May 14, 2024 City Council - Revised

WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLE MOVEMENT, SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERMAN.

MAYOR RICHARDSON, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THAT WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO YOU.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

UH, STAND IF YOU'RE ABLE.

AND JOIN ME FACE TO FLAG, HAND OVER YOUR HEART.

AND READY TO BEGIN.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE THE FLAG.

THE UNITED STATES.

UNITED STATES AMERICA.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

SUPER NA UH, WELCOME TO THE MAY 14TH MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

UH, BOTH VICE MAYOR ALLEN AND COUNCILMAN AUSTIN WON'T BE ABLE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING.

UH, AND WE, WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS.

WE'LL, WE'LL THEN GO TAKE CARE OF CONSENT CALENDAR, AND THEN PUBLIC COMMENT.

THEN WE HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT, UH, MATTERS TO DISCUSS.

TONIGHT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING SOME OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, AND WE'LL BE TAKING OUR FIRST VOTE ON THE OLYMPICS FOR 2028.

SO WE HAVE SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT BUSINESS TO GET THROUGH.

LET'S START OFF WITH OUR PRESENTATIONS.

WE HAVE THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL, SO WE'LL PASS IT TO STAFF OR TO THE TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL.

PLEASE COME ON DOWN.

YOU'RE GOOD.

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE COVERING WHO THE TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL IS AND OUR CONNECTION TO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY.

HELLO, WE ARE THE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE FROM THE AQUA PACIFIC'S TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL.

[ AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL]

TO BEGIN WITH, THE TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL IS A YOUTH PROGRAM AT THE AQUA PACIFIC THAT CONSISTS OF OVER 40 ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS TEENAGERS WHO STRIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, AND SUPPORT THE PACIFIC, THE AQUAR OF PACIFIC'S MISSION.

THROUGH THIS AWARENESS, WE HOPE TO INSTILL A SENSE OF WONDER RESPECT AND STEWARDSHIP FOR THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

ITS INHABITANTS AND ITS ECOSYSTEMS. WE MEET WEEKLY AT THE AQUAR OF PACIFIC, WHERE OUR SCHEDULES CONSIST OF CONNECTING WITH PROFESSIONALS AT THE AQUARIUM AND WORKING ON OUR COMMITTEE PROJECTS.

OUR WORK ENVIRONMENT REVOLVES AROUND OUR VALUES OF HARD WORK AND MEETING OUR OBJECTIVES BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

THESE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS AROUND MARINE SCIENCE, EDUCATION, CONSERVATION, AND OUTREACH, COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, ASSESSING PERSONAL LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHIES THROUGH OUR WORKSHOPS, CONNECTING WITH PROFESSIONALS AND TARGET AUDIENCE SITE EVIDENCE, PROVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY OR AQUARIUM NEED FOR PROJECTS AND CELEBRITY, AND CELEBRATING THE SUCCESS OF COMPLETED PROJECTS.

WE BASE OUR PROJECTS AND WORK ENVIRONMENTS AROUND THESE OBJECTIVES, AND WE AIM TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS BY THE END OF EVERY SESSION.

SO, AGAIN, THE COUNCIL IS COMPROMISED, IS COMPOSED OF FOUR OF OVER 40 MEMBERS AND SEVEN COMMITTEES EACH WORKING IN.

WE'RE EACH WORKING TO PURSUE VARIOUS PROJECTS.

SOME OF OUR PAST PROJECTS FROM DIFFERENT COMMITTEES INCLUDE THE TEEN CLIMATE FEST, EARTH DAY EDITION, THE SHORT FILM.

WE ARE PACIFICA AND THE CHILDREN'S BOOK.

YUTAKA FINDS A FRIEND, WHICH STACEY WILL DESCRIBE IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.

THE TEEN CLIMATE FEST EARTH DAY EDITION WAS A MULTI-DAY FESTIVAL THAT PROVIDED OVER 13,000 GUESTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW IT CAN IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE METHODS AND PRACTICES IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY.

WE WERE SPONSORED BY COMPANIES SUCH AS MACY'S AND GOODWILL AND HAD SEVERAL ATTENDEES FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER, ALTA SEA YOUTH LEADERSHIP, LONG BEACH, ET CETERA.

AS FOR THE SHORT FILM, WHICH WAS CREATED BY OUR, OUR AMAZING MEDI MEDIA AND EDITORIAL COMMITTEE, WE ARE PACIFICA HONORS POLYNESIAN CULTURE.

IT AIMS TO WHICH CREATE AND THE FILM AIMS TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR INDIGENOUS AND BLACK COMMUNITIES TO EXPLORE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.

THIS FILM STARS TEISA RAMSEY, WHO IS A YOUNG WOMAN FROM THE KINGDOM OF TOGA, TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL, ALSO AUTHORED AND PUBLISHED THE BOOK.

YUTAKA FINDS A FRIEND, WHICH CEASES A STORY OF A BABY GIANT SEA BASS NAMED YUTAKA, WHO IS LOOKING FOR A FRIEND.

WE COLLABORATED WITH THE ITALY WILD ARTS TO ILLUSTRATE THIS BOOK.

THE MAIN PROTAGONIST OF THE STORY, YUTAKA IS BASED ON AN ACTUAL GIANT SEA VEST THAT CAN STILL BE FOUND HERE AT THE ARAIN, THE PACIFIC TO THIS DAY WHERE HE WAS RAISED.

[00:05:01]

YUTAKA IS ONE OF THE FIRST GIANT SEA VESTS TO EVER BE BRED IN CAPTIVITY.

AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE HELD SEVERAL BOOK READINGS TO EDUCATE LONG BEACH YOUTH ABOUT IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

OUR OH, OKAY.

OUR OUTREACH COMMITTEE HELPS US CONNECT TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLOWS US TO EXTEND OUR ARMS TO DIFFERENT PARKS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE, THE ORGANIZATIONS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH SO FAR INCLUDE LA NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, EDISON ELEMENTARY AND OPERATION JUMPSTART.

WE HAVE REPRESENTED THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC AND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH'S SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES, EVENT BOOTHS, AND MORE.

TCC HAS INTRODUCED MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF EVENTS SUCH AS THE EDISON ASSEMBLY, GIRLS IN STEM AND INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S DAY, AND EVEN AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE ON THE EAST COAST.

THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE EVENTS THAT TCC HAS BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND IN THE PAST AS A YOUTH GROUP CONSISTING OF TEENAGERS.

WE APPRECIATE ANY SUPPORT IN OUR PROJECTS AIMED TOWARDS HELPING THE COMMUNITY.

WAYS THAT EVERYONE CAN HELP THE TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL IS BY PROMOTING UPCOMING EVENTS SUCH AS OUR SUSTAINABLE SIT DOWN ON MAY 18TH AND 19TH, CONNECTING PROFESSIONALS IN FIELDS REVOLVING AROUND SUSTAINABILITY TO YOUTH, TEENAGERS IN INTERESTED IN SCIENCE.

OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT WOULD BE PROVIDING US WITH CITY RESOURCES, WHICH WILL HELP US FURTHER OUR IMPLEMENTS ON THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS CONNECTIONS TO PROFESSIONALS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND GROUPS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE DIRECT LINKS TO CSU LB AND LBCC ASSETS, WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR ANY HELP THAT CAN BE PROVIDED AS WE TO USE THESE RESOURCES IN ORDER TO BETTER THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY THROUGH PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP TO OUR PEERS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ALLOW US TO PRESENT.

IT IS TRULY AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SHARE OUR MESSAGE WITH THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY AS WE CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE AQUARIUM AND THE CITY WITH EXCELLENCE.

WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO INSTILL ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP WITHIN THE YOUTH OF LONG BEACH, AND WE HOPE TO WORK ALONGSIDE THE CITY IN ORDER TO MAKE A BRIGHTER FUTURE TOGETHER.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING TWICE A MONTH.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR YOUTH CLIMATE COUNCIL AND THE AQUARIUM PACIFIC CONTINUES TO BE A RESOURCE, AN ASSET, AND A GYM FOR THE ENTIRE PACIFIC COAST.

AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT THEY ARE, UH, DOUBLING DOWN ON, UH, INVESTING IN YOUNG PEOPLE AND, AND BRING MAKING SURE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CENTRAL TO OUR, OUR EFFORTS TO, TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT, UM, CONSERVANCY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT WE HAVE OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, MONTHLY PET ADOPTIONS.

SO WHILE THEY SET UP OUR MONTHLY PET ADOPTIONS, WE HOST EVERY, OBVIOUSLY IT'S MONTHLY 'CAUSE IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S CALLED MONTHLY.

WE HOST IT EVERY MONTH.

UH, BUT WE, UH, WE HAVE, WE'RE NOT DOING TWICE A MONTH.

ARE WE DOING TWICE A MONTH?

[ ACS PET ADOPTION]

UM, NO, WE'RE DOING ONCE A MONTH.

UH, BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING WE DID PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AND WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IT, BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING OUT SOME, UH, LET'S MAKE SURE WE TAKE DOWN THE, THE ROPES FOR THIS.

IT'S, IT'S HARD FOR THE PETS.

UM, GOOD.

OR POTENTIAL FUR MOM OR FUR DAD, UM, OUR ADOPTION SPECIAL IS $25.

SO WE'VE, WE'VE BROUGHT, BROUGHT THIS TRADITION BACK, UH, LAST YEAR AND IT'S BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

SO WE'RE HANDED OVER TO ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.

HELLO, MY NAME IS MAY.

HELLO IS SCHEMED, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND HONORABLE MAYOR.

MY NAME IS MAY VIVA FROM LONG BEACH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, AND TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY OUR AWESOME VOLUNTEER, LISA AND OUR SHELTER PET OF THE MONTH.

UH, THIS IS SPARROW, UM, WHO HAS BEEN WITH US SINCE MARCH OF THIS YEAR.

UH, SPARROW IS A CHARMING SIBERIAN HUSKY WHO HAS DEFINITELY STOLEN OUR HEARTS.

UM, HE IS FIVE YEARS OLD, 70 POUNDS, AND HE'S A SWEETHEART AND PRETTY MUCH A GENTLE GIANT, UM, WITH A CALM AND LAID BACK DEMEANOR THAT MAKES HIM PERFECT, UM, FOR ANYBODY.

UM, HE'S NEUTERED AND READY, UM, FOR A FOREVER HOME, AND HE'S A CERTIFIED CHARMER WHO, UM, WHO JUST WON'T FAIL TO IMPRESS.

HE'S ALREADY PROVEN HIMSELF TO BE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF GOOD BEHAVIOR DURING OUR OUTREACH OUTING, OUTREACH OUTINGS.

AND HE'S, UM, HE LIKES TO SHOW OFF HIS EXCELLENT MANNERS AND AFFECTIONATE NATURE.

UM, VERY FRIENDLY, VERY EXCITED, BREATHES PRETTY LOUDLY, BUT THAT MEANS THAT HE'S JUST REALLY EXCITED, UM, TO MEET ANYBODY THAT HE SEES.

SO HE IS LOOKING FOR A FOREVER FA UM, FOREVER FAMILY.

AND HE'S PRETTY MUCH THE COMPLETE PACKAGE.

YOU COULD SEE HERE, HE'S CHILL, FRIENDLY AND A COMPLETE STUD.

SO THIS IS SPARROW.

SO SPARROW AND, UH, MANY OF OUR PETS TODAY ARE UP FOR OUR FIRST, A PET FIRST PET ADOPTION SPECIAL.

SO ALL MONTH LONG, STARTING MOTHER'S DAY ENDING ON FATHER'S DAY FROM MAY 10TH TO JUNE 16TH IS OUR FIRST PET ADOPTION SPECIAL.

SO IF YOU ARE, UM, A POTENTIAL MOM

[00:10:01]

SO IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A DOG ALREADY AND YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE ON A CAT, IT'S $25 FOR A CAT.

SO $25 ALL MONTH LONG, PLEASE COME TO OUR SHELTER, UM, TO, UM, GET THIS DEAL.

AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY, UM, OR WEEKLY LOW COST VACCINES.

WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH, UH, CAMP CLINICS TO HOST A LOW COST VACCINE AND MICROCHIP CLINIC.

UM, LISTED HERE ARE CLINIC DATES FOR THE REMAINING, UM, REMAINDER OF MAY OF MAY OF THIS MONTH.

SO MONDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AND FRIDAY, UM, 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM ON MAY 24TH.

AND ALSO, UM, WE JUST WANNA ANNOUNCE TOO THAT, UM, OUR CLINICS ARE WEEKLY EVERY MONDAY, UM, ALL YEAR LONG.

AND THEN ALSO EVERY SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY OR EVERY SECOND AND FOURTH FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.

AND THEN HERE WE HAVE SOME ADOPTION EVENTS COMING UP.

WE HAVE PARTNER PARTNERED WITH DISTRICT SEVEN, UM, COUNCILMAN URANGA FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SO THIS MONTH IS OUR MAY 25TH EVENT AT VETERANS PARK.

UM, ALL ADOPTION FEES ARE WAIVED AND THEN WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY PET SUPPLIES EVENT, UM, AT PET SUPPLIES PLUS, UM, AT THE BELLFLOWER LOCATION ON MAY 18TH.

AND THEN LASTLY HERE ARE OUR, HERE IS OUR INFORMATION.

IF YOU WANNA VISIT OUR SHELTER, UM, COME VOLUNTEER WITH US, ADOPT WITH US, UM, CONTACT US.

UM, ALL OF OUR INFORMATION IS HERE AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND, UM, MEET YOU AT THE SHELTER.

ALRIGHT, SO LET'S HEAR IT.

FOR SPARROW AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, UM, THEY HAVE KEPT UP, UH, THEY'VE COME CONSISTENTLY MONTHLY.

THEY'VE HAD SOME REAL SUCCESS.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD A BACKLOG, A REAL BACKLOG AFTER PANDEMIC.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UH, ASSETS THAT WE HAVE TO HELP OUR SHELTER COMMUNITY IS REALLY ALL OF YOU.

IT'S THE PUBLIC HELPING SUPPORT BE A PART OF, YOU KNOW, TAKING THESE INCREDIBLE ANIMALS HOME.

YOU KNOW, I'VE ADOPTED TWO PETS FROM LONG BEACH IN, IN MY HISTORY, UH, AND I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.

WE HAVE A GREAT SHELTER AND WE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS SO FAR WITH THIS PROGRAM.

WE'VE SEEN ADOPTIONS INCREASE AND EVERY ONE OF THE PETS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT FORWARD HAS, HAS ENDED UP BEING ADOPTED.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SPARROW, WHICH IS, I LIKE ALL THE PETS, BUT SPARROW'S PROBABLY THE MOST FRIENDLY THAT WE'VE SEEN COME TO COUNCIL.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE SPARROW GOES HOME TO THE RIGHT FAMILY.

SO, UH, LET'S HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME TO ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND YOU CAN FIND THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE SLIDE.

OKAY, LET'S GET INTO THE COUNT, PLEASE.

OKAY, MOVED.

OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND.

IS THERE ANY, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? UH, SEEING NONE REQUESTED

[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 13.)]

UH, CINDY MILAD, CAMILLA DELGADO, NATHAN HUNTER, GABRIEL PEREZ,

WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT RIGHT NOW.

SO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL CALL UP THE SPEAKERS THERE.

THERE'S A CAPACITY FOR 10, UM, AND THE LIST OF NAMES IS AUSTIN MATOYER.

FIRST, WHEN YOU HEAR, HAVE HEAR YOUR NAME, FEEL FREE TO BEGIN TO 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. ]

ANDRE RAM ROMERO, UH, LUPE, RIO, VICKI JUAREZ, JEANETTE, JANELLE COOPER, AND MARY DEWANG.

SO, AUSTIN, YOU ARE UP.

AWESOME.

ALRIGHT, GOOD.

UH, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR RICHARDSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

UM, MY NAME IS AUSTIN TORE, RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH PRESIDENCY FOR THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE.

AND BEFORE I GET STARTED ON MY REMARKS, I DID WANT TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE WONDERFUL, UH, PRIDE FLAG RAISING CEREMONY TODAY.

UM, IT'S INCREDIBLE TO LIVE IN A CITY THAT, UM, RESPECTS AND, UM, EMBRACES INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY, UM, AMONG ITS PEOPLE AND IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND EVEN IN, IN CITIES NEARBY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BOOKS AND THE LIBRARY AND THINGS ARE BEING BANNED.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, THE LGBT COMMUNITY.

UM, WITH THAT SAID, UH, AS YOU KNOW, UH, THE DOWNTOWN NON MUTUAL ALLIANCE IS A NONPROFIT THAT MANAGES THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR THOU, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN REPRESENTING 1400 BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS 4,000 COMMERCIAL RESIDENT PROP, UH, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS.

TODAY I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL OUR MID-YEAR REPORT, WHICH CAPTURES, UH, OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

[00:15:01]

SINCE THE START OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER ONE, TO THE END OF, UH, MARCH 31ST.

UM, AS YOU SEE IN THE REPORT, WE'VE WORKED HARD TO STRENGTHEN AND CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE, UH, SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO OUR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND PROPERTY OWNERS FROM CREATING NEW PROGRAMS AND ADAPTING TO THE NEEDS OF NEW AND INCOMING BUSINESSES TO FORT, FIGHTING OUR HISTORIC AND IN INNOVATIVE WITH CONTINUED SUCCESSES INITIATIVES WITH CONTINUED SUCCESSES, WE'RE FOCUSED ON BUILDING OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY WHILE NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF RECOVERY.

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PAST SIX MONTHS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, LAUNCHING A NEW NETWORKING PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING A DOWNTOWN FOOD SERIES FOR FOOD VENDORS AND ENTREPRENEURS, AS WELL AS NEW LINK AND LEARN AND MUG TO MUG, WHICH ARE NETWORKING EVENTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS.

WELCOMING OVER 160 PARTICIPANTS TO OUR ANNUAL ENTREPRENEUR EDUCATION AND SMALL BUSINESS SERIES, INITIATING A CONTRACT WITH CSI PATROL SERVICES FOR ENHANCED DOWNTOWN SAFETY AND SECURITY, ADDING NEW HOMELESS OUTREACH POSITION TO CONDUCT NEARLY 91,000 ASSISTANT REQUESTS, NEARLY 400 SAFETY ESCORTS AND DISPOSING OF OVER 33,000 BAGS OF TRASH.

OUR CLEAN AND SAFE TEAM, IF YOU SEE THEM OUT ON THE STREET, THE RED SHIRTS, UM, THEY ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. THEY'RE THE HIGHLIGHT, UM, AND ARE TRULY THE BACKBONE OF OUR ORGANIZATION.

WE'VE INSTALLED OVER 82 NEW LIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING SOME DECORATIVE LIGHTING AND I COLLABORATION OF FRIENDS OF LINCOLN PARK PARTNERS HOSTING 91 FREE CLASSES AT THE PARK, AS WELL AS THEIR PARTNERS, UM, WITH PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE LIBRARY.

IN ADDITION, OUR EVENTS TEAM HAS HOSTED MANY EVENTS INCLUDING ROLLER DISCO AND A VERY SUCCESSFUL DATE NIGHT, AND WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR MORE.

UM, WE HAVE OUR TASTE OF DOWNTOWN ON PINE AVENUE COMING UP.

AND FINALLY, TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER, OUR MARKETING TEAM HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB GENERATING OVER 3.7 MILLION VIEWS.

UM, IN THIS TIME PERIOD ALONE.

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THE REPORT.

AND NONE OF THIS COULD BE SUCCESS.

NONE OF THIS COULD HAPPEN WITHOUT A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, OUR MAYOR, AND OUR CITY PARTNERS.

SO THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, FOR YOUR STEADFAST SUPPORT OF THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE AND YOUR ONGOING PARTNERSHIP FOR MANY OF THESE PROJECTS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO UPDATING YOU, UH, AT THE START OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR ON OUR ANNUAL REPORT.

THANK YOU, AUSTIN.

AND YOU GOT THAT WHOLE ANNUAL REPORT IN, IN THREE MINUTES.

LOVE IT.

I THINK WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SHARE SOME OF THAT, UH, TO SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, MAYBE SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT MEET LONG BEACH AND VISIT LONG BEACH 'CAUSE THEIRS IS LIKE 45 MINUTES .

UM, BUT I, I DO JUST WANNA SAY, UH, WHILE I HAVE YOU HERE, UH, OUR DOWNTOWN GETS SUCH A BAD RAP AND I, I, I WANNA APPLAUD YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE DBAS LEADERSHIP BECAUSE YOU, NOT ONLY ARE YOU, UH, UH, MANAGING THE DOWNTOWN IN A WAY THAT IS LIKE, UH, PROACTIVE AND TAKING OVER CHALLENGES, BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY THE HEAD OF THE DOWNTOWNS ASSOCIATION ACROSS CALIFORNIA, AND THEY'RE ALL, ALL THE DOWNTOWNS ARE LOOKING AT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UH, THE, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE SEEN ON HOMELESSNESS, ON LIKE VACANCY RATES, ON ACTIVATIONS AND PLACEMAKING, THE WHOLE STATE IS BENEFITING FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP.

SO IT'S NOT SET ENOUGH, BUT, UH, OUR BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, OUR DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT IS, UH, STRONG AND GETTING STRONGER.

AND, UH, I WOULD PUT OUR DOWNTOWN UP AGAINST ANY OF THE, THE TOP 10 DOWNTOWN, SANTA MONICA, OAKLAND, SACRAMENTO, DOWNTOWN LA ANY DAY LONG BEACH HAS GIVING 'EM ALL A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

PERTAINS TO CONSTRUCTION ON THE EXTERIOR OF EXISTING BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS NEW ATTACHED OR ADJACENT CONSTRUCTION.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S KEEP GOING.

I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO REALLY TALK ON THESE.

UM, I BROKE MY OWN RULE.

OKAY, NEXT IS CINDY RAD.

HELLO, UM, MY NAME'S CINDY RAD.

I LIVE IN, UH, CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE WARDLOW PROJECT.

UM, UPON MOVING TO CA HEIGHTS, I INTENDED A MEETING SPONSORED BY THE CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH OUTLINED THE RULES OF LIVING IN THIS HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.

I FOUND OUT WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE EXTERIOR OF OUR HOMES WITHOUT PAYING A FEE AND OBTAINING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.

I WENT BACK AND FORTH TO CITY HALL MANY TIMES TO SHOW PLANS, PAY FEES, AND GET THE COA FOR EVERY SINGLE PROJECT I DID FOR MY HOME.

I ALSO HAVE BEEN READING, UH, ON THE CAL HEIGHTS ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS DATED AUGUST 29TH, 2000, AND AGAIN, UPDATED TO ADD ADDITIONAL STREETS.

FEBRUARY 27TH, 1990.

OH, NO, THE ORIGINAL IS 1990.

THAT WAS UPDATED IN 2000.

NOW LET ME READ SOME EXCERPTS.

IT SAYS THE DISTRICT HAS UNITY AND COHESION BASED ON SIMILARITY OF HOUSING TYPES WITH CONSISTENT SCALE AND SETBACKS.

THAT WAS ON PAGE TWO.

ON PAGE THREE, IT SAYS, THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN FORMULATED TO ENSURE THAT CONSTRUCTION IN THE DISTRICT PRESERVES AND ENHANCES ITS ARCHITECTURAL CONTINUITY.

THIS GUIDELINE PERTAINS TO BUILDINGS OF ALL OCCUPANCY AND CONSTRUCTION TYPES, SIZES AND MATERIALS, AND

[00:20:01]

ADJACENT CONSTRUCTION.

PAGE THREE ON UNDER NEW CONSTRUCTION, THE STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, MASSING AND USE OF MATERIALS SHALL NOT BE UNCHARACTERISTICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE EXISTING STYLES OF THE DISTRICT.

NOW, I SURELY DON'T THINK THIS FITS IN WITH OUR DISTRICT, THIS MASSIVE FIVE STORY STRUCTURE.

IF THIS MASSIVE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS COMPLETED OUT OF SCALE AND NOT COHESIVE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHEN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT IS BUILT, HOW DO YOU THINK HOMEOWNERS WILL FEEL ABOUT COMPLYING TO THE RULES THAT WERE STRICTLY ENFORCED AS HOMEOWNERS? WE FEEL THE COVENANTS THAT THE CITY ADOPTED FOR THIS AREA SHOULD BE ADHERED TO.

THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD RE RESPECTED.

PEOPLE HAVE LIVED THERE FOR MANY YEARS, THEIR LIFE SAVINGS ARE IN THEIR HOMES.

DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S THREE HOMES IN THE VERY CLOSE VICINITY TO WHERE THIS DEVELOPMENT IS SCHEDULED TO BE BUILT THAT HAVE ALREADY SOLD? OKAY, UH, IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT CAL HEIGHTS IS HAVING A HOME TOUR THIS SUNDAY.

I INVITE YOU TO WALK OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SEE THE BEAUTIFUL HOMES, SEE THE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SEE HOW OUT OF CHARACTER A FIVE STORY STRUCTURE WOULD BE THERE.

MA'AM, YOUR TIMES CONCLUDED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

YOU PROMISED US EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE OKAY AT THE EXPO MEETING, AND IT WILL, THIS IS THE PROCESS, BUT THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, NEXT IS CAMILA AND THEN NATHAN WHEN I STARTED.

UH, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS CAMINA DELGADO AND I HAVE WORKED AS A HOUSEKEEPER AT THE HOTEL MAYA FOR TWO YEARS.

THANKS FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS COUNCIL.

LONG BEACH VOTERS SUPPORTED MEASURE RW TO RAISE WAGES FOR HOTEL WORKERS LIKE ME.

THIS MARKED THE THIRD TIME THAT LONG BEACH VOTERS HAVE STOOD OVERWHELMINGLY WITH THE CITY'S TOURISM WORKERS.

IN 12 YEARS.

I PERSONALLY KNOCKED ON MANY DOORS AND WAS VERY GRATIFYING WHEN WE FINALLY WON.

WHEN TOURISTS COME TO OUR CITY, THEY'RE FLYING INTO LONG BEACH AIRPORT, CHECKING INTO HOTELS AND ATTENDING CONVENTIONS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.

WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED.

THAT IS WHY I AM HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY COWORKERS FROM THE AIRPORT AND CONVENTION CENTER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TOO HAVE A PATH TO $25 AN HOUR BY 2025.

JUST AS YOU SUPPORTED ME, I ASK THAT YOU RAISE THEIR WAGES AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

NEXT WE HAVE NATHAN AND THEN GABRIEL.

[00:25:01]

MY NAME IS NATHAN HUNTER AND I HAVE WORKED AS A COOK AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.

UH, MEASURE RW WAS HISTORIC AND THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT LONG BEACH VOTERS STOOD WITH HOTEL WORKERS AND PASSED THAT LAW.

NOW IT'S TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AIRPORT AND CONVENTION CENTER WORKERS ALSO HAVE A PATH TO $25 AN HOUR.

LIKE MANY OF MY COWORKERS, BY WORKING THIS JOB, I HOPE TO EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO MOVE OUTTA MY FAMILY'S HOME AND RENT MY OWN APARTMENT.

THE WAGES WE MAKE AT THE AIRPORT HAVE SIMPLY NOT KEPT PACE WITH THE INCREASING COST OF RENT.

I'M COUNTING ON THIS ORDINANCE SO I CAN CONTINUE TO LIVE AND WORK IN LONG BEACH.

YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO BUILD A LIFE HERE, BUT WE NEED GOOD JOBS TO DO IT.

PLEASE DO EVERYTHING WITHIN YOUR POWER TO RAISE THE WAGES OF ALL TOURISM WORKERS WITHOUT DELAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE, GABRIEL.

AND AFTER GABRIEL IS ANDREA.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS GABRIEL PEREZ.

I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH LANE'S LONG BEACH FOR A JUST ECONOMY CAMPAIGN AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE.

FIRST, WE WANNA THANK THE MAYOR COUNCILWOMAN SORROW AND HER COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR VOTE LEADERSHIP LAST YEAR IN PLACING MEASURE RW ON THE BALLOT AND ENSURING THAT VOTERS HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY.

LONG BEACH IS NOW LEADING THE WAY WITH THE HIGHEST MINIMUM WAGE IN THE COUNTRY.

AS YOU KNOW, THE INTENTION BEHIND THAT INITIATIVE WAS ALWAYS TO INCLUDE THE CONCESSION WORKERS AT THE AIRPORT AND CONVENTION CENTER HERE IN THE CITY, BOTH OF WHICH ARE POSTING RECORD HIGH ATTENDANCE.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TO RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL VISION.

IT URGES THE COUNCIL TO AMEND THIS EXISTING WAGE ORDINANCE FOR THESE WORKERS SO THEY TOO CAN EARN THE LIVABLE WAGES THEY NEED AND DESERVE.

THIS IS ABOUT EQUITY AND ENSURING THAT TOURISM WORKERS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, DO NOT GET LEFT BEHIND WITH MAJOR WORLD EVENTS LIKE FIFA AND THE OLYMPICS ON THE HORIZON IS TIME TO FOLLOW THE MANDATE SET BY VOTERS, BY EXPANDING THE LIVING WAGE TO THESE WORKERS WHO ALSO MAKE UP THE BACKBONE OF LONG BEACH'S THRIVING TOURISM INDUSTRY.

YOU'VE ALL DEMONSTRATED YOUR SUPPORT FOR THESE WORKERS AND, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL.

SO I DON'T WANNA SPEND TOO MUCH TIME UNDERSCORING THE URGENCY WHICH THE WORKERS THEMSELVES HAVE ALREADY DONE.

I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE IDENTICAL AMENDMENTS, UH, TO A WAGE ORDINANCE IN LA FOR THE SAME INDUSTRY THAT PASSED AND TOOK EFFECT IMMEDIATELY IN 2009 AND 2018.

GIVEN THESE TWO RECENT EXAMPLES AND THE LEGAL PRECEDENT ESTABLISHED BY THE NINTH CIRCUIT CASE FROM BERKELEY IN 2004, WHICH WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH SOME OF YOU, AND WHICH WE'RE OPEN TO SHARING WITH THE REST, UH, WE ARE CONFIDENT IN THE COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO SEE THIS ORDINANCE THROUGH AND ENSURE THAT THE WAGES ARE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT ANY ISSUE TO EXISTING CONTRACTS AND WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE OPERATION OF THESE MAJOR ECONOMIC ENTITIES THAT WE KNOW WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE, WORKERS CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT.

SO WE URGE YOU TO ENSURE THAT THESE TOURS AND WORKERS DO NOT GET LEFT BEHIND.

NEXT IS ANDREA, THEN LUPE.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ANDREA ROMERO AND I HAVE WORKED AS A LEE COOK AT THE LONG BEACH CONVENTION CENTER FOR 11 YEARS.

MM-HMM, , THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS RECOVERED FROM WHERE WE WERE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THE NUMBER OF EVENTS BOOKED AT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS OUTPACING THE 2019 RATE.

WORKERS LIKE ME HAVE POWERED, UM, THIS RECOVERY, BUT TO CONTINUE THIS SUCCESS, WE ALSO NEED THE, WE ALSO NEED TO BE SUPPORTED.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO SURVIVE ON THE CURRENT MINIMUM, MINIMUM WAGE FOR OUR CONCESSIONARY WORKERS.

I AM ONE OF 10 PEOPLE IN THE KITCHEN.

WE NEED MORE WORKERS AS WE ARE GETTING MORE WORK, UM, THAN BEFORE.

AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO STAY AND FEEL MOTIVATED TO APPLY.

PLEASE HELP CREATE ONE STANDARD FOR LONG BEACH, UH, UH, TOURISM INDUSTRY AND RAISE THE WAGES FOR AIRPORT AND CONVENTION CENTER WITHOUT DELAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

BUT HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON THESE JOBS.

NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS LUPE FRIO AND I HAVE WORKED AS A COOK AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

IN MARCH, THE AIRPORT HAD THE MOST PASSENGERS IN A SINGLE MONTH IN THE AIRPORT'S 100 YEAR HISTORY.

THE AIRPORT COMPANIES MAY HAVE RECOVERED FROM THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE STILL HAVE NOT.

THE COST OF LIVING CONTINUES TO GO UP.

LIKE MANY OF MY COWORKERS, I DON'T JUST SUPPORT MYSELF AT THIS JOB.

MY FAMILY MEMBERS RELY ON ME AS A CARETAKER AND ON THE MONEY I MAKE WORKING AT THE AIRPORT.

IT'S NOT JUST THE WORKERS YOU SEE HERE,

[00:30:01]

PLEASE STAND WITH ALL LONG BEACH TOURISM WORKERS AND RAISE OUR WAGES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WE HAVE, UH, TWO THREE MORE.

VICKI JUAREZ, JANELLE COOPER, AND MARY WONG.

GOOD EVENING, OUR HONOR OF OUR MAYORS AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS VICKI JUAREZ AND I HAVE BEEN WORK AS A BANQUET SERVERS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR ONE YEAR.

I'M NOT PROUD OF THE WORK THAT I DO AND ENJOY TO BE ABLE TO DO WELCOME SO MANY VISITORS TO OUR CITY AND BE PART OF THEM HAVING A MEMORY EXPERIENCE, BUT BEING ABLE TO DO THE DAYS AFTER DAY IS SOMETHING DIFFICULT WHEN I STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

IN MY CASE, I WORK THREE OTHER JOBS TO PROVIDE FOR MY THREE KIDS AND PAY OVER 2000 SOME MONTH OF RENT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT I DO IF I LOST MY HOUSING.

WITH THE ELEVATE 28 PLANS, THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE SHOULD BE ALSO BE INVESTING IN OUR CONVENTION WORKERS.

PLEASE STAND WITH ALL OUR LONG BEACH TOUR WORKERS AND RAISE OUR WASTE $25 BY THE 2025.

NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS JANELLE COOPER AND I'VE WORKED AT THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW.

AS A CASHIER, I FEEL THAT IT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO BE WITH MEASURE RW JUST SO WE CAN HAVE THE WAGES THAT WE DESERVE WITH THE HIGH COST OF LIVING IN OUR AREA.

FOR ME, I'M OKAY BECAUSE I'M IN A IN LOW INCOME APARTMENT BUILDING, BUT A LOT OF MY COWORKERS ARE BARELY MAKING IT.

I'M A SINGLE MOM OF THREE KIDS AND I HAVE A ALSO ANOTHER JOB, AND I HAVE TO CONSISTENTLY WORK AND NOT SPEND TIME WITH MY KIDS TO MAKE ENDS MEET INSTEAD OF HAVING TIME WITH THEM.

SO THIS MEASURE WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET TO OUR COMPANY AS WELL AS OTHER TOURIST AND, UM, SERVICE IN OUR AREA.

ADJACENT WATERFRONT, AND OTHER AREAS THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH CITYWIDE.

AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER, PLEASE, MARY.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER.

MY NAME IS REVEREND MARY JUNG.

I AM A PASTOR AND A SENIOR FAITH READER, ORGANIZER WITH CLUE CLERGY AND LAITY, UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

TODAY I REPRESENT HUNDREDS OF FAITH LEADERS ACROSS ORANGE COUNTIES AND LA COUNTY CONNECTED WITH CLUE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF OUR TOURISM WORKERS.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF MEASURE RW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FOR PUSHING THAT FORWARD.

THE SUCCESS OF MEASURE RW SHOWS, UH, THE COUNTRY THAT LONG BEACH IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN CREATING AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY WHERE WORKERS CAN LIVE AND THRIVE WHERE THEY WORK.

AND SEVERAL CONGREGATIONS AND FAITH LEADERS IN LONG BEACH ENDORSED THE TOURISM WORKERS RISING CAMPAIGN.

WE KNOCKED ON DOORS WITH HOTEL WORKERS.

WE WROTE 1500 POSTCARDS TO VOTERS, AND WE ARE PROUD THAT OUR LONG BEACH VOTERS HAVE SET A HIGH STANDARD FOR THE NATION, FOR OTHER CITIES AND STATES TO FOLLOW AND ENSURE A LIVING WAGE FOR HOTEL WORKERS.

AS MEASURE RW WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN JULY, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT CONCESSION WORKERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE THE SAME MINIMUM WAGE AS HOTEL WORKERS.

AND SO AS A FAITH COMMUNITY, WE BELIEVE THAT ALL LABOR CONTRIBUTING TO OUR COLLECTIVE FLOURISHING HAS DIGNITY AND ALL SHOULD BE TREATED WITH RESPECT THE CONCESSION WORKERS CONTRIBUTING TO THE THRIVING TOURISM INDUSTRY IN OUR CITY.

SO THEY DESERVE A LIVING WAGE AND THEY DESERVE TIME TO SPEND WITH THEIR FAMILY LIKE HOTEL WORKERS.

SO WE URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR OUR TOURISM WORKERS, ALL TOURISM WORKERS WITHOUT DELAY.

LET'S FINISH THE JOB THAT WE STARTED SO THAT ALL WORKERS CAN THRIVE.

AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY THIS MORNING.

UH, THIS EVENING, UH, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

AND WE ARE GOING TO TAKE UP FIRST, UH, ITEM NUMBER 16, THE 2028 OLYMPICS GAMES AGREEMENT, COMMUNICATION FROM CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE THE GAMES AGREEMENT WITH THE LOS ANGELES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES, INCLUDING AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS RELATED TO HOSTING CERTAIN EVENTS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER AREA,

[16. 24-53207 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute the Games Agreement with the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including the authority to negotiate and enter into supplementary agreements related to hosting certain 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games events at the Long Beach Convention Center and Entertainment Center area, adjacent waterfront, and potentially other areas throughout Long Beach, provided City responsibilities under such supplementary agreements do not materially differ from responsibilities under the Games Agreement. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Manager Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION AND TAKE, UH, A A AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP, UH, A HISTORIC FIRST STEP, UH, AS WE, UH, CONSIDER AND ADOPT THE, THE PARALYMPIC GAMES AGREEMENT.

SO,

[00:35:01]

UM, I WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AMONGST THE FIRST COHORT OF CITIES.

I THINK CARSON WENT FIRST.

YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO GO FIRST, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A LOT, LOT WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH.

BUT, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS PRETTY BIG FOR OUR CITY.

UM, WE'RE PREPARING TO HOST SEVERAL MAJOR EVENTS AND BEING A MAJOR STAKEHOLDER IN, UH, THE OLYMPIC GAMES, 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ON TRACK TO BE AMONGST THE LARGEST VENUES OF LA 28, A MAJOR, UH, FOCAL POINT FOR LA 28.

UH, THE GAMES HAVE BEEN ALWAYS BEEN A PART.

IT'S BEEN LONG PART OF OUR HISTORY.

UH, WE HOSTED GAMES BACK IN 1932 WHEN MARINE STADIUM WAS ACTUALLY BUILT TO HOST, UH, ROWING EVENTS FOR THE 1932 SUMMER OLYMPICS.

THAT'S BACK WHEN, YOU KNOW, LONG BEACH.

UH, LONG BEACH WAS LIKE, WAS HONESTLY, IT WAS LIKE THE HOLLYWOOD FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

OCEAN BOULEVARD WAS LIKE FIFTH AVENUE.

UH, WE WERE A WATERFRONT PLAYGROUND.

THIS WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD YOUR OWN SORT OF, UH, UH, PLAYGROUND WITH THE PIKE AND ALL OF THESE AREAS THAT WERE AROUND LONG BEACH, LARGELY BEFORE THE OLY.

THE, UH, HOLLYWOOD WAS REALLY BUILT.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE TWENTIES IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, OIL AND WE WERE THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN AMERICA IN 1923 WHEN OIL, UH, WAS REALLY DISCOVERED AND EXPLORED HERE.

UH, BUT THE OLYMPICS HAS BEEN A PART OF THE ALL OF THAT HISTORY.

UH, WE WERE, WE WERE INVOLVED IN, UH, 1984 WHERE WE HOSTED OLYMPIC EVENTS LIKE YACHTING AND VOLLEYBALL AND FENCING AND ARCH AND, AND, UH, ARCHERY.

UH, IT'S A BIG PART OF OUR, OUR PROFILE.

WE WE'RE ONE OF THE ONE, A CITY THAT HAS, WE'RE AMONGST THE TOP WITH, UH, ACTUAL OLYMPIANS PER CAPITA, ONE OF THE LEADING CITIES IN AMERICA.

SO IT WAS REALLY A PART OF OUR FABRIC HERE.

UM, WE ARE, UH, AN INCREDIBLE WATERFRONT.

I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE WE ARE LOS ANGELES'S WATERFRONT.

THERE'S NINE MILES OF COASTLINE, SEVEN AND A HALF MILES OF BEACH.

UH, WE'RE, WE'RE WHO PEOPLE SEE AT NIGHT WHEN THEY TURN ON THE NEWS.

THEY SEE OUR BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT.

AND NOW THE WORLD GETS TO GET ANOTHER VIEW OF THIS.

UH, ONCE AGAIN, OUR LOCAL ECONOMY STANDS TO BENEFIT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM SERVING AS A LOCAL VENUE CITY.

THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF HOSTING THE OLYMPIC GAMES IS LIKE HOSTING SEVEN SUPER BOWLS, UH, FOR TWO WEEKS.

THAT'S THE ECONOMIC IMPACT I'M SURE WE'LL HEAR.

I'VE HEARD SEVEN, I'VE HEARD 14.

I'M GOING WITH THE MORE CONSERVATIVE NUMBER HERE.

UM, AS WE PREPARE TO SHOWCASE LONG BEACH TO THE WORLD STAGE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CULTURE, THE INTEGRITY, THE IDENTITY OF OUR CULTURE, AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, NOT ONLY FEEL INCLUDED, BUT SEE A DIRECT BENEFIT FROM THE CITY'S PLANNING EFFORTS LEADING UP TO, UH, THESE LARGE SCALE ACTIVITIES.

SO WE WANNA PREPARE OUR YOUTH TO BE INSPIRED.

THEY'LL HAVE A, YOU KNOW, FRONT ROW VIEW OF THESE HISTORIC EVENTS.

AND WE WANNA ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO TAKE, TAKE, TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR CITY AND THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES, THE CULTURE, THE, THE, UH, THE ART, THE ASSETS TO MAKE LONG BEACH SUCH AN INCREDIBLE GLOBAL CITY.

UM, YOU ALL KNOW, THE COUNCIL KNOWS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEGAN TO LOOK AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DIFFERENTLY.

WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, AND WE'VE ALIGNED THAT WITH, UH, PREPARING OUR ENTIRE CITY TO BE PROUD.

UH, SO WE'RE INVESTING $750 MILLION OF OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY INTO OUR OWN COMMUNITIES.

SO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE PROUD WITH THEIR OWN PARKS.

AS YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INSPIRED TO PLAY SOCCER, AND, UH, AS OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE PROUD OF THEIR CULTURE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA INVEST IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY AS WE PREPARE FOR THAT.

WITH OUR, OUR ELEVATE, UH, 28 PROGRAM, CULTURAL CENTERS AND PUBLIC ART, WEIGHT FINDING SIGNAGE, IMPROVING OUR STREETS AND OUR PARKS, AND OUR OUR FACILITIES AND CULTURAL SITES.

UH, WE KNOW THAT EQUITY'S AN IMPORTANT PART.

WE HEARD SOME OF, UH, OUR HOSPITALITY WORKERS.

WE ALREADY TOOK STEPS AND PUT MEASURE RW ON THE BALLOT.

IT PASSED THIS, IT PASSED IN MARCH, UH, WHICH SETS AN OLYMPICS WAGE TOWARD 28 OF $30 AN HOUR FOR HOSPITALITY WORKERS IN LONG BEACH.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE VALUE WORKERS AND WE VALUE EQUITY IN LONG BEACH.

SO ALL OF THAT, UM, HAS HELPED BROUGHT US HERE TODAY.

SO TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS AROUND AUTHORIZING CITY STAFF TO EXECUTE A GAMES AGREEMENT.

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP OF THE PROCESS.

UH, YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT NEXT STEPS, BUT CITY STAFF HAS THEIR WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

THEY HAVE TO, UH, RETURN TO COUNCIL IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO FOR THE PROPOSED VENUE USE AGREEMENT, UH, WHICH THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE AND DISCUSS.

ONCE WE FINALIZE THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, CONTINUE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AND SHARING WHAT EVENTS ARE IN THE WORK, IN THE WORK.

SO OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE CITY'S GONNA CONTINUE DEVELOPING, UH, OUR OLYMPIC STRATEGIC PLAN.

UH, BY THE END OF SUMMER, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, WE'RE GONNA ENVA ENGAGE, UH, THE ARTS CULTURE AND TOURISM COMMITTEE ON CITY COUNCIL, ENGAGE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON CITY COUNCIL, AND DO SOME PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AS WE DE DEVELOP OUR OWN LOCAL STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO THAT WORK WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SUMMER AS WE TAKE STEPS TO DEVELOP OUR STRATEGIC

[00:40:01]

PLAN.

BUT IT ALL STARTS HERE TODAY WITH THIS, UH, GAME, THIS GAME'S AGREEMENT.

SO THAT SAID, I WANNA, UM, THANK, UM, I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK THAT'S BROUGHT US UP TO TODAY.

AND WE, WE NOW WANNA JUMP RIGHT IN.

THANK YOU, MERA.

UH, THAT WAS A GREAT SUMMARY OF A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK ABOUT AND A LOT OF THE VISION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

WE'VE GOT, UH, FOUR YEARS TO GET READY FOR THE GAMES.

UH, BUT WE'RE THINKING SHORT TERM, MEDIUM TERM, AND LONG TERM.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE GAMES ARE GONE, WHAT HAPPENS, UH, IN TERMS OF LEGACY, BUT ALSO ALL THE PLANNING THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO, UH, TO PUT LONG BEACH ON THE WORLD STAGE.

UH, WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM WHO'S BEEN DOING A LOT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS AND, AND WORKING VERY DIRECTLY, UH, WITH OUR GREAT PARTNERS AT LA 28.

UH, THIS IS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL AGREEMENTS WE'RE GONNA BRING TO YOU, BUT IT'S, UH, THE FIRST.

SO IT IS, IT IS IMPORTANT.

THIS IS, IS CREATING OUR COMMITMENT TO THE GAMES, AND THEN WE GET MORE AND MORE SPECIFIC AS WE GO, AS WE DO MORE AND MORE NEGOTIATION.

WE ALSO KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT.

A LOT OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE ANSWERED OR THEY WILL BE ANSWERED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.

SOME WILL KNOW RIGHT UPFRONT AND OTHERS ARE GONNA TAKE TIME TO DEVELOP.

AND SO, UH, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF EDUCATION, UH, ALONG THE WAY.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE COLLECTING THOSE QUESTIONS AND, AND WE'LL WORK WITH OUR TEAM SO WE ARE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE AS SOON AS, UH, AS WE'RE ABLE TO.

UM, SO WE WILL BE BACK TO YOU IN A COUPLE WEEKS TO SIGN A, UM, A, UH, VENUE USE GUARANTEE, UH, WHERE WE START TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC AREAS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL LOOKING AND EXCITED FOR THE OLYMPICS, UH, IN PARIS AND, AND BE ABLE TO WATCH THAT AND ALSO SEE HOW THEY'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT LONG BEACH AND, UH, LA AS PART OF THAT.

