* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:39] ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE MAYOR ALLEN. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN? HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I AM HERE. COUNCILWOMAN ZEN DEATHS PRESENT. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL. IT'S OCTOBER 8TH. LET'S START WITH THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE AND WELCOME AND MOMENT OF SILENCE BY COUNCILMAN BRA RAWTON. OKAY, IF WE, WE CAN ALL, UM, SHARE IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] LET'S THINK ABOUT PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND, UM, THE MILLIONS OF FOLKS ARE IN THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE, MILTON. OKAY. PLEASE STAND IF YOU'RE ABLE AND SALUTE THE FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. I'LL BE AN ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING. ONE IS ON THE 20TH FIRST 28TH ANNUAL LONG BEACH HISTORICAL CEREMONY, UH, CEMETERY TOUR. AND SECOND [CEREMONIALS AND PRESENTATIONS] IS TENANT DAY OF ACTION. LET'S START WITH, UH, LET'S WELCOME THE 20TH ANNUAL, UH, HISTORICAL CEMETERY TOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES, I WILL WELCOME UP JULIE FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF LONG BEACH TO TELL US ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL EVENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO THE 28TH ANNUAL HISTORICAL CEMETERY TOUR. IT WILL BE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26TH THIS YEAR. UM, THE TOUR RUNS FROM EIGHT 30 TO THREE. I RECOMMEND YOU ARRIVE BY NOON IF YOU WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE PERFORMANCES. IT'S SELF-GUIDED AND IT IS THE MOST FUN THAT YOU WILL HAVE [ 28TH ANNUAL LONG BEACH HISTORICAL CEMETERY TOUR] IN A CEMETERY THAT'S LEGAL. AT EIGHT STOPS COSTUMED ACTORS PERFORM THE STORIES OF PEOPLE BURIED AT SUNNYSIDE AND MUNICIPAL CEMETERIES ON WILLOW STREET. AND THIS YEAR, SOME OF THE STORIES INCLUDE, I HAD A DREAM, WHICH IS ABOUT WILLIAM WILMORE, KID MEXICO, THE BINGO BARON OF SIGNAL HILL, MURDERED OVER MOONSHINE, THE GENARO AND RAMONA RE STORY. THESE ARE THE LA RISS OF CASA LINARES AND SAVING LEY HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT THE POLY COMMUNITY INTERRACIAL COMMITTEE AND THE STUDENTS. IT AFFECTED NEW THIS YEAR. WE'RE EXCITED TO, UM, WELCOME ABILITY MATS, WHICH WILL MAKE SOME, UM, SOME OF THE STORIES AT SUNNYSIDE CEMETERY MORE ACCESSIBLE. UM, AND, AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A TEMPORARY CURB CUT RAMP, UM, IN THAT CEMETERY. SO THERE'LL BE ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT, UM, STORIES THAT PEOPLE WILL BE, MORE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS WAY. UM, AT ATTENDEES ARE ALSO ABLE TO TAKE IN A VARIETY OF OTHER EXHIBITIONS, INCLUDING OUR NEWEST ONE CALLED REPRESENTED AT LAST. ALSO, SHARON DIGS JACKSON WILL BE, UH, PRESENT SHARING THE HISTORY OF EARLY AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES WHO HAVE ROOTS AND PEOPLE BURIED IN THE CEMETERIES. UH, DIA DE LOS MUTOS INSTALLATION COUNCILMAN DARRELL AU SHARING HIS, UM, FAMILY'S HISTORY. HIS, UM, PARENT GRANDPARENTS, AND I BELIEVE PARENTS ARE BURIED THERE. WE ALSO HAVE THE STORY OF THE TAAKA HASHI BIRD PINS AND THE TAAKA HASHI BIRD PINS ARE THE STORY OF JAPANESE AMERICANS WHO WERE INTERNED DURING WORLD WAR II. THEY CREATED A HOME BUSINESS MAKING CARVING LITTLE BIRDS OUT OF, UH, SCRAP PIECES OF WOOD AND SELLING THEM FOR MONEY. AND THERE, UM, THE TAKAHASHI FAMILY HAS SHARED THIS STORY WITH US, SO YOU CAN COME AND HEAR ABOUT [00:05:01] THIS HISTORY OF THE PINS, AND YOU CAN ALSO JOIN IN THE FUND BY MAKING SOME, UH, ORIGAMI. WE WILL HAVE A CAMBODIAN MEMORIAL FLAGS WELCOMING PEOPLE TO THE ENTRANCE TO THE MUNICIPAL CEMETERY AS WELL. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BRING YOUR BOTTLES TO, UM, GET STAY HYDRATED, WHICH IS PROVIDED BY THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES. AND THE QUENCH BUGGY TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE@HSB.ORG. PRESALE TICKETS ARE 85, OR I'M SORRY, $25 AND $8 FOR STUDENTS. FIVE TO 18 THE DAY OF TICKETS GO UP. SO BUY PRESALE. UH, THERE'S SOME PARKING CHANGES THIS YEAR. WE HAVE PARKING AT THE TAX ASSESSORS LOT ON WILLOW STREET. THERE'S COMPACT CAR PARKING AT SUNNYSIDE CEMETERY AND, UM, AT, AND THERE'S PARKING AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK. WE HAVE SOME GREAT SPONSORSHIPS THIS YEAR. OUR LARGEST SPONSOR IS COUNCIL MEG, MEMBER MEGAN KERR. WILL YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, UM, AIR PRODUCTS THIS YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE, THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH, THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, SIGNAL HILL PETROLEUM, COUNCILMAN DARRELL AUGH, COUNCILMAN AL AUSTIN, UM, VICE MAYOR, CHRIS, UH, CINDY ALLEN, AND, UM, THE OFFICE OF VETERANS SUPPORT. THERE ARE 34 OTHER SPONSORS AND 75 VOLUNTEERS WHO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS EVERY YEAR. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME AND ENCOURAGE YOUR CONSISTENT CONSTITUENTS TO COME. THERE ARE POSTCARDS AROUND IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEM. ARE THERE QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. UH, A REMINDER, YOU CAN GET TICKETS AT HS LB HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF LONG BEACH.ORG, SO GET YOUR TICKETS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET'S ALL SUPPORT, UH, THIS ANNUAL TRADITION, OCTOBER 26TH, EIGHT 30 TO THREE, UH, AND MAKE SURE YOU GET OUT AND CONTINUE THIS TRADITION. THIS IS THE 28TH YEAR. ALL RIGHT, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, JULIE. THANKS A LOT. TAKE CARE HERE. ALRIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, ANNUAL TENANT DAY OF ACTION, COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AS THE ONLY RENTER ON COUNCIL, I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE IN HOUSING INSTABILITY. I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO GROW UP IN A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH A BIG FAMILY, UM, 11 TO BE EXACT. AND I, I ALSO KNOW AS AN ADULT HOW IT IS TO FACE ADDITIONAL [ TENANTS DAY OF ACTION] CHALLENGES SEARCHING FOR A WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE UNIT THAT IS ALSO AFFORDABLE. LONG BEACH IS A CITY OF RENTERS. 60% OF OUR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS RENT THEIR HOMES. HOUSING INSTABILITY AFFECTS OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS LIKE OUR OLDER ADULTS, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES. AND KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED SHOULD REMAIN A PRIORITY FOR OUR CITY. KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED PREVENTS HOMELESSNESS. NOW, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION, WHO WILL PRESENT ON THE TENANT DAY OF ACTION THAT, UH, I AND COUNCILWOMAN DR. SULI SORO HOSTED TODAY HERE AT CITY HALL. THANK YOU. I INVITE THE HOUSING COALITION JUSTICE COALITION TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE. WOO. OH, THIS IS THE CLICKER. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM ANDREA DONDO, THE DIRECTOR OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, EMPOWERED OR LIBERTY. I AM ALSO A RENTER IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE 10 DAY OF ACTION, A POWERFUL MOMENT IN THE LONG BEACH LEGACY OF ORGANIZING FOR HOUSING JUSTICE. FROM THE EARLY RENT STRIKES TO THE FIGHT FOR PUBLIC AND SOCIAL HOUSING, TENANTS HAVE ALWAYS JOINED FORCES TO FIGHT AND DEMAND ACCESS TO DECENT UNSAFE HOUSING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE WORK COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE DOING TO ADVOCATE FOR RENTERS THROUGH THE LONG BEACH HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION. BEFORE WE DIVE IN, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CIA LOPEZ INTRODUCE HERSELF. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CIA LOPEZ REYES AND I'M THE DIRECTOR WITH LONG BEACH DETROIT JUSTICE ECONOMY. UM, A CAMPAIGN OF THE LOS ANGELES ALLIANCE FOR A NEW ECONOMY. TOGETHER WITH LIBRE, WE CO-ANCHOR THE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION. AS A COLLECTIVE OF ORGANIZATIONS, WE ARE BUILDING ON THE WORK HISTORICALLY LED BY COMMUNITY AND LABOR FOR A STRONG HOUSING JUSTICE MOVEMENT. WE ADVOCATE FOR PROTECTIONS THAT EMPOWER OUR MORE, OUR MOST MARGINALIZED RESIDENTS, AND STRIVE [00:10:01] TO INCREASE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SO PEOPLE HAVE A VOICE IN SHAPING THE POLICIES, UM, IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITIES. TONIGHT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT OUR HISTORY, WHAT CONTINUES TO DRIVE OUR WORK AND OFFER MODELS OF SOLUTION TO PREVENT FURTHER DISPLACEMENT OF RENTERS AND WORKING FAMILIES. AT THE CORE OF OUR MISSION IS THE BELIEF THAT EVERYONE DESERVES TO HAVE SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE F FOR HOUSING JUSTICE IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR TENANT RIGHTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE. THE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION WAS BORN OUT OF THE NEED TO CONFRONT THE SKYROCKETING RENTS DISPLACEMENT AND THE ONGOING BATTLES BETWEEN TENANTS AND CORPORATE LANDLORDS. FOR YEARS, LONG BEACH IMMIGRANTS IMMIGRANT AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES HAVE ORGANIZED TO DEMAND FAIR HOUSING POLICIES AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNJUST EVICTIONS. AS A COALITION, WE SUPPORT TENANT LED MOVEMENTS, ADVOCATE FOR CRITICAL POLICIES TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT, PUSH FOR EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT THAT CENTERS OUR COMMUNITIES AND PROMOTE COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP OF LAND. EACH OF THE PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COALITIONS HAVE DE COMMUNICATE TIES AND COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THE LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS. FOR PEOPLE WHO CALL OUR CITY HOME, WE EMPOWER RESIDENTS TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOPS TO HELP PEOPLE STEP INTO THEIR LEADERSHIP AND CONNECT LEADERS WITH WAYS TO TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION. WE KNOW THAT BEING ON THE VERGE OF DISPLAY CAN FEEL VERY ISOLATING, WHICH IS WHY WE CREATE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT TO EACH OTHER. THIS CREATES A STRONGER SUPPORT NETWORK AND STRENGTHENS THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. TOGETHER WE ARE BUILDING A MORE ENGAGED AND INFORMED COMMUNITY READY TO ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING JUSTICE. WHEN WE LOOK AT DATA FROM LONG BEACH NINE, NINE DISTRICTS, WE SEE SIGNIFICANT CONTRAST BETWEEN RENTERSHIP AND OWNERSHIP. DISTRICT ONE, TWO, AND SIX HAVE THE LARGEST CONCENTRATIONS OF RENTERS, BUT ALDO, THERE ARE LARGER CONCENTRATIONS OF RENTERS IN THIS DISTRICTS. THIS DOES NOT DIMINISH THAT RENTERS LIVE IN EVERY PART OF THE CITY. NEARLY 60% OF THIS, OF LONG BEACH POPULATION CONSISTS OF RENTERS. OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN HOW MANY RENTERS ARE OFTEN ONE EMERGENCY AWAY FROM BECOMING HOMELESS, WHEREAS HOMEOWNERS BY COMPARISON HAVE MORE HOUSING SECURITY. THEREFORE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PRIORITIZE RENTER FOCUSED POLICIES THAT ADDRESS AND CLOSE THE GAPS IN HOUSING INSTABILITY. OVER THE PAST DECADE, RENTS HAVE INCREASED BY 20%. CITYWIDE AND WAGES ARE NOT KEEPING UP WITH THESE INCREASES. AS THE GAP WIDENS BETWEEN WAGES AND HOUSING COSTS, MANY RESIDENTS CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE NEAR THEIR JOBS OR FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY. LOW WAGES MEAN THAT MEANS THAT FAMILIES LACK THE PURCHASING POWER TO KEEP THE ECONOMY GOING, AND FEWER PURCHASES LEADS TO FEWER JOBS. THIS IS A CONTINUAL CYCLE AND IT DOESN'T HELP ANYBODY. THAT'S WHY LABOR CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR NOT ONLY BETTER WAGES, BUT HOMES WE CAN TRULY AFFORD. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN WORKERS THRIVE, WE ALL THRIVE AS LONG AS AS LONG BEACH PREPARES FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS OF AHEAD OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP. IN 2028 OLYMPICS, CONCERNS GROW ABOUT INCREASES IN HOUSING COSTS. LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT, AT HOUSING, AT HOW RISING RENTS HAVE IMPACTED LONG BEACH. IN 2010, THE MEDIUM RENT ACROSS NORTHWEST CENTRAL AND DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH RANGE FROM UNDER 1000 TO 1300. THESE WERE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE FAMILIES COULD AFFORD TO LIVE AND BUILD THEIR FUTURES. THIS IS NOT THE CASE TODAY. THE MEDIUM ASKING RENT FOR A TWO BEDROOM IN LONG BEACH IS JUST OVER 2,500 AS OF JULY, 2024. THE COST OF HOUSING ALONE IS SPECIFICALLY FOR WORKERS IN THE TOURISM SECTOR, CONSUMES 80% OF WORKERS TOTAL MONTHLY INCOME. MEANWHILE, THE TOURISM SECTOR HAS BUILT BACK WITH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC INVESTMENT. WHILE WORKERS ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND THESE CHANGES, THESE CHANGES DESTABILIZE THE VERY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE CALLED LONG BEACH HOME THREATENING TO DISPLACE RESIDENTS OR PUSH THEM INTO HOMELESSNESS. NO ONE, NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PAYING FOR RENT OR ESSENTIALS LIKE FOOD AND HEALTHCARE. YET THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF CHOICE. PEOPLE WHO ARE RENT BOARD THAN HAVE TO MAKE. FOR EXAMPLE, 61% OF BLACK RENTERS IN LONG BEACH PAY MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR MONTHLY INCOME TOWARDS RENT. AND 57% OF HOUSEHOLDS IN THE FIRST DISTRICT WERE EXPERIENCING RENT BURDEN. THE RENT BURDEN HITS BLACK AND BROWN RENTERS THE HARDEST. IT FORCES FAMILIES TO LIVE IN OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS OR LEAVE THE CITY OUT TOGETHER IN SEARCH FOR HOUSING OPTIONS. THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE ROOTS OF THIS DISCIPLINE GO DEEP. MUCH [00:15:01] OF HOW THESE INEQUITIES HAVE SHAPED UP OVER THE DECADES CAN BE TRACED BACK TO RED LINING. THIS PRACTICE PREVENTED PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM ACCESSING FINANCIAL SERVICES AND LOANS AND CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS EFFECT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS EFFECTIVELY, EFFECTIVELY SEGREGATING OUR CITY. ALDO REDLINING WAS DECLARED ILLEGAL. WE STILL SEE TODAY HOW IT SHAPES MANY RACIAL AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES IN OUR CITY. PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE STILL LARGELY CONCENTRATED IN LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LIMIT ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION, JOBS AND HEALTHCARE, WHICH ARE MORE ABUNDANT IN HISTORICALLY WELL-RESOURCED AREAS. THE THIS INJUST INJUSTICE TRAPS COMMUNITIES IN CYCLES OF DISADVANTAGE. BECAUSE OF THESE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE SHAPED LONG BEACH, WE REMAIN MOTIVATED TO CREATE A CITY WHERE EXISTING AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF RENTERS CAN THRIVE. WHEN TENANTS AND WORKERS UNITE, WE CREATE A STRONGER, LOUDER VOICE TO ADVOCATE FOR FAIR HOUSING POLICIES. SOME OF THE VICTORIES THAT HAVE EMERGED THROUGH COLLECTIVE ORGANIZING HAVE INCLUDE AN EVICTION MORATORIUM TO KEEP FAMILIES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. TENANT ANTI-HARASSMENT ORDINANCE FOR TO PROTECT TENANTS FROM LANDLORD ABUSE AND THE BEGINNING OF CLOSING SUBSTANTIAL REMODELING LOOPHOLES THAT OTHERWISE LEAVE TENANTS VULNERABLE TO INGEST EVICTIONS. IT IS CRUCIAL TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN TENANT PROTECTIONS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS. RENTERS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE. THE 2023 HOMELESS COUNCIL SHOWS THAT 16% OF RESPONDENT BECAME UN HOUSED AFTER THE FIRST TIME EVICTION. THE CITY HAS FUNDED THE RIGHT TO CANCEL PROGRAM THROUGH STATE HOUSELY. THIS PROGRAM HAS EMPOWERED LONG BEACH TENANTS TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, WORKSHOPS AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR PEOPLE FACING EVICTION. THIS PROGRAM IS MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN THE REGION. ON JANUARY 1ST, 2025, LOS ANGELES ANGELES COUNTY WILL QUALIFY THE RIGHT TO CANCEL. TO ENSURE ELIGIBLE TENANTS FACING EVICTION CAN ACCESS LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE COUNTY. WE MUST BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS IN TRANSFORMING THE REALITY FOR RENTERS AND WORKERS IN LONG BEACH. OUR MOVEMENT LEADERS ARE DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM SUCCESSFUL MODELS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ENSURE RENTERS HAVE STABLE HOUSING WHILE CREATING AND PRESERVABLE AND PRESERVING AFFORDABLE H AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR LONG TERM. ONE SUCH MODEL IS UNIVERSAL, JUST COSTS EVICTION PROTECTIONS INSPIRED BY OAKLAND AND SAN FRANCISCO. THESE PROTECTIONS REQUIRE LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE A VALID REASON LIKE NONPAYMENT OF RENT OR LEASE VIOLATIONS BEFORE EVICTING A TENANT. THIS ENSURES THAT ALL TENANTS, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG THEY'VE LIVED IN THEIR UNIT, ARE PROTECTED FROM UNJUST EVICTIONS. ANOTHER KEY APPROACH IS RENT STABILIZATION OR RENT CONTROL MODELED AFTER POLICIES IN NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES RENT STABILIZATION LIMITS, HOW MUCH AND HOW OFTEN RENT CAN BE INCREASED, HELPING KEEP HOUSING AFFORDABLE AND PROTECTING RENTERS, RENTERS FROM SUDDEN EXCESSIVE HIKES. THIS IS ESSENTIAL IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AS WE ARE SEEING A HIGH, UH, RISE IN RENTS. UM, AND PEOPLE CANNOT KEEP UP WITH, WITH THE THE RISING IN RENTS, UM, WITH LOW WAGES. WE'RE ALSO, CAN YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE? SORRY. WE'RE ALSO INSPIRED BY COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. HERE IN LONG BEACH, THE HOUSING FOR ALL COT IS WORKING TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS. LONG BEACH COT HAS ALREADY ELECTED A BOARD AND ARE DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ACQUIRE LAND, ENSURING LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE AFFORDABILITY AND PROMOTING COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP IN THE SPIRIT OF LOS ANGELES MEASURE, URA LONG BEACH COULD EXPLORE NEW REVENUE SOURCES TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHILE ENSURING PROJECTS UPHOLD STRONG LABOR STANDARDS THAT CREATE UNION JOBS FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS. RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE ALSO CRITICAL IN PROVIDING RELIEF FOR HOUSEHOLDS FACING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP BY COVERING A PORTION OF THEIR RENT AND PREVENTING EVICTION. FINALLY, AS LONG BEACH PREPARES FOR THE OLYMPICS, WE MUST PROTECT HOUSING FROM CORPORATE ABUSE DRAWN ON SAN FRANCISCO TENANT PROTECTIONS. THIS MEANS ADOPTING STRONGER MEASURES AGAINST CORPORATE LANDLORD ABUSES AND REGULATING SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT AND ENSURE LONG-TERM HOUSING REMAINS AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS. THESE MODELS SHOW WHAT'S POSSIBLE NOW IT'S TIME FOR LONG BEACH TO TAKE A BOLD STEP AND PROTECT RENTERS, PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND CREATE A PATHWAYS FOR GOOD JOBS. TODAY'S TE ACTION MARKS A CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS HOUSING JUSTICE. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT LONG BEACH RENTERS AND WORKERS ARE DOING TO CLOSE LOOPHOLES AND SECURE FAIR HOUSING POLICIES. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THIS COLLAB COLLABORATION, AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF THOSE MOST IMPACTED AND ENSURING THAT HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT FOR EVERYONE WHO CALLS LONG BEACH HOME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT AND WE WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE, UH, THESE POSTERS WITH TENANT STORIES FOR YOU ALL. THANK YOU. [00:20:03] THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU TO THE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION FOR THAT PRESENTATION. COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS, DID YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING? THANK YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UH, PRESENTATIONS. WE WILL NOW GO TO, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 17. HUMAN RIGHT, HUMAN RIGHT WHERE WE FIGHT, [CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 17.)] WE WIN. WHERE WE FIGHT, WE WIN. WOO. ALRIGHT, SO, UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY, THANK YOU. LET'S REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION, PLEASE. THE FOLLOWING. WAIT, WHERE'S DAWN? THIS IS HER FAVORITE PART. THERE SHE IS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YOU GOT IT ANITA. UM, ALRIGHT. THE FOLLOWING ARE REPORTABLE ACTIONS. UM, NUMBER ONE, IN THE CASE OF DONNA SUITS VERSUS CITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, A SETTLEMENT WAS APPROVED IN THE AMOUNT OF 850,000 IN THE MATTER OF MARIA AND TORRES VERSUS CITY OF LONG BEACH. A SETTLEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF 195,000 WAS APPROVED. AND LASTLY, IN THE MATTER OF JOANNE VARLEY VERSUS CITY OF LONG BEACH, A SETTLEMENT AMOUNT OF $195,000 WAS APPROVED. END OF REPORT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE, UH, 10 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP. OKAY. I'M GONNA READ ALL 10. PLEASE BEGIN TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT. MIKE MURCHISON, JOHN [ 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. ] EDMOND, FRAN FELA, FIERRO, CHARLIN UZU IAN, FORGIVE ME, FEMI, AIG ABI, UH, LAURA ABI, DR. FELTON WILLIAMS, MARIA LOPEZ, CARINA VASQUEZ, AND FRED SUTTON. UH, MIKE, YOU ARE FIRST. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF 300 MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROVIDERS THAT I COMMUNICATE WITH SINCE PRE COVID DAYS, ACTUALLY BACK TO PR IP IN 2015. AND THEY'VE BEEN CONCERNED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS ABOUT ALL THE ITEMS THAT ARE COMING ON THE HOUSING PROVIDERS. IT STARTED OFF WITH SEISMIC RETROFIT. IT'S GONE ALL THE WAY TO JUST CAUSE EVICTION. IT'S TALKING ABOUT SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND THE ADDITIONAL CODE INSPECTORS THAT ARE BEING ASKED TO BE HIRED. THESE ARE AREAS THAT ARE OF FINANCIAL IMPACT TO HOUSING PROVIDERS AND HOUSING PROVIDERS ARE NOT JUST WHAT MANY MAY THINK ARE THE BIG COMPANIES THAT OWN SAY, A HUNDRED UNITS IN LONG BEACH. WE HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING PROVIDERS THAT ARE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT ARE NEWLY RETIRED, AND THIS IS THEIR INCOME. WHEN YOU HIT THEM WITH THESE ADDITIONAL FEES, THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS, THEY HAVE REQUIRED MANDATES THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE, WHETHER IT'S A PLUMBER, WHETHER IT'S A GARDENER, WHETHER IT'S A MECHANIC, WHOEVER IT IS, THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE COSTS. SO WHEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT SENIOR CITIZENS ARE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ON THE UNITS THAT THEY OWN, THEY'RE HAVING A TOUGH TIME, THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS AND THEY HAVE MORTGAGES TO PAY. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF COMMUNICATION. I DO WANT TO COMPLIMENT STAFF FOR THE OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT I THINK THEY CAN DO MORE. AND I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE COUNCIL TO ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNICATION TO BOTH SIDES TO HAVE HOUSING PROVIDERS AT THE TABLE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, UNDER SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL OR JUST CAUSE EVICTION OR ANY OF THE OTHER ITEMS, SEISMIC RETROFIT, IT IS THE HOUSING PROVIDERS THAT WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. IT'S NOT THE TENANTS, IT'S THE HOUSING PROVIDERS UNDER THESE REQUIREMENTS. SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THESE ORDINANCE THAT EVENTUALLY BE COMING DOWN THE PIKE. AND I REMAIN OPEN TO HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS SO THAT WE CAN SPEND MORE TIME AND ANALYZE THIS AT VARIOUS COMMITTEE LEVELS SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE THAT HOUSING PROVIDERS WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, WANT TO BE INVOLVED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WERE HIT PRETTY HARD DURING THE PANDEMIC FINANCIALLY, ESPECIALLY THE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT OWN [00:25:01] THESE UNITS. AND IT'S UP TO US TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO LAND SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THEIR UNITS FORECLOSED UPON BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO OPERATE THEM ANYMORE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT TO JOHN EDMOND. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY CLERK. APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR, UH, HARD WORK. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA SOUTHERN CITIES REPRESENTING RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS SINCE 1924, I'M HERE TO PRESENT A PETITION IN OPPOSITION OF 120 DAY MORATORIUM ON SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL TERMINATIONS. SINCE THIS PETITION WENT OUT YESTERDAY AT 3:00 PM WE'VE ALREADY GAINED 276 SIGNATURES FROM CONCERNED PROPERTY OWNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ALIKE. WHILE THE INTENT BEHIND THIS MORATORIUM MAY BE PROTECT TENNIS, IT REALLY IS THE OPPOSITE. IT'S MORE HARM THAN GOOD. I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A CASE DR. FMI HAKE ABBE AND HIS WIFE LAURA, WHO RECENTLY PURCHASED A TRIPLEX HERE IN LONG BEACH. THEY LIVE HERE WITH THEIR FAMILY IN ONE UNIT. THEY HAVE TWO OTHER UNITS THAT REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE AND UP TO MODERN STANDARDS. DR. AIMA BAY'S STORY IS ONE OF RESILIENCE AND SERVICE. GROWING UP AS A CHILD OF IMMIGRANT IN POVERTY, HIS JOURNEY TO BECOMING A DOCTOR WAS DELAYED BY FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. YET HE PERSEVERED. NOW AS A PHYSICIAN WHO SERVES SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, DR. AIMA BAY AND LAURA ARE INVESTING IN LONG BEACH, THEIR PROPERTY TO PROVIDE SAFE HOUSING FOR THEIR TENANTS. THESE RENOVATIONS ARE SUBSTANTIAL ASBESTOS REMOVAL, LEAD REMOVAL FROM PAINT, MOLD REMOVAL, ELECTRICAL UPGRADES. THEY HAVE TUBES AND KNOBS IN THE WALLS, PLUMBING REPAIRS. THESE ARE NOT LUXURIES, BUT ESSENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS. A BLANKET MORATORIUM ON SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL WOULD UNJUST UNJUSTIFIABLY PREVENT THEM FROM COMPLETING THESE VITAL REPAIRS, LEAVING TENANTS SUBSTANDARD AND POORLY UNSAFE LIVING. KING DISTRICT CONSIDER THIS IN LONG BEACH. WE'VE HAD ONLY 150 CASES OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS IN THE PAST YEAR. DATA FROM THE LOS ANGELES HOUSING DEPARTMENT FURTHER SHOWS THAT 99.2% OF EVICTIONS ARE FOR CAUSE AND JUST 0.8 ARE NO FAULT. LIKE SUBSTANTIAL READ MODELS, THIS MORATORIUM TARGETS A TINY FRACTION OF CASES WHICH ARE OFTEN NECESSARY FOR MAINTAINING SAFE HOUSING. MOREOVER, 70% OF LONG BEACH HOUSING STOCK WAS BUILT IN 1970. THIS REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES THAT MEET MODERN SAFETY STANDARDS. BLOCKING THESE ESSENTIAL RENOVATIONS RESULT IN HIGHER MAINTENANCE COSTS, DELAYS AND IMPROVEMENTS, AND DETERIORATING LIVING CONDITIONS FOR TENANTS. INSTEAD, INSTEAD OF OPPOSING ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON ENFORCING OF EXISTING REGULATIONS. THE REAL ISSUE IS NOT LACK OF OVERSIGHT, BUT THE NEED FOR FAIR AND CONSISTENT APPLICATION OF EXISTING RULES. I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THIS, THESE, THIS PETITION AND TO STAND IN OPPOSITION OF A MORATORIUM AND PUT TOGETHER A MORE FORMULATED PLAN THAT IT OFFERS ALL STAKEHOLDERS AT THE TABLE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS FOR SAFE QUALITY HOUSING FOR ALL. AND WE STAND AT THE READY TO BE A WILLING PARTICIPANT AND PARTNER IN THAT PROCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS F FIRO. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLYN O ZIAN. OKAY, NEXT IS FEMI ADI. GREETINGS, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, THE COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE SO MUCH NEEDED CONTEXT ABOUT THE PROPOSED EMERGENCY EVICTION MORATORIUM THAT YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT TONIGHT. MY NAME IS LAURA. LAST YEAR MY HUSBAND BEME AND I BOUGHT, UH, A TRIPLEX IN DISTRICT ONE. AND WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE UNITS WITH OUR THREE CHILDREN. WE DELIBERATELY LOOKED FOR A FIXERUPPER TO RENOVATE, AND WE DEFINITELY FOUND ONE. ALL THREE UNITS HAD DECADES OF NEGLECT AND THE HOUSE WAS IN DISREPAIR. FOR THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN READY TO REMODEL THE TWO RENTAL UNITS IN ORDER TO LEASE THEM TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH SECTION EIGHT HOUSING VOUCHERS. THESE RENOVATIONS ARE SUBSTANTIAL AND INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING, AND STRUCTURAL WORK, AS WELL AS ASBESTOS, UH, ABATEMENT. CRUCIALLY, THIS WORK CAN'T BE DONE IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS AND CAN'T BE MADE SAFELY WITH THE TENANT IN THE UNIT. AND AS HOMEOWNERS, WE WERE GIVEN RULES TO FOLLOW. BUT NOW AS WE NAVIGATE THIS PROCESS, WE'RE FACED WITH A CALL FOR A BLANKET MORATORIUM. WE ASK YOU TO RESPECTFULLY REJECT THESE CALLS. LONG BEACH'S ORDINANCE HAS LAID OUT RULES FOR TENANT PROTECTIONS TO ACCOMPANY SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS. TO ENSURE FAIRNESS, WE FOLLOWED EVERY STIPULATION THAT EXISTS TO MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF THIS DISPLACEMENT. WE [00:30:01] PROVIDED RELOCATION ASSISTANCE OF $4,500, NOTIFIED OUR TENANT OF THE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THE UNIT IF WE DON'T START CONSTRUCTION AND PROVIDED MORE THAN SUBSTANTIAL NOTICE OF OUR INTENT TO TERMINATE THE TENANCY, UH, SINCE MARCH. AT THIS POINT, WE ASK THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS, HOMEOWNERS AND TENANTS, ABIDE BY THE EXISTING RULES AND NOT MOVE THE GOALPOST BY CREATING AN EVICTION MORATORIUM. NOW, THOSE WHO DON'T FOLLOW THE CURRENT REGULATIONS TO PROTECT TENANTS NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. BUT WE ARE NOT THOSE PEOPLE. FOR US, THE IMPACT OF A MORATORIUM WILL KEEP OUR A HUNDRED YEAR OLD HOME IN DISREPAIR. THE IMPACT WILL BE AN INTRUSION INTO OUR PERSONAL DECISIONS, AUTONOMY, AND THE VESTED RIGHTS WE HAVE TO OUR OWN HOME. AND FOR THE CITY, THE IMPACT WILL BE TO IMPEDE TWO NEW SECTION EIGHT HOUSING UNITS FROM BEING ADDED TO THE MARKET. AS THE CITY COUNCIL UA, SHORT AND LONG-TERM INTERESTS, A BALANCED APPROACH IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE EVERYONE HERE IS INTERDEPENDENT FOR FEMI AND I. OUR END OF THE SOCIAL CONTRACT IS TO KEEP OUR HOME SAFE IN GOOD REPAIR, BRING OUR UNITS UP TO DIGNITY, AND PROVIDE HOUSING UNITS THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF. PLEASE CONSIDER US IN OUR LONG-TERM INVESTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND FEMME AND LAURA, YOU YOU GONNA SWITCH? YES, SIR. OKAY, GO AHEAD. THERE WE GO. ESTEEMED OF MAYOR DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL, BELOVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY NAME IS FEMI ABE, AND AS MY WIFE LAURA MENTIONED, WE OWN A TRIPLEX HERE IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH. I'M HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING TOGETHER AS WE ATTEMPT TO SOLVE OUR CITY'S HOUSING ISSUES. IN THIS REGARD, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS, BROADLY SPEAKING, TENANTS, HOUSING PROVIDERS IN THE CITY FOR MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE TO BE HAD. WE BELIEVE THAT ALL SIDES NEED TO COME TO THE TABLE AND LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND TO BE HEARD. UNFORTUNATELY, OVER THE PAST YEAR OF BEING HOMEOWNERS HERE IN LONG BEACH, THIS HAS NOT BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE. WHILE THERE ARE, WHILE THERE ARE SOME UNSCRUPULOUS LANDLORDS WHO CARE A LITTLE ABOUT THEIR TENANTS AND ARE HAPPY TO HAVE CONTENTIOUS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM, THAT IS NOT US. WE DESIRE TO WORK WITH OUR TENANTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO BRING, BRING ABOUT PEACEFUL RESOLUTIONS TO ANY PROBLEMS AND DISAGREEMENTS IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE. WE BELIEVE THAT EACH, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON EACH SIDE TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS. OUR SUGGESTIONS, ONE, FOR HOUSING PROVIDERS TO WORK IN GOOD FAITH, TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR TENANTS AND TO FOLLOW THE LAWS. PAINTING A WALL AND CALLING IT A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL SHOULD NOT, IS NOT SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A PRETENSE FOR EVICTIONS, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS WRITTEN TO THE LAW. AND IT SHOULD BE USED AS IT WAS DESIGNED FOR TO MAKE MUCH NEEDED UPGRADES AND REMODELS TO HOMES AND PROPERTIES TO ENSURE THAT TENANTS HAVE CLEAN, SAFE, DIGNIFIED HOMES TO LIVE IN. AS MY WIFE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR HOME, IT WAS IN COMPLETE DISARRAY AND FALLING APART. WE MET WITH OUR TENANTS AND OUR TENANTS ASKED US TO MAKE MANY OF THE REPAIRS THAT WE'RE SEEKING TO MAKE NOW, IN ADDITION TO WHAT OUR CONTRACTORS INFORMATIVE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE. AND NOW WE'RE WORKING. WE'VE WORKED WITHIN THE LAW TO MAKE ALL THOSE CHANGES. UH, NUMBER TWO, TENANT ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS AND TENANTS THEMSELVES. PLEASE CONTINUE TO USE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PLATFORM TO USE YOUR PLATFORMS AND YOUR NEEDED VOICES TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN HOUSING PROVIDERS AND TENANTS. WE DON'T NEED MORE FISSURES IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE DON'T NEED TO EXACERBATE TENSIONS THAT ALREADY EXIST. NUMBER THREE, CITY COUNCIL PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL OFFICIAL DISCUSSIONS REGARDING HOUSING, HOUSING POLICY TAKE PLACE WITH EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF BOTH TENANT, OF BOTH TENANTS AND HOUSING PROVIDER PERSPECTIVES. DO NOT PASS AN EMERGENCY MORATORIUM FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL. UH, LOS ANGELES HOUSING DEPARTMENT. STATISTICS SHOW THAT 99.2% OF EVICTIONS ARE EVICTIONS FOR CAUSE, WHICH ARE NOT SUBSTANTIAL. REMODEL. ONLY 0.8% OF EVICTIONS ARE EVICTIONS NOT FOR CAUSE. SUBSTANTIAL MODEL IS JUST ONE OF THOSE MANY CAUSES. THE WE ASK THAT THIS, THAT THE COUNCIL USE ITS POWER TO CONTINUE TO HELP BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND WORK TO CREATE THESE NEEDED RESOLUTIONS THAT WE ALSO DESIRE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS FELTON WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL STAFF. MY NAME IS FELTON WILLIAMS AND I RESIDE AT 2126 DAISY AVENUE. BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CONGRATULATE MY FORMER FELLOW LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBER MEGAN KERR, ON HER INDUCTION TO THE LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE HALL OF FAME. A WELL-DESERVED HONOR. WELL, WELL-DESERVED MEGAN. I'M HERE TONIGHT ALONG WITH A FEW SUPPORTERS OF THE NO ON MEASURE JB COMMITTEE, AND WE'LL MENTION THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO [00:35:01] ARE UN UNABLE TO ATTEND. THEY ARE GENE BIXBY SMITH, DR. MIKE WALTER, DR. JENNY BAXTER, DR. MINNIE DOUGLAS, FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER RAY GCH AND OTHERS TO INFORM YOU OF OUR OPPOSITION. TO COMBINE CIVIL SERVICE WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, WE VIEW THE MOVE AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT PURPOSE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE EQUAL AND FAIR ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT JOBS. AS YOU ARE AWARE, CIVIL SERVICE WAS CREATED AS A MEANS TO END CRONYISM IN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT AND STEM THE RIGHT OF CORRUPT, THE TIDE OF CORRUPTION. TO SOME EXTENT, CIVIL SERVICES SERVED AS AN IMPORTANT DETERRENT IN THAT REGARD. AND AS A CHECK AND BALANCE AGAINST HIRING ABUSE, CIVIL SERVICE OPENED THE DOORS OF EMPLOYMENT IN FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT THAT HAVE BEEN DENIED TO THEM FOR YEARS AND PROVIDED THEM WITH ACCESS TO THE MIDDLE CLASS. AND THAT REGARD HAS SERVED AS A PERFECT MODEL OF EQUITY. I UNDERSTAND THAT POSITIONS EARMARKED FOR THE DEPARTMENT ARE BEING WITHHELD, FURTHER HAMPERING ITS ABILITY TO DO ITS JOBS. I WOULD URGE THAT THESE POSITIONS BE RELEASED. WE DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO REVIEW AND UPDATE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES DUE TO CHANGE IN SOCIETAL NEEDS AND REQUEST THAT ANY CHANGES ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS OF CIVIL SERVICE. UM, AND AS A SIDE NOTE, TOM, I WOULD URGE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR RETURN, MY PHONE CALLS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE NOT BEING RETURNED, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE RETURN MY CALLS BEING RETURNED. UH, AND TO THAT EXTENT, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TO SEE HOW THIS, UH, WOULD, WILL UNFOLD AND ITS IMPACT ON THE, UH, FUTURE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO, UN MEASURED JB BECAUSE IT'S JUST BAD. PAUSE. NEXT IS MARIA LOPEZ. [00:41:14] YOU NEED TO GIVE TIME FOR YOUR TRANSLATION, PLEASE. OKAY. MM-HMM. . GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARIA LOPEZ. I'M AN IMMIGRANT AND ALSO ATTENDED AN ORGANIZER. UM, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU AS FAR AS, UH, EVICTION. AND I HAVE WAS EVICTED, UH, CLOSE TO 20. OKAY. AND YES, MY CASE, UH, HAS BEEN, AND EVERYBODY'S, UH, UH, EVERYBODY HAS LEARNED ABOUT MY CASE AND, UH, THEY KNOW ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION, UH, AND, UH, THE APARTMENTS THAT I AM IN. AND, UM, THEY LEFT ME WITHOUT, UH, ANY TYPE OF, UH, NOTICE OR NOR PRESERVATION. I'M HERE JUST TO SPEAK TO YOU AS FAR AS MORATORIUM. AND THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST 120 DAYS. THEY TELL ME THAT, THAT WHILE THE CITY IS ABLE TO WORK AND FUNCTION, UH, WITH THE, JUST CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE FIGHT, PROTECTING THE FAMILIES WHILE THEY TAKE THEIR TIME TO CHANGE THE LAWS, WHICH I'M IN COMPLETE DISAGREEMENT IN. UH, THE EVICTIONS ARE NOT THE SOLUTIONS. THE SOLUTIONS IS ACTION. WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION. UH, WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS MORATORIUM. UH, LIKE THEY, IT WAS DONE. OH, OKAY. AND I AM IN, UH, UH, IN AGREEMENT WITH THE MORATORIUM, UM, JUST AS IT WAS DONE IN 2021. AND ACTUALLY THE CITY OF LA IS ACTUALLY WORKING, UH, AGAINST THE MORATORIUM, UH, AND HELPING, UH, THOSE THAT NEED THE CHANGE. UM, MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. NEXT IS KARINA VAZQUEZ. OKAY. OKAY. OLA MEMBERS HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE, UH, COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL. CITY COUNCIL. REINA. MY NAME IS KARINA AND I'M ATTENDED IN DISTRICT SEVEN. OKAY. UM, A LONG BEACH. AND I INFORMED PART OF THE RESISTANCE OF THE PARADE, UH, WHICH, UH, IS PART OF THE, UH, SYNDICATE OF, UH, TENANTS LONG BEACH TENANTS UNIT. WE ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP, UH, PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND ALSO GENERATE POWER BETWEEN THE TENANTS IN THE CITY. [00:45:15] AND I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE HOUSE IN MY HOUSE FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS, UH, WITH MY PARTNER AND KIDS. AND NOW I AM FACED WITH A DANGER OF A, A DIFFICULT, UH, UH, POLITICAL JUST CAUSE. AND THIS CAUSE IS KNOWN AS, UH, THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODELATION AND THIS, UH, WATER OF POND PROVOKES PEOPLE TO LEAVE, UH, TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, UM, UH, BEFORE ASKING FOR, UH, REMODELATION. SO REPARATIONS THAT ARE VERY MUCH NECESSARY. AND THEY FIGHT FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY AFTER BEEN LIVING IN, IN SUCH THE CONDITIONS. DUR, UH, DURING A LOT OF, OF THIS TIME, WE KNOW THAT EVICTIONS ARE A RESULT OF, UH, INEFFICIENT PROTECTION, PROBABLE CAUSE OF, UH, THE TENANTS IN OUR CITY. AND WE ARE AWARE THAT OUR, OUR CITY, UH, IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO, UH, WORK TOWARDS IMPROVING THE POLITICAL OF JUST COSTS. AND AT THE SAME TIME, UH, THE TENANTS SHOULD NOT RUN THE RISK OF BEING EVICTED. WE NEED A MORATORIUM THAT, UH, DOES NOT, UH, WORK TOWARDS EVICTION WHILE HELPING, UH, THE CITY WHILE THE CITY CAN, UH, UNDERSTAND HOW TO CLOSE, UH, ILLEGAL EVICTIONS AND AS WELL AS, UH, THE, UH, THE SUBSTANTIAL REMEDIATION THAT THREATENS TO, UH, KICK OUT AND, UH, HURT OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. . THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU. OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS FRED SUTTON. UH, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. UH, I'M FRED SUTTON HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. THE TENANT PROTECTION ACT, WHICH WAS PASSED IN 2020, UM, BY THE STATE LEGISLATOR LEGISLATURE, WAS A HISTORIC, UH, REGULA REGULATORY PROCESS. PART OF THAT WAS A LARGE, UM, PROCESS TO GOVERN AGING HOUSING STOCK. IF MAJOR REHABILITATION WAS UNDERTAKEN, A TENANT WOULD BE COMPENSATED IF THE WORK COULD NOT BE COMPLETED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE UNIT. IT WAS TO BALANCE THE NEED OF FIXING AGING HOUSING STOCK, UH, WHILE PROTECTING TENANTS. LONG BEACH IS UNDER STATEWIDE RENT CONTROL. AND JUST CAUSE YOU CANNOT JUST RAISE RENT A HUNDRED PERCENT IN THIS CITY, AND YOU CANNOT EVICT PEOPLE FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER IN THIS CITY. THE CITY HAS ALSO HAD A, A VERY LONG HISTORY OF CONDUCTING EXTENSIVE STATE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON CONTENTIOUS ISSUES. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND DEPARTMENT CREATED INTERNAL RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CRITICAL HOUSING POLICIES PRIOR TO STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK. IT IS OFTEN CONSTITUENCIES DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE, BUT IS IMPORTANT FOR DATA AND FEEDBACK TO INFORM DECISION MAKING. ALTHOUGH SOME MEETINGS DID TAKE PLACE AFTER THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE FORMED, WE RESPECTFULLY ASKED FOR MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS AS THE, AS LARGE SWATHS OF STAKEHOLDERS JUST SIMPLY DIDN'T KNOW IT, IT WAS TAKING PLACE. THESE ARE COMPLEX ISSUES AND, AND CURRENT PROPOSALS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DESERVE THE PROPER ATTENTION AND DELIBERATION. DECISIONS NEED DATA AND ALL PERSPECTIVES BEFORE BEING FORMALIZED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS THOSE COME DOWN THE PIKE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, WELL, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL NOW GO TO THE REGULAR AGENDA. UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THE TWO WITHDRAWN ITEMS FIRST. SO, UH, MADAM ATTORNEY, WHAT, WHAT SHOULD I CALL YOU? I KNOW YOUR NAME'S ANITA, BUT WHAT SHOULD I CALL YOU AT THE DAIS? THAT WORKS. MADAM ANITA, CITY ATTORNEY. UM, DO WE NEED TO LIKE, MAKE A MOTION OR HAS 19 AND 20 JUST BEEN AUTOMATICALLY WITHDRAWN? [00:50:01] THEY'VE BEEN AUTOMATICALLY WITHDRAWN ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL. OKAY, GREAT. WELL, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE ON MY LIST. FANTASTIC. OKAY, LET'S GO TO ITEM 18 PLEASE. COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN DEHUS, COUNCILWOMAN KERR, COUNCILMAN AUSTIN, RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE [18. 24-55131 Recommendation to request Community Development Department and City Attorney prepare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code with enhancements to assure property owners comply with code enforcement citations and that vacant lots and vacant storefronts are kept secure until they are developed or rented; Request Community Development Department to report to Economic Development and Opportunity Committee regarding the effectiveness of programs and controls to assure vacant lots and vacant storefronts are addressed to prevent blight; and Request Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to consider adding language in the Legislative Agenda to advocate greater support for code enforcement staffing and enforcement tools within state law and regulations.        Office or Department: Mary Zendejas, Councilwoman, First District; Megan Kerr, Councilwoman, Fifth District; Al Austin, Councilman, Eighth District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE WITH ENHANCEMENTS TO ASSURE PROPERTY OWNERS COMPLY WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT CITATIONS AND THAT VACANT LOTS AND VACANT STOREFRONTS ARE KEPT SECURE UNTIL THEY'RE DEVELOPED OR RENTED. REQUEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO REPORT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRAMS AND CONTROLS TO ASSURE VACANT LOTS AND VACANT STOREFRONTS ARE ADDRESSED TO PREVENT BLIGHT AND REQUEST INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER ADDING LANGUAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO ADVOCATE GREATER SUPPORT FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFFING AND ENFORCEMENT TOOLS WITHIN STATE LAW AND REGULATIONS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS ZEN DESK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THE GREATEST DUTY WE HAVE AS CITY COUNCIL IS TO WORK TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS. UM, WHAT I HEARD, UM, TIME AND TIME AGAIN IS THE SERIOUS IMPACTS THAT NUANCES, PROPERTIES AND VACANT LOTS AND STOREFRONTS HAVE ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR NEIGHBORS, UM, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL. BEING A PROPERTY OWNER COMES WITH BENEFITS AND ALSO RESPONSIBILITIES CITYWIDE. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT NEIGHBORS FEAR OUR, OUR NUISANCE CREATING BLIGHT, AND IN CERTAIN INSTANCES RESULTING IN SERIOUS HARM LIKE, UH, PREVENTABLE FIRES. UM, IT IS EVIDENT THAT OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED AND THAT, UM, NEW POLLS NEED TO BE CLOSED. WE MUST FIND A BALANCE THAT PROVIDES BOTH INCENTIVES BY FOR THE OWNERS AND PROHIBITS MEASURES THAT PREVENT NUANCES. THIS ITEM ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT OPTIONS IN VARIOUS WAYS IN, UM, INCLUDING WHAT, WHAT WILL WORK. UM, THIS ITEM IS NOT MEANT TO BE, UM, JUST A LIST, BUT RATHER A STARTING POINT THAT MOVES US TOWARDS CREATING A LONG LASTING SOLUTION. THERE ARE THREE CLEAR ASKS IN THIS ITEM AND LOTS OF PRELIMINARY IDEAS FOR STAFF TO CONSIDER IN BUILDING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNCIL. I EXPECT AND WELCOME QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES TO HELP GUIDE US THROUGH THIS ITEM. ALL RIGHT. WAS THERE A, A PRESENTATION? NO. OKAY. WELL, WE'LL KEEP GOING DOWN THE LIST. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, ZENDEJAS AND AUSTIN, UH, FOR BRINGING ME ON TO CO-SIGN THIS ITEM AS WELL AS DIRECTOR KUNTZ, UM, AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT AND RESEARCH THAT YOU'VE DONE THUS FAR. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE INCENTIVIZED PROPERTY OWNERS TO PURSUE THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THEIR BUILDINGS THROUGH ADAPTIVE REUSE, ZONING CHANGES AND OTHER, UM, INCENTIVES. UH, WE KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, BOTH HAVE A HAND IN THAT WORK, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S CRITICAL THAT PROPERTY OWNERS MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTY SO THEY DON'T CONTRIBUTE, UM, TO BLIGHT OR CREATE SAFETY CONCERNS. UH, WE KNOW THAT, UM, THREE DISTRICTS ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT I I WOULD IMAGINE THAT MOST COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN NAME AT LEAST ONE OR TWO PROPERTIES IN THEIR OWN DISTRICT, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN OF CONCERN. UH, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL IN DISTRICT FIVE AS WELL. UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE GOOD PROPERTY OWNERS WHO WORK WITH US, WHO RESPOND WHEN WE CALL AND ASK THEM TO DO SOMETHING. MANY OF THEM DO. THAT IS THE CASE FOR SURE. UH, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK FOR EVERYBODY, UM, AND NOT THE PERFECT MODEL. UH, SO LOOKING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING WITHIN THEIR ABILITIES, UM, TO IDENTIFY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES AND WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS, UM, AND WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL TO HELP PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, FIND GREAT TENANTS OR BUYERS. UM, WHILE ALL OF THAT IS HAPPENING, WE'RE SEEING SOME LOTS IN STOREFRONTS GOING VACANT FOR YEARS. A NUISANCE CONCERNS RESURFACING TIME AND TIME AGAIN AT SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES. UH, WE KNOW THAT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE NEAR THOSE PROPERTIES, IT'S BECOME INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING. MANY TAKING ON DOING SOME OF THE CLEANUP WORK THEMSELVES, UH, KEEPING OUR OFFICES ABREAST OF THAT AND WORKING, UH, OUR OFFICES, WORKING WITH CLEAN TEAM TO REMOVE SOMETIMES VERY DANGEROUS THINGS, UM, THAT HAPPEN IN THOSE PROPERTIES. UM, [00:55:02] SO WE KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT. WE HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS THAT LIVE HERE IN LONG BEACH, BUT WE ALSO INCREASINGLY HAVE MORE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO DON'T LIVE IN LONG BEACH AND WHO DON'T NECESSARILY SEE, UM, WHAT HAPPENS DAY AFTER DAY. AND WHEN WE'VE GOT FOLKS WHO COME OUT AND TAKE CARE OF IT AND CLEAN IT, UH, IT SOMETIMES IS 24 OR 48 HOURS LATER, WE TELL THE PROPERTY OWNER, THEY'RE LIKE, WE SENT SOMEONE OUT TO FIX IT. WE'RE LIKE, THAT WAS BEFORE. UM, SO THAT HAVING THE TOOLS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, ALONG WITH OUR OFFICES TO WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS IS, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO HERE. SO I APPRECIATE THE LOOK AT THE ORDINANCES, UM, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS. AND I ASK FOR THE SUPPORT FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS ITEM. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. I THINK, UH, YOU'VE BOTH SAID, UH, QUITE, QUITE A BIT ALREADY. UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ZENDEJAS AND, UH, CURVE FOR INVITING ME TO BE ON THIS ITEM. UH, OUR STAFFS HAVE DEFINITELY HAVE COLLABORATED, AND I THINK THIS IS AN ITEM THAT RESONATES WITH MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS IN MOST NEIGHBORHOODS, IN EVERY DISTRICT IN THE CITY. UH, VACANT STOREFRONTS AND LOTS ARE, UM, NOT ONLY IN SOR, BUT THEY NEGATIVELY IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WEAKEN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND DIMINISH THE VIBRANCY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, AND THEY'RE NOT ISOLATED, AS MENTIONED TO ONE AREA. UM, SOME AREAS HAVE MORE THAN OTHERS, BUT, UM, THEY ARE ALL OVER THE CITY AND, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY PRESENT CHALLENGES. UM, AND I, I CAN SPEAK FROM, FROM EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE SOME VERY GOOD PROPERTY OWNERS, PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY GREAT TO, TO WORK WITH. THEY CARE ABOUT THE CITY. THEY CARE ABOUT BEING GOOD, GOOD NEIGHBORS, GOOD COMMUNITY, UM, PARTNERS. UH, BUT THEN THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE COMPLETELY ABSENTEE. UH, AND I WANNA SAY THAT BACK IN 2022, UH, I INTRODUCED THE MOTION TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A VACANT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FEE OR TAX PROGRAM HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND THAT WENT THROUGH, UH, UH, MANY OF THE MACHINATIONS THAT THIS ITEM WILL GO THROUGH, THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE COMMITTEE, UH, AND COMMISSION. AND, UM, ULTIMATELY IT WASN'T, UH, ADOPTED. UM, IT GOT A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM, FROM THE COMMERCIAL, UH, REALTORS, UNDERSTANDABLY, AND BROKERS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT WAS BRINGING FOLKS TO THE TABLE. AND I THINK WE LEARNED A LOT, UM, THEN THAT WE CAN, WE CAN BUILD ON. UM, AND SO I'M VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM. UM, I BELIEVE THAT THIS ITEM WILL, WILL HOPEFULLY BUILD ON THE WORK, PROVIDING US WITH STRONGER TOOLS AND ENFORCEMENT TO HOLD, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE AND ENSURE THAT THESE, UH, UNATTENDED, VACANT LOTS IN STOREFRONTS ARE MAINTAINED PROPERLY UNTIL THEY'RE DEVELOPED AND RENTED OUT. UH, WE NEED THESE PROPERTY OWNERS TO, TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE CITY, UM, TO, TO BE PARTNERS IN TERMS OF VISIONING, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT, HOW CAN THESE, THESE PROPERTIES BE REPURPOSED. UM, AND THEN THERE'S A, THERE'S A PIECE ON THIS THAT I, THAT I REALLY THINK JUMPS OUT AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. UH, THE CITY DOES A LOT OF WORK. OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, THEY GET THE COMPLAINTS, THEY GO OUT, THEY ARE CITING THESE PROPERTIES. OFTENTIMES WE ARE, WE'RE CLEANING THESE UP. THERE NEEDS TO BE COST, UH, RECOVERY FOR THE CITY. AND, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT, UM, IN THIS ITEM. UM, AND SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE HOPEFULLY PUTTING IN AN ORDINANCE MOVING FORWARD. SO, UM, THIS ITEM HAS MY FULL SUPPORT. UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MY, MY RESIDENTS, UH, WOULD, WOULD, UH, WOULD CONCUR WITH THIS IN THE EIGHTH DISTRICT. AND, UH, I WOULD ASK THAT MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT IT AS WELL. ALRIGHT. UH, BEFORE WE CONTINUE, I'M JUST GONNA ADD AT MY COMMENTS AND, AND SUPPORT HERE. UH, I WILL TELL YOU, THE PANDEMIC KICKED US INTO AN EMERGENCY MODE. IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN WE WENT TO THE HOMELESS EMERGENCY. AND WHEN YOU PLACE A FOCUS LIKE THAT, SOME OF THE OTHER PRIORITIES FALL TO THE SIDE. AND, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THE COUNCIL BEGINNING TO PICK UP SOME ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN PRIORITIES FOR A LONG TIME IN LONG BEACH, LIKE THIS ISSUE. I KNOW COUNCILMAN AUSTIN'S DONE A LOT OF WORK. I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED AT FORECLOSURE REGISTRIES AND ALL THOSE THINGS IN THE PAST, AND WE DID AWARD AND WINNING WORK ON HOLDING ABSENTEE LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE AND IMPROVING, UM, UH, THE CONDITION OF VACANT PROPERTIES. AND I THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO GET BACK TO SOME OF THAT, UH, SOME OF THAT DISCUSSION. I THINK IT SHOULD BE A COLLABORATIVE. IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GET COMPLIANCE WHEN YOU HAVE A DIALOGUE AND A CONVERSATION, UH, WITH FOLKS. BUT I THINK, UH, I THINK THE TIMING IS RIGHT HERE. SO, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS AND KER AND, AND AUSTIN FOR, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBERS ZENDEJAS. THANK YOU, MIHIR. AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS. UH, ALSO WANTED TO, UM, THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND AUSTIN [01:00:01] FOR JOINING IN ON THIS ITEM AND ALSO, UM, FOR MAKING THOSE POINTS. YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I THINK THIS IS A CITYWIDE, UM, ISSUE THAT WE'RE FACING. AND, UM, EACH AND EVERYONE, UH, THUS CAN, CAN, HAS EXPERIENCED THIS IN OUR DISTRICTS. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE CITY STAFF TO DO IS, AS WE EXPLORE THIS, IS TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE REASONINGS ARE BEHIND WHAT IS CAUSING, UM, SOME OF OUR ABSENTEE, UM, LANDLORDS TO BE ABSENTEE. WHAT CAN WE DO AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COLLABORATIVE? BECAUSE I THINK THAT MAYOR, YOU, YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON THE HEAD WITH, UM, IT, WE NEED TO BE COLLABORATIVE AND WE NEED TO BRING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS A CITY ARE ALSO PROVIDING, UM, RESOURCES THAT HELP EVERYBODY, BUT ALSO THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO OUR RESIDENTS. I'VE HEARD THIS FROM DAY ONE FROM MY RESIDENTS, UM, THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE BLIGHT AND THE STOREFRONTS. UM, AND I KNOW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, HAS HEARD THIS FROM ME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. UM, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME, UM, TO START EXPLORING WHAT, HOW, WHAT WE CAN DO AND HOW WE CAN APPROACH THIS IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR ALLEN. I ALSO WANNA, UM, SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN ZENDEJAS AND COUNCILWOMAN KERR AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN, UH, FOR SIGNING ON TO THIS AND, UM, THEIR, UH, LEADERSHIP. UM, I AS STRONGLY SUPPORT THE ITEM 'CAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IT WILL STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS ISSUES, UM, WITH REGARDS TO, UH, SO MANY, UH, VACANT BUILDINGS AND APARTMENTS THAT, UM, WE ARE SEEING ACROSS THE CITY. I KNOW, UM, SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT TWO, UM, WE FIRST, I HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF PROPERTIES, UM, THAT, UM, HAVE TURNED INTO SERIOUS ISSUES. UM, AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WE HAVE ONE VACANT PROPERTY THAT IS LITERALLY TURNED INTO JUST A HUB FOR TRESPASSING, DRUG ACTIVITY, UM, ONGOING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, TRASH, GANG RELATED ACTIVITIES, CRIME. AND, UM, SO I THINK THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN ENHANCE SOME OF OUR, UH, ENFORCEMENT TOOLS AND HELP, UH, PREVENT ANY OF THESE SIMILAR SITUATIONS FROM SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL, ESPECIALLY THE PROPERTIES, UM, THAT, UM, AREN'T BEING, UH, MAINTAINED AND CAUSE UH, A RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COLLEAGUES FOR THIS ITEM. IT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, YOU KNOW, I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH MY COLLEAGUES OF WHAT THEY SHARED, BUT I, I, I DO AGREE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DO NEED, UH, IMPROVE, UH, LANGUAGE FOR ENFORCEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, BECAUSE WE DO SEE THAT, THAT THERE ARE LANDOWNERS OR LAND LANDLORDS THAT ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIVE TO MAKING SURE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IS CLEAN AND SAFE. BUT I ALSO DON'T ONLY WANNA HAVE A PUNITIVE APPROACH TO IT, UM, BECAUSE WE ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE WORK WITH THOSE WHO DO HAVE CHALLENGES OR NEED RESOURCES IN ORDER TO ACTIVATE OR FILL UP THESE STOREFRONT AND VACANT LOTS, WHICH IS WHY I HAD BROUGHT FORWARD AN ITEM WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RICK'S ODI, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHILE MANY THOUGHT IT WAS A SIDEWALK VENDING ITEM, IT WAS REALLY ABOUT VENDOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX ABOUT, WELL, WHILE WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH BUSINESSES STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO HAVE STOREFRONT, UM, MEANWHILE WE ALSO HAVE THESE VACANT, UM, STOREFRONTS AND LOTS. IT'S HOW DO WE BUILD A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, A PATHWAY FOR BUSINESS MICRO BUSINESS OWNERS TO GET TO A STOREFRONT. UM, AND ALSO A WAY FOR THE STOREFRONTS TO HAVE, UM, PERMANENT OR LONG-TERM, UH, RENTERS, RIGHT, OF THESE FACILITIES. SO I, I REALLY WANT US TO THINK THROUGH IT IN THAT LENS WHEN THE ITEM COMES BACK IN DECEMBER ABOUT HOW DO WE TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE WAY THAT MAYBE, UH, LANDOWNERS AND LANDLORDS THAT OWN THESE VACANT PROPERTIES BE ABLE TO FILL THEM SHORT TERM. CAN WE DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD INCENTIVIZE 'EM FOR SHORT, SHORT-TERM LEASE? BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME MICROBUSINESS OWNERS THAT MAYBE CAN'T AFFORD IT OR DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN CONTINUE TO STAY IN A PLACE. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IS SOMETHING I WANNA ADD BECAUSE, UH, WHILE WE WILL HAVE ENFORCEMENT, [01:05:01] WE DO NEED TO FILL THESE VACANT PROPERTIES, UM, AT SOME POINT AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE MICRO BUSINESS OWNER TO GETTING THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW GO TO, TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT. I SEE 10 MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO, TO SPEAK. PLEASE COME FORWARD WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME. ALICE CHEN SAIFE, LEANNA NOBLE, SANDY DVI, UM, CAROL SERGE, DR. TERRY TAN, KAIA LUTZ LUTZ, UH, BLAKE PEREZ, RYAN WOLFE, AUSTIN MATOYA. UH, LET'S SET THE CLOCK TO 90 SECONDS. PLEASE COME FORWARD. ALICE. HI. HELLO. UM, GOOD EVENING. IT'S THE FIRST TIME HERE. A LITTLE NERVOUS. UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, UM, ON, ON THIS RECOMMENDATION. UM, I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF JUMP TO THE HEART OF IT. I PARTICULARLY OBJECT TO THE PUNITIVE MEASURE OF THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THE CITY'S ABILITY TO ISSUE CRIMINAL CITATIONS, UH, SECURE CIVIL REMEDIES, ALL THAT, UH, REQUEST THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESTORE, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ABILITY TO PLACE LIENS. AGAIN, I THINK THESE ARE SEVERELY PUNITIVE. UM, AND I UNDERSTAND, OF COURSE, THE HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE. WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THIS VACANT LOTS ARE SAFE. BUT I ALSO WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE, UM, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTORS. YOU'RE NOT ON THE RECEIVING END OF THEM. MOST LIKELY YOU ARE NOT. I PERSONALLY HAD AN EXPERIENCE RECENTLY THAT SHOCKED ME. I'VE BEEN TERRIFIED. AND IT'S NIGHTMARISH TO DEAL WITH THEM. SO YOU HAVE TO KIND OF BE COGNITIVE, KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH DR. SORROWS. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND FULLY THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH. UM, MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTOR HAS BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. UM, THERE'S NO COLLABORATION, NO COOPERATION. THEY WON'T RETURN MY PHONE CALLS. UH, THE LAST TIME I GOT TO TALK TO HIM, HE SAID, DON'T, I THINK HE LITERALLY SAID TO ME, DON'T MESS WITH CITY OF LONG BEACH. I'M GONNA CITE YOU FOR COMPLIANCE AND I'LL HAVE YOU PAY A FINE . THERE IS LIKE NO COLLABORATION AT ALL. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS CONCLUDED TO LET YOU BE AWARE OF THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT IS TONIGHT. I JUST WANT TO HAVE A POINT OF ORDER. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, AND I'VE ASKED MADAM AND MR. CITY ATTORNEY HERE, I BELIEVE IT WAS, IF IT'S OVER 10, THAT YOU CAN REDUCE THE TIME. CORRECT. IT'S JUST 10 PEOPLE. YOU ALSO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME, UH, I'M JUST ASKING POINT OF ORDER. I THINK ONCE IT GETS TO 10 CHAIR, IT'S THE CHAIR'S DISCRETION. THE MAYOR HAS THE DISCRETION TO DECREASE THE MORE LIKE A GUIDELINE. OH, OKAY. OKAY. . YOU, YOU, OKAY, MAYOR. UM, SO NIGHT KIM, PHASE SIX, DISTRICT RESIDENT. UM, I'M FORMERLY, UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BELATED TO OUR SENIOR, UH, DELEGATE COUNCIL PERSON. UM, I'M FIRMLY IN THE BELIEF OF, UH, MAKING PEOPLE PAY FOR KEEPING THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKING TRASHY. UH, JUST, UH, ANECDOTALLY SPEAKING, SOMEBODY THREW A MATTRESS ON MY PROPERTY AND I GOT FINED. AND I LITERALLY LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM AN ABANDONED LOT WHERE THERE'S LIKE DOZENS OF MATTRESSES AND NO ONE'S GETTING FINED. SO HOW IS IT THAT SOMEONE WHERE I LIVE AT, I LIVE IN THE BUILDING THAT I OWN. UH, A RANDOM PERSON CAN JUST THROW A MATTRESS OUTTA THEIR CAR AND I HAVE TO PAY. BUT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PEOPLE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. IT'S NOT FAIR. YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE MULTIPLE, STILL TO THIS DAY, MULTIPLE EMPTY BLOCKS, UH, UM, EMPTY LOTS ON THESE BLOCKS. LONG BEACH CORRIDOR, PACIFIC CORRIDOR, UM, NOT EMPTY PER SE IN TERMS OF NOTHING ON TOP OF THEM, BUT EMPTY IN TERMS OF USAGE. AND IT, IT JUST, LOOK, IT MAKES THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T SUPPORT IT. WE'RE RESIDENTS, THESE PEOPLE THAT OWN THESE PROPERTIES HALF THE TIME, THEY DON'T EVEN LIVE IN LONG BEACH. THEY'RE ABSENTEE LANDLORDS AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THERE'S HUNDREDS OF NEEDLES, UH, UH, PILING UP AND, AND ALL TYPES OF FILTH. AND I THINK IT'S CRAZY THAT WE'LL SWEEP, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS, BUT WE WON'T MAKE THE PEOPLE THAT CREATE THE ENVIRONMENTS AND CONDITIONS THAT THEY'RE BEING PENALIZED FOR. WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO THEM. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EQUITABLE. SO MAKE THEM PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. AND YOU KNOW, CARL, MR. CARL, UH, WIGGLE ME. HE, HE NEEDS LIKE, THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED, WORKING FOR 'EM, NOT JUST ONE MAN, YOU KNOW. COME ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS LEANNA. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE NORTH PINE NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, WE HAVE MORE THAN 13 VACANT ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND LOTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THIS IS NOT A BIG NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, AND WE'RE ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN, SO IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO US. AND I'D BE WILLING TO BET MY SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK THAT NOT A DAMN ONE OF THOSE ABANDONED BUILDINGS NOR THE VACANT LOTS [01:10:01] ARE OWNED BY A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH. IN FACT, MANY OF THEM ARE OWNED BY A DEVELOPER. WE'VE HAD FIRES, WE HAVE HAD ROACH AND RAT INVESTMENTS, AND THEY DON'T STAY IN THOSE LOTS. THEY INVADE THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND ALL OF THIS PROPERTY IS SURROUNDED BY RESIDENTS, RENTERS, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR KIDS. WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK, WE LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, AND WE WANT TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT YOU. WE DO ASK THAT YOU AND THE STAFF CONSIDER ADDING TO YOUR GOALS, THE LANGUAGE THAT TALKS ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND HEALTH, BECAUSE BLIGHT DOES NOT BEGIN TO COVER WHAT THE, THE CRISIS IS HERE. AND WE'D ALSO LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER ADDING EQUITY AS A GOAL. WE, WE ARE INTERESTED IN BETTER FENCING AND BUILDING SECURITY AND ALL THAT EASY KIND OF STUFF, BUT WE REALLY WANT YOU TO THANK, LOOK AT, THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED, THE EQUITY AND THE SAFETY AND HEALTH. THANK YOU MS. NOBLE. ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS SANDY. AFTER SANDY IS CAROL. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. I'M REPRESENTING MY SISTER. I OWN THE PROPERTY IN ROSE PARK SOUTH, AND THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR HAS BEEN VACANT FOR 10 MONTHS. AND WE'VE HAD GRAFFITI. WE'VE SEEN UNHOUSED PEOPLE COME FROM THE CRAWLSPACE. WE JUST SAW TWO TONIGHT WHEN WE WERE LEAVING THE HOUSE AND WE SMELL FECES AND URINE. SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THIS. MY SISTER LIVES ALONE AND SHE IS SCARED MUCH OF THE TIME. THANKFULLY, SHE HAS A BIG DOG WHO BARKS, BUT THE DOG GOES OUT AND BARKS LATE AT NIGHT WHEN HE HEARS SOMEBODY IN THE YARD NEXT DOOR. WE'VE TRIED WORKING WITH THE OWNER WHO IS ABSENTEE AND HE KEEPS MAKING US WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE EMPTY PROMISES AT THIS POINT. WE'VE DEALT WITH GRAFFITI LIT CANDLES UNDER THE HOUSE RIGHT NEXT ABOUT THIS FAR FROM A WATER HEATER THAT WE HOPE TO GOODNESS THERE IS NO GAS ON IN THE HOUSE. UM, AND THERE IS ALSO AN ORANGE TREE WITH ROTTING ORANGES THAT DROP TO THE GROUND, THAT ATTRACT ALL KINDS OF VERMIN. UM, THERE ARE OVERGROWN WEEDS. WE'VE ACTUALLY PAID OUR OWN GARDENER TO, TO, UH, FLATTEN THE WEEDS. AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 10 MONTHS. A PROPERTY AROUND THE CORNER SOLD TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS ONE, AND HAD A COMPLETE REFURBISH OF THE HOUSE AND A SEPARATE A DU BUILT, AND IT'S ALREADY ON THE MARKET 10 MONTHS LATER. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED. A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, DECREPIT HOUSE. AND IT'S, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT CAROL, AFTER CAROL SERGI IS DR. TERRY TAME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON. UH, I'M A HOMEOWNER AND RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR 17 YEARS, AND FOUNDER OF BEAUTIFY PINE AND ALL VOLUNTEER GROUP OF NEIGHBORS WHO WEEKLY MEET TO MAINTAIN THE PLANTERS ON PINE AVENUE BETWEEN FOURTH AND SEVENTH STREET WEEKLY, WE WALK BY A BURNED OUT STRUCTURE ON PINE AND SEVENTH, 6 55 PINE FOR THE ADDRESS AND OBSERVE THE IMPACT, IMPACT THIS HAS ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY. FREQUENT BREAK-INS OCCUR AND CREATE DRUG DEALING FIRES AND CRIME. MY FRIEND KEVIN, LIVES IN A BEAUTIFUL VOLTA APARTMENT OVERLOOKING THIS BURNED OUT BUILDING. UH, THE ABSENTEE LANDLORD LIES ON AND YOUNG ON HAVE BEEN, UH, CONTACTED BY D-L-B-A-N-P-N-A. AND, UH, THAT WAS AUGUST, 2020. WHAT, WHAT IS IT NOW? THIS IS, UH, OCTOBER, 2024. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO OUR CITY COUNCIL WOMAN'S OFFICE, MARY ZENDEJAS, ASKING FOR HELP. WE'VE ASKED CODE ENFORCEMENT, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, ALL TO NO AVAIL. FINALLY, I AND MS. NOBLE WROTE A LETTER TO THE OWNERS AND HAND DELIVERED IT TO THEIR HOME IN CERRITOS. UH, THERE WAS NO ONE ANSWERED. UH, IF THERE'S NO ACTION SOON, UH, WE ARE, UH, DOING A LONG, UH, LONG PLAN, PICKETING AND SHAMING OF THE, UH, OWNERS OF THIS PROPERTY AND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS CONCLUDED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT IS DR. TERRY. HELLO. AND THEN CASIA. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THANK YOU, UM, MS. MARY ZENDEJAS, COUNCIL MEMBER MARY [01:15:01] ZENDEJAS FOR BRINGING THIS UP. UM, I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK, BUT I'M SITTING HERE THINKING I REALLY SHOULD. I'D LIKE TO BUILD ON FROM LIANA NOBLE, FROM NORTH PINE AND ALSO SANDY. SANDY, UH, I JUST MET NOW, BUT SHE SAID HER SISTER HAS BEEN AT HER PLACE FOR 10 MONTHS. WELL, WE HAVE A MEDICAL CLINIC AND FOR FOUR WHOLE YEARS WE'VE BEEN LIVING WITH IN A NIGHTMARE SITUATION, BECAUSE I LIVE, BE WE, WE DON'T LIVE THERE. IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR, UM, BUSINESS, WHICH IS CALLED CARING PEDIATRICS AT 9 36 PINE BETWEEN 9 27 AND 9 37, AND I THINK 9 47, THE HALL OF PINE BETWEEN NINTH AND 10TH STREET IS, IS A NIGHTMARE. AND WHY WE DON'T LIVE THERE, BUT WE CARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND WE CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS. UM, WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL JUSTICE IS, IS A NOBLE THING, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT HEALTH EQUITY IS VERY IMPORTANT. IMAGINE HAVING CHILDREN WHO CANNOT COME IN FOR VACCINATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING HARASSED OR THEY CAN'T PARK THEIR CAR, OR THERE WAS A FIRE AS THERE WAS LAST WEEK AND SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THAT. AND THERE'S SENDERS EVERYWHERE AND THERE IS, UM, TRASH KNEEHIGH FROM THE GUTTERS ALL THE WAY TRASH AND OIL SPILLS AND WHAT HAVE YOU. THANK YOU. ON THE SIDE, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. SO ALL I WANNA SAY IS HELP JUSTICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CASIA AND THEN BLAKE. MY NAME IS KLUTZ AND I LIVE IN THE BIXBY HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, I'M A MEMBER OF THE BIXBY HY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF THE BIXBY HIGHLAND CLEAN STREETS TEAM. I'M A LONG TIME WATCHER, FIRST TIME SPEAKER. I THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS, AUSTIN KERR AND ZENDEJAS FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE. AS CLEAN STREET'S MEMBERS, WHEN WE ARE OUT PICKING TRASH, WE REGULARLY ENCOUNTER THE SAME BLIGHT THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXIST FOR YEARS, LIKE THE VACANT BUILDING ON ORANGE AVENUE NEAR CARSON. THAT HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINTS FOR YEARS, FROM EVERYTHING FROM TRASH DUMPS TO UNHOUSED ACTIVITY, GRAFFITI, AND USE AS A PUBLIC URINAL, OR THE EMPTY LOT AT THE CORNER OF ORANGE AND MARKET, WHERE TRASH AND DEBRIS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO ACCUMULATE FOR A LONG TIME AND IS TRULY AN EYESORE IN THESE INSTANCES AND SO MANY OTHERS. THE QUESTION IS, IS ALWAYS, WHY DOESN'T THE CITY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? WE HOPE WITH THESE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, THE CITY CAN PUT SOME TEETH INTO CODE ENFORCEMENT AND MAKE THE DEPARTMENT, UM, MORE RESPONSIVE TO CITIZENS. EVEN THOUGH THESE SAMPLE EXAMPLES ARE OF PRIVATE PROPERTY, THEY HAVE AN OUTSIZED NEGATIVE PUBLIC PUBLIC IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY. PSYCHE. IN CLOSING, I AGAIN, COMMEND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED IS IMPORTANT, UH, IMPORTANT ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT IS BLAKE, THEN RYAN. GOOD EVENING, HONOR MAYOR, MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS BLAKE PEREZ. I'M WITH THE BUILDING OWNERS AND MANAGERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER LOS ANGELES. UM, I APPRECIATE HEARING ON THE D UH, THIS EVENING THE EMPHASIS ON COLLABORATION. UH, OBVIOUSLY OUR INDUSTRY HAS SUFFERED FROM SIGNIFICANT VACANCY CHALLENGES, AND WE JUST WANNA ENSURE THAT THE VACANCY ENFORCEMENT MEASURES DON'T ENSNARE GOOD FAITH PROPERTY OWNERS. AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE WRITTEN IS DONE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT BALANCES THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY ENFORCEMENT TOOLS, BUT ALSO CAN, UH, HELP AND SUPPORT, UM, THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE TRYING TO FILL SPACES. BECAUSE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU WANT YOUR SPACE TO BE FILLED WITH A BUSINESS TO BE ACTIVE. AND OFTENTIMES, VACANCIES ARE CAUSED BY AND, UH, ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. THEY'RE CAUSED BY LOCAL ORDINANCES OR CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT MAYBE INHIBIT THE TYPE OF PROP, UH, TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO MOVE INTO THE PROPERTY, UH, AS WELL AS JUST THE, THE CHANGE OF WORK THAT WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING AND MOVING TOWARDS THE HYBRID ROLE. SO, UH, EVEN THOUGH MANY OF OUR VACANCIES ARE WITHIN OFFICE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES, THEY DO HAVE AN IMPACT DOWN, UH, ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF EVERYTHING. UM, BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR ASK IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, THAT THERE IS TIME TO DEVELOP A POLICY THAT THREADS THAT NEEDLE AND CONTINUES INCENTIVIZING. FILLING IN THESE SPACES GIVES TIME FOR THOSE INCENTIVES THAT TAKE PLACE. UH, ADAPTIVE REUSE, UH, CODE CHANGES, ZONING CHANGES, THAT ALL TAKES [01:20:01] TIME TO BE IMPLEMENTED, UM, AND GIVE THE TOOLS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE MORE CHALLENGING AREAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RYAN, AND THEN AUSTIN. UM, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. RYAN WOLFE WITH, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF WILMORE CITY HERITAGE ASSOCIATION, AND, UH, DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS MOVING FORWARD. UM, WOULD JUST LIKE TO LIFT UP A COUPLE THINGS. ONE, WHILE THE CONVERSATION RELEASE ON VACANT PROPERTIES, I THINK THIS ALSO APPLIES MORE BROADLY TO CODE ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL. AND SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH TWO PROPERTIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. ONE IS, WHICH, WHICH IS A VACANT PROPERTY. AND THE OTHER, WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE LANDLORDS YOU WOULD CALL, LIKE NEGLIGENT IN TERMS OF NOT TAKING CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY. AND THIS IS AN OCCUPIED BUILDING. UM, AND IN THIS CASE, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS EFFECTIVELY COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY, INCLUDING CODE ENFORCEMENT, LONG BEACH PD. 'CAUSE THERE WAS LOTS OF, THERE WAS LOTS OF, UH, POLICE CALLS TO THIS 90 A MONTH ON AVERAGE. UM, WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND, AND WITH OUR COUNCIL OFFICE ON THIS. AND IN THAT SENSE, THE COLLABORATION I THINK WAS REALLY CRITICAL. WE RECOGNIZED THAT THERE IS A LACK OF, UM, OF RESOURCES FOR THE CITY. AND SO WE WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION TO BE A PART OF THIS BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS TO LOOK AT METRICS SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST HOW MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT REFERRALS THERE ARE, BUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER METRICS AS WELL THAT CAN INDICATE A NEED TO FOCUS ON A PROPERTY. BECAUSE IN SOME SENSE, WHILE WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE PUNITIVE, THERE ARE CERTAIN LANDLORDS WHO DO NEED, WHO DO NEED PUNITIVE ACTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS ONE OF THEM. SO DEFINITELY SUPPORT PUTTING FORTH AN, UH, A FRAMEWORK FOR INCENTIVES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE WE DO NEED PUNITIVE MEASURES IN SOME CASES TO GO TO ACTION. ON BEHALF OF THESE, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THIS AND DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AUSTIN. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS AUSTIN MATRE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE. I'M HERE, UH, TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL THIS EVENING REGARDING VACANT PROPERTIES. UM, DOWNTOWN, UH, UNFORTUNATELY SINCE THE END OF THE COVID TO 19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN CHALLENGED WITH SEVERAL VACANT PROPERTIES AND VACANT LOTS. UM, WHETHER THE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN STALLED FROM DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER THEY'RE IN PROCESS OF BEING SOLD OR LEASE, UM, THEY ARE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY A NUISANCE TO OUR RESIDENTS, OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. UM, AS A PROPERTY-BASED DISTRICT, OUR JOB IS TO MAINTAIN A VIBRANT AND HEALTHY DOWNTOWN TO CLEAN AND PROVIDE SAFETY SERVICES. WE FIND THAT A LOT OF THE TIMES OUR OWN SAFETY AMBASSADORS AND CLEAN TEAM MEMBERS ARE EXPENDING A LOT OF RESOURCES AND TIMES ON THESE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES. NOT A LOT, BUT ON THESE PROPERTIES ARE TAKING AWAY A LOT OF OUR TIME AND RESOURCES. RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ARE TAKING THE TIME TO CLEAN UP THESE AREAS. AND SO WE ARE CHALLENGED BY THE FACT THAT THERE AREN'T, UM, CLEAR, UH, MECHANISMS TO ENFORCE, UH, SOME OF THESE NUISANCE BEHAVIORS, UM, TO INCLUDE OR TO ENSURE THE FACT THAT, UM, LANDSCAPING IS MAINTAINED, BUILDINGS ARE SECURED, UH, BUILDINGS ARE CLEANED UP, UH, AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE, ARE MAINTAINING THOSE. UM, AS WHAT WAS STATED EARLIER, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE A BALANCED APPROACH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, TO ALLOW FOR THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THOSE PROPERTIES, BUT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO, UH, INCENTIVIZE THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS TO MAINTAIN THEM AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN AUSTIN, YOU QUEUED UP AGAIN. OKAY. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. 21, PLEASE. A REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO SJD AND B FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAMONA AND SILVERADO PARK PLAYGROUND PROJECTS FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 3,035,432, DISTRICT SEVEN AND NINE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, DO WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION ON THIS? YES, WE DO. WE'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU, UH, TWO AMAZING PLAYGROUNDS [21. 