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PROCESS OVER MANY, MANY YEARS. OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE. APPRECIATE IT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK STAFF FOR THAT PRESENTATION. AS COUNCIL MEMBER KER SAID, THE CONTEXT IS KEY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE HISTORY. I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR A WHILE, SO I'VE, I'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN AWARE AND BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW THE PROJECT, BUT I WANT TO REALLY RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN'S ATTITUDE BECAUSE YOU INHERITED THIS PROJECT AND I LOVE THE AMOUNT OF FOCUS YOU'VE PLACED ON NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEM SOLVING AND LASER FOCUSING ON WHAT WE CAN DO TODAY TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE PARKING CHALLENGES TODAY. UH, I THINK THIS PROCESS IS BROUGHT OUT, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF FOCUS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'VE SEEN HOW THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. I'LL ALSO SAY I, I CAN REMEMBER, UH, WHEN I WAS CHIEF OF STAFF TO COUNCILMAN NEIL, HE INHERITED A PROJECT VERY SIMILAR. IT WAS TO TAKE A CLOSE DOWN FARMER AND MERCHANTS BANK AND TURN IT INTO, I THINK IT WAS 60 SOME 61 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING RIGHT NEXT TO RAMONA PARK. AND THERE WERE, THERE WERE CON CONCERNS INITIALLY, BUT WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE BLIGHT OF WHAT EX WHAT WAS EXISTING WITH THE CLOSE DOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, GIANT MAUSOLEUM STYLE LIKE BANK AND BANK BRANCHES ARE VERY SMALL. NOW, WHEN THAT CLOSED DOWN, THERE WAS BLIGHT ON THE COMMUNITY. AND THE DIFFERENCE WHEN WE BUILT THAT SITE, UH, IT IT, IT WAS A POSITIVE, IT HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEONA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. IT HELPED ACTIVATE THE STREET AND THOSE SENIORS. IT, IT BECAME A FULLY SENIOR AFFORDABLE PROJECT. THOSE SENIORS BECAME VERY ACTIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME HISTORY IN THE CITY WITH RESPECT TO, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GET TO THIS DEGREE OF ECONOMIC SEGREGATION OVERNIGHT. WE KNOW THERE'S A HISTORY OF OF POLICIES, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT TODAY IS, IS THINK ABOUT HOW, HOW WE CAN RESOLVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL CHALLENGES, BUT THINK ABOUT HOW BEST, LIKE HOW, HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS A POSITIVE SITUATION. THERE'S A SCHOOL ACROSS THE STREET, YOUNG KIDS WILL NOT HAVE TO DRIVE TO THAT SCHOOL AND GET PICKED UP. THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET TO GO TO SCHOOL. AND WE KNOW WHEN WE HEAR STORIES AND COUNCIL MEMBER KERR TELLS ME SHE'S SERVING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, SHE TELLS ME HOW THEY'LL HAVE STUDENTS WHO DROP, WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, [01:55:01] IN THE CAR TO, TO STAY BY THE SCHOOL SO THEY CAN GO THERE. SO I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT HOW IMPORTANT THIS MOMENT IS WHEN YOU SEE THE MAP THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS COMING TO EAST LONG BEACH, THAT'S A GOOD THING. AND, AND THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S NOT BEGRUDGING AND WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEMS AND I THINK IT'S ULTIMATELY GONNA HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT, UM, BOTH ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU. UH, THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS LINK HOUSING ARE GOOD GUYS. THERE ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS OUT THERE. LINK HOUSING'S ONE OF THE BEST. SO YOU, YOU'RE LANDING A GOOD PARTNER IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY TYPICALLY WORK WITH GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THEY HAVE A GOOD RE A GREAT REPUTATION. SO, UH, I FULLY SUPPORT, UH, LINK HOUSING AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT BY THIS PROJECT FOR A WHILE THAT SAID, UM, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MAYOR, WE NEED TO, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR, WE HAVE THREE VOTES WE HAVE TO TAKE, CORRECT? THANK YOU. YES. OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE FIRST VOTE AND THEN WE'LL QUEUE UP AGAIN. SO WE'LL QUEUE UP THREE TIMES. SO LET'S QUEUE UP THE FIRST VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY, LET'S QUEUE UP THE SECOND BOAT. MOTION IS CARRIED AND LET'S DO THE FINAL VOTE. GREAT, THANK YOU. SO THAT CONCLUDES THAT ITEM. WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM 18 PLEASE. SORRY, WHICH ITEM IS, I'M SORRY, WHICH ITEM? 1818. ITEM 18 IS REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION DECLARING THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1131 EAST WARDLOW ROAD AS EXEMPT SURPLUS LAND, AND EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SURPLUS LAND [18. 