UH, BUT TONIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN SOME OF OUR LEGAL AGREEMENTS, WE SOMETIMES JUST GIVE YOU THE OVERALL JUST, YOU KNOW, HERE'S AN AGREEMENT TONIGHT.

WE WANT TO GO A LITTLE DEEP INTO THAT.

SO THIS IS A COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S TRANSPARENT.

UM, YOU HAVE, UH, ALL OF THE STAFF REPORTS IN THE AGREEMENT IN FRONT OF YOU.

I'M GONNA HAVE OUR TEAM, UH, UH, IT WAS LED BY APRIL WALKER AND, UH, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BUT OUR, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, TYLER, UH, BONANO CURLEY WILL GO THROUGH THAT, UH, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF RICH ANTHONY, OUR DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, UH, AND THEN WE'LL BE AVAILABLE, UH, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END.

SO, TYLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

UM, GREAT INTROS AND OVERVIEWS, BUT, UH, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO DIG MORE INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THIS AGREEMENT.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS REALLY THE FOUNDATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND LA 28.

THIS IS GONNA OUTLINE SOME OF THE KEY COMMITMENTS FROM THE CITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HELP LA 28 DELIVER A SUCCESSFUL GAMES IN 2028.

UM, AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE COME TO, UH, REALLY HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF OUR KEY PRIORITIES IN THE STRATEGIC VISION AND, UM, OUR LONG-TERM LEGACY IMPACTS THAT WE WANNA SEE AS PART OF THE, UM, UH, 2028 GAMES.

SO WHAT WE WANNA WALK THROUGH IS, UH, SOME BACKGROUND WHERE WE'RE AT IN TERMS OF THE GAMES PLANNING.

UH, THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE TIMELINE OF THIS SPECIFIC AGREEMENT, THE PURPOSE OF THE AGREEMENT, AND THEN JORGE GEZ, UM, OUR CO-LEAD FOR GAMES PLANNING.

WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHTS AND SPECIFICS OF THIS AGREEMENT, UH, AS WELL AS THE FISCAL IMPACT AND ANTICIPATED BENEFITS.

SO RIGHT NOW, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFIC VENUES AND GAMES THAT WILL BE A PART OF THE 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES.

UH, WE DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION AS PART OF LA 20 EIGHT'S WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE ON, ON THE SCREEN HERE OF POTENTIAL EVENTS THAT COULD BE HOSTED HERE IN LONG BEACH, INCLUDING, UH, SAILING BMX, UH, WATER POLO, HANDBALL, TRIATHLON, AND AQUATICS, MARATHON SWIMMING.

BUT, UM, THIS LIST HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

SO THIS IS JUST A, AN OFFERING OF WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE HOSTED HERE IN LONG BEACH AS PART OF THE 2028 GAMES.

UM, AND OVER THE COMING WEEKS, AS TOM MENTIONED, LA 28 WILL BE COORDINATING AND FINALIZING WHAT THE VENUES AND THE GAMES WILL BE AS PART OF THIS REGIONAL APPROACH TO THE 2028 OLYMPICS.

SO WE'LL RETURN WITH MORE INFORMATION AS WE GET IT FROM LA 28 ABOUT WHAT THE VENUES AND THE EVENTS WILL BE HERE IN LONG BEACH.

UM, BUT JUST KNOW AT THIS POINT WE ARE THE LARGEST VENUE CITY OUTSIDE OF THE HOST CITY OF LA AND, UH, WE EXPECT TO BE A, A LARGE HUB FOR NOT ONLY THE OLYMPICS, BUT ALSO THE PARALYMPICS, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING FOR LONG BEACH.

SO AS MENTIONED, THE NEXT STEP REALLY AFTER THIS GAMES AGREEMENT IS TO, UM, GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VENUES AND THE SPECIFIC EVENTS, BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING AS PART OF THE GAMES AGREEMENT OF ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS THAT WE WILL, UM, BRING TO COUNCIL AS THOSE ARE SOLIDIFIED.

UM, ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS HERE IS FIGURING OUT COST RECOVERY AS PART OF THE GAMES IMPLEMENTATION.

THAT'S A KEY FOCUS, OF COURSE, FOR THE CITY, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE IMPLEMENT THE GAMES SUCCESSFULLY, UM, AND ARE ALSO TO RE RECOVER, UH, SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, CITY SERVICES AS PART OF THE GAMES.

SO, UM, ONE OF THE NEXT AGREEMENTS THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON WITH LA 28 IS THE NORMAL AND CUSTOMARY SERVICES AGREEMENT.

SO THIS WILL BE LOOKING AT

[00:45:01]

TRENDS OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OF WHAT THE CORE CITY SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED OR WOULD BE PROVIDED IN THE ABSENCE OF THE GAMES, SORT OF SETTING THE FISCAL BASELINE OR FOUNDATION OF WHAT THE CITY PROVIDES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

UM, AND THEN THAT WILL HELP TO SET THE FOUNDATION TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE ENHANCED SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED IN ADDITION TO THAT BASELINE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE GAMES.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'LL COME, UH, TO COUNCIL WITH A MORE DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE THE ENHANCED SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED FROM LA 20 EIGHTH'S PERSPECTIVE, UH, TO HELP THEM DELIVER THE GAMES.

SO THOSE TWO AGREEMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP, UM, IN 2025 AND 26 ARE REALLY TO SET THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT COST RECOVERY WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THE CITY.

AND THEN, UM, AS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION OF THE SPECIFIC VENUES THAT WILL PART BE A PART OF THE 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES, THEN WE WILL DEVELOP MORE SPECIFICS OF THROUGH THE VENUE SERVICES AGREEMENTS.

SO THIS IS WHERE WE'LL OUTLINE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE FOOTPRINT OF THE VENUES, UM, THE PHASING, THE DIFFERENT, UM, POTENTIAL IMPACTS, UH, FOR EACH VENUE AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE GAMES.

SO THE GAMES AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU, UH, AS MENTIONED, IS REALLY THE STARTING POINT AND THE FOUNDATION.

BUT, UH, WE'VE HAD TWO COUNCIL, UM, DISCUSSIONS ALREADY ABOUT ESSENTIALLY THIS FRAMEWORK AND COMMITMENT FOR THE OLYMPICS.

SO INITIALLY IN SEPTEMBER, 2016, WE WERE PART OF, UM, AND SUPPORTED THE AGREEMENT THROUGH THE LA 24 EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE TO, UH, SUBMIT AND POTENTIALLY HOST A PORTION OF THE OLYMPICS.

AND THEN IN FEBRUARY, 2017, WE ENTERED INTO THE 2024 OLYMPIC BID, UH, ALONG WITH LA AND THEN LATER ON THAT YEAR IN 2017, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED THAT PARIS WOULD HOST IN 2024 AND LA WOULD HOST IN 2028.

AND SO THEN LA 24 BECAME LA 28.

UM, AND SINCE THEN, AND ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING AND NEGOTIATING WITH LA 28 ON THIS GAMES AGREEMENT FRAMEWORK, UM, THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU.

AND, UH, LIKE I MENTIONED, THIS NOT ONLY WILL I THINK ALIGN WITH AND ADVANCE OUR STRATEGIC VISION, BUT ALSO HELP TO, UH, SUPPORT SOME OF OUR INTERESTS IN COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND LONG-TERM LEGACY.

SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS GAMES AGREEMENT AS MENTIONED, IS REALLY JUST TO ESTABLISH THE FOUNDATIONAL COMMITMENTS AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND LA 28.

AND THIS PROVIDES THE OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP, UM, AS WE PLAN FOR THE GAMES.

SO I'M GONNA HAND IT BACK OVER TO, UM, JORGE TO WALK THROUGH THE SPECIFIC, UH, COMMITMENTS THAT ARE IN THE GAMES AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU, TYLER.

SO, AS A HOST CITY AND THE FINANCIAL GUARANTOR OF THE GAMES, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IS POSITIONED TO RECEIVE DIRECT FINANCIAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS REFLECTING ITS SUBSTANTIAL ROLE IN CONTRIBUTION.

HOWEVER, IN OUR PURSUIT OF EQUITY AND FAIRNESS, OUR NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN SHAPED BY A FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT MAY BE AWARDED TO OTHER VENUE CITIES DURING CURRENT OR FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD ALSO BE EXTENDED TO LONG BEACH.

THIS APPROACH IS NOT MERELY ABOUT SECURING MORE BENEFITS, BUT REFLECTS A DEDICATED EFFORT TO ENSURE LONG BEACH RECEIVES EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE GAMES.

IN FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS WITH LA 28, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE STRONGLY FOR LONG BEACH AND ENSURE THAT OUR CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS CAN REAP THE BENEFITS OF HOSTING AN EVENT OF THIS GLOBAL SCALE.

ENSURING THE SAFETY OF PARTICIPANTS, VISITORS, AND ATTENDEES, UH, DURING THIS IN RESIDENCE DURING THIS INTERNATIONAL EVENT WILL BE A PRIORITY.

UM, THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITIES, UM, EXPECTED DESIGNATION OF THE GAMES AS A NATIONAL SPECIAL SECURITY EVENT, WHICH WILL BRING A COORDINATED AND COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL SECURITY RESPONSE.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS FEDERAL COMMITMENT, THE CITY WILL COLLABORATE CLOSELY WITH THE CALIFORNIA OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC PUBLIC SAFETY COMMAND, THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AND LA 28, TO DELIVER A SAFE AND PEACEFUL GAMES TO SUPPORT GAMES MESSAGING.

WE WILL COMMIT TO PROVIDING LA 28 WITH A PRIORITY OPTION TO PURCHASE UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ALL ADVERTISING SPACES UNDER CITY CONTROL.

THIS ARRANGEMENT IS SUBJECT TO LIMITATIONS OF EXISTING THIRD PARTY AGREEMENTS, ENSURING THAT PRIOR COMMITMENTS ARE RESPECTED WHILE MAXIMIZING THE VISIBILITY OF THE GAMES THROUGH STRATEGIC AD PLACEMENTS.

LEADING UP TO AND DURING THE GAMES, THERE'S A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE OUR CITY'S AESTHETICS.

WHILE ALIGNING WITH OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC THEMES, THE CITY AT OUR OWN COST HAS THE OPTION TO IMPLEMENT AN LA 28 PROVIDED BRANDING PLAN ON CITY CONTROLLED PROPERTIES SUCH AS LIGHT POLE BANNERS, BUS WRAPS, AND BILLBOARDS.

TOGETHER, THESE STRATEGIES WILL PROMOTE A COHESIVE VISUAL EXPERIENCE ACROSS

[00:50:01]

THE CITY AND THE REGION AS PART OF THE STRATEGY TO MEET LA 20 EIGHT'S ACCOMMODATION NEEDS FOR GAMES RELATED STAKEHOLDERS.

FOR ANY NEW HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS WHERE THE CITY PROVIDES INCENTIVES, WE'LL REQUIRE DEVELOPERS TO ALLOCATE UP TO 90% OF HOTEL INVENTORY FOR PURCHASED BY LA 28 FROM JUNE 21ST TO AUGUST 31ST, 2028.

IN TERMS OF TAX POLICY, THE CITY HAS AGREED NOT TO IMPOSE ANY NEW ADMISSIONS, PARKING, OR RELATED TAXES SPECIFICALLY FOR GAMES EVENTS.

ADDITIONALLY, ANY EXISTING TA TAXES EFFECTIVE AS OF THE DATE OF THIS AGREEMENT, WILL NOT BE INCREASED AFTER UNTIL THE GAMES CONCLUDE.

STAFF HAVE REVIEWED THESE PROVISIONS TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WILL BE NO NEGATIVE IMPACT ON CURRENTLY COLLECTED REVENUE STREAMS SUCH AS TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX AND CONVENTION CENTER PARKING TAXES.

OUR SUPPORT IN THIS AREA CONTRIBUTES TO BUDGET STABILITY FOR LA 28, THEREBY HELPING TO MAINTAIN A COST EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ATTENDEES.

TO ENSURE CLARITY FOR EACH OF THE CITY'S VENUES, WE WILL ENTER INTO FORMAL AGREEMENTS DETAILING THE CONDITIONS AND USE DURING THE GAMES FOR TRANSPORTATION.

WE WILL WORK WITH LA 28 AND THEIR GAMES MOBILITY EXECUTIVES TO DEVELOP THE MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN.

WE WILL ALSO COMMIT TO MAKING OUR TRAFFIC CONTROL OPERATIONS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT OVERALL TRAFFIC FLOW.

LA 28, THE IOC AND THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE ARE DEDICATED TO PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES WITHIN SPORTS.

THE GAMES WILL ADHERE TO PRINCIPLES EMPHASIZING ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY SUCH AS REDUCING WASTE, ENHANCING ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UM, MINIMIZING POLLUTION AND CONSERVING WATER AND OTHER RESOURCES.

THE CITY WILL COMMIT TO SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS BY ALIGNING WITH LA 20 EIGHT'S IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

LA 20 IS ALSO COMMITTED TO DELIVERING AN ALL-INCLUSIVE AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE EXPERIENCE.

IT PLACES HIGH IMPORTANCE ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY AT ALL LEVELS OF ITS OPERATIONS, AND STRICTLY ENFORCES A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY AGAINST HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION OR RACISM.

THE CITY WILL SUPPORT THESE VALUES BY AGREEING TO ABIDE BY ALL APPLICABLE LAWS PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE AND BUSINESS DEALINGS.

NOTABLY, THESE STRATEGIES ALL ALIGN SEAMLESSLY WITH MANY OF THE CORE VALUES AND THEMES OF OUR CITY'S EXISTING PLANNING WORK, ENSURING THAT OUR APPROACH TO THE GAMES WILL REPRESENT EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION SUSTAINABILITY AND INCLUSIVITY.

OUR GAMES PLANNING AND OPERATIONS WILL REFLECT A COMMITMENT TO ENSURING LEGAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE.

THE CITY WILL COMMIT TO ENFORCING REGULATIONS TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED STREET TRADING NEAR GAMES VENUES.

WE ALSO AGREE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY OF LA LA 28 AND BUSINESS TRADE AND SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE THE CHARGING OF REGULAR AND CUSTOMARY PRICES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES SUCH AS HOTEL RATES, RESTAURANTS, AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES.

WITHIN THE GAMES FOOTPRINT.

THE CITY WILL PUBLICIZE AND ENFORCE APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO SAFEGUARD ALL FROM UNFAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES THROUGH THE CONCLUSION OF THE GAMES.

LASTLY, WE WILL FACILITATE A STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR ALL PERMITTING AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS WORKING WITH LA 28 AND ITS PARTNERS.

WE WILL SUPPORT EXPEDITED REVIEWS AND APPROVALS, INCLUDING THOSE REQUIRED BY THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION TO AVOID DELAYS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.

THIS RECOMMENDATION HAS NO FISCAL IMPACT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

THE AGREEMENT IS AS, AS, UH, WE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE AGREEMENT ESTABLISHES A FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK THAT INCLUDES A REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS FOR ENHANCED CITY SERVICES PROVIDED DURING THE GAMES, A COMMITMENT TO A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE GAINS RISK MANAGEMENT INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER PROVISIONS TO MINIMIZE FINANCIAL RISK TO THE CITY.

WE ARE DEDICATED TO PURSUING FULL COST RECOVERY AND WE WILL RETURN TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ANY APPROVAL OF FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH ANY NON-REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES.

WHILE THE LONG-TERM FISCAL IMPACTS ARE YET TO BE DETERMINED, THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS ARE SIGNIFICANT AND MULTIFACETED.

HOSTING THE GAMES POSITIONS THE CITY ON BOTH A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STAGE, ENHANCING OUR PROFILE AND DRAWING ATTENTION TO OUR LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, WHICH BOOSTS TOURISM AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

THIS INCREASED VISIBILITY CAN LEAD TO JOB CREATION AND STIMULATE DEVELOPMENT IN THE REAL ESTATE, HOSPITALITY, AND SERVICE SECTORS.

MOREOVER, THE SUCCESS OF THE GAINS WILL POSITION THE CITY AS A DESIRABLE LOCATION FOR FUTURE LARGE SCALE EVENTS, PERPETUATING ECONOMIC AND CULTURE BENEFITS FOR GENER CULTURAL BENEFITS FOR GENERATIONS.

TO UNDERSCORE THE BROADER IMPACT OF HOSTING THIS EVENT, CONSIDER THE WORDS OF MATE VANOS BARCELONA, DEPUTY MAYOR, DESCRIBING THE OLYMPICS IMPACT ON THEIR CITY.

WHAT IS AMAZING IS THE BREADTH OF IMPACT THAT THE OLYMPIC GAMES CAN HAVE, NOT ONLY AS A SPORTING EVENT, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC REGENERATION.

THEY CREATE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE.

EQUALLY, THE GAMES ARE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE CITY TO THE WORLD BECAUSE HOSTING THE GAME SUCCESSFULLY BRINGS BOTH SPORTING AND NON-SPORTING EVENTS TO THE CITY.

THIS HIGHLIGHT THE GAME'S TRANSFORMATIVE POTENTIAL, NOT JUST AS A SPORTING SPECTACLE, BUT AS A CATALYST FOR LONG-TERM ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL GROWTH.

I'LL PASS IT BACK TO TYLER FOR, TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS.

A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE OVER THE COMING MONTHS.

SO IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, THIS IS JUST

[00:55:01]

UM, ALONGSIDE OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH LA 28 ON THIS GAMES AGREEMENT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING INTERNALLY AROUND OUR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGIC PLAN WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, KPMG.

SO I KNOW JORGE PROVIDED A PRESENTATION IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR ABOUT OUR CONTRACT WITH KPMG.

SO THIS WORK IS UNDERWAY.

UM, WE'VE KICKED OFF A, A STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORT WITH OUR IMPACTED DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED IN THE GAMES PLANNING.

SO THIS WORK WILL CONTINUE AND WE, UH, WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP YOU ALL INFORMED AS THAT DEVELOPS.

UM, AND THEN ESPECIALLY AS THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS FINALIZED, I THINK THAT'LL BE A GOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, PIECE OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE CITY'S APPROACH TO THE GAMES IS GONNA BE AND WHAT SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES ARE.

UM, AND ALONGSIDE THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS AS MENTIONED, UH, WE DO PLAN TO HAVE, I HOPE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIFIC VENUES AND GAMES THAT WOULD BE HOSTED HERE IN LONG BEACH AND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION BACK TO COUNCIL.

UM, AND AS LA 28 FINALIZES THAT LIST OF VENUES AND GAMES WITH LA AND THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, AGAIN, WE'LL BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU ALL.

UM, AND THE HOPE HERE IS THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT BEFORE THE 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS.

THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT NOT ONLY LONG BEACH, BUT THE REGION, UM, AS THE PARIS OLYMPICS ARE HAPPENING, TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IN 2028 WHERE, UH, SOME OF THESE KEY EVENTS ARE GONNA BE HOSTED IN OUR CITY.

UH, SO WE REALLY WANT TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY AND TO SHOWCASE LONG BEACH WELL AHEAD OF THE 2028 GAMES.

AND WE KNOW OF COURSE, AFTER THE 2024 GAMES ARE OVER, UH, REGIONAL PLANNING ARE, IS REALLY GONNA RAMP UP.

WE'VE ALREADY BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, CITY OF LA OF COURSE, LA 28, UM, SOME OF OUR OTHER VENUES, CITIES, LA METRO AROUND TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND SO ON.

UH, BUT WE KNOW THAT OVER THE COMING YEARS THAT WILL BE A KEY FOCUS, ESPECIALLY AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY, SPECIAL ADVANCE PLANNING AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THAT WORK OVER THE COMING YEARS AND ALSO YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ON THIS CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT.

MAKE SURE OUR, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR BUSINESSES, OUR CULTURES, UH, SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN THE TAPESTRY OF THIS EFFORT.

UH, BEFORE WE GET TO COU, GO TO COUNCIL, A FEW OTHER THINGS.

UM, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.

BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT OUR, OUR PRIORITY THROUGH ALL OF THIS IS, UH, TO ACHIEVE FULL COST, FULL COST RECOVERY ON SERVICES.

I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

UH, SECONDLY, THERE ARE MULTIPLE EFFORTS TAKING PLACE AT THE SAME TIME.

SO OUR CITY IS, UH, LASER FOCUSED ON, UM, GROW LONG BEACH AND GROWING A MORE SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMY GIVEN OUR TRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS.

SO THERE'S A PRESENTATION AFTER THIS THAT REALLY CONNECTS THIS ACTION TO THE BROADER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN THE CITY.

SO SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS WE'D BE ABLE TO GET TO IN THAT PRESENTATION.

THERE'S ALSO, UM, COORDINATED EFFORTS ON ADVOCACY.

UH, THERE ARE GONNA BE NEEDS THAT LONG BEACH AND ENTIRE REGION'S GONNA NEED FEDERALLY AND STATEWIDE.

SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COORDINATING TOGETHER, UH, WITH THE REGION, WITH METRO, WITH LOS ANGELES, WITH LA 28 ON SOME OF THOSE PRIORITIES.

LIKE WE HAVE A BRIDGE WE NEED TO BUILD, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED TO HANDLE.

AND SO THOSE EFFORTS ARE CERTAINLY HAPPENING.

UH, IN FACT, UM, OUR FEDERAL, OUR LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE WENT TO, UH, WENT TO WASHINGTON DC AND DURING THAT TIME, I WAS ABLE TO SIT ON A MEETING WITH, UM, MAYOR BASS AND THE MAYOR OF, OF ANOTHER CITY OF VENUE CITY OUTSIDE OF THIS AREA TO TALK DIRECTLY WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT SOME OF OUR NEEDS.

AND SO, UH, WE ARE BEING ENGAGED AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS AND THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND THEN THERE'S, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORT THAT WE'RE DOING INTERNALLY ABOUT OUR NEEDS.

THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED IN DECEMBER TO BRING ON A CONSULTANT AND WE'RE, WE'RE INTO THAT PROCESS NOW.

AND AGAIN, YOUR CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, UM, THE ARTS CULTURE, TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL BE PULLED INTO THAT PROCESS, UH, AS WE GET UPDATES ON OTHER THINGS FROM THE REGIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS WILL MAKE SURE THE COMMITTEES LIKE MOBILITY COMMITTEE THAT MET TODAY ARE UPDATED ON SOME OF THE REGIONAL MOBILITY EFFORTS.

BUT A LOT OF THAT WORK WILL BEGIN THIS SUMMER AND CARRY ON FOR YEARS.

AND SO, UH, SOME OF THAT WILL HAPPEN.

THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS I REALLY WANT TO JUST, UM, JUST LIFT UP AND THANK MAYOR BASS AND THE LA CITY COUNCIL FOR BEING COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS HERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, LOS ANGELES STEPPED UP AND COMMITTED TO TO DO A LOT AND TAKE A LOT OF THE RISK ON THESE GAMES.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT LEADERSHIP, THIS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IS BEING PRESENTED.

TO THE WHOLE REGION.

WE ARE ONE REGION, WE'RE AN ENTIRE REGION.

SO ALL OF US ARE HOSTS.

ALL OF US ARE PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

LONG BEACH IS AN INCREDIBLE AND IMPORTANT PART OF THAT AS, AS OUR REGION'S WATERFRONT.

AND SO IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DO OUR PART, BUT WE'RE ALSO STRATEGIC IN HOW WE

[01:00:01]

UM, WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER AS A, AS A SPORTS TOWN, AS A COLLEGE TOWN, AS A CITY WITH, YOU KNOW, UM, OLYMPIC ROOTS, OLYMPICS HISTORY, ARTS AND CULTURE MUSIC, UH, MORE ATHLETES, UM, IN THE NFL COMING OUTTA LONG BEACH POLY SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL THAN ANY HIGH SCHOOL IN AMERICA.

UH, SIGNIFICANT, UM, FOCUS ON ATHLETICS AT LONG BEACH STATE.

UM, PEOPLE HAVE COME FROM OUR CITY, HAVE GONE ON TO INFLUENCE THE WORLD LIKE BILLIE JEAN KING.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE TITLE IX AND A LOT OF THE PROTECTIONS FOR WOMEN AND RIGHTS FOR WOMEN IF IT WEREN'T FOR BILLY JEAN KING, WHO LEARNED HOW TO PLAY TENNIS AT HOWTON PARK IN NORTH LONG BEACH, AND IS A PART OF OUR LOCAL ROOTS.

AND SO, UM, WE PLAN TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS REGIONAL, UM, TO THIS REGIONAL PLANNING EFFORT AND TO, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT AND PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

THAT SAID, UH, WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM LA 28 HERE.

SO AS WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, I JUST WANNA, UM, HAVE 'EM STAND AND COME FORWARD AND, UH, JUST SAY, HI, SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM LA 28 AND SOME SPECIAL GUESTS.

HELLO.

HI EVERYONE.

UM, MY NAME IS MARTY MALLOY.

I AM A TWO TIME OLYMPIAN IN THE SPORT OF JUDO BRONZE MEDALIST FROM 2012.

I AM A LONG BEACH RESIDENT.

UM, I MOVED HERE TWO YEARS AGO TO BEGIN WORKING AT LA 28, WHERE I HELPED DELIVER ON THE DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT TEAM.

UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, ON BEHALF OF LA 28 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES, WE ARE THRILLED TO WELCOME THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, AS AN OFFICIAL VENUE CITY FOR THE LA 28 GAMES.

AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITY, UM, TO BRING THE GAMES TO LONG BEACH.

AND SO, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE MOMENT.

THANK YOU FOR THE TRUST.

THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT.

AND I JUST WANNA SAY ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UM, AS AN OLYMPIAN MYSELF, THAT THERE'S A FEW MOMENTS THAT REALLY STAND OUT IN THAT JOURNEY THAT YOU TAKE TO PURSUE THAT DREAM.

ONE OF THEM IS MAKING THE TEAM FOR THE FIRST TIME.

UM, AND THE NEXT THING IS, WHERE AM I GONNA COMPETE? WHERE'S THIS GONNA HAPPEN? UM, SO I KNOW THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY STEPS AHEAD, BUT, UM, IT'S A REALLY EXCITING ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE ATHLETES AROUND THE WORLD AND HOPEFULLY HERE, RIGHT HERE IN LONG BEACH, WHO ARE ALREADY THINKING OF THIS CITY AS A PLACE WHERE THEIR, THEIR FUTURE DREAMS COULD COME TRUE, UM, FOR OLYMPIANS AND PARALYMPIANS WITH THE PARALYMPICS COMING TO THE LOS ANGELES AREA FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO, THANK YOU ALL.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, MARTY, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM, UH, FOR HELPING PUT THIS ON.

AND, UH, WE WANT TO WISH YOU ENCOURAGEMENT.

THIS IS CRAZY.

YOU'RE BUILDING THE BIKE AS YOU'RE, AS YOU'RE RIDING IT.

FOUR YEARS IS LIKE NO TIME, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE LEADERS HERE.

WE'LL HELP DO OUR PART SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS CAN BE ORGANIZED AND PLANNED WELL, LONG BEACH WILL CERTAINLY STEP UP AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR LONG BEACH RESIDENT.

PEOPLE, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WE'RE, OUR CITY HAS PRODUCED, WE'RE AMONGST THE TOP PER CAPITA OF PRODUCING OLYMPIANS IN AMERICA.

PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT HISTORY, YOU KNOW, MISTY MAY, AND, YOU KNOW, TONY ACEVEDO AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE FOLKS IN LONG BEACH STATE.

AND OUR, UH, OUR COACH, OUR WOMEN'S BA WOMEN'S TRACK COACH IS THE HEAD COACH, UH, FOR THE WOMEN'S, OR ONE OF THE COACHES FOR, UH, UH, TRACK AND FIELD IN PARIS.

AND WE'VE GOT OLYMPIANS FROM LONG BEACH COMPETING IN PARIS RIGHT NOW, LIKE MAX IRVING, UH, WHO IS COMPETING IN WATER POLO FROM LONG BEACH.

AND HIS, HIS AUNT IS LIKE THE PRINCIPAL AT JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL.

THIS IS ALL FAMILY STUFF FOR US.

SO WE'RE INCREDIBLY, UH, UH, EAGER AND LOOK FORWARD TO JUST, YOU KNOW, WELCOMING THE WORLD HERE TO THE LOS ANGELES REGION, UH, RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD.

SO IN TERMS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M NOT SEEING, UH, ANYONE SIGNED UP.

THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT SIGNED UP.

WE'LL TAKE IT ON BEHIND THE RAIL.

UH, WE'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS.

HOW EXCITING.

THE OLYMPICS WILL BRING LOTS OF EXCITEMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LONG BEACH.

THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS IN THIS AGREEMENT.

FOR INSTANCE, THE COMPONENT OF DECLARING ACCESSIBILITY TO BE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THIS PROCESS AND ENSURING THAT ANY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OUTSIDE OF THIS AGREEMENT GRANTED TO OTHER CITIES ALSO BE EXTENDED TO LONG BEACH.

I WELCOME THIS, UH, ITEM TONIGHT TO BE THE BEGINNING OF MANY MORE CONVERSATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO DIG DEEPER INTO WHAT THE OLYMPICS WILL LOOK LIKE FOR OUR GREAT CITY OF LONG BEACH.

SUPER EXCITED.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT'S ALREADY GONE INTO THIS AND WELCOMING THE OLYMPICS AND THE PARALYMPICS.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, I FIRST WANNA THANK TOM AND HIS TEAM, TYLER AND APRIL.

WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.

UM,

[01:05:01]

HOW EXCITING TO HAVE PART OF THE IOC HERE TONIGHT, MARTY AND YOUR TEAM? IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

UM, WE'RE, WE ARE GETTING READY TO SHOWCASE LONG BEACH TO THE WORLD, AND FOR MY DISTRICT, UM, THE THIRD DISTRICT, WE'VE HAD OLYMPIC SPORTS THERE BEFORE.

WE'RE PREPARING THE CITY AND THE THIRD DISTRICT, UM, THE THIRD DISTRICT FIELD OFFICE THAT I WORK OUT OF WAS THE PREVIOUS BOATHOUSE FOR THE 1932 ROWING OLYMPICS.

THERE'S EVEN AN OLYMPIC FLAG IN THERE FROM, UH, FROM THE EVENT.

THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY OF THE OLYMPICS, UM, FROM OUR WATERWAYS.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, WELCOMING THE BEST SAILORS, SWIMMERS, ROWERS, B BM XERS, ATHLETES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO HAVE THOSE AMAZING MOMENTS THAT JUST RESONATE IN THEIR MIND FOREVER.

AND WERE GONNA BE THE VENUE.

IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

UM, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS AT THE CONGRESSIONAL CUP AND THE BUZZ WAS THAT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE 2028 SAILING.

AND WELL, JUST, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT FINALIZED YET.

WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.

YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THE CONGRESSIONAL CUP WAS GREAT.

CONGRESSIONAL CUP WAS GREAT, AND I HOPE THAT WE GET SAILING.

THERE WE GO.

UM, THE ALL EYES ARE GONNA TURN TO LONG BEACH.

AND AFTER, UH, PARIS, I KNOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA GET SAILING, SO I THINK, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE WORKING ON, THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY, I KNOW THAT STAFF IS WORKING SO HARD ON THIS.

IT'S LIKE CLEANING YOUR HOUSE WHEN GUESTS COME OVER, THERE'S A SENSE OF URGENCY, AND NOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TO GET READY FOR THE OLYMPICS.

UM, AND I THINK WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE READY WITH, UH, THAT SENSE OF URGENCY.

SO NOW WE HAVE THE DATE'S BEEN SET, WE'VE STARTED WORKING BACKWARDS TOWARDS ACCOMPLISHING ELEVATE 28 PROJECTS, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO COMPLETE THOSE, UH, BY THEN, BUT IF NOT SOONER.

AND I LOVE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT LONG-TERM LEGACIES TOO.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, THIS IS A START TO OUR AGREEMENTS, AND THERE'S MORE THAT NEED TO BE NEGOTIATED, BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE A CAVEAT FOR AMENDMENTS THAT CAN BE NEGOTIATED IF THERE'S CHANGES WITH OTHER CITIES, AND THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON FULL COST RECOVERY TOO.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT CONCLUDES THE COUNCIL'S COMMENTS.

COUNCIL DUGIN.

ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.

UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REPORT OUT FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON CLOSED SESSION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

WE HAVE ONE ITEM TO REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION.

UM, WE HAVE SETTLED THE CASE, UH, COMPOST VERSUS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $92,000.

OFFICE, AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'VE, UH, PLACED INTO THIS GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY, WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM 19.

PLEASE REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT ON KEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES AS PART OF THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE.

CITYWIDE.

ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU.

I WANNA START BY, UH, FIRST ACKNOWLEDGING, UH, CITY, OUR CITY TEAM, OUR CITY MANAGER'S

[19. 24-53209 Recommendation to receive and file a report on key economic development strategies as part of the Grow Long Beach Initiative. (Citywide) Office or Department: Economic Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR, UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, THE CITY IS, UH, IN THE MIDST OF A, WE'RE HEADING TOWARD A BIG TRANSITION, UH, FROM ON THE, YOU KNOW, ON THE WAY THAT WE FUND OUR CITY'S OPERATIONS.

UH, WE KNOW THAT, UH, LONG BEACH IS AN OIL PROVIDENCE.

HISTORICALLY, UH, LONG BEACH HAS RELIED ON LOCAL OIL PRODUCTION, UH, REVENUES TO FUND CRITICAL CITY SERVICES LIKE LIFEGUARDS AND, YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS, YOUTH PROGRAMS AND OTHER THINGS.

THE SHIFTING LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENT.

AND IT'S A VOLATILE COMMODITY.

WE'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THAT, UH, IN RECENT YEARS.

AND THAT TRANSITION DUE TO A SHIFTING LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENT, UH, MAKES IT VERY UNCERTAIN FOR US TO CONTINUE TO FUND SERVICES BASED ON THAT REVENUE IN THE YEARS TO COME.

UH, AND SO WE NEED TO BEGIN TO GROW OUR, GROW OUR ECONOMY IN NEW AND MORE SUSTAINABLE DIRECTIONS.

LAST YEAR AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

THEN WE BROUGHT, UH, BROUGHT A MOTION TO CITY COUNCIL TO GET STAFF TO BEGIN LAYING OUT STRATEGIES,

[01:10:01]

SHORT, MEDIUM, LONG-TERM STRATEGIES THAT CAN HELP, UH, WITH THIS TRANSITION.

UH, WE KNOW THAT, UH, WE ARE ALSO IN A, UH, A TIME IN OUR, AS AS WE BUDGET THAT WE ARE, UH, LOOKING AT A DEFICIT IN THE FUTURE.

AND THAT DEFICIT HAS BEEN MADE WORSE BY THE OIL TRANSITION.

SO THESE ARE REAL.

SO WE'VE GIVEN DIRECTION TO BEGIN TO PLAN, UH, ON A WAY TO GET OUR, OUR BUDGET INDEPENDENT FROM OIL REVENUES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

UH, WHAT WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION AT COUNCIL, FIRST OF THREE PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE PLANS TO ADDRESS REVENUES.

FIRST WAS LET'S PAINT THE FULL PICTURE OF THE, UH, THE DEFICIT THAT'S COMING.

AND THEN, WE'LL, WE'RE HAVING THIS PRESENTATION, WHICH IS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GROW LONG BEACH.

THINGS WE CAN DO SHORT, MEDIUM, LONG TERM.

AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH A THIRD PRESENTATION ON ADDITIONAL MEASURES.

BECAUSE MUCH OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK TAKES TIME TO MATURE, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT AS MUCH AS THE $80 MILLION DEFICIT TO THE CITY IN YEARS TO COME.

THIS WILL CERTAINLY HELP.

UH, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO FROM A STATE LEGISLATION STANDPOINT AND FROM, FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE POSITIONING OUR CITY TO DELIVER BETTER, ULTIMATELY, BETTER, AND MORE SUSTAINABLE SERVICES.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE A CITY THAT PUT OUR HEADS IN THE SAND AND AVOIDED, UH, THE REALITY THAT OIL REVENUE IS GOING AWAY IN OUR CITY.

THE QUEEN MARY WAS BUILT WITH OIL MONEY.

WE USED TO BE, YOU KNOW, FLOODED OIL MONEY.

BUT, UH, THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE.

UH, IT IS, IT IS NO LONGER SUSTAINABLE OR SMART FOR US TO DO SO.

SO THIS PRESENTATION WILL TAKE US THROUGH, WALK US THROUGH THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE, UH, AND GIVE YOU SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE STRATEGIES.

GIVE SOME FEEDBACK.

TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION IS RECEIVING FILE.

UH, SO NO ACTIONS BEING TAKEN TONIGHT.

UM, BUT IT SHOULD GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT INTO SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PLACING A FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE EDUCATION OR, OR, OR SPACE BEACH OR TOURISM.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THAT DOES OR DOES NOT AFFECT THE BUDGET, OR HOW DOES IT HELP US CREATE, YOU KNOW, A, A A WORK, A BETTER WORKFORCE OR A STRONGER ECONOMY LOCALLY.

AND SO, UH, THAT SAID, I WANNA PASS IT TO STAFF TO GET TO GET STARTED.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO, A LOT OF THESE WERE SUMMED UP IN THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS, BUT, UH, AS WE KNOW, UH, WE WERE A CITY THAT WAS BUILT ON OIL.

UH, OUR HISTORY WITH OIL GOES BACK A HUNDRED YEARS, BUT WE KNOW THAT'S NOT GONNA BE OUR FUTURE.

UM, THE COUNCIL'S TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT, UH, AND THAT WE HAVE BEGUN THAT PROCESS TO LOOK AT PHASING OUT OF LOCALIZED OIL EXTRACTION.

WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF LEGAL AGREEMENTS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT GOVERN THAT FROM, FROM THE STATE AND TO PRIVATE AGREEMENTS.

BUT, UH, WE CAN ALSO BE LOOKING OURSELVES AND WE'VE SET THIS GOAL TO SAY THAT WE ARE, UH, NOT GONNA BE, UH, RELIANT ON OIL REVENUES IN OUR FUTURE FOR OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY THAT IS GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT.

UM, WE NEED TO START PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT ELSE CAN REPLACE SOME OF THAT REVENUE.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO, UH, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE SUPPORT THOSE CORE CITY SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY, YOUTH PROGRAMMING, PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLIMATE ACTION.

AND AS YOU SAW BACK IN MARCH WHEN WE LAID OUT THAT FIVE YEAR, UH, AGENDA, UM, OR A FIVE YEAR BUDGET, UH, FORECAST, YOU WANTED US TO LOOK AT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AS WE, UM, SLOWLY REDUCE OUR RELIANCE ON OIL PROCEEDS, UH, DOWN TO ZERO BY FY 30, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.

AND SO, UH, THIS INITIATIVE REALLY, UM, IS PRETTY BOLD.

UM, WE HAVEN'T QUITE SEEN OTHER CITIES DO STUFF QUITE LIKE THIS.

SO THAT'S, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE PAST 10 MONTHS IS TRYING TO HELP FIGURE THAT OUT.

BUT TO TAKE KIND OF THE VISION THAT WAS LAID OUT AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, THIS WAS AN ITEM BROUGHT BY OUR TWO BUDGET CHAIR OR A BUDGET CHAIR, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CHAIR, UM, UH, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, UH, LEAN INTO THIS WORK AND TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME, UM, STRATEGIES.

SOME ARE SHORT TERM, SOME ARE MEDIUM TERM, SOME ARE LONG TERM, UH, TO GROW OUR KEY, UH, INDUSTRY SECTORS.

AND SO, UH, AGAIN, THAT WORK STARTED JANUARY 10TH IN, IN THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.

AND THEN, UH, MARCH 7TH IS WHEN YOU ASKED US TO WORK ON THOSE.

AND, UH, TO REMIND YOU, WHAT YOU ASKED US FOR IS TO LOOK AT PROPELLING THE GROWTH OF KEY SECTORS IN LONG BEACH, UH, TO SECURING OUR CITY'S FINANCIAL FUTURE, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT RECRUITMENT GROWTH AND RETENTION AND SUCCESS IN OUR ECONOMY, EXPAND OUR TAX BASE AND, UH, WITH GOOD PAYING JOBS THAT OFFSET THOSE REVENUES AND BOLSTER AND GROW THOSE KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS.

AND SO, UH, TONIGHT, UH, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE 52 DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH.

UH, UH, IT'S, IT WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO GO IN DEPTH INTO EVERYONE.

UH, THEY'RE IN YOUR PACKET IN ATTACHMENT A.

UH, THOSE ARE GONNA TAKE, UH, A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP AND WORK ON.

AND SOME ARE, ARE, ARE THOSE LONG TERM STRATEGIES, SOME ARE SHORTER TERM, UH, BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND WE CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER 'EM AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.

THE MAYOR SAID IT.

YOU'RE NOT APPROVING EVERY ITEM.

THOSE ARE ALL GONNA BE WORK PRODUCTS WE COME BACK TO YOU ON.

UH, AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OTHER IDEAS.

IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT YOU THINK THAT WE MISSED.

AND I DO WANNA SAY BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PRESENTATION, THIS DOESN'T NEGATE ALL OF OUR WORK THAT WE DO CONSTANTLY ON DAY-TO-DAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, ON SUPPORTING

[01:15:01]

OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS, UH, ON, ON RETENTION OF OUR CURRENT BUSINESSES.

UH, THIS WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON SOME OF THOSE LARGER IDEAS, UM, THAT HAVE THE KIND OF, UH, GREATEST REVENUE POTENTIAL, BUT SUPPORTING EVERYBODY IN OUR ENTIRE, UM, ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT THAT IS THE ROLE OF OUR CITY AND OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

SO I WILL TURN IT OVER, UH, TO BEAU MARTINEZ WHO'LL GO THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION.

WE ALSO HAVE KEVIN RIPER WHO WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE POTENTIAL FOR REVENUE, AND THEN WE'LL SUM IT UP AND TAKE QUESTIONS.

PAYING JOBS AND TAX REVENUE TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE COUNTRY.

SENIOR MANAGER MOCA, UH, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, BEAU MARTINEZ, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND AS, AS, UH, TOM AND THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO, THIS IS A BIG UNDERTAKING.

IT'S A BOLD UNDERTAKING, AND WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES AND PLANS.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND INSIGHTS FOR, TO INFORM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES MOVING FORWARD.

IT'LL FOCUS ON 52 DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES, REVENUE AND ECONOMIC POTENTIAL TIMELINE AND WORKFORCE IMPACTS.

IT'LL LOOK AT HOW WE ADVANCE OUR TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS, SECURING THE CITY'S FINANCIAL FUTURE, BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, EXPANSION, ATTRACTION, DELIVERING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, TALENT, PARTNERSHIPS, INVESTMENTS, PLACEMAKING, CLIMATE, AND THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY.

AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW THIS IS ALL GONNA HAPPEN, WE'RE REALLY GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT IT FROM FUELING OUR AEROSPACE AND AVIATION, UH, SECTORS.

THIS STARTS WITH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS, JOBS AT SPACE BEACH, AND AMERICA'S COOLEST AIRPORT, LONG BEACH AIRPORT.

AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ALL THIS GOING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES.

BUT SPACE BEACH ITSELF REPRESENTS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING ECOSYSTEMS OF SPACE COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE AEROSPACE SECTOR IN LONG BEACH HAS GROWN UP BY 30 PER 38% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

SPACE BEACH FOOTPRINT HAS GROWN OVER 7 MILLION SQUARE, UH, FEET IN FACILITIES AND WILL CONTINUE TO GROW THE FOOTPRINT AS WE DEVELOP NEW DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT GOING FORWARD.

WE WILL EXPLORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT AROUND THE AIRPORT TO FUEL INVESTMENTS IN OUR MAJOR, MAJOR JOB GENERATORS, AS WELL AS LOOK AT HOW WE, UM, ELEVATE AND LEVERAGE OUR REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT HUBS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU ALSO THINK ABOUT SPACE SPEECH, IT'S REALLY LABORATORY OF INNOVATORS, ENGINEERS, DESIGNERS, AND WHO THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATIONS OF LAUNCH VEHICLES.

3D ROCKETS, SATELLITES, SPACE STATIONS, SPACECRAFT, DESTINED TO LOWER EARTH, LOWER EARTH ORBIT, DEEP SPACE AND BEYOND.

THAT SOUNDS COOL, DOESN'T IT? AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WAIT, THERE'S MORE.

LONG BEACH IS ALSO WHERE, WHERE WE'RE BUILDING NEXT GENERATION ALTERNATIVE AIRPLANES, BLENDED WIND, COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT, AND JETS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED.

LONG BEACH AIRPORT HAS REACHED A NEW MILESTONE SET AND ALL TIME MONTHLY RECORD OF MOST PASSENGERS TO FLIGHTS FROM LGB TO DURING THE 100 YEAR HISTORY, A TOTAL OF 182,000 PLUS PASSENGERS DEPARTED IN OUR, FROM OUR AIRPORT IN MARCH, 2024.

THE AIRPORT CONTINUES TO INVEST IN MODERNIZED AIRPORT TO ENHANCE THEIR OVERALL CUSTOMER EXPANSION FROM CURB TO GATE AND TO OUR GREAT CITY.

THE CITY OF LONG BEACH LAUNCHED SEVERAL NEW INITIATIVES TO PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION SPACE OF, UH, SPACE FORCE WORKFORCE, INCLUDING THE SPACE BEACH YOUTH WORKFORCE DEPART, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LONG BEACH YOUTH TO LEARN AND BE MENTORED BY, UH, ENGINEERS, TECHNICIANS, TECHNICIANS, DESIGNERS, AND BUILDING NEW SPACE TECHNOLOGY IN LONG BEACH.

AND THAT SPACE SPEECH, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM ANOTHER YOUTH PERSPECTIVE, SPACE SPEECH TEACHER EXTERNSHIP IN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN A SUCCESS.

AND WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT SPACE SPEECH COMPANIES ABOUT WHY THEY CHOSE LONG BEACH, AND THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TALENT.

THE NEXT SLIDE IS REALLY GONNA ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, UH, GONNA BE FOCUSED ON AS IT RELATES TO BUILDING THE TRANSPORTATION LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN OF THE FUTURE.

IT'S, IT'S REALLY GONNA FOCUS ON HOW THE PORTAL LONG BEACH IS IN OUR INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY TO ASIA AND THE WORLD, AND HOW WAY WE CAN LEVERAGE AND EXPAND ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, IT'S OUR INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY TO THE WORLD, RIGHT? AND I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES.

WE LOOK ABOUT FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT JOBS AND BRINGING BUSINESSES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PORT AND AT THE ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT IT IS, IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE, UH, CONTINUE TO, UH, IMPORT GOODS THROUGH NOT ONLY THE PORT, BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN 2023, THEY HAD OVER 8 MILLION TEUS, AND IT WAS THE PORT'S FIFTH BUSIEST YEAR.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THE NATION'S SECOND BUSIEST SEA PORT IN THE COUNTRY.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, AS WE THINK ABOUT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH TRADE IS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT DRIVES THE COUNTRY, OUR REGIONAL LOCAL ECONOMY, THERE'S A STRONG CASE TO BE MADE BY THE PORT AND ITS INDUSTRY IS BENEFICIAL IMPACT TO THE OVERALL ECONOMY.