24-55042 Recommendation to adopt Plans and Specification R-7248 and award a contract to SJD&B, Inc., of Walnut, CA, for construction of the Ramona and Silverado Park Playground Projects, in a total amount of $2,759,484, authorize a 10 percent contingency in the amount of $275,948, for a total contract amount not to exceed $3,035,432, and authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (Districts 7, 9)       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME ON THE WEST SIDE AND IN, UH, NORTH LONG BEACH. UH, SO WE'LL GIVE THAT SHORT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, UH, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, I'M GOING TO, UH, GO THROUGH, UH, BOTH OF THE PLAYGROUNDS, REALLY WANNA SHOW YOU THE CONCEPT OF THE DESIGNS. UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO I INITIATING CONSTRUCTION ON THIS PROJECT WITH YOUR APPROVAL TODAY ON THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT. UH, THE, UH, FIRST PLAYGROUND, UH, THAT, UH, WE HAVE HERE IS THE, UH, RAMONA PARK, UH, SIGNATURE, UH, PLAYGROUND. UH, WE, WE HAVE, UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO REPLACE, UH, THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, [01:25:01] UH, WITH A NEW AND INSPIRING INC INCLUSIVE PLAY EQUIPMENT SET. UH, THE GOAL IS TO ENHANCE THE OVERALL USER EXPERIENCE AND IMPROVE SOME OF THE AND, UM, ADJACENT AMENITIES AS WELL. AND ALSO IMPROVING A DA ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE SITE, UM, AND WITHIN THE PLAYGROUND ITSELF. UM, SO HERE'S ONE OF THE MEN, UH, RENDERINGS, THE DESIGN TEAM FOR, UH, THIS PLAYGROUND IS UNDER THE SEA. UH, WE ARE TRYING SOMETHING NEW, UM, IN OUR PLAYGROUND STRUCTURES, UH, BOTH THIS PLAYGROUND AND THE NEXT ONE I'M GONNA SHOW YOU DO INCLUDE MISTERS, UH, TO, UH, TO HELP WITH THE COOLING OFF EFFECT, ESPECIALLY DURING, UH, SUMMER, UH, AFTERNOONS EVENINGS. UM, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, UM, TO THAT, TO THAT AMENITY. UH, BUT HERE'S ANOTHER, UH, RENDERING OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING, UH, TO BUILD. UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES THE SHADE STRUCTURES, WHICH, WHICH ALSO WILL HELP WITH THE, UH, COOLING EFFECT AND INCLUDES SOME, UH, INCLUSIVE, UH, AMENITIES INCLUDING, UH, THE, UH, SOME SWINGS AND, UH, AND OTHER, UH, PLAY AREAS. UM, THE, UH, THERE THERE'S ALSO A TOT LOT, UH, PLAYGROUND, UH, THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO BUILD FOR AGES, UH, TWO TO FIVE. AND YOU HAVE, YOU SEE SOME OF THE, UH, PICTURES ON, ON THIS SLIDE, UH, FOR THE SECOND PLAYGROUND, THE SILVERADO, UH, PARK PLAYGROUND. UM, WE ALSO GOT SOME, UM, UH, EXTERNAL FUNDING, UH, FOR BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS. IT HAD SOME EXTERNAL FUNDING, UM, AND SOME, UH, INTERNAL CITY OF LONG BEACH MEASURE A FUNDING AS WELL, UH, FOR SILVERADO PARK. WE'RE ALSO REPLACING THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND, UM, AND, UH, HAVING SIMILAR, UH, SITE, UH, AMENITIES, UH, AND IMPROVEMENTS, UM, FOR, UH, THIS, UH, PLAYGROUND DESIGN. UH, WE DID GO, UH, WITH, UH, WITH A, UM, A THEME THAT WAS INSPIRED BY THE ADJACENT MURAL. WE ARE THE SEEDS. UM, AND, UH, WE TOOK THAT AND WE DESIGNED, UM, THE PLAYGROUND, THE, THE RENDERINGS THAT YOU SEE HERE, UH, REPRESENTED THE DESIGN. UM, ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE UNIQUE FEATURES FOR THIS ONE IS THE BEANSTALK. UM, AND, UH, AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE THERE. UM, AND THEN THIS, UH, ONE WILL ALSO INCLUDE MRS. UH, FOR COOLING, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER. UM, SO I'M GONNA SHOW, UH, HERE'S THE, THE PICTURE, THE RENDERING OF THE, UH, PROPOSED TOT LOT FOR KIDS AGES TWO TO FIVE. AND, AND YOU SEE SOME OF THE, UM, SOME OF THE DETAILS THAT ARE ON THE SIDE. UH, SO THE OVERALL BUDGETS FOR, UH, FOR BOTH PROJECTS ARE, UM, UH, WE HAVE BETWEEN 2.4 AND 2.7 MILLION, UH, THAT, UH, FUNDS THAT WILL BE FUNDING THESE, UH, THESE PROJECTS. OUR NEXT STEPS WITH YOUR APPROVAL TODAY IS TO EXECUTE THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AND TO START CONSTRUCTION IN EARLY 2025. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, JUST DO I HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM MY, MY COLLEAGUES? I'M WAITING FOR MY SCREEN TO POP UP. I THINK BOTH FOLKS AREN'T HERE NINE AND SEVEN, BUT I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN SUPER EXCITED IN SUPPORTING THESE PROJECTS, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANKS, DIRECTOR LOPEZ AND I DIDN'T WANNA POINT OUT, THEY, UH, JUST LIKE THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, THEY ARE VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE. THEY ALSO WANT THESE TO HAPPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, SO DIDN'T WANNA WAIT EVEN A WEEK, UH, UNTIL THEY WERE BACK. UH, THEY, UH, WANTED US TO MOVE AHEAD SO WE CAN BRING THIS TO THE COMMUNITY QUICKLY. ALRIGHT. UM, COUNCILMAN AUSTIN, AND AS A PARK BUILDING ENTHUSIAST, THIS, UH, WARMS MY HEART TO BE ABLE TO SEE THESE, UH, NEW PLAYGROUNDS COME INTO FRUITION, UM, IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND NINE. AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A MESSAGE TO THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT EIGHT. SHEAR PARK IS NEXT. THANK YOU, . YEAH, I THINK THESE, UH, I, I'M ABSOLUTELY EXCITED WHEN I SAW THE SILVERADO THAT WAS A PARK I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN AS A KID AND, UH, WE SURE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS. SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THESE PROJECTS HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF OUR UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS. SO, GREAT JOB. ALRIGHT, WITH THAT. UM, I DON'T SEE WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC, UH, SPEAKERS. NO. ALRIGHT. UH, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. UM, ITEM 22, REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH GRANITE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR THE ARTESIA GREAT BOULEVARD PROJECT FOR A REVISED TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 42,802,890 [22. 24-55040 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 36409 with Granite Construction Company, of Watsonville, CA, for the Artesia Great Boulevard Project, to increase the contract contingency amount by $6,585,060 (an additional 20 percent) for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $42,802,890; Increase appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund Group, Capital Projects Grant Fund, in the Public Works Department by $2,836,000, of which $2,656,000 is offset by Metro Measure R MTAMOU-2020 grant funds per Amendment Number 4 to the funding agreement between the City of Long Beach and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and $180,000 is offset by a grant for the Clean California Grant Program; and Increase appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund Group in the Public Works Department by $2,836,000, of which $2,656,000 is offset by transfer of Metro Measure R MTAMOU-2020 grant funds and $180,000 is offset by a grant for Clean California Grant Program from the Capital Projects Grant Fund. (Districts 8, 9)       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] DISTRICTS EIGHT AND NINE. WONDERFUL. OKAY. UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. [01:30:01] MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. ITEM 23, REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS. RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH PETROCHEM MATERIALS INNOVATION FOR FURNISHING AND DELIVERING AS NEEDED, PRE-MIXED [23. 24-55041 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any necessary subsequent amendments, with Petrochem Materials Innovation, LLC, of Carlsbad, CA, for furnishing and delivering as-needed premix rubberized emulsion slurry (REAS) and related equipment, on the same terms and conditions afforded to the City of Los Angeles on contract No. ARC 24-060, in a total annual amount not to exceed $3,000,000, until the City of Los Angeles contract expires on February 28, 2027, with the option to renew for as long as the City of Los Angeles contract is in effect, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] RUBBERIZED EMULSION SLURRY AND RELATED EQUIPMENT IN A TOTAL ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 3 MILLION CITYWIDE. WONDERFUL. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. UM, ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? NO. OKAY. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ITEM 24, MOTION IS CARRIED. ITEM 24, A REPORT FROM CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE BY AMENDING SECTION 18.0 4.070 RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY OF PERMITEE RED AND ADOPTED AS RED CITYWIDE. WONDERFUL. I'M COUNCILMAN KERR. YES. I HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS ITEM AS MY HUSBAND WORKS FOR A SUBCONTRACTOR WHO HAS DONE WORK FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, MOTION AND SECOND. AND I SEE WE HAVE A PUBLIC SPEAKER. MR. RAY LAWSON, COME ON UP. GOOD EVENING. UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THIS, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY FOR US TO SEE THIS COME BEFORE THE THE COUNCIL AND GET IT PASSED. UH, FIRST OFF, WE, [24. 24-55043 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending Section 18.04.070 relating to the requirement and responsibility of permittee, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)       Office or Department: City Attorney         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] UH, LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT, UH, AL AUSTIN, JODY, RICK OTI, AND SUE LEE FOR, UM, STEPPING UP AND, AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN AND, AND GETTING IT, UM, THIS FAR. UH, BUT WE ALSO LIKE TO, UM, JUST REMIND, UH, CITY COUNCIL, IF YOU SAW THE NEWS YESTERDAY, THERE WAS A EXPLOSION OF A A DU, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE GOT SECOND, THIRD DEGREE BURNS ON THEIR BODY. UM, SEE THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PREVENT HERE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT BUILT THAT A DU, IT COULD HAVE, UM, EASILY, UH, NOT BEEN FOLLOWING THE RULES, UH, AND THE REGULATIONS THAT IT TAKES TO BILL THAT. BUT ALSO YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT HOW DID THEY GET PAID? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF WORK, UH, THAT'S BEING DONE THERE, AND HOW ARE THEY BEING PAID TO DO THAT WORK? SO THAT'S WHAT THIS ORDINANCE IS ABOUT. IT'S, IT IS TO ADD TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE CONTRACTORS THAT DO WORK IN LONG BEACH THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD FOR YEARS. AND TO SEE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING THE WORK PROFESSIONALLY SAFE, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING PAID CORRECTLY. UM, WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE WORK RIGHT HERE IN LONG BEACH. THESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS HERE THAT COME HERE TONIGHT, THEY DO THAT WORK. AND WE WANT TO JUST A FAIR PLAYING FIELD TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN LONG BEACH IS BEING DONE CORRECT AND EVERYONE'S GETTING PAID A FAIR LIVABLE WAGE AND THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES IN THE FUTURE. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR MOVING THIS, THIS FAR ALONG AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING IT AND, UH, WE'LL JUST KEEP GOING AND KEEP, UH, FIGHTING AND ENSURING THAT EVERYONE IN LONG BEACH GETS PAID CORRECTLY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU CARPENTERS FOR COMING OUT. UM, ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? LET'S VOTE AND MAKE IT OFFICIAL. IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY. ALL RIGHT, COUNSEL, LET'S DO IT. CAST UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS. ALRIGHT. UM, ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO, AND IF YOU COULD JUST LINE UP, LET'S SEE. SO LOU, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE ANTHONY. UM, MS. WILLIAMS, [ 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. ] YOU GUYS CAN LINE UP PLEASE AND TATIANA WILLIAMS. SO, LOU, ANTHONY HOLMES, TATIANA WILLIAMS, IF YOU GUYS COULD LINE UP PLEASE. AND ANDY KERN IS THE FOURTH SPEAKER AND ANDY KERN. ANDY KERN, CLEAR. I KNOW. LET'S BE CLEAR. ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD. YOU'RE UP. HELLO, MY NAME IS LOU ROSEN AND I'M ONE OF THE 60% OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WHO RENT THEIR HOMES. I'M HERE TODAY ON THIS TENANT DAY OF ACTION TO CALL IN CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION ON BEHALF OF ALL LONG BEACH TENANTS AND PASS A MORATORIUM ON SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTION. ONE OF THE SPEAKERS EARLIER TRIED TO DOWNPLAY THAT ONLY 150 OF THE EVICTIONS IN LONG [01:35:01] BEACH IN THE PAST YEAR HAD BEEN FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL THAT IS SO MANY, THAT IS 150 FAMILIES WITH POTENTIALLY NOWHERE TO GO, THAT'S 150 OR MORE CHILDREN WHO CAN'T GET THEIR SCHOOLWORK DONE, WHO CAN'T GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SLEEP AT NIGHT. HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY DO SCHOOLWORK? HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY FUNCTION AND GROW UP TO BE THE KIND OF CITIZENS THAT WE WANT IN OUR CITY? WE'VE SEEN MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CALIFORNIA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION COME AND TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAS A SEAT AT THE TABLE THAT IS NOT, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING SOUND LIKE AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD WHEN IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT. THE CALIFORNIA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION RECEIVES VERY LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM COMPANIES. IF YOU TAKE JUST FOUR OF THEIR LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS, UDR, ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST, AVALON BAY COMMUNITIES AND EQUITY RESIDENTIAL, THOSE ARE FOUR COMPANIES WITH ASSETS TOTALING $60 BILLION. WE CANNOT ACT LIKE IT'S AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD BETWEEN $60 BILLION AND THE LONG BEACH FAMILIES WHO ARE ONLY ONE MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR JOB LOSS AWAY FROM HOMELESSNESS, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE RECENT ORDERS FROM GOVERNOR NEWSOM. HOMELESSNESS HAS BECOME A VERY QUICK PATH TO INCARCERATION NOW IN THIS STATE WITH THE REPEAL OF GRANTS PASS VERSUS JOHNSON. UM, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE, TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE IN THE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH WHO HAVE NO OTHER RECOURSE FROM THOSE WHO WISH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM. FROM THE VAST MAJORITY OF LANDLORDS IN THIS CITY THAT ARE PREDATORY VERY, VERY LARGE CORPORATIONS WITH NO TIES TO OUR CITY, WITH NO TIES TO OUR CULTURE AND WHO WISH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY'S RENTERS, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE ACTION FOR WHAT MAY FEEL LIKE A SMALL NUMBER OF FAMILIES, BUT WHAT I PROMISE WILL HAVE A VERY, VERY POSITIVE EFFECT ON OUR CITY'S CULTURE. IF YOU CAN PASS THIS MORATORIUM ON SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS IMMEDIATELY, DO NOT LET A SINGLE OTHER FAMILY GET EVICTED. DO NOT LET A SINGLE CHILD NOT KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SLEEP. PASS THIS MORATORIUM. THANK YOU YOU LOU, FOR COMING UP. ALRIGHT. UM, ANTHONY HOLMES, YOU'RE UP NEXT. ANTHONY, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY, TATIANA. OKAY. HE'S NOT HERE. OKAY, NO WORRIES. TATIANA WILLIAMS, YOU'RE NEXT. IS TATIANA HERE? ALL RIGHT. ANDY KERN, HOW Y'ALL DOING? I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THIS. I DUNNO HOW YOU DO IT. I REALLY, I'M LOOKING, I'M THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN HERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS DO THIS ANYWAY, I'M COMING UP HERE AS A LONE WOLF TYPE OF THING. UH, I'VE BEEN RACING S SAILBOATS MY WHOLE LIFE. I I DID SOME OLYMPIC, UH, CAMPAIGNS, TRY TO GET TO THE OLYMPICS A COUPLE TIMES. I'M THINKING ABOUT DOING IT AGAIN AT MY ADVANCED AGE. UM, MY PROBLEM IS I HAVE A BOAT ON THE BEACH, OKAY? AND, AND ACTUALLY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DUGAN, IT'S, IT'S ON IN YOUR AREA AS YOU KNOW. IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE, UH, ALAMEDA SPI CLUB BAT ON A STEAK. I'VE BEEN WAITING TO GET A STEAK FOR YEARS. I FINALLY GOT ONE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. UH, THEY'RE TELLING ME I HAVE A MAST, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW WHAT IT IS. IT, IT, IT EXTENDS FROM INSIDE, GOES INSIDE BOAT, HOLDS THE SAIL ON, AND THEY'RE SAYING THAT IT'S ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE FOUR FEET TALL. AND THAT INCLUDES THE, THAT INCLUDES THE BOAT. OKAY. SO BASICALLY THEY'RE TELLING ME I HAVE TO TAKE MY MASK DOWN, WHICH TAKES ME TO TAKE IT DOWN AND UP AND MOVE IT SOMEWHERE. TAKES ME TWO HOURS. SO IT JUST, IT TAKES ME OFF THE WHOLE EQUATION. I, THIS HAPPENED TO ME LAST YEAR WHEN LIKE, SO YOU KNOW, THIS, NOTHING EVER HAPPENED FOR YEARS. AND THEN LAST YEAR THEY SAY, YOU HAVE A MASSIVE, I GO, WHAT? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. BUT ANYWAY, THE, THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS I WENT TO THE P AND A, DO YOU GUYS FAMILIAR WITH THAT? THE PENINSULA ASSOCIATION. AND I, FOR SOME REASON, THESE GUYS WERE EXTREMELY NICE TO ME. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. HOWARD HAMLIN AND A GENTLEMAN NAMED PETER HOGENSON, UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY, I THINK IT WAS THIS YEAR. HE WAS A VERY NICE GENTLEMAN. THEY HELPED ME OUT. THEY HAD, THEY HAD DOCUMENTATION OF HAVING A MASKED UP POSITION, AND HE, HE HAD ALL THIS DOCUMENTATION IN THIS EMAIL WHERE, YOU KNOW, MY BOAT WOULD, WOULD DEFINITELY BE IN A MAED UP POSITION. I EVEN TOOK PICTURES OF WHERE MY BOAT IS. MY MAST IS NOWHERE IN, IN, UH, ANYBODY'S VISION OF SITE WITH THE BEAUTIFUL WATER IN FRONT OF THEIR CONDOS. OBVIOUSLY, THEY DON'T WANT, THEY DON'T WANT THAT IN FRONT OF THEIR, THEIR, THEIR CONDO. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU COULD DO TO PLEASE, UH, I CAN, I CAN SEND THIS TO YOU. I, I BROUGHT THIS TO YOU GUYS. I DON'T THINK I CAN BRING THIS UP TO YOU. I DON'T OR CAN [01:40:01] I? OKAY. THANK YOU. I ALSO HAVE A PICTURE I TRY TO PUT TOGETHER. I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU. MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. I I COULDN'T PRINT IT OUT, BUT IF YOU COULD PLEASE JUST SAY, LOOK, THIS GUY'S NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG. I'VE ALSO GOT A, UH, LETTER FROM A LADY, A NOTE FROM A LADY SAYING IT WOULD BE OKAY. I WOULD JUST REALLY APPRECIATE BIG TIME. I'M KIND OF BEGGING MS. DUGAN, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME HERE IN THAT AREA. UM, THEY'LL JUST LET ME HAVE THE MAST UP BECAUSE IF, IF I CAN'T HAVE THE MAST UP, I, I JUST CAN'T, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PRACTICE EFFICIENTLY AND IT'S NOT GONNA, IT'S JUST NOT GONNA WORK FOR ME. UH, IT'S KIND OF MY DREAM TO TRY TO DO THIS. THE OLYMPICS ARE GONNA BE IN LONG BEACH, UH, 2028. IT'D BE, IT'D BE REALLY NICE IF YOU COULD JUST, I'M NOT HURTING ANYBODY, BUT ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN, UH, THE HEAD OF THE MARINE BUREAU SAID, IF ANYBODY ON THE WHOLE PENINSULA COMPLAINS ABOUT YOUR MAST, YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT DOWN. BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT IN THE WAY OF ANYBODY. IT'S NOT MAKING ANY NOISE. AND THAT MASK, THEY, THEY DID TALK ABOUT A MASKED UP POSITION. THE MARINE BUREAU GUY, YOU'LL SEE IN THE NOTATION, TALKED ABOUT A MASKED UP POSITION. I'M GONNA LET YOU GO. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, THANK YOU. AND YOU CAN WORK WITH YOUR COUNCILWOMAN ON THAT. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO. AND, UH, NOW WE'LL GO TO ANNOUNCEMENTS IN ADJOURNMENT. SO ANYONE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? CAN I MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS? UM, NO. SO, UM, WERE YOU, YOU WEREN'T SIGNED UP. I'M SORRY. YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP. UM, THAT, THAT'S THE RULES. I APOLOGIZE. OKAY. UM, AND HI, UM, WHO'S ON THE, OKAY. UH, COUNCILWOMAN SUE LEE SORROW. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. SO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS, UM, BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND I'M HAPPY TO SPONSOR, UH, NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCHES DOING, UM, AN EVENT TO DO FREE MAMMOGRAM AS WELL AS DENTAL SERVICES, VISION SERVICES, AND OTHER HEALTH SERVICES. THIS SATURDAY, UM, OCTOBER 12TH FROM 9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM UM, AT THE CHURCH ON 1160 EAST NEW YORK STREET. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, AND, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MEGAN KERR. YES. THANK YOU. UH, MADAM VICE MAYOR. UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DR. SORROW. IT'S MY FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, FOR ACTIVITIES IN DISTRICT FIVE THIS WEEK. YOU HEAD TO RANCHO LOS CERRITOS FOR THIS MONTH'S BIRD WALK ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10TH FROM EIGHT TO 9:30 AM ENJOY THE FREE GUIDED WALK THROUGH THE GROUNDS AS STAFF ANSWER BIRD AND NATURE RELATED QUESTIONS. ALL ARE WELCOME, EXPERIENCED, AND NOVICE BIRDERS ALIKE. THEN ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 12TH, YOU CAN CELEBRATE OCTOBER BEING ARTS MONTH [ANNOUNCEMENTS] BY ATTENDING A FREE PERFORMANCE OF ECHOES DE ESPANIA, SPANISH CLASSICAL, AND FLAMENCO MUSIC AND DANCE AT THE BACH LIBRARY, STARTING AT 3:00 PM AND THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. IT'S ALSO TIME TO GET IN THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT. YOU CAN HEAD TO PARK VIEW VILLAGE SHOPS FOR THEIR SECOND SATURDAYS FOR THEIR HALLOWEEN BLOCK PARTY ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, FROM 11 TO THREE OR LONG BEACH EXCHANGE, UH, FOR THEIR FAMILY, NOT SO SPOOKY DAY FROM 11 TO SEVEN AND THEIR SPOOKTACULAR MARKETPLACE FROM NOON TO SEVEN ON SUNDAY. AND LASTLY, ON SUNDAY THE 13TH FROM THREE TO FIVE. YOU CAN ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE IN NATURE WITH THE NEXT OF THE WILLOW SPRINGS PARK EXPERIENCES DRAWING IN THE PARK. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY, BUT DUE TO REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR OWN ART MAKING MATERIALS. I HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. UM, COUNCIL, UH, WOMAN MARY SINHA. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO SAY, UM, HAPPY NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH. UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR COMMISSION ON, UM, CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITY FOR ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING THIS MONTH TO CELEBRATE. THEY HAD A WONDERFUL MENTOR DAY AND A PANEL THAT I WAS HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN. AND, UM, THANK, I WANNA THANK THEM FOR ALWAYS RECOGNIZING THIS SPECIAL MONTH. UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CLOSE THIS MEETING OUT IN MEMORY OF SOMEONE THAT WE LOST, UM, LAST WEEK. UM, HE STARTED OUT BEING A BUSINESS OWNER IN DISTRICT ONE AND AFTER REDISTRICTING HE MOVED TO, UM, DISTRICT SIX. AND I JUST WANTED TO OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF KEVIN LEE WELLINGTON, WHO IS THE OWNER OF FLUFFY SNOWBALLS. THIS PERSON WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY MAN WHO CAME INTO LONG BEACH WITH SUCH A JOY AND JUST WAS HELPING OUT OUR YOUTH EVERY, EVERY DAY AND EVERY WAY THAT HE COULD, OFFERING THE YOUTH, UM, JOBS AND CONNECTING WITH POLLY HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT WAS HIS NEAREST HIGH SCHOOL. AND I JUST, UM, AM SO STILL VERY SHOCKED TO LEARN OF HIS PASSING. UM, BUT [01:45:01] I WANTED TO OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY, TO HIS HUSBAND. AND, UM, I KNOW THAT HE WILL BE DEARLY MISSED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND DEARLY MISSED BY ALL THE YOUTH THAT HE TOUCHED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT FROM KEVIN TO ME IS THAT HE INTENTIONALLY, UM, PROVIDED ACTIVITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT HIS, UM, LOCATION SO THAT THEY COULD COME AND HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO HAVE SNOWBALLS. UM, SO FLUFFY SNOWBALLS WILL ALWAYS BE TREASURED IN OUR CITY. KEVIN, YOU WILL EVER, ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AND OUR MOST HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. AND YEAH, HE'S WAS VERY LOVED OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES. OKAY, I THINK THE LAST ONE I HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A COUNCILMAN, UH, DARRYL SUPERAL. OKAY, THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO WISH CONGRATULATIONS TO DISTRICT FOUR PIZZA, NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE FOURTH DISTRICT COUNCIL OFFICE, BUT THEY'RE CELEBRATING THEIR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS SATURDAY AND EVERYONE'S INVITED TO THE BIRTHDAY PARTY THAT'S FROM 9:30 AM TILL 10:00 PM IN, UH, ON BELTRE IN LOS SANTOS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. AND THEN I JUST ALSO WOULD JUST WANNA BIG, UH, GIVE A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR COLLEAGUE, A COUNCIL MEMBER, A COUNCIL MEMBER, MEGAN KERR, UM, FOR, UM, FOR, UH, BEING INDUCTED INTO LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE HALL OF FAME. THAT IS A REALLY BIG DEAL AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU. SO DESERVING. AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT YOU ALSO GET A, UM, YOU ALSO GET A A, A PARKING SPOT, SO OKAY. JUST, YOU JUST CHECK THAT OUT. UM, AND THEN ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO, UM, ALSO OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN SOLI SORO. ALRIGHT. I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO AL AUSTIN. YES. UH, I'D LIKE TO JOIN IN, UM, CONGRATULATING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. I WAS, UH, AT THE DINNER WHEN SHE WAS INDUCTED. I'LL JUST SAY WELCOME TO THE CLUB. UM, AND, UM, UM, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO, UH, MY, MY FELLOW LIBRA SISTER HERE, UM, DR. SOLI SORO. UH, I ALSO LIKE TO INVITE THE PUBLIC OUT TO OUR DISTRICT EIGHT COMMUNITY MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH FROM SIX 30 TO EIGHT 30 P PM AT THE SHEAR PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. THE ALL NEW, BRAND NEW SHEAR PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, PRESENTATIONS BY, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE DEPARTMENT. UM, AND, UM, OF COURSE THE EIGHT DISTRICT STAFF. WE'D LOVE TO, UH, HAVE YOU THERE, LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO ALSO ANNOUNCE AN EVENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH. RECOGNIZING, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS. WE'RE DOING A VIGIL ON SATURDAY, UM, OCTOBER 19TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 10 A, UH, TO 11:00 AM EXCUSE ME. UM, IT'LL BE AT, UM, 1 3 1 WEST VICTORIA STREET, UM, ACROSS FROM COLIN POWELL ACADEMY. WE'RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE WOMEN'S SHELTER AND HOST THIS IMPORTANT VISUAL WITH ALONG WITH COMMUNITY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE AT 5 6 2 6 8 2, I'M SORRY, 5 6 2 7 5 5 6 2 5 7 0 6 6 8 5. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT. 6, 6, 8, 5 . I JUST GAVE YOU MY CELL PHONE. OH, NO. OH NO, THAT'S SOMETHING. ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. WELL LISTEN, THAT CONCLUDES ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, FROM THE COLLEAGUES, SO THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.