24-52811 Recommendation to adopt resolution declaring The Long Beach Community Investment Company owned property located at 1131 East Wardlow Road (APNs 7146-024-025, 028) as “exempt surplus land” as defined in Government Code Section 54221(f)(1)(A); and Authorize City Manager, or designee, to take any actions and execute any documents necessary to ensure compliance with the Surplus Land Act and State regulations relating thereto. (District 5)       Office or Department: Community Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] ACT AND STATE REGULATIONS DISTRICT FIVE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. LET'S HAVE OUR STAFF PRESENTATION PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. UM, THIS ITEM IS, UH, TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE LAND AT 1131 WARDLOW ROAD TO BE EXEMPT SURPLUS LAND. NEXT ONE, A LITTLE HISTORY ON THE PROPERTY. IT'S IN DISTRICT 5 11 31 WARDLOW ON THE CORNER OF WARDLOW AND RITOS AVENUE. UM, IT CONSISTS OF TWO PARCELS IMPROVED WITH A VACANT WAREHOUSE AND ADJACENT SURFACE PARKING LOT. THE CITY, THROUGH ITS NON-PROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT ORGANIZATION, THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY PURCHASED THE PARCELS AND EXECUTED AN AGREEMENT TO NEGOTIATE EXCLUSIVELY WITH WEST HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION FOR THE, UM, FUTURE USE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA SURPLUS LAND ACT. UM, THE SURPLUS LAND ACT REQUIRES ALL LOCAL AGENCIES TO OFFER SURPLUS LAND FOR SALE OR LEASE TO AFFORDABLE HOME DEVELOPERS AND CERTAIN OTHER ENTITIES. BEFORE SELLING OR LEASING THE LAND TO ANY INDIVIDUAL, ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY, IT IS INTENDED TO PRIORITIZE REUSE OF SURPLUS LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PARKS AND SCHOOLS. AND THE SURPLUS DESIGNATION DOES NOT APPROVE ANY PARTICULAR USE OR ENTITLEMENT. UH, GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 2 2 1 F1 A ALLOWS PROPERTY TO BE DECLARED EXEMPT SURPLUS IF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET, IF NOT, LESS THAN 80% OF THE AREA OF THE PROPERTY TO BE BE DISPOSED OF SHALL BE USED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING. NOT LESS THAN 40% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS DEVELOPED SHALL BE AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS WHOSE INCOMES ARE EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN 75% OF THE MAXIMUM INCOME OF LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, HALF OF WHICH SHALL BE AFFORDABLE TO VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. AND A REGULATORY AGREEMENT RESTRICTING THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE UNITS IS RECORDED. ALSO, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MUST APPROVE THE CITY'S DECLARATION. THE NEXT STEPS, UH, WOULD BE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING LAND EXCESS EXEMPT SURPLUS PROPERTY. THEN STAFF WILL SUBMIT THE RESOLUTION TO HCD FOR COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION AND THEN THE L-B-C-I-C WILL ENTER INTO A DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. THE TIMELINE IS APPROXIMATE. UM, HCD APPROVAL OF THE DECLARATION WILL BE WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER CITY COUNCIL ACTION. SITE PLAN REVIEW AND ENTITLEMENT PROCESS WILL OCCUR THROUGH THE FALL OF 2024. THEN L-B-C-I-C WILL ENTER INTO DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPER ESTIMATED TO BE END OF 2025. AND THEN CONSTRUCTION COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS SPRING 2026 OR LATER. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1131 EAST WARDLOW ROAD AS EXEMPT SURPLUS AS DEFINED [02:00:01] IN GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 2 2 1 F1 A AND AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS AND EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SURPLUS LAND ACT AND STATE REGULATIONS RELATING THERETO. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, CHARLENE, WYNN AND KIM WARBECK. IS CHARLENE HERE? NO. OKAY, THEN KIM, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I AM HERE AS, AS A RESIDENT OF, OF CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS, AND I'M HERE TO OBJECT TO THIS DEVELOPMENT. UH, THIS, THIS WHOLE PLAN TO DEVELOP THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, UH, HAS BEEN, THERE'S BEEN LIKE A STEAM ROLLER EFFECT AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN, UH, ANY ENGAGEMENT OF, OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. AND YOU GUYS HAVE CREATED A SITUATION WHERE IT IS A ZERO SUM GAME. THERE ARE WINNERS, APPARENTLY, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE PROVIDED THE LOW INCOME HOUSING, AND THERE ARE LOSERS. AND THE LOSERS ARE THE, THE EXISTING COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. AND YOU HAVE CREATED THIS SITUATION, YOU HAVE CREATED THIS SITUATION BY, I LISTEN HERE TO THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION ON THE LAST DEVELOPMENT WHERE THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I KNOW BECAUSE I SPOKE WITH YOU, MAYOR RICHARDSON AND MS. MS. KERR COUNCILWOMAN KERR AT THE MEETING THAT WAS HELD JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTE FARCE. THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THERE WERE A LOT OF OBJECTIONS. IT IT IS IRONIC AS I'M SOMEONE WHO'S LIVED HERE. I'M A, I'M A SINGLE MOM. I'M PROVIDING FOR ME AND MY 11-YEAR-OLD BOY AND I HAVE LIVED IN THAT COMMUNITY FOR EIGHT YEARS. WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT BIXBY NOLES . WE ARE A VERY MODEST COMMUNITY. WE HAVE LITTLE TINY HOMES THAT ARE 900 SQUARE FEET RESIDENTS WHO ARE ON FIXED INCOMES. WE ARE, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE CLASS TO LOWER MIDDLE CLASS. WE ARE NOT ON, ON, YOU KNOW, 10,000 SQUARE FOOT PROPERTIES. UH, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS IMPACTED NEGATIVELY. WE HAVE SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS. WE HAVE THE, WE ARE UNDER THE FLIGHT PATH. THIS LOCATION IS UNDER THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE SMALL AIRPLANES FROM THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT THAT ARE STILL RUNNING ON LEADED FUEL. UH, WE ARE WITHIN THAT LOCATION IS WITHIN HALF A MILE OF THE 4 0 5 DOWNWIND OF THE WILMINGTON, UH, OIL REFINERIES. AND NOT, NOT VERY FAR FROM THE SEVEN 10, THE, THE AIR QUALITY IN THAT, IN THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION IS ATROCIOUS. YOU COULD WIPE DOWN THE EXTERIOR WINDOW SILL, GO BACK A WEEK LATER AND YOU WERE PICKING UP PARTICLES OF, OF TIRE OF TIRE AND LEAD. AND IT, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT LOCATION FOR THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT, THAT YOU ARE ENVISIONING. I, I LIVE PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE, FROM THE LOCATION. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE NOW. OKAY. WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. THANK YOU TO STAFF, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, IT WAS A REALLY TECHNICAL PRESENTATION AND A LOT OF GOVERNMENT CODES AND STATE REQUIREMENTS. SO I, I'M JUST GONNA ASK US TO WALK THROUGH IT, UH, WITH SOME LAYMAN'S TERMS, IF THAT'S OKAY. UH, SO IN THE LAST SLIDE YOU TALK ABOUT HOW WE WANNA BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SURPLUS LAND ACT, WHICH IS WHAT THIS ITEM TONIGHT IS, SURPLUS LAND ACT. SO PUBLIC AGENCIES, I KNOW THIS FOR MY TIME ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, ANYTIME IT'S PUBLICLY HELD LAND, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO OFFER IT TO CERTAIN AGENCIES FIRST. SO COULD YOU JUST WALK US THROUGH, UM, JUST QUICKLY WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, WHY A CITY OWNED PROPERTY HAS TO BE, UH, GONE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. UH, UNDER STATE LAW, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO, UM, THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT WAS ACQUIRED BY AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER. THE CITY SUBSEQUENTLY, UM, UH, ACQUIRED IT, UM, IN THEIR PLACE, WHICH GIVES US TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE PROPERTY AND THE ABILITY TO SHAPE THE FUTURE PROJECT, WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. AND, UM, IT WILL TAKE HOWEVER LONG IT WILL TAKE TO COME TO A, A DECISION [02:05:01] AND, AND A CONSENSUS ON THAT FUTURE DESIGN. SO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARM OF THE CITY, UM, ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY. SO, UM, UNDER THE NORMAL SUR QUOTE UNQUOTE NORMAL SURPLUS, UM, PROCESS, AS YOU ALLUDED TO, WE WOULD OFFER THE PROPERTY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, TO THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AND OTHER, UM, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. AND THEY THEN, IF THEY ALL SAID NO, WE WOULD GO THROUGH A, UM, DIFFERENT PROCESS IN, IN DETERMINING SORT OF A, UM, HIGHEST PAYING, UH, ENTITY. BUT BECAUSE THIS IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE BOUGHT IT WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS, IT WILL BE A FUTURE AFFORDABLE PROJECT TO BE DETERMINED. UM, WE'RE EXEMPT FROM THAT PROCESS, BUT WE'RE ONLY EXEMPT FROM THAT PROCESS IF COUNSEL TAKES ACTION ON THIS ITEM AND DECLARES THE PROPERTY EXEMPT UNDER THE SURPLUS LAND ACT. GREAT. AND, AND THE TWO PROJECTS, THIS SITE AND THE PROJECT THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE PREVIOUS ITEM, UM, WE KNOW THAT'S WAY FARTHER ALONG IN THE PROCESS. I THINK 2017 YOU SAID IS THE FIRST DATE, UM, THAT THE PREVIOUS ITEM HAD STARTED. SO WE KNOW THAT THIS ACT TONIGHT IS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF A PROCESS. UM, CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO US OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT WITH NEXT STEPS FOR THE PROCESS AFTER, UM, A VOTE IS TAKEN TONIGHT IF IT PASSES? SURE. SO THERE'S SORT OF TWO DIFFERENT, UM, PATHS THAT WILL HAPPEN ON PARALLEL. SO, UH, WE HAD A, UH, WELL-ATTENDED COMMUNITY MEETING IN YOUR DISTRICT. YOU WERE THERE, THE MAYOR WAS THERE. WE'VE HAD OTHER COMMUNITY, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITH, UM, CAL HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS. UM, THE DESIGN TEAM FROM THE HOUSING DEVELOPER, UH, THEY'RE BACK IN STUDIO MAKING CHANGES TO THE DESIGN OF THE PROCESS, UH, THE PROJECT. AND THAT TAKES NOT YEARS, BUT MONTHS, UM, TO DO THAT WORK. AND, UM, I THINK WE'LL COME BACK WITH A PROJECT THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT. UH, IT WILL STILL BE A HOUSING PROJECT, BUT, UM, WE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT DESIGN AND WE TAKE THAT TO HEART. SO THAT WILL HAPPEN OVER THE COMING MONTHS. THEN THERE WOULD BE MORE COMMUNITY DISCUSSION. WE WOULD SHOW THE UPDATED DESIGN. UM, AND THEN AT THE POINT THAT THE CITY FEELS READY, WE WOULD START THE FORMAL REVIEW PROCESS, UM, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE FORMAL REVIEW BY, UH, PLANNING BUREAU STAFF. SO AT THE SAME TIME, UH, THIS PROJECT'S NOT FUNDED, SO IT WOULD GO THROUGH, UM, THE PROCESS OF SECURING, UM, FUNDING FROM THE STATE AS WELL AS THE, UH, TAX CREDIT PROCESS, WHICH I DON'T HAVE MEMORIZED. SO MEGAN'S GONNA TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS. SURE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE TOO THAT IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORLD, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOCAL LENDER WHO'S INVESTING IN THE PROJECT, AND THAT IS THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY. UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER WON'T T TYPICALLY SPEND ANY MONEY ON A PROJECT UNTIL THEY KNOW THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF A LOCAL, UM, LENDER. SO ONCE THAT HAPPENS, AND ONLY THEN WILL A DEVELOPER GO THROUGH THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESS, WHICH HAS NOT EVEN YET BEGUN, UM, THE DEVELOPER HAS NOT FORMALLY SUBMITTED THEIR ENTITLEMENT PACKAGE TO PLANNING. IT IS FORTHCOMING AND THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC PROCESS AFTER THAT. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE L-B-C-I-C LONG BEACH QUEEN INVESTMENT COMPANY'S JOB IS TO BE THE FIRST MONEY IN SO THAT THE DEVELOPER CAN THEN LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS TO ACQUIRE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL FUNDING. SO THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE TO, UH, FOR THE DEVELOPER WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE, OF THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY TO APPLY FOR THOSE OTHER STATE AND COUNTY SOURCES, UH, SOME FEDERAL SOURCES AS WELL. AND ONCE, UM, THOSE ARE ACQUIRED, THEY CAN THEN USE THE LOCAL COUNTY STATE SOURCES TO LEVERAGE THE FINAL STEP, WHICH IS TAX CREDITS. SO IT'S QUITE A LONG PROCESS. IT TAKES A GOOD YEAR TO TWO YEARS MINIMUM FOR A PROJECT TO GET FULLY FINANCED. GREAT. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. I URGE MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, AGAIN, IT'S VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS, PLENTY OF TIME, PUBLIC REVIEW. UH, THIS IS THE VERY BEGINNING AND OVER TIME YOU'LL SEE A DIFFERENT PROJECT. IT'LL REFLECT SOME OF THE FEEDBACK AND THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK. AND I'M, I'M PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THIS PROJECT AS WELL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT, THAT'S OUR LAST PRESENTATION. UM, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 19. [19. 