WE LOOKED AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH IMPACT IN TWO, 2019 AND CAME UP WITH SOME VERY INTERESTING DATA.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AT THE PORT GENERATE GOOD

[01:20:01]

OVER 2.6 MILLION JOBS ACROSS THE UNITED, UNITED STATES ARE CONNECTED TO THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND OVER 50,000 JOBS LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY.

THIS INCLUDES DOG WORKERS, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, IMPORT EXPORT BUSINESSES, INSURANCE RETAILERS, WAREHOUSE WORKERS, MANUFACTURERS, GROWERS, ET CETERA.

THESE STRATEGIES THAT ARE LAID OUT IN THE INDUSTRY SECTOR WILL FOCUS ON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING REINVESTED AND INVESTED IN NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH COMPLEX.

THIS INCLUDES PORT OF LONG BEACH EMERGING INDUSTRIES SUCH AS GREENPORT INITIATIVE, MAXIMIZING THE ELECT, ELECTRI, I CAN'T EVEN TALK, ELECTRIFICATION IN THE PORT PEER BEYOND DALE RAIL, RAIL INVESTMENTS, HYDROGEN HUB, ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCE, PURE WIND, DEEP WATER, WIND TURBINES, ZERO EMISSION ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS IT'S GONNA CREATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS THROUGHOUT COMMUNITY, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

AS WE THINK ABOUT GOING FORWARD, WE'RE READY TO, WE ARE READY AND HAVE BEEN UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STIMULATE MORE JOBS, GROWTH, INNOVATION, TOURISM, HOSPITALITY, ARTS AND CULTURE, AND REALLY DEVELOP AN AMAZING ECOSYSTEM NOW AND GOING FORWARD.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY, THINK ABOUT ALL THE SPECIAL EVENTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ACCU GRAND PRIX, WHICH HAD ITS HIGHEST ATTENDANCE IN 2023 WITH OVER 190, 92,000 SPECTATORS AND VISITORS COMING TO OUR CITY.

ME AND VISIT LONG BEACH HAD ITS HIGHEST REVENUE AND NUMBER OF EVENTS IN 2023 SINCE THE PRE SINCE THE PRE PANDEMIC ERA.

AND THEY'RE ALSO RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST IN THE WEST FOR THE SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.

AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE OVER $1.8 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS, UH, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS OFFICER REPORT AT THE HIGHEST TOTAL OF ATTENDANCE, 361,500 AND MAJOR OUTDOOR EVENTS IN LONG BEACH IN 2023.

THE CITY CONTINUES TO MAKE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN OUR ARENA, OUR PACIFIC ARENA, AS WELL AS OUR BALLROOM.

AND SOME OF THESE EFFORTS ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON HOW WE CONTINUE TO UPGRADE THAT FROM A $7 MILLION INVESTMENT IN OUR ARENA, THAT WILL REPLACE THE SEATING, IT'LL ADD IN NEW WORLD CLASS, UH, STAGE AND SOUND EQUIPMENT, AND BRING NEW EVENTS AND MUSICIANS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO THE, TO THE ARENA.

WE ALSO WILL CONTINUE TO REINVEST, INVEST IN OUR LONG BEACH CONVENTION AND EDUCATE, UH, ENTERTAINMENT CENTER OF OVER $50 MILLION.

THAT'LL INCLUDE ROOF REPLACEMENT, HVAC AND SOLAR UPGRADES, A D UPGRADE, A DA UPGRADES AND OTHER OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN CONTINUE TO COMPETE NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY TO BRING MORE CONFERENCES, CONVENTIONS, TRADE SHOWS, MUSIC AND EVENTS TO LONG BEACH.

THIS WILL RESULT IN INCREASE IN TRANSIT OR COMPETING TAXES, SALES TAX AND JOBS, AND PEOPLE COMING TO, UH, TO OUR ESTABLISHMENTS AND RETAIL TO RESTAURANTS.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE AND THE TOURISM HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT US FOCUSING ON HOTEL DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US NOW AND GOING FORWARD.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOALS THAT WE HAVE IS ADDING 1000 HOLE HOTEL ROOMS BY 2030.

AND THIS WILL INCLUDE THE NEW HEART ROCK HOTEL, WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED IN 2023, A 31 STORY BUILDING THAT ADD OVER 400 MORE, MORE HOTEL ROOMS IN DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS SLATED TO OPEN BY 2027, THEIR FAIRMOUNT BREAKERS WILL OPEN 2024, ADDING 185 ROOMS IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH CITY CENTER, A COOL, UNIQUE BOUTIQUE HOTEL LOPI OPENING SOON.

MANY OF OUR EXISTING HOTELS ARE GOING IN EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS AND NEW INVESTMENT.

WE ARE POSITIONED FOR SUCCESS.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOTEL DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, WITH THAT GOAL OF ADDING 1000 HOTEL ROOMS, THIS WILL BRING AND GENERATE INCREASED TRANSIT ORIENTED TAX TO THE COMMUNITY, INCREASED VISITOR SPENDING AND BUSINESS TRAVELER SPENDING, ATTRACT NEW CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS SO THAT WE CAN COMPETE NATIONALLY WITH OTHER CITIES, BRING NEW JOBS AND ECONOMIC VITALITY TO THE CITY.

AND WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AS IT RELATES TO THIS, UH, THIS, UH, SECTOR, IS THAT THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO ELEVATE OUR GAME BY CONNECTING PEOPLE TO GREAT PLACES, LIVE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON AS WE THINK ABOUT, UH, THE THIS INITIATIVE IS THAT THE QUEEN MARY JUST RECENTLY REOPENED FOR HOTEL STAYS AND TOURS IN 2023, ATTENDANCE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR IS TOPPING A FULL YEAR OF PRETERM PANDEMIC, UM, ATTENDANCE.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO REINVEST IN THE SUCCESS OF THE QUEEN MARY AND THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE AND CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HOW WE WE GROW THAT, THAT ISLAND IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, RECENTLY THE CITY ENGAGED A CONSULTANT TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 10 TO 12,000, UH, SEAT TEMPORARY AMPHITHEATER ADJACENT TO THE QUEEN AREA, WITH THE GOAL OF OPENING OF THE SUMMER OF 2025.

WE'LL LOOK AT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT STUDY AROUND THE QUEEN AREA, INCLUDING THE NEW REVENUE GROWTH, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND BUILDING A PERMANENT AMPHITHEATER.

BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE'S EVEN MORE TO COME WITH THE QUEEN MARY.

WE JUST

[01:25:01]

RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT, UH, THE 13TH FLOOR IS GONNA MAKE THE QUEEN MARY THE MOST HAUNTED ATTRACTION IN THE NATION.

WE ALSO TALK ABOUT ELEVATE 28, THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES, WHICH WILL HELD IN LOS ANGELES AND LONG BEACH IN WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE LONG BEACH TO THE WORLD AND POSITION THE CITY FOR FUTURE SUCCESS AFTER THE OLYMPICS.

WE'VE ALSO EXPLORED POTENTIAL PEDESTRIAN SCALE WAY FINDING AND ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES IN DOWNTOWN.

AND WE, WE ALSO WILL REIMAGINE THE LONG BEACH ENTERTAINMENT CONVENTION CENTER AND THE ASSOCIATED ELEPHANT LOT FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH CONVAL CRUISE LINES TO GROW AND EXPAND THEIR FOOTPRINT IN LONG BEACH.

IN 2023, CARNIVAL CRUISE HAD OVER 200 SAILINGS WITH OVER 675,000 PASSENGERS COMING IN THROUGH LONG BEACH IN 2024 CARNIVAL CRUISE.

WELCOME THE NEW FORENSIC SHIP TO THE LETTER LINEUP WITH WHAT WILL CARRY OVER 4,200 PASSENGERS.

AS WE LOOK FORWARD, WE WILL BE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CARNIVAL TO INCREASE, UH, PASSENGERS, ADD MORE VESSELS, CRUISE SHIPS, TO OPERATE HOTELS DURING THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, WE'RE GONNA REIMAGINE THE LONG BEACH WATERFRONT.

THIS ONE INCLUDES OPTIMIZING LEASES AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ALONG A WORLD CLASS WATERFRONT.

WE'LL ALSO BE REVIEWING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, FACILITATE, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING IN MORE DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, HOTELS AND JOBS INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.

THE NEXT SLIDE IS REALLY FOCUSING ON HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO, UH, GROW LONG BEACH TOGETHER.

AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE GROW LONG BEACH TOGETHER, IT'S GONNA START WITH EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT THROUGH HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS.

WE'RE GONNA BE INVESTING IN PEOPLE EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT AND THINK ABOUT BIG IDEAS.

AND THIS NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE BIG IDEAS AND THE PARTNERSHIPS WILL LOOK LIKE.

WE RECENTLY HAD THE GRAND OPENING AT THE NORTH LONG BEACH EDUCATION CENTER PARTNERSHIP WITH LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP.

WE WILL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MEMORIAL CARE TO DEVELOPMENT THEIR MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN DUE INVESTMENT TO THEIR CAMPUS.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE CREATION OF THE NORTH LONG BEACH EDUCATION AND HOUSING HUB AND PARTNERSHIP WITH LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

WE WILL BE FUELING OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTH SECTOR THROUGH EDUCATION, TRAINING, CERTIFICATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS.

WE WILL ALSO BE IN PURSUIT OF MAKING SURE THAT DOWNTOWN PROVIDES A HIGHER EDUCATION PRESENCE GOING FORWARD, AND THEN MORE STUDENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND RAISE OUR PROFILE LONG BEACH ATHLETICS IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2028 OLYMPICS AND BEYOND.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS, UH, GROWING INDUSTRY, THINK ABOUT BIOTECH TO LIFE SCIENCES.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY OUR MESSAGING ABOUT OUR CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FROM K THROUGH 12 LOCAL, REGIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIPS.

NEXT SLIDE IS REALLY GONNA FOCUS ON HOW WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR CLIMATE FORWARD ECONOMY BY ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH MITIGATION, ADAPTATION, AND RESILIENCE EFFORTS.

SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON IS EXAMINING THE OIL PROPERTIES SINCE THEY'RE, WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR ALL OIL OPERATIONS AND TRANSITION TO PRIVATE LEASE USES, AS WELL AS FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.

WE ALSO WILL LOOK AT CREATION OF, OR, OR ORGANICS MATERIAL PROCESSING FACILITY, AS WELL AS LOOK AT CLEAN ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASED REVENUE RESOURCES, NOT ONLY FOR THE CITY, BUT ALSO LOWER ENERGY COSTS, AND PROVIDE A POSITIVE TRANSITION FROM, FROM OIL, UH, FO OIL OIL OPERATIONS.

WE ALSO WILL, WE ALSO BE LOOKING AT REVIEWING EXISTING RE REGULATION TO FACILITY CONSTRUCTION OF SOLAR AND OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGIES AROUND THE COMMUNITY.

AND, AND, AND ALSO COMPLETE THE A ES CIRCULATION PUMPS AT ALAMITOS BAY.

NEXT SLIDE IS WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSED ON HOW WE GROW LONG BEACH TOGETHER.

'CAUSE NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE STRATEGIES, UH, AROUND THE GLOBE, GROW LONG BEACH TOGETHER STRATEGIES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HOST THE INAUGURAL ALREADY HERE SITE SELECTION CONFERENCE WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING THE 2026 SITE SELECTOR GUILD CONFERENCE, UH, FALL FORUM TO LONG BEACH.

WE'LL FOCUS ON BUSINESS LICENSE RENEWALS AND GROWTH.

WE'LL FOCUS ON COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE CITY'S PARKING ASSETS, INCLUDING PARKING GARAGES AND METERS.

WE ALSO FOCUS ON COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF CITY'S PARKING ASSETS, INCLUDING PARKING GARAGES AND METERS.

WE'LL ADOPT ZONING CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S LAND USE ELEMENT MODERNIZING ZONING, AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT HOW WE LOOK AT OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS BY PROMOTING HOME INVESTMENTS, IMPROVEMENTS, ADDITIONS, REMODELS, AND A DU CONSTRUCTION.

WE ALSO WILL PROMOTE ACTIVATION INVESTMENT, LARGE, UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO GROW AND DIVERSE OUR ECONOMY AND REVENUE STREAMS. AS GOING, WE LOOK GOING FORWARD.

WE ALSO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ZONES THAT UTILIZE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, WHICH IS NOT A NEW TAX, BUT RATHER AN ALLOCATION OF FU FUTURE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES WITHIN A SPECIFIC AREA OF THE CITY FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.

IN THAT CASE, THE PURPOSE COULD BE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS.

SMALL

[01:30:01]

BUSINESSES, AN EXISTING BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CREATE 80% OF OUR JOBS, NEW JOBS.

THEY, THEY SERVE AS CULTURAL HUBS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE AREAS.

THERE ARE ECONOMIC ENGINES FOR FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY, AND THEY BUILD WEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO CONTINUE TO BUILD STRATEGIES, WE NEED TO TELL OUR STORY.

WE NEED TO HOLLER FROM EVERY ROOFTOP ACROSS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WE BECOME EDUCATED AND PROVIDE DATA AS WE GROW OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY SECTORS, ESPECIALLY OUR TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE WANNA FOCUS ON DEVELOPING WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE PROFILE PROJECT, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE SERVING AS MARKETING AND BRANDING BROCHURES.

SO WE CAN TELL THE STORY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE MARKETPLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, PROVIDE INFORMATION AS FAR AS MARKET AND OTHER DATA FROM WALKING SOURCE TO TRANSPORTATION, UH, CORRIDOR ACCOUNTS, TO REALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT MAKES EACH OF THE, EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE AREAS SPECIAL.

AND SO THAT'S A PROJECT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE KICKING OFF THIS SUMMER THROUGH FALL AND COMPLETE THIS WINTER.

WE'LL ALSO BE MAKING SURE THAT WE PROMOTE AND ACTIVATE OUR VACANT SPACES THROUGH A REAL ESTATE DATA PLATFORM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE TO ACTIVATE AND BRING NEW JOBS AND INVEST THROUGHOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACES IN THE CITY.

AND WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A CITYWIDE MARKETING BRANDING STRATEGY AND CAMPAIGN ON WHY LONG BEACH.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

AND ONE OF THE BIG ONES THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS THE BIZ CARE PROGRAM.

THE BIZ CARE PROGRAM, SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2020, HAS PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO OVER 14,400 BUSINESSES ACROSS OUR CITY, INCLUDING MEETING WITH 2,500 BUSINESS THROUGH OUTREACH VISITS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL QUARTERS AND NEIGHBOR MARKETPLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE ALSO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM THIS, THIS SUMMER AND THROUGH THE FALL, REALLY REALLY LOOKING AT A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AL B HERITAGE FOUNDATION.

SO THAT WAY WE CAN HELP THESE, UH, LEGACY BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY ON MARKETING EVENTS AND BUSINESS OUTREACH.

WE'LL DEVELOP MARKETING TOOLKITS FOR BUSINESS TO SHARE WITH THE LEGACY BUSINESS STATUS.

WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL HOST THE PROGRAM ON OUR WEBSITE, PROVIDE AN APPLICATION LINK AND, AND A MAP RECOGNIZED IN OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, GROW AND KEEP THESE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, WE'RE ALSO GONNA PROVIDE A LOT OF CATERED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU DO TALK WITH, UH, THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES, LEGACY BUSINESSES, REALLY MAKING SURE THEY HAVE GREAT SUCCESSION PLANS GOING FORWARD.

ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON ACCESS TO CAPITAL.

YOU KNOW, OUR SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM SINCE THE BEGINNING IN 2001, WE HAVE AWARDED OVER 173 LOANS TO SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY THAT TOTALED OVER $6.3 MILLION IN LOANS.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE LOANS, IT'S A REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR EVERY BUSINESS THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN.

WHEN THAT MONEY COMES BACK, WE'RE INVESTING IN ANOTHER BUSINESS AND THEY'RE CREATING JOBS AND EXPANDING THEIR BUSINESSES AND RETAINING THEM IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN DIVERSIFY THAT FUND, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DOLLARS TO HELP FUND THOSE TYPES OF BUSINESS THAT ARE LOW INCOME AND MODERN INCOME COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND WE'RE ALSO BUSINESS.

WE RECENTLY AWARDED $750,000 FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UH, LOANS TO BUSINESSES.

AND WHEN YOU TALK WITH BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AS OUR SMALL ONES, THE TOP THREE ISSUES THAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM IS, WE NEED ACCESS TO CAPITAL, TALENT, RETENTION, AND RECRUITMENT.

AND THEN WE NEED SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING AND HOW WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR, NOT ONLY OUR BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESS, BUT HOW WE TAKE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INTERNET, INTERNET OF THINGS GOING FORWARD.

ANOTHER BIG PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON IS THE LEVEL UP ALB PROGRAM.

IT'S AN EXTREME SMALL BUSINESS MAKEOVER PROGRAM.

THINK ABOUT A BOOTCAMP.

WE WILL SELECT UP TO 25 SMALL BUSINESSES FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THEM, UH, SUPPORT RESOURCES TO UNDERGO COMPREHENSIVE WORKSHOPS, UH, AIMED AT CRAFTING NEW BUSINESS AND MARKETING ACTION PLANS.

AND WHEN THEY COMPLETE THESE ACTION PLANS, WE WILL THEN PROVIDE UP TO $10,000 IN GRANTS SO THEY CAN REINVEST BACK INTO THEIR BUSINESS.

I REALLY THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA BE A NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE HERE IN LONG BEACH.

WE WON'T, WE DON'T WAIT FOR OPPORTUNITIES.

WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND WHEN, AND RIGHT NOW, THE APPLICATION IS OPEN TILL MAY 21ST, AND AS OF AS OF FIVE 13, THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED IS 128.

AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW BEFORE THE DEADLINE CLOSES ON, UH, UH, MARCH.

I MEAN, MAY 21ST.

AND THEN THE NEXT SECTION WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TALENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TALENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF OF CITIES OF THE FUTURE, THEY'RE REALLY GONNA FOCUS ON TALENT RETENTION, RECRUITMENT AND BUILDING THE PIPELINE FOR THE FUTURE.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON WHEN WE THINK ABOUT GROWING OUR OWN, WE JUST RECENTLY LAUNCHED THE PUBLIC SERVICE COURT INAUGURAL CLASS OF 50 STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING CITY FELLOWSHIPS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS OUR, WITH OUR, OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OFFICES.

WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CONTINUE TO REINVEST IN, IN, UH, TRAINING AND SERVICES FOR

[01:35:01]

ADULTS AND YOUTH.

WE WILL ALSO LOOK AT PROVIDING, MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK WITH THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE LAID OFF AND THAT ARE IMPACTED BY COMPANIES THAT HAVE LAID OFF AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING RAPID ROUND SERVICES TO COMPANIES EXPERIENCE THESE WORKFORCE REDUCTIONS.

RECENTLY, WE'VE BEEN CONNECTING OVER 1200 DISLOCATED WORKERS TO TRAINING AND RESOURCE REFERRALS.

ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE HAD WAS RECENTLY, UH, JPL ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE LAYING OFF OVER 500 WORKERS, AND WE STEPPED UP TO THE PLAY AND BROUGHT IN OUR SPACE COMPANIES FOR RELATIVELY SPACE, UH, UH, VAST ABOT AND OTHER SPACE SPEECH PARTNERS TO ENGAGE WITH THE DISLOCATED WORKERS AND OFFER THEM JOBS AND, AND PUT THEM IN PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TALENT RETENTION, RECRUITMENT AND GROWING OUR OWN, THE GOAL IS TO REALLY MAKE LONG BEACH THE EPICENTER AND MAKING IT FOR 21ST CENTURY TALENT.

SO AS WE FOCUS IN AG ON, ON SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS AS, UH, WE MENTIONED EARLIER ON IN THE PRESENTATION, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PROACTIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE REALLY HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OUT THERE BUILDING THAT, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TELL PEOPLE WHY THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN LONG BEACH.

FROM A BUSINESS INVESTMENT AND JOB PERSPECTIVE, WE SUCCESSIVELY HOSTED FIVE NATIONAL SITE SELECTORS WHO REPRESENT FAST GROWING AND FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD TO SHOWCASE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.

AND SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT THEY TOLD US FROM THE SITE SELECTION CONFERENCE WAS, WE HAVE A STRONG SPIRIT OF, UH, COLLABORATION.

YOU'RE ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY TO HELPING YOU SOLVE PROBLEMS. OUR FOUNDING FINDING SOLUTIONS TO MOVE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY INVESTMENT FORWARD IN THE CITY, THEY ALSO SAID THAT WE'RE THE GATEWAY TO THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO LEVERAGE THAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THE PORT OF LONG BEACH NOW AND GOING FORWARD AS WE LOOK FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT JOBS AND INVESTMENTS.

THEY ALSO THOUGHT, UH, THEY THOUGHT, HEIDI, THAT AS WE MAKE INVESTMENTS IN PLACE MAKING, THEY ALSO, UH, TOLD US THAT WE HAVE STRONG TARGET INDUSTRY SECTORS, INCLUDING ADVANCED MANUFACTURING.

THEY REALLY THOUGHT WE HAD REALLY GREAT TALENT AND EDUCATION SYSTEMS TO BUILD A PIPELINE FOR THE FUTURE.

WELL, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TOLD US THAT WE NEEDED TO WORK ON IS THEY NEED MORE DATA ON WHITE LONG BEACH, THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, AND HOW WE CAN STACK UP NATIONALLY TO COMPETITORS CITIES LIKE AUSTIN, PHOENIX, DENVER, AND SALT LAKE CITY.

AND THEN ONE OF THE BIG TAKEAWAYS, THEY SAID, CONTINUE TO TELL YOUR STORY, IMPROVE ON TELLING YOUR STORY SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ALL THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DID ASK ABOUT INCENTIVES AND INVESTMENTS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE STATE OFFERING? WHAT IS A CITY OFFERING? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK IS, IS THERE SOME TYPE OF INVESTMENT PROGRAM THAT WE CAN OFFER TO OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THROUGH THOSE BUSINESSES, YET TO COME TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO BUILD AMERICA'S NEXT GRADE AND INTERNATIONAL CITY, IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW WE CAN GROW LONG BEACH TOGETHER FOR LONG BEACH TO PROSPER.

AND PEOPLE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUSINESSS MUST STRIVE ECONOMICALLY.

AND WHEN WE FOCUS ON THESE EFFORTS, WE WILL FOCUS ON CITYWIDE CITYWIDE INITIATIVES AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

WE'LL LEVERAGE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, INCLUDING BELMONT SHORE, BIXIE, DOWNTOWN, LONG BEACH, ZARIA, FOURTH STREET, THE CVB MIDTOWN UPTOWN, AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE LONG BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, LONG BEACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP, LOS ANGELES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

WE'LL ALSO FOCUS ON OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND MARKETPLACE AREAS FROM PACIFIC AVENUE, ATLANTIC AVENUE, PINE PCH, WRIGLEY MARKETPLACE, LONG BEACH TOWN CENTER, LONG BEACH MARKETPLACE, TO NAME A FEW.

WE'VE ALSO FOCUSED ON OUR REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT HOODS FROM SPACE BEACH, PORT OF LONG BEACH, LONG BEACH AIR, LONG BEACH AIRPORT, ARROW, LONG BEACH, GOODMAN PROPERTIES, PACIFIC POINT, WEST DOUGLAS PARK.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, EVERY CORNER, THERE'S A DISCOVERY.

AND NONE OF THIS WOULD WE BE, UH, POSSIBLE WITHOUT PARTNERSHIPS, RIGHT? PARTNERSHIPS, THEY'RE NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT GETTING ALL THIS WORK DONE.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT PEOPLE.

THIS IS OUR TIME FOR BOLD ACTIONS TO GROW OUR ECONOMY, BUILD A NEXT GENERATION WORKFORCE, DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY AND THE CITY'S REVENUE STREAMS, AND CONTINUE TO DELIVER A WORLD, WORLD CLASS CITY WHERE EVERYONE THRIVES.

SO FISCAL IMPACTS, REVENUE IMPACTS FROM THIS, UM, ARRAY OF MORE THAN 50 STRATEGIES.

UM, IN THE LONG TERM, THE WAY IT WILL WORK IS THAT THE, UH, SOME STRATEGIES WILL AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES, WILL INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES ABOVE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, UM, WITHOUT THE STRATEGIES.

OTHER STRATEGIES WHEN IMPLEMENTED WILL GENERATE MORE TAXABLE SALES INSIDE THE CITY.

SO SALES TAX REVENUE WOULD GO UP STILL, OTHER STRATEGIES WOULD GENERATE INCREASED TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX.

ALSO NOTICED THE HOTEL BED TAX, UM, ESPECIALLY BUILDING, OBVIOUSLY BUILDING MORE HOTELS AND ATTRACTING MORE TOURISM, UH, AND IN ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY.

SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES WILL GENERATE INCREASED UTILITY

[01:40:01]

CONSUMPTION, ESPECIALLY ELECTRIC UTILITIES AS WE ELECTRIFY THE ENTIRE ECONOMY AND MOVE AWAY FROM OIL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND IN LONG BEACH.

SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR MAIN REVENUE SOURCES THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED POSITIVELY, UM, BY THIS SELECTION OF STRATEGIES.

SO THAT'S HOW IT WOULD WORK.

UH, THE OBVIOUS QUESTION IS, OKAY, HOW MUCH? UH, AND THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE MIX OF STRATEGIES IS THAT, UH, THAT IS CHOSEN, HOW THEY'RE EXECUTED WHEN THEY TAKE PLACE.

UM, THESE ARE NOT OVERNIGHT STRATEGIES, AS THE MAYOR SAID IN HIS OPENING REMARKS.

AND AS THE CITY MANAGER EMPHASIZED, WE'RE ONLY AT A 5, 10, 15 YEAR TIME HORIZON TO, UH, REPLACE OUR LONGSTANDING DEPENDENCY ON OIL REVENUE.

SO IT'S FROM THE, FROM A LONG-TERM FISCAL STANDPOINT, IT'S OKAY THAT THESE STRATEGIES DO NOT IMMEDIATELY PRODUCE NEW REVENUE.

WE'RE IN A TRANSITION PERIOD AS, AS THE MAYOR HAS POINTED OUT.

SO WITH THOSE USUAL ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CAVEATS ABOUT HOW MUCH THE, THE BEST THAT I CAN OFFER IS KIND OF AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE ESTIMATE, UM, THESE STRATEGIES ARE OBVIOUSLY GONNA PRODUCE MORE THAN JUST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE.

I DON'T THINK IN THE LONG TERM THAT THEY WILL PRODUCE MULTIPLE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE, BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE, THE MULTIPLE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE, UH, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE EXACT MIX CHOSEN AND WHEN THEY TAKE EFFECT.

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE BEST I CAN DO IN THE AGGREGATE WHEN WE GET DOWN TO CHOOSING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UH, IMPLEMENTED AND ENCOURAGED AND PRACTICED.

AND WHEN WE GET A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC.

BUT, UH, ORDER OF MAGNITUDE'S, PRETTY MUCH THE BEST I CAN DO.

AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO KICK IT BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU, KEVIN.

SO, UH, I, I THINK YOU SEE THAT THIS IS A PRETTY BOLD PLAN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

UH, LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS, UH, THAT WE CAN WORK ON, UH, AND DELIVER THAT WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE THRIVES.

AND SO WE ARE GONNA PRIORITIZE AND, AND WORK ON THESE FUTURE INVESTMENTS.

UH, THAT IS ONE OF YOUR, UH, THREE TOP STATE OF PRIORITIES.

WE TALKED ABOUT HOUSING LAST WEEK.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS ONE OR THE OTHER.

UH, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THIS AND, AND BRINGING THESE IDEAS TO YOU, UH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE GOALS OF DIVERSIFYING AND EXPANDING OUR REVENUE BASE, ADVANCING THOSE TARGETING INDUSTRY SECTION, UH, SECTORS, FURTHER DEVELOPING THOSE 52 DIFFERENT IDEAS, UH, INVESTING IN PEOPLE, TALENT AND PLACEMAKING.

I THINK YOU HEARD VERY STRONGLY FROM OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, THAT'S A KEY PART OF THE RECIPE, UH, DELIVERING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES ON AN AGGREGATE.

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE A HUGE ECONOMIC GENERATOR FOR OUR CITY, TELLING OUR STORY AND THEN LEVERAGING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNCIL TO ASK US ANY QUESTIONS.

ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU MR. MOCA AND, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, I THINK THIS IS WHAT WE WERE, WE WERE HOPING FOR, LIKE LAY OUT SOME STRATEGIES, GIVE THE COUNCIL SOME IDEAS OF THE TYPES OF THINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPLORING.

SOME ARE WE'LL YEAR YIELD, HIGHER, UH, POTENTIAL REVENUE THAN OTHERS, UH, BUT SOME ARE GOOD TO DO.

AS, AS WE, YOU KNOW, TRANSITION AWAY FROM OIL.

WE HAVE TO CREATE NEW SECTORS FOR JOBS.

UH, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE FOR COLLEGE HAVE ACCESS TO GREAT CAREERS.

AND WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THIS A LOT.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE, UH, THIS REPORT.

I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO LOOK THROUGH THE REPORT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF STRATEGIES HERE, AND THEY, THEY REPRESENT ALL PARTS OF OUR TOWN, ALL NINE COUNCIL DISTRICTS.

UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ONE AREA WHERE YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF AGREEMENT ON WHEN YOU DO THINGS LIKE PLACE, PLACE, A FOCUS ON A THOUSAND HOTEL ROOMS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE MORE.

I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS A VERY MODEST PROJECTION, BUT IF WHEN YOU PLACE A FOCUS ON THAT, THERE ARE MULTIPLE WINS, WE'RE ABLE TO HOST, UH, YOU KNOW, BIGGER CONFERENCES AND EVENTS, WE'RE ABLE TO GENERATE MORE TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX WHEN PEOPLE COME INTO THE CITY, THEY SHOP AT OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR TAX BASE.

AND IT CREATES LOCAL JOBS, BOTH THROUGH CONSTRUCTION AND LONG-TERM, PERMANENT UNION JOBS IN OUR HOTELS.

AND SO SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES HAVE MULTIPLE BENEFITS.

I ALSO WOULD SAY WE HAVE SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD OF US.

SO NOW IS THE TIME TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OIL REVENUE GOING AWAY, THAT'S ONE PART OF IT.

BUT, UH, YOU SAW A PRESENTATION WITH THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE OLYMPICS.

WELL, WE SHOULD BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT TO CREATE A BROADER PROFILE FOR OUR CITY.

UM, HOW WE CAN INTENTIONALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM THIS, UM, THAT WE FINALLY NAILED DOWN OUR BRAND FOR THE CITY.

I SAW, UM, UH, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ HAD ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT BRANDS FOR THE CITY IN THAT PRESENTATION.

I HEARD AROUND EVERY CORNER, UH, A DISCOVERY, WHICH IS A GREAT BRAND.

UH, I, I SAW, UH, THE WORLD'S NEXT GREAT INTERNATIONAL CITY, ANOTHER BRAND.

UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THE BIKE FRIENDLIEST CITY IN AMERICA, THE AQUATICS CAPITAL OF AMERICA.

ALL THESE BRANDS WE'RE KNOWN FOR ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS

[01:45:01]

IN LONG BEACH, BUT NOT REALLY ONE THING.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO TELL OUR STORY WILL HELP COMPANIES LOCATE HERE.

IT'LL HELP US TO BE ABLE TO SELL OUR PROFILE TO, TO FOLKS WHO WANNA COME AND VISIT OUR CITY AND WORK IN OUR CITY AND PLAY AND, AND STAY IN OUR CITY.

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DO, REALLY DEFINE WHO WE ARE AND CAPITALIZE ON SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES.

I WILL TELL YOU SOME WILL BE A HEAVIER LIFT.

LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND, UM, UH, THE PEER WITH THE QUEEN MARY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN ATTEMPTED IN THE PAST.

SO WE WANNA BE CLEAR, LIKE THIS WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO PLAN OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.

BUT IF WE GET THAT RIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT AND THO THAT AREA DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE ELEPHANT LOT, THOSE COULD BE PROFILE CHANGING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CITY TO REALLY DOUBLE DOWN THE ENTERTAINMENT, BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO OUR CITY FOR, FOR CONCERTS AND THEATER AND AND ENTERTAINMENT.

BECAUSE OUR PROFILE ON ENTERTAINMENT IS RELATIVELY SMALL.

WE DO SOME THEATER.

YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO DO, LET'S SAY, A TICKET FEE IN THE CITY, WE'D BE TICK TICKETING SOME MOVIE THEATERS AND CLEARING THE PACIFIC.

WE NEED PEOPLE COMING TO OUR CITY MORE FREQUENTLY AND SPENDING MONEY IN OUR CITY, UH, AS A REVENUE STRATEGY.

SO YOU'LL SEE FOCUS ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE, LIKE THERE'S SOME ALIGNMENT BETWEEN SAY, AN AMPHITHEATER, HARD ROCK HOTEL, UH, OUR ARENA THAT'S HOSTED, YOU KNOW, GRATEFUL DEAD, LED ZEPPELIN, RICHARD PRYOR, BRUCE LEE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE INVESTING IN THESE PUBLIC VENUE FACILITIES, DESTINATION FACILITIES IN CALIFORNIA.

THE STATE HAS A FOCUS ON IT.

AND LOOK WHAT INGLEWOOD DID WITH THE FORUM.

THEY BROUGHT IT BACK AND THEY'RE BRINGING PEOPLE BACK TO INGLEWOOD THROUGH A VENUE THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND THEY'RE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND UNION JOBS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

WE SHOULD BRING MORE LIFE BACK TO OUR ARENA.

UM, SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, IN THE YEARS TO COME THAT WILL CREATE A POSITIVE ECONOMIC BENEFIT AND REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCY ON OIL REVENUE.

IT WON'T BE OVERNIGHT, BUT THE SOONER WE GET TO THIS AND PLACE A FOCUS ON THIS, THE STRONGER OUR FISCAL POSITION WILL BE IN THE FUTURE.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WE ARE BUILDING A CITY THAT CAN INVEST IN BETTER SERVICES, DELIVER BETTER QUALITY CIVIL CITY SERVICES DELIVERED BY PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO HAVE OUR CITY SAFER AND CLEANER AND ORDER TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO INVEST IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CITY.

THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THIS ISN'T THE ONLY TIME WE'VE GONE THROUGH A TRANSITION.

I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, UH, AT THE STATE OF THE CITY.

UM, WHEN THE NAVAL SHIPYARD PULLED OUT, UM, MAYOR O'NEAL HAD SOME OF THE SAME CHALLENGES.

WHAT IS OUR PROFILE AS CITY AS THE NAVAL SHIPYARD PULLED OUT? ARE WE GONNA SIT BACK AND LET THIS HAPPEN TO US? ARE WE GONNA PROACTIVELY, UM, CREATE THE CITY WE WANT TO BECOME? RIGHT? THEY FOCUSED ON THE THREE TS TRADE, TOURISM, TECHNOLOGY AND, UH, A LOT OF THE INVESTMENTS INTO, UH, THE DOWNTOWN THAT WE HAVE TODAY, THE, UH, EDUCATION COMMUNITY WE HAVE TODAY.

OR BECAUSE THE CITY PLACED THE FOCUS ON THAT BACK IN THE NINETIES.

WE'RE IN ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS NOW.

SO THIS REALLY IS A QUESTION OF WHAT CITY ARE WE GOING TO BE IN 20 YEARS WHEN WE'RE POST OIL? ARE WE GONNA BE A CITY THAT SAYS WE USED TO BE GREAT WHEN WE HAD ALL THAT OIL MONEY? ARE WE GONNA BE THE CITY THAT POINTS BACK TO THE MOMENT THAT WE SAID WE NEED TO RECREATE OUR PROFILE ECONOMICALLY AND IT NEEDS TO BE BASED ON SUSTAINABILITY AND BE CLEANER? AND THAT'S REALLY THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN.

SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, UH, I'LL, I'LL CUT IT THERE.

UH, AND WE WILL NOW GO TO, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SIGN UP TO SPEAK, VIVIAN SHAMA, MAYOR RICHARDSON, CITY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF AND THE PUBLIC THAT'S HERE.

UM, I WANTED TO JUST MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE IS ONE I READ THROUGH ALL 52 STRATEGIES AS WELL AS THE REPORT.

I GOT ENERGIZED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN REVENUE, THE INCREASE IN JOBS, AND THE INCREASE IN QUALITY OF LIFE.

UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY, NOT ONLY ON THE BUSINESS ATTRACTION SIDE, BUT THE BUSINESS RETENTION SIDE.

UM, I AM A BUSINESS OWNER.

I'M A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH.

UM, I SEE THAT VISION THAT MARY HAS PUT FORWARD AROUND GROW LONG BEACH.

AND IT HAS HELPED US AND WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS TO ALSO LOOK AT NOT ONLY HOW WE FOCUS ON INDUSTRY VERTICALS, UM, BUT ALSO HOW WE CAN GET OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY ENGAGED.

UM, SPECIFICALLY WE HAVE A LAUNCH BEACH INITIATIVE.

IT'S A COLLABORATIVE WITH THE LONG BEACH CENTER FOR ECONOMIC INCLUSION, THE LONG BEACH ACCELERATOR, LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP.

ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE COMING TOGETHER ABOUT STARTUP TECH COMPANIES, AS THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR.

SO I WANTED TO LEND MY SUPPORT AS WELL AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND A RESIDENT.

AND I KNOW THAT WITHIN OUR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN MOVE THIS FORWARD.

IT IS ABOUT INCREASING THAT REVENUE, BUT I THINK ALSO IT'S ABOUT, UM, ENSURING THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY ARE MODELS OF AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VISION, MAYOR.

[01:50:01]

THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU VIVIAN.

WE'LL NOW TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS.

I ABSOLUTELY WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP MAYOR IN DEVELOPING THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE.

UM, AND I WANNA THANK STAFF SO MUCH FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK ON, ON THIS PLAN.

UM, I AM VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL OF THE STRATEGIES AND THERE ARE A LOT OF STRATEGIES IN THIS PLAN, BUT I KNOW THAT WE CAN, UM, DEFINITELY, UM, MEET ALL OF THE STRATEGIES, UM, AS THE COUNCILWOMAN FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THE CHAIR OF THE ARTS, CULTURAL AND TOURISM COMMITTEE.

UM, I AM A VERY BIG SUPPORTER OF THIS IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL AS CITYWIDE.

I FEEL THAT THIS PLAN, LIKE, UH, MENTIONED BY OUR MAYOR, UM, IS VERY CLEAR IN MAKING SURE THAT IT ADDRESSES THE ENTIRE CITY AND ALL NINE DISTRICTS THAT WE ALL COMPOSE.

I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UM, IF DOWNTOWN THRIVES, UM, NORTH UPTOWN THRIVES, IF THE EAST THRIVES, THE WEST THRIVES.

SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE, UM, SO MANY GOOD STRATEGIES, UM, REALLY FOCUSED ON THE ENTIRE CITY.

UH, OF COURSE I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT IS BEING BUILT HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN.

UM, BRINGING ABOUT NEW HOTELS.

I MEAN, WE HAVE A FIVE STAR HOTEL, UM, COMING TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH BECAUSE OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT, UM, THIS CITY STAFF AND THE COUNCIL HAS DONE TO REALLY UPLIFT THE NEED AND UPLIFT THE FACT THAT WE ARE A CITY, UH, THAT TO DESERVES AND IS DESERVING AND WORTHY OF SUCH A, UM, A CALIBER OF HOTELS.

AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT.

AND A HARD ROCK, UM, HOTEL AS WELL.

I'M VERY PROUD OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.

UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ.

I KNOW THAT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT AND THERE'S A LOT MORE TO ACCOMPLISH.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS WORKING, UM, TOGETHER WITH ME AND MY OFFICE AND REALLY FOCUSING ON HOW WE CAN, UH, IMPROVE OUR, OUR, OUR DISTRICT, OUR CITY AS A WHOLE AND ALWAYS UPLIFTING, UM, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK.

HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM.

COUNCIL MEMBER TI UH, YES, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU.

UM, THIS WAS A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.

I, MY STAFF AND I ACTUALLY REALLY ENJOYED JUST READING THROUGH IT AND THINKING CRITICALLY AROUND JUST LIKE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, TO US IN OUR CITY.

AND I'LL SAY AS A, AS THE DISTRICT NINE COUNCIL MEMBER, I APPRECIATED THE SHOUT OUTS AROUND, UM, OUR ATLANTIC CORRIDOR, YOU KNOW, OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, RIGHT? TALKING ABOUT THE CREATION OF THE NORTH LONG BEACH EDUCATION HOUSING HUB, AND ACTIVATING, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR DORMANT PROPERTIES.

REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT, HOW WE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED TALKING ABOUT INVESTING IN PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO WE'RE INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND WE'RE ACTIVATING OUR CORRIDORS AT THE EXACT SAME TIME.

AND I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF THE WORK WE NEED TO DO, RIGHT? SO THINK ABOUT HOW FOR ANY OF THESE STRATEGIES, UM, CAN ALLOW US TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS, UM, AT THE SAME TIME AS WE INVEST IN OUR CITY.

AND SO I REALLY, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT.

YOU KNOW, I HIGHLIGHTED, UM, YOU KNOW, STRATEGY 6.6, WHICH IS TALKING ABOUT ADOPTING ZONING CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S LAND USE ELEMENT, RIGHT? AND I THINK ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE DOING WITH UP PLAN AND ZONE IN, RIGHT? AND ALL, YOU KNOW, CITY CORPS, ALL OF THESE THINGS IN OUR CITY THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING, RIGHT? TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE UPDATE AND THINK ABOUT OUR LAND USE IN ORDER TO, I ALWAYS SAY TO ZONE IN THE THINGS WE WANT AND ZONE OUT THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT, RIGHT? AND SO HOW WE NOW, UH, LEVERAGE THAT, RIGHT? TO, TO THINK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN A WAY THAT SAYS, OKAY, WELL, HOW ARE WE BRINGING THE TYPES OF SMALL BUSINESSES, RIGHT? THAT WE WANT THE TYPES OF, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES THAT WE WANT, UM, INTO OUR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS TO, UM, TO REALLY DIVERSIFY THAT MIX.

UM, I LOVED WHAT YOU SAID, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ, AROUND, WE DON'T WAIT FOR OPPORTUNITIES.

WE MAKE THEM HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE.

UM, I LOVED ALL OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT IN OUR BRIEFINGS, RIGHT? AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT, UM, OUR COM, OUR RESIDENTS GET TO HEAR ABOUT A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING, RIGHT? THAT HAS COME OUT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECENTLY, REALLY TO LIKE, INVEST IN OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, THINK ABOUT OUR CORRIDORS, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE ALL ABOUT ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET AND NOT THE RED TAPE, RIGHT? AND SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR BIG AND SMALL, UM, COMPANIES AND BUSINESSES, UM, IN OUR CITY? UM, AND SO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, THAT POPPED UP AT ME.

AND SO, UM, I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE KIND OF THINK VE BIG, RIGHT? ABOUT LIKE SOME OF THE BIG THINGS LIKE THE QUEEN MARY AND SOME OF THE HOTELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT I ALSO WANT US TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE LEVERAGE

[01:55:01]

SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES FOR MORE KIND OF BOUTIQUE RIGHT? TYPES OF EVENTS, BOUTIQUE TYPES OF VENUES, RIGHT? BECAUSE I WAS EVEN THINKING ABOUT, UM, ITEM HERE THREE, WHICH IS UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY THROUGH MUSIC, ATHLETICS, TOURISM, HOSPITALITY.

AND I WAS REALLY THINKING ABOUT KIND OF OUR ARTS CULTURE AND TOURISM COMMITTEE AND BEING LIKE, I REALLY LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY THROUGH MUSIC, ARTS AND CULTURE, RIGHT? AND HOW WE'RE INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THE CITY IN ORDER TO, UM, TO GALVANIZE THAT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS THINKING, FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT? YOU MENTIONED, UH, STRATEGY 3.6 SAYS CULTIVATING LONG BEACH IS THE MOST HAUNTED PLACE TO BE, TO BE ON HALLOWEEN AND TALKING ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE DOING AT THE QUEEN MARY.

NOW, LITTLE DID YOU KNOW, AND, UH, THE MAYOR KNOWS THIS, THAT OUR, UH, OLD FIRE STATION 12, WHICH IS ALSO THE DISTRICT NINE, UH, THE DISTRICT NINE FIELD OFFICE, UH, HAS A GHOST IN IT, RIGHT? UH, AND SO PARANORMAL ACTIVITY HAS HAPPENED THERE.

JOHN, HIS NAME'S JOHN.

HIS NAME'S JOHN.

HIS NAME IS JOHN.

HE'S A, WAS A FORMER FIRE, FORMER FIREFIGHTER, RIGHT? OR, UM, MY LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION DE FOREST PARK HAS ACTUALLY HAD A PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR COME OUT TO OUR PARK AND LEAD OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTS AND A PARANORMAL INVESTIGATION.

SO IF YOU EVER GO ON THE DEFOREST PARK.ORG WEBSITE, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THE, UH, THEY'LL SEE THE PRESENTATION THAT THEY DID, RIGHT? SO I THINK LIKE THINKING ABOUT, BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY AREA OF THE CITY HAS A NICHE, RIGHT? THAT WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE PROMOTING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND THEN ALSO WE TALK ABOUT LIKE CULTURE AND MUSIC, RIGHT? THINKING ABOUT ISSUE, YOU KNOW, EVENTS LIKE THE UPTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL, SHAN, RIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBER RANGA AND COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS, JUST TO THE MARIACHI FESTIVAL, RIGHT? THINKING ABOUT THOSE ASPECTS OF OUR CITY THAT ARE UNIQUE, RIGHT? OUR CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY.

LIKE HOW ARE WE PLAYING UP THE UNIQUE ASPECTS ALL OVER THE CITY, RIGHT? AS FAR AS OUR CULTURAL EVENTS, OUR COMMUNITIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SAYING LIKE, HEY, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE LONG BEACH SPECIAL ALL OVER, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY.

SO WE'RE ATTRACTING DIVERSE TYPES OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERESTS.

UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WHEN I WAS READING THROUGH THIS, I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO UPLIFT.

BUT YEAH, GREAT JOB.

I REALLY APPRECIATED READING THIS AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW ALL OF THIS PANS OUT AS WE WE DIVE DEEP INTO EACH OF THESE STRATEGIES.

AND IT'S TRUE.

FIRE STATION 12, UH, FORMER FIRE STATION 12 IS CERTAINLY HAUNTED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW.

SO I THINK ADDING ON TO, UH, COUNCILWOMAN RICKS OTIS, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT THAT, I AGREE.

