* 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. FOURTH, [00:00:01] UM, ROLL CALL PLEASE. FEBRUARY 11TH. WAIT, I SAID FOURTH FEBRUARY 11TH. I DON'T KNOW WHY I SAID THE FOURTH. COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS PRESENT. COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN AUGH? HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. PRESENT. VICE MAYOR URANGA. COUNCILMAN THRASH OOK. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS OTI. HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I AM HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. UH, LET'S START WITH, UH, THE MOMENT OF SILENCE IN THE PLEDGE. LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. UM, OUR ONE, OUR MOMENT OF SILENCE. TODAY WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON GRATITUDE. I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT THE EAGLES WON, UH, THE SUPER BOWL [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] OVER THE WEEKEND, . UM, SO, BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT, UH, AND JUST, UH, AND THINK ABOUT SOMETHING YOU'RE GRATEFUL FOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PLEASE STAND UP AND FACE, FACE A FLAG AND PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, TOOK A FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION UNDER LIBERTY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, THEN WE HAVE OUR CONSENT CALENDAR, AND THEN WE'LL GET TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AND OUR REGULAR AGENDA. OUR FIRST AND ONLY PRESENTATION OF THE DAY IS LB RECOVERY ACT GRANT, CREATIVE ECONOMY GRANT PROGRAM UPDATE. UH, WE'RE GONNA PASS IT TO OUR CITY MANAGER AND THE ARTS COUNCIL, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE, UH, WE'D LOVE TO BRING UP OUR ARTS COUNCIL TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION. SO, RISTA, [ LBRA CREATIVE ECONOMY GRANT PROGRAM UPDATE] GOOD EVENING, BUENA STARVE. THANK YOU, MAYOR RICHARDSON. COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF FOR, UM, HAVING US PRESENT TODAY FOR THIS LOVELY WRAP UP OF THE PROJECT. I WILL BE ASKING ALL THE ARTS COUNCIL OF STAFF AND TEAM MEMBERS, UM, TO PLEASE STAND UP ARTS COUNCIL, STAFF, TEAM MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. AND I'LL ASK THE ARTIST TO COME STAND BEHIND ME, PLEASE. ALRIGHT. THESE MURALS ARE NOT JUST PAINT ON WALLS. THEY ARE POWERFUL SYMBOLS OF RESILIENCE AND CREATIVITY, AND THE ENDURING SPIRIT OF LONG BEACH VIBRANT ARTS COMMUNITY. EACH BREASTSTROKE TELLS A STORY OF HOPE AND HEALING, AND THE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT OF OUR LOCAL ARTISTS TO BEAUTIFY AND UPLIFT OUR CITY. WITH MURALS NOW GRACING, ALL NINE COUNCIL DISTRICTS, WE ARE REMINDED THAT ARTS AND CULTURE ARE NOT LUXURIES, BUT ESSENTIAL PILLARS OF A THRIVING, HAPPY, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY. THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT, CREATIVE ECONOMY INVESTMENT WAS $889,000. AND THE FIRST PHASE WAS MONEY TOWARDS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR ANNUAL GRANT PROGRAM. THE MURAL PROGRAM WAS $135,000. AND THESE WORKS THAT YOU SEE IN THE PRESENTATION BREATHE LIFE INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SPARK CONVERSATIONS AND FOSTER A SENSE OF UNITY AND PRIDE AMONG OUR RESIDENTS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND CITY STAFF. WE HAD PANELS THEN, FROM THOSE PANELS, WE CHOSE FINALISTS, AND THEN OVER 3,500 VOTES FROM THE COMMUNITY CHOSE OUR WINNERS THAT ARE STANDING BEHIND ME. AND SO THEY CREATED THESE VISUAL TESTAMENTS TO THE POWER OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION. IN CONNECTING US ALL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR WAS HIT VERY HARD. ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT INDUSTRIES SINCE THE ONSET OF COVID TO 19. UM, THE PANDEMIC SHUTTERED GALLERIES, COUNCIL'S, PERFORMANCES LEFT. MANY ARTISTS STRUGGLING TO SUSTAIN THEIR WORK. BUT THROUGH THIS FUNDING AND THROUGH SO MANY OTHER COLLABORATIONS, WE HAD, UM, THE ARTISTS REMAIN STEADFAST, FINDING INNOVATIVE WAYS TO CREATE AND SHARE THEIR TALENTS WITH THE WORLD. I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH THROUGH THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, YOU ALL HAD A PART IN THIS. UM, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVING THE FUNDS. [00:05:01] TOGETHER, WE HAVE TURNED CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES. UM, THESE STUNNING MURALS, UM, ARE INVALUABLE. THEY ARE NOW ON OUR PUBLIC ART MAP. THEY REFLECT OUR SOUL AND OUR HEARTS. SO AS WE CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF LVRA CREATIVE ECONOMY, I WANT TO ASSURE EVERYONE THAT THE ARTS COUNCIL REMAINS STRONG AND COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING OUR ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR IN THE FACE OF A DIVERSITY WE HAVE WITNESSED THE POWER OF COMMUNITY AND HOW LONG BEACH COMES TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE ARTS, SECURE FUNDING AND CHAMPION CREATIVE EXPRESSION. OUR WORK DOESN'T STOP HERE. THERE ARE, UM, THERE WILL BE MURALS IN THE FUTURE, AND WE ARE HERE TO NURTURE AND PROMOTE THOSE MURALS IN ALL THE ARTS AND ORGAN ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT MAKE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE, FOR ENTERTAINMENT, FOR MUSIC, FOR ALL OF IT, UM, THROUGH POLICIES, THROUGH SUPPORTING ARTISTS, THROUGH CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, ENSURING THEIR ARTS REMAINS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE IN OUR CITY. SO, I ADV I INVITE YOU TO, UM, ADMIRE THESE MURALS, ENGAGE WITH THE ARTISTS, SHARE THEIR STORIES, SUPPORT THEIR WORK, VISIT THE PUBLIC ART MAP, CHECK THEM OUT ONLINE. WE'LL ALSO WILL BE DOING A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION IN THE SUMMER. UM, AND EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT AT THE CHAMBERS CAN ATTEND LOCAL EXHIBITIONS, PARTICIPATE IN CULTURAL EVENTS, AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO EXPERIENCE THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF, UM, ARTS CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT. SO, THANK YOU AGAIN. ON BEHALF OF THE ARTIST, OUR BOARD, OUR STAFF, WE, UM, WANNA RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT, THE END OF OUR CREATIVE ECONOMY INVESTMENT. UM, AND TOGETHER, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE INVESTING AND INSPIRING AND BUILDING A MORE VIBRANT, CREATIVE CITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL, ZELDA AND, AND TO ALL THE ARTISTS I WAS ADMIRING, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE WHAT YOU'RE SCROLLING. WE HAVE 2, 2, 2, UM, TVS RIGHT HERE, SO WE CAN SEE INCREDIBLE ART. I'VE SEEN SOME OF YOUR WORK BEFORE. I SAW TRACY, WE WORKED TOGETHER ON SOME STUFF WITH THE CREATIVE CORRIDOR PROJECT WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL. AND I THINK, AND I, I DID SEE THE FUTURE LB MURAL OUTSTANDING, AND I JUST THINK IT JUST BRINGS OUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT SPACE. AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET AROUND AND CHECK OUT ALL OF YOUR MURALS. I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S A BIG PART OF LONG BEACH'S HISTORY AND OUR FABRIC. IT'S, IT'S PUBLIC ART. I MEAN, EVEN GOING BACK PEOPLE, PEOPLE THINK IT'S A CURRENT, A MOD, LIKE A RECENT THING. IT'S NOT DURING THE, UH, UH, WORLD WAR II AND THE, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE GREAT DEPRESSION. AND WITH THE WHOLE RECOVERY WITH THE NEW DEAL, THE WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION PARTNERED WITH THE CITY TO PUT ARTISTS TO WORK AND DO MURALS AND MOSAIC MURALS AND OTHER THINGS AROUND TOWN. SO THE MURAL THAT'S ACTUALLY AT HARVEY MILK PARK WAS ONE OF THOSE WORK PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION MURALS THAT WAS INSIDE OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL AMPHITHEATER, UH, UH, MUNICIPAL THEATER AND THAT MINNESOTA AUDITORIUM, THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED. AND IT WAS PRESERVED AND MOVED OVER TO THE PARKING STRUCTURE. SO IT'S BEEN A PART OF OUR HISTORY, ACTUALLY PAYING ARTISTS TO DO PUBLIC ART IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING. THIS WAS A PART OF THIS RECOVERY AND THAT WAS A PART OF THE NEW DEAL. IT'S BEEN CONSISTENT. EVERY TIME WE'VE RUN INTO A BIG ECONOMIC CHALLENGE, MAKING SURE ARTISTS ARE A PART OF THE RECOVERY IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR CITY'S HISTORY. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT HAS CONTINUED AND WE'LL CONTINUE, UH, MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET'S HEAR IT AGAIN FOR ALL THE MURALISTS AND THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH. ALL RIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK WE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANNA SAY? YES, I THINK WE HAVE SOME CERTIFICATES FOR THE ARTISTS. OKAY. YEAH. YES. AND THE PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? YES. COME ON DOWN. I DUNNO. YES. WE'RE GONNA FIX THAT WAVE [00:11:38] AND THEN BEGIN. ALL RIGHT. EXCUSE ME. MOVING ALONG. UH, MOVING RIGHT ALONG. CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 20, MINUS ITEMS 18 AND 19. IT'S FROM THEM. OKAY. CONSENT CALENDAR MOVED. WE NEED A SECOND. OKAY. IT'S BEEN SECONDED. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? SEEING NONE, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. [CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 20.)] COUNCILMAN ALLEN, HOW ARE YOU? MEGAN? KURT. BUN'S NOT WORKING. IT'S A THUMB STEP. WE'LL GET SOMEBODY TO COME AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. ITEM 18, PLEASE REPORT FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH GALS FOR FURNISHING AND DELIVERING OF AS NEEDED, POLICE EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, [18. 25-54229 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 35816, with Galls LLC, of Cerritos, CA, for furnishing and delivering of as-needed police equipment, supplies, and accessories, to extend the term of the contract to January 31, 2025, with the option to renew for as long as the City of Los Angeles contract is in effect. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Police Department         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] AND ACCESSORIES CITYWIDE. ALRIGHT, I THINK THE ATTORNEY NEEDED TO CLARIFY SOME DETAILS OR STAFF. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A STAFF REPORT ON THESE TWO CALLS, CONTRACT ITEMS. IS IT OKAY IF WE, UH, DO A STAFF REPORT FOR BOTH OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME SINCE IT'S THE SAME ISSUE? YEAH, SURE. OKAY, PERFECT. THANK YOU. SO, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN, UH, RELYING ON THE LAPD CONTRACT FOR UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. THERE ARE OVER 200 DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT ITEMS, UH, NEEDS THAT LAPD HAS IN THE CONTRACT, WHICH CLOSELY ALIGN WITH OURS. UH, THE TWO CONTRACTS WERE ORIGINALLY AWARDED TO GALLS ON DECEMBER 15TH, 2020, AS PART OF THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 0 1 6 8 WITH THREE YEAR, UH, IT WAS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THREE ONE YEAR EXTENSIONS. UH, THE EXTENSION ON THIS CURRENT CONTRACT ARE FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. YOU'LL SEE UNTIL FEBRUARY 28TH, 2025, AND JANUARY 31ST, 2025. UH, THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE THE CITY OF LA'S, UM, ONGOING CONTRACT RENEWAL PROCESS, UH, THEY EXTEND THEIR CONTRACT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. UM, AND SO OUR CONTRACTS MUST ALIGN WITH OURS. THIS IS A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT TO A PIGGYBACK CONTRACT. WE, AND WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE REALIZED TODAY THAT, UH, THERE WAS A GAP IN TIME DURING 2024 WHEN WE DID NOT HAVE PROPER CONTRACT AUTHORITY AND WE WANTED TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WITH THE COUNCIL AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS THAT ISSUE. THE CONTRACT, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE ON THESE CONS, LETTERS, ADDRESSES THAT, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO GO FORWARD, UH, AND NOT LET YOU GUYS KNOW AND BRING IT UP TO YOU [00:15:01] AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT WAS AN ISSUE. UH, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO BACK AND REDO THIS PIGGYBACK CONTRACT. UH, AND WE WILL DO THAT DURING THIS YEAR. ALRIGHT, WELL THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP AND FOR COMING BACK AND MAKING SURE YOU FLAGGED THIS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? OKAY. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. I DIDN'T SEE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M SORRY. DID YOU SIGN UP WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE? ITEM 18. OKAY. SO BEFORE THE ITEMS ARE CALLED YOU, UH, YOU SIGN UP, IS HE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THE NEXT ONE? OKAY. MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP ON THE NEXT ONE. I GET IT. THE NEXT ITEM'S THE SAME. SO JUST GO SIGN UP. NO PROBLEM. IF YOU CAN COME TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. YEAH. AND SIGN UP. WAIT, SIGN UP THE NEXT ITEM. YOU SPEAK ON THE NEXT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. NUMBER 19, REPORT FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH GALS FOR FURNISHING AND DELIVERING POLICE UNIFORMS AND ACCESSORIES CITYWIDE. ALRIGHT, WE ALREADY GOT THE STAFF REPORT. SIR, DID YOU WANT TO COME SPEAK NOW? IT'S PUBLIC COMMENT. ALRIGHT. TOLD YOU FOR YOUR NEXT ITEM. THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. UH, REX AND THE COUNCIL. MY, I REALLY HAD A CLARIFYING QUESTION. THE WORD EX, I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA BE VOTING OR DEBATING ON IT OR WHATEVER, BUT I SEE ACCESSORIES TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS IT? UM, UNIFORMS, ACCESSORIES, AND EQUIPMENT. AND MY QUESTION IS, DOES THAT INVOLVE, UM, MILITARY GRADE WEAPONS? THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT LONG BEACH KEEPS BUYING FOR THE COPS THAT THEY'RE KILLING OUR CITIZENS WITH, LIKE BRANDON BOYD. SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK BEFORE YOU JUST PIGGYBACK AND CONSENT CALENDAR IT. WHAT ARE WE BUYING WITH THIS, UH, MONEY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? IS THIS THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT MILITARIES ARE SUPPOSED TO USE OR JUST UNIFORMS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT. UH, CAN WE REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION PLEASE? THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE HAVE NO REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT. RIVETING. LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE. ALL RIGHT. I [ 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. ] SEE THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. DR. MELANIE ANDREWS, MARYANNE DRUMMOND, CINDY MILAD, AND MICHAEL GEIN. PLEASE COME FORWARD. DR. MELANIE IS FIRST AND MARYANNE IS AFTER. MELANIE. TAKE YOUR TIME. I'M SORRY. TAKE YOUR TIME. TAKE YOUR TIME. SENIORS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. I AM DR. MELANIE CURTIS ANDREWS AND IN ANOTHER LIFE ARE REPRESENTED LONG BEACH ON THE COMPTON COLLEGE BOARD FOR EIGHT YEARS. I AM CURRENTLY AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER AND THE CHAIR OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CELEBRATION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT IS DOWN UP. WE DECIDED AT LUNCH, UH, IN OCTOBER THAT THIS IS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, AND WE BROUGHT A, A PROPOSAL TO, UH, MS. CLARK WHO, UH, JUMPED ON IT AND SHE WAS EXCITED. SO WE HAVE DONE OVER NINE THINGS, INCLUDING A BEAUTIFUL, UH, PROFESSIONAL MUSEUM OF ART FROM LONG BEACH STATE AND ALL OVER THE DIASPORA FROM AFRICA, WHICH ISN'T OPEN. AND WE, WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU IS YOUR TIME. SO WE'D LIKE YOU TO COME AND SEE THE MUSEUM. YOU CAN JUST CALL, WE'LL DO IN IT. AND THE SECOND THING, ON FEBRUARY 28TH AT SIX O'CLOCK, WE, I HAVE CREATED AN INTERGENERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CALLED BLACK MOSAIC, WHICH INCLUDES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, STUDENTS FROM LONG BEACH STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATES, PEOPLE FROM MY COMPANY, INNER CITY SHAKESPEARE ENSEMBLE AND PROFESSIONAL ACTORS. AND IT WILL INCLUDE DRUMS FROM BAKINA FOSSIL AND ALSO THE LONG BEACH, UH, POET LAUREATE AND SPOKEN WORD, AND SONGS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT DO WHAT THEATER SHOULD DO, WHICH IS TO ENTERTAIN AND EDUCATE. I KNOW YOU ARE BUSY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT BLACK HISTORY IS [00:20:01] AMERICAN HISTORY. WE ARE NOT WOKE, WE ARE NOT DEI. WE ARE PEOPLE THAT LOVE LONG BEACH AND LOVE CULTURE. AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM, WE REPRESENT THE GREATNESS OF LONG BEACH. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR A WHILE. WE WANT YOU TO COME SIX 30 ON THE 28TH, AND WE'RE HAVING DINNER AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW DONATIONS FOR THAT TO THE LONG BEACH PROJECT. AND I THANK THE DEPARTMENT OF PARK AND RECREATIONS FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE. AND IT'S BEEN A REAL COLLABORATION. IF TOMORROW YOU HAVE TIME, WE'RE PLAYING AFROCENTRIC BINGO. AND THEN ON THE 18TH WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL CHANCE TO SHOW THE NEW, UH, MOVIE ON NETFLIX CALLED SIX TRIPLE EIGHT, WHICH IS ABOUT SOME AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WHO REALLY HAD AN IMPACT. WE HAVE INVITED SOME OF THE ACTORS, NOT SURE IF THEY'RE GONNA SHOW BECAUSE TWO OF THEM LOST THEIR HOUSES, BUT IT HAS BEEN A JOY. WE PLAY DOMINOES. BINGO. WE HAVE AN ART SHOW AND WE HAVE A PERFORMANCE, AND OUR BUDGET HAS BEEN THIS, AND IT WAS GENERATED BY THE SENIORS, DR. ANDREWS, OURSELVES. THANK YOU. WELL, WELL THANK YOU, MS. ANDREWS. LET'S HEAR IT FROM MS. ANDREWS AND ALL THE WORK THEY'RE DOING, AND THANKS FOR LETTING US KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE SUPPORT IT. UH, NEXT IS MARYANNE. UH, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. UM, MY NAME'S MARYANNE DRUMMOND AND I'M HERE, UM, TO, UM, LIFT UP BRANDON BOYD'S NAME AND, UM, TO KIND OF LEAN ON A COUPLE OF, OF THE DEMANDS OF THE FAMILY, UM, AND OF THE COMMUNITY TO RELEASE THE VIDEO. THERE WAS 17 MINUTE VIDEO, RIGHT, THAT WAS RELEASED, THAT WAS HIGHLY PRODUCED. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, BY INTEREST BY POLICE, EFFECTIVELY, RIGHT? AND HONESTLY, THAT DOESN'T, THAT CREATES MORE QUESTIONS THAN IT DOES GIVE ANSWERS, RIGHT? UM, AND SO GIVEN THAT IT WAS LIKE TWO AND A HALF HOURS, AND THERE HAD TO BE, I MEAN, ROUGHLY JUST GUESSING 20 CAMERAS OUT THERE BETWEEN BODY CAMS AND EYES IN THE SKY AND, UM, BUILDING VIDEOS, UM, THERE IS THIS NEEDS LIKE MORE ACCURATE CONTEXT. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE BRANDON WAS HAVING A CRISIS AND THE RESPONSE WAS POLICE AND AN HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR. I MEAN, HE DIDN'T HAVE A HOSTAGE. THERE WERE MENTAL HEALTH FOLKS ON SITE TO SUPPORT IN THAT. UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY DROP THE CHARGES AGAINST THE FAMILY. THIS FEELS, UM, REALLY CRUEL AND SAD TO ME. UM, I MEAN, THE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WERE THERE WERE THERE FOR HOURS. THEY HAD NO INTENTION OF INTERACTING WITH THE POLICE IN ANY KIND OF WAY. UM, THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GET THROUGH THIS. AND THE WAY THAT THEY RESPONDED WAS OUT OF SHOCK AND HORROR AT SEEING THEIR LOVED ONE KILLED THE WAY ANY OF US WOULD RESPOND TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UNARMED JUST PANICKED, RESPONDING TO SUCH A HORRIBLE INSTANT HARM. AND, AND IT'S JUST TO PRESS CHARGES AGAINST THEM. IT FEELS MEAN-SPIRITED, CRUEL TARGETING TO ME. UM, AND, UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF IT. I I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT SPEAKER IS CINDY. HI, COUNSEL AND MAYOR, I'M CINDY MILAD. UM, I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE, UH, PROPOSED, UH, BUILDING THE FIVE STORY 73 UNIT BUILDING THAT'S BEING PROPOSED AT 1131 EAST WARDLOW. I'M THE ORGANIZER AND REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOOD, WHICH STANDS FOR HOMEOWNERS OPPOSED OVERSIZED DEVELOPMENT. OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT OPPOSED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE'RE OPPOSED TO A LARGE STRUCTURE BEING PUT IN, IN A, IN A PLOT THAT'S TOO SMALL FOR THE PLAN. OKAY? IN NOVEMBER, LONG BEACH, CIC PLANNER RECEIVED OVER 200 EMAILS AND LETTERS FROM CAL HEIGHTS HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERN HOW SUCH [00:25:01] A LARGE DEVELOPMENT WOULD AFFECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I READ THEM ALL. THERE WERE VERY VALID POINTS STARTING WITH THE BUILDING BEING PLACED ON THE NARROWEST STREET IN CAL HEIGHTS WITHOUT A TRAFFIC SURVEY. THE LOSS OF SUNLIGHT AND PRIVACY TO HOUSES THAT SIT RIGHT BEHIND IT. MANY PEOPLE QUESTIONED PARKING AND THE PLAN WAS TO EXCAVATE 30,000 TONS OF DIRT TO DO SUBTERRANEAN PARKING. WHAT HAPPENS TO NEIGHBORING HOMES THAT WERE BUILT IN THE TWENTIES WHOSE FOUNDATIONS WERE NOT REINFORCED BY REBO? WHEN YOU PULL THAT MUCH DIRT OUT OF THE GROUND, IS THE CITY GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE IF THESE HOMES START CAVING? A RECENT PIPE BREAK SHOWED THAT THAT FORCED CAL HEIGHTS WATER SHUT OFF AND BOIL WATER WAS NOTED IN THE, IN THE IMPACT SCIENCE SURVEY THAT WAS COMMISSIONED BY L-B-I-C-I-C REGARDING THE PROJECT STATED THAT THIS 73 UNIT BUILDING WOULD BE TYING INTO EXISTING UTILITIES. I BRING FOR YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT EXISTING UTILITY PIPES LOOK LIKE FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. OKAY? I DON'T KNOW HOW 73 UNITS IS GONNA ACCOMMODATE EXISTING UTILITIES. I ACTUALLY CALLED THE AUTHOR OF THE REPORT AND SHE SAID SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE, THE PIPE BREAKS. SO I HAVE NOT EVEN MENTIONED THE BLATANT DISREGARD FOR THE ORDINANCES THAT ESTABLISHED CAL HEIGHTS IN 1990 AND 2000. THE SAME ORDINANCES THAT ARE FOUND ON THE CITY WEBSITE AND WHAT EVERY HOMEOWNER AND RESIDENT HAS TO COMPLY WITH OR ELSE RISK A LARGE FINE. WE EXPECT A BRANCH OF CITY GOVERNMENT PLANNERS TO BUILD AN APPROPRIATE SIZE STRUCTURE THAT CONFORMS TO THE PLOT THEY ARE WORKING WITH. TRYING TO SQUEEZE TOO MANY UNITS IN AN AREA TOO SMALL WILL NOT BE A WIN FOR THE CITY OR FOR THE RESIDENTS. OUR SUGGESTION IS TO LEAVE THE EXISTING PARKING LOT AS IS. IT'S IN THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD. ANYWAY, MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ALRIGHT, AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER, MICHAEL. HELLO MAYOR. ROCKS AND COUNCIL, I'M MICHAEL IN DISTRICT FIVE. HI MEGAN. UH, I TOO, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT BRANDON BOYD AND IT'S, I I KEEP COMING BACK BECAUSE, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE HE, HE'S BEEN FORGOTTEN BY LONG BEACH. UM, AND I THINK I GET WHY, UM, LOOKING BACK AT YOUR POST ON THE NIGHT THAT BRANDON BOYD WAS MURDERED, REX, YOU DIDN'T NAME HIM, WHICH I'M SURE IS, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMARY IN THE MIDDLE OF A, AN INVESTIGATION OR WHATEVER HAPPENED. BUT YOU IDENTIFIED BRANDON BOYD, WHO LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT MURDERED THAT NIGHT AS A SUSPECT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A, AN OFFICER WHO WAS SHOT, AND I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA PRETEND TO KNOW REALLY ANYTHING ABOUT THE CASE OTHER THAN WHAT I SAW IN THE 17 MINUTE, UH, HIGHLY EDITED VIDEO THAT CAME OUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. BUT IF THAT WAS THE BEST 17 MINUTES THAT COULD BE FOUND TO TRY TO EXONERATE WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, UH, BY THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, WOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY MAYBE THE POLICE AND THE CITY DOESN'T WANT US TO SEE THE OTHER TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF MULTIPLE BODY CAMS. SO I'M JUST GONNA LEAN ON THE DEMANDS OF THE BOYD FAMILY AND THOSE FIGHTING FOR BRANDON BOYD. RELEASE ALL THE, UH, BODY CAM FOOTAGE. IF, IF THAT IS WHAT'S GONNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE POLICE DESERVED A CONGRATULATIONS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU DID ON NOVEMBER, WHAT WAS IT? 17TH THE NIGHT BRANDON BOYD WAS MURDERED AND YOU DOUBLED DOWN. DID ANOTHER VERSION OF THANK YOU FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO KILLED A GUY THAT DAY, KILLED ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS. LIKE I, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OPTICS THAT TELLS A STORY. AND THEN ON DECEMBER 7TH, WHEN THAT THE LIMITED BODY FOOTAGE WAS RELEASED, YOU PUT OUT A VERY LIKE, ROBUST STATEMENT. AGAIN, YOU DIDN'T MENTION OR NAME BRANDON BOYD, THAT'S WHO LONG BEACH MURDERED THAT NIGHT. BRANDON BOYD, SOMEONE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, SOMEONE WHO CALLED FOR HELP, WHO YOU IDENTIFIED AS A SUSPECT IN NOVEMBER. THEN YOU DIDN'T EVEN NAME WHEN YOU LET OUT THE, UH, FOOTAGE OUT THAT NIGHT. WHAT [00:30:01] YOU DID DO THOUGH, IS CAUTION US AND SAY THAT THIS VIDEO IS VERY JARRING AND IT'S TRAUMATIC AND BE CAREFUL AND HERE ARE SOME MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AT YOUR DISPOSAL. IF YOU WATCH THIS AND GET TRAUMATIZED. IMAGINE HOW TRAUMATIZING IT IS FOR THE BOYD FAMILY WHO HAD SEEN THAT HAPPEN, WHO HAD BEEN THERE FOR HOURS, WHO THEN WERE CHARGED WITH A CRIME BECAUSE THEY, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF IT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT FAMILY MEMBERS WERE CHARGED WITH A CRIME THAT ARE STILL PENDING RIGHT NOW. SIR, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. RELEASE THE CHARGES AT LEAST. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA. WE'LL START WITH ITEM 31, PLEASE. COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN THRASH, OOK COUNCILWOMAN IN DEHA, COUNCIL MEMBER [31. 25-54364 Recommendation to request City Manager to include the Pan-African Flag in the City’s Special Flags list under Administrative Regulation 8-18, ensuring its annual display at the Long Beach Civic Plaza throughout February in recognition of Black History Month.       Office or Department: Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Councilwoman, Eighth District; Mary Zendejas, Councilwoman, First District; Joni Ricks-Oddie, Councilmember, Ninth District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] RICKS ODI RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY MANAGER TO INCLUDE THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IN THE CITY'S SPECIAL FLAGS, ENSURING ITS ANNUAL DISPLAY AT THE LONG BEACH CIVIC PLAZA THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY AND RECOGNITION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH AND TOOK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, UH, FOR SIGNING ON TO THIS COUNCILWOMAN JONI RICKS OTI, AS WELL AS COUNCILWOMAN MARY ZENDEJAS. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO, WHO ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS, UM, I BRINGING THIS FORWARD, THIS MOTION TO FORMALLY INCLUDE THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IN OUR CITY SPECIAL FLAGS LIST, AND TO ENSURE THAT IT IS RAISED EVERY FEBRUARY IN RECOGNITION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THIS ACTION IS NOT JUST SYMBOLIC, IT IS A MEANINGFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BLACK HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY'S BLACK HISTORY CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESILIENCE WITHIN OUR CITY. THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG REPRESENTS UNITY, PRIDE IN THE ONGOING SPIRIT OF EQUITY FOR GENERATIONS. BLACK RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CITY'S CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND CIVIC FABRIC THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR SCHOOLS, OUR BUSINESSES, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE OVERALL PROGRESS OF THIS COMMUNITY. BY RAISING THE FLAG, WE ARE HONORING THOSE WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS AND REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY, RESPECT, AND HISTORICAL RECOGNITION. SOME MAY ASK WHY IS THIS NECESSARY? BECAUSE REPRESENTATION MATTERS. OUR CITY HAS LONG CELEBRATED ITS DIVERSITY AND ENSURING THAT BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS VISIBLY RECOGNIZED, SENDS A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT THE HISTORY STRUGGLES, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY ARE VALUED AND UPLIFTED. HERE. RAISING THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IS A SIGNIFICANT CEREMONIAL ACT. IT IS A COMMITMENT TO ONGOING EDUCATION, AWARENESS AND RECOGNITION. AND IT TELLS OUR CHILDREN THAT HISTORY IS NOT JUST SOMETHING YOU READ ABOUT IN TEXTBOOKS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE HONOR AND REFLECT UPON AS A LIVING PART OF OUR COMMUNITY'S IDENTITY AS THEY SEE THE FLAG WAVE COLLEAGUES. I ASK THAT WE PASS THIS MOTION TO DEMONSTRATE OUR CITY'S UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE. AND IT WOULD BE A MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SIGNAL THE NEED TO STRENGTHEN THE BONDS AMONG ALL WHO CALL THE CITY HOME. SO TODAY I RESPECTFULLY ASK MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STAND WITH ME IN VOTING YES ON THIS MOTION. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS. ACTUALLY IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, RICK OTI, THAT BE ME, BUT SOMETHING'S HAPPENING OVER HERE. SO GO AHEAD. YOU WANT COUNCIL MEMBER TI OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER TI OKAY, WELL THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. UM, AND I WANNA THANK MY, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN THRE AND TOOK FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UM, TONIGHT I'M PROUD TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL FURTHER DEMONSTRATE LONG BEACH'S COMMITMENT TO HONORING AND CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY. THE PROPOSAL ENSURES THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IS DISPLAYED AT THE CIVIC, AT THE CIVIC PLAZA EVERY FEBRUARY IN RECOGNITION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH FOR GENERATIONS, BLACK AMERICANS HAVE SHAPED OUR NATION AND OUR CITY THROUGH RESILIENCE, INNOVATION, AND LEADERSHIP. BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, RECOGNIZING THE STRUGGLE THAT PERSISTS AND RE REFORM OUR COMMIT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION. THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IS AN ENDURING SYMBOL OF UNITY, IDENTITY AND LIBERATION. FIRST INTRODUCED BY MARCUS GARVEY IN 1920. IT REPRESENTS THE SHARED EXPERIENCES OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA AND THE STRENGTH OF A COMMUNITY THAT HAS FOUGHT FOR JUSTICE ACROSS GENERATIONS. EACH OF ITS COLORS CARRIES DEEP MEANING RED FOR SACRIFICES MADE BLACK FOR PEOPLE, AND GREEN FOR THE PROMISE OF A BRIGHTER FUTURE. AT THIS TIME, WE SEE EFFORTS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY TO ERASE THE CELEBRATIONS OF CULTURE, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT WE WILL AFFIRM OUR CITIES AS OUR VALUES AS A CITY. REPRESENTATION MATTERS. AS MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE JUST JUST STATED, ACKNOWLEDGING HISTORY MATTERS BY ENSURING THIS FLAG IS RAISED. EACH FEBRUARY WE ARE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT LONG BEACH WILL NOT SHY AWAY FROM UPLIFTING ITS DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. WE WILL CONTINUE TO EMBRACE AND HONOR THE HISTORY STRUGGLES AND TRIUMPHS THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR [00:35:01] SOCIETY. I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ADVOCATES WHO HAVE LONG CHAMPION THE IMPORTANCE OF REPRESENTATION AND VISIBILITY IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES. YOUR VOICES HAVE LED TO MOMENTS LIKE THIS AND YOUR EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE PROGRESS WE MAKE AS A CITY. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS RECOMMENDATION MOVE FORWARD AND ENSURING THAT OUR CITY REMAINS STEADFAST AND CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING THE RICH HISTORY AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RICK, UH, ZENDEJAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN THRASH INTECH FOR LEADING ON THIS ITEM. UM, THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY, WE HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK AMERICANS WHO HAVE SHAPED OUR NATION'S HISTORY. UM, IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, IT WAS AN HONOR TO HOST THE LEGACY AND UNITY EVENT WITH BLACK LED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DREAMS INTO GOALS AND THE APRIL PARKER FOUNDATION. TWO GREAT PARTNERS OF THE FIRST DISTRICT IN CONTINUING THE RECOGNITION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN LONG BEACH. IT WILL BE AN HONOR TO RAISE THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IN THE CIVIC CENTER IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK PRIDE AND LIBERATION. OUR LONG BEACH COMMUNITY NEEDS THESE ACTS OF RECOGNITION IN CELEBRATION OF OUR PRIDEFUL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MORE THAN EVER. AGAIN, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN, UM, THRESH INTECH, AND THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN RICKS ODI FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN YOU ON THIS ITEM. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. I'LL, I'LL, UM, I'LL OFFER MY SUPPORT HERE. UH, THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, THRASHING TOOK RICKS ODIS AND DEJAS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UH, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A FEW WEEKS BACK, UM, AS A CONCEPT, I'M GLAD YOU TOOK THOSE STEPS TO, UH, FORMALLY ADD IT TO OUR CITY'S OFFICIAL FLAG POLICY SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FLAG WILL BE RAISED. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT YOU ALL MADE GREAT POINTS ON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT NOW MORE THAN, MORE THAN EVER, WELL, MAYBE NOT MORE THAN EVER, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REAFFIRM THAT GIVEN THERE'S SUCH PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTIONS, CORPORATIONS TO WALK BACK THEIR COMMITMENTS TO DIVERSITY. UM, AND WE'RE SEEING, UH, JUST A LOT OF, UM, PUBLIC STATEMENTS SAYING THAT WE'RE ROLLING BACK OUR COMMITMENTS ON DEI AND ALL THOSE THINGS. PEOPLE WANNA KNOW THAT THEIR CITY IS NOT ROLLING BACK. OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, COMMITMENT AND INCLUSION. AND IT MAY BE A STATEMENT AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, IT MAY BE A FLAG, BUT, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE, WHERE WE STAND. AND SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS FITTING, IT'S APPROPRIATE AND IT HAS MY SUPPORT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING YOU, UH, IN A COUPLE WEEKS AND, UM, RAISING THAT FLAG HERE AT CITY HALL. ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. THANK YOU MAYOR. I TOO WANNA ADD MY GRATITUDE, UH, TO COUNCILWOMAN THRASH INTAKE FOR LEADING ON THE ITEM WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS ODY AND ZENDAY WANNA LEND MY UTMOST SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM. I THINK THAT EVERY ACT TO DEMONSTRATE UPLIFTING DIVERSITY, AND PARTICULARLY OUR PAN-AFRICAN AS WELL BLACK COMMUNITY, IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SHOW THAT MORE THAN EVER AS A CITY THAT REALLY PRIDES ITSELF TO, UM, ADDRESSING INEQUITY BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OFFICE OF EQUITY, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE SUPPORT AND CONTINUE TO MODEL FOR OTHER CITY AND ACROSS THE NATION. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, WE HAVE SIX MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. DEBORAH HILL, OBA TOTTEN, REVEREND DR. LEON WOOD, ERIC MILLER, GREG JOHNSON AND TASHA HUNTER. THANK YOU. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DEBORAH HILL AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BLACK EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION OF LONG BEACH TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 31. THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IS A SYMBOL OF LEADERS HISTORY AND THE LEGACY OF BLACK PEOPLE, THE BLOOD THAT UNITES ALL BLACK PEOPLE, BLACK AND AFRICAN ANCESTRIES, AS WELL AS THE BLOOD THAT WAS SHED. IT ALSO REPRESENTS THE ABUNDANCE AND THE VIBRANT BEAUTY OF BLACK PEOPLE, WHICH CONTINUE TO GIVE US HOPE TO PUSH FORWARD. WE ALL KNOW THAT IF WILL, IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE ACTIONS AND THE LEADERSHIP OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, THE OTHER AFFINITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS WOULD NOT EXIST. THIS FLAG WILL FLY ALONG WITH THE CALIFORNIA FLAG AND THE AMERICAN FLAG, WHICH IS MEANT TO REPRESENT EQUITY. I PRAY ONE DAY THAT THE FLAG IS SUPPORTED TO WHAT IT REPRESENTS. I'M PROUD OF THE HISTORY, MY HISTORY, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE CITY WILL FINALLY HONOR THE RICH HISTORY AND LEGACY. I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 22 [00:40:01] YEARS AND THE CITY HAS NEVER TAKEN THE STEPS TO APPROVE THIS. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN THRASH AND TOOK DR. OTIS AND DOCTORS AND ZENDAY AND SULI. I I'M BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD AND I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GREETINGS, Y'ALL. UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO, GREETINGS MAYOR REX AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M MAYOR GOBO TOTEN, AND IT'S MY HONOR TO, AS A MEMBER OF THE GREATER LONG BEACH DEMOCRATIC CLUB, UH, TO GIVE OUR SUPPORT TO THE, UH, TO THE INCLUSION OF THE BLACK, UH, PAN-AFRICAN FLAG TO THE LIST. MM, SORRY. GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS. TAKE YOUR TIME. IT'S A LITTLE EASY FOR ME. SORRY. AGAIN. I'M ERIC OBAD AND IT'S MY HONOR AS A MEMBER OF THE GREATER LONG BEACH BLACK DEMOCRATIC CLUB TO SUPPORT AND RECOMMEND THE SUPPORT OF THE INCLUSION OF THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG AND THE CITY'S, UH, SPECIAL FLAG LIST. UM, I'M HERE AS WITH THE FELLOW MEMBER, LYNN SMOTHERS REESE, AND WE MAKE THIS REQUEST IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY AS WELL AS IN HONOR OF OUR LEGACY AND UNITY IN LONG BEACH AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS WE'VE MADE AS AFRICAN AMERICANS IN LONG BEACH. UM, WE ALSO EMPHATICALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, DR. TOY, UH, DR. JOANIE, I'M SORRY, COUNCILWOMAN TOY, UH, UH, DR. JOANIE AND MARY ZENDEJAS, UH, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND PLEASE APPROVE IT. APPROVE IT. THANK YOU. YOU GOT IT. AND HEY, LYNN. HEY, MS. LYNN. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY. I WANTED TO SAY I THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, MRS. RESH INTU, KEN JONI, AND ALL OF YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BEGIN TO BUILD THE SPIRITS UP TO THE COMMUNITY. ONCE AGAIN, I HAPPEN TO BE A VIETNAM, EXCUSE ME, A KOREAN WAR VETERAN. AND I REMEMBER EVEN BEFORE THAT TIME LONG BEACH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMMUNITY THAT HAD MANY, MANY AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS IN THE STREETS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE WHERE LONG BEACH WAS SUPPOSED AS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY WHERE EVERYONE WAS WELCOME. WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW IS LIFTING THE SPIRITS OF MANY, MANY MEN WHOSE SPIRITS AT THIS TIME ARE SOMEWHAT DEPRESSED. SO WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING WITH THAT FLAG IS LETTING ALL OF THE YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES KNOW IN THIS CITY THAT YOU DID DO SOMETHING FOR THIS COUNTRY. YOU DO REPRESENT AN AMAZING CITY. WE DO CARE ABOUT YOU, AND WE WILL DO SOMETHING TO HELP YOU DEVELOP AND IMPROVE AND GROW. SO THANK YOU. THIS IS A FANTASTIC CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF YOUR TOTAL COMMUNITY AND I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING SO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR RICHARD SINON, MEMBERS OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL. UH, FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE WHO I HAVEN'T MET, I'M ERIC MILLER AND I'M A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. UH, I PREPARED A SHORT STATEMENT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, US POLITICIANS CAN GET A LITTLE LONG-WINDED, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR AND CONCISE. WE'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS , YOU MIGHT BE A POLITICIAN. WE'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS. I LOVE IT, . UM, UH, BUT WITH THAT SAID, UH, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE RAISING OF THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG IN THESE TRYING TIMES OF NEW FEDERAL LEADERSHIP AGENCIES, BARRING BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND THE USE OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCES. I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF RAISING THE BLACK NATIONAL FLAG AS I SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION, AS I HAVE ALWAYS SEEN IT AS A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF UNITY, PRIDE, AND LIBERATION FOR ALL PEOPLE AS WE ARE ALL ONE PEOPLE, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE OF AFRICAN DESCENT. SEEING THIS FLAG RAISED HIGH AND DOWNTOWN SKYLINE PROVIDES A SENSE OF BELONGING TO OUR RICH CULTURE. AND IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT WE MATTER IN THIS CITY AND OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY MATTER. AS A LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I LOOK AT THESE SYMBOLS AS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR ANCESTORS, THE RESILIENCE OF, UM, RESILIENCE OF THEIR PEOPLE, AND THE ONGOING FIGHT FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE. WHILE THIS FLAG IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RACISM, INEQUALITY, I BELIEVE IT CAN INSPIRE THEM TO BECOME LEADERS AND AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AS WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROM THE INSTITUTIONAL CURSES THAT PLAGUED OUR GRANDPARENTS, OUR GREAT-GRANDPARENTS, OUR GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS. IT IS MOMENTS LIKE THESE THAT SHAPED THE CONSCIOUSNESS AND SELF-ESTEEM OF BLACK YOUTH. SO I WANNA THANK YOU ALL. [00:45:01] WE ARE ALL ELECTED AND WE'RE ELECTED TO DO A TOUGH JOB. AND IN THESE ROLES, I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO ACT AS ROLE MODELS FOR OUR YOUTH AS THEY'RE DEPENDING ON US. AND IN REGARDS TO YOUR JOB, I WILL SHARE THE STATEMENT THAT I CONCLUDE EVERY GRADUATION SPEECH WITH DON'T JUST MAKE A DOLLAR MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL SAID. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. WELL, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GREGORY JOHNSON. I'M A VETERAN UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. I'M A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH BUSINESS OWNER, EVEN AS WE, UH, PROVIDE OUR PROJECTS ACROSS THE WORLD. UM, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE IN LONG BEACH SINCE 2017 AND EVEN MORE HAPPY TO HEAR THIS PROGRESSIVE MOVE OF RAISING THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG, UH, ON YOUR FLAG PLAZA. IT'S A GREAT, GREAT, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BLACK EXCELLENCE, BLACK ACHIEVEMENT, BLACK INSPIRATION. I HAD LIKE TO JUST KIND OF SAY REAL QUICKLY HERE THAT YOU KNOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS. THANK YOU FOR MUCH, SO MUCH FOR BEING SUCH A PROGRESSIVE CITY. I'M REMINDED AS I THINK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT IS, UH, A, A STATEMENT THAT YOU, YOUR HONOR, USED TO ALWAYS SAY. AND THAT IS EVERYBODY IN WE MANNER, EVERYBODY MATTERS. EVERYWHERE YOU TURN IN THIS TOWN, IT'S ALL ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE OTHER GOVERNMENT LEVELS SHOULD SAY, YOU GUYS ARE WALKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND STANDING ON BUSINESS, AS WE SAY, IN PROMOTING INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY AND EQUITY. SO, SO IN CLOSING, I JUST WOULD SAY TO YOU, I APPROVE THIS MOTION. I THANK YOU AND, UH, AND THAT ENTHUSIASTICALLY. YEAH, LET'S GO, LET'S GO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GREETINGS, UM, HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TASHA HUNTER, DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT, AND I JUST SO HAPPEN TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HEARD THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. SO WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY TO BE, UM, IN THE AREA. AND A CONGRATULATIONS. THIS MAKES ME PROUD OF THE CITY IN WHICH I LIVE IN. AS SOMEONE WHO MY 20-YEAR-OLD SON'S NAME IS, UM, MOSIAH HUNTER, NAMED AFTER MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY, WHO INVENTED THIS, WHO CREATED THIS FLOOD. AND, AND THE WORDS OF A LEGENDARY RAP GROUP KNOWN AS EX CLAN. THEY SAY RED, BLACK, AND GREEN IS SO MUCH MORE THAN RED, BLACK, AND GREEN. AND THIS RIGHT HERE SENDS SOMETHING SO POWERFUL TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, TO US FOLK, RIGHT? UM, AND TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS FLAG IS WORTH SOMETHING, UM, BEYOND JUST BEING AN ORNAMENT. SO I THANK YOU AGAIN, I SUPPORT THIS AND, UM, CONGRATULATIONS. WHAT A WONDERFUL CITY TO BE IN RIGHT NOW. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY PROUDEST LONG BEACH MOMENTS, SO I HOPE YOU ALL APPROVE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL SAID. SO WE WILL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. OKAY, SEEING NO FURTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, VICE MAYOR URANGA. YES. IS THAT YES, MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW GO TO, ALRIGHT, FANTASTIC. WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM 23, PLEASE. COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN. MAYOR RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR URANGA, RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE AND PURSUE STRATEGIES [23. 25-54286 Recommendation to request City Manager to explore and pursue strategies to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles for private and city-owned refuse trucks, including identifying public funding opportunities, assessing the fiscal impacts of the city’s fleet transition, planning for proactive fleet turnover depending on technology availability, clarifying the applicability of the City’s Zero-Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Policy, incentivizing the creation of good jobs through city procurement, and preparing for the long-term development of the necessary charging infrastructure. Report back to the City Council in 90 days on the progress of these efforts. Request City Attorney to draft resolution indicating the city’s policy position towards prioritizing future exclusive franchise agreements with waste haulers that commit to a 100% zero-emission refuse fleet by 2032.       Office or Department: Cindy Allen, Councilwoman, Second District; Rex Richardson, Mayor; Roberto Uranga, Vice Mayor, Seventh District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO ACCELERATE THE TRANSITION TO ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES FOR PRIVATE AND CITY OWNED REFUSE TRUCKS. CLARIFYING THE APPLICABILITY OF THE CITY'S ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE AND INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY, INCENTIVIZING THE CREATION OF GOOD JOBS THROUGH CITY PROCUREMENT AND PREPARING FOR THE LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT OF THE NECESSARY CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE. REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN 90 DAYS ON THE PROGRESS OF THESE EFFORTS. AND REQUEST THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION INDICATING THE CITY'S POLICY POSITION TOWARDS PRIORITIZING FUTURE EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS WITH WASTE HAULERS THAT COMMIT TO A 100% ZERO EMISSION REFUSE FLEET BY 2032. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU. UH, LAST MONTH AT THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, I CALLED ON CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE A NUMBER OF ACTIONS, UH, THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL. TONIGHT IS ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, THIS IS TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF NEW STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES TO HELP BUILD A MORE VIBRANT AND SUSTAINABLE INCLUSIVE CITY. UH, ONE OF THOSE CALLS, CALLS TO ACTION WAS FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL TO WORK ALONGSIDE PUBLIC PUBLIC WORKS TO PURSUE CREATIVE AND INFORMATIVE AND AFFIRMATIVE STRATEGIES TO HELP ACCELERATE OUR CITY'S, UH, TRANSITION [00:50:01] TO, UH, A ZERO EMISSION FLEET, ESPECIALLY OUR HIGHER POLLUTING HEAVY DUTY FU REFUSE TRUCKS. I AM PROUD THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, WHO'S THE NEWLY APPOINTED CHAIR OF OUR CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND COASTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE, WASTED NO TIME AND ANSWERING THAT CALL, JOINING ME IN BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT ITEM FORWARD. UH, SO WHAT THIS DOES IS HELPS US TO AMPLIFY OUR CRITICAL ZERO EMISSION FLEET TRANSITION BY DEVELOPING A HOLISTIC PLAN AND APPROACH THAT IDENTIFIES NEW GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES PROACTIVELY PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS FLEET. TURNOVER INCENTIVIZES THE CREATION OF GOOD PAYING UNION JOBS THROUGH CITY PROCUREMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THESE THIS WORK AND PREPARES FOR THE LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO SUSTAIN THIS. SO THIS WILL, UH, THIS IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLANS. WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS AND AS WE'VE SEEN SO CLEARLY WITH THE DEVASTATION, UH, CAUSED BY, UH, CLIMATE CHANGE, WITH THE CHANGE, WITH THE FIRES AND, UH, THE FLOODING THAT WE SEE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE BIGGEST THREAT, UH, FACING OUR, OUR GENERATION AND CONTINUE TO SHOW CLIMATE LEADERSHIP HERE. SO I WANT TO THANK THE COALITION OF LABOR PARTNERS, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY GROUPS WHO'VE RALLIED, UH, TO HAVE WORKED WITH, UH, MY OFFICE, WORKED WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN'S OFFICE TO, TO SUPPORT THIS OUT, THIS ITEM, AS WELL AS THE HARDWORKING MEMBERS OF OUR CITY'S FLEET SERVICES TEAM FOR THEIR INSIGHTS IN DEVELOPING THIS ITEM. THAT SAID, I WANNA PASS IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. I AM, UH, I'M PROUD TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM AND COLLABORATION, UM, WITH YOU AND ALSO VICE MAYOR ROBERTO URANGA, THE SOUTH COAST AIR BASIN, WHICH INCLUDES LONG BEACH, IS AMONG THE MOST POLLUTED IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. AND ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, THE REGION HAS FACED DANGEROUSLY HIGH OZONE LEVELS IN 26 OF THE LAST 27 YEARS. REFUSE TRUCKS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN KEEPING OUR CITY CLEAN. AND BY TRANSITIONING TO ZERO EMISSION ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WE CAN ENHANCE THEIR EFFICIENCY WHILE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH. BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES PRODUCE ZERO EMISSIONS, WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES AIR POLLUTION AND BENEFITS THE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE, UM, IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES OPERATE MORE QUIETLY THAN, UH, TRADITIONAL VEHICLES, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND THE RESIDENTS WHILE ELIMINATING EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL POLLUTANTS. LONG BEACH IS COMMITTED TO FLEET SUSTAINABILITY, AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOUR LEADERSHIP. UM, ON THIS MAYOR, UM, WE HAVE ALREADY SET A GOAL OF TRANSITIONING OVER 410, MEDIUM AND HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES TO ELECTRIC BY 2027 CONTINGENT ON, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY, UM, THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE. CALIFORNIA'S ADVANCED CLEAN TRUCKS ROLL REQUIRES MANUFACTURERS TO TRANSFER TO TRANSITION TO ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES, ACCELERATING BATTERY, ELECTRIC VEHICLE PRODUCTION, LOWERING COST, AND EXPANDING CHARGE AND CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE, THE MAYOR REFERRED TO TRANSITIONING. TRANSITIONING CITY FLEETS TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS A CRUCIAL STRATEGY FOR REDUCING GREENHILL, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAVING ON LONG, LONG-TERM COST. WITH PROPER PLANNING, WIDESPREAD BATTERY, ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION CAN, UH, CREATE THOUSANDS OF UNION JOBS, SUPPORT LOCAL MANUFACTURING, DEVELOP A SKILLED WORKFORCE FOR VEHICLE PRODUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE. AS DEMAND FOR ELECTRIC REFUGE TRUCKS INCREASES, LONG BEACH HAS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND CREATE THOUSANDS OF UNION JOBS ACROSS MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES. OPENING NEW CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION, FLEET MAINTENANCE, CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND INSTALL INSTALLATION. UM, PROVIDING STABLE HIGH QUALITY JOBS FOR WORKERS IN LONG BEACH WILL BE KEY WITH THE ABE ADOPTION, THE BEV ADOPTION, THE NEED FOR ELECTRICIANS, MECHANICS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIALISTS WILL GROW BY IMPLEMENTING POLICIES THAT REQUIRE STATE CERTIFIED APPRENTICESHIPS AND TARGETED HIRING. THE CITY CAN PRIORITI PRIORITIZE LOCAL WORKERS BY LEVERAGING OUR PURCHASE POWER. LONG BEACH CAN ALSO DRIVE DEMAND FOR BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES, ATTRACT INVESTMENTS, AND PROVIDE APPRENTICESHIPS OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISADVANTAGED [00:55:01] WORKERS MOST AFFECTED BY AIR POLLUTION. THIS INITIATIVE ALIGNS WITH THE LONG BEACH COMMITMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, SUSTAINABILITY AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AND LASTLY, BY INVESTING IN ZERO EMISSION REFUGE FLEET IS A WIN FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR WORKFORCE, AND OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, MAYOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. ABSOLUTELY. VICE MAYOR URANGA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN AND YOURSELF FOR MY NAME MEETING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS. UM, SOME OF YOU KNOW THAT I USED TO WORK FOR PHONE THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY IN THE FLEET SERVICES BUREAU BUREAU AND BACK THEN WE WERE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR OUR FLEET AND WE WANTED WARNS FOR THOSE EFFORTS. GAS, AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, NATURAL GAS VEHICLES IN OUR PASSENG OF CARS. SO MOVING TO HEAVIER EQUIPMENT IS, UH, A NATURAL STAMP IN THIS PROCESS. I WORKED FOR THE TOW YARD. WE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING ELECTRIC TOW, TOW, TOW TRUCKS TO ZERO EMISSIONS, BUT AT THE TIME THE TECHNOLOGY WASN'T THERE. UH, THE TRUCKS WERE, WERE MADE TOO LIGHT, THEY WEREN'T HEAVY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON A BATTERY, AND IT CARRIED, CARRIED OTHER TRUCKS AS WELL. THE TECHNOLOGY JUST WASN'T THERE. SO BY THIS ACTION, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN RESEARCH AND LOOK INTO NOT ONLY REFUGE VEHICLES, BUT TOW TRUCKS AS WELL, AND INTO OTHER HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH A, UH, ALTERNATIVE FUEL OR NON ZERO ZERO EMISSION TYPE OF A ENGINE OR MOTORIZED VEHICLE, WHATEVER. SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR LETTING ME GET INVOLVED IN THIS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHATEVER THE REPORT COMES BACK BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S A NEW WORLD AND THIS IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO HEAD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, HELP, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH COUNCIL WOMEN'S, UH, ALLEN, AS WELL AS, UM, ANG AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO LEAD IN THE CITY AROUND FINDING CLIMATE SOLUTION. I THINK AS WE LEAD IN ENSURING THAT THERE IS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION IN THE CITY, THAT WE ALSO LEAD ON MAKING SURE WE ACHIEVE ZERO EMISSION GOAL DESPITE THE OPPOSITION THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FACING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND, UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE WE ALSO LIFT UP IN ADDITION TO MANY THINGS THAT COUNCILWOMAN ALAN HAD RAISED THAT'S GREAT ABOUT ENSURING WE HAVE A ZERO EMISSION FLEET IS THE SAFETY ISSUE. UM, JUST THERE IS NO PERFECT SOURCE OF ENERGY OR FEEL THAT'S GONNA EXIST, BUT WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY THAT'S GOING TO DECREASE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, HAZARDS OR POLLUTANTS. UM, BUT I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DO IS PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SAFETY, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE USE OF BATTERY FLEETS. UM, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS IT, UH, IF AN INCIDENT OCCUR, UH, HOW DOES THE, WHAT, WHAT SHOULD THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT IT? SO I THINK THE MORE EDUCATION WE HAVE AS WE DO ENERGY TRANSITION, THE BETTER, UH, FOR USERS IN ADDITION TO THOSE WHO ARE GONNA BE AROUND IT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW GO. OH, COUNCILMAN ZENDEJAS. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I'M IN STRONG SUPPORT OF MOVING FORWARD TOWARDS, UH, FLEET SUSTAINABILITY IN LONG BEACH. I WANNA THANK OUR MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND ALSO COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN FOR BRINGING THIS VERY IMPORTANT ITEM FORWARD. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE OUR CLIMATE ABADA ADAPTATION GOALS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TOWARDS THE REPORT. ALRIGHT, GREAT. WE'LL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. PLEASE COME FORWARD WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME DAVE SHUKLA, AND AFTER DAVE IS TOMMY AVA, JOJO DEL RIO, UH, PAULA VARGAS, CHRISTIAN TAPIA, FERNANDO GUYTON, AND JOHN EDMOND. ALRIGHT, UH, DAVE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. [01:00:04] GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, CONSTABLE NEL AND, UH, SUPPORT THE MOTION. UM, ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THE REPORT BACK WITHIN 90 DAYS AND, UH, THE TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION ON PRIORITIZING, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS WITH WASTE HAULERS. UM, I APPRECIATE THE, THAT THERE'S WITH THE STAFF REPORT A BULLET LIST OF STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS TO KIND OF GUIDE THIS PROCESS. AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF GENERAL POINTS AND A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC POINTS TO THEM. UH, THE FIRST GENERAL POINT IS THAT THE SOONER YOU TURN OVER THE FLEET AND THE SOONER YOU CREATE CITY OWNED INFRASTRUCTURE, THE CHEAPER IT WILL BE IN THE LONG RUN. FULL STOP. THE LONGER YOU DELAY, THE MORE IT'S PRIVATIZED, THE MORE IT WILL COST, ULTIMATELY. FULL STOP. SECOND POINT. UM, AND THIS IS AGAIN, WITHIN THE STRICTURES OF THE LONG BEACH CAP. GENERALLY EVERYWHERE THE CITY KNOWS THAT IT'S ADDING LOAD, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, TO THE GRID FOR ELECTRIFICATION, IT SHOULD PROBABLY PROCURE, UH, A CORRESPONDING AMOUNT OF CLEAN ENERGY, UM, GENERATION AND REALLY GETTING AHEAD OF WHAT THE TRANSITION'S GOING TO REQUIRE WITHIN, UH, THE CONSUMPTION LOAD OF THE CITY. NOW IT'S SPECIFIC TO THE FINAL BULLET POINT ON, UH, GETTING CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ELECTRICAL VEHICLE, HEAVY DUTY CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE LONG HAUL, UH, AND WORKING WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON TO DO SO. UM, PLEASE DON'T FORGET WHO OUGHT TO BE PAYING FOR THIS TRANSITION AND FOR HOW LONG IT'S BEEN DELAYED AND FOR HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST AS A RESULT. AND HOW MUCH NOW BAKED IN, LOST DAMAGE AND HARM THERE IS TO THE SYSTEM. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON IS UNDER MULTIPLE PIECES OF LITIGATION FOR LIKE PG E WITH THE PARADISE FIRE HAVING KILLED PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA THROUGH THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES. CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BEHOLDEN YEAR OVER YEAR. YOU LOOK AT THEIR TOP 10 ACCOUNTS, CITY GAS AND OIL DEPARTMENT, CITIES, WATER DEPARTMENT, CITY, ITS OWN CITY, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNT CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BEHOLDEN TO BEING THEIR BIGGEST CUSTOMER. AND FRANKLY, THE KIND OF PERVERSITY OF HAVING RESIDENTIAL RATES SUBSIDIZING THE CUT RATE THAT THE CITY GETS FOR DRILLING FOR OIL. SO WHEN LOOKING AT EXISTING PIECES OF LEGISLATION, NOT JUST SB 100 AND THINGS FOR ELECTRIFICATION, BUT ALSO, UH, CONSTRAINING AND ULTIMATELY CONVERTING AWAY FROM THE DIRTY ENERGY SYSTEM THAT GOT US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. EXISTING PIECES OF LEGISLATION LIKE SB 1137, HOW ARE WE'RE GONNA CAP WELLS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM THAT THE CITY HAS A VERY LONG, HISTORICALLY ATTRIBUTABLE ROLE IN CREATING. UM, THE CITY SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKING AT ALL MANNERS TO, UH, EXPAND APPRENTICESHIPS, CONVERT, UH, SKILLS, AND ACTUALLY DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM THAT IT'S CREATING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON AND FELLOW COUNCIL, UH, CITY STAFF AND PUBLIC. UH, MY NAME IS TOMMY FVE. UM, I'M HERE TO, UH, SUPPORT THE ITEM TONIGHT. UH, WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, UH, TO CREATE GOOD, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICAL, CONSTRUCTION JOBS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SORROW BRING UP THE SAFETY ASPECT, RIGHT? WHEN YOU HAVE ELECTRICIANS, E-V-I-T-P CERTIFIED, HAVING THE RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTORS IN PLACE THAT ACTUALLY KNOWS THESE INTERNAL SYSTEMS AND WORK ON IT EVERY DAY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN PLACE AND THEY'RE GONNA TEACH, YOU KNOW, OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW HOW THE SYSTEMS WORK ONCE WHEN THEY INSTALL IT, RIGHT? SO WE KNOW THAT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH ALREADY HAS STARTED ON THESE, UM, MEDIUM AND HEAVY DUTY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY. UM, AND THANKS TO, UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON FOR COMING OUT ON THE STATE OF THE CITY, UH, ON THE BOAT INITIATIVE LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT TELLS EVERYONE ACROSS THE NATION, ACROSS CALIFORNIA THAT WHAT CITY OF LONG BEACH IS DOING IS NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER ONE WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND SO FORTH. SO, UH, THANK YOU, UH, REX, UH, RICHARDSON, THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING UP THESE, UH, TYPE OF INITIATIVES BECAUSE WE KNOW IT CAN WORK AND US WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY THE STAFF, UH, THAT'S ACTUALLY PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, UH, GOES A LONG WAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JORE. I AM A ORGANIZER WITH EAST YARD COMMUNITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, UM, COMMENTING IN SUPPORT OF, UH, THE ZERO EMISSIONS REFUGE MOTION. UH, WE ORGANIZE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT PRIMARILY LIVE IN WEST [01:05:01] LONG BEACH, AN AREA THAT SEES DISPROPORTIONATE LEVELS OF POLLUTION AND HEALTH IMPACTS. THIS MOTION OFFERS A VIABLE OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE HARMFUL EMISSIONS LIKE NOX, UH, WHICH ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE ASTHMA, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, AND CANCER. UM, THIS GOES A LONG WAY WHEN THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHOSE LIFE EXPECTANCY IS LOWER BASED ON WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE CITY. I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL WILL ADOPT THIS MOTION FOR ZERO EMISSIONS, REFUSE FLEETS AND ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH HAS THE GOAL OF ELIMINATING GREENHOUSE GASES FROM ALL THE CITY'S FLEETS. UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY MOVES FORWARD IN AN EQUITABLE WAY FOR A JUST TRANSITION DURING SUCH AN UNCERTAIN TIME. IT'S CRUCIAL THAT A CITY LIKE LONG BEACH SETS THE PRECEDENT FOR CLEAN AIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. OH, THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS PA LA VARGAS. I'M ALSO AN ORGANIZER WITH ECR COMMUNITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND I'M COMMENTING TO SUPPORT ITEM NUMBER 23, THE ZERO EMISSION REFUSE MOTION. AS WELL, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, MAYOR RICHARDSON, AND VICE MAYOR, MAYOR ORANGA FOR LEADING ON CLIMATE ACTION AND PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH. WE NEED TO PASS THIS MOTION BECAUSE LONG BEACH NEEDS TO CONTINUE LEADING ON CLIMATE ACTION AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ITS GREENHOUSE GAS FOOTPRINT TRUCKS ACCOUNT FOR 6% OF CALIFORNIA'S VEHICLES, BUT 25% OF ITS ON-ROAD GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REFUSE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIFICALLY IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, UM, WHICH CALLS FOR REDUCING AND ELIMINATING GREENHOUSE GAS AND AIR POLLUTION FROM ALL ITS FLEETS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON. UM, LONG BEACH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF. MY NAME'S CHRISTIAN DELGADO. I'M AN EAST YARD COMMUNITY MEMBER, UH, CAMPAIGNER WITH PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT AND A LONGTIME CD ONE RESIDENT. I AM COMMENTING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION. AND FIRST OFF, JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, MAYOR RICHARDSON, AND VICE MAYOR ORANGA FOR LEADING ON THIS MOTION TO HELP PROTECT OUR LONG BEACH COMMUNITIES, UM, AND OUR HEALTH BY EXPLORING A 100% ZERO EMISSION REFUSE FLEET BY 2032, UH, ZERO EMISSION FLEETS WILL PROTECT OUR HEALTH, UM, BY TACKLING THE AIR POLLUTION CRISIS FROM TRUCKS, UM, WHICH CURRENTLY ACCOUNT FOR 35% OF CALIFORNIA'S TRANSPORTATION RELATED NOX EMISSIONS. NOX POLLUTING TRUCKS PLAGUE OUR HOMES WITH ELEVATED RISKS OF ASTHMA, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, CANCER, AND EVEN PREMATURE DEATH AS THEY COLLECT TRASH FROM OUR HOMES. THESE TRUCKS HAVE TO TRAVEL AT LOW SPEED AND REGULARLY HAVE TO IDLE RUNNING THEIR DIRTY ENGINES AND PUMPING OUT EMISSIONS NEAR HOMES. IN THE PROCESS, MOVING THE CITY TO ELECTRIC WASTE COLLECTION TRUCKS WILL NOT ONLY HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, BUT LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN STATED, IT WILL ALSO BRING GREEN JOBS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO THE RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE OPERATION MAINTENANCE BUILDING, UM, OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION OF TRUCKS IS AVAILABLE TODAY AND WITH THEIR PREDICTABLE ROUTES DURING THE DAY AND STOP AND GO OPERATIONS FOR OPTIMAL BATTERY USAGE. IT MAKES SENSE THAT LONG BEACH DEMONSTRATES ITS CLIMATE LEADERSHIP BY SUPPORTING THIS MOTION. THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE CITY'S OWN CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT SEEKS TO REDUCE AND ELIMINATE GREENHOUSE GAS AND AIR POLLUTION FROM ITS FLEETS. AND YEAH, JUST I URGE THE COUNCIL TO PASS THIS MOTION TO CLEAN UP SOME OF THE NATION'S MOST POLLUTED AIR AND MOVE THE CITY TOWARDS A GREENER FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS FERNANDO GAANA. I'M WITH THIRST JUSTICE. I'M ALSO HERE WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY ELECTRIC BUS AND TRUCK COALITION, AND I WANNA EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS MOTION. AND THANK YOU MAYOR RICHARDSON, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, UH, AND VICE MAYOR ANG FOR BRINGING THIS MOTION FORWARD. UH, ONCE AGAIN, LONG BEACH IS STEPPING UP, UH, WHEN IT COME STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE, WHEN IT COMES TO POSITIONING ITSELF ON THE FOREFRONT OF CLIMATE ACTION, CLEANER AIR AND HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS BY COMMITTING TO THIS TRANSITION, TRANSITION, THE MOST POLLUTING FLEETS IN ITS, UH, ARSENAL TO ZERO EMISSIONS. UM, AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN SPOKE EARLIER AND SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE DUBIOUS DISTINCTION OF HAVING THE MOST POLLUTED AIR IN THE NATION. UH, THAT IS CERTAINLY TRUE. UH, THIS PAST YEAR WE SAW AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DAYS OF UNHEALTHFUL AIR QUALITY, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT DECISIVE ACTION IS NECESSARY. UH, DESPITE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, WE'VE NEVER MET A SINGLE FEDERAL OZONE STANDARD FOR OUR REGION. BUT THAT CAN CHANGE SUPPORTING THOSE POLICIES. A VITAL STEP FORWARD TO ADDRESSING ONE OF THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO AIR QUALITY CHALLENGES IN THE REGION. AND THAT IS VEHICLE EMISSIONS. WE HEARD EARLIER THAT TRUCKS ACCOUNT TO ONLY 6% OF CALIFORNIA VEHICLES WHILE PRODUCING A VAST AMOUNT OF GREENHOUSE GASES, BUT ALSO NOX EMISSION NITROGEN OXIDE EMISSIONS, AND THAT CAUSES OZONE. [01:10:01] UH, AND THESE EMISSIONS HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH CONSEQUENCES CONTRIBUTING TO ASTHMA, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, OTHER HEALTH ISSUES THAT DRAIN OUR ECONOMY. AND BY, WITH MISSED WORK, MISSED SCHOOL DAYS, UH, MORE ER VISITS AND AN INCREASED HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR THE REGION, ELECTRIFYING REFUSE FLEETS MAKES THE ONLY SENSE, NOT ONLY FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM AN AIR POLLUTION PERSPECTIVE. AND ALSO JUST PRACTICAL SENSE, REFUSE TRUCKS OPERATE DAILY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, COLLECTING TRASH AT LOW SPEEDS WITH EXPENDED IDLE TIMES, AND THIS MAKES THEIR EMISSIONS PARTICULARLY HARMFUL IN DENSELY POPULATED AREAS. TRANSITIONING, UH, TO ELECTRIC FLEETS IS NOT ONLY FEASIBLE, BUT IS ALSO IDEAL. THEY'RE FIXED ROUTES, UH, AND THE ABILITY TO RECHARGE BETWEEN SHIFTS MAKES THEM, UH, PERFECTLY SUITED FOR ELECTRIFICATION. MAYOR, YOU ALLUDED EARLIER TO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, WHILE IN MANY WAYS WE'RE FED, SEEN SOME HEADWINDS, UM, UH, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE'RE SEEING STEPS BACK WITH THIS MOTION LONG BEACHES MOVING FORWARD. I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION AND MOVE FORWARD WITH ELECTRIFYING REFUSE REFUSE FLEETS. THANK YOU. THANKS FERNANDO. ALRIGHT, OUR FINAL SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR URANGA. SO NICE TO SAY THAT. CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DISTINGUISHED STAFF. MY NAME IS JOHN EDMOND. I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE, A DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN CITIES, AND I WANNA THANK COUNCILWOMAN CINDY ALLEN, MAYOR RE RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR ROBERTO DURANGO FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD. TYPICALLY SPEAKING UNIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP AND BUSINESS GROUPS. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T AGREE ON A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I THINK ON THIS ITEM WE CAN, WE STAND READY AND SUPPORT AND ACTUALLY IT'S IN THE ITEM, BUT WE ACTUALLY THINK THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN BE A RESPONSIBLE PARTY WITH THE CITY AND LEVERAGING ECONOMIES OF SCALE. BEING FIRST TO MARKET CAN CREATE SOME ADVANTAGES, INCLUDING WRITING DOWN COSTS, BLOCKING IN CONTRACTS, AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE HAULERS LEVERAGE THOSE CONTRACTS FOR CAPITAL. UH, SO WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM BECAUSE WE THINK IT PROVIDES COST STABILITY FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND ENSURES A PRODUCTIVE APPROACH, A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO THE STATE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. I WAS JUST AT A MEETING YESTERDAY. WE ARE FULL STEAM AHEAD, UH, AND THIS WOULD BRING LONG BEACH FURTHER ALONG THAN THE STATE. SO THE TRANSITION TO ZERO EMISSION, UH, REFUSE TRUCKS HELPS CONTROL WASTE COLLECTION COSTS BY REDUCING FUELS MAINTENANCE EXPENSE AND ALL THE BUSY DRIVING AROUND AND LEVERAGING PUBLIC FUNDING, CITY SUPPORT, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WE BELIEVE YOU CAN LEVERAGE AND MAKING THIS TRANSITION POSSIBLE WITHOUT UNNECESSARY COSTS TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND RENTERS ALIKE. SECOND, IT ALSO KEEPS LONG BEACH AHEAD OF STATE ADMISSION REGULATIONS. AND AS A STRUCTURED PHRASE PLAYS PLANNED, IT ALLOWS US TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND ALLOW WASTE HAULERS TO PREPARE THE WAY TO PREVENT LAST MINUTE COST SPIKES AND SERVICE DISRUPTIONS, WHICH COULD HAPPEN IF WE DON'T WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT, UH, WIDELY KNOWN. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO AN EN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS AND BRINGING BALANCE TO, TO STABILITY, ECONOMIC STABILITY, AND IT'S A SMART THINKING FORWARD INITIATIVE AND WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY, NOW, UH, ON TO THE MAIN EVENT, ITEM NUMBER 21. ITEM 21, REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION [21. 25-54047 Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, review and determine that the proposed Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) amendments and Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 21166, 15162, 15163 and 15061 (b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines; Declare ordinance adopting Zoning Code Amendment (ZCA24-003) and the proposed findings related thereto, to amend Chapter 21.67 of the Zoning Regulations to expand the existing Inclusionary Housing Ordinance applicability beyond the Downtown Plan (PD-30) and Mid-Town Specific Plan (SP-1) submarkets and apply the ordinance citywide, including sites within the coastal zone; change the affordability requirements for Inclusionary Housing units; and implement other changes to the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading; and       Office or Department:         Suggested Action: ] INTO THE RECORD, CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING REVIEW AND DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS AND LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AMENDMENT ARE EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT. DECLARE THE ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ZONING CODE AMENDMENT AND THE PROPOSED FINDINGS RELATED THERETO TO AMEND THE ZONING REGULATIONS TO EXPAND THE EXISTING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE, APPLICABILITY BEYOND THE DOWNTOWN PLAN AND MIDTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN SUBMARKETS, AND APPLY THIS ORDINANCE CITYWIDE, CHANGE THE AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR INCLUSIONARY HOUSING UNITS AND IMPLEMENT OTHER CHANGES TO THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE. READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT THE LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AMENDMENT AND ASSOCIATED MATERIALS AND FINDINGS TO THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION FOR ITS REVIEW AND CERTIFICATION AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CERTIFIED LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM CITYWIDE. ALL RIGHT, UH, WELL, THANK YOU, UH, ALL FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, DISCUSSION. LAST YEAR, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL PROVIDED DIRECTION TO CITY STAFF TO BEGIN TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE CITY'S IN OUR, [01:15:01] OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY TO TAKE THAT POLICY CITYWIDE BASED ON THAT DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL, SEVERAL MONTHS OF OUTREACH, UH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT BY THE COMMUNITY CER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. TONIGHT WE'LL BE RECEIVING SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON AMENDING THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE TO ALLOW THIS PROVEN POLICY TO EXTEND TO OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY IN A WAY THAT IS THOUGHTFUL, IN A WAY THAT IS ECONOMICALLY BALANCED AND IMPACTFUL, EXPANDING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENTS TO OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY. IT'S AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR GENERATING MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS ACROSS ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN ORDER TO MEET THE RISING HOUSING DEMAND IN OUR REGION. AND TO AFFIRMATIVELY, AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING. UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIXED INCOME HOUSING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGIES AVAILABLE TO AVAILABLE FOR, UH, ADDRESSING, UH, AND ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC SEGREGATION. SO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIXED INCOME HOUSING, UH, AND IMPLEMENTING THE CITYWIDE ZONING EFFORT IS ALSO ESSENTIAL FOR ACHIEVING COMPLIANCE WITH OUR HOUSING ELEMENT TARGETS. SO WE SUBMIT AN HOUSING ELEMENT TO THE STATE. IT IS APPROVED WITHIN THAT, OUR STRATEGIES TO HELP ACHIEVE SOME OF THOSE GOALS. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE STRATEGIES AS WE'VE SEEN FROM OUR CURRENT USE OF INCLUSIONARY ZONING ZONING THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN. THESE POLICIES HAVE NOT DISCOURAGED HOUSING PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES. IN FACT, THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BROKEN RECORDS. SO, UH, SO WE, WE'VE SEEN THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT FOLKS FEARED WITH INCLUSIONARY HOUSING RECORD LABELS, RECORD LEVELS OF ENTITLEMENTS, UH, SINCE THE ORIGINAL INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY WAS ADOPTED. SO WE KNOW THAT IN LONG BEACH INCLUSIONARY PROJECTS WORK, UH, THEY CAN USE OUR ENHANCED DENSITY BONUS AND OTHER CONCESSIONS TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS MORE FEASIBLE, UH, OVER AND ABOVE WHAT, UH, MANY OTHER NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS OFFER. UH, AS WE BUILD OUT THIS NEXT PHASE OF THE POLICY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO, TO, TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE IMPACTS, UH, BECAUSE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DIFFERENT ACROSS THE CITY, AND THAT WE FURTHER STUDY WHAT PERCENTAGES YIELD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS WITHOUT PUSHING MARKET RATE RENTS HIGHER, UH, AND TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GO ABOUT THIS THE RIGHT WAY AND GENFI BENEFIT THE MOST, UH, THE MOST BENEFITS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE MORE HOUSING PRODUCTION ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. SO THIS IS A HEARING. WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM STAFF FIRST, THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, THERE'S 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL, UH, FOR DISCUSSION. SO THAT SAID, LET'S BEGIN THE STAFF REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IT'S A GOOD INTRODUCTION. UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT PUT INTO THIS, UH, AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR THAT WE'D LIKE TO SUMMARIZE AND THEN GIVE A SENSE, UH, OF WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN REALLY HEAR FROM BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE COUNCIL ON WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS COULD BE. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CHRISTOPHER KOONS, OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. GREAT. SO MR. MAYOR, YOU DID MY WHOLE INTRODUCTION. UM, SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO THE TEAM IN JUST A MOMENT. UH, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE, UH, THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL ASKED US TO BE HERE AND WE HAVE AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL, UH, HOUSING POLICY AND HOUSING PRODUCTION HERE IN THE CITY. AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS HOW DO WE, UM, GROW THAT SO THAT EVERYONE IN LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO, TO BENEFIT FROM THE NEW INVESTMENT HERE. UM, AND HOW DO WE DO THAT THOUGHTFULLY IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T, UM, DETER THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE AND THE PROJECTS IN FRONT OF US. SO STEPHANIE HARPER IS GONNA TAKE US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN ALLISON AND I ARE HERE TO ASSIST WITH THE, UH, Q AND A PART OF TONIGHT. UH, THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M GONNA START WITH A QUICK RECAP, UM, AND I'M ALSO GONNA SUMMARIZE THE STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN SINCE WE LAST BROUGHT THIS ITEM TO THE FULL COUNCIL IN MAY. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, AND THEN I'LL OUTLINE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO UPDATE THE POLICY. SO COUNCIL FIRST DIRECTED US TO DEVELOP AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY NEARLY EIGHT YEARS AGO. THE GOAL OF INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS TO FACILITATE MIXED INCOME HOUSING, AND IT DOES THAT BY REQUIRING DEVELOPERS TO SET ASIDE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE NEW HOUSING UNITS AS AFFORDABLE. WE ORIGINALLY TOOK SEVERAL YEARS TO DEVELOP OUR CURRENT POLICY THAT INCLUDED AN ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT, UM, DETERMINED THE MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE OF UNITS THAT COULD BE SET ASIDE AS AFFORDABLE WHILE STILL ENSURING THAT THE HOUSING PROJECTS ARE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE. IN 2020, WE PRESENTED OPTIONS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, FOR A POLICY FOR RENTAL PROJECTS. THE OPTIONS THAT WE RECOMMENDED INCLUDED A MIX OF VERY LOW INCOME, LOW INCOME, AND MODERATE INCOME AFFORDABILITY LEVELS FOR OWNERSHIP PROJECTS. THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOUND THAT THOSE COULD BE SUPPORTED ONLY FOR MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. [01:20:01] AT 10% OF UNITS SET ASIDE THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN 2020 RECOMMENDED THAT CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A POLICY WITH A MIX OF AFFORDABILITY LEVELS. SPECIFICALLY, THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT 12% OF TOTAL RENTAL PROJECT UNITS BE SET ASIDE A QUARTER OF THOSE FOR VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, A QUARTER FOR LOW AND THEN HALF FOR MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL IN 2020, THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME ADOPTED OUR CURRENT POLICY, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR RENTAL HOUSING. 11% OF PROJECT UNITS BEING SET ASIDE EXCLUSIVELY FOR L VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, AND THEY MADE THAT CHANGE, UM, OUT OF A DESIRE TO SERVE THOSE THAT ARE MOST IN NEED. OUR CURRENT POLICY APPLIES TO NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITH 10 OR MORE UNITS ONLY IN DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN. THIS LIMITED AREA IS BASED ON THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT MARKET AT THAT TIME FROM THE 2019 FEASIBILITY STUDY. HOWEVER, WHEN THE POLICY WAS ADOPTED, WE COMMITTED TO UPDATING THE POLICY AS DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS EVOLVE AS OF THE END OF 2023. 168. AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS HAVE BEEN ENTITLED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE INCLUSIONARY POLICY. THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE. UM, AS THE MAYOR HAD MENTIONED, INITIALLY, THERE WAS CONCERN THAT INCLUSIONARY POLICIES WOULD SUPPRESS DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT. INSTEAD, ANNUAL HOUSING PRODUCTION HAS GONE UP MODESTLY WITHIN THE INCLUSIONARY ZONES WHEN WE COMPARE THE TWO YEARS BEFORE THE POLICY WENT INTO EFFECT COMPARED TO THE TWO YEARS AFTER IT'S IN PLACE. IN ADDITION, SINCE THIS POLICY WAS INITIALLY DEVELOPED AND ADOPTED, WE'VE SEEN A CHANGE IN OUR HOUSING LANDSCAPE. IT'S EVOLVED PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. UM, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT HAS INCREASED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF OUR INCLUSIONARY ZONES. IN 2023, WE HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF HOUSING ENTITLEMENTS OF NEARLY 3000 UNITS. THE MAP THAT YOU SEE HERE SHOWS EXAMPLES OF RECENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CURRENT INCLUSIONARY ZONES. SO FOR EXAMPLE, NEARLY 1300 HUNDRED NEW UNITS IN THE SOUTHEAST AREA THAT WERE ENTITLED IN TWENTY TWENTY THREE, A HUNDRED AND FORTY UNITS COMING SOON IN NORTH LONG BEACH. 15 NEW UNITS IN BIGSBY KNOWLES AND THEN 23 RECENTLY BUILT TOWN HOMES IN ROSE PARK. WE'VE ALSO BEEN UPDATING OUR ZONING POLICIES BASED ON OUR HOUSING ELEMENT AND STATE LAW. AND THESE UPDATES EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. SO WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE HOUSING COMING ONLINE THROUGHOUT ALL OF LONG BEACH. THAT MAKES THIS A REALLY PIVOTAL TIME TO EXPAND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE SO THAT ALL NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FUTURE WITH 10 OR MORE UNITS CAN INCLUDE AT LEAST SOME PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE UNITS AND HELP DISPLACE, UM, HELP MITIGATE, MITIGATE ANY DISPLACEMENT OF CURRENT RESIDENTS. NOW, WE COMMITTED IN OUR CURRENT HOUSING ELEMENT TO EXPLORE EXPANDING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE IN ORDER TO MEET OUR FAIR HOUSING GOALS. AND THIS COMMITMENT WAS REALLY PIVOTAL TO THE STATE'S DECISION TO CERTIFY OUR HOUSING ELEMENT BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUS LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE HAVE HAVE IN OUR CITY. UH, AS A REFRESHER, OUR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS BROKEN INTO FOUR AFFORDABILITY CATEGORIES THAT INCLUDES VERY LOW INCOME UP TO ABOVE MODERATE INCOME. THE SLIDE THAT YOU SEE HERE IS SHOWING, UM, THE ARENA CYCLE, UM, FROM OUR LAST CYCLE FROM 2013 TO 2021. DURING THAT CYCLE, WE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED OUR MARKET RATE ALLOCATION. WE MET 115% OF THE ALLOCATION FOR THAT INCOME LEVEL, AND WE ONLY MET 16% OF THE AFFORDABLE ALLOCATION. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT TREND HAS CONTINUED FOR OUR CURRENT ARENA CYCLE, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THIS SLIDE. SO AS OF OUR 2023 YEAR END REPORTING, THAT'S FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF OUR CURRENT HOUSING CYCLE, WE'VE ONLY MET ABOUT 3% OF OUR ALLOCATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE UNITS. HOWEVER, WE'VE REACHED 20% OF OUR ALLOCATION FOR ABOVE MODERATE INCOME UNITS. THAT'S ROUGHLY A QUARTER OF THE WAY THROUGH THE CYCLE, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE ABOUT ON TRACK TO MEET OUR ABOVE MODERATE ALLOCATION, BUT WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND ON THE PRODUCTION OF AFFORDABLE UNITS. SO WITH ALL THAT CONTEXT, IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED US TO EXPAND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE. WE PRESENTED AN UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL THAT MONTH ON SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE POLICY. AS PART OF THAT PRESENTATION, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE HEARD FROM CITY COUNCIL WAS TO ALSO LOOK AT UPDATING AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS TO INCLUDE A MIX OF INCOME LEVELS SPECIFICALLY FOR RENTAL PROJECTS. SO HERE'S SOME OF THE STEPS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN LAST YEAR SINCE THAT, UM, COUNCIL DIRECTION IN MAY. IN JUNE, WE PRESENTED TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE. UM, WE OUTLINED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO UPDATE THE POLICY, AND WE PRESENTED SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR UPDATING AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR RENTAL PROJECTS. IN AUGUST, WE HELD A STEADY SESSION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO WALK THROUGH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL. AND THEN DURING THE SUMMER AND THE FALL, WE [01:25:01] HOSTED SIX COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, UM, TO HELP GATHER FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS TO HELP US REFINE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. AND I'M GONNA PROVIDE MORE DETAIL ON THOSE OUTREACH. AND, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, WE THEN INCORPORATED THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD. WE DID ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND WE REVISED OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATIONS. WE BROUGHT THE NEW SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 19TH FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN WHICH OUR PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE NOW BRINGING FORWARD FOR CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION. SO AS PART OF THE OUTREACH THAT WAS DONE TO HELP DEVELOP THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THESE POLICY UPDATE, WE HELD THREE IN-PERSON HOUSING POLICY FORUMS. WE HAD 133 PEOPLE ATTEND THOSE IN-PERSON FORUMS. WE RECEIVED 75 WRITTEN COMMENTS BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE. WE ALSO HELD FOCUS GROUPS WITH HOUSING DEVELOPERS, LANDLORD ADVOCATES AND HOUSING ADVOCATES. AND THEN OUR DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS HELD ADDITIONAL MEETINGS WITH ADVOCATES AND DEVELOPERS. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS FOR SHARING THEIR TIME AND THEIR EXPERTISE. WE HEARD REALLY VALUABLE INPUT AND WE HAVE INCORPORATED THOSE INTO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD. UM, BUT FIRST I WANNA SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE MAIN POINTS OF FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD. UM, I HAVE A FEW SLIDES ON THIS. THERE'S A LONGER SUMMARY WITHIN THE STAFF REPORT, AND THEN THERE'S AN ATTACHMENT TO THE STAFF REPORT THAT INCLUDES EVERY ONE OF THE WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED SO THAT YOU CAN READ THE FEEDBACK IN FOLKS ON WORDS. SO FIRST, IN GENERAL, WE HEARD BROAD SUPPORT FOR CITYWIDE EXPANSION OF THE POLICY FROM RESIDENTS AND HOUSING ADVOCATES. IN PARTICULAR, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENTS EXPRESSING A STRONG DESIRE FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR HIGH RESOURCE AREAS OF THE CITY. THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENT PARTICIPANTS AND HOUSING ADVOCATES WANT AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS EXCLUSIVELY FOR VERY LOW AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. HOWEVER, WE HAVE HEARD SOME SUPPORT FOR A MIX OF AFFORDABILITY LEVELS. WE HEARD A DESIRE TO INCREASE INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENT PERCENTAGES FROM HOUSING ADVOCATES AND RESIDENTS. WE HEARD A DESIRE TO REMOVE THE THREE YEAR PHASE IN PERIOD THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, AND WE ALSO HEARD INTEREST IN ADDING LOCAL HIGHER PROVISIONS, UM, FOR HOUSING CONSTRUCTION AS PART OF THE POLICY ON THE DEVELOPER SIDE, WE HEARD CONCERNS FROM DEVELOPERS AND FROM SOME HOUSING ADVOCATES THAT, UM, INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS MAY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS THAT CAN BE BUILT OVERALL, ESPECIALLY FOR OWNERSHIP PROJECTS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HEARD INTEREST FROM RESIDENTS FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE NOT LARGELY AVAILABLE WITHIN OUR CITY. WE HEARD A DESIRE FROM HOUSING ADVOCATES AND RESIDENTS TO KEEP CITY COUNCIL AS THE APPROVAL BODY FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE OPTIONS. AND THEN WE IN GENERAL HEARD BROAD SUPPORT FROM MORE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES AND ZONING REFORM TO WORK ALONGSIDE INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS. SO I'M GONNA SHIFT AND START TO WALK THROUGH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO UPDATE THIS POLICY. THE FIRST BROAD RECOMMENDATION IS TO EXPAND THE POLICY CITYWIDE. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED AND IT'S IN LINE WITH THE COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE AS PART OF OUR HOUSING ELEMENT, UM, AS WELL AS THE DIRECTION FROM CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR. NOW, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH WE'VE DONE, WE HAVE MADE SOME UPDATES TO SOME OF OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT INCLUDES, UM, CHANGES TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AFFORDABILITY LEVELS FOR BOTH RENTAL AND OWNERSHIP HOUSING, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE TECHNICAL CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO REFINE THE POLICY. AND I'LL BE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT HAS CHANGED, UM, BASED ON FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD AND BASED ON SOME RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE. SO NEXT I WANNA TALK ABOUT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT RELATE SPECIFICALLY TO RENTAL PROJECTS. UH, WE PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED UPDATING THE AFFORDABILITY LEVELS TO INCLUDE A MIX OF VERY LOW INCOME, LOW INCOME AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. AND TO APPLY THOSE REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OPPORTUNITY AREA CENSUS TRACKS THAT ARE DEFINED BY THE STATE. WE MADE THIS ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A FEW REASONS. ONE IS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR A BROADER RANGE OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE IN NEED, INCLUDING WORKFORCE HOUSING, WHICH WAS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN MAY. WE ALSO ARE LOOKING TO ADDRESS AN OVER CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY WITHIN OUR LOW RESOURCE AREAS OF THE CITY, UM, AND OVERALL AND AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING BY FOSTERING ECONOMIC INCLUSION AND ADDRESSING SEGREGATION. NOW WE'VE REVISED THIS RECOMMENDATION. WE ARE NO LONGER RECOMMENDING MODERATE INCOME UNITS. INSTEAD, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT RENTAL PROJECTS FOCUS ON VERY LOW INCOME AND LOW INCOME AFFORDABILITY LEVELS. WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING ESTABLISHING SUB-MARKET AREAS. THESE ARE LARGELY BASED ON THE OPPORTUNITY CENSUS TRACKS THAT ARE SET BY THE STATE, BUT ALSO DESIGNATING DOWNTOWN IN MIDTOWN AS THEIR OWN STANDALONE SUBMARKETS. AND THEN WE'RE RECOMMENDING APPLYING DIFFERENT AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS TO THESE DIFFERENT SUBMARKETS IN ORDER TO HELP ACHIEVE OUR FAIR HOUSING GOALS. SO THIS CHART SHOWS YOU OUR CURRENT RECOMMENDATION FOR, UM, ANY RENTAL PROJECTS LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN WITH 10 OR [01:30:01] MORE UNITS. OUR CURRENT RECOMMENDATION IS THAT 12% OF RENTAL UNITS BE SET ASIDE AS AFFORDABLE. HALF OF THOSE FOR VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND HALF FOR LOW FOR PROJECTS LOCATED IN MIDTOWN. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT 12% OF UNITS BE SET ASIDE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE LOCATED IN CENSUS TRACKS IN THE CITY THAT ARE HIGH RESOURCE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT 11% OF RENTAL PROJECTS BE UNITS BE SET ASIDE FOR VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. FOR PROJECTS IN OUR MODERATE RESOURCE AREAS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING, AGAIN, THAT 50 50 MIX TOTAL, 12% SET ASIDE HALF OR VERY LOW, HALF OR LOW. AND THEN FINALLY, FOR LOW RESOURCE AREAS, WE'RE RECOMMENDING 12% OF UNITS BE SET ASIDE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. UM, AND I WANNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY WE MADE THAT CHANGE, ESPECIALLY AROUND WHY WE'RE NO LONGER RECOMMENDING MODERATE INCOME UNITS. UM, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF MATH, SO BEAR WITH ME. I'LL TRY AND BE QUICK. SO WE'RE NO LONGER RECOMMENDING MODERATE AFFORDABILITY SPECIFICALLY THAT LIES IN HOW LOW INCOME UNITS ARE CALCULATED. WE THINK THAT LOW INCOME UNITS STILL ACHIEVE OUR BROADER GOALS OF SERVING A WIDER INCOME RANGE AND PROMOTING ECONOMIC INCLUSION IN OUR CITY. BUT THEY DO THAT AT A DEEPER AFFORDABILITY THAN YOU CAN GET THROUGH MODERATE INCOME UNITS. SO IN LA COUNTY, LOW INCOME ACTUALLY EXCEEDS THE MEDIAN INCOME AND IT'S MUCH CLOSER TO MODERATE INCOME. IT REALLY APPROXIMATE WHAT WE THINK OF AS WORKFORCE HOUSING. THIS CHART SHOWS YOU THAT FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, MEDIAN INCOME IS JUST ABOVE $98,000. NOW IN MOST COUNTIES, LOW INCOME EQUATES TO 80% OF THAT COUNTY'S MEDIAN. AND VERY LOW INCOME EQUATES TO 50% OF THAT COUNTY'S MEETING MEDIAN. HOWEVER, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS IDENTIFIED LA COUNTY AS A HIGH COST OF LIVING AREA. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE HOUSING COSTS ARE UNUSUALLY HIGH COMPARED TO INCOME LEVELS, AND THEREFORE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED THE INCOME LIMITS FOR VERY LOW AND LOW. SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS CHART, LOW INCOME UNITS ARE ACTUALLY 113% OF THE MEDIAN. THAT MEANS A FAMILY OF FOUR MAKING ALMOST $111,000 IS STILL STRUGGLING TO AFFORD HOUSING AND IS THEREFORE CONSIDERED LOW INCOME. NOW, THIS HIGH INCOME OR HIGH COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT DOESN'T APPLY TO MODERATE INCOME UNITS. IT'S ONLY FOR VERY LOW AND LOW MODERATE IS STILL CALCULATED AS A STRAIGHT 120% OF THE COUNTY'S MEDIAN. AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S A REALLY SMALL MARGIN IN THE INCOME LIMITS BETWEEN LOW INCOME UNITS AND MODERATE INCOME UNITS. IT'S A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT $7,000 GROSS PER YEAR. SO THE KEY TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT SETTING ASIDE INCLUSIONARY UNITS FOR MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS DOES NOT MEANINGFULLY SERVE A BROADER RANGE OF HOUSEHOLDS BECAUSE THE INCOME DIFFERENCE IS JUST SO SMALL. NOW, THAT'S INCOME. I WANNA SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RENT. SO THERE'S A REALLY SMALL DIFFERENCE IN INCOME, BUT THERE IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE IN RENT. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT LOW INCOME UNITS VERSUS MODERATE INCOME UNITS. THIS FEDERAL HIGH COST OF, OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE RENT CALCULATION, WHICH IS SET BY THE STATE. LOW INCOME RENT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AFFORDABLE THAN MODERATE. SO I'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE CHART HERE. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A PRETTY MODERATE, UH, MODEST INCREASE IN RENT. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT VERY LOW INCOME TO LOW INCOME UNITS, IT'S ABOUT A DIFFERENCE OF $200 A MONTH. BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT LOW INCOME UNITS VERSUS MODERATE, THE RENT JUMPS BY OVER $1,200 A MONTH. SO AGAIN, THE RECAP HERE IS MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS ONLY MAKING ABOUT 7,000 MORE PER YEAR THAN UM, HOUSEHOLDS AT THE LOW INCOME LIMIT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE PAYING MORE THAN 14,000 PER YEAR AT THE MODERATE INCOME RENT. AND IN SOME CASES, MODERATE INCOME RENT CAN ACTUALLY BE HIGHER THAN MARKET RATE RENT. THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR OUR OLDER HOUSING PROJECTS AND FOR LOWER RESOURCE AREAS. SO THE KEY TAKEAWAY HERE, I KNOW THIS WAS KIND OF IN THE WEEDS OF, UM, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORLD OF HOW WE CALCULATE THINGS. SO THANKS FOR BEARING WITH ME. BUT THE, THE BIG PICTURE IS THAT SETTING ASIDE INCLUSIONARY UNITS FOR VERY LOW INCOME AND LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS HELPS PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT A BROADER RANGE, HELPS MEET CITY COUNCIL'S INTEREST IN SERVING, UM, FOLKS IN THE WORKFORCE, WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND IT DOES THAT WHILE MAINTAINING A DEEP LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS THAT THEY NEED. OKAY, ONE LAST POINT ABOUT WHY WE HAVE SHIFTED AWAY FROM OUR RECOMMENDATION ON MODERATE INCOME AFFORDABILITY LEVELS. UM, AND THAT IS THAT MOST TOOLS TO PRODUCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US ALREADY PRIORITIZE VERY LOW INCOME OR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, UM, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SUBSIDIES, DENSITY BONUS INCENTIVES AND HOUSING VOUCHERS. INCLUSIONARY IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO FACILITATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE LOW INCOME LEVEL, AND IT EXPANDS THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TOOLBOX. UM, AND MANY OF OUR LONG BEACH FAMILIES FALL WITHIN THE LOW INCOME CATEGORY AND ARE SEVERELY RENT BURDEN. THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO AFFORD THEIR HOUSING COSTS, UM, BUT THEIR INCOME [01:35:01] IS TOO HIGH TO QUALIFY FOR VERY LOW INCOME UNITS. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE SHIFTED AWAY FROM MODERATE, BUT WE STILL THINK THAT LOW INCOME UNITS MAKE SENSE AS AS A MIX IN CERTAIN AREAS. OKAY, SO ANOTHER CHANGE THAT WE MADE IN TERMS OF, UM, RENTAL PROJECTS. WE PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED APPLYING INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS BASED ON RESOURCES RESOURCE AREAS. WE'VE SLIGHTLY MODIFIED THAT RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE A STATIC STANDALONE SUBMARKET MAP WITH FIVE GEOGRAPHIC, UH, AREAS, FIVE GEOGRAPHIC SUBMARKETS. THREE OF THOSE AREAS ARE BASED, UM, LARGELY ON THE HIGH, MEDIUM AND LOW RESOURCE CENSUS TRACKS THAT ARE DEFINED BY THE STATE. THESE ARE BASED ON FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES. UM, I KNOW THIS MAP IS A LITTLE BIT SMALL. THERE'S A LARGER VERSION IN THE STAFF REPORT AS WELL AS AN ATTACHMENT. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THAT. OKAY. AREAS IN BLUE REFER TO OUR HIGH RESOURCED AREAS. AGAIN, THAT THAT NOMENCLATURE COMES FROM THE STATE. HERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING VERY LOW INCOME UNITS, UH, AT 11%. THAT'S TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE HOUSEHOLDS AT THE LOWEST, UM, INCOME LEVEL THAT HAD BEEN HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THESE AREAS. YELLOW ON THE MAP REFERS TO MODERATE RESOURCE AREAS. HERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT MIX OF VERY LOW AND LOW INCOME UNITS. AND THEN GREEN ON THE MAP IS A LOW RESOURCE AREA. HERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING LOW INCOME UNITS IN ORDER TO DECONCENTRATE POVERTY. THAT'S ALREADY IN THESE AREAS. NOW, THE CHANGE THAT WE'VE MADE HERE IS WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING CARVING OUT DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN IS THEIR OWN STANDALONE SUBMARKETS. IN DOWNTOWN CENSUS TRACKS ARE A MIX OF LOW AND MODERATE RESOURCE. HOWEVER, THIS AREA IS A MATURE HOUSING MARKET, AND WE'VE HEARD CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND ADVOCATES THAT THE PROPOSED POLICY MAY NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH VERY LOW INCOME UNITS. AND SO WE HAVE REVISED OUR RECOMMENDATION SO THAT ANY PROJECT IN DOWNTOWN INCLUDES 12% OF UNITS SET ASIDE HALF FOR VERY LOW, HALF FOR LOW, SO THAT ALL PROJECTS IN DOWNTOWN WITH 10 OR MORE UNITS HAVE AT LEAST SOME VERY LOW INCOME UNITS. AND THEN LAST IN MIDTOWN, NEARLY ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS BEEN CONCENTRATED IN THIS AREA, AND THAT'S GENERALLY SERVES VERY LOW INCOME AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. AND SO HERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT INCLUSIONARY UNITS BE SET ASIDE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS UNIFORMLY IN ORDER TO AGAIN, HELP DECONCENTRATE THE POVERTY. UM, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE REVIEW THE INCLUSIONARY POLICY EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS, AND OUR ZONING ADMINISTRATOR WOULD OVERSEE ANY UPDATES TO THIS SUB-MARKET AREA MAP. OKAY, WE ARE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING PHASING IN INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS FOR RENTAL PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THIS APPLIES TO ALL AREAS OF THE CITY EXCEPT FOR DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN, WHICH ARE ALREADY PHASED IN. WE HAVE HEARD CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ADVOCATES THAT A PHASE IN PERIOD IS NOT NEEDED OR THAT IT IS TOO LONG. UM, HOWEVER, WE DO RECOMMEND THIS. OUR RATIONALE FOR THIS IS THAT DEVELOPERS PLAN PROJECTS AND THEY'RE FINANCING YEARS IN ADVANCE. AND SO A PHASE IN PERIOD ALLOWS DEVELOPERS THE TIME TO BUILD IN THE INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS INTO THEIR PERFORMANCE. IT IT ALSO ALLOWS TIME FOR THE HOUSING MARKET TO ADJUST TO THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS. AND I DO WANNA NOTE THAT WHEN WE WERE FIRST DEVELOPING OUR CURRENT POLICY, OUR CONSULTANT WHO DID THE FEASIBILITY STUDY ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED A FIVE YEAR PHASE IN PERIOD. BUT WE THINK OF A SHORTER THREE YEAR PHASE IN PERIOD STRIKES THAT BALANCE OF THE URGENCY TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WHILE ALSO THE NEED TO ALLOW TIME FOR DEVELOPERS IN THE HOUSING MARKET TO ADJUST. OKAY, I'M GONNA TRANSITION TO TALKING ABOUT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OWNERSHIP PROJECTS. WE INITIALLY DID NOT RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES TO OWNERSHIP HOUSING. HOWEVER, WE HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK. WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR DEVELOPMENT TRENDS, AND WE ARE NOW RECOMMENDING PHASING IN AFFORDABILITY LEVELS IN ORDER TO INCENTIVIZE MORE OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CITY. OUR CURRENT POLICY IS THAT 10% OF OWNERSHIP UNITS MUST BE SET ASIDE FOR MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. THAT'S AT 120% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. WE ARE RECOMMENDING CONTINUING WITH THIS 10% SET ASIDE REQUIREMENT, CITYWIDE UNIFORMLY. HOWEVER, AFFORDABILITY LEVELS WE RECOMMEND STARTING AT 200% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OR UNTIL WE SEE 200 OWNERSHIP UNITS ENTITLED, WHICHEVER IS LONGER. AND FROM THERE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING PHASING IN DEEPER LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY. SO NEXT WE WOULD GO TO 150% OF A MI AND FROM THERE, ONE 35%. AND THEN FINALLY REACHING, UM, THE TARGET OF 120% A MI. SO THE REASON FOR THIS CHANGE IS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM DEVELOPERS CONCERNS THAT OWNERSHIP HOUSING IS PARTICULARLY COSTLY TO DEVELOP, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH RESEARCH AREAS WHERE LAND IS REALLY EXPENSIVE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THEY WANT TO OWN A HOME AND CAN'T AFFORD IT. AND [01:40:01] WE LOOKED AT OUR DEVELOPMENT TRENDS. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OWNERSHIP HOUSING HERE. WE'VE ONLY HAD THREE OWNERSHIP PROJECTS ENTITLED SINCE INCLUSIONARY WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2021. NONE OF THOSE OWNERSHIP PROJECTS HAVE BEEN IN THE INCLUSIONARY ZONES OR IN OUR HIGH RESOURCE AREAS. AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE TO FACILITATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO WE'VE MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS IN THIS AREA. NOW INCREASING THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME LEVEL, INCREASING THAT A MI PERCENTAGE, THAT TRANSLATES TO A HIGHER AFFORDABLE SALES PRICE FOR EACH INCLUSIONARY UNIT, THEREBY INCREASING THE INCENTIVE FOR DEVELOPERS TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP OWNERSHIP HOUSING. AND SO AS WE WOULD SEE MORE OWNERSHIP PROJECTS BEING BUILT, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO PHASE IN DEEPER AFFORDABILITY LEVELS ONCE WE SEE OUR OWNERSHIP HOUSING MARKET MATURE ONCE WE'RE MEETING THESE THRESHOLD TARGETS, UM, UNTIL WE REACH 120% A MI, WHICH IS MODERATE INCOME. OKAY, OUR LAST GROUP OF RECOMMENDATIONS RELATE TO SEVERAL TECHNICAL CHANGES TO REFINE THE POLICY. AND THIS IS BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE IMPLEMENTING THE POLICY THUS FAR. THE FIRST I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS HOW WE CALCULATE INCLUSIONARY UNITS. UM, WE ARE RECOMMENDING ROUNDING UP FRACTIONAL UNITS FOR LARGER RENTAL PROJECTS. THAT'S, WE'RE DEFINING THAT AS PROJECTS WITH 21 OR MORE UNITS. WE'VE HEARD CONCERNS THAT ROUNDING COULD OVERBURDEN SMALLER PROJECTS IN OWNERSHIP PROJECTS. AND SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE RETAIN OUR, THE OPTION AND OUR CURRENT POLICY JUST FOR SMALLER RENTAL PROJECTS, JUST FOR OWNERSHIP PROJECTS, WHERE THEY CAN EITHER ROUND UP A FRACTIONAL UNIT OR THEY CAN PAY AN IN LIEU FEE FOR THAT FRACTIONAL PRO, UM, THAT FRACTIONAL UNIT. WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT FRACTIONAL UNITS AT DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS BE ADDED TOGETHER AND THEN APPLY TO THE LOWEST AFFORDABLE LEVEL. SO IF YOU HAD A PROJECT IN DOWNTOWN WHERE YOU HAVE TO DO A MIX OF VERY LOW INCOME AND LOW INCOME UNITS, AND THE CALCULATION RESULTED IN 0.2 VERY LOW INCOME UNIT OR A 0.4 LOW INCOME UNIT, WE WOULD ROUND THAT DOWN TO, WE WOULD ROUND IT UP TO ONE UNIT, BUT IT WOULD BE APPLIED AT THE VERY LOW INCOME LEVEL. FOR OWNERSHIP UNITS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING, INCLUDING A REQUIREMENT THAT THESE INCLUSIONARY UNITS BE SOLD TO FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS. THE INTENT IS TO CLOSE A LOOPHOLE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT COULD ALLOW FOLKS WHO ALREADY OWN A HOME TO STILL QUALIFY FOR THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. IT DEALS WITH HOW THE FEDERAL, UM, UH, GOVERNMENT DEFINES WHAT WE LOOK AT IN TERMS OF CALCULATING INCOME FOR ELIGIBILITY. NEXT, WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE OPTIONS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BE THAT DESIGNATED AS THE APPROVAL BODY INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCIL. UM, WE HAVE OPTIONS FOR DEVELOPERS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BUILDING THE INCLUSIONARY UNITS ON SITE BY STATE LAW. WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THESE, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE OPTIONS. WE'VE HEARD CONCERNS FROM ADVOCATES THAT THESE DECISIONS SHOULD STAY WITH CITY COUNCIL AS ELECTED OFFICIALS. HOWEVER, WE DO THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO SHIFT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION 'CAUSE THAT LIES WITH THE COMMISSION'S ROLE OF PROVIDING DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL FOR PROJECTS THAT DON'T REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE ACTION. UM, BUT WE DO WANNA ADD LANGUAGE TO CLARIFY THAT PLANNING COMMISSION DECISIONS ARE APPEALABLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION RELATES TO THE OPTION IN OUR CURRENT POLICY, UM, THAT ALLOWS DEVELOPERS TO DONATE LAND INSTEAD OF BUILDING THE AFFORDABLE UNITS ON SITE. WE RECOMMEND THAT THIS LAND MUST BE LOCATED WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE PROJECT THAT'S SUBJECT TO INCLUSIONARY, UNLESS THAT LAND IS LOCATED IN A HIGH RESOURCED AREA, BECAUSE THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR FAIR HOUSING GOALS OF GETTING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN OUR HIGH RESOURCE AREAS. UH, UH, FOR ON, EXCUSE ME, FOR MORE ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, WE WANNA ADD LANGUAGE THAT CLARIFIES HOW ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS ARE EVALUATED. SO CURRENTLY OUR POLICY ALLOWS DEVELOPERS TO PROPOSE AN ALTERNATE METHOD OF COMPLIANCE IF IT PROVIDES FOR MORE UNITS OR OTHERWISE WOULD PROVIDE A GREATER PUBLIC BENEFIT. WE RECOMMENDING ADDING LANGUAGE THAT STAFF WILL EVALUATE THESE PROPOSALS BASED ON THE CITY'S FAIR HOUSING GOALS, THEIR HOUSING ELEMENT POLICIES AND ARENA THAT WE'LL ISSUE FINDINGS. AND THEN RECOMMEND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION EITHER APPROVE OR DENY THEIR PROPOSAL CURRENTLY IN LIE FEES THAT DEVELOPERS PAY. INSTEAD OF BUILDING THE UNITS ON SITE, IT CAN ONLY BE USED TO PROVIDE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING TO VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS OR BELOW. WE RECOMMEND EXPANDING THIS TO A BROAD, TO A BROADER RANGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASSISTANCE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS WOULD GIVE US FLEXIBILITY TO USE IN LIE FEES TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAM OR A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. WE ALSO RECOMMEND REMOVING A VERY LOW INCOME LIMIT IN ORDER TO SERVE A WIDER RANGE OF HOUSEHOLDS. WE ARE RECOMMENDING ADDING AN EXEMPTION FROM PRO FOR PROJECTS FROM THE INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS IF THOSE PROJECTS WILL RESTRICT AT LEAST HALF OF THEIR TOTAL UNITS TO [01:45:01] VERY LOW INCOME OR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. UM, THIS IS NEEDED TO ALLOW FLEXIBILITY FOR PROJECTS TO ACCESS FUNDING SUBSIDIES TO BUILD ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS BEYOND THOSE REQUIRED BY INCLUSIONARY. AND THEN LAST, UM, THIS IS A, A REALLY TECHNICAL CHANGE, BUT IT'S, WE WANT TO REQUIRE DEVELOPERS TO RECORD THE REGULATORY AGREEMENT, WHICH IS A COVENANT THAT RESTRICTS THE AFFORDABLE UNITS. SO WE NEED TO RECORD THAT EARLIER IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. UM, CURRENTLY OUR POLICY REQUIRES THAT THIS AGREEMENT BE RECORDED WITH LA COUNTY BEFORE PERMITS ARE ISSUED. WE ARE RECOMMENDING CHANGING THIS TO RECORD THE AGREEMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DEVELOPER SUBMITTING FOR PLAN CHECK. AND THIS IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THE AGREEMENT IS IN THE APPROPRIATE LIEN POSITION BEFORE THE DEVELOPER OBTAINS CONSTRUCTION FINANCING. SO THIS SIDE SUMMARIZES STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS HEARING. I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THE, UM, THE BULLET POINT UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT IS A TYPO THAT'S A CARRYOVER FROM DECEMBER PLANNING COMMISSION. SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED, TO MY KNOWLEDGE TWO, UM, WRITTEN LETTERS TO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM, WHICH HAD BEEN PROVIDED TO CITY COUNCIL. AND THIS PROJECT FALLS UNDER THE PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT THAT WAS PREPARED