24-52813 Recommendation to adopt and approve resolution authorizing the bond issuance and sale by the Board of Public Utilities Commissioners, of Senior Water Revenue Bonds to provide funds to refund and defease all currently outstanding water revenue debt obligations, pay the cost of certain capital improvements to the water system of the City of Long Beach, and pay the costs of issuance in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $98,000,000; authorizing the execution of related documents; and approving related official actions. The series 2024 Bonds are secured solely by net revenues of the Water Enterprise. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Financial Management; Utilities         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] ITEM NINETEEN'S REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND UTILITIES RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT AND APPROVE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE BOND ISSUANCE AND SALE BY THE BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES, COMMISSIONERS OF SENIOR WATER REVENUE BONDS IN AN AGGREGATED PRINCIPLE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 98 MILLION [02:10:01] CITY Y. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN. SECONDED. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER. OH, MAYOR, I ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION. OKAY. . UM, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ON THE, IN THE STAFF REPORT, YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT THE EQUITY LENS THAT'S PART OF THE RENT STABLE, THE, THE, UM, THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND. I JUST WAS JUST HOPING THAT YOU ALL COULD JUST KIND OF PUT IN PLAIN LANGUAGE WHILE YOU TALK ABOUT THE EQUITY LENS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE, LOOK, I, YOU KNOW, I'M EPIDEMIOLOGIST, WE DON'T DO THE FINANCIAL PORTION AND IT'S WRITTEN IN FINANCIAL LEGALESE. AND SO I WAS JUST HOPING THAT YOU KIND OF CODIFY THAT FOR ME. UH, KEVIN RIPER FINANCE DIRECTOR, THE EQUITY LENS FOR THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND. AND INDEED ANY CASH RESERVES OF THE WATER UTILITY FUND OR FOR THAT MATTER, ANY WATER, ANY UTILITY, UM, ANY CASH RESERVES COME FROM RATE PAYERS. AND IF THE CASH RESERVES THAT COME FROM RATE PAYERS SIT IDLE IN A RATE STABILIZATION FUND OR ANY OTHER FUND, THEN THEY CAN'T BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES LIKE OPERATIONS, LIKE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND THEY JUST SIT THERE. AND SO WE'RE NOT, WHILE THE BOND INDENTURE ALLOWS FOR A RATE STABILIZATION FUND, THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT IS NOT PROPOSING TO PUT ANY MONEY INTO IT BECAUSE THAT MONEY WOULD BE RATE PAYER MONEY THAT WOULD JUST SIT IDLE AND WATER UTILITY RATES WOULD BE HIGHER THAN THEY NEED TO BE, UM, IF THERE ISN'T ANY MONEY PUT INTO THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND. SO THE IDEA IS TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF CASH THAT IS EXTRACTED FROM WATER UTILITY RATE PAYERS, UH, AND THEREBY KEEP RATES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, SO 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE NOT, I'M GONNA REPEAT BACK TO YOU WHAT I THINK WHAT YOU JUST SAID TO ME, . SO THE STABILIZATION FUND, LIKE YOU SAID, IS MEANT TO NOT BE EXTRACTIVE, RIGHT? SO BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, IN THE PAST, THE IDEA THAT WE, WE USE THE FUNDING FOR THESE KIND OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR CAPITAL, UM, INVESTMENTS, RIGHT OVER TIME. SO YOU DON'T HAVE, UH, RATE PAYERS RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. RIGHT? HAVING TO FUND ALL OF THE MONEY FOR THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE USED IN PERPETUITY. SO IS THE IDEA THAT THIS RATE STABILIZATION FUND ALLOWS US, IS A MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THAT. UH, THE SECOND THING THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED IS ACTUALLY THE REASON FOR THE BOND ISSUE IN THE FIRST PLACE. UH, WITH THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT SELLING THESE BONDS, ASSUMING COUNCIL APPROVAL TONIGHT, THAT WILL PROVIDE CAPITAL MONEY UPFRONT FROM BOND HOLDERS TO BUILD THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THE UTILITY, THE WATER UTILITY DOESN'T HAVE TO RAISE RATES SO HIGH TO GENERATE CASH, TO PAY CASH FOR THE, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. SO THAT'S THE RATIONALE FOR SELLING BONDS IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND'S JUST KIND OF AN APPENDAGE THAT THE, UM, RATING AGENCIES LIKE TO SEE, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOT FUNDING IT, IS TO KEEP RATES LOWER. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTIONS CARRIED. OKAY, WE'LL DO, UH, 20 [20. 24-52814 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the COVID-19 After Action Report. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Health and Human Services         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] PLEASE. ITEM TWENTY'S REPORT FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE NFI PRESENTATION ON THE COVID-19 AFTER ACTION REPORTS. CDY. OKAY, UH, WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, WE HAVE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A SECOND. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? GUYS ARE FAST. NO COMMENT. I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING A PRESENTATION. SO THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS, UM, UH, BROUGHT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND IT WAS ASKED FOR A SPECIFIC PRESENTATION. SO THIS IS ONE THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO DO TONIGHT. WE CAN ALSO PUSH IT TO ANOTHER MEETING IF YOU'D LIKE. UM, OR MR. MAYOR, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET TO THE OTHER, I'M GONNA DEFER TO COUN TO COUNCIL MEMBER. URANGA, DO YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD OR DO YOU WANNA WRAP IT UP TONIGHT? UH, WELL WE, WE CAN, WE CAN PUT UP ANOTHER NIGHT. OKAY. SO WE'LL TAKE, UM, DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL? THIS IS WAS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY EVERYBODY TO HAVE US COME AND DO THE PRESENTATION. SO, WE'LL, WE'LL JUST CONTINUE IT TO CONTINUE IT TO ANOTHER DAY WHEN WE HAVE MORE MEMBERS TO, AND DO IT, TAKE IT EARLIER IN THE AGENDA. OKAY. SO LET'S, UH, LET'S HAVE A MOTION. I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FULL COST MEETING FOR SESSION REPORT. RIGHT? SO LET'S, UH, ENTERTAIN A, A MOTION TO CONTINUE IT, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT TIME IT'S AVAILABLE. UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK A DATE. STAFF WORK WITH STAFF AFTERWARDS. OKAY'S CONTINUE. SO WE ARE GOING TO LAY THIS OVER TO A FUTURE COUNCIL DATE. UH, THAT'S NOT MORE THAN A MONTH FROM NOW. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE NEW MOTION SAYING NONE MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. [02:15:05] MOTION CARRIE. OKAY, NEXT IS ITEM. UH, LET'S SEE. ITEM [21. 24-52956 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any necessary amendments, with JS MD Sigma PLLC (Sigma), of Kempner, TX, for onsite cardiovascular biomarker detection, vascular imaging, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to identify coronary disease and occupational stressors, in a total amount not to exceed $200,000, for a period of two years, at the discretion of the City Manager. (District 1) Levine Act: Yes       Office or Department: Police Department         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] 21. THERE'S NO PRESENTATION REQUESTED HERE. ITEM 21 IS TO REPORT FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH JS MD SIGMA IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 200,000 DISTRICT ONE. OKAY, I SEE IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED. UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTIONS CARRIED. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW GO TO 22 [22. 24-52772-01 Recommendation to approve ordinance amendment to Section 3.80.261 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) to reduce the cannabis cultivation tax rate and adult-use retail tax rate and add provisions for the Pilot Tax Credit Program, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)       Office or Department: City Manager         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation.  ] ITEM 20 TWO'S REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER. RECOMMENDATION TO PROOF ORDINANCE AMENDING, UH, SECTION 3.8 0.26, ONE OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TO REDUCE THE CANNABIS CULTIVATION TAX RATE AND ADULT USE RETAIL TAX RATE AND ADD PROVISIONS FOR THE PILOT TAX CREDIT PROGRAM READ AND ADOPTED AS RED CDY. THANK YOU. I SEE IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? ONE, THERE'S ONE CRUZ, PLEASE COME FORWARD. IS EDGAR CRUZ HERE? UM, ONCE GOING TWICE? OH, THIS IS EDGAR CRUZ. GOT IT. HONORABLE MAYOR, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND FELLOW CITIZENS. AS YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW, MY NAME IS EDGAR CRUZ AND I STAND IN PARTIAL SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT. WHILE THESE MEASURES MIGHT LIGHTEN SOME FINANCIAL BURDENS, THEY COMPEL COMPEL ME TO QUESTION THE TRUE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND OUR EQUITY PROGRAMS AND WHO REALLY BENEFIT FROM THESE ORDINANCES. LONG BEACH HAS CELEBRATED AS A HUB FOR CREATING AND SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES, YET THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY, A KEY CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR ECONOMY, FACES, CLOSURES AND CHALLENGES INDICATING A NEGLECT AND SYSTEMIC, UH, SUPPORT. IT'S CONCERNING THAT SINCE THE INCEPTION OF OUR EQUITY PROGRAM IN 2018, NOT ONE TRUE EQUITY BUSINESS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED, UH, DESPITE SIGNIFICANT STATE GRANT GRANT FUNDING INTENDED TO SUPPORT THESE INITIATIVES AND NONE TO EVEN BENEFIT THESE INITIATIVES DESIGNED FOR OPERATIONAL BUSINESSES. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE GROWING CONCERNS REGARDING THE LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OCO. UH, WHAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO ENHANCE THIS OFFICE FUNCTIONALITY AND ITS, UH, SUPPORT FOR EQUITY INITIATIVES. IN 2021, THE CITY PROUDLY INTRODUCED ORDINANCES FOR NEW LICENSE TYPES TO EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY OUR INDUSTRY. YET DESPITE LEGAL PROVISIONS THAT THESE ORDINANCES TAKE EFFECT 30 DAYS AFTER POST PASSAGE, THEY STILL REMAIN INACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC STALLING PROGRESS AND POTENTIAL. ALSO, THE CITY'S FAILURE TO APPLY FOR GO BIZ GRANT FUNDING THIS YEAR, WHICH IS INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING CANNABIS, UH, EQUITY PROGRAM SIGNALS A POTENTIAL ABANDONMENT OF THESE INITIATIVES. THIS SLACK OF ACTION LEADS ME TO FEAR THAT THE EQUITY PROGRAM MAY SLOWLY DIE OUT RENDERING THE TIME, ENERGY, RESOURCES, AND HOPE THAT MANY OF US HAVE INVESTED A WASTE. THIS IS DEEPLY CONCERNING FOR NOT THOSE THAT WHO'VE ONLY ALREADY FAILED TO LAUNCH A BUSINESS, UH, DUE TO THE HURDLES, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO DIS WHO WERE DISSUADED BY THE CITY'S LACKLUSTER SUPPORT. WHAT SPECIFIC ACTIONS HAS THE CITY COUNCIL TAKEN TO TRANSFORM EQUITY FROM A MERE BUZZWORD INTO A PRACTICAL REALITY WITHIN OUR CANNABIS INDUSTRY? AS WE ARE ENSURING THAT THE PI, ARE WE ENSURING THAT THE PILOT TAX PROGRAM ISN'T BEING DISGUISED AS AN ALREADY FAILED INCUBATION PLAN? JUST TO SAY THAT YOU GUYS CARE ABOUT US, UH, BUT JUST NOT AS MUCH AS THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY FAILING TO PAY THEIR TAXES AS COMMITTED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, I NEED MORE THAN PUMP FAKE ORDINANCES, AA LEADERSHIP TALKS AND POINTLESS PILOT PROGRAMS TO FILL SUPPORTED. I NEED TO SEE REAL ACTIONABLE SUPPORT THAT POSITIVELY IMPACTS THOSE OF US FACING THESE CHALLENGES DAILY. I URGE THIS URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THESE CRITICAL ISSUES SERIOUS OR JUST SHUT THE WHOLE PROGRAM DOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. UH, THAT CONCLUDES THE AGENDA. WE NOW HAVE GENERAL PUBLIC [ PUBLIC COMMENT: IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT Opportunity is given to those members of the public who have not addressed the City Council on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes unless extended by the City Council. ] COMMENT NUMBER TWO. UH, WE SEE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. UH, AND NOW WE'LL HAVE, UH, ANY FINAL ANNOUNCEMENTS [ANNOUNCEMENTS] I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE. GO AHEAD, COUNCIL MEMBER. OKAY. THANK YOU MAYOR. FOR SOME REASON THE Q SYSTEM ISN'T WORKING. LET'S, IT'S NOT WORKING. OKAY, GO AHEAD. UM, OKAY. WELL I'D I'D LIKE TO, UM, UH, INVITE EVERYONE OUT, UH, THIS SATURDAY TO PRIS ELEMENTARY FOR THEIR FUNDRAISER. THE PRI UH, PANCAKE BREAKFAST THAT'S AT 8:30 AM [02:20:02] AT PRI ELEMENTARY. AND THEN AT, UH, 9:00 AM AT STERNS PARK. WE HAVE THE, UH, GIRLS WITH GAME CELEBRATION FOR THE GIRLS IN LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND THEY'LL EACH RECEIVE A T-SHIRT AND A BATTING GLOVE COURTESY OF DISTRICT FOUR. AND SPEAKING OF YOUNG GIRLS, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER, KAYLA, WHO MADE ME THIS LOVELY NECKLACE AND I TOLD HER I'D BE SURE TO WEAR IT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING. SO THANK YOU, KAYLA. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SORROW. WERE YOU TRYING TO QUEUE? YES. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. AOS C SEVEN HAS A EARTH DAY CELEBRATION NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP THIS SATURDAY, UM, APRIL 20 8:30 AM TO 11:00 AM ON 10 20 GAVITA. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN RICKS OTI. UH, YES. I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO THE DEFOREST PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING ON THURSDAY, APRIL 18TH, UH, FROM SEVEN TO 8:00 PM UH, THAT'S HELD AT THE DEFOREST PARK CLUBHOUSE. IT'S 6 2 5 5 DEFOREST AVENUE. UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT ALSO TO DEFOREST PARK, TO THE DEFOREST PARK EARTH DAY CELEBRATION. THAT WILL BE ON SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM IT WILL ALSO BE HELD AT THE DEFOREST PARK CLUBHOUSE, 6 2 5 5 DEFOREST AVENUE. WE'LL BE HAVING FUN WITH PICKLEBALL AND I'LL BE DOING, I BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING A BUTTERFLY RELEASE. UH, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, ON MONDAY, APRIL 22ND, UH, I INVITE YOU ALL OUT TO THE COLLINS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING THAT IS VIRTUAL. UM, IF YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THESE EVENTS, UH, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE AT 5 6 2 5 7 0 6 1 3 7 OR EMAIL US AT DISTRICT9@LONGBEACH.GOV. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES, THIS WEEKEND I INVITE ALL RESIDENTS TO THE EXPO ART CENTER AT 4 3 2 1 ATLANTIC FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER OF LONG BEACH'S LOCAL ARTISTS SHOWCASE THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 19TH FROM FIVE 30 TO EIGHT 30, WHILE THEIR ART WILL CONTINUE TO BE SHOWCASED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. ON FRIDAY, YOU CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET THE FEATURED LOCAL ARTISTS AND LISTEN TO THE LIVE PANEL DISCUSSIONS. ALSO, THIS WEEKEND YOU CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE ARTS WITH ONE OR BOTH OF TWO AUTHOR EVENTS AT CUBO LONG BEACH. ON FRIDAY THE 19TH, JOIN ANNABELL TOIT TO DISCUSS THE MANGO TREE, HER MEMOIR OF FRUIT TO FLORIDA AND FELONY. AND SATURDAY APRIL 20TH, NAOMI HIRA AND ILLUSTRATOR SARAH DEMO TO VERTE FOR A BOOK SIGNING ON THEIR WORK AT CHILDREN'S INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HISTORY. LASTLY, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND VENDORS AT ONE OR TWO POP-UP EVENTS AT LONG BEACH EXCHANGE. ON SATURDAY THE 20TH, YOU CAN BRING YOUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL PET DAY FROM NOON TO FIVE OR ON THE 21ST. A VARIETY OF HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AT THE EARTH DAY MARKET FROM NOON TO FIVE. THANKS SO MUCH AND WE'LL SEE YOU OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS, PLEASE UH, JOIN THE WILMORE CITY HERITAGE ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR MONTHLY COMMUNITY MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17TH FROM SEVEN TO EIGHT 30 AT THE BENBRIDGE HOUSE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE EMAIL WILMORE CITY@GMAIL.COM. ALSO, PLEASE JOIN THE WASHINGTON HISTORIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY FOR A VIRTUAL MEETING THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 11:00 AM. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THE VIRTUAL LINK, PLEASE EMAIL WASHINGTON HISTORIC ASSOCIATION@OUTLOOK.COM. I ALSO INVITE YOU TO THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF THE YOUNG CHILD ON SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM THE LOCATION FOR THIS EVENT IS THE BILLIE JEAN KING LIBRARY AT TWO WEST BROADWAY. UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT, UM, EMAIL PROGRAM@LONGBEACH.GOV. AS A REMINDER THIS WEEKEND, WE WELCOME, UM, THE GRAND PRIX TO OUR DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH. I INVITE EVERYONE TO VISIT GPB.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION AND JOIN US THIS WEEKEND. LASTLY, BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, I INVITE YOU ALL OF MY RESIDENTS TO JOIN ME AND MY STAFF FOR OUR 2024 DISTRICT CHECK-IN. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IMPORTANT UPDATES DIRECTLY FROM AND FROM STAFF AND MY OFFICE TO MY, IT WILL BE TAKING PLACE THURSDAY, APRIL 25TH AT THE GUIDANCE CENTER AT 6:30 PM I HOPE TO SEE YOU, EVERYONE THERE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL. UH, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.