THIS IS A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT AROUND WAYS THAT WE CAN ECONOMICALLY GROW LONG BEACH.

UM, I THINK YOU'VE REALLY TOUCHED ON A WIDE BREADTH, AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S A HARD, AT THE SAME TIME IT'S HARD TO TOUCH ON EVERYTHING.

AND I JUST WANNA UPLIFT THAT ONGOING CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD IN THE ARTS CULTURE AND TOURISM CONVERSATION IS, IT IS IN THAT SECTION WHERE I THINK, OR IN THE TAGLINE YOU SAY ABOUT, I MAY, I MAY HAVE IT WRONG, BUT EVERY CORNER IS A DISCOVERY.

OR IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT US BEING AN INTERNATIONAL CITY, I DON'T SEE THAT LIST EXAMPLE SHOWING IT IN THIS, IN THE SENSE THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY, AGAIN, I, I AGREE IF DOWNTOWN'S NOT THRIVING, OUR CITY DOESN'T THRIVE, BUT ALSO IF OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY ARE NOT THRIVING, THEN DOWNTOWN ALSO DOESN'T THRIVE, RIGHT? SO IT'S A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP.

AND I THINK THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE ALL PARTS OF OUR CI CITY, UH, THRIVES.

AND I WONDER IF WE CAN EXPAND ON THINKING ABOUT PLACEMAKING AROUND OUR QUARTER, UH, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING IDENTITY SO THAT WE LIFT UP THE CULTURAL ASPECT OF WHAT OUR DISTRICTS OR PARTS OF OUR NEIGHBOR CAN BRING.

AND THE POTENTIAL.

I MEAN, I DIDN'T REALLY SEE THE HIP HOP, UH, MUSEUM, OR I HAVEN'T SEEN THE VIP SIGNS ARE, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATION ABOUT THE HISTORY THERE AS AN OPPORTUNITY, OR, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK COUNCIL MERICK SODI LIFTED UP, UM, THINGS THAT ARE DONE IN UPTOWN AS WELL AS WHAT CAN WE UPLIFT IN THE WEST SIDE.

WE ALSO HAD, YOU KNOW, A FILIPINO COMMUNITY WHO DID A FILIPINO FESTIVAL.

I THINK THAT WHILE THESE AREN'T LARGE, UH, INCOME GENERATOR, IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE, IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD, AGAIN, I WANNA GO BACK TO MY LONG BEACH CULTURAL, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PLAN FOR THE CITY THAT I THINK WE HAD GONE BACK TO IS, I THINK, CAN WE LOOK BACK AT INCORPORATING THOSE COMPONENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS AN ECONOMIC PIECE TO THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OR UPLIFTING OF OUR CITIES THAT CAN BRING ATTENTION TO THE UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY.

RIGHT? I WANNA CIRCLE IT BACK TO THEN THAT POINT.

SO I, I THINK WE COULD ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I, I LIKE TO SEE IT BE, UM, YOU KNOW, FLUSHED OUT AND MAYBE WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATION IN THE ARTS CULTURE TOURISM COMMITTEE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS GREAT.

I I DEFINITELY HAVE A BIGGER SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN POTENTIALLY GROW OUR ECONOMY.

[02:00:01]

COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

MY HUSBAND WOULD CONCUR THAT OLD FIRE STATION 12 WAS HAUNTED.

HE GREW UP OVER THERE AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THAT STATION AS A KID.

UM, THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR THIS REPORT.

UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING TO WASHINGTON DC WITH THE MAYOR AND THE INTERAL AFFAIRS TEAM, AND WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT IDEAS.

UH, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ, YOU JOINED US TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THESE HOPES AND DREAMS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREA FOR OUR CITY.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK.

UM, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FROM VICE MAYOR ALLEN, WHO IS NOT WITH US TONIGHT.

SO I WANNA PREFACE THAT THESE ARE VICE MAYOR ALLEN'S QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY.

UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE FOR ANSWERING TONIGHT, BUT, UM, VICE MAYOR SUPPORTS CREATION OF A STRONG CITY ADVERTISING PROGRAM, UM, AND WONDERING ABOUT, UH, THE TIMING AND THE NECESSITY OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A SPECIAL ADVERTISING DISTRICT GIVEN THE CITY'S IMMEDIATE REVENUE NEEDS.

SO WE KNOW SOME OF THESE ARE SHORT TERM, MEDIUM TERM, AND LONG TERM.

UM, AND SHE'S WONDERING IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RE RE REVENUE GENERATING PROGRAMS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE FORM OF A PILOT PROGRAM, POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR AROUND A SPECIAL ADVERTISING DISTRICT, UM, IN THE SHORT TERM TO GENERATE REVENUE, UM, AS WELL AS WHAT A LONG-TERM PLAN COULD LOOK LIKE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED TONIGHT, BUT WANTED TO PUT IT, UH, ON YOUR RADAR AS SOMETHING THAT THE VICE MAYOR WAS ASKING ABOUT.

SURE.

I'LL ADDRESS PARTS OF THAT.

UM, SO WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR'S BUDGET YOU GAVE US, I THINK, $150,000 TO, UH, TO REALLY FLUSH OUT WHAT THOSE DISTRICTS CAN LOOK LIKE.

UM, THOSE DISTRICTS DO TAKE SOME TIME.

YOU HAVE TO ONE, UM, CHANGE SOME OF THE ZONING IN, IN LONG BEACH AS WELL, 'CAUSE THAT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY ALLOWED.

SO WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT PART OUT SO THAT THAT PART TAKES SOME TIME.

UH, THERE'S ALSO A PRETTY BIG EXPENSE THAT YOU PUT INTO THE, UH, UPFRONT CAPITAL AND THEN, UM, GENERATING REVENUE.

SO THAT PART'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ADVERTISING, UH, UM, UH, POSSIBILITIES RIGHT NOW ON OUR BUS SHELTERS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S IN PLACE.

AND, AND WE CAN LOOK AT TRYING TO MAXIMIZE SOME OF THAT.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE ON THE CIRCUIT, UM, UH, TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT.

AND THEN, UH, ALSO ON, ON SOME OF OUR VEHICLES.

SO THERE'S SOME SMALLER ONES WE CAN LOOK AT.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO IDEAS WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL KIOSKS AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN START LOOKING AT, UH, AND DO SOME OF THOSE RFPS TOO, SO WE CAN ACCELERATE.

BUT THEY DO, THEY DO TAKE SOME TIME, BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THE NEXT YEAR.

KEEP GOING.

UM, SO THAT WAS VICE MAYOR ALLEN'S QUESTIONS, AND I THINK SHE WAS THINKING OF THOSE MORE, UM, TEMPORARY THINGS SUCH AS KIOSKS OR THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE MEANTIME THAT DON'T REQUIRE A HUGE CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

UM, SO FROM MY REFLECTIONS, UH, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ, I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR HIGHLIGHTING ON SLIDES 14 THROUGH 16 SMALL BUSINESSES AND LEGACY BUSINESSES AND NOT LEAVING THOSE BEHIND.

UM, WE KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD BUSINESSES AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'VE BEEN THE BACKBONE OF SOME OF OUR SMALLER BUSINESS CORRIDORS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE, UM, CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

WE KNOW THAT VISUAL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS, UM, AND THE NEW BUSINESS PROGRAM AND THE NAVIGATORS AND VIS CARE, WE KNOW THAT THOSE ALL EXIST IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

UM, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TEAM TO JOIN FOR JOINING US FOR TWO DIFFERENT SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLES, UH, ONE ON NORWAY AND ONE IN PARKVIEW VILLAGE OFF OF VIKING.

AND, AND WHAT WE FOUND IS SOME OF THOSE LEGACY BUSINESSES, UM, WHO ARE NOT AS TECH SAVVY, WHO ARE NOT KIND OF LIVING IN THE INSTAGRAM WORLD OF HOW THEY DO THEIR BUSINESS, ARE HAVING A HARDER TIME CONNECTING TO CITY SERVICES WITH BUSINESSES.

UM, AND WE KNOW IT'S A STAFFING ISSUE THAT WE CAN'T ALWAYS GET PHYSICAL BODIES OUT THERE TO MAKE CONNECTIONS.

UH, BUT I WOULD ASK AS WE DO THIS, TO, TO UPLIFT SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE DO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO DO BUSINESS WALKS, TO DO SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLES, UH, FOR THOSE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO ACCESS THESE PROGRAMS. THAT WAS WHAT WE FOUND.

THE BIZ CARE TEAM WAS GREAT IN EXPLAINING, UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IDEAS AND ALL OF THOSE.

AND IT WAS NEWS TO TOO MANY OF THEM FOR MY LIKING.

UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO, TO PARTNER WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT REALLY, UM, HAVE SOME OF THOSE GREAT LEGACY BUSINESSES, 30, 40 YEARS, 25 YEARS, 14 YEARS, UM, THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING THEM IN THE PROCESS OF ALL OF THE THINGS WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IN THE FUTURE, THAT, THAT MAYBE OPERATE, UM, IN A SPACE THAT'S JUST BEYOND WHAT A LOCAL BUSINESS IS, IS WANTING TO DO, OR HAS THE CAPACITY TO DO CURRENTLY.

UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO LIFT THAT UP.

UM, AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS THAT DON'T COVER ALL OF OUR AREAS AND SOME OF THOSE SMALLER BUSINESS CORRIDORS.

UM, IF THERE'S A MODEL OF BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS AND REALLY GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUPPORTED IN A LOOSER CONFIGURATION, BUT THAT THEY MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THOSE FUNDING SOURCES AS WELL.

UM, 'CAUSE THEY'RE LEFT OUT OF SOMETHING THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR A BID.

UM, SO THOSE WERE JUST MY THINGS ON SMALL BUSINESSES, IF WE COULD CONTINUE, UH, TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND OUTREACH, UM, AND SUPPORT OF ESPECIALLY, UH, SMALL, SMALL AND LEGACY BUSINESSES.

NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

UH, UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR MARTINEZ FOR A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION.

I THINK YOU

[02:05:01]

DID HIT ALL 52.

IT'S VERY GOOD.

UM, THERE'S SO MANY EXCITING THINGS GOING, UH, GOING ON HERE IN LONG BEACH.

IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL THAT WE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN SO WE CAN COVER OUR FUTURE SHORTFALLS IN OUR BUDGET.

UH, WE DON'T WANNA COME BACK TO VOTERS TO ASK FOR TAX INCREASE, AND I KNOW A LOT OF THESE ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKS, OR JUST LIKE YOUR SHORT, MEDIUM, AND LONG TERM PLANNING, THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING ONLINE AND STARTING SHORTLY.

UM, I KNOW THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION, BUT AS COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, UH, REITERATED, I WANNA MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT THE COMMITMENT TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE WANNA SUPPORT THEM WHILE WE CONTINUE TO GROW OUR LARGE INDUSTRIES.

SMALL BUSINESSES LOOK TO A CITY.

UM, THEY CHOOSE A LOCATION BASED ON HOW, SOMEWHAT, HOW THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA HAVE, WHAT KIND OF, UM, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO ATTRACT TOP TIER EMPLOYEES? AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT LONG BEACH TO OFFER FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES COMING HERE TOO.

UM, I THINK A MAJOR PART OF THIS EVER EFFORT, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT PARTICULARLY.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.

UM, THIS IS THE FOCUS OF SO MANY OF OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT BECAUSE HAVING A LIVABLE, SAFE, AND CLEAN CITY REALLY IS SO IMPORTANT.

IT'S, IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE MANY GREAT EFFORTS THAT HAVE MENTIONED BEEN MENTIONED IN THIS PRESENTATION.

GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

GREAT PRESENTATION.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU MR. MARTINEZ FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UH, NOT ONLY IS IT COMPREHENSIVE, BUT IT'S AMBITIOUS AND I CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEW IDEAS OUT THERE.

ONE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO, TO FOCUS IN ON, IT'S ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AND THEN ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE BIDS AND YOUR FOCUS ON THAT.

UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M LOOKING AT, AT MY DISTRICT, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF CREATING MORE BIDS IN MY AREA THAT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL AND BE ABLE TO GROW.

UH, AS TO YOU'RE, UH, TO GO CHOOSE, YOU SAID SMALL BUSINESS, BIG BUSINESS, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE, OUR ECO I'M OUR ECONOMY.

SO PUTTING A FOCUS ON THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE, UH, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT.

ALSO, ONE OTHER AREA THAT WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO AND YOU MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER IS THE MUSEUMS. WE HAVE THE ONLY LATIN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, MOLA.

UH, WE NEED, WE NEED TO GROW THAT.

UH, MOST RECENTLY WE HAD A, UH, UH, NO WITH THE, UH, LATINO PHOTO DISPLAY OF LATINO HISTORY HERE IN, UH, LONG BEACH.

AND WE HAVE, UH, UH, THE CAMBODIA CENTER COMING UP AND LATINO CENTER COMING UP.

SO WE CAN GROW THOSE.

I THINK THAT'LL REALLY PUT A, A STAMP ON LONG BEACH AS, AS BEING ALL INCLUSIVE, UH, EQUITY CITY THAT WE WANNA BE.

AND BY FOCUS ON THOSE, I THINK WE WILL GO A LONG WAY IN ACCOMPLISHING THAT.

UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN RIGHT ON IN THEIR, IN THEIR COMMENTS, AND I, UH, TRULY, TRULY, UH, I'M ENTHUSED.

I REPORT I'M GONNA NOT BE HERE WHEN ALL THESE, ALL THESE ITEMS ARE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT KNOWING THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON, THEY'RE THERE, GIVES ME, GIVES ME HOPE.

UM, I'LL, I'LL JUST GIVE SOME FINAL COMMENTS THEN.

THERE'S ONE PERSONAL PUBLIC, OH, COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS.

GO FOR IT.

UH, A PATH SO THAT THEY TOO CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AND CONTINUE WORKING HERE IN THE, IN THRIVING HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN FOR THE REMINDER OF SMALL BUSINESSES.

I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY THAT ARE DEFINITELY, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

BUT ONE OF THE, UH, BUSINESSES THAT WE DIDN'T MENTION THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MENTION ARE THE MICRO BUSINESSES.

THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ONE EMPL, ONE OWNER, ONE EMPLOYER.

UM, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY AND GIVE THEM,

[02:10:01]

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER WODONGA FOR BRINGING UP, UM, ALL THE, UH, IMPORTANT ASSETS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, DIFFERENT CULTURES.

UM, AS, AS WELL AS IT WAS MENTIONED BY COUNCILWOMAN JONI, ERIC SODI, AND COUNCIL MEMBER.

UM, SORROW, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY BECAUSE IT IS TRUE.

YOU KNOW, UM, IF WE HAVE ALL ALL AREAS THRIVING, THEN THE CITY WILL THRIVE TOGETHER.

SO I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

ALSO, UM, I, THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR WHEN WE HAVE THE LATINO CULTURAL CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT HOPEFULLY BE COMING SOON ONLINE WITH US, AND THAT'S GONNA BE A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, LATINO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AROUND, IN AND AROUND THAT AREA WITH THE MERCADO THAT WE ARE SO MUCH ANTICIPATING.

SO, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I MENTIONED THAT.

BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK ON THIS PLAN, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE CONVERSATION, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ZENDEJAS.

SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

VERY COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION.

I THINK, UM, TO SUM UP THE COUNCIL'S COMMENTS, WHAT RESONATED IS MAINTAIN A FOCUS ON SMALL BUSINESSES, EXISTING BUSINESSES, AND, UH, THE WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO EDUCATE AND MAYBE CREATE A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

BUT SMALL BUSINESS CAME OUT FROM MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

ALSO, THE THEME TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INCLUSIVE OF THE WHOLE CITY.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL, UH, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF STRATEGIES, BUT OTHER THINGS WILL COME OUTTA THESE STRATEGIES, ACTION PLANS, OTHER THINGS WILL COME OUT.

LET'S MAKE SURE WE KEEP A FOCUS ON THOSE LENSES.

EVEN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING BIG OPPORTUNITIES LIKE REPOSITIONING OF THE CONVENTION CENTER OR QUEEN MARY ISLAND, HOW CAN WE TIE IN OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND VENDORS TO, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES? SO, UH, LET'S MAKE SURE WE WE FOCUS ON THAT.

UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS LIKE, UH, KEVIN WAS, WAS PRETTY CLEAR, THIS, THESE ARE LONG-TERM PLAYS.

SOME OF OUR REVENUE CHALLENGES ARE MORE IMMEDIATE THAN SOME OF THESE PLAYS.

SO THIS ISN'T GONNA DO IT ALL.

THE SOONER WE START AND THE MORE AGGRESSIVE WE ARE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE STRONGER WE'RE GONNA BE.

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER PART OF THIS.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION AT COUNCIL ABOUT HOW YOU READJUST, OR ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES READJUST OUR REVENUES.

WHAT I'LL TELL YOU IS, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF APPETITE FOR NEW TAXES ON EXISTING RESIDENTS.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GROW OUR ECONOMY AND BRING NEW REVENUE INTO THE CITY, UH, TO OFFSET THE SERVICES, TO OFFSET THE IMPACTS TO SERVICES.

BECAUSE CURRENTLY, BASED ON THESE PRO PROJECTIONS ON OIL TIGHTS FUND COULD BE BANKRUPT BY 2029.

AND THAT'S HOW WE FUND ALL THE LIFEGUARDS IN OUR CITY, THE COASTAL MAINTENANCE IN OUR CITY, PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LAY OFF LIFEGUARDS, WHICH MEANS THAT IMPACT TO TIGHTS WILL BE SHIFTED TO GENERAL FUND ON SOME OF THOSE SERVICES.

THAT PUTS A STRAIN ON AN ALREADY STRAINED GENERAL FUND.

SO WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT REALITY WE WANNA HAVE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

I DON'T THINK OUR RESIDENTS WILL WANT US TO GO, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD KNOWING THAT THE LOSS OF OIL IS GONNA LEAD TO POTENTIALLY LAYOFFS OF HUNDREDS OF, OF WORKERS ACROSS OUR CITY, OUR CITY.

THAT'S NOT A PRO PROPOSITION THAT WE CAN, WE CAN GO FOR.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE, THIS ISN'T THE END OF THE CONVERSATION, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THEY CAN BE CLEAR WITH THEIR RESIDENTS THAT WE, WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS AT SOME POINT.

SO THE NEXT PRESENTATION WE'LL HAVE AT COUNCIL WILL BE ABOUT ACTUAL REVENUE CHALLENGES.

AND ARE THERE SOME ACTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMING MONTHS OR YEARS, UH, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.

SO THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION.

IT'S VERY POSITIVE.

I THINK YOU'RE GETTING SOME MESSAGES.

YES, HEAD DOWN THE REVENUE WITH SOME URGENCY.

I CERTAINLY RECEIVE THE STUFF AROUND, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISING AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

IF THERE ARE MORE IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITIES, LET'S, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM.

UM, BUT WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS ABOUT OUR LONG-TERM FISCAL, UH, STRENGTH.

NOW, UH, BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE, I, ONE PERSON I DIDN'T CALL ON, ON PUBLIC COMMENT WAS, JOHN EDMOND, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESTEEMED CITY MANAGER, BO MARTINEZ, HATS OFF TO YOU.

JOHNNY VALLEJO, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR US LITTLE WONKY FOLKS.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS THAT WAS AHEAD OF TIME FOR THE MEETING TODAY.

AND

[02:15:01]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION, MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL GIVING, UH, DIRECTION AND INPUT FOR THE VISION AND MEETING THE MOMENT THAT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTED WITH, WITH THAILAND LANDS AND OIL ROOT REVENUE, AND NOT WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN, BUT COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS NOW.

AND WHAT I ALSO THINK IS GREAT IS THAT AS MULTI-SECTOR, IT'S NOT A FOCUS ON THE PORT, WHICH IS AN OBVIOUS THING, BUT IT'S REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE 50 SQUARE MILES OF THIS CITY, ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT IT HAS TO ATTRACT.

HOW DO WE BRIDGE THE GAPS OF THESE ISLANDS THAT ARE REALLY, UH, CENTERS OF GRAVITY, WHETHER IT'S CAL STATE LONG BEACH, VIP RECORDS, ALL THESE WONDERFUL TREASURES AND ASSETS, AND HOW DO WE HAVE IT ALL COME TOGETHER IN A HOLISTIC APPROACH WHERE THE RISING TIDES ALL BOAST RISE IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE LONG BEACH AREA OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE STAND AT THE READY AND WE ARE EXCITED AND ENTHUSIASTIC, AND I'LL, I'LL SAY THIS, I'VE ALWAYS HEARD THIS, THAT LONG BEACH IS THE BEST KEPT SECRET.

SITTING THROUGH THE MAYOR'S PRESENTATION, THE COUNCIL'S PRESENTATIONS, AND, UH, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ PRESENTATION, IT GETS ME EXCITED.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE STEPPING OUT OF THE SHADOW OF LA AND WE'RE TRULY BECOMING OUR OWN METROPOLITAN AND WONDERFUL CITY.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

THANK YOU MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT PRESENTATION.

WE HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS. THERE ARE, UH, A BUNCH OF PEOPLE HERE FOR, SO HERE'S THE, THE ORDER WE'RE GONNA DO, WE ARE GOING TO DO, WHERE'S THE, WE'RE GONNA DO 23 FILIPINO COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE PRESENTATION ON JUST, JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE CLEANUP.

LET'S START WITH 23, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE 24 REPORT FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FILIPINO COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT CITYWIDE.

OKAY, WE'LL BE ASKING OUR HEALTH TEAM TO JOIN US TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY

[23. 24-53212 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation regarding the City of Long Beach Filipino Community Health Needs Assessment. (Citywide) Office or Department: Health and Human Services Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

OKAY, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ALISON KING, OUR DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE INTRODUCING THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

I WANNA START BY GROUNDING THIS PRESENTATION IN SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.

NOW, THIS IMPORTANT WORK CONNECTS TO OUR RACIAL RECONCILIATION WORK THAT MANY OF YOU ON OUR COUNCIL.

SO, COURAGEOUSLY LAUNCHED IN 2021, I'M SORRY, 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE MURDERS OF OUR BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE WITNESSED HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN RESPONSE AND RECOGNITION OF THE INJUSTICES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS TASKED WITH BUILDING OUT OUR RACIAL AND HEALTH EQUITY TEAM THAT WOULD START TO BUILD AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND BEGIN TO DO THE IMPORTANT HEALING WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN NEEDING TO DO IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE HEALTH EQUITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN LONG BEACH.

GOAL ONE, STRATEGY THREE, INCREASE INCLUSIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT BY EXPANDING THE POOL OF TRUSTED PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS BEYOND THOSE TRADITIONALLY ENGAGED, INCLUDING ALTERNATE DISSENTING VOICES.

OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN IN LONG BEACH FOR DECADES, BUT IT'S ALSO A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR FAR TOO LONG.

DUE TO OUR PRACTICE OF AGGREGATING ALL DATA INTO THE A ASIAN RACE CATEGORY.

TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, OUR TEAM PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO CONDUCT A COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING THREE OBJECTIVES.

ONE, INVENTORY THE RESOURCES AND ASSETS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH.

TWO, IDENTIFY KEY HEALTH PRIORITIES AND ASSESS THE HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

NUMBER THREE, DEVELOP A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROPOSITION OF BEST APPROACHES FOR LEVERING, LEVERAGING THE STRENGTH OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

WITH THAT, I WILL TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO HAROLD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALLISON, AND GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

[02:20:03]

MY NAME IS HAROLD DE LA CRUZ, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE SERVING AS OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S FILIPINO, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HEALTH EQUITY COORDINATOR.

UM, AND GROWING UP IN LONG BEACH, IT'S A HUGE HONOR TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WORK TODAY THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF WITH MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

SO, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DETAILS OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK AND BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE GUIDING THIS PROCESS.

SO AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE INTEGRAL TO INCLUDE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS INTO EVERY PHASE OF THIS PROCESS.

AND SO WE MADE AN INTENTIONAL DECISION TO SET UP THIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT USING COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PRINCIPLES.

THAT MEANS WE WANTED TO VALUE AND RECOGNIZE THE STRENGTHS OF OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY, ENSURE THAT THIS PROCESS WAS BASED ON COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED ISSUES, EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS AND STRUCTURES FOR PARTICIPATION, AND WAS ABOUT ACTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE, AND DRIVING TOWARDS HEALTH EQUITY.

SO AS YOU ALL CAN SEE HERE IN EVERY ONE OF THESE PHASES, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.

IN PHASE ONE, WE FORMED OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH FIVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY HERE IN LONG BEACH.

AND THESE FIVE ORGANIZATIONS SELECTED THREE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO JOIN OUR COMMITTEE.

THIS COMMITTEE ADVISED OUR RACIAL AND HEALTH EQUITY TEAM, UH, ON THE HEALTH TOPICS THAT WE WERE TO COVER IN OUR FOCUS GROUPS.

IN OUR PHASE TWO, WE USED THE PRIORITIES AND THEMES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THESE FOCUS GROUPS TO GUIDE THE CONTENT OF OUR SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE.

AND THAT FINALLY LEADS US TO PHASE THREE, WHERE OUR COMMITTEE COLLABORATED WITH OUR RESEARCH TEAM TO HOST LISTENING SESSIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ANALYZE OUR SURVEY AND FOCUS GROUP RESULTS, AND TO BEGIN TO CREATE THE FOUNDATION FOR AN ACTION PLAN.

AND IT'S MY HONOR TO ACTUALLY RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.

UM, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO START BY RECOGNIZING, UH, ROMEO HEBRON, WHO ACTUALLY COULD NOT MAKE IT, BUT IS BEING REPRESENTED BY GISELLE DE LOS REYES.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO STAND, SHE'LL BE, UH, SPEAKING SHORTLY.

UM, AND SHE'S REPRESENTING OUR FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER.

WE HAVE KIMMI MANIS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SEARCH TO INVOLVE FILIPINO AMERICANS.

WE HAVE PRINCIPAL MARIE EDWARDS.

I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S STILL HERE.

SHE MAY HAVE HAD TO LEAVE.

UH, FROM ST.

LUCIE SCHOOL, WE HAVE DR.

LEONARDO AK REPRESENTING THE FEDERATION OF FILIPINO AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS.

WE HAVE RALPH SANTOS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LONG BEACH FILIPINO FESTIVAL.

WE HAVE ROMEO GARCIA, SOON TO BE DR.

ROMEO GARCIA, UH, THE CO-FOUNDER OF CUBO LONG BEACH.

WE HAVE JOHAN ORZO, WHO'S NOT HERE WITH US TODAY.

UM, HE IS THE DIRECTOR, UH, THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ACCESS TO PREVENTION, ADVOCACY, INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT.

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE HAVE DR.

VERONICA ACOSTA DERE, A PROFESSOR OF HEALTH SCIENCE AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH, UH, WHO'S ALSO NOT HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE'S ADMINISTERING A FINAL FOR HER STUDENTS.

AND THIS IS OUR WONDERFUL COMMITTEE, UM, AT OUR FIRST TOWN HALL AND FOCUS GROUPS.

UM, AND SO YOU COULD SEE WE HAVE A VERY POWERFUL GROUP HERE.

UM, AND THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS NOT ONLY SERVED ON OUR COMMITTEE TO ADVISE OUR RESEARCH PROJECT, BUT ALSO STEPPED IN IN MANY ROLES SUCH AS FACILITATING THESE FOCUS GROUPS.

UM, SO JUST DEFINITELY WANTED TO GIVE THEM A BIG SHOUT OUT FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK AND CONTRIBUTION AND LEADERSHIP IN THIS PROCESS.

AND SO, IN THIS YEAR AND A HALF, UH, WE COLLECTIVELY CONDUCTED A TOWN HALL, HOSTED FIVE DIFFERENT FOCUS GROUPS, UM, HOSTED TWO COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS AND ADMINISTERED HUNDREDS OF SURVEYS TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, OVER THE SUMMER.

AND THIS WHOLE PROCESS RESULTED IN US CREATING THE INAUGURAL FILIPINO COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR 2024.

AND SO, UH, BEFORE I PASS IT ON TO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO DIVE INTO SOME OF THE MAIN FINDINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE, UM, THE DETAILS OF OUR REPORT.

SO WE HAD A TOTAL OF 46 FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS, UM, THAT WERE DIVIDED INTO THESE FIVE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT REPRESENT A CROSS SECTION OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

AND THOSE GROUPS WERE OLDER ADULTS, ADULTS, MIXED AGES, L-B-T-Q-I-A TWO S PLUS, AND WOMEN.

AND FOR OUR SURVEY, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 219 PARTICIPANTS, 188

[02:25:01]

OF THEM TAKING THE SURVEY ONLINE, 12 OVER THE PHONE AND 19 IN PERSON.

AS FOR OUR, OUR DEMOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, AS WE CAN EXPECT, WE HAD A OVERWHELMING, UM, REPRESENTATION FROM THE ZIP CODE 9 0 8 1 OH, WHICH WE KNOW AS UNOFFICIALLY OUR FILIPINO TOWN OR LITTLE MANILA.

UH, BUT WE ALSO HAD LARGE REPRESENTATION FROM 9 0 8 0 2, 9 0 8 0 6, AND 9 0 8 0 7.

UH, BUT WE DID HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM ALL ACROSS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

AS FOR OUR AGE REPRESENTATION, THE LARGEST GROUP WAS, UM, OUR PARTICIPANTS AGES BETWEEN 25 AND 44.

UH, BUT WE ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANT SAMPLE SIZES FOR OUR OTHER AGE GROUPS.

AS FOR IMMIGRATION STATUS AND LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, UH, AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR PARTICIPANTS WERE ACTUALLY IMMIGRANTS.

UM, ALMOST 60%.

AND AS FOR LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, A LARGE MAJORITY SPOKE ENGLISH.

BUT THERE'S ALSO, AS YOU CAN SEE, A LARGE REPRESENTATION OF FOLKS THAT SPEAK TAGALOG, UH, FILIPINO, ELANO, ANO, AND MESSIAH.

AND SHOUT OUT TO OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM FOR ALWAYS, UH, PROVIDING OUR INTERPRETATION SERVICES.

AND AS FOR OUR FOCUS AREAS, WE HAD FIVE MAIN FOCUS AREAS THAT YOU'LL BE, WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IN THIS COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT.

AND THOSE ARE HEALTH STATUS AND CARE ACCESS, ACCESS TO INFORMATION, NUTRITION, MENTAL HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE DIVING INTO ALL OF THESE FOCUS AREAS TODAY, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND SOME OF THE MAIN HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS FROM OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS.

AND SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S MY HONOR AND PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR COVER GIRL, UH, KIMMY, MONIQUE, UH, FROM SIPPA.

HEY, HAROLD.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR RICHARDSON.

AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

UM, I'M KIMMI MENIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CPA SEARCH TO INVOLVE FILIPINO AMERICANS.

UM, AND AS A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH AND LEADING AN ORGANIZATION, THANK YOU, THAT, UM, REALLY CARES ABOUT THE WELLBEING OF FILIPINO AMERICANS, IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ENGAGE IN THIS PROJECT.

SO, UM, AS HAROLD MENTIONED, I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH REALLY BRIEFLY, UM, JUST THE HEALTH STATUS AND, UM, SORRY, HEALTH STATUS AND CARE ACCESS, AS WELL AS THE MENTAL HEALTH PORTIONS OF THE REPORT.

SO WHEN ASKED ABOUT HEALTH CONDITIONS, FILIPINOS CONTINUE TO SEE A PREVALENCE OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, AND PRE-DIABETES AND ASTHMA AS SIGNIFICANT HEALTH ISSUES.

WE KNOW BOTH ANECDOTALLY, UH, PERSONALLY THROUGH FAMILY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY, THAT THESE TEND TO BE THE HIGHEST IN TERMS OF HEALTH CONCERNS.

UM, AND THIS WAS SUPPORTED WITH THE DATA THAT WE COLLECTED.

UH, WHEN ASKED ABOUT METHODS FOR MANAGING HEALTH, THE MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS TURNED TO PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS WHILE A LARGE, UH, ANOTHER LARGE PERCENTAGE ALSO TURNS TO PRAYER.

UH, SO WE, WE KNOW THAT A LARGE MAJORITY OF FILIPINO POPULATION RELIES ON FAITH FOR SUPPORT, AND WE SEE THAT PRAYER IN COMBINATION WITH TRADITIONAL WESTERN MEDICINE, UH, BEING UTILIZED FOR HEALTH MANAGEMENT.

UH, WITH REGARDS TO MENTAL HEALTH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL NUMBERS ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS, IT SHOWS THAT ABOUT 45.6% ARE JUST UNDER HALF REPORTED, HAVING NO FEELINGS OF BEING NERVOUS, ANXIOUS, OR ON EDGE.

IN THE PAST 30 DAYS, UM, 38.3 REPORT REPORTED SEVERAL DAYS, AND ANOTHER 10% REPORTED MORE THAN HALF THE DAYS.

BUT 29.3 REPORTED SEVERAL DAYS, AND ANOTHER 6.5 REPORTED MORE THAN HALF THE DAYS FEELING THIS WAY.

AND WHEN BROKEN DOWN BY AGE GROUP, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN PER, UH, PER, UM, PERCEIVED MENTAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS, UH, THAT IT VARIES.

SO FOR YOUNG ADULTS, OVER 73% INDICATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO SEE A PROFESSIONAL FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

AND THIS TRENDS DOWNWARDS AS WE GO UP IN AGE AND THEN INCREASES AGAIN WITH SENIORS.

NOTE ALSO THE RESPONSE PREFER NOT TO SAY, WHICH I THINK, UH, SPEAKS TO STIGMA AND, UM, COMFORTABILITY WITH SEEKING HELP, UH, WHICH IS HIGHEST IN THE AGE RANGE OF 55 TO 64, AND ALSO AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITH VERY FEW RESPONSES, UH, FOR LOW FOR YOUNG ADULTS.

AND THEN IN THIS SLIDE, WE LOOK AT HELP SEEKING BEHAVIOR FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AMONG ADULTS, AGES 22 TO 24.

THOSE WHO

[02:30:01]

FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED HELP, UM, THE NUMBER WHO ACTUALLY SOUGHT CARE WAS A LITTLE OVER HALF.

AND IN OTHER AGE GROUPS, THERE WAS A HIGH PROPORTION WHO ACTUALLY SOUGHT CARE.

SO THESE FINDINGS ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE SEE AT CEPA, WHAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTY AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH FILIPINO AMERICANS GENERALLY PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, FILIPINO YOUTH IN PARTICULAR.

SO TEENAGERS AND TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS HAD DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH NUMBER, UH, HIGH NUMBERS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND SUICIDE IDEATION.

AND THEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW EVEN MORE OF AN INCREASE.

AND SO PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE, UH, PRODUCED HAVE PRIORITIZED PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, WHICH AIM TO REDUCE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION TO HELP, UM, TO INCREASE HELP SEEKING BEHAVIORS.

UM, THERE'S ALSO MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ACCESSING HELP.

SOME OF THAT INCLUDE STIGMA.

UM, SOME ARE CONNECTED TO CULTURAL VALUES THAT ARE RELATED TO SHAME, PRIDE, OBLIGATION, UM, AND THEN ALSO THE LACK OF HAVING CULTURALLY COMPETENT PRACTITIONERS PROVIDING IN-LANGUAGE SERVICES IN TAGALOG, BUT ALSO INCLUDING OTHER FILIPINO LANGUAGES LIKE ELANO, MESSIAH, AND OTHER LANGUAGES.

UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH SECTION, AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO GISELLE DE RES FROM FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER TO COVER OTHER, OTHER PIECES.

WOO.

HELLO.

UM, GISELLE, I'M THE DIRECT SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER.

UM, SO I'LL BE COVERING NUTRITION AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

SO FOR NUTRITION, THE MAIN THING I WANNA HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT 53% OF RESIDENTS WERE AT LEAST SOMETIMES WORRIED OR STRESSED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO BUY NUTRITIOUS MEALS.

AND, UM, AS MY ROLE AS THE DIRECT SERVICES MANAGER DURING OUR OFFICE HOURS IN THE HEART OF WEST SIDE LONG BEACH, WHICH IN CASE FOLKS DIDN'T KNOW, IS ACTUALLY THE MOST DENSE POPULATION OF WORKING CLASS SLASH LOW INCOME FILIPINOS IN LONG BEACH.

UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY QUITE A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR FOOD ACCESS, MEANING THAT FOLKS HAVE BEEN COMING TO US SAYING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE FOOD BANKS ARE CLOSING.

AND FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR, UM, IMMIGRANT WORKERS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH HIGH PAYING JOBS, THEY ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES.

UM, LIKE EVEN THE OTHER WEEK, A MOM CAME IN WITH HER BABY ASKING FOR FOOD RESOURCES BECAUSE THE FOOD BANK THAT THEY NORMALLY GO TO CLOSED DOWN.

SO, UM, THIS SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR MORE ACCESS IN FOOD DESERTS SUCH AS WEST, WEST SIDE LONG BEACH.

AND FOR THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, WE'RE ACTUALLY LAUNCHING A NEW PROGRAM CALLED A ANDAN OR OUR HEALTH OR OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A HEALTH WORKSHOP SERIES WHERE WE ARE USING THE DATA FROM THE HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHICH WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY TO GENERATE CONVERSATIONS AND WORK TOWARDS COLLECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

UM, WE'LL BE LAUNCHING THE FIRST WORKSHOP, WHICH WILL BE GOING OVER NUTRITION.

SO GOING OVER, UM, REALLY THE ROOTS OF THE FOOD, UM, THAT IS REALLY SEEN IN THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY BEING TIED TO ACTUALLY COLONIZATION.

AND THE NEED FOR US TO ALSO WORK WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, EVEN THE COMMUNITY GARDEN ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR OFFICE, IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF, OF THESE TYPES OF RESOURCES.

AND THERE ARE FLYERS OUTSIDE IN THE FRONT AT THE TABLE IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED.

UM, NEXT, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, UH, SPECIFICALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT 32% OF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE TO USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A HIGH NUMBER, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NARRATIVES AND REAL LIFE STORIES OF PEOPLE, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC WHERE ASIAN AMERICANS AND MORE SPECIFICALLY MANY FILIPINOS, UM, WERE EXPERIENCING ANTI-ASIAN HEAT INCIDENTS, WHICH WERE OFTEN TAKING PLACE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR IN THE STREET.

AND WE ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THAT THIS TIES INTO HOW, UM, WE ENSURED THAT WE WANT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.

BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO ACTUALLY FILING FOR THESE ANTI-ASIAN HATE INCIDENTS, IT'S ACTUALLY VERY HARD TO RELIVE THE TRAUMA OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT LEGAL BARRIERS IN ORDER TO GET ASSISTANCE, ESPECIALLY AS A UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT.

NEXT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AS WELL, ON THE POSITIVE SIDE IS THAT 50% OF PEOPLE REALLY DO FEEL SAFE IN, IN WALKING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND BECAUSE OF THE RICH HISTORY OF FILIPINOS AND LONG BEACH, MANY PEOPLE HAVE MIGRATED, UM, SINCE THE EIGHTIES HERE.

SO THEY REALLY HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AND THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GO TO THEIR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND PICK KACI FROM THEIR TREE.

BUT THE NEXT STEP IS FOR US TO ENSURE THAT THE OTHER 50%, UM, ARE REALLY FEELING SAFE AS WELL.

SO WE WANT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE IN

[02:35:01]

THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND THEN LASTLY, THIS ONE'S PRETTY COOL.

UM, SO WHEN WE ASK FOLKS WHAT ARE MORE THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AS YOU CAN SEE, UNSUP, UNSURPRISINGLY, THEY ARE YEARNING FOR MORE HEALTHY, SAFE, SAFE PLACES THAT THEY CAN GATHER TOGETHER.

SO THINGS SUCH AS MORE PARKS, GYMS, FARMER'S MARKET, AND GROCERY STORES.

SO AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE POINT OF FOOD DESERTS AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES THAT YOU CAN REALLY SEE , MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WANNA SEE ARE REALLY TIED TO FOOD.

UM, SO THAT IS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

SO I THINK THAT CLOSES US OUT.

CAN I INVITE, UM, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO COME UP AND JOIN UP HERE WHILE WE, UH, CLOSE OUT? SO ON BEHALF OF THE PHILIPPINES COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PRESENT OUR FINDINGS.

I INVITE EACH OF YOU TO ENGAGE FURTHER WITH THE REPORT AND REACH OUT TO ANY OF US WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS.

UM, SO AS A FOLLOW UP, WE, WE HAVE A, AN EVENT STATE OF THE PHILIPPINES COMMUNITY EVENT IN OCTOBER.

UM, SO WE WOULD LOVE FOR EACH OF YOU TO ATTEND.

UM, AND WE'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION ONCE THAT'S AVAILABLE.

UM, AND THEN WE ALSO ENCOURAGE AND INVITE ONGOING PARTICIPATION IN COLLABORATION.

UM, FILIPINOS ARE THE LARGEST A API ETHNIC GROUP IN LONG BEACH WITH OVER 21,000 RESIDENTS WHO IDENTIFY AS FILIPINO.

AND IT'S A GROWING POPULATION.

SO WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF WHAT'S BEEN SHARED TODAY, UM, AND BUILD TOGETHER, WE WELCOME THAT.

UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA CLOSE OUT WITH A UNITY CLAP AND ANG BUG.

SO, SO, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, UH, FILIPINO AMERICANS HAVE DONE IN SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER GROUPS.

THE UNITY CLAP, OF COURSE, COMING FROM THE UNITED FARM WORKERS.

ISAK COMING FROM THE PHILIPPINES IN, UM, THE MOVEMENT FOR, UH, NATIONAL MOVEMENT TOWARD DEMOCRACY.

AND SO WE START OFF CLAPPING IN UNISON, AND THEN IT SLOWLY GETS FASTER AND FASTER.

AND THEN I'LL SAY, UNG BUG SUCK.

AND THEN WE ALL CLAP TOGETHER.

AND UNG BUG SUCK MEANS ONE DOWN.

SO WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH THE UNITY CLAP.

WELL, LET'S, LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR HE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND OUR INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

PHILIPPINE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, LET'S HERE FOR 'EM.

UM, THIS IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING OUR OWN LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE ABLE TO DO STUDIES AND ASSESSMENTS BASED ON LOCAL DATA.

WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS LA COUNTY DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO THIS.

UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE A PART OF A BROADER PUBLIC HEALTH DEPART DEPARTMENT.

COUNTYWIDE, UH, ONLY LONG BEACH AND PASADENA HAVE THIS ABILITY.

AND IN FACT, THERE'S ONLY THREE CITIES ACROSS ALL OF CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

SO THAT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND, ALLOCATE RESOURCES, AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE, OF THE HEALTH OF OUR, UH, LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

SO, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, SUPER PROUD TO SEE THAT THIS IS TO PLACE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE THINGS TO COME AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE STATE OF, UH, PHILIPPINE X UH, THIS FALL.

WE'LL TAKE IT BACK TO BEHIND THE RAIL.

ACTUALLY, BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET'S, LET'S KNOCK OUT, I SEE A COUPLE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TIME TO SPEAK.

LET'S DO THAT NOW.

NO, I HAVE, I SEE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

I THOUGHT THERE WERE A COUPLE PEOPLE, I GUESS THERE WERE THEIR NAMES.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL.

COUNCILWOMAN KERR.

UH, THANK YOU TO THE ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR ALL OF YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK.

UM, AND I WANNA SHOUT OUT, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN HAROLD.

I HAVE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT RAVE COMMENTS AND REVIEWS.

UM, I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS HAS BEEN A TRULY COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, INTENTIONALLY REACHING OUT TO FOLKS WHO MAY NOT HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN THE PAST.

UM, AND ENGAGING WITH FOLKS WHERE THEY WERE AT TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD AND GREAT WORK ON THAT.

UM, ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD GOOD THINGS.

THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS, UM, WHEN WE KNOW MORE, WE DO BETTER.

UM, AND SHINING A LIGHT ON, UH, THE LARGEST AA POPULATION IN THE CITY, THAT, AS YOU SAID, IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED, I THINK COMES AT A CRITICAL TIME, UM, FOR THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, THE WELLNESS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE AND, AND BRING IN MORE RESOURCES AND MORE AWARENESS.

I WANNA THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT GOOD WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH ALL OF YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

I WANNA THANK YOU PRESENTERS FOR COMING FORWARD.

COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

AND

[02:40:01]

LEO, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN SUCH A LONG TIME.

GOOD, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I WANNA JUST COMMEND THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR REPORT.

A COUPLE OF THINGS STOOD OUT TO ME THAT I THOUGHT WOULD REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE STUDY BECAUSE I THINK IT MIGHT BE UNDER REPORTED.

AND, UH, KNOWING THAT THE LARGEST, UH, RUMOR REPRESENTATION OF FILIPINOS IN WEST LONG BEACH, UH, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A LOWER NUMBER OR THE LOW NUMBER OF FILIPINOS WITH ASTHMA.

I FIGURED THERE'D BE A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WOULD REPORTED HERE.

SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANNA REVISIT AND STUDY AGAIN, 'CAUSE IT'S GOTTA BE HIGHER.

I, I'M NOT PRETTY SURE OF THAT, BUT I WAS SURPRISED THAT, WELL, ACTUALLY NOT SURPRISED THAT IT'S A SCOURGE OF THE MINORITY COMMUNITY TO HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

I'M GUILTY OF THAT.

YOU'RE HEARING IT.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE MORE EDUCATION IN RECOGNIZING THE EFFECTS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HOW THEY, THEY CAN, UH, ADDRESS IT IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITIES.

BUT ESPECIALLY IN THE LATINO AND, AND FILIPINO COMMUNITIES, HIGH PLEASURE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE APPEARS TO BE A VERY HIGH, UH, PROBABILITY IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

SO A VERY, VERY, UH, VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT.

AND JUST BRING THAT OUT.

SOMETHING THAT YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE.

UH, LOVE THE ASSESSMENT, LOT OF INFORMATION, GOOD INFORMATION, AND A LOT OF GOOD, UH, UH, FOCUS GROUPS ON WHAT YOU WANT TO FOCUS, FOCUS IN ON.

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, A FUTURE REPORT WHERE YOU CAN BE MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE.

SOMEBODY SAID, OH, THERE WAS 21,000 FILIPINOS AND YOU ONLY HAD 217 RESPONDENT RESPONDENTS.

LET'S, LET'S PICK THAT UP.

LET'S PICK UP THAT NUMBER, GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED SO WE CAN HAVE MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

OTHER THAN THAT WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL REPORT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW.

HEALTH ACCESS FOR OUR FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU DIRECTOR ALLISON AND HAROLD AND THE PHILIPPINES ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND IT'S HARD.

UM, BUT IT'S ALSO REALLY EMPOWERING AND REWARDING BECAUSE THIS IS PEOPLE CO FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLECTING INFORMATION AND STORIES, YOU KNOW, BY THEM, FOR THEM.

RIGHT? AND I JUST WANNA SAY HOW TIMELY IT IS BECAUSE IT IS CELEBRATING, THIS IS API HERITAGE MONTH, UM, DUE TO LOGISTICAL REASON.

I AM BRINGING IT FORWARD WITH COUNCILWOMAN RICK OTI, COUNCIL MEMBER YANGA, AND, UM, AND A LITTLE BIT LATER THIS MONTH TO CELEBRATE.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS REALLY ABOUT HOW ARE WE DISAGGREGATING DATA AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR DIVERSE ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE HAWAIIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT GOES BACK TO BEING VISIBLE.

AND THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT THE, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY FACE.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO GATHER DATA AND SOMETIMES BY OURSELF.

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR CITY'S DEPARTMENT, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THIS IS A PRIORITY.

I THINK IT'S ALSO BEEN LONG OVERDUE THAT WE HAVE THIS, UM, ASSESSMENT DONE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY OF WHERE ALL OF OUR C HAS COME FROM TO SETTLE IN THE US BECAUSE THERE ARE DEEP HISTORICAL TRAUMA THAT IS CONNECTED TO HEALTH ISSUE, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT INCLUDES COLONIZATION.

AND THAT'S A REALLY BIG THING THAT CONTINUE TO AFFECT YOUNG, THE GENERATION IN AMERICA, EVEN IF THEY'VE NOT DIRECTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, BEEN IMPACTED DIRECTLY BY IT.

SO IN SHORT, THE DATA IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S THROUGH THESE, UH, DATA AND SURVEY THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE CRITICAL ISSUES YOU LIFT UP, UM, SUCH AS CHRONIC HEALTH ILLNESS ILLNESSES SUCH AS THE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, AND THE BARRIER TO HEALTHCARE.

SO I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY NOW THAT WE HAVE DATA AND FINDING TO SHOW THAT YES, WE COULD DO MORE RESEARCH, BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE DATA TO BEGIN WITH FOR OUR CITY TO LOOK INTO WAYS THAT WE CAN IN INCREASE THE INVESTMENT AND BE PROACTIVE, ENSURING THAT THERE'S EQUITABLE

[02:45:01]

UM, SO I LOOK FORWARD IN THE WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UM, SUPPORT THAT PROCESS, UH, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO DO SO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COUNCIL MEMBER TI MM-HMM, .

UM, YEAH, THIS WAS WONDERFUL.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE MADE THIS HAPPEN.

UM, IT WARMS MY STATISTICIAN, EPIDEMIOLOGISTS HEART, UM, SO MUCH.

UM, AND TO, UM, PIGGYBACK ON COUNCIL MEMBER DR.

SORROW, UM, I ACTUALLY WAS JUST AT A PRESENTATION FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, THIS AGGREGATE, UM, RACE ETHNICITY DATA, RIGHT? 'CAUSE IT'S THE RECOGNITION THAT WE DON'T SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES WELL, RIGHT? WHEN WE COMBINE TOGETHER DIFFERENT RACE ETHNICITIES, RIGHT? YOU TALKING ABOUT ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER GROUP, RIGHT? IT'S SO DIVERSE, RIGHT? AND YOUR BACKGROUNDS ARE SO DIVERSE THAT WE, WE DISHONOR THAT, RIGHT? AND WE ALSO CAN'T PLAN FOR INTERVENTIONS AND THINGS THAT YOU NEED, RIGHT? WHEN WE, WE COMBINE ALL THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER OUT OF, OUT OF CONVENIENCE LEGITIMATELY.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE TO SEE THE FACT THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO, TO THE FOCUS ON OUR FRAMEWORK FOR RACIAL RECONCILIATION, RIGHT? UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS LOOKING, LISTENING TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DR.

SORROW AND COUNCIL MEMBER ARANGA, UM, COMMENTS, RIGHT? AND WE THINK ABOUT OURSELVES AS PEOPLE OF COLOR, UM, AND THERE'S SO MUCH ABOUT OUR RICH HISTORY AND OUR CULTURE THAT BINDS US TOGETHER.

UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SHARED HISTORY, RIGHT? OF TRAUMA.

UM, AND THE IMPACTS OF SO MUCH OF, WE TALK ABOUT COLONIALISM AND RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION, RIGHT? AND HOW THOSE THINGS RESEARCH HAS SHOWN, GETS SHARED BY IN OUR DNA, RIGHT? IT LITERALLY, IT LITERALLY GETS PASSED DOWN TO GENERATIONS.

AND WE SEE THAT IN THE IMPACTS.

YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT THE DATA AROUND AGE AND MENTAL HEALTH, RIGHT? AND UTILIZATION THE NEED FOR IT, RIGHT? UM, I WAS LOOKING AT THE STUFF AROUND FOOD INSECURITY, RIGHT? LIKE OVER 50% OF OUR, YOU KNOW, PHILIPPINE X COMMUNITY MENTIONED BEING SOMETIMES, REGULARLY, OR ALWAYS RIGHT, STRESSED ABOUT WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS GOING TO BE, RIGHT? SO I THINK THIS DEMONSTRATES TO US, UM, AT A MACRO LEVEL THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A, AS A COMMUNITY, UM, TO ADDRESS THOSE.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BEAR TO DO THAT, BUT WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING THAT AND WE'RE TAKING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND I, I, I APPRECIATE DR.

UH, DR.

SORROW, COUNCIL MEMBER DR.

SORROW, SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF, THIS TYPE OF DATA IS CRITICAL BECAUSE IT'S FOR US, BY US, RIGHT? SO IT'S FOR THAT COMMUNITY, BY THAT COMMUNITY, AND THEN MAKING SURE AS WE'RE TAKING THAT DATA, WE'RE CONTINUING THIS COALITION AND HAVING THAT COMMUNITY TELL US WHAT THEY NEED, RIGHT? TELL US HOW TO DELIVER THOSE RESOURCES, UM, IN WAYS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. KING AND HAROLD FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING, AND A BIG SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE.

I LOVE IT WHEN I COME TO COUNCIL AND I LEARN SO MUCH.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DID TODAY WITH YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I THINK, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID DATA IS SO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES WHERE THE RESOURCES ARE NEEDED.

AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, WE ON, ON THE DIETS CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH, UM, HOW IMPORTANT THE DATA IS.

SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US WITH THAT.

UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK MY FRIEND ROMEO GARCIA, UM, ON THE COMMITTEE FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, UM, FOR YEARS AFTER YEARS, UM, TO THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY.

UM, AND YOU KEEP, UM, BRINGING BACK AND GIVING SO MUCH OF YOURSELF.

I WAS VERY, VERY PROUD, UM, TO HAVE HAD YOU IN MY DISTRICT AND BE ABLE TO HAVE HAD THE PAROLE LANTER FESTIVAL IN MY DISTRICT.

AND THAT ITSELF BROUGHT SO MUCH LIVELINESS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WAS WE WERE ABLE TO SHOWCASE AND UPLIFT THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY, UM, THEIR ART AND THEIR MUSIC, THE CHILDREN, EVERYBODY WAS INVOLVED.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE HAVING, UM, THOSE, THOSE KIND OF EVENTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR INVITING ME TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU ON THOSE SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE ALL DOING.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OH, WE, ONE MORE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA.

THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO STUDY AND SEE IF THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT.

I, ONE, ONE MORE ITEM I FORGOT TO MENTION WAS THAT WAS NOT BROUGHT UP IN THE REPORT, WAS THE NEED FOR CHILDCARE, UH, THAT WAS NOT BROUGHT UP IN THIS, IN THIS REPORT.

UH, KNOWING THAT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, WITH EXTENDED FAMILIES, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, DAUGHTERS AND OLDER SONS, GRANDMOTHERS TAKING CARE OF OUR YOUNG ONES, BUT HOW MUCH IS CHILDCARE REALLY PLAY A ROLE IN THE COMMUNITIES? I

[02:50:01]

'CAUSE CHILDCARE, AS WE KNOW, IS VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR, IN OUR NATION, AND IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY SHOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

JUST A COUPLE THINGS.

IT'S GETTING LATE.

I WAS GONNA DO THIS AFTER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE MOTHERS AND THE MOTHER FIGURES ON THE DICE EVERY MOTHER'S DAY.

UM, WE, I, I HEAR THAT WE EXPECT FATHER'S DAY TOO, YOU KNOW? HUH? SORRY.

YOU AND YOU AND DARREL ARE OUT TONIGHT.

THIS, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE GUYS' DAYS, IT'S MOTHER'S DAY.

SO THANKS.

UM, QUICKLY, I, I UNDERSTAND YOU WANNA TAKE A PHOTO? THE COMMUNITY? IS THAT? MAYBE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE TO.

WE CAN KEEP GOING.

JUST SET SOME CONTEXT BEFORE WE PASS THE STAFF FOR PRESENTATION.

OKAY, THEN LET'S DO IT.

LET'S DO IT RIGHT NOW.

'CAUSE WE HAVE A FULL, WE STILL HAVE A FULL AGENDA AHEAD.

ALL RIGHT FOLKS, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK, BRING THE COUNCIL BACK.

STILL GOT MORE WORK TO DO.

LET'S QUEUE UP.

ITEM 24, PLEASE.

COMMUNICATION FROM CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER RELATING TO JUST CAUSE FOR TERMINATION OF TENANCIES AND DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF.

READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING, CITYWIDE.

ALRIGHT, UH,

[24. 24-53308 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending and restating Chapter 8.99, relating to just cause for termination of tenancies and declaring the urgency thereof, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Attorney Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, LONG BEACH HAS, HAS BEEN ADDING, UH, TENANT PROTECTIONS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SORT OF SLOW THE PACE OF DISPLACEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE KNOW OUR REGION'S BEEN EXPERIENCING A HOUSING CRISIS, AND ONE BIG STRATEGY IS KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.

AND WHEN WE ADD TENANT PROTECTIONS, UH, YOU SLOW THE PACE OF HOMELESSNESS.

MOST RECENTLY, UH, THIS WEEK, WE WERE, WE WERE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS, WE SAW FEWER PEOPLE ENTER HOMELESSNESS IN LONG BEACH.

UH, FEWER PEOPLE ENTER THAN EXIT.

AND THAT'S BEEN, THAT PROPOSITION HAS BEEN UPSIDE DOWN FOR SEVEN YEARS STRAIGHT, UH, WITH WAY MORE PEOPLE ENTERING HOMELESSNESS.

AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT A PART OF THAT IS STRATEGIES TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOME.

IT'S ONE IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

UH, WHEN WE BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, UH, PROTECTIONS, ONE OF THOSE PROTECTIONS WAS JUST CAUSE FOR EVICTION.

AT THE TIME THAT WE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, WE WERE, WE WERE A LEADER.

IT WAS SOME OF THE STRONGEST IN CALIFORNIA.

BUT SINCE THEN, STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS CAUGHT UP AND HAS PUT FORWARD STATEWIDE PROTECTIONS THAT ACTUALLY SURPASS WHAT LONG BEACH OFFERS.

SO WHAT YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT ARE TWO THINGS.

YOU'LL HEAR ONE, UH, A FIRST ACTION, WHICH BRINGS LONG BEACH IN, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE'S ACTION.

AND YOU'LL ALSO HEAR ABOUT STEPS THAT LONG BEACH CAN EVALUATE MOVING

[02:55:01]

FORWARD WITH, UH, ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ENHANCE, UH, PROTECTIONS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.

THAT SAID, I'LL PASS IT TO MR. MOKA FOR THE PRESENTATION.

YES, MAYOR, VERY GOOD BACKGROUND.

UH, I WILL ASK OUR CITY, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, RICH ANTHONY, TO WALK THROUGH, UH, WHAT IS IN, IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT, UH, AND, UH, HOW THAT, UH, BOTH ALIGNS WITH THE STATE AND ALSO HOW THERE'S ADDITIONAL, UH, PROTECTIONS THAT ARE STILL IN PLACE THAT, UH, ARE LONG BEACH PROTECTIONS.

THANKS, TOM.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

MAYOR, THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT INTRO.

UM, I WASN'T NECESSARILY EXPECTING THAT, SO I MAY REPEAT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SAID.

UM, THIS IS A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL ITEM IN THAT OUR OFFICE IS BRINGING YOU AN ORDINANCE WITHOUT HAVING BEEN, UH, SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED TO DO SO OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MONTHS.

AND THE REASON WHY WE DID THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WHICH IS FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS, IT IS ARGUABLE, UH, THAT, THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS JUST CAUSED PROTECTION, IS ENFORCEABLE BECAUSE THE STATE HAS GOTTEN OUT IN FRONT OF US IN A GOOD WAY FROM A TENANT PROTECTION PERSPECTIVE.

UM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THAT IN A SECOND, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO RUN EVERYONE, UM, ON THE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE TIMELINE OF, OF WHERE WE ARE NOW AND HOW WE GOT HERE.

BACK IN 2019, THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED AB 1482, THE TENANT PROTECTION ACT ACT OF TWO 2019.

BUT MOST PEOPLE KNOW IT AS AB 1482.

IT ESTABLISHED THOSE JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS STATEWIDE.

IT VERY CLEARLY SAID THAT ANY MUNICIPALITY IN THE STATE COULD ADOPT ITS OWN JUST CAUSE PROVISIONS PROVIDED THAT THOSE JUST CAUSE PROVISIONS WERE MORE PROTECTIVE OF TENANTS RIGHTS.

THE CITY COUNCIL DID JUST THAT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES IN 2020 AND 2021, AND THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE STATE REGULATION WORD FOR WORD, BUT MADE THREE ADDITIONAL AND IMPORTANT CHANGES.

UM, ONE, YOU MAY RECALL THAT IT INCREASED THE OBLIGATIONS ON LANDLORDS WITH RESPECT TO A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL OF THE UNIT JUST CAUSE EVICTION.

IT MADE THE LANDLORD BASICALLY OPERA OFFER UP MORE PROOF THAT IT WAS A LEGITIMATE REHABILITATION THAT REQUIRED A TENANT TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IT NUMBER.

THE SECOND THING IT DID WAS IN CONNECTION WITH THOSE EVICTIONS, IT INCREASED THE RELOCATION PAYMENTS DUE TO THE TENANTS.

AND LASTLY, THE THIRD THING IT DID ALSO WITH RESPECT TO SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS, IT INCREASED THE POTENTIAL, UM, DAMAGES THAT A TENANT COULD SEEK AGAINST ITS LANDLORD UP TO $15,000.

UM, THEN THAT BRINGS US TO APRIL 1ST OF THIS YEAR.

LIKE THE MAYOR MENTIONED THE STATE, I THINK, UM, TAKING LONG BEACH'S LEAD BECAUSE SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE STATE LAWS EXACTLY WHAT LONG BEACH PASSED, UM, THE STATE, WE HAVE THAT EFFECT ON THE STATE SOMETIMES.

YEP, YEP, THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, IT'S TO YOUR CREDIT, UM, THE STATE ADOPTED THOSE CHANGES.

SOME OF THOSE CHANGES CHANGES AND MORE PARTICULARLY AROUND THE, WHEN, WHEN AN OWNER SAYS THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE BACK INTO A UNIT, THEN THEY HAVE THE RIGHT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS TO EVICT A TENANT WHEN THEY WANNA MOVE BACK INTO THEIR OWN PROPERTY, THEIR OWN UNIT.

THE STATE PROVIDED A LOT MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES A LEGITIMATE JUST CAUSE EVICTION.

WHEN AN OWNER WANTS TO MOVE IN, OUR ORDINANCE DOESN'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE DETAILS.

WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES.

SO WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS AN ORDINANCE, WHICH IS AN URGENCY ORDINANCE BY THE WAY, BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO BE EFFECTIVE.

I THINK YOU WANT IT TO BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY SO THAT CITY OF LONG BEACH'S LOCAL ORDINANCE REMAINS EFFECTIVE, THAT IT INCLUDES ALL ADDITIONAL TENANT PROTECTIONS THAT THE STATE RECENTLY PASSED, WHICH BECAME EFFECTIVE APRIL 1ST.

AND IMPORTANTLY, THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU STILL ALSO INCLUDES THE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT YOU ADOPTED IN 2020 AND 2021 THAT THE STATE DIDN'T ADOPT.

THOSE ARE STILL IN THIS ORDINANCE.

SO IN NO WAY DOES THIS ORDINANCE DECREASE ANY TENANT PROTECTIONS.

IT ONLY INCREASES.

AND THE IDEA IS WE'RE GETTING INTO COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW WHILE STILL MAINTAINING THE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

HOPEFULLY THAT'S CLEAR.

I'M, UM, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

HERNANDEZ, KIMBERLY LIM AND MARIANA RUIZ.

THERE'S SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC COMMENT HERE TODAY.

UM, I SEE, LET'S SEE, 32 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

SO WE'LL BEGIN FACILITATING THAT, THAT NOW IT'S, THAT BRINGS THE TIME, THE TIME LIMIT TO 90 SECONDS.

UNLESS THERE'S INTERPRETATION, THEN IT'S THREE MINUTES.

UM, I'LL CALL THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS.

UH, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

SOCHI GIN BENITEZ, UH, RIO DELAROSA, SYLVIA DELAROSA, MARIA LOPEZ AMARUS, ANAYA SANDOVAL, ANTONIO

[03:00:01]

THOSE ARE OUR FIRST 10 SOCHI.

ARE YOU HERE? ALRIGHT, COME ON DOWN.

SOCHI IS UP FIRST AFTER SOCHI IS JEN AND THEN POR FURIO.

GOOD EVENING, MOYA MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS SOCHI AND I'M A RENTER LIVING IN DISTRICT ONE.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 24 AND STRONGER RENTER PROTECTIONS.

AS A LONGTIME RENTER, I BELIEVE THE CITY NEEDS TO DO MORE TO HELP STABILIZE TENANTS AS BUYING A HOME BECOME SEEMINGLY MORE UNATTAINABLE AND RENTING BECOMES MORE OF A NORM FOR MOST FOLKS, WE AS RENTERS DESERVE MORE PROTECTIONS HOUSING AS A HUMAN RIGHT AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.

EVICTIONS DO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF ANY LANDLORD AND YET SIMPLY COMPOUND THE CHALLENGES FOR TENANTS.

WHAT A COMMUNITY MEMBER, WHAT A MEMBER OF MY COMMUNITY MARIA IS EXPERIENCING IN EVICTION AND HARASSMENT IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF TENANTS ACROSS OUR CITY EVERY SINGLE DAY.

EVEN IF TENANTS CAN PAY CURRENT RENT, LANDLORDS ARE DOING WHAT ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO EVICT AND PUSH OUT PEOPLE.

UM, NEGLECTING REGULAR UNIT CARE, IGNORING AND PROLONGING IMPORTANT REPAIRS, LEAVING THREATENING NOTES ON DOORS AND VERBALLY INTIMIDATING TENANTS.

THE CURRENT ALLOWABLE RENT INCREASES OF 8% ARE ALSO HURTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE TENANTS.

THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN EVICTED BECAUSE OF RENT DEBT AND THOUSANDS MORE ARE BEING RENT BURDENED AND ON THE VERGE OF HOMELESSNESS.

AS MY OWN RENTAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY CONTINUES TO RAISE OUR RENT EVERY YEAR AS MUCH AS THEY'RE ALLOWED TO, MY PARTNER AND I ARE WONDER WHAT POINT WE'LL BE PUSHED OUT OF OUR HOME AND EVENTUALLY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF NEARLY 10 YEARS IN FAVOR OF RENTAL PROFIT.

WE WONDER BEING PUSHED OUT AND CHANGING RENTAL UNITS EVERY FEW YEARS IS JUST AN UNFORTUNATE REALITY OF RENTING IN LONG BEACH.

AS BUYING IS NOWHERE NEAR OUR BUDGET AT THE MOMENT, EVEN THEN, WE'RE IN A MUCH MORE PRIVILEGED POSITION THAN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE DEMAND THE CITY COUNCIL ADDRESS THE CRISIS OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS.

WE NEED, WE MANY TIMES CONCLUDED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NEXT IS JEN BONNET.

AFTER JAN IS FOR FURIO, THEN SYLVIA.

HI, MY NAME IS JENNIFER BONNETS AND I'M A RENTER.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE US SOLIDARITY ORGANIZATION OF SOUTH BAY.

TONIGHT, MANY OF YOU MADE COMMENTS ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT EQUITY PUBLIC HEALTH AND WORKERS' RIGHTS ARE.

WELL, I HOPE THAT'S STILL TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO TENANTS RIGHTS AND OUR BASIC NEED.

HOUSING SUPPORT FOR ITEM 24 AND STRONGER RENTER PROTECTIONS SHOULD BE A NO-BRAINER IF YOU'RE PRIORITIZING HOUSING AS A HUMAN RIGHT.

WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO MARIA'S FAMILY IS REFLECTION OF WHAT MANY THOUSANDS OF TENANTS ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH IN THE CITY.

WE DO NEED STRONGER PROTECTIONS AGAINST HARASSMENT AND OTHER, UM, YEAH, SUPPORT FOR TENANTS .

I'M UNDOCUMENTED, UNAFRAID, AND UNAPOLOGETIC.

POR FURIO, THEN SYLVIA, THEN KIMBERLY LIM.

OH WAIT, SORRY, SYLVIA, THEN MARIA, THEN AMLI IS SYLVIA HERE? IS PORPHYRIA HERE? OKAY.

IS MARIA LOPEZ HERE? OKAY, I SEE MARIA.

SO AFTER MARIA IS AMAR AND THEN ANAIS.

HELLO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.

MY NAME IS MARIA.

I'M A RENTER IN DISTRICT ONE.

I'M THE CAMP, I'M THE CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR FOR THE KEEP LA HOUSE COALITION AND THE MEMBER OF A THE RACE COHORT THROUGH THE NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION.

I'M HERE TO SHARE MY STORY AS A RENTER AND TO EXPRESS THE NEED FOR STRONGER AND MORE BOLD TENANT PROTECTIONS IN OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE OLYMPICS COMING.

IT IS YOUR DUTY, YOUR DUTY TO PROTECT ALL VULNERABLE TENANTS AND FAMILIES FROM EVICTION HARASSMENT AND OUTRAGEOUS RENT INCREASES.

I LIVE IN A DUPLEX AND I COME TODAY WITH A 60 DAY NOTICE TO VACATE FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL THAT EXPIRES MAY 20TH NEXT WEEK.

BUT HOW DID I GET HERE? WELL, THE PROPERTY THAT I MADE A LIFE IN SOLD IN AUGUST 20, 23, 8 MONTHS AGO, THE OLD LANDLORD ATTEMPTED TO PRESERVE US IN THE PROCESS AND ASSURED US THAT THE NEW LANDLORD WOULD DO JUST THAT.

IN MY FIRST MEETING IN PERSON WITH THE NEW LANDLORD, I WAS LEFT FEELING THAT PRESERVING US WAS NOT THE PRIORITY.

I UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY REALLY WANTED FOR ME TO PAY AN INCREASE OF OVER 200% IN RENT, A TOTAL OF 2,500 PER MONTH.

ONCE THEY REALIZED THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING I WAS NOT WILLING TO DO, THEY BEGAN WASTE TO DISPLACE ME RIGHT AWAY.

EARLY IN SEPTEMBER, MY FIRST NOTICE OF ARRIVED WITH A PACKET OF SEVEN NOTICES, ONE OF THOSE BEING A RENT INCREASE OF 8% ALONG WITH A DEPOSIT INCREASE.

THEY WASTED NO TIME IN OCTOBER.

I GOT MY FIRST 60 DAY NOTICE LATER,

[03:05:02]

9 24 HOURS.

NOTICES LATER, MA'AM, YOUR TIME.

I'M HERE IN FRONT OF YOU ASKING YOU TO END SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, ASKING YOU TO CREATE A RENTAL HOUSING DIVISION SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS HARASSMENT, SO THAT WE CAN, AND SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS AMARILLO, THEN ANAIS.

UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS, UM, PWA BAD.

UM, I'M GONNA BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF AMARILLA.

UM, I'M A MEMBER OF GABRIEL GABRIELLA SAPE.

JUST, JUST A MOMENT.

IS AMARILLA HERE? I'M HERE.

AND SO YOU'RE DEFERRING YOUR TIME.

OKAY, GREAT.

LET'S GO.

I'M, I'M A MEMBER OF GABRIELA SAPE.

IT'S A FILIPINO WOMEN'S ORG.

I'VE LIVED IN LONG BEACH FOR 15 YEARS.

I ALSO WORK AT LONG BEACH MEMORIAL.

UM, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME TRENDS SO THAT I'VE SEEN IN LIVING HERE, UM, FOR THE LAST, UH, OVER THE LAST DECADE THAT IT'S UNFAIR THAT, UM, A STUDIO THAT USED TO GO FOR 6 95 IN 2010 COULD BE UPWARDS OF $2,000 NOW OR THAT, UM, A TWO BED, TWO BATH APARTMENT THAT'S 9 95 WOULD BE WORTH DOUBLE.

UM, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE UNFAIRNESS AND HOW THIS, UM, IMPACTS WORKERS BECAUSE WHEN WAGES GO UP, UM, INFLATION GOES UP AND THAT MAKES IT HARD TO PAY FOR YOUR RENT.

, IT MAKES IT HARD TO PAY FOR HOUSING AND ALL YOUR BASIC NEEDS.

UM, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING AT MY OWN WORK, UM, UH, EVEN WITH WAGES GOING UP, HOURS ARE CUT.

UM, PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD RENT.

IT'S HARD TO, UH, LIVE IN CRAMPED CONDITIONS.

YOU HAVE SIX TO 10 PEOPLE LIVING IN A HOME.

SO I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS.

IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE THAT PROTECTIONS WENT AWAY DURING COVID, BUT COVID IS STILL HERE.

WE NEED TO END THESE UNFAIR PRACTICES AND UH, AND A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

WE NEED TO SUPPORT MARIA AND KEEP FAMILIES HOUSED AND KNOW THAT TENANT RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.

IS ANAIS HERE? A-N-A-I-S? THAT'S ME.

AFTER ANANIAS IS ANTONIO.

WHERE'S ANTONIO? OKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU.

YOU RECOGNIZE, UM, SO MY NAME IS ANIS SANDAL AND I'M A RENTER AND LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE.

SO WHILE YOU'RE HEARING ALL THE PLANNING AND VISIONING FOR THE 2028 OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE TOURISM AND PLANS TO EXPAND REVENUE, AND THOUGH IT WAS MENTIONED THAT MONEY WILL BE INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND ALL THAT IS BEAUTIFUL TO IMAGINE, I STILL SIT WITH WHAT ABOUT LONG-TERM INVESTMENT AND PROTECTION AGAINST HOUSING DISPLACEMENT? FOR YEARS AND YEARS, FAMILIES HAVE BEEN PUSHED AND DISPLACED OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND IT IS THE SAME STRUGGLE MY COMRAD MARIA IS STILL FACING.

NOW.

HOMES THAT WE GREW UP IN ARE SOLD AND GIVEN TO FURTHER THE DISPLACEMENT.

MY ASK IS THAT WHILE YOU ENVISION ALL THE REVENUE AND ATTENTION THAT THE MPU WILL BRING TO THE LONG BEACH, YOU KEEP IN MIND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP LONG BEACH, THAT YOU PARTNER WITH THEM AND CENTER THEIR STORIES, THAT YOU KEEP THE RENTERS AT THE FOREFRONT AND THAT YOU PUSH AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE AND STRONGER RENTER PROTECTION RIGHTS.

ANTONIO IS UP AFTER ANTONIO.

IS KIMBERLY? IS KIMBERLY HERE? ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE UP NEXT, KIMBERLY.

GOOD EVENING FOLKS.

UH, MY NAME IS ANTONIO WITH LONG BEACH FORWARD IN THE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION.

I AM HERE TO SUPPORT A DIGNIFIED HOUSE OR TO SUPPORT DIGNIFIED HOUSING CONDITIONS AND PROTECTIONS ALONGSIDE EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT.

IT'S GIVEN IT'S A FACT, RIGHT? THAT WE ARE LIVING IN IT'S STATE WHERE LIVING CONDI LIVING WAGES ARE LOW OR NOT MEETING THE, UH, LIVING COSTS AT THE MOMENT.

UM, AND ALSO JUST TO COVER THE HOUSING COSTS TO BEGIN AT THAT.

UM, AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT TENANTS ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH INSUFFICIENT, UM, OR LIMITED PROTECTIONS AS TENANTS.

AND THAT LEADS INTO DISPLACEMENT OF FAMILIES AND LEAVING MORE FAMILIES ON THE BRINK OF BEING WITHOUT A ROOF OR ON THE STREETS.

YET WE COMPLAIN ABOUT FOLKS LIVING ON THE STREETS.

ENSURE COUNCIL AND STAFF AMEND THE MUNICIPAL TO REFLECT, JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS THAT GENERALLY REFLECT NEEDS OF TENANTS.

FIRSTLY, BY ENSURING THAT JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS ARE IN FULL EFFECT A DAY, TENANT MOVES IN RATHER THAN HAVING TO WAIT MONTHS TO BE COVERED.

SECONDLY, ALLOW TENANTS TO ACCUMULATE AT LEAST TWO MONTHS OF FAIR MARKET RENT, RENT DEBT BEFORE THEY CAN BE EVICTED.

OF COURSE, TENANTS WILL STILL HAVE TO PAY THEIR RENT.

UM, THIS ONLY GIVES FOLKS TIME AND THE FLEXIBILITY FOR THEM TO CATCH UP WITH THEIR RENT.

TENANTS SHOULDN'T BE EVICTED JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE SHORT A COUPLE DOLLARS.

AND LASTLY, I ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT MARIA'S SITUATION.

THE LANDLORD, UM, CONTINUOUSLY HARASSING HER AND EVENTUALLY TRYING TO EVICT HER, UM, WITH NO FAULT OF HER OWN.

IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF SIMILAR PLACES THAT GO UNNOTICED AND NOT ADDRESSED THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH.

CLOSE THE LOOP TO PREVENT HARASSMENT AND ABUSE FROM LANDLORDS.

PLEASE TAKE A STRONG FAVORABLE STANCE TO CREATE EMPOWERING TENANT PROTECTIONS TIMES INCLUDING THROUGH JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE THAT PRESERVE FAMILIES AND CULTURES THAT THE COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF PRIDE

[03:10:01]

ITSELF BY COMMUNITY.

NEXT IS KIMBERLY.

AFTER KIMBERLY IS MARIANA.

BEFORE YOU START KIMBERLY, I'M GONNA READ THE NEXT 10 SO PEOPLE CAN PREPARE.

UM, WE HAVE MINA CRUZ FOR SPANISH.

UH, WE HAVE IVAN GARCIA, UM, AND THEN MAYA, AND THEN TRACY L LILIA, OCAMPO, MELLE ROBINSON, PAMELA AUGUSTINE, LAURA A KNABE, AND DR.

FME AT KNABE.

SO THOSE ARE THE NEXT 10.

SO, UH, GO AHEAD, KIM, KIMBERLY, HELLO MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS KIMBERLY LYNN.

I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH LONG BEACH FORD.

I AM HERE TO SUPPORT ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO UPDATE THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE TO ALIGN WITH THE NEW STATE MANDATES STRONGER JUST CAUSE ORDINANCES ARE CRUCIAL BECAUSE THEY EMBODY EMPATHY TOWARDS TENANTS WHO MAY ALREADY BE FACING VARIOUS CHALLENGES.

IMAGINE THE ANXIETY OF NOT KNOWING YOU COULD BE FORCED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT ANY MOMENT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY OR HAVE LIMITED HOUSING OPTIONS.

THESE ORDINANCES PROVIDE A SENSE OF SECURITY AND STABILITY, ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF OF HOME AS A SANCTUARY AND A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES BUILD MEMORIES BY ENSURING THAT LANDLORDS HAVE VALID REASONS FOR EVICTIONS.

WE'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING TO TENANTS, YOUR WELLBEING MATTERS AND YOU DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE AND STABLE IN YOUR HOME.

IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE HUMAN ASPECT OF HOUSING INSECURITY AND TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

UM, MY NAME IS MARIANA RU AND I AM, I HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE IN LONG BEACH SINCE 1995.

ANNA IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO REFLECTING CHANGE IN THE STATE LAWS, BUT THE CONVERSATION CANNOT.

IN HERE WE ALSO HEAR ORDERS, THE CITY TO EXPAND DISCUSSIONS ON THE MUNICIPAL CODE 8.99, STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL TENANT PROTECTIONS TO PRO TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, ME, I GONNA TALK ABOUT MY OWN SITUATION.

BEFORE COVID, UH, MY FAMILY USED TO MAKE AROUND $100,000, AND NOW ME AND MY HUSBAND, WE ARE DOING LESS THAN 40,000.

SO WE ARE STRUGGLING AS, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THESE, UH, PEOPLE ON LONG BEACH.

AND I AM SURPRISED AND FASCINATED WITH ALL THE NEW BUILDINGS ON LONG BEACH, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

BUT AS A FAMILY OF FOUR LIVING IN LONG BEACH, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PAY A RENT OF $3,000 FOR ONLY ONE BEDROOM.

NEED MORE FOR THE CURRENT HOUSING CRISIS IN OUR CITY, CAUSED BY THE INCREASE OF RENTS, INCREASE IN EVICTIONS AND SALARIES THAT DO NOT MANAGE TO KEEP UP WITH THE INCREASE IN HOUSING COSTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALRIGHT, NEXT IS, UH, MINA, AFTER MINA.

IS IVAN OKAY, WHEN I START THIS? GOOD AFTERNOON.

COUNCIL REX COUNCILMAN REX RICHARDSON AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

HELLO, MY NAME IS HIROMI CRUZ AND I'M A RESIDENT COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX.

I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

I'M IN SUPPORT OF CHANGING THE MUNICIPAL CODE REFLECTED SB 5 67, BUT THE CONVERSATION CANNOT JUST END THERE.

THIS IS DOING THE BARE MINIMUM AND LONG BEACH TENANTS NEED MORE TO REFLECT THE CURRENT HOUSING CRISIS IN OUR CITY.

THIS IS THE MINIMUM THAT SHOULD BE DONE.

THE TENANTS OF LONG BEACH

[03:15:01]

SO IN THIS WAY, WHEN TENANTS AREN'T CONSTANTLY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR RENT OR AN EVICTION WITHOUT JUST COSTS, THEY CAN INTEGRATE THEMSELVES INTO OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH, LIVING, WORKING, ATTENDING SCHOOLS, AND GIVING TIME TO OUR CHILDREN.

MAINTAINING VITAL CONNECTIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

PLEASE HELP IN SUPPORTING THE CHANGE AND TO ENFORCE THE PROTECTION OF THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE FOR TENANTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

WE NEED THE CITY COUNCIL TO URGENTLY UPDATE THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCES TO ALIGN WITH NEW STATE MANDATES.

WE ALSO URGE THE CITY TO EXPAND DISCUSSIONS ON MUNICIPAL CODE 8 9 9 AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL TENANT PROTECTIONS TO PREVENT THE DISPLACEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

YOU ALRIGHT.

NEXT IS IVAN.

AFTER IVAN IS MAYA, IVAN, YOU'RE UP AFTER MAYA IS TRACY, THEN LILIA ADY FOLKS, UM, MAYOR RICHARD, MAYOR RICHARDSON.

COUNSEL, UH, MY NAME IS IVAN.

I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX, AND I I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO HEAR THE PRESENTATIONS PREVIOUS.

IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE HOW THE CITY WANTS TO TAKE IT.

ITS NEW DIRECTION.

HOWEVER, I, YOU KNOW, I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FORGET OUR, THE MOST VULNERABLE FAMILIES, THE MOST VULNERABLE TENANTS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE FOLKS HAVE LIVED TO WITNESS THE TRANSFORMATION THAT LONG BEACH IS NOW.

UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS, I MYSELF AM HAVE WITNESSED THAT AND I'M, I'M SO GLAD TO SEE LONG BEACH AS A, AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY WILLING TO GO TO, WILLING TO SPEND THEIR MONEY AND FUEL THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

IT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD, HOWEVER, ONCE AGAIN, I SAY WE DON'T WANT TO FORGET THE MOST VULNERABLE TENANTS, MOST VULNERABLE FOLKS HERE IN LONG BEACH BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY CREATE THE FABRIC THAT IS LONG BEACH.

AND SO WITHOUT THEM, LONG BEACH WOULD NOT BE THE WAY IT IS.

AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT STRENGTHENING THE JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS.

BUT I WANT, AND I REALLY, YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I'M, I'M GLAD WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT, THAT WE WANNA, THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

AND PLEASE, I REALLY IMPLORE YOU ALL TO REMEMBER THE MOST VULNERABLE TENANTS FOLKS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH IT NOW.

AND SO LET'S, LET'S TAKE THIS FORWARD.

LET'S MAKE SURE THIS BECOMES REALITY FOR ALL OF US.

THANKS IVAN.

ALRIGHT, MAYA'S, UP NEXT AFTER MAYA IS TRACY.

HELLO, MY NAME IS MAYA AND I AM A TENANT IN THE SECOND DISTRICT.

I'M ALSO A LICENSED ATTORNEY WITH THE CALIFORNIA BAR AND HAVE BEEN PRACTICING HOUSING LAW WITH A FOCUS ON EVICTION DEFENSE AND TENANTS RIGHTS FOR OVER HALF A DECADE.

I'VE LI LITIGATED ON BEHALF OF HUNDREDS OF TENANTS.

SO LET ME DISPEL THE MYTH OF THE MOM AND POP LANDLORD.

THE MAJORITY OF EVICTIONS ARE INITIATED BY CORPORATE LANDLORDS AND IF YOU LEAVE A LOOPHOLE OPEN IN THE LAW, THEN THEY WILL USE IT AS IT STANDS.

LANDLORD ATTORNEYS SUCH AS DENNIS BLOCK, HAVE PUBLICLY TOLD LANDLORDS THAT NO FAULT SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION EVICTIONS ARE THEIR MEDICINE FOR DEALING WITH BELOW MARKET RATE DISABLED TENANTS.

THIS SHAMELESS DISPLAY OF MANIPULATING THE LAW IS PROOF THAT YOU MUST TAKE ACTION TO CLOSE ALL LOOPHOLES.

NOW, SPECIFICALLY JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS NEED TO GO INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UPON THE ONSET OF A TENANCY MUST APPLY TO ALL TENANTS AND MUST INCLUDE ALL BUILDINGS REGARDLESS OF WHEN THEY WERE BUILT.

AND RENOVATION EVICTIONS MUST INCLUDE A RIGHT OF RETURN.

SO LANDLORDS CANNOT CONTINUE USING THE DENNIS BLOCK METHOD.

I WANNA POINT OUT THAT ANY JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE IS EASILY UNDERCUT WITHOUT RENT CONTROL.

IF LANDLORDS WANT SOMEONE OUT, THEY CAN JUST RAISE THE RENT AND EVICT WORKING CLASS RENTERS FOR THEIR INABILITY TO PAY.

AND THIS IS THE ULTIMATE LOOPHOLE.

AND UNTIL THE CITY PASSES STRONG RENT CONTROL, OUR JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE WILL CONTINUE TO BE MANIPULATED AND THE MARKET WILL NOT REGULATE ITSELF BECAUSE THE MARKET IS COMPRISED OF GREEDY LANDLORDS WHO MAKE SELF-SERVING CHOICES TO PRIORITIZE PROFIT OVER HUMANITY, RENT CONTROL NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED IMMINENTLY.

FINALLY, BECAUSE EVICTIONS ARE AN ISSUE OF FORCED DISPLACEMENT, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TOMORROW IS THE 76TH ANNIVERSARY OF AL NEBA.

LONG BEACH LEADERS ARE COMPLICIT IN THE ONGOING NEBA AND GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS AND YOUR COMPLICITY NOW.

AFTER TRACY IS LILIA.

HELLO COUNCIL AND MAYOR RICHARDSON.

MY NAME IS TRACY AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO AND I'M HERE AS A CONCERN LONGTIME RENTER.

FIRST OFF, I WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS IN SEEING THE REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS THIS YEAR.

WITH THAT SAID, TODAY ONE IN 10 STUDENTS ARE HOUSING INSECURE ACCORDING TO CSU LBS, DR.

RASHIDA K CRUSHFIELD.

WHEN C-S-U-L-B BROUGHT ME HERE TO LONG BEACH IN 2009, MY RENT WAS $320.

$320 IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND TODAY.

RENTING TODAY IS NOT EASY AND THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS MEANS RENTERS, INCLUDING STUDENTS ARE VERY VULNERABLE.

RENTERS MAKE UP 60% OF LONG BEACH AND WE NEED TO AVOID THIS DIS STATISTIC CONVERTING TO

[03:20:01]

THE IN-HOUSE POPULATION.

WE NEED THE CITY TO URGENTLY UPDATE THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE TO ALIGN WITH NEW STATE MANDATES.

AND I URGE THE CITY TO EXPAND DISCUSSIONS ON MUNICIPAL CODE 8.99 AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL TENANT PROTECTIONS AND PREVENT THE DISCRIMINATION AND DISPLACEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

ALRIGHT, SO NEXT IS LILIA.

AFTER LILIA IS MICHELLE, I'M HERE TO TALK WITH IN REGARDS TO LILIA.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.

MY NAME IS MARIA GARCIA.

I'M THE ORGANIZER OF THE COMMUNITY AND LAND TRUST OF JUSTICE FOR LAND TRUST AND A LANGUAGE AS WELL AS THE, UH, COMMUNITY FOR DISABLED.

IN SHORT CONTEXT, I'M JUST GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, HOUSING AND EQUITABLE HOUSING.

WE NEED TO ENFORCE THE PROTECTION FOR THE TENANTS.

WE NEED TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH THE MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE AND JUSTIFY TENANT EVICTIONS, BENEFICIARY, AND ALSO THE JUST COST ORDINANCES ALSO TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE JUSTIFICATION AND THE RIGHTS TO THE TENANTS AND ALSO TO GIVE THE RIGHTS TO THE TENANTS AND BACK UP THE, UH, LANDLORDS AS WELL.

OKAY, SO THEN THIS IS REGARDING THE HOUSING MARKET IN LONG BEACH AND THE EVICTIONS THAT ARE NOT JUST, AND ALSO THE INCREASES, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN TENANCY AND THE LOSS PROTECTIONS FOR THE RESIDENTS IN THE BUILDINGS WHERE IN WHICH THEY RESIDE.

A STATISTICAL LOCAL, UM, THE LOCAL ORDINANCES, UH, FOR THE TENANTS THAT ARE THERE AND THE LACK OF BACKING WHEN THEY'RE GETTING EVICTED AND WITHOUT ANY HELP TO BACK THEM UP WHEN THIS IS ALL HAPPENING.

AND THIS TYPE OF PROTECTION TO JUST BACK THEM UP WILL ALSO CAUSE A REDUCTION IN EVICTIONS AND LOSS OF HOUSING LONG BEACH.

AND THIS IS FOR THE COALITION FOR THE HOUSING IN LONG BEACH, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THE TENANTS AND ACTIONS IN THEIR RIGHTS, JAMAL AND IN THESE ORDINANCES ALSO TO HELP IN THE PROPOSALS WITHIN THE HOUSING MARKET IN THE MUNICIPAL CODES.

AND WE WOULD LIKE FOR THIS ALSO THIS CONVERSATION TO TAKE PART IN THE COMMITTEE.

AND I'M THANKFUL FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR CONSIDERATION IN LOOKING INTO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE HERE REGARDING THE COMMUNITY AND FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

RIGHT ON TIME.

NEXT IS MELLE, AFTER MELLE IS PAM, PAMELA AUGUSTINE, AND THEN LAURA, EG.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR RICHARDSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I AM A 18 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

I DID NOT PREPARE A SPEECH, BUT I AM PREPARED TO SPEAK.

I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 18 YEARS.

I HAVE IN THE PAST YEAR LIVED IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING THAT HAS CAUSED ME TO NOW BE, UM, IN THE PROCESS OF BEING EVICTED BECAUSE I REFUSE TO PAY RENT FOR A PLACE THAT IS UNINHABITABLE AND NON A DA COMPLIANT.

I HAVE, UH, SUFFERED, UH, THROUGH A SHOOTING AND MURDER.

I HAVE BEEN IN CONDITIONS OF RATS AND ROACHES AND I ALSO HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE.

BUT EVEN THOUGH I DO HAVE A HOUSING VOUCHER, HAVE FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE MOST OF THE PLACES THAT SAY THEY ACCEPT HOUSING VOUCHERS OR EITHER HAVE THE RENTS EXTREMELY HIGH OR THEY FIND LOOPHOLES AT FOR ASKING, UM, HIGH, UM, CREDIT SCORES.

SO I HAVE FACED MYRIAD OF, UH, SITUATIONS THAT HAVE CAUSED ME TO NOT, NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE, BUT TO FIND A PLACE THAT

[03:25:01]

IS SAFE TO LIVE.

I'M ASKING THAT THE CITY DO MORE TO MAKE APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE SLUMLORDS BE ACCOUNTABLE AS THEY ARE TAKING MONEY FROM THE CITY AND NOT DOING WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THEIR RESIDENTS.

I'M ASKING THAT THE CITY DO MORE FOR HOUSING.

I AM SEEING MORE BUILDINGS BEING BUILT, BUT NONE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE THIS PLACE AFFORDABLE.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE AND BE A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF THIS CITY.

ALRIGHT, PAMELA AND LAUREN.

THAT WAS GOOD.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS PAMELA.

I AM A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THE LA COUNTY STATE HOUSE LA PROGRAM.

I SPEAK TODAY IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 24 AND IN SOLIDARITY WITH MARIA AND ALL OF THE TENANTS THAT YOU HAVE HERE TODAY DEMANDING STRONGER TENANT PROTECTIONS IN YOUR CITY.

WE NEED THESE PROTECTIONS.

STATE HOUSE LA CONNECTS TENANTS FACING EVICTION WITH ORGANIZERS WHO INFORM THEM OF THE RIGHTS IN THEIR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.

THIS IS A PROGRAM COUNTYWIDE SINCE THE END OF THE COUNTY'S COVID-19 MORATORIUM.

MY TEAM AND I HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN EVICTIONS DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND OWNER MOVE-INS THROUGHOUT LA COUNTY.

OFTENTIMES TENANTS ARE SERVED A 30 DAY, A 60 DAY OR WHATEVER THEY NOTICE TO QUIT.

IF A TENANT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT, THEY WILL MOVE AT THAT TIME.

I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW HERE TODAY THAT ONLY A SHERIFF CAN EVICT YOU, AND THAT IS AFTER YOU HAVE LOST IN COURT.

OTHERWISE, DO NOT MOVE.

WHILE A NOTICE IS NOT AN EVICTION, A NOTICE IS A SHOCK AND IT CREATES SHOCK IN THE FAMILY AND THE INDIVIDUAL THAT EXPERIENCED IT.

THIS IS WHY LONG BEACH MUST CLOSE ITS SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL LOOPHOLE WITH STRONG ANTI-HARASSMENT PROTECTIONS AND BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RENT CONTROL AND A RENTAL HOUSING DIVISION TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF YOUR TENANTS GET THE INFORMATION AND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.

ALSO, FEMI IS HERE, MARIA'S LANDLORD TRYING TO INTIMIDATE HER, BUT WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOW IS THAT A WHOLE COMMUNITY IS RIGHT BEHIND ME SUPPORTING AND STANDING WITH HER, MA'AM.

ALRIGHT FOLKS, WE STILL HAVE 15 MORE PEOPLE TO SPEAK.

15 MORE.

UH, I'M GONNA READ THE NEXT 10.

UM, LAURA, EG, DR.

FEMI, ECBI, UH, MARY, DW, VICKY, ALLISON, ALICIA, TONY, KYLE, NELSON, AURELIA, QUINTANA, UH, DEL, ME, LOU AND ROSARIO.

SO IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE PREPARE TO TO COME FORWARD.

NEXT IS LAURA.

YES, WE CAN HAVE OUR TIME TOGETHER.

UH, YOUR TIME TOGETHER.

YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK TOGETHER? YEAH.

THAT'S FINE.

UM, HONORABLE MAYOR, DISTINGUISHED COUNSEL.

UM, MY NAME IS DR.

FBE.

THIS IS MY WIFE LAURA ABE.

UH, WE ARE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, UH, THAT LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE AND ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN LONG BEACH.

WE COME HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION TO, TO AMEND, UH, UH, MUNICIPAL CODE 8 99.

PEOPLE WOULD THINK, WELL, WHY WOULD A LANDLORD, SO WE ALSO OWN A TRIPLEX IN HERE IN LONG BEACH.

PEOPLE THINK, WHY WOULD A LANDLORD BE IN SUPPORT OF THAT? OUR HISTORY IS WHY WE WERE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.

LAURA CAME HERE AS, AS A CHILD IMMIGRATED FROM EL SALVADOR AS A CHILD.

I I I GREW UP IN, IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA IN SECTION EIGHT, HOMELESS IN FOSTER CARE, AND I KNOW HOUSING INSTABILITY.

THE LAST WE'VE BEEN RENTERS FOR MO MOST, MOST OUR IN WHOLE ADULT, ADULT LIFE AND PURCHASE THIS HOME HERE IN LONG BEACH LAST AUGUST, LAST IN AUGUST.

WE KNOW HOUSING INSTABILITY PERSONALLY, AND WE DO NOT WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM OF HOUSING INSTABILITY IN, IN IN LONG BEACH, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE RENOVATING OUR HOME IN ORDER TO CREATE SECTION EIGHT HOUSING FOR OUR, FOR THE MOST NEEDY AND VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE BEEN FOR MONTHS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH WITH SECTION EIGHT IN ORDER TO LINE EVERYTHING UP IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

LANDLORDS, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE HOME, IT WAS IN EXTREME, IT WAS IN SIGNIFICANT DISREPAIR.

THE TENANTS WHO WERE IN THERE, THE PREVIOUS LANDLORD, EVERYONE SAID THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED.

AND SO WE, AND SO WE, WE, WE SAT TOGETHER WITH, WITH EVERYONE THERE, THE PREVIOUS LANDLORD, THE CURRENT TENANTS, AND WE, AND WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN TO, TO HAVE IT REPAIRED.

AND, AND ALONG THE WAY, ISSUES, ISSUES CAME UP AND IT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE RE REPAIRS GO GOING FORWARD.

AND, AND IT, I WANNA PAUSE AND SAY

[03:30:01]

IT REALLY IS DISHEARTENING TO ME AS A LANDLORD, AS SOMEONE WHO IS FROM THIS COMMUNITY WHO, NOT THIS COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH, BUT FROM THE COMMUNITY OF THE WHO HAS, LIKE, WHO'S FROM THE COMMUNITY OF THE, WHO GREW UP CHALLENGED, ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED TO, TO, TO TO TO HAVE A WIFE.

AND WE'RE WORKING TO BUILD, TO BUILD SOMETHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

NOT JUST OUR FAMILY, BUT OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE IN LONG BEACH AND BE DEPICTED AS AS GREEDY ME.

WE'VE HEARD THAT LANDLORDS HERE ARE GREEDY, MEAN HARASSING ALL TYPES OF THINGS.

WHAT I'M, WHAT WE ARE ASKING THE COUNCIL TO DO IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE, PASS THIS TENANT, PASS THIS LAW BECAUSE TENANTS DO NEED PROTECTION FROM UNSCRUPULOUS LANDLORD, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE NOT ALL LANDLORDS ARE UNSCRUPULOUS.

SOME LANDLORDS REALLY DO WANT TO MAKE THEIR COMMUNITIES BETTER.

WE'RE ALSO ASKING THAT, THAT THE, THAT, THAT, THAT WE, IN LONG BEACH, WE CREATE A COALITION OF LANDLORDS AND TENANTS TOGETHER TO SIT DOWN AND HASH THINGS OUT.

IN OUR PROCESS, WE HAVE SOUGHT MANY, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO OUR TENANT MANY TIMES FOR MEDIATION AND WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN IGNORED AND DENIED AND PUSHED ASIDE.

WE WANT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND WE'RE UPSET WITH EACH OTHER.

LIKE LET'S TALK AS HUMAN, AS RESPONSIBLE ADULTS TOGETHER SO WE CAN FIND A WAY MOVING FORWARD.

IT DOESN'T WORK FOR ANYBODY UNLESS IT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.

LET'S TRULY BUILD COMMUNITY.

LET'S PASS THIS, LET'S GET THIS PASSED AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

LET'S GET THAT BABY, LET'S GET THAT BABY HOME.

LET'S WRAP THIS MEETING UP AND LET'S GET THAT BABY INSIDE.

IT'S COLD OUT HERE.

WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE.

WE HAVE, UH, MARY AND THEN MARY DW VICKY, AND THEN ALLISON AGAIN.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, MY NAME IS REVEREND MARY YUNG.

I AM AN A THEN MINISTER WITH THE AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCH AND A SENIOR FAITH READER ORGANIZER WITH CLU, CLERGY AND LAITY, UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF STRONGER ATTENDANCE PROTECTION.

I WAS A VICTIM OF EVICTION BASED UNSU SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL WHEN I WAS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL.

AND I STILL REMEMBER HOW BLINDSIDED AND STRESSED I FELT WHEN MY LANDLORD TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO MOVE OUT IN ONE MONTH.

UH, HE DIDN'T OFFER ANY RELOCATION EXPENSES.

AND IF YOU ARE A RENTER OR RENTED A PLACE BEFORE, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S AN EQUAL POWER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANDLORDS AND TENANTS.

AND THIS POWER IMBALANCE IS A CONDITION FOR POWER ABUSE REFLECTED IN EVICTION WITHOUT JUST COST.

AS WE HAVE HEARD IN MARIA'S STORY AND OTHERS.

TO SHIFT THIS POWER IMBALANCE, THE CITY NEEDS TO STRENGTHEN TENANTS PROTECTION SO THAT TENANTS ARE EMPOWERED TO CONFIDENTLY ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS FOR SAFE LIVING CONDITIONS AND MAINTENANCE.

AS WE PREPARE FOR THE 2028 OLYMPICS, PROTECTING TENANTS SHOULD BE A PART OF OUR CITY STRATEGY TO ENSURE THAT LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WON'T BE DISPLACED EVICTED DUE TO RENT INCREASES.

BECAUSE WHEN LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HAVE SECURE HOUSING, LONG BEACH IS SAFER, MORE BEAUTIFUL AND HOSPITABLE TO VISITORS.

AND SO I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION IN THE HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN GIVE MEANINGFUL INPUT AND PLEASE URGENTLY UPDATE THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCES TO ALIGN WITH SB 5 67.

WE'LL ALSO ASK YOU TO EXPAND THE DISCUSSION ON MUNICIPAL CODE 8.99 AND REVIEW OUR HOUSING JUSTICE COALITIONS PROPOSAL STRONG JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS.

THE CRISIS OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS.

ALRIGHT, VICKI, THEN ALLISON, UH, IS NEXT.

HI, MY NAME IS VICKI AND I'M A RENTER HERE IN LONG BEACH.

I'M HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH MARIA AND ALL TENANTS HERE TODAY.

THIS RECOMMENDATION IS NOT ENOUGH AND WILL NOT END SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS, HARASSMENT FROM LANDLORDS AND RENT INCREASES.

WHAT OUR COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY MEMBER MARIA IS FACING IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF TENANTS IN THIS CITY.

WE ALL DESERVE MORE AND WE ALL DESERVE BETTER.

I'M HEARING EXCITEMENT OVER THE PROSPECT OF HOSTING THE OLYMPICS, BUT WHEN I HEAR Y'ALL'S EXCITEMENT FOR THIS, I'M FILLED WITH FEAR FOR OUR MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

FEAR BECAUSE MANY OF US KNOW THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO MORE SWEEPS, MORE ARRESTS AND MORE VIOLENCE TOWARDS OUR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY UNHOUSED BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, OUR IMMIGRANT AND UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES, AND OUR QUEER, TRANS, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

I'VE WORKED IN THIS CITY AT A JOB THAT SUPPOSEDLY SUPPORTS UNHOUSED FOLKS FINDING HOUSING AND MANY FOLKS WHO HAVE FOUND HOUSING ARE ONLY EVICTED.

AGAIN, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF UNREALISTIC AND UNFAIR TIMELINES, RULES AND EXPECTATIONS, BUT ALSO DUE TO HARASSMENT FROM AND NEGLECT FROM LANDLORDS.

I SHARE THIS TO HIGHLIGHT THAT EVEN THE RESOURCES WITHIN THE CITY AND THAT THE CITY PROVIDES ARE NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF UNHOUSED FOLKS OR TENANTS.

I'VE HEARD THE PRIDE THAT Y'ALL HAVE THAT LONG BEACH HAS ITS OWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THIS MAKING SURE FOLKS ARE AND STAY HOUSED IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.

WE DEMAND DEMAND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADDRESS

[03:35:01]

WE NEED PERMANENT TENANT PROTECTIONS LOCALLY TO PREVENT EVICTIONS AND DISPLACEMENT, MA'AM, WHILE PREVENTING OBJECT HOUSELESSNESS.

ALRIGHT, WE HAVE ALLISON AND THEN ALICIA.

HI, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.

I AM A, A TENANT OF DISTRICT ONE AND SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND LANDLORD HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION TACTICS LIKE MARIA AND MANY OTHERS.

HERE I CAN ATTEST THAT THESE FACTORS DO AFFECT OUR MENTAL HEALTH GREATLY.

WE LIVE IN FEAR THAT OUR HOUSING WILL BE TAKEN FROM US SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE BEING PRICED OUT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WE HAVE GROWN UP IN.

IT IS CLEAR WHO THESE LANDLORDS WANT LIVING IN LONG BEACH AND WHO THEY WANNA PUSH ON THE BRINK OF HOMELESSNESS, ALL FOR PROFIT.

OUR LIVES ARE SACRED AND WE DESERVE TO LIVE A LIFE WITHOUT WORRY AND FEAR THAT OUR HOUSING COULD BE TAKEN FROM US AT ANY MOMENT.

I BELIEVE WE CAN LIVE IN A PRO AT LONG BEACH.

A LONG BEACH WHERE OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ARE PROTECTED RATHER THAN DISCARDED AND DISPLACED, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MUST SET PERMANENT PROTECTIONS IN PLACE TO ENSURE ALL TENANTS REMAIN HOUSED.

WE DEMAND THE CITY COUNCIL ADDRESS THE CRISIS OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS.

WE NEED PERMANENT TENANT PROTECTIONS LOCALLY TO PREVENT EVICTIONS AND DISPLACEMENT ALL WHILE PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS.

AND I TRUST WE CAN CREATE A LASTING SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR ALL TENANTS ACROSS LONG BEACH TONIGHT AND MOVING FORWARD.

SECONDLY, COMMUNITY WELLBEING.

ALRIGHT, NEXT IS ALICIA.

AFTER ALICIA IS TONY, THEN KYLE NELSON.

HELLO, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ALICIA AND I AM A RENTER AND RESIDENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO.

I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF CHANGING THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO REFLECT SB 5 67, BUT THIS CONVERSATION CANNOT END HERE.

THIS IS DOING THE BARE MINIMUM AND LONG BEACH TENANTS NEED MORE TO REFLECT THE CURRENT HOUSING CRISIS IN OUR CITY.

WE NEED THE CITY COUNCIL TO URGENTLY UPDATE THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCES TO ALIGN WITH NEW STATE MANDATES.

WE ALSO URGE THE CITY TO EXPAND DISCUSSIONS ON MUNICIPAL CODE 8.99 AND TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL TENANT PROTECTIONS TO PREVENT THE DISPLACEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

SOME BENEFITS OF STRENGTHENING THE NO-FAULT, JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, TENANT STABILITY BY REQUIRING LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE A VALID REASON FOR EVICTION.

IT PREVENTS UNJUST EVICTIONS, GIVING TENANTS PEACE OF MIND AND SECURITY IN THEIR HOMES.

WHEN TENANTS ARE NOT CONSTANTLY WORRIED ABOUT BEING EVICTED WITHOUT JUST CAUSE THEY CAN ABIDE THEMSELVES INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR CITY BY LIVING, WORKING, ATTENDING SCHOOLS AND MAINTAINING LIFE SUSTAINING CONNECTIONS.

THIRD, TENANT EMPOWERMENT TENANTS ARE EMPOWERED TO ASSERT THEIR RIGHTS TO NEGOTIATE FAIR TERMS WITH LANDLORDS, KNOWING THEY CAN'T BE EVICTED WITHOUT JUST CAUSE GIVING TENANTS MORE CONFIDENCE IN ADDRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS OR OTHER ISSUES WITH THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS.

AND FINALLY, A TRUE EFFORT TO PROMOTE FAIRNESS, STRENGTHENING NON-FAT, JUST CAUSE ORDINANCES PROMOTE FAIRNESS IN THE TENANT LANDLORD RELATIONSHIP WITH A CLEAR, WITH A CLEAR SET OF CRITERIA FOR EVICTION.

TENANTS ARE PROTECTED FROM BEING EVICTED FOR REASONS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL OR UNRELATED TO THEM.

IT ALSO SETS, UH, CLEAR GUIDELINES FOR EVICTION, REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING LEGAL DISPUTES.

MA'AM, YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

OKAY, NEXT IS TONY, AND THEN KYLE NELSON, THEN AURELIA CANTANA.

HI, I'M TONY.

I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL OF DISTRICT TWO AND I'M A PART OF THE 60% OF RENTERS HERE AND HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE FEAR THAT THE LACK OF TENANT PROTECTIONS HAS CAUSED IN MY VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS.

AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF CHANGING THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO REFLECT SB 5 6 7.

AND THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE CONVERSATION TO THIS TONIGHT.

THIS IS DOING THE BARE MINIMUM AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY, UM, FRIENDS AND LONG BEACH TENANTS NEED MORE TO REFLECT THE CURRENT HOUSING CRISIS IN OUR CITY.

I AM AN ARTIST AND I'M AN ARTS PROGRAMMER IN LONG BEACH.

I VALUE ARTS PROGRAMMING, AS YOU ALL MENTIONED EARLIER TONIGHT.

BUT I'M AWARE THAT THE ARTS ALONG WITH TOURISM, CAN LEAD TO HIGHER COST OF LIVING LESSONS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND EVENTUALLY LEADS TO THE DISPLACEMENT OF COMMUNITIES.

IT'S EXTREMELY DISCONCERTING TO HEAR THE FOCUS TODAY ON GROWING LONG BEACH WITHOUT ENOUGH FOCUS ON THE ISSUES THAT 60% OF LONG BEACH POPULATIONS FACE, IN PARTICULAR, THE SUBSTANTIAL RE RENOVATION LOOPHOLE AND LEGITIMATE RENT CONTROL.

THIS IS A PARTICULARLY CONCERNING WITH THE 2028 OLYMPICS AND THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP.

PEOPLE ARE ONE BAD MONTH AWAY FROM HOUSELESSNESS, THEREFORE, OR I ALSO WANNA ADD THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY ARE NOT DISPOSABLE.

THEREFORE, I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO EXPAND DISCUSSIONS ON MUNICIPAL CODE 8 9 9 AND REVIEW THE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION'S PROPOSAL FOR STRONGER JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS.

ALRIGHT,

[03:40:01]

NEXT IS KYLE NELSON AFTER KYLE IS AURELIA.

UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON.

I'M MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS KYLE NELSON AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 24 AND STRONGER RENTER PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS IN LONG BEACH.

THIS MEANS GETTING RID OF THE SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION LOOPHOLE FOR EVICTIONS AND MAKING STRONGER PERMANENT TENANT PROTECTIONS LIKE A MINIMUM THRESHOLD FOR EVICTIONS BASED ON NON-PAYMENT OF RENT.

I DON'T LIVE IN LONG BEACH, BUT THESE ISSUES STILL HIT CLOSE TO HOME FOR ME.

I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE KEEP LA HOUSED COALITION AND EVEN AS OUR COALITION HAS COLLECTIVELY WON THE STRONGEST TENANT PROTECTIONS IN LA COUNTY SINCE THE 1970S, OUR FEARLESS LEADER AND MY FRIEND MARIA LOPEZ NOW FACES AN EVICTION FROM HER LONGTIME HOME AND HARASSMENT FROM HER LANDLORD FEME.

WHAT MARIA'S EXPERIENCING IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT HAP WHAT IS HAPPENING TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TENANTS ACROSS LONG BEACH AND LA COUNTY.

AND IT MUST STOP.

WE CANNOT SUPPORT BUILDING WEALTH BY DISPLACING FAMILIES AND THAT'S WHY AS SUPPORT ITEM 24 AND STRONGER RENTER PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS IN LONG BEACH.

ALRIGHT, NEXT IS AURELIA.

AFTER AURELIA IS DEL, THEN ANA.

HI, MY NAME'S QUINTANA AND I'M DISTRICT SIX.

UH, SO I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE.

I SUFFERED THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS, AS MARIA DID IN 20 20 20 21.

I WAS CONSTANTLY HARASSED BY MY LANDLORD AND FIRST THEY SAID IT WAS GONNA BE A RENOVATION, BUT THEN IT WAS CONTINUOUS HARASSMENT.

AND THEN ONCE IT WAS DONE, I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO SIGN A NEW CONTRACT.

AND THEN AFTER THE REMODEL, NOT ONLY WAS THAT IT WAS ALSO A NEW CONTRACT WITH THE ADDED $500 ADDITIONAL FEE.

SO THEN I SAID, WHY DO I HAVE TO SIGN A NEW CONTRACT AS IF I'M A NEW TENANT WHEN I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 15 YEARS? SO THEN WE JOINED FORCES WITH EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WAS GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING.

AND INSTEAD WHAT HE DID AS HARASSMENT, HE SHUT OFF OUR ELECTRICITY, ALL OF US FROM THE OUTSIDE, HE LOCKED THE LAUNDRY ROOM, UH, AREA AS WELL AND WE HAD NO ACCESS TO IT.

AND THEN THERE WAS SOME GATES GATED, UM, AREA FOR SECURITY AND THOSE WERE REMOVED ALSO.

AND TO THIS DAY, HE HAS NOT EVEN FIXED THEM.

SO THEN BECAUSE OF THAT OR LACK OF IT, I LIVE ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR.

SO IT'S BEEN AROUND TWO, THREE TIMES THAT BAD PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO ENTER MY PROPERTY AND OPEN THE DOOR BECAUSE HE HASN'T GIVEN US THE SECURITY DOORS.

I ASK IF YOU CAN PLEASE STOP ALL OF THIS.

AND HE WOULD TELL US AND HARASS US AND THEN COME OVER WITH ACTUAL WORKERS SAYING TO US, TAUNTING US, WELL, THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO.

I'M GONNA DO AS I WISH, BECAUSE THEN THE ONLY OTHER CHOICE WOULD BE GO AHEAD AND PAY THE AMOUNT THAT I ADDED TO THE CONTRACT.

IF NOT, THEN YOU CAN JUST LEAVE.

AND EVER SINCE MY KIDS WERE LITTLE, I ALWAYS BROUGHT 'EM OVER HERE AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF ALL OF THIS.

AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I PLEAD TO YOU.

AND

[03:45:01]

YES, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS DEL ME.

AFTER DEL ME IS LOU AND THEN ROSARIO IS DEMI HERE? ME IS LOU HERE? LOU, COME ON UP.

YOU'RE NEXT.

AND THEN ROSARIO.

WHERE'S ROSARIO? OKAY, GREAT.

DUMMY .

UM, GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

UM, SO I'M HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF AND WHAT I'VE LIVED, UH, LOS AND ALSO DURING THE COVID TIME IN 2020, JUST LIKE EVERYONE HERE, UM, THE OWNER, WELL, THERE WAS, UH, OWNER CHANGE IN THE BUILDING THAT I LIVED AND I AM EMPATHETIC TO WHAT MARIA LOPEZ WAS GOING THROUGH.

AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT HAS GONE THROUGH IS GOING THROUGH EVICTION.

AND EVEN NOW WITH THE PANDEMIC OVER, WE SEEM LIKE WE STILL HAVE THAT BITTER TASTE.

SO FROM THE PANDEMIC AND NOW POST PANDEMIC THAT THE NEW OWNER FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT THAT WE HAD TO ALL OF A SUDDEN IN A QUICK NOTICE, JUST PACK UP ALL OUR THINGS AND MOVE THEM TO ONE SIDE BECAUSE THERE WAS GONNA BE REMODELING GOING ON.

AND THEN OF COURSE AFTER THAT, IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT WAS A HIGH RACE IN RENT, IT WAS A NEW CONTRACT.

AND OF COURSE THAT WASN'T GONNA BE UP TO ANYBODY'S REACH THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE.

AND I ASKED IF YOU CAN PLEASE DO SOMETHING OR YOU CAN STOP THE REMODELS OR, OR THE EVICTIONS.

I, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON HOUSE AND LIVING IN THE STREET BECAUSE OF THIS, MY HEALTH HAS ALSO CHANGED BECAUSE OF THIS.

SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE DO SOMETHING.

ALRIGHT, LOU, YOU'RE UP.

HELLO, MY NAME IS LOU ROSEN.

I'M A RENTER IN DISTRICT SIX AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE QUEER COMMUNITY HERE IN LONG BEACH.

LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO, WE WITNESSED MAYOR RICHARDSON RAISE THE PROGRESS FLAG IN FRONT OF CITY HALL IN CELEBRATION OF LONG BEACH PRIDE.

I'M HERE TODAY TO REMIND YOU THAT LGBT RIGHTS ARE INSEPARABLE FROM TENANTS RIGHTS.

WE HAVE SO MANY QUEER AND TRANS YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO'VE BEEN DISOWNED BY FAMILIES WHO DON'T ACCEPT THEM, WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO BARELY PAY EXORBITANT RENTS AND WHO HAVE NOWHERE TO GO IF THEY'RE EVICTED.

WE HAVE SO MANY QUEER ELDERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THEIR HOMES FOR DECADES WHO HAVE STAYED STEADFAST THROUGH THE RISING RENTS OF THE PAST DECADE, UH, TO MAINTAIN AND PASS DOWN THE VIBRANT COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING THIS PRIDE MONTH.

AND WHO CAN'T SUDDENLY AFFORD A 200% RENT INCREASE? YOU'RE ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH, NOT PREDATORY CORPORATIONS FROM OUTSIDE OUR CITY WHO WANNA BUY UP ALL THE LAND, JACK UP THE RENTS AND DESTROY THE WONDERFUL COMMUNITIES WE'VE BUILT.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO BE CHAMPIONS FOR TENANTS RIGHTS.

PASS STRONG RENT CONTROL, CLOSE ALL LOOPHOLES, INCLUDING SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS.

TAKE CONCRETE STEPS TO STOP TENANT HARASSMENT.

RAISING THE FLAG MEANS NOTHING.

A BUNCH OF RAINBOW LIGHTS MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO THE L-G-B-B-T COMMUNITY.

IF YOU DON'T STAND WITH US WITH MARIA LOPEZ AND WITH ALL LONG BEACH TENANTS AND USE YOUR POWER TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN REMAIN IN OUR HOMES.

OKAY, ROSARIO, BEFORE YOU BEGIN, ROSARIO, I'M GONNA READ THE NEXT, UH, FEW SPEAKERS, UH, WINSTON AND MELODY, THAT'S IT.

WINSTON AND MELODY.

SO ROSARIO, YOU'RE UP THEN WINSTON AND MELODY ROSARIO.

UM,

[03:51:14]

HELLO.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ROSARIO AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE FIFTH DISTRICT.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND LISTEN TO THE NEW LONG BEACH PROJECTS.

I DID CANVASSING AND I HEARD A LOT FROM THE PEOPLE ABOUT THE MAYOR.

AND WHILE IN YOUR CAMPAIGN AND THE PEOPLE LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND THEY'RE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, HOW YOU WERE GONNA MAKE LONG BEACH BETTER, SHE DID ADD ON SAYING THAT DURING THEIR CANVASSING, UH, SHE DID GET A LOT OF RESPONSE AND POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE A VERY KIND PERSON.

SHE DID SAY ADDED TO HER.

UM, BUT SHE DOES WANNA ALSO MENTION THAT THE MAYOR PROBLEMS ARE THE EVICTIONS THAT ARE NOT SOLVED.

THERE'S NEW ORDINANCES, BUT NO FAIR ACTUAL CHANGES.

SO WHERE WOULD PEOPLE GO LIVE? IT WAS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM.

IT IS NOT ONLY THAT IT HAS TURNED INTO A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE ALSO, SHE THEN ADDED ABOUT HER KIDS AND THE KIDS ARE HERE AND THEIR HERS AND ALSO THE OTHER KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE.

AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR THE FUTURE GENERATION OF EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY THAT'S GONNA BE HERE OR IS HERE IN LONG BEACH, THERE ARE NO FAIR ORDINANCES FOR TENANTS.

AND IN 20 YEARS, 20 YEARS FROM NOW IN LONG BEACH, THERE WILL BE MANY MORE HOTELS.

BUT WHAT ABOUT FAIR HOUSING? WE NEED CITY COUNCIL TO URGENTLY UPDATE THE JUST COST ORDINANCES TO ALIGN WITH NEW STATE MANDATES.

WE ALSO URGE THE CITY TO EXPAND THE DISCUSSIONS ON MUNICIPAL CODE 8 9 9 AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL TENANT PROTECTIONS TO PREVENT THE DISPLACEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES, IS WHAT SHE SAID.

ALRIGHT, WINSTON, YOU'RE UP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

UH, MY NAME IS WINSTON.

I'M, UH, A LONGTIME, UH, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX AND A RENTER IN THAT DISTRICT.

UM, I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE PSL AND, UH, THE REASON I'M HERE, A FRIEND OF MARIA, AND YOU KNOW, MARIA HAS SHOWN UP FOR RENTERS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND ACROSS LONG BEACH, INCLUDING ON THE WEST SIDE, YOU KNOW, FOR PRETTY MUCH THE, THE, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, SIX YEARS THAT I'VE KNOWN HER.

SHE'S BEEN A FIGHTER FOR PEOPLE, FOR RENTERS, UM, FOR PEOPLE IN THE WORST KIND OF SITUATIONS.

UM, AND SO I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LOOK MYSELF IN THE FACE IF I DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR HER.

UM, AND, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO THIS, UH, TO THIS MEASURE, I'M IN FAVOR OF, UH, THIS, UH, BRINGING THE RENTAL PROTECTIONS UP TO MATCH THE STATE PROTECTIONS.

UH, BUT AS HAS BEEN SAID, AND I THINK AS, UH, MAYA, UH, PUT PARTICULARLY WELL, UM, WE, IF WE'RE SERIOUS, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO DO MORE THAN SLOW THE BLEEDING, UM, WE NEED TO CLOSE THE, UH, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL LOOPHOLE.

UH, NOT MERELY, YOU KNOW, PUT UP SOME MORE, YOU KNOW, UH, PUT SOME MINOR OBSTACLES IN PLACE OF IT.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, FUNDAMENTALLY, UH, WE NEED A STRONG ENFORCEMENT BODY WITH SERIOUS FUNDING AND A MAN AND A AND A MANDATE TO REALLY GO AFTER VIOLATORS, NOT JUST REACTIVELY, UM, BUT THAT HAS THE RESOURCES TO RESPOND, UM, TO THE MANY, MANY CASES, UH, OF ABUSE, UH, AND HARASSMENT THAT OUR TENANTS SUFFER.

UM, BUT TO GO AFTER VIOLATIONS PROACTIVELY.

UM, AND UNTIL WE HAVE SUCH AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM, UNTIL, YOU KNOW, LANDLORDS BELIEVE THAT VIOLATIONS OF THESE RULES, UM, WILL NOT ONLY POTENTIALLY COME WITH CONSEQUENCES, BUT DO FACE SOME REAL RISK OF, UH, OF ACTUALLY BEING, SORRY, SORRY, YOUR TIME CONCLUDED.

CITY.

AND BE ALL THE, PARDON ME? ALL THE REGULATIONS DON'T MEAN ANYTHING UNLESS THANK YOU.

AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER, MELODY, CLOSE THE LOOPHOLES.

LET

[03:55:01]

ME SAY IT AGAIN.

CLOSE THE LOOPHOLES AND TO THE LANDLORD, WHATEVER YOUR MESSAGE WAS, IS ALL VERY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.

JUST BECAUSE YOU GREW UP ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, LIKE MANY OF US, DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE STILL NOT LEARNING, THAT YOU'RE STILL DISMANTLING YOUR OWN BIASES.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, TO BUILD BRIDGES, BUILD BRIDGES, WE'RE HERE.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE HERE, WE'RE LISTENING, SO BUILD THEM.

I'M HERE IN SUPPORT WITH MARIA.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH, CAMBODIA TOWN.

AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MARIA.

SHE'S A CONTRIBUTOR TO LONG BEACH.

SHE'S A NEIGHBOR, SHE'S A HELPING HAND, SHE'S A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND SHE'S A LEADER.

SHE IS WHAT MAKES THIS CITY THRIVE, NOT THE FOLKS WHO EXPLOIT OTHERS FOR PROFIT, WHO DON'T THINK OF THIS PLACE AS AN ECOSYSTEM, AS A GARDEN THAT THINKS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS TO PEOPLE, TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT FOCUSING, LET'S SHIFT OUR FOCUS ON COMMUNITY WELLBEING AND PENALIZE THE LANDLORDS WHO ENGAGE IN PREDATORY PRACTICES.

I AM HERE TODAY TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUITY, OF EQUALITY HOUSING AND MARIA DESERVES THE RIGHT TO STABLE HOUSING.

MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED.

SO I WANNA THANK EVERYONE, UH, FOR COMING OUT AND YOUR, YOUR, UH, TESTIMONY HERE.

UM, AND WE'LL NOW TAKE IT BACK, UH, BEHIND THE RAIL.

I WANNA REMIND FOLKS TODAY WE'RE JUST TAKING ONE STEP.

UH, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO EXPLORE, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL STEPS IN THE FUTURE.

SO, UH, THERE WILL BE, UH, MORE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMING MONTHS TO COME.

I, SECONDLY, SECOND THING I WOULD SAY IS ALL THESE THINGS ON THE BEING ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, IT WAS BY DESIGN, I MEAN TALKING BROADER ECONOMIC PLAN, TALKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WITH OIL, TALKING ABOUT OLYMPICS AND TALKING ABOUT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, WHICH IS THE NEXT ITEM.

AND TALKING ABOUT, UH, TENANT PROTECTIONS.

IT WAS DESIGNED IN THAT WAY.

SO WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS COMPREHENSIVELY, AND I THINK AS LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO DEVELOP ITS STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU'LL SEE AN EYE TOWARD, UH, THINGS LIKE HOUSING AND, UM, ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND LABOR AND, AND ALL OF THESE THINGS, SUSTAINABILITY AND ALL THESE THINGS CONSIDERED.

SO, UH, I DO WANNA CALL ATTENTION TO THE, JUST THE DESIGN OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

SO NOW WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL.

UH, WE WILL START WITH THE MAKER OF THE MOTION.

COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR, UM, FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND VOICING YOUR, YOUR OPINION AND YOUR CONCERNS.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR YOUR VOICE.

UM, AND I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, MENTIONING MARIA, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UM, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT NOT ONLY ARE YOU MENTIONING MARIA, BUT YOU'RE ALSO MENTIONING ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY THAT ARE GOING THROUGH WHAT MARIA'S GOING THROUGH OR HAVE BEEN THROUGH.

AND I WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

AND, UM, I LOVE SEEING WHAT A BIG, BIG SUPPORT SYSTEM YOU HAVE, MARIA.

SO THANK YOU.

I KNOW MARIA AND I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY TOGETHER ON A LOT OF THINGS, UM, INCLUDING CLOSING SOME OF THE LOOPHOLES THAT WERE IN SOME OF OUR, UM, SOME OF OUR, UM, ITEMS THAT WE HAVE PASSED IN THE, IN THE PAST.

UM, FUNNY, FUNNY WORDING THERE, BUT MAYBE WE CAN RE RESTATE THOSE, THAT, THOSE THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, PLEASE.

INCLUDING, UM, REHABILITATION LOOPHOLES THAT WE PASSED.

AND I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT WE JUST MENTIONED WHEN WE, WE PRESENTED THIS ITEM TODAY.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE THREE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT ARE YEAH.

THAT YOU ADOPTED IN 2020 AND 21 AND THAT WAS YEP.

THE INCREASED OBLIGATIONS ON THE PART OF THE LANDLORD TO PROVIDE PERMITS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, AND PROVIDE A STATEMENT OF WHY THE TENANT NEEDS TO MOVE OUT, WHICH WAS MORE THAN WHAT 1482 REQUIRED AT THE TIME.

MM-HMM.

INCREASED RELOCATION PAYMENTS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THEN ALSO THE INCREASED DAMAGES THAT A TENANT COULD SEEK AGAINST A, A WILLFUL, A BAD ACTOR LANDLORD UP TO $15,000 IN CIVIL PENALTIES.

THOSE WERE THE THREE AND THEY'RE STILL IN THERE RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

[04:00:01]

SURE.

UH, RICH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, AND I SAY THAT ONLY BECAUSE AS A COUNSEL, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, REALLY, REALLY, IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE THOSE STEPS.

AND SO, UM, AND SO NOW WE SEE THE STATE THAT LOOKED AT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO AND WHAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.

AND I WANNA SAY IT'S BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, TO DO THAT AND, AND THE, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE ISSUES TO BE DONE.

SO THAT'S WHY I WANNA THANK YOU.

UM, ALSO, I WANT TO, UM, SAY THAT I MYSELF, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW AM A RENTER AND PROBABLY THE ONLY RENTER ON THE DIOCESE.

AND SO I REALLY, REALLY TAKE, UM, RENTING ISSUES, UM, VERY WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UH, BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK THAT SPENDING OVER 50 TO 80% OF ANYONE'S INCOME IS SUSTAINABLE.

AND SO, UM, I I JUST KNOW THAT, THAT I DO KNOW THAT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.

UM, ALSO WANT TO ASK CITY STAFF IF THEY COULD ALSO CLARIFY, UH, WHAT WE ARE VOTING ON TODAY.

AND I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT WE ARE VOTING ON TODAY MAKES OUR RENTER, UM, THIS JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE SO MUCH STRONGER THAN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

UM, IF, IF STAFF COULD PLEASE CONFIRM THAT FOR ME.

CONFIRMED.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, I THINK THAT, UM, LIKE MAYOR PUT IT EARLIER, IT IS, IT IS TO ALIGN WITH THE STATE.

AND I THINK THAT NOT ONLY WERE WE, UM, UH, WERE WE IMPORTANT DRIVERS ON GETTING US TO WHERE THE STATE IS NOW.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A CITY, AND WHEN I MEAN A CITY, I DON'T MEAN ONLY US BEHIND THE DAAS.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, UM, IT'S, WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT.

AND YES, YES, YES, THERE IS STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE IN THIS REALM, BUT, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

SO VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE ARE NOW ALIGNING WITH THE STATE, AND I HOPE THAT ALL MY COLLEAGUES WILL SUPPORT IN, UM, IN AMENDING THIS, THIS ORDINANCE.

AND, AND VERY WELL STATED.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER BRANKA.

I WANT TO, UH, ALIGN MYSELF IN THE COMMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBER EZ, AND PLEASE SUPPORT THIS TITLE.

UH, THAT CONCLUDES COUNCIL COMMENT.

THE COUNCIL AND STAFF FOR, UH, THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK, UH, LAST WEEK IN HIGHLIGHTING, YOU KNOW, THE STEPS THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING AND THE CONTINUED LEADERSHIP WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE ON HOUSING.

WE'LL GO TO ITEM 25.

PLEASE REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY AND POTENTIAL FUTURE AMENDMENTS TO THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE ZONING ORDINANCE CITYWIDE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

WELL, LAST WEEK WAS HOUSING INNOVATION WEEK.

I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THANK

[25. 24-53205 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the Inclusionary Housing Policy including an update on implementation of the Policy since 2021 and potential future amendments to Title 21.67 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (Zoning Ordinance) in order to expand Inclusionary Housing citywide and implement other modifications to the Policy. (Citywide) Office or Department: Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, ON LAST TUESDAY, WE PUT FORWARD, UH, A HOUSING PACKAGE THAT EXPLORED, THAT DIRECTED STAFF TO EXPLORE ADVANCE, A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES THAT WILL HELP TO ADVANCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION IN LONG BEACH.

ONE OF THE KEY OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IS IMPLEMENTING THE CITY'S, UH, INCLUSIONARY ZONING POLICY CITYWIDE.

SO THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO COUNCIL'S DIRECTION AT OUR LAST MEETING.

SO, WHAT, WHAT IS IT TONIGHT? I'M JUST GONNA PAUSE FOR A MOMENT WHILE FOLKS EXIT.

YEAH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA PAUSE A MINUTE, LET FOLKS EXIT.

WE GOT SOME LITTLE ONES BACK THERE.

NEED TO GET TO SCHOOL TOMORROW.

THEY WERE BEHAVED TODAY.

THEY DID A GOOD JOB.

THEY WERE, THEY WERE VERY WELL BEHAVED.

SEE, AS WE GET WITH A DAD, MAYOR, ALMOST, ALMOST, I'M LIKE WATCHING THESE KIDS, YOU KNOW? YEAH, THAT GOES FAR.

SO YOU GOT, I KNOW YOU GOT SOME HOMEWORK.

ALRIGHT, GOOD.

THANK YOU ALL.

WE'RE GONNA START OVER.

OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IS TO LOOK AT THE SUCCESS FROM OUR INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY AND EXPLORE OPTIONS TO TAKE IT, UH, TAKE THIS CITY CITYWIDE, UH, WHAT THIS ITEM IS TONIGHT.

SO, UH, LAST TUESDAY WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT A NUMBER OF POLICY CONCEPTS.

UH, ONE OF, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST

[04:05:01]

IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE, UH, TO, IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE CHANGE YET.

WHAT THIS IS, IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR US TO HEAR SOME OPTIONS AND GIVE FURTHER DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IN A FUTURE, UH, ZONING ORDINANCE, INCLUSIONARY ZONING ORDINANCE.

SO EXPANDING THESE REQUIREMENTS TO, TO THE WHOLE CITY.

IT'S A, IT'S A BIG, BIG STEP FOR US TOWARD CREATING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

UH, WE WANT TO THANK THE DOWNTOWN AND THE MIDTOWN FOR STEPPING UP, YOU KNOW, AND TAKING THAT FIRST STEP.

AND WE'VE SEEN IT BE SUCCESSFUL.

UH, I WILL TELL YOU, UM, UH, MIXED INCOME HOUSING IS ONE OF OUR BEST TOOLS TO FIGHT RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION.

IT'S ALSO REFLECTED IN OUR CITY'S HOUSING ELEMENT AS A STRATEGY THAT WE ALREADY SUBMITTED TO THE STATE, WHICH EXPECTS US TO IMPLEMENT, UH, INC CITYWIDE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING AS A PART OF COMPLIANCE WITH OUR HOUSING ELEMENT.

SO, AS WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE SHOULD EXPLORE, UM, OPTIONS.

IT SHOULD NOT, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO, TO LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING OR ORDINANCE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN.

UH, WE, WE COULD LOOK AT, UH, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS OR MENU APPROACH.

UM, WHILE THERE ARE, UH, SOME LINGERING CONCERNS ABOUT THESE REQUIREMENTS CONTRIBUTING TO HOUSING UNDER PRODUCTION MAY EXIST, THE REALITY IS THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'VE SEEN PLAY OUT IN LONG BEACH.

IN FACT, WE'VE SEEN RECORD LEVELS OF ENTITLEMENTS SINCE THE ORIGINAL INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED.

UH, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING AT ONE POINT WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL.

THIS WAS A COMMUNITY PRIORITY WITH THE DOWNTOWN PLAN YEARS AGO, AND THE COUNCIL WASN'T READY TO MOVE ON IT.

UM, I THINK THE TIDES HAVE TURNED.

PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE, UH, RECEPTIVE TO INCLUSIONARY HOUSING.

UM, AND SO I THINK IT, I, I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.

UH, LONG BEACH HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL.

WE HAVE GOT A SECRET SAUCE OR SOMETHING AS IT RELATES TO INCLUSIONARY ZONING.

PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL ENHANCED DENSITY BONUS.

INCLUSIONARY PROJECTS CAN USE DIFFERENT CONCESSIONS TO MAKE THEIR PROJECTS MORE FEASIBLE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT MOST JURISDICTIONS OFFER, INCLUDING LOS ANGELES.

SO, BECAUSE WE HAVE CERTAIN TOOLS, THIS MAY BE MORE, A MORE SUCCESSFUL, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR US, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULDN'T MONITOR THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS, UM, OF THIS POLICY AND STUDY FURTHER, WHAT PERCENTAGES YIELD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS WITHOUT PUSHING MARKET RATE UNITS, EVEN, UH, RENTS EVEN HIGHER.

SO, UH, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS NOT JUST FOR RENTERS EITHER.

IT BRINGS CITYWIDE, UH, BRINGING, BRINGING CITYWIDE WILL YIELD SOME OF OUR FIRST INCLUSIONARY HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH ARE BIG, WHICH WILL BE SOLD TO FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS AND EXTENDED PATHWAYS TO HOME OWNERSHIP FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS ALSO A PRIORITY FOR OUR CITY, ENSURING THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL RENTERS TO TRANSITION INTO HOMEOWNERS.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH OUR MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, SIMILAR TO THE WAY WE DID CENTRAL, UH, DID, UH, MIDTOWN AND OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY.

THAT SAID, WE'LL, WE'LL PASS IT ON TO STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

I'M HERE WITH, UH, STEPHANIE HARPER FROM OUR HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES BUREAU, AND WE'RE GONNA GIVE TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION ABOUT THE UPDATE OF THE HOUSING, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY.

UM, SO I WANT TO TAKE YOU BACK IN TIME, UH, TO 2017.

UH, THE MAYOR WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER.

WE HAD A DIFFERENT MAYOR.

WE HAD A DIFFERENT, UH, PLACE IN OUR CITY.

UH, WE HAD SOME, UH, DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN THAT WAS REALLY CATCHING ON.

AND WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THAT IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE UNITS, UM, AS THE GROUP THAT, UH, PUTS TOGETHER SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS A NOBLE THING, BUT IT INCREDIBLY, IT IS, IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THERE IS SOMETHING, UH, MAGICAL AND WONDERFUL ABOUT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING BECAUSE WE GET AFFORDABLE UNITS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AT NO COST TO THE CITY.

UM, SO THAT'S WHAT INCLUSIONARY IS.

IT'S ABOUT INCLUDING AFFORDABLE UNITS MIXED IN WITH AN OVERALL MIX OF UNITS IN MARKET RATE PROJECTS.

SO TO THAT END, IN 2017, THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED US TO LOOK AT 29 DIFFERENT POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, POLICY 3.2 OF THAT WAS TO DEVELOP AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY.

THAT WAS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE, UH, PROCESS BACK THEN BECAUSE WE WERE STARTING FROM SCRATCH.

UM, SO THAT INCLUDED OUTREACH MEETINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY SESSIONS, AND ULTIMATELY PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, HEARING IN EARLY

[04:10:01]

2020.

SO DURING THAT, UH, OUTREACH PROCESS THAT TOOK PART IN 18, 19 AND 20, UM, WE GATHERED A NUMBER OF TAKEAWAYS.

HOUSING ADVOCATES AND RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY REALLY ENCOURAGED US TO ENACT THE INCLUSIONARY POLICY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST AT THAT TIME, UH, FOR A CITYWIDE POLICY.

UM, BUT WE ALSO HAD TO BASE NOT JUST ON WHAT WE WANTED, BUT THE COLD HARD FACTS OF WHERE DEVELOPMENT WAS OCCURRING, WHERE DEVELOPMENT WAS NOT OCCURRING, WHERE THE MARKET COULD BEAR AN INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENT AND IT, WHERE IT COULDN'T.

UH, SO, UH, WE CAME UP WITH A MANDATORY PROGRAM IN DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN, UM, AND ALWAYS KNEW THAT WE WOULD COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AT SOME DATE TO BE DISCUSSING THE POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF THAT PROGRAM CITYWIDE.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DONE AT THAT TIME AS TO WHAT COULD THE MARKET BEAR.

THE THING WITH INCLUSIONARY IS IT'S ALL ABOUT BALANCE AND FINDING THAT CORRECT BALANCE.

IF YOU PLACE YOUR INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENT TOO HIGH, YES, THEORETICALLY YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF UNITS, BUT THEY WILL NEVER MATERIALIZE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF TOTAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING WILL GO DOWN.

AND 30% OF ZERO IS ZERO, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE TO FIND THE CORRECT AMOUNT WHERE DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR.

UM, BUT, UM, YOU ALSO GET THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS.

SO AT THE TIME, THE CONSULTANT LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, SCENARIOS THAT WERE 11%, 12%, 19% ON KIND OF A, A STRAIGHT APPROACH.

UM, VERY LOW, LOW OR MODERATE.

BUT THEY ALSO LOOKED AT MIXES, WHICH I THINK IS, UH, IMPORTANT FOR TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION.

SO THEY LOOKED AT A MIX OF VERY LOW AND LOW, OR A MIX OF VERY LOW AND LOW AND REVERSE, OR A MIX OF, UM, LOW AND MODERATE.

AND THEN, UH, ON THE OWNERSHIP SIDE, UM, WE REALLY DO MODERATE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE BUYING A CONDOMINIUM AND YOU HAVE TO PAY HOA FEES AND YOUR MORTGAGE, THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK AT THE, THE VERY LOW OR LOW LEVEL.

SO ON THE OWNERSHIP SIDE, WE DO MODERATE INCOME HOUSING ON THE INCLUSIONARY.

SO, UH, WE PRESENTED A NUMBER OF OPTIONS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI WAS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, LEADING THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THAT TIME, AND HELPED US THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

IT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL ITEM.

THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, PUBLIC INTEREST, UM, AND WE PRESENTED, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND RECEIVED A LOT OF, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THEY WANTED TO FOCUS, UM, ON AN OPTION THAT, THAT HAD A, UM, WAS FOCUSED ON VERY LOW INCOME FAMILIES.

SO, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION TOOK ALL OF THAT INPUT, INPUT FROM THE STAFF, INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.

AND WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH AT THAT TIME WAS A REQUIREMENT THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A MIX OF VERY LOW, LOW AND MODERATE, BASICALLY 25, 25 AND 50%, AND THAT IT WOULD BE A 12% TOTAL REQUIREMENT ON THE, ON THE PROJECT.

SO WE WENT FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL.

UM, THAT WAS AN EXCITING, UH, STEP THAT WAS, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID, BUT WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO HAVE THE MEETING AND WE ADOPTED OUR INCLUSIONARY, UH, POLICY.

AND WHAT COUNCIL, UM, FOCUSED ON WAS VERY LOW INCOME.

SO THE REQUIREMENT BECAME 11%, VERY LOW INCOME.

UH, AND ON THE OWNERSHIP SIDE, 10% MODERATE.

BUT THAT WAS THEN.

AND, UH, THIS IS NOW, AND STEPHANIE'S GONNA BRING US FORWARD TO TODAY.

CURRENTLY, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING APPLIES TO NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS WITH 10 OR MORE UNITS ONLY IN DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN.

THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER.

GOOD EVENING.

HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

I'LL GIVE A SUMMARY OF THE CURRENT POLICY AND THEN A BRIEF UPDATE OF IMPLEMENTATION.

THUS FAR, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY IN 2021.

AS CHRISTOPHER MENTIONED, THE COUNCIL LATER MADE MODIFICATIONS TO REFINE THE POLICY, SUCH AS EXTENDING THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD IN 2022.

THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE, IN WHICH IT COMMITTED TO EXPANDING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE TO HELP MEET THE CITY'S FAIR HOUSING GOALS.

THIS COMMITMENT WAS BASED ON ADDITIONAL EXTENSIVE OUTREACH WITH DEVELOPERS, HOUSING ADVOCATES, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

THE GOAL OF INCLUSIONARY POLICY, AS OUR MAYOR MENTIONED EARLIER, IS TO FACILITATE THE PRODUCTION OF MIXED INCOME HOUSING, WHICH ARE DEVELOPMENTS THAT INCLUDE BOTH MARKET RATE AND AFFORDABLE UNITS.

THE INCLUSIONARY UNITS ARE RESTRICTED AS AFFORDABLE FOR 55 YEARS, OR AS LONG AS THE PROJECT IS DEVELOPED FOR RESIDENTIAL USE, WHICHEVER IS LONGER.

THE POLICY WAS IMPLEMENTED OVER A THREE YEAR PHASE IN PERIOD.

AND AS WE'VE JUST DISCUSSED, IT CURRENTLY REQUIRES DEVELOPERS TO SET ASIDE 11% OF RENTAL UNITS TO BE AFFORDABLE TO VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

AND FOR OWNERSHIP UNITS, 10% MUST BE AFFORDABLE TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

[04:15:03]

THESE ARE SHOWN ON THE MAP IN RED AND YELLOW.

THIS LIMITED AREA WAS ESTABLISHED FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF THE POLICY.

IT WAS BASED ON AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS PREPARED BY A CONSULTANT IN 2019.

THE ANALYSIS FOUND THAT AT THAT TIME, VERY FEW HOUSING UNITS HAD BEEN BUILT OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN, AND THEREFORE, THE ANALYSIS WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT APPLYING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF THE POLICY.

HOWEVER, AS PART OF THE ADOPTION OF THE POLICY, WE COMMITTED TO EVALUATING THE POLICY AND OVERALL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN LONG BEACH WITH THE GOAL OF EXPANDING CITYWIDE IN THE FUTURE AS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT EVOLVES.

SINCE THE INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS WENT INTO EFFECT IN TWENTY TWENTY ONE, ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS HAVE BEEN ENTITLED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE INCLUSIONARY POLICY.

NOW, THIS IS PRELIMINARY DATA.

IT IS STILL RELATIVELY EARLY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TYPICALLY TAKES YEARS.

THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE.

THE POLICY ALLOWS DEVELOPERS ALTERNATIVES TO BUILDING THE AFFORDABLE UNITS ON SITE, SUCH AS PAYING AN IN LIE FEE OR DONATING LAND.

HOWEVER, THESE ALTERNATIVES HAVE NOT YET BEEN USED.

ALL AFFORDABLE UNITS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED ONSITE IN THE MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENTS.

AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR CITY MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE STATE AS PART OF ITS HOUSING ELEMENT TO EXPAND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE.

THIS COMMITMENT WAS PIVOTAL TO THE STATE'S DECISION TO CERTIFY THE CITY'S HOUSING ELEMENT, AND THAT'S BECAUSE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO HELP ADDRESS FAIR HOUSING ISSUES IN LONG BEACH.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, MANY RESIDENTS CANNOT FIND HOUSING THAT THEY CAN AFFORD.

THIS LEADS TO HIGH HOUSING COST BURDEN, WHERE FAMILIES MUST SPEND MORE OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING AND HAVE LESS FUNDS AVAILABLE TO COVER OTHER BASIC NEEDS LIKE HEALTHCARE AND FOOD.

IT ALSO RESULTS IN OVERCROWDING WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES HAVE TO DOUBLE UP OR RENT OUT A ROOM IN THE APARTMENT JUST TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD RENT.

OVERCROWDING HAS NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN.

THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AND THIS MAINTAINS AND EXACERBATES HISTORICAL SEGREGATION AND DISCRIMINATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IN ADDITION, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS AVAILABLE IN LONG BEACH IS LOCATED PRIMARILY IN LOW RESOURCE AREAS OF THE CITY.

THESE ARE SHOWN IN THAT SORT OF LIGHT GREEN COLOR AND ORANGE ON THE MAP.

LITTLE TO NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS BEEN BUILT IN THE HIGHER RESOURCE AREAS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY SCHOOLS, PARKS, JOBS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.

AND THESE ARE BLUE AND PURPLE ON THE MAP.

DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ONLY IN LOW RESOURCE AREAS OF THE CITY HAS SERVED TO FURTHER MAINTAIN RACIAL AND ECONOMIC SEGREGATION ACROSS LONG BEACH.

EXPANDING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE CAN HELP THE CITY MEET ITS FAIR HOUSING GOALS BY ENSURING THAT NEW DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY INCLUDE AFFORDABLE UNITS.

THIS WILL HELP BREAK DOWN THESE PATTERNS OF SEGREGATION AND PROMOTE EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS.

SINCE THE POLICY WAS INITIALLY DEVELOPED AND ADOPTED IN 2021, THE HOUSING LANDSCAPED IN LONG BEACH HAS EVOLVED SIGNIFICANTLY.

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT HAS INCREASED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN, WHERE INCLUSIONARY CURRENTLY IS IN EFFECT.

THE MAP YOU SEE HERE SHOWS SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF RECENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING NEARLY 1300 NEW UNITS IN THE SOUTHEAST AREA THAT WERE ENTITLED IN TWENTY TWENTY THREE, ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY UNITS COMING SOON IN NORTH LONG BEACH.

15 NEW UNITS COMING IN, BIGSBY KNOWLES AND 23 RECENTLY BUILT TOWN HOMES IN THE ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE EXPECT THAT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH AS THE CITY IS UPDATING ITS ZONING POLICIES BASED ON ITS HOUSING ELEMENT AND STATE LAW.

THESE UPDATES WILL EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CITYWIDE.

SO AS MORE HOUSING COMES ONLINE OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN, THIS IS A PIVOTAL TIME TO EXPAND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING.

A CITYWIDE POLICY WOULD HELP ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FUTURE INCLUDE AFFORDABLE UNITS AND HELP PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF CURRENT RESIDENTS.

TO EXPAND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE, WE PROPOSE FOLLOWING A THREE YEAR PHASE IN APPROACH THAT WE USE FOR THE ORIGINAL ROLLOUT OF THE POLICY.

NOW, THIS CHART IS JUST AN EXAMPLE.

IT USES THE CURRENT AFFORDABILITY LEVELS AND PERCENTAGES.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON COUNCIL'S DIRECTION.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHART IS JUST TO SHOW A PHASE IN SCHEDULE THAT WOULD BRING THE REST OF THE CITY IN LINE WITH DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN.

BY 2027.

A THREE YEAR PHASE IN PERIOD ALLOWS FOR TIME TO EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF THE POLICY AND

[04:20:01]

DETERMINE IF ANY CHANGES ARE NEEDED.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WITHIN THE COASTAL ZONE, THIS ZONING CHANGE WILL REQUIRE APPROVAL, SORRY, CERTIFICATION BY THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION THAT COULD DELAY IMPLEMENTATION BY ONE TO THREE YEARS IN THE COASTAL ZONE, ONLY DEPENDING ON THE COASTAL COMMISSION'S ACTIONS.

NOW, IN ADDITION TO EXPANDING INCLUSIONARY CITYWIDE, WE ALSO RECOMMEND FIVE TECHNICAL CHANGES TO HELP REFINE THE POLICY.

AND THESE ARE BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE APPLYING THE POLICY THUS FAR.

FIRST, WE RECOMMEND CHANGING THE WAY THAT INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS ARE CALCULATED.

IF THE INCLUSIONARY PERCENTAGE RESULTS IN A FRACTION, WE RECOMMEND ROUNDING UP RATHER THAN ALLOWING DEVELOPERS THE OPTION TO PAY AN IN LIE FEE FOR THE FRACTIONAL UNIT.

THIS CHANGE WOULD ALIGN THE POLICY WITH HOW UNITS ARE CALCULATED FOR OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICIES, SUCH AS THE CITY AND THE STATE'S DENSITY BONUS LAWS.

SECOND, UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY, DEVELOPERS MUST SEEK CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE OPTIONS, SUCH AS LAND DEDICATION OR IN LIEU FEES.

FOR LARGER RENTAL DE DEVELOPMENTS, WE RECOMMEND DESIGNATING THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS THE APPROVAL BODY FOR THIS INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCIL.

AS THIS ALIGNS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S ROLE OF DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE ACTION.

THIRD, DEVELOPERS HAVE THE OPTION TO DEDICATE LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING INSTEAD OF BUILDING THE INCLUSIONARY UNITS ON SITE.

HOWEVER, THE CURRENT POLICY REQUIRES THAT THE LAND MUST BE LOCATED WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT'S SUBJECT TO INCLUSIONARY.

WE RECOMMEND REMOVING THIS ONE MILE RADIUS REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY FOR LAND IN HIGH RESOURCE AREAS TO BE DEDICATED AS THIS ALIGNS WITH THE CITY'S FAIR HOUSING GOALS.

NOW, OF COURSE, THE LOCATION WOULD STILL NEED TO BE APPROPRIATE AND WOULD UNDERGO THE STANDARD REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.

WE ALSO RECOMMEND ADDING A REQUIREMENT THAT INCLUSIONARY OWNERSHIP UNITS MUST BE SOLD TO FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.

THIS WOULD CLOSE A LOOPHOLE THAT COULD ALLOW HOME BUYERS THAT ALREADY OWN REAL ESTATE TO PURCHASE THESE AFFORDABLE UNITS.

LAST, WE RECOMMEND ADDING A PROVISION TO GIVE STAFF FLEXIBILITY TO AMEND OR SUSPEND INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS.

THIS WOULD APPLY ONLY WHEN THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WILL PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS THAN REQUIRED UNDER THE INCLUSIONARY POLICY.

AND GENERALLY, THIS WOULD APPLY TO 100% AFFORDABLE PROJECTS.

NOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL NEXT STEPS BEFORE ANY CHANGES TO THE POLICY WILL BE BACK BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A VOTE.

FIRST, WE PLAN TO CONDUCT COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

THIS INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE FOR RESIDENTS AND HOUSING ADVOCATES, AND ONE FOCUS GROUP SPECIFICALLY FOR HOUSING DEVELOPERS.

NEXT, WE PLAN TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

THIS WOULD BE A PUBLIC HEARING LIKELY THIS SUMMER.

WE WOULD THEN BRING FORWARD THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR A VOTE LATER THIS YEAR.

OUR GOAL IS FOR AN ORDINANCE TO BE EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1ST, 2025.

AND I WILL HAND THIS BACK TO, OH, I THINK I MISSED A SLIDE.

THE APPROACH IN DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A POLICY THAT'S VERY LOW INCOME DOWNTOWN AND MODERATE ELSEWHERE, BECAUSE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE BACKWARDS IN TERMS OF THE CITY'S, UM, EQUITY GOALS AND POLICIES AND, AND SOME OF OUR OBLIGATIONS TO HCD.

UH, THANK YOU.

UH, SO COUNSEL, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU SOME GUIDANCE AS TO, UH, WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.

SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A PROCESS THAT'S GONNA OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND INTO THE EARLY FALL.

UH, CITY COUNCIL NEED NOT PROVIDE A FINAL NUMBER OR FORMULA TONIGHT FOR HOW INCLUSIONARY IS GONNA WORK.

AND AGAIN, FROM THE STAFF TABLE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING NOT MAKING CHANGES, JUST GEOGRAPHICALLY EXPANDING THE CURRENT PROGRAM.

UM, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

WE GOT A PREVIEW, UH, LAST WEEK, AND I KNOW THERE'S, UM, VARIOUS THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS AMONG DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US AT THE STAFF TABLE TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF DOES COUNCIL WANT TO CONTINUE THE ALL VERY LOW APPROACH? DO THEY WANT A MIX OF OTHER, UM, AFFORDABLE SUBCATEGORIES? AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, THERE'S VERY LOW, THERE'S LOW AND THERE'S MODERATE.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ARE WE MAKING, ARE WE MODIFYING JUST AREA TWO, OR ARE WE REVISITING AREA ONE, WHICH IS DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN? UM, AND THEN JUST UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT REQUIREMENT IS RIGID, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN BAD, BUT 11% VERY LOW.

IT, IT IS WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT IS.

UM, WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES BY THE NATURE OF THE MATH, UH, YOU'RE GONNA END UP WITH A BUNCH OF FRACTIONAL UNITS, WHICH IS GONNA REQUIRE, UM, STAFF TO DO SOME NEGOTIATING AND SOME INTERPRETATING.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

WE'RE PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE DOING THAT.

UM, BUT THAT REQUIRES JUST A SLIGHTLY MORE FLEXIBLE POLICY TO ALLOW FOR, FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY ON PROJECTS, UM, THAT HAVE LESS THAN A HUNDRED UNITS.

UM, I THINK YOU WANNA BE CAREFUL IF YOU CHANGE THE APPROACH OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, YOU WILL PROBABLY THEN NEED TO REVISIT

[04:25:01]

UM, SO IN ADDITION TO OUTREACH AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, STAFF WILL BE REPORTING, UH, TO THE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERS, UH, COMMITTEE.

UM, AND INCLUSIONARY IS ONE TOOL, BUT IS NOT THE ONLY TOOL TO ADDRESS MIDDLE INCOME OR MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, WHICH I KNOW WAS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, UH, AT LAST WEEK'S MEETING.

UH, SO I AM STILL OBLIGATED AND EXCITED TO BE PRESENTING OPTIONS, UM, TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, UH, IN THE COMING WEEKS REGARDING, UH, MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING AND MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING.

UM, WHILE THERE IS AN OUTREACH PROCESS AND A ROLE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT'S THIS CITY COUNCIL THAT THE FINAL DECISION MAKER, AND THAT IS, UH, A VOTE THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE EARLY FALL.

UM, SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THESE DIFFERENT LIMITS MEAN, UM, IF YOU'RE THINKING OF A FAMILY OF FOUR, UH, VERY LOW INCOME WOULD BE AN INCOME OF 63,000 FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY, LOW INCOME WOULD BE A HUNDRED THOUSAND, AND MODERATE INCOME WOULD BE 117,000.

UH, SO, YOU KNOW, AT FIRST 117,000 MAY SOUND LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT'S, UM, PRE-TAX AND THEN TAKING CARE OF THE FAMILY OF FOUR AND PAYING RENT, WHAT, WHATEVER THAT AMOUNT, UM, MAY BE.

SO THERE'S SOME, UH, ALTERNATIVE SCENARIOS IF YOU DIDN'T WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXISTING 11%, UM, THAT WERE STUDIED, UH, PREVIOUSLY.

SO, UH, THE CONSULTANT, WHEN WE DID THE ANALYSIS IN 19 AND 20, HAD LOOKED AT A MIX THAT WAS 20% VERY LOW, AND 80% LOW, OR 80% VERY LOW, AND 20% LOW, UM, AS, AS WELL AS A, A FORMULA THAT WAS A MIX OF LOW AND MODERATE.

UM, THERE IS ALSO A DIFFERENT APPROACH, WHICH WAS, UH, DR.

JONI'S, UH, COMPROMISE WHEN SHE WAS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SO WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT TO PRIORITIZE.

AND, UH, THERE WAS A, A SCENARIO WHERE WE DID A 4%, VERY LOW, 4% LOW, 8% MODERATE FOR A TOTAL OF 12%.

UH, WE WERE ASKED, UH, TO LOOK AT, IF WE JUST LOOKED AT ARENA THAT CAME FROM THE STATE, WHAT WOULD A MIX LOOK LIKE? AND IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A 6% VERY LOW REQUIREMENT, 3% LOW, 3% MODERATE FOR A TOTAL OF 12%.

SO YOU, YOU'LL NOTICE THESE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, SOME ADD UP TO 11 AND SOME ADD UP FOR TO 12.

THE REASON IS THAT WE HAVE A CERTAIN BUDGET, UH, OVER WHICH IT WOULD BE OVERLY BURDENSOME TO THE PROPERTY OWNER AND DEVELOPER.

SO WHEN THERE'S MORE VERY LOW INCOME IN THE MIX, THEN YOUR TOTAL BUDGET IS GONNA BE AROUND 11%.

WHEN THERE'S A LITTLE LESS VERY LOW INCOME, YOU'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE KIND OF A 12%, BUT VERY SIMILAR BETWEEN THE TWO.

UM, SO THAT'S OUR PRESENTATION.

WE'RE EXCITED TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND YOU KNOW, TODAY IS A RECEIVE AND FILE TECHNICALLY, BUT IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GIVE US AT THE STAFF TABLE, UM, SOME FEEDBACK AND DIRECTION SO THAT, UM, WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS THE POLICY YOU WANNA SEE WHEN WE COME BACK IN THE FALL.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, WE WILL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

TWO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

NIA, KEN FAY AND JOHN EDMOND.

INTERESTING TO REMEMBER CONSISTENCY BECAUSE 2017, I SAID 25% INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, YOU SAID 15%, YOU KNOW, 20, 24, I'M SAYING 30%.

UM, UH, SONAI.

KEN FAYE, SIX DISTRICT RESIDENT.

RESPECTFULLY, I THINK JOHN'S AN OKAY GUY SOMETIMES.

UM, I LOVE, I WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO MY GOOD FRIENDS AT LBTV.

LBTV IS LIKE A VISUAL ARCHIVE.

I REMEMBER I SAW ON YOUTUBE AND I WAS LOOKING AT 2017, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAD A, A LITTLE BIT MORE DARKER HAIR THEN, UH, FORMER PLANNING BUREAU MANAGER HERE.

AND, UH, MY HAIR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER, SO I THINK WE REVERSED.

UM, BUT HERE IN THE PRESENT TIME, I, I'M BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE I WAS JUST WANNA SAY FOR THE RECORD, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY JARRING.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE IF YOU GUYS MADE A GRANT DELIVERABLE CONNECTED TO THIS, PEOPLE WOULD'VE STAYED.

BUT, UM, IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY

[04:30:01]

UH, PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY INVESTED IN CHILDREN ANYMORE.

I MEAN, MOST OF, I MEAN, WE GOT PEOPLE ACTIVE.

THEY HATE CHILDREN, THEY HATE FAMILIES, THEY HATE CHILDREN'S.

AND, AND, AND YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN THEY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S WARDLOW, WHETHER IT'S 41, 50 FOUNTAIN, WHAT, WHICHEVER THESE PROPERTIES ARE, THEY HATE FAMILIES.

THEY BASICALLY WANT YOU TO WAIT FOR THEIR GENERATION TO DIE OFF SO THAT FAMILIES CAN START TO EXIST.

I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, I NURSE BOTH OF MY, UH, GRANDPARENTS INTO THEIR TRANSITION IN HIS LIFE.

AND WHEN THEY GOT TO HOSPICE CARE, I NEVER SAW A SENIOR CITIZEN WIPING THEIR ASS AS A CNA.

I NEVER SAW, I'VE NEVER SEEN A SENIOR CITIZEN, CNA.

IT'S, WE, WE NEED TO MAKE PLACE SPACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND, UH, THIS INCLUSIONARY HOUSING MANDATE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK, UH, I LIVE IN ONE B, THAT AREA THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING, I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM A 294 UNIT BUILDING THAT'S COMING UP.

I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO 57, UH, UNIT BUILDING THAT WAS DEVELOPED.

AND, UH, I WISH THERE WAS MORE, AND I WISH THAT IT WAS CITYWIDE.

I WISH THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE CONCENTRATED BANTU LANDS, YOU KNOW, APARTHEID STYLE OR ESSENTIALLY CONCENTRATING POVERTY, AND THEN THE REST OF THE CITY GETS TO IGNORE IT.

LIKE, IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

IT IS HAPPENING.

YOU KNOW, I I, I LIVE IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT AND I, I LOVE THE SIXTH DISTRICT, UH, COUNCILMAN'S DOING GREAT.

UH, BUT WE'RE NOT A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO CONCENTRATE POVERTY.

WE WANT YOU TO BRING MARKET RATE HOUSING, MODERATE RATE HOUSING.

THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I SAID THAT.

MODERATE RATE HOUSING INTO THE AREA.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS WE, IF WE INCENTIVIZE THEM.

SO SOLUTIONS, I'M WITH YOU SOLUTIONS, I TALKED ABOUT THE BAD, I'LL GET TO THE GOOD.

WE GOTTA GET RID OF THE IMPACT FEES.

THAT'S IT.

WE GOTTA GET INTO BELOW MARKET, UH, LOANS TO HELP FINANCE THESE DEVELOPMENTS.

WE GOTTA GET RID OF THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT, UH, PRE-DEVELOPMENT ISSUES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY'LL COME TO THE AREA IF WE GOT RID OF PREVAILING WAGE, IF WE CREATED AREAS WHERE YOU CAN GET MINIMAL.

I KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S THE HARD LABOR ALREADY HATES ME ANYWAY.

BUT IF WE, IF IF WE GOT RID OF SOME PREVAILING WAGE SECTIONS TO GET TO OUR ARENA NUMBERS AND WE AGREED TO PREVAILING WAGE SECTIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, THE MARKET WILL RESPOND IN A WAY THAT NO TYPE OF ADVOCACY IS GONNA HAPPEN.

I WAS JUST IN SACRAMENTO.

THE DOLLARS ARE THERE.

YOUR TIME CONCLUDED.

IT'S NOT JUST HUD.

THE DOLLARS ARE THERE.

WE JUST NEED TO GO GET THEM.

HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.

OH, , NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY.

MY WIFE SAID, YOU GOTTA GET SHOUT CITY ATTORNEY, CITY CLERK.

SO THANK YOU GUYS AND OF COURSE OUR WONDERFUL STAFF.

SO WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, RIGHT? I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, LET'S THINK ABOUT IT.

I REMEMBER WHEN THIS FIRST CAME TO COUNCIL FOR THE DOWNTOWN PLAN, AND THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE STANDING UP IN OPPOSITION.

AND, AND I THINK AS YOU SAW WITH THE LETTER AS I WAS TYPING IT UP FOR THE COALITION, WE SUPPORT IT.

WE THINK THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE HOUSING, UM, THAT IS AFFORDABLE.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE THINK WE CAN HELP CONTRIBUTE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROCESS TO MAKE IT BETTER.

WE THINK IT'S A A, A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN WORK ON, UM, PROVIDING STAFF MORE FLEXIBILITY, UM, IN THE AFFORDABILITY.

I MEAN, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO CALL IT, BUT IT'S TRUE.

TEACHER HOUSING, NURSING, HOUSING.

AS WE HAVE, UH, INCREASED WAGES EVEN FOR FOLKS WHO WORK AT THE HOTELS AND OTHER AREAS, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE, UM, HOUSING FOR EVERYONE BE KIND OF INCLUDED IN, IN THAT PARADIGM.

I UNDERSTAND AMENDING THE DOWNTOWN PLAN MIGHT HAVE TO BE, BUT WE WANT TO CREATE FLEXIBILITY AND REALLY STAFF CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT'S 15 UNITS AND WE CAN MAKE IT WORK, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO DO THAT.

UM, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY AS IT RELATES TO THAT COMPONENT, AND IT'S SOMETHING WORTH TAKING A LOOK AT.

BUT, BUT, BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY, THAT'S THERE.

AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST THINK THERE'S, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, RIGHT? I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PAST AND, AND IT WAS KIND OF HINTED WITH, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MEGAN KERR'S COMMITTEE, BUT, YOU KNOW, STREAMLINING THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, UM, THE SAME PROCESS FOR A 15 UNIT IS THE SAME FOR A HUNDRED UNIT, UH, HERE IN THE CITY.

AND MAYBE THERE'S A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S A COALITION, THERE'S SEVEN SUGGESTIONS.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, TWO OF THEM AND, AND JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE, YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT BOTH, UM, WITH THE CHAMBER, THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION, AND BOMA.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, AND, AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S A BIG MOMENT.

I MEAN, I THINK THIS CITY HAS REALLY PROGRESSED IN THE SPIRIT OF TEAMWORK AND COOPERATION.

SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME

[04:35:01]

AND, UH, THANK YOU STAFF FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

TRY NOT, TRY NOT TO SUGGEST MORE, BUT, BUT IT, IT'S A GREAT, GREAT JOB.

GREAT START.

ALRIGHT, WELL, THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF ENERGY ON THIS, ON THIS, UH, ISSUE.

I WANNA, UM, LIFT UP AND RECOGNIZE THIS LETTER.

I JUST SAW THIS LETTER.

I HADN'T SEEN THIS LETTER.

UM, SOME OF, SOME OF THESE GROUPS WERE LIKE NOT EXCITED ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND HAVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS LISTED IN THIS LETTER ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY PROGRESSIVE.

THIS IS VERY PRO-HOUSING, VERY PRO PRODUCTIVE, UH, PRODUCTION.

SO I JUST WANNA NOTE THE OPPORTUNITY, THE APERTURE IS, IS HERE TO, TO DO A, A SOLID POLICY.

JUST A FEW THOUGHTS BEFORE WE GO TAKE IT BEHIND THE ROAD TO THE COUNCIL.

UH, ONE, I JUST WANNA REMIND FOLKS LIKE THIS IS A PROCESS WE'RE OUTLINING TONIGHT, RIGHT? TALK ABOUT YOUR HIGHEST HOPES AND DREAMS. UM, BUT WE WILL BE ENGAGING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, UH, THE BROADER COMMUNITY ON THIS, UH, POLICY AS THAT'S A PART OF THIS PROCESS.

SECOND THING I WILL SAY IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I'M, I THINK THIS IS AN LIKE ONE CRITICAL TOOL TO, TO SORT OF EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS DO ANYTHING THAT, UH, PERPETUATES ALL THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH ECONOMIC SEGREGATION.

SO I WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE LIKE AN, LIKE ALL THE REST OF THE CITY ONLY GET MODERATE AND DOWNTOWN GET VERY LOW.

SO THAT TO ME WILL BE A NON-STARTER.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD NOT SUPPORT.

AND, AND, UH, BUT I THINK THERE, I WHAT, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT I HOPE TO HEAR TONIGHT IS THEY WANNA SEE SOME FLEXIBILITY.

THEY WANNA SEE SOME MIXED INCOME.

THEY WANNA SEE SOME SOLUTIONS FOR MODERATE AS WELL AS, UH, UH, LOW AND VERY LOW.

SO I WOULD BE OPEN TO MANY OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS.

THE PRESENTATION ACTUALLY POINTED OUT, UM, AN APPROACH THAT ALIGNS WITH RENA.

I THINK PEG TARGETING, LIKE ATTACHING IT TO SOMETHING MAKES SOME SENSE.

THAT'S EASY TO JUSTIFY TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE RENA, WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS TO BUILD AT EVERY INCOME LEVEL.

I ALSO AGREE WITH, UH, I AGREE WITH, UM, THE CONCERN CHRISTOPHER RAISED OR DIRECTOR KUNTZ RAISED ABOUT, UH, IF MAYBE, MAYBE WE MIGHT HAVE TO, UH, LOOK AT DOWNTOWN AS WELL.

UM, IF, IF IT MAKES SENSE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S JUST ONE STREAMLINED PROGRAM.

I ALSO WANNA REMIND FOLKS THAT THAT 11% DIDN'T COME FROM NOWHERE.

IT, IT CAME FROM SOMEWHERE.

THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC STUDY THAT TALKED THAT WAS, UH, LOOKED AT THE INCENTIVES IN OUR DOWNTOWN AND, AND SAID, THIS IS THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF ADDING DENSITY AND STREAMLINED PROCESSES.

IT'S ABOUT 11% OF THE PROJECT.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT NUMBER CAME FROM.

THE REST OF THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE SOME OF THOSE SAME, UM, BENEFITS.

AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AS WE'RE ZONING THE CITY, ARE WE ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL BENEFITS? I KNOW WE HAVE THE ENHANCED DENSITY BONUS, BUT ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO THAT ADD SOME VALUE THAT PUSH AFFORDABILITY? SO I'M, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT.

THERE'S SOME OF THESE THINGS IN THIS LETTER, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO SEE ECONOMICALLY WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL ORDINANCE.

SO THOSE ARE MY, MY GENERAL, UH, PARAMETERS ON THIS DISCUSSION.

NOW LET'S GET INTO IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY COME A LONG WAY WITH INCLUSIONARY HOUSING.

I WANT TO, UM, CONGRATULATE STAFF ON ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

I REMEMBER 2017 BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAIS AND REALLY ADVOCATING FOR INCLUSIONARY UM, HOUSING, KNOWING THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

UM, BUT, UM, IT'S DIFFERENT TIMES NOW.

DIFFERENT NEEDS.

AND I THINK THAT ALSO WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GROWN AS A CITY AND WE'VE GROWN AS A COUNCIL AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME GOALS IN MIND WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE REACH OUR HOUSING GOALS.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I DO APPRECIATE, UM, DIRECTOR KUNZ, YOU ACKNOWLEDGING AND MA MAYOR, UM, REX RICHARDSON ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT, UM, THE, IT HAS BEEN AN ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT IF WE DO ANY CHANGES, IT HAS TO BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT BOTH THE DOWNTOWN AND THE REST OF THE CITY CAN ALSO, UM, SUSTAIN.

SO VERY, UM, VERY THANKFUL FOR BOTH OF YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE THAT IN DOWNTOWN AND THAT IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES, IT HAS TO BE CHANGES THAT AFFECT THE WHOLE CITY CITYWIDE.

SO VERY, UM, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF RECEIVING AND FILING THIS PRESENTATION.

THERE WAS A LOT IN THAT PRESENTATION, BUT I FEEL THAT IT WAS A GREAT REFRESHER, UM, TO BE ABLE TO LEARN AGAIN, UM, WHAT THE HISTORY WAS BEHIND IT AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE

[04:40:01]

TODAY.

AND IT HAS TAKEN A LOT OF WORK TO, UM, TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

AND I JUST WANNA REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, I SUPPORT A CITYWIDE POLICY.

I THINK THAT'S THE CORRECT WAY TO GO.

AND I SUPPORT THE, UH, THE MOTION ON FLOOR TO RECEIVE A FILE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW.

OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE REVIEW.

AND I ACTUALLY WANNA GO BACK TO THE TIMELINE.

YOU HAVE, I HAVE, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS 'CAUSE I I HAVE TO GO BACK THERE AT THAT TIME.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, I THINK IT WAS 20 17, 18, RIGHT? SO GIMME SOME CONTEXT ALSO.

WHO WAS PRESIDENT? WHAT WAS THE ECONOMY LIKE? HOW WAS HOMELESSNESS? UM, SURE.

SO , I MEAN, I I I JUST, IT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THAT TIME AND HOW HOW DO WE THEN GO FROM THERE, THE INFORMATION WE HAD IN ORDER TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO, WHERE WE ARE PRESENTLY, RIGHT? SO JUST, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO DETAIL, I JUST NEED US TO KIND OF SET THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT AT THAT TIME.

THEY BE ELIGIBLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? UM, THAT, THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY? YEAH.

SO, UM, UH, 2016 HAD SOME DISAPPOINTMENT FOR SOME OF US.

SO THEN IN 2017, UM, TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT AND, UH, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF, UH, SUPPORT.

UM, BEN CARSON WAS HEAD OF HUD AT THE TIME.

MM-HMM.

AND ACTUALLY IN HIS FIRST YEAR REVERSED A LOT OF THE FAIR HOUSING RULES THAT WE WERE OPERATING UNDER, UM, UNDER THE OBAMA, UM, ADMINISTRATION WHEN SEAN DONOVAN AND, AND OTHERS HAD PUT THOSE IN PLACE.

BUT HERE IN CALIFORNIA, THE SAME YEAR THAT THAT HAPPENED, THE LEGISLATURE HERE ADOPTED THOSE FEDERAL, UM, FAIR HOUSING AND WHAT WE CALL THE A FFH, THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING RULES INTO STATE LAW.

SO, UM, THERE WERE VERY BIG CHANGES NATIONALLY, BUT FROM A, A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE CALIFORNIA, UM, ENACTED THOSE FEDERAL RULES THAT WERE REVOKED.

IT DIDN'T CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE HERE.

LIKE WE HAD TO ADDRESS, UM, FAIR HOUSING AND WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, ISSUE.

AND WE HAD AS A, AS A CITY, AS A COUNCIL, COME FROM A PLACE WHERE IN 2012 AS PART OF THE, UH, DOWNTOWN PLAN ADOPTION, THE COUNCIL HAD LOOKED AT INCLUSION AREA AND THERE HAD BEEN NO SUPPORT FOR THAT.

UM, BUT THEN COME 2017 THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS AS WELL AS, UM, CONFRONT, UH, HOMELESSNESS.

AND, UH, HOMELESSNESS WAS A BIG ISSUE THEN IT, IT BECAME A MUCH LARGER ISSUE, UM, OVER TIME.

AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE RECENTLY HAD OUR FIRST, UM, REDUCTION IN, IN QUITE SOME TIME HERE IN THE PRESENT.

UM, SO THAT WAS WHAT WAS GOING ON.

UM, WE WERE IN A PERIOD OF ECONOMIC EXPANSION AND LOW INTEREST RATES, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO, UM, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT ITEM TONIGHT ABOUT SORT OF WHERE WE ARE IN HOUSING AND, YOU KNOW, PRODUCING A THOUSAND HOUSING STARTS A YEAR AND ENTITLING MANY MORE UNITS THAN THAT IS IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG IMPROVEMENT FROM WHERE THE, THE, THE CITY WAS 10 YEARS AGO.

BUT IT'S A PARTICULAR NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT BECAUSE WE'RE IN A VERY UNFRIENDLY FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC PLACE RIGHT NOW.

IT'S VERY HARD TO DEVELOP IN A HIGH INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT AND IT'S VERY HARD TO DEVELOP IN AN INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT.

AND WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH BUILDERS, UM, BUDGET A PROJECT A CERTAIN WAY, AND THEN THEY GO TO START CONSTRUCTION AND THE COST OF LUMBER IS UP, THE COST OF LABOR IS UP, EVERYTHING IS UP, RIGHT? AND IT'S NOT THAT YOU CAN'T BUDGET FROM A HIGHER NUMBER, IT'S THE CHANGE AND THE UNCERTAINTY MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT.

SO WE'RE IN DIFFERENT PLACES, UM, TODAY VERSUS THEN, AND HOPEFULLY I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

YES, YES YOU DID.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB BECAUSE IT REALLY ADDRESSED WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXPLORE THE HE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING PERCENTAGE BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC SITUATION, UH, IS DIFFERENT.

UM, IN THE SENSE OF SINCE THEN WE BUILT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND I, I AM ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT IT, THAT'S THAT MEAN WE'RE ALSO ADDRESSING THE VERY LOW INCOME NEEDS, RIGHT? BY, I KNOW THAT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, BUT WE ARE HAVE INCREASED MEETING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEED, WHICH IS IT THE VERY LOW INCOME AND LOW INCOME THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ELIGIBLE, UH, IN THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CATEGORY.

WOULD

[04:45:01]

SO WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING, UM, AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND DO A GOOD JOB ON BUILDING A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE PROJECTS THAT THE, THE CITY INVESTS IN.

UM, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY EITHER VERY LOW INCOME OR A MIX OF VERY LOW INCOME AND LOW INCOME.

WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ANY WAY TO, UM, ADDRESS MODERATE INCOME HOUSING, UM, IN OUR SUBSIDIZED PROJECTS BECAUSE OF, UH, SOME STATE AND FEDERAL RULES.

SO, UM, THAT SAID, OUR INCLUSIONARY POLICY CURRENTLY FOCUSES ON VERY LOW INCOME.

IF YOU LOOK THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THERE'S JURISDICTIONS THAT FOCUS LIKE US ON VERY LOW INCOME.

THERE'S MANY JURISDICTIONS THAT DO A MIX.

THERE'S SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS IN THE BAY AREA THAT FOCUS ON MODERATE INCOME.

SO IT REALLY, THERE'S NOT A RIGHT AND WRONG ANSWER AND THERE'S NOT AN ANSWER WE CAN GIVE YOU FROM THIS TABLE ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.

IT'S, IT'S REALLY A POLICY CALL FOR, FOR THE COUNCIL TO MAKE.

RIGHT.

AND I, I'M, I'M GETTING TO THERE, UH, MAYOR, I KNOW I'M TIME, BUT I'M ALMOST THERE TO GET TO A POINT WHERE I, I WANNA MAKE A POINT IF THAT'S OKAY, SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR POINT.

SO I WANTED TO THEN ASK THAT, THAT YOU ADDRESSED THAT AS, YOU KNOW, ARE WE CREATING ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MODERATE INCOME? AND IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY WHO THOSE GENERALLY ARE, BECAUSE WHEN WE HEAR MODERN, MODERATE, WE ARE THINKING, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU SHOWED THE INCOME LEVEL, THESE ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS TEACHERS PROBABLY, RIGHT? RIGHT.

SO IF YOU THINK OF A TEACHER EARLY IN THEIR CAREER, UM, BASED ON THOSE SALARIES OR, UM, SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN A SCHOOL BUT IS MAYBE A TEACHER'S AIDE OR, UH, SOMEONE WHO WORKS AT THE HOSPITAL BUT ISN'T A NURSE AS MAYBE LIKE AN ORDERLY OR HAS A, UM, OTHER JOB IN THE HOSPITAL, UM, FOLKS THAT WORK IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY, UM, THOSE ARE ALL MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

UM, AND UH, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE INTERACT WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY.

UM, INCLUDING MANY OF THEM ARE, ARE ON OUR CITY WORKFORCE.

IN FACT, UM, THEY MIGHT BE OUR CLERKS, THEY MIGHT BE WORKING AT OUR PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS.

UM, SO THOSE FOLKS ARE EXIST THROUGHOUT OUR, OUR SOCIETY.

UM, SO JUST A FEW CONSIDERATIONS.

WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO HELP THEM TODAY, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN INCLUSIONARY IS THE ONLY WAY TO, TO HELP THEM.

AND IT ALSO HAVING MORE HOUSING IN GENERAL HELPS MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

UM, 30 YEARS AGO THERE WAS NO NEED TO ADDRESS MODERATE INCOME HOUSING BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET, UM, YOU DON'T NEED TO SUBSIDIZE THOSE FOLKS IN THE MIDDLE.

BUT AS WE'VE UNDER PRODUCED HOUSING AS A STATE, EVERYONE GETS SQUEEZED, RIGHT? AND THE FOLKS WITH THE MOST CAN DO THE SQUEEZING, RIGHT? AND THEN EVERY, EVERYTHING FLOWS DOWNWARD.

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A MODERATE, UM, INCOME HOUSING PROBLEM TODAY.

AND I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, WHICH IS REALLY NOW MY POINT IS, WHICH IS WHY I'M OPEN TO REVISITING THE PERCENTAGE BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE TALENT THAT WE NEED TO RETAIN IN OUR CITY.

UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE EXPLORE WAYS AS WE HAVE INCREASED HOUSING FOR VERY LOW AND LOW INCOME THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

I CAN ATTEST TO IT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE HAD A GRAND OPENING OF ONE IN MY DISTRICT AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER ONE NEXT MONTH.

SO, UM, THAT I CONCLUDE, UM, THAT'S MY CONCLUSION IS I'M OPEN BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'VE JUST SHARED WITH US.

ACTUALLY BUILD WHAT THE COST OF IT IS CURRENTLY.

COUNCIL MEMBER CARR? YES.

UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR KUNZ AND TO YOUR TEAM FOR A THOROUGH PRESENTATION.

UM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT'S SO COMPLICATED AND THERE'S SO MANY LAYERS TO IT AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING OF MISSING MIDDLE, UM, OPTIONS, UH, A PRESENTATION IN OUR HOUSING COMMITTEE ABOUT WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE, WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT IS OUT THERE.

I KNOW THERE'S NOT TIME TO DO THAT TONIGHT, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT AT A LATER TIME.

UM, WE NEED MORE HOUSING AND THIS, THIS ORDINANCE, ANY CHANGES TO THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T PRODUCE MORE HOUSING.

IT'S NOT A, WE'RE GONNA PRODUCE HOUSING ORDINANCE, THE CITY DOESN'T PRODUCE HOUSING.

UH, WE ARE RELIANT ON PARTNERSHIPS WITH DEVELOPERS AND THOSE WHO BUILD HOUSING TO BUILD HOUSING.

UM, UNLESS THE COUNTY WANTS TO SUBSIDIZE, UM, COUNTY HOUSING OR STATE HOUSING, WHICH GREAT, I'M ALL IN.

UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT DON'T SPEAK TOO SOON.

THAT'S, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ON THE TABLE FOR TONIGHT.

SO, UM, I JUST WANNA TALK TO, AND I APPRECIATE THE LETTER FROM THE COALITION.

I JUST WANNA SPEAK TO THE, TO THE, THE COUPLE OF THE PIECES THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS THE COST OF HOUSING.

SO WE ARE SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOWDOWN NOW.

UM, AND SO THIS ORDINANCE NEEDS, THE MATH NEEDS TO BE GOOD.

WE CAN'T, IF WE WANT A GOOD ORDINANCE THAT WILL HELP PRODUCE HOUSING, UM, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T CANCEL OUT ANYBODY'S ABILITY TO

[04:50:01]

AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THE CONVERSATION, UM, WE NEED TO TALK TO ALL OF THE FOLKS, INCLUDING THE FOLKS THAT WE RELY ON, UH, TO DO THE BUILDING IN PARTNERSHIP.

UM, I DID WANNA POINT OUT, SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT, WE'VE PRODUCED A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, KUDOS TO US.

I WOULD LIKE US TO DO MORE OF THAT.

UH, BUT WE DO KNOW IN THE MAY REVISE THAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS PROPOSED A $260 MILLION REDUCTION IN THE NEXT ROUND OF HAP FUNDING.

UM, AND THAT IN ADDITION TO THAT, HE WANTS TO DO AWAY WITH THE REMAINING $75 MILLION IN CALIFORNIA'S MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM.

SO WE KNOW THAT OUR ABILITY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH DOLLARS FROM THE STATE PROBABLY IS GOING TO BE GREATLY REDUCED AS WELL.

UM, WHICH JUST BRINGS ME BACK TO THE POINT OF THE MATH HAS TO BE RIGHT ON THIS.

UM, IF WE'RE GONNA ENTER A PHASE WHERE THERE AREN'T SUBSIDIES AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS TO COBBLE TOGETHER TO BUILD THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE KNOW WE NEED, UM, WE STILL NEED TO BE PRODUCING HOUSING.

UM, SO I DUNNO THAT I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OTHER THAN, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, SOME OF THE PROPOSALS BY THE COALITION, UM, HAVING THOSE FOCUS GROUPS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY, UM, NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT.

UM, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULD BE RUSHED.

I THINK WE'RE AT A REALLY PRECARIOUS TIME, NOT ONLY WITH THE NEED, BUT THE FINANCES OF THE STATE AND INFLATION AND BUILDING COSTS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THESE NUMBERS RIGHT AND IT IS CRITICAL TO ME THAT WE DO NOT GO BACKWARDS.

SO COBBLING TOGETHER TWO DIFFERENT ORDINANCES FOR TWO DIFFERENT ZONES IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ME.

UM, WE DO NOT NEED TO GO BACK AND REINFORCE REDLINING OF DECADES PAST THAT HAS GOTTEN US WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO IF WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT, UM, TAKING THE CURRENT POLICY CITYWIDE, IT NEEDS TO BE THE CURRENT POLICY, BUT IF WE ARE GONNA HAVE CONVERSATIONS, I THINK WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFUL THAT WE'RE NOT REINFORCING, UM, SOME OF THOSE BAD PRACTICES AND UNJUST PRACTICES FROM DECADES AGO JUST IN A DIFFERENT WAY OR, UM, WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.

UH, SO I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL THE TIME, DIRECTOR KUNZ HAS GIVEN TO ME ANSWERING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AGAIN AND AGAIN.

SO IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SEE ALL THE OPTIONS LAID OUT.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, PERCENTAGES THIS WAY, THAT WAY.

UM, I LIKE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DR.

JOANIE, YOU WERE PART OF THIS FROM THE BEGINNING.

I THINK THAT'S THAT'S GOOD FOR CONVERSATION TOO.

AND, UM, MANY OF YOUR POINTS, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, I I AGREE WITH, I THINK THAT, UM, HAVING THEM LAID OUT SO COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER THEM FOR THIS POLICY AND THEN CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION IS IMPORTANT WITH THE CITY AND STATE FOCUS SO MUCH, UM, SO MUCH OF ITS EFFORTS ON BUILDING UNITS THAT ARE VERY LOW INCOME.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S ME.

NOPE.

UM, AND THERE ISN'T ANY STATE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO BUILD THE PROJECTS AT LOW INCOME, UM, AND MODERATE.

SO I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE SMART FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, UM, THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY AS A TOOL FOR MORE BALANCED HOUSING GROWTH AT DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS.

AND I COULD SEE THIS ACROSS THE CITY, UM, UNIFORMLY THE POLICY TO, TO GO ACROSS THE CITY, UM, FOR THE THIRD DISTRICT.

HONESTLY, IT'S UH, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WOULD MIND A POLICY THAT SLOWED DOWN SOME OF THE HOUSING GROWTH, UH, WITH INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, BUT WE CAN HAVE MORE, UM, WE CAN HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER PARKING IMPACTS, WE CAN HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER TRAFFIC IMPACTS, UNLIKE THE, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, WHICH MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THAT.

I THINK ADDRESSING THE MISSING MIDDLE IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS PART OF OUR CONVERSATION TO REALLY BALANCE THE CITY OUT.

UM, I KNOW THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS, I KNOW YOU'RE DOING HAVE TWO PLANNED COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING DIRECTOR KOONS TO COME TO ANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS? I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

SO, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS GLAD TO, TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE AND ALL NINE OFFICES.

UH, THERE'S MORE THAN 80, UH, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THIS CITY AND ONE A DAY FOR THREE MONTHS, I DEFINITELY CAN'T

[04:55:01]

COME TO 80, RIGHT? SO, UM, I THINK, UM, WE, WE CERTAINLY CAN DO MORE THAN THE COUPLE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED, BUT WE CAN'T GO TO ALL THE MEETINGS WE WOULD LIKE AND CERTAINLY CAN'T GO TO ALL THE MEETINGS IN THE CITY.

SO SOMETIMES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS CAN WORK TOGETHER AND THREE OF THEM HAVE A JOINT MEETING OR A COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, CONVENES A MEETING AND INVITES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.

SO I'M GLAD TO WORK WITH YOU.

I JUST DON'T WANNA MAKE A PROMISE I CAN'T KEEP, AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THE CITY, SO WE'RE GLAD TO MAKE THE, THE OUTREACH, UM, BROADER, UM, KIND OF WITHIN WHAT WE CAN DO RESOURCE WISE.

I UNDERSTAND AND THAT'S, THAT'S EASIER TO DO TO BRING ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TOGETHER.

WHEN, WHEN IS THIS COMING BACK FROM MORE DISCUSSION AGAIN? I MISSED THAT.

RIGHT.

SO IT, WE WILL BE BACK, UM, AT COUNCIL, UH, IN THE FALL.

SO THAT'S IN THE BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS IN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO DO OUR OUTREACH.

UH, I BRIEF EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER MONTHLY, SO I'LL BE KEEPING, UM, ALL NINE MEMBERS UP TO DATE ON, ON THE PROGRESS WE MAKE.

WE HOPE TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUR OUTREACH STARTED HERE THE END OF JUNE OR EARLY, UH, JULY.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S A VERY SPECIFIC ROLE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND I EXPECT THIS IS A BIG ITEM.

IT'LL TAKE A COUPLE MEETINGS OF CONSULTATION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN THEY WILL MAKE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO THIS BODY AND THEN WE WOULD BRING IT BACK, UM, TO, TO CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.

THANK YOU AGAIN AND THANKS FOR YOUR TIME ON UH, ED EDUCATION ON THIS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER OTTI.

SO NOW THAT I'M LIVING DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN, HERE COMES THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING.

UM, A COUPLE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.

UM, UH, AND JUST, JUST SO WE'RE NOT LIKE NECESSLY SCARING OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, RIGHT? UH, BECAUSE IT TOOK US OBVIOUSLY A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DELIBERATION AND PLANNING COMMISSION, RIGHT? WE FINALLY HAVE RAMPED UP, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE OUR FULL 11%, RIGHT? UM, AND SO I, AND I'M HEARING SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES SHARE RIGHT AROUND THEIR, THE INTEREST IN EXPLORING THE KIND OF MISSING MIDDLE, THE MODERATE INCOME LEVEL.

UM, BUT JUST LIKE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE 11% AND JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU'VE ALL PRESENTED IN THE PRESENTATION, WHICH IS WE'RE NOT, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE IS NOT INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE REQUIREMENT, RIGHT? IT'S REALLY ABOUT REMIXING WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS IS UNDER A CERTAIN CAP.

RIGHT? I THINK YOU AND I KIND OF, YOU AND I, UM, DIRECTOR KUNZ DISCUSSED THE IDEA THAT LIKE, IT'S LIKE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE, RIGHT? LIKE WE HAVE A BUDGET, IT'S THE BUDGET NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, RIGHT? AND THEN THE IDEA IS THAT WITHIN THAT SPECIFIC PARAMETERIZATION OF THAT BUDGET, IT'S LIKE WHAT IS THE REMIX OF INCOME LEVELS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY EXPLORE BUT STILL WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR BUDGET.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

OKAY, WONDERFUL.

UM, AND THEN, UH, I ALSO HEAR MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, SAY AND I, UM, THAT IT'S A NON-STARTER FOR THEM, RIGHT? TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORDINANCES IN TWO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.

BUT JUST TO CLARIFY THERE, IS THAT EVEN SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO, RIGHT? LIKE WE HAVE, LIKE WE STATE REGULATORS, RIGHT? THAT LOOK AT THESE THINGS, IS THAT EVEN, WOULD THAT EVEN BE AN OPTION? SO IT IS AN OPTION, BUT I THINK MAYBE NOT IN THE WAY THAT THE COUNCIL'S DISCUSSING IT.

I DON'T WANT TO GET INSIDE YOUR HEADS, BUT, UM, SO I DON'T THINK THAT AN ORDINANCE THAT PLACED MODERATE INCOME HOUSING OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND VERY LOW INCOME HOUSING IN DOWNTOWN AND PARTICULAR ON LONG BEACH BOULEVARD WOULD PASS REGULATORY MUSTER WITH THE STATE OR THE FEDS.

UM, SO IN THAT SCENARIO YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES.

I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE ON COUNCIL ARGUE FOR THE OPPOSITE, BUT I THINK ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE WOULD, UM, PASS, UH, REGULATORY MUSTER.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT WE'VE BUILT ON LONG BEACH BOULEVARD AND CONCEIVABLY THE POLICY THERE COULD BE MODERATE FOCUSED AND THE POLICY OUTSIDE OF THERE COULD BE MORE FOCUS ON VERY LOW INCOME.

SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I HEARD DISCUSSED TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD PASS REGULATORY MUSTER BECAUSE WHAT YOU WOULD BE DOING IS, UM, PLACING VERY LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN THE AREAS THAT THEY'VE BEEN MOST EXCLUDED FROM HISTORICALLY.

SO IT'S NOT THAT THERE CAN'T BE AN APPROACH WHERE YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, UH, SCENARIOS, BUT I DON'T, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN APPROACH THAT RESPONDS TO OUR FAIR HOUSING OBLIGATIONS TO THE STATE AND THE FEDS.

UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THEN I WANTED TO SHIFT GEARS JUST FOR A SECOND.

CAN YOU PUT BACK UP THE SLIDES AROUND THE PROPOSED POLICY MODIFICATIONS, UM, THAT YOU HAD? YEAH, IF I COULD HAVE THE PRESENTATION.

I WANTED TO LOOK AT THREE AND FIVE.

SO, UH,

[05:00:02]

CHANGE NUMBER THREE.

THIS IS A BIT OF AN ABSTRACT DISCUSSION.

SO WE ARE REQUIRED UNDER STATE LAW TO OFFER WHAT ARE CALLED ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF COMPLIANCE.

UM, SO, UH, THE CITY'S PREFERENCE IS ALWAYS FOR AN APPLICANT TO BUILD THE HOUSING.

WE NEED HOUSING, WE DON'T NEED FEES, WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE DONATING US PIECES OF LAND.

WE DON'T NEED OTHER THINGS, WE NEED THEM TO BUILD THE HOUSING.

BUT BECAUSE WE ARE REQUIRED TO OFFER ALTERNATIVE, UM, COMPLIANCE, ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS LAND DEDICATION.

SO OUR CURRENT LAND DEDICATION POLICY REQUIRES THAT THE DEDICATED PIECE OF LAND MUST BE IN ONE WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE HOUSING SITE, UH, WELL INTENTIONED.

UM, BUT IF THE, IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT SITE THAT'S MORE THAN A MILE AWAY BUT IS HIGH RESOURCE, THAT ACTUALLY IS A BETTER LAND DEDICATION OPTION TO THE CITY.

SO WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, REMOVING THE ONE MILE REQUIREMENT FOR LAND DEDICATION AT THE SAME TIME.

WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THESE, BUT IF WE DID, THEY WOULD STILL BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY THE DECISION MAKER.

SO FIRST BY STAFF AND THEN BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THAT LAND DEDICATION.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE POWER OF TALKING AND PERSUASION AND WE ALWAYS TELL OUR APPLICANTS THAT WE WANT THEM TO BUILD THE HOUSING RATHER THAN DO SOME ALTERNATIVE FORM OF COMPLIANCE.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, COUNCILMAN.

NO, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

SO THAT WAS LIKE MY QUESTION AND THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE FLAG WITH THE CONCERN FOR THAT ONE, WHICH IS RUN AN EQUITY ISSUE.

RIGHT.

WHICH IS THE SAME THING WE TALK ABOUT, RIGHT? WHICH IS THE IDEA THAT LIKE THEY BUILD THE HOUSING IN A KIND OF A HIGHER RESOURCE AREA AND THEN THEY DECIDE TO PUT THE AFFORDABLE PORTION ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY, RIGHT? WHICH GETS US AWAY FROM OUR FAIR HOUSING AND OUR EQUITY GOALS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS CONTEMPLATION THERE AROUND THAT.

WONDERFUL.

AND THEN CAN WE LOOK AT NUMBER FIVE, RIGHT? SO FLEXIBILITY, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN WAIVING THE, UH, INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENT PER SE, BUT WE DID HAVE AN AFFORDABLE PROJECT THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH SOME GYMNASTICS WITH THE APPLICANT AND WITH THE STATE.

'CAUSE THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE, BUT THE AFFORDABILITY WAS AT THE LOW INCOME LEVEL, SO IT WAS TECHNICALLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH OUR 11% VERY LOW INCOME REQUIREMENT.

UM, WE ULTIMATELY WERE ABLE TO GET A LETTER FROM THE STATE REQUIRING US TO COMPLY, SO THAT OVERRULED OUR ORDINANCE, BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE CONTEMPLATED THOSE SITUATIONS IN ADVANCE, UM, AND PROVIDED THAT FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE ORDINANCE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERAL.

UH, THANK YOU.

I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE, UH, TIMELINE PIECE A LITTLE BIT THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.

UH, I, I GET VERY NERVOUS WHEN I THINK SOMEONE MENTIONED A JANUARY 1ST DEADLINE.

THAT MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS, AND I'LL TRANSLATE THAT FOR YOU.

JANUARY ONE TRANSLATES TO MID-NOVEMBER.

UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR ACT TOGETHER BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS HIT, UM, TO THAT, UM, DIRECTOR KONZ, I DON'T WANNA BRING UP THE LAND USE ELEMENT MEETINGS, BUT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT LARGER SCALE MEETINGS FOR LARGER PARTS OF CITIES AND, UM, MAYBE WE, WE CAN HAVE, UM, ANOTHER SHOT AT THAT PROCESS AND, UM, AND HAVE IT BE MORE PRODUCTIVE.

JUST, UH, MY 2 CENTS ON THAT ONE.

UM, ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL GO BACK EVEN FURTHER, PROBABLY A DOZEN YEARS WHEN THERE WERE EFFORTS TO, TO BUILD, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT MID RANGE HOUSING, AND I DON'T RECALL IT EVER BEING SUCCESSFUL OR WE'VE EVER LAUNCHED ANYTHING.

IF THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

BUT TO ME, THAT'S JUST A MAJOR, MAJOR CHALLENGE AND I, I HOPE WE HAVE SOME OUT OF THE BOX THINKING TO GET US THERE THIS TIME.

WELL, I'VE GOT A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE I'M DUE TO REPORT TO COUNCIL MEMBER KERR'S, UH, COMMITTEE, SO WE'LL SEE HOW I DO.

BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, A GREAT STAFF THAT'S, THAT'S WORKING ON THOSE IDEAS, BUT IT'S REALLY HARD.

AND THERE'S NO RECENT SUCCESS STORIES.

THERE ARE CITIES IN CALIFORNIA THAT WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL DURING THE REDEVELOPMENT ERA AT PRODUCING MODERATE INCOME HOUSING.

WE OBVIOUSLY HAD A DIFFERENT, UM, TOOL AT THAT TIME, UM, THAN WE HAVE TODAY.

BUT, UM, WE ARE ARE EXPLORING THOSE OPTIONS.

AND IN TERMS OF THE JANUARY, THAT'S A GOAL, BUT NOT A REQUIREMENT.

AND IF WE NEED MORE TIME, WE'LL TAKE MORE TIME.

DID YOU GET ENOUGH FEEDBACK? DIRECTOR KUNZ? YES, MAYOR.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.

THERE'S MUCH MORE TO DO, UH, BUT I THINK WE RECEIVED SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK HERE.

UM, AGAIN, UH, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION.

WE'VE GOTTA FIND DEDICATED SOURCES OF REVENUE

[05:05:01]

TO PRODUCE, UH, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE'RE ENGAGING ACROSS THE REGION AT DIFFERENT TABLES AROUND BRINGING MORE FUNDING DIRECTLY TO THE CITY.

WE'RE ENGAGING IN SACRAMENTO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS WE NEED TO DO, BUT THIS IS, WE'RE IN A CRISIS ACROSS THE REGION.

1.3 MILLION UNITS OF HOUSING NEED TO BE BUILT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS A CURRENT AND FUTURE NEED.

SO WE HAVE TO EXPLORE EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY.

UH, I THINK THIS IS, UH, I THINK GOING CITYWIDE ACTUALLY HELPS THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT NOT IN MY BACKYARD, BECAUSE IT'S A CITYWIDE COMMITMENT, NOT JUST THE COMMITMENT TO SOME AREAS OF, OF THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S CITYWIDE.

WE SHOULD GIVE SOME COVER TO SOME, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO I WILL TELL YOU HAVE BEEN REALLY BRAVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

WE'VE SEEN, UM, I I, I HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER BE HOUSING RESISTANT, AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HAD A COUNCIL AS, UH, AS FLEXIBLE, AS OPEN TO BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION AS WE HAVE WITH THIS CITY COUNCIL.

SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE COUNCILWOMAN RICK SODI.

ARE WE DONE YET? NO.

FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD.

WE GOT, WE'RE GONNA DO ITEM 14, WHICH IS A REQUEST TO CONTINUE.

LET'S CALL ITEM 14.

SO A REPORT

[14. 24-53214 Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, find that the area to be vacated is not needed for present or prospective public use, and adopt resolution ordering the vacation of a portion of Baker Street between Golden Avenue and the Los Angeles Flood Control Channel property and portions of the adjacent Wardlow Road right-of-way located at 712 West Baker Street. (District 8) Levine Act: Yes Office or Department: Public Works Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

FIND THAT THE AREA TO BE VACATED IS NOT NEEDED FOR PRESENT OR PROSPECTIVE PUBLIC USE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION ORDERING THE VACATION OF A PORTION OF BAKER STREET AND PORTIONS OF THE ADJACENT WARDLOW ROAD RIGHT AWAY, LOCATED AT 7 1 2 WEST BAKER STREET, DISTRICT EIGHT.

AND THIS ONE, MR. MAYOR, WE'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE LAY THIS OVER TO JUNE 18TH.

WE NEED A MOTION IN THE SECOND.

MOVED AND SECONDED.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MOTION TO CONTINUE? MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

IT OVER TO OUR ADVANCED PLANNING OFFICER, ALEJANDRO SANCHEZ.

18 REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE 2023 GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION REPORT CITYWIDE MR. IKA.

SO THIS WAS ONE OF THE FOLLOW UPS FROM OUR HOMELESSNESS, UM, ACTIONS WHERE, UH, WE WERE ASKED TO COME BACK AND, AND GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE, HOW WE'RE DOING WITH, UH, THE GENERAL PLAN.

WE'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT TONIGHT, GIVEN THE LATE HOUR.

WE'LL GO A LITTLE QUICKER AND IF YOU NEED TO SLOW US DOWN, YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS AT THE END.

SO I WILL TURN IT TO YOU.

I LIKE THAT PLAN.

LET'S GO.

ALRIGHT, MR. MAYOR, I'M GONNA HAND

[18. 24-53204 Recommendation to receive and file the 2023 General Plan Implementation Report. (Citywide) Office or Department: Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

LOPEZ.

THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER.

I'LL ACTUALLY TRY TO GO A LOT QUICKER, UH, GIVEN THE TIME.

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A PRESENTATION ON THE ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN.

UH, AS A REMINDER, CALIFORNIA LAW MANDATES THAT ALL CITIES AND COUNTIES SUBMIT, UH, TO THEIR LEGISLATIVE BODIES AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF PLANNING AND ANNUAL REPORT ON THE STATUS OF GENERAL PLAN AND PROGRESS TO TOWARDS ITS IMPLEMENTATION.

SOME OF THE MOST RECENT ELEMENT UPDATES ARE SHOWN HERE ON THE SLIDE.

WE'LL FIRST PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT, UM, HAS BEEN STATED MULTIPLE TIMES TONIGHT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE LIMITED IN WHAT IS THEIR CONTROL FOR HOUSING PRODUCTION.

THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS AND DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 2023 LOCAL HOMELESS EMERGENCY IN LONG BEACH WAS FACILITATED A COORDINATED CITYWIDE FOCUS IN RESPONSE TO THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.

AS THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, THE CITY'S RESPONSE TEMPORARILY MODIFIED THE APPLICATION OF THE LONG BEACH MISSILE CODE TITLES 18, 21 AND 22, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES PLANNING STAFF IS WORKING ON PERMANENT CODE CHANGES TO CODIFY THE ZONING RELIEF MEASURES THAT ARE MOST EFFECTIVE DURING THEIR EMERGENCY DECORATION PERIOD.

THIS SLIDE SHOWED THE CITY'S SIX HOUSING REGIONAL NEEDS THAT HAS BEEN CYCLED, WHICH QUANTIFIES A NEED FOR HOUSING WITHIN EACH JURISDICTION DURING SPECIFIED EIGHT YEAR PERIODS.

AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, THE CITY'S OVERALL HOUSING PRODUCTION TARGET IS A LITTLE OVER 26,500 UNITS, ABOUT, OF WHICH ABOUT 58% OR 15,300 UNITS ARE DESIGNATED AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE.

2023 WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR HOUSING ENTITLEMENTS WITH NEARLY 3000 UNITS ENTITLED IN THE LAST YEAR, INCLUDING 645 AFFORDABLE UNITS IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE STREAMLINING PROVISIONS OF THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION.

THE CHART ON THE RIGHT SUMMARIZES BUILDING PERMIT ACTIVITY FOR 2023, AS THAT IS A PRIMARY CONSIDERATION FOR HCD REPORTING PURPOSES.

ENCOUNTER GEAR 2023, THE CITY ACHIEVED A FEW NEW RECORDS.

IT APPROVED ENTITLEMENTS FOR A TOTAL OF 2,934 UNITS, 645 NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS AND APPROVED BUILDING PERMITS, AND BEGAN CONSTRUCTION ON 671 NEW ADUS, ALL NEW RECORDS IN THE CITY.

IT ALSO FINALIZED CONSTRUCTION

[05:10:01]

AND 939 NEW UNITS OF WHICH 178 WERE AFFORDABLE AND READY FOR FAMILIES TO MOVE INTO IT.

ALSO, NOTABLY IN, IN LIGHT OF THE EARLIER DISCUSSION TODAY, FINALIZED CONSTRUCTION ON ITS FIRST MODERATE INCOME HOUSING UNITS COMPLETED DURING THE CURRENT CYCLE AS LONG BEACH IS CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN MAJOR COASTAL, UH, CALIFORNIA CITIES LIKE LA, SAN DIEGO, SAN JOSE, AND SAN FRANCISCO.

IN CONTEXT, THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT A LACK OF PROGRESS ON HOUSING, BUT RATHER QUITE IMPRESSIVE ON A PER CAPITA BASIS, WOULD'VE BEEN A FULLY BUILT OUT CITY AS A RESULT AT THIS POINT IN THE SIX YEAR HOUSING CYCLE.

HOWEVER, LONG BEACH HAS ONLY PERMITTED ABOUT 3% OF ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT RE ALLOCATION.

GOING FORWARD, THE CITY WILL NEED TO INCREASE ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACTIVITY SIGNIFICANTLY IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE NECESSARY NUMBER OF UNITS AT THE SCALE REQUIRED BY RENA.

WHILE THE CURRENT EMERGENCY DECLARATION OF HOMELESSNESS HAS, THEY'LL EXPEDITE AFFORDABLE AND INTERIM HOUSING PROJECTS.

ADDITIONAL UPDATES AT THE ZONING AND POLICY LEVEL TO SPARE HOUSING PRODUCTION AND PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY FOR EXISTING HOUSING ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE HOUSING ELEMENT IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.

THAT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED IN LAST ITEM.

IN ADDITION TO ITS STONE ARENA ALLOCATION, LONG BEACH IS ALSO OBLIGATED TO MEET ITS STATE MANDATED FAIR HOUSING TARGETS, INCLUDING A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSING ACROSS THE CITY TO ADDRESS HISTORIC SEGREGATION PATTERNS AND PREDATORIAL DISINVESTMENT WITHIN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND POLICY UPDATES TO STRENGTHEN TENANT PROTECTIONS AND PREVENT THAT DISPLACEMENT AND OF EXISTING TENANTS.

THE MAP ON THE LEFT SHOWS A DISTRIBUTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY BY OPPORTUNITY AREAS DESIGNATED THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA TAX CREDIT ALLOCATION COMMITTEE GOING FROM HIGHEST RESOURCE TO HIGH SEGREGATION AND POVERTY AREAS.

WHILE THE CITY HAS MADE PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING FOR HOUSING ISSUES WITH MAJOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SOUTHEAST LONG BEACH INTO A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS PROPOSED IN HIGH RESOURCE AREAS, ADDITIONAL POLICIES AND RESOURCES ARE NEEDED TO FACILITATE AND PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CITYWIDE WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON BOTH AREAS AT HIGH RISK OF DISPLACEMENT AND HIGH OPPORTUNITY CENSUS TRACKS AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY'S CONTROL.

LIMITED LOCAL FUNDS TO SUBSIDIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REMAIN THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO INCREASED PRODUCTION AT THE SCALE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE CITY'S HOUSING CRISIS.

AS A RESULT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF FUNDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CITY COME FROM FEDERAL SUR SOURCES, SUCH AS A LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX, CREDIT PROGRAM, AND SUPPLEMENTAL STATE FUNDS.

THE CITY HAS NEVERTHELESS BEEN PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING THIS FUNDING GAP AND WITHIN THE PAST YEAR ALONE HAS UPDATED ITS LOCAL HOUSING TRUST FUND TO ALIGN WITH STATE MANDATE.

JOINED THE GATEWAY CITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST JPA, AND PARTICIPATED IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS AGENCY TO SECURE FUNDING FUTURE FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE PROJECTS.

FINALLY, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS WORKING TO MAXIMIZE THE HOUSING LEVERS AT ITS DISPOSAL TO A COMBINATION OF RECENTLY ADOPTED AND FORTHCOMING ZONING INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE LOCAL ENHANCED SANITY PROGRAM, BRIDGE RELIGIOUS FACILITY OVERLAY COMMUNITY LAND TRUST GRANT, AND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY UPDATES.

THE CITY WAS ALSO AWARDED A PRO HOUSING DESIGNATION BY A CD IN 23 DUE TO ITS STATE STATED COMMITMENT, PRIMARILY CODIFIED IN ITS RECENTLY CERTIFIED HOUSING POLICIES TO ADDRESS THE LOCAL CRISIS.

NEXT, WE'LL LOOK THROUGH THE HOUSING ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT.

AS A REMINDER, HERE ARE THE NINE GOALS FOR THE 2019 LUE UPDATE, SOME SUCH AS GOAL NUMBER FIVE TO DIVERSIFY HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES OVERLAP WITH THE HOUSING ELEMENT GOALS AND ACTIONS.

IN 2023, THE CITY FORMALLY LAUNCHED TWO MAJOR SPECIFIC PLAN UPDATES FOR THE DOWNTOWN AND SHORELINE AREAS FOR THE DOWNTOWN PLAN.

THERE WAS EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ANALYSIS DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND A SE SECOND OPEN HOUSE IS SCHEDULED TO BE HOSTED THIS SATURDAY, MAY 18TH AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY.

THE OTHER MAJOR EFFORT UNDERWAY, THE SHORELINE VISIONING PLAN, WHICH HAS A LONGER PROJECT TIMELINE AS IT IS LOCATED IN THE CITY'S COASTAL ZONE AND HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE 1970S.

THE SPECIFIC PLAN WILL FIRST WORK ON A VISION PLAN TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE AND CONTROL DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN SHORELINE AREA.

THE VISION PLAN CURRENTLY HAS A SURVEY ON ITS GUIDING PRINCIPLES AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INPUT, AND WE'LL HAVE A SERIES OF COMMUNITY CHARETTE EVENTS NEXT MONTH, THE WEEK OF JUNE 13TH.

AS YOU MAY RECALL, THIS GLOBE MASTER COURT, A SPECIFIC PLAN IN THE SOUTHEAST AREA.

SPECIFIC PLANS WERE TWO RECENT SPECIFIC PLANS ADOPTED BOTH IN 2021, BOTH ACHIEVED MAJOR MILESTONES IN 2023.

THE GOLD MASTER PLAN HAD ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS AND PROJECTS THAT CUMULATIVELY TOTALED OVER 1.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRIAL AND AEROSPACE ACTIVITY.

WHILE THE SP, THE SOUTHEAST AREA SPECIFIC PLAN HAD NEARLY 1300 NEW HOUSING UNITS ENTITLED IN THE PLAN AREA IN A SINGLE CALENDAR YEAR.

FINALLY, THE CITY IS WORKING ON ITS ZONE IN INITIATIVE, UH, TO UPDATE THE CITY'S ZONING CODE TO CORRESPOND AND BE CONGRUENT WITH A LAND SETTLEMENT UPDATE THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2019.

THE ZONING CODE GUIDES THE TYPES OF USES ALLOWED FOR ANY GIVEN PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT REQUIRED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND THE PROCESS FOR REVIEWING AND APPROVING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

IN LA ME'S ZONING CODE HAS

[05:15:01]

NOT BECOME COMPREHENSIVELY UPDATED SINCE 1989.

UH, AND SINCE THEN, OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY THROUGH ZONING IN THE CITY.

SEEKS TO NOT JUST ENGAGE BUT PARTNER WITH MUTT LONG BEACH'S, MANY COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP ZONING TOOLS THAT IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY VISION ADDRESS EXISTING AND PROJECTED COMMUNITY NEEDS, SUCH AS EXPANDED HOUSING AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND SIMPLIFY AND IMPROVE THE CODE FOR EVERYONE.

WE'LL ZONE IN HAS NEW TITLE 22 REGULATIONS AS IT'S DELIVERABLE.

THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME FOR THIS INITIATIVE IS TO ENSURE THAT IT'S MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS RANCHERS OF COLOR HAVE THEIR PERSPECTIVE, KNOWLEDGE, AND NEEDS REFLECTED WITHIN THE CITY'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE.

AND THEN LONG TERM, NO LONGER NEED CITY PLANNERS AS INTERMEDIARIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO PLAN FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

FINALLY, THERE ARE A SERIES OF ADDITIONAL MILESTONES LAID OUT HERE, UM, AROUND THE GENERAL PLAN, INCLUDING UPDATES TO MULTIPLE REGULATORY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE CITY'S NOISE ELEMENT AND ORDINANCE.

IT'S TITLE 20 SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE, AND ITS VICTORY PARK DESIGN GUIDELINES.

THIS CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION OR AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD JOB.

FANTASTIC.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE IT.

UH, BACK BEHIND THE RAIL, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN SORROW.

ANY COMMENTS? OKAY.

COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS.

THAT WAS GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE REALLY GENERAL OVERVIEW REALLY QUICK TOO.

COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR DOING IT SO QUICKLY.

UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? SEEING NONE, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

WE WANT ALEJANDRO TO DO MORE PRESENTATIONS.

TOM.

SO WE'RE, UH, PREPARED TO GIVE A BRIEF REPORT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS, OR, UH, WE CAN TAKE DIRECTION IF YOU'RE READY TO VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO ITEM 20.

PLEASE REPORT FROM ENERGY RESOURCES RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS FOR THE CITY TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF TUMS LONG BEACH COMPANY UNDER THE LEASE BETWEEN CRAIG SHIPYARD PROPERTY COMPANY AND TOM'S LONG BEACH COMPANY CITYWIDE TOM.

[20. 24-53217 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary for the City of Long Beach (City) to guaranty the obligations of THUMS Long Beach Company under a lease between the Craig Shipyard Property Company, LLC, as lessor (Lessor), and THUMS Long Beach Company, as lessee (Lessee). (Citywide) Levine Act: Yes Office or Department: Energy Resources Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERAL, SECOND BY DR.

RICK ODI.

COUNCIL MEMBER, ARE YOU REQUESTING A REPORT? NO, I'M GOOD TO GO.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST OR VOTE.

UH, 21 REPORT FROM ENERGY RESOURCES RECOMMENDATION AWARD CONTRACTS TO D WOOLIES AND ASSOCIATES AND JOHNSON FRANK AND ASSOCIATES FOR AS NEEDED PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYING SERVICES AND A TOTAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1 MILLION CITYWIDE.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE,

[21. 24-53210 Recommendation to adopt specifications No. RFQ ER-23-327 and award contracts to D. Woolley & Associates Inc., of Tustin, CA, and Johnson Frank & Associates, of Anaheim, CA, for as-needed professional land surveying services, in a total aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contracts, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (Citywide) Office or Department: Energy Resources Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MEMBERS PLEASE.

CASH OR VOTE.

22 REPORT FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECOMMENDATION TO SUBMIT A RENEWAL GRANT APPLICATION TO HUD FOR THE 2024 CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH HUD TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND GRANT FUNDING AND AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT BETWEEN $10 AND 12 MILLION, 10 MILLION AND 12 MILLION CITYWIDE.

WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE OUR OWN CONTINUUM OF CARE IN LONG BEACH, WHICH ALLOWS US TO RECEIVE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS.

I'LL JUST SAY BRIEFLY,

[22. 24-53211 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to submit a renewal grant application, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for the 2024 Continuum of Care for Homeless Assistance Program; Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and all necessary documents including any subsequent amendments, including any amendment to the award amount, with HUD to accept and expend grant funding in an estimated amount between $10,000,000 and $12,000,000, for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026; and Increase appropriations in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department by $2,615,179, offset by grant revenue. (Citywide) Office or Department: Health and Human Services Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, AND WE THANK EVERYONE WHO'S A PARTICIPANT IN OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE.

UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? LET NO, NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

WE MAYOR NOW GO TO BE BEFORE WE CONTINUE ON, UM, WE DID NEED TWO VOTES ON ITEM 24.

WE ONLY TOOK ONE SINCE IT IS AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE.

WHICH ONE IS 24? IT IS THE JUST CAUSE.

LET'S QUEUE THAT BACK UP.

WE NEED A MOTION A SECOND.

ONCE AGAIN, I SEE COUNCIL MEMBERS ZENDEJAS, COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA.

UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON 24? OKAY.

COULD I, UH, I BROUGHT GUS WITH ME TO, UH, UH, MAYBE GRAB HIS TIME.

WE NOW HAVE OUR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

NUMBER TWO, I SEE FOUR SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

ELLIOT LEWIS, GUSTAVO GARCIA, UH, KIM WARBECK AND DAVID FREEMAN.

UH, MR. MAYOR,

[05:20:01]

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY TIME I EVER ASKED FOR EXTRA TIME.

I'LL, I APOLOGIZE THIS STAYED LONG.

IT IS A LATE NIGHT.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL APOLOGIZE TO KEEP YOU HERE.

ANYWAY, I CAME DOWN HERE TODAY JUST 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL COMPELLED, UH, TO SPEAK ON THE LIFE AND THE LEGACY OF, UH, SEAN, BRO.

UM, YOU KNOW, HE, HE IS THE KOBE BRYANT OF THIS CITY.

UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, ABOUT HIM PERSONALLY, AND EVERYBODY WILL SAY THIS ABOUT HIM, HE WAS THE MOST HUMBLE GUY THAT YOU WOULD EVER MEET.

ANYBODY WOULD KNOW, SUPER GOOFY, REALLY COOL GUY.

ALWAYS JOSH.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS, UH, JUST THAT WHOLE THING WAS INFECTIOUS.

AS WE WERE GROWING UP.

WE REFERRED TO HIM AS THE BOY.

UM, YOU KNOW, HE, HE WAS THE STAR.

HE WAS THE LEADING GUY.

IT WAS A GREAT STACK TEAM IN THE 92, 93 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

THAT FEAT FOR AN AMERICAN TEAM WILL NEVER BE DONE AGAIN.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

EVEN THAT SAME TEAM COULDN'T DO THAT FEAT AGAIN.

AND IT WAS A GREAT TEAM.

IT WAS A RUN THAT COULD ONLY BE EXPLAINED AS MAGICAL AND SPIRITUAL, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, IS GOD HIMSELF HAD A HAND IN IT, THAT IT STARTS WITH 10,000 TEAMS. SO TO WIN THAT TITLE BACK TO BACK, IF YOU JUST RUN THE ODDS ON IT, ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL IS A HUNDRED MILLION TO ONE.

IT'S THE BEST TEAM THAT LONG BEACH HAS EVER PRODUCED, AND SEAN BRO IS THE BEST, MOST IMPORTANT ATHLETE TO EVER COME OUT OF THIS CITY.

UM, YOU KNOW, HE ALWAYS HAS BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER IN HIS LIFE AND IN HIS DEATH.

UM, YOU KNOW, AT 11, 12 YEARS OLD, HE WAS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS.

HAD HE LIVED IN THE DIGITAL ERA, THIS GUY WOULD'VE BEEN A HUGE CELEBRITY, UH, ON TIKTOK.

BUT HE WOULD STAY HUMBLY AFTER THE GAMES, AND HE WOULD SIGN AUTOGRAPHS FOR THE YOUNGER KIDS AND ADULTS WOULD APPROACH 'EM AS WELL FOR 20, 30 MINUTES AFTER THE GAME.

I MEAN, HE HAD THAT MUCH, UH, EFFECT ON THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, PRESS TELEGRAM BACK THEN WAS THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN.

ALL WE HAD WAS, WAS PRINT.

AND EVERY DAY IT WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER, UH, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME ON THE FRONT PAGE.

AS THE RUNS GOT DEEPER AND DEEPER AND EVERYBODY WAS HANGING, YOU KNOW, BY BA UH, WITH A BAITED BREATH ON, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT.

AND WHEN THE GAME WAS OVER, WE'D RUN DOWN TO THE LANDLINES AND IT WOULD BE LIKE A CIRCLE OF CALLS.

THERE WASN'T CELL PHONES BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

IT WAS JUST A SUPER COOL THING, UH, TO WATCH.

IN FACT, I THINK TOM HENNESSY, I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT THE NAME RIGHT, WAS A REPORTER AT THE TIME.

HE TRAVELED WITH THE TEAM, HAD BEERS WITH THE ADULTS, ATE PIZZA WITH THE KIDS.

UH, IT WAS A REALLY COOL, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, EXPERIENCE.

THE CITY HAD A PARADE FOR THE TEAM.

REALLY COOL.

THE THEN MAYOR, UH, YOU KNOW, OFFERED A, A, A, A

[ 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. ]

KEY TO THE CITY.

UM, I'M JUST GONNA TOUCH ON A FEW QUICK, UH, SPORTS STORIES.

I'LL, I'LL KEEP IT CONCISE, BUT JUST TO, TO REALLY EXPLAIN ALL THESE MUD, UH, MEMORIES FLOODED BACK IN UPON HIS, UH, PASSING.

BUT I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE RUN.

UH, WE PLAYED A GAME AGAINST, AGAIN, I WASN'T ON THE TEAM OR ANYTHING, I JUST BEARED WITNESS, UH, TO IT.

YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER WAS ON IT.

MY DAD COACHED IT, AND IT WAS JUST HAPPENED TO BE SOMEBODY WHO BEARED WITNESS TO IT AND KNOWN SEAN, UH, HIS WHOLE LIFE.

THERE WAS A GAME THAT WE PLAYED AGAINST HAWAII.

THEY HAD A KID THAT WAS LIKE SIX FOOT FOUR THROWING 85 MILES AN HOUR AND JUST BLOWING EVERYBODY AWAY.

UH, AND ANYBODY WHO ATTENDED THAT GAME, IT WAS IN SAN BERNARDINO AT THE WESTERN REGIONAL FINALS, WILL SAY IT'S THE BEST SPORTING EVENT THAT THEY EVER BEEN TO.

UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE THE STADIUM HELD FIVE, 10,000 PEOPLE.

AND BACK THEN THEY DIDN'T COVER JUST THE LAST COUPLE GAMES LIKE THEY DO NOW.

UH, WE WERE ONE STRIKE AWAY FROM, FROM LOSING THAT GAME.

UH, RYAN BEAVER FOULED OFF A COUPLE PITCHES AND ONE OR TWO COUNT PEOPLE WERE LEAVING THE STADIUM AND, UH, HE WAS ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF ONE, AND THE GUY WAS THROWING HARD.

THE GUY WENT BACK ON IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HOME RUN.

SO SEAN BURROWS COMES UP TO THE PLATE.

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CROWD'S BACK INTO THE STADIUM.

EVERYBODY'S ON THEIR FEET.

AND HE USED TO DO THIS THING WITH HIS BAT.

HE CALLED SUMMONING THE HOME RUN GODS.

HE DID IT A LOT WHEN WE REALLY NEEDED TO HIT.

HE WOULD SUMMON THE HOME, RUN GODS, AND HE HAD THAT KIND OF POWER THAT HE COULD ACTUALLY SUMMON THE HOME, RUN GOD'S VERY NEXT PITCH, BACK TO BACK, HIT ONE, 300 FEET FENCE, 200 FEET, HIT ONE, 300 FEET TO LEFT FIELD.

YOU KNOW, LONG BEACH GOES ON TO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THE, TO THE, TO WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

UH, JUST ANOTHER QUICK ONE.

THAT'S A UNIFYING STORY.

YOU KNOW, WE PLAYED, UH, NEW YORK IN THE, UH, THE FINALS, THE US FINALS.

AND, UH, ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, UH, SEAN THREW A NO HITTER AND WE WERE UP ONE, NOTHING.

WE END UP, UH, WINNING THE GAME.

BY THE WAY, ESPN REPORTED BACK TO BACK NO HITTERS.

I WAS THERE, IT WAS BACK TO BACK TO BACK.

NO HITTERS.

I THINK HE HIT FIVE HOME RUNS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BAT AT SEVEN 50.

BUT ONE OF THE COOLEST EXPERIENCES TO THIS DAY OF MY LIFE, AND I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE HOW COOL THIS WHOLE RUN WAS, I WAS A 14-YEAR-OLD KID, UH, THE NEW YORK FANS AFTER WE HAD WON THE GAME AND WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO PLAY, UH, YOU KNOW, THE INTERNATIONAL TEAM, THEY STARTED CHANTING REAL SLOWLY, U-S-A-U-S-A-U-S-A, IT WAS LIKE A SCENE FROM A MOVIE.

AND IN WILLIAMSPORT NOW YOU'RE LIKE 45,000, 50,000 PEOPLE.

THEY GOT THESE HILLS UP THERE AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE CROWD STARTED CHATTING USA.

AND THIS RUN WAS NOT AN EASY RUN.

THE SECOND YEAR, THEY LOST, UH, TO A THOUSAND OAKS TEAMS, 16 TO ONE.

IT WAS A DOUBLE ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT.

EACH TOURNAMENT GOT HARDER AND HARDER.

YOU HAD TO WIN FIVE TOURNAMENTS TO GET TO WILLIAMSPORT.

IT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE RUN.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO COME BACK FROM THAT TOURNAMENT.

SO, I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I THINK ONE OF THOSE NO

[05:25:01]

HITTERS, THERE'S ONLY SIX INNINGS, SO SHE STRUCK OUT 16 OUTTA 18 BATTERS, ONLY TWO GUYS, YOU KNOW, PUT A BALL IN PLAY.

BUT I THINK THE MORE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY, THE MORE IMPORTANT PART, YOU KNOW, THE STORY IS, UH, WE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER.

EVERYBODY LOVED HIM.

EVERYBODY RALLIED AROUND THAT TEAM.

YOU KNOW, HIS, HIS FATHER IS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, MVP 1974, AND YOU KNOW, HE COACHED AFTER HIS SON LEFT.

AND YOUTH SPORTS ARE JUST SO IMPORTANT.

TEACHES PEOPLE HOW TO WORK ON A TEAM, YOU KNOW, KEEP EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HE'S OUR KOBE BRYANT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS CITY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WAS PRINT, THERE WASN'T DIGITAL BACK THEN.

AND THE MEMORIES HAVE FADED.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S 32, 33 YEARS AGO.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE COUNCILWOMAN DAY HOUSE, MR. MAYOR, FOR GIVING ME THIS TIME.

COUNCILMAN'S SUPER NA'S OFFICE IS, IS ON THE ISSUE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE PINGING YOUR OFFICE REQUESTING SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR HIM.

AND I WOULD JUST HUMBLY ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH IT'S FADED AND IT'S 32 YEARS AGO, I MEAN, HE WAS THE BEST GUY YOU'D EVER WANT TO KNOW.

AND HE BROUGHT THE CITY TOGETHER LIKE NOBODY EVER SEEN.

AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, MY HUMBLE SUGGESTION, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE MR. SUPER IS ON IT, THAT WE, WE DO SOMETHING AS A HONOR.

I, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR A LOT OF ME THIS TIME AND JUST WANNA SAY TO SEAN, I LOVE YOU, BROTHER.

ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT POWERFUL, UH, TESTIMONY.

I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER NAR HAS GIVEN SOME COMMENTS AND CLOSING THE COUNCIL MEETING IN HIS HONOR.

SO WHY DON'T WE JUST, UH, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO MAYBE WE'LL JUST GO STRAIGHT TO ADJOURNING COMMENTS.

WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER.

UM, THANK YOU MARIN, AND THANK YOU TO ELLIOT LEWIS FOR THAT TESTIMONY.

THAT WAS, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

UM, SO OFFICIALLY I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE TONIGHT'S COUNCIL MEETING IN MEMORY OF SEAN BURROWS.

SEAN EARNED THE FAME AS THE STAR OF THE STAR PICTURE OF THE 1992 AND 1993 LONG BEACH LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. HE THREW THREE CONSECUTIVE NO HITTERS AND TWO IN THE WORLD SERIES, LIKE HIS FATHER JEFF, WHO ALSO PLAYED AT LONG BEACH LITTLE LEAGUE AT STEARS PARK.

UH, SEAN WENT ON TO START WILSON HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS TAKEN IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DRAFT.

UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE OLYMPICS TONIGHT.

EARLIER IN THE MEETING, UH, SEAN ALSO EARNED A GOLD MEDAL AS A MEMBER OF THE US OLYMPIC BASEBALL TEAM.

AFTER HIS PLAYING CAREER, HE RETURNED TO STEARNS PARK TO COACH HIS SON KNOX, THE THIRD GENERATION OF THE BURROUGHS FAMILY, TO PLAY AT WHAT IS NOW NAMED STEARNS CHAMPIONS PARK.

UH, JUST 48 HOURS AFTER SEAN'S PASSING, A LARGE CROWD GATHERED AT THE PARK FOR A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL.

FORMER COACHES AND TEAMMATES TALKED ABOUT SEAN'S BASEBALL TALENT, GOING BACK TO AGE NINE.

UM, ON, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UM, I CAN ATTEST TO SEAN'S ATHLETIC PROWESS AT AGE FIVE.

UH, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF COACHING HIS A YSO SOCCER TEAM IN 1985, AND I THINK YOUR BROTHER, TIM, WAS ON THAT TEAM TOO.

UM, FROM THE GOALKEEPER POSITION, HE ONCE STOPPED A SHOT ON GOAL, THEN KICKED THE BALL, THE LENGTH OF THE FIELD, AND INTO THE GOAL AT THE OPPOSITE END.

IT WAS QUITE A FEAT FOR ANYONE, LET ALONE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD AT THE VIGIL.

MANY SPOKE ABOUT SEAN'S, UH, PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HIS LOVE FOR LONG BEACH.

THEY SHARED THAT THROUGHOUT HIS BASEBALL CAREER WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A LOCAL BASEBALL PLAYER, UH, ANYWHERE AROUND THE COUNTRY, HE, THEY WERE ALWAYS GREETED WITH THE LINE.

LONG BEACH IS IN THE HOUSE.

WE OFFER OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE BURROUGHS FAMILY, THEIR MANY FRIENDS, AND TO SEAN'S EXTENDED FAMILY AT LONG BEACH LITTLE LEAGUE.

ALRIGHT, UH, POWERFUL COMMENTS.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

YES, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERMAN, AND THANK YOU ELLIOT.

I'M A HUGE BASEBALL FAN, AND I REMEMBER THOSE DAYS VERY, VERY WELL.

UM, AND I KNOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THEIR SPORT BEING THE BEST SPORT, BUT I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING MAGICAL AND POETIC ABOUT BASEBALL THAT YOU DON'T FIND IN OTHER PLACES.

UM, AND THE TRAGEDY OF LOSING SEAN THIS EARLY, UM, IS OFFSET BY WHERE IT HAPPENED THAT, THAT HIS LIFE AND HIS FAMILY'S LIFE HAPPENS AT STERN CHAMPION PARK.

AND THERE'S, THERE'S JUST MAGIC IN THERE.

AND I WANNA THANK ELLIOT AND COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER FOR BRINGING A LITTLE, UM, MAD MAGIC AND SADNESS AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.

I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE, AND I LOOK FORWARD ALSO TO WAYS THAT WE CAN HONOR HIM.

THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY THIS WEEKEND, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL OUT AT PRIDE.

UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE OUR NEWSLETTER FOR MORE DETAILS.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SORROW.

I, UM, WANNA SHARE THAT WE, IN ADDITION TO PRIDE, WE HAVE A RIGHT A DAY BEFORE DOING OUR SPRING CLEANING AND DISTRICT SIX ON, UM, SATURDAY FROM 8:00 AM TO 12 NOON, AND WE'RE MEETING UP AT ST.

MARK BAPTIST CHURCH PARKING LOT ON 1703 LEMON AVENUE.

UM,

[05:30:01]

SO LET'S, LET'S CLEAN OUR CITY UP.

COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS.

I ALSO WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPER NA AND, UM, ELLIOT, AND OF COURSE, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR FOR YOUR KIND COMMENTS.

IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT WE LOSE A LEGEND.

AND I THINK, UM, THE STATEMENTS THAT YOU ALL SAID ARE VERY, UM, VERY POWERFUL.

AND, UM, AND SPEAK TO THE LEGACY THAT HE LEFT, UM, HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND TO THE BURROUGHS FAMILY, UM, MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO YOU, TO ALL THAT KNEW HIM, TO ALL THAT LOVED HIM, AND TO THOSE WHOSE LIFE HE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER THROUGH THE MAGIC OF BASEBALL.

UM, AND ALSO ON THAT NOTE, I WILL ALSO LIKE TO INVITE YOU AGAIN TO THE A OC SEVEN 10TH ANNUAL, UM, LITERACY FAIR ON SATURDAY, MAY 18TH, UM, AT 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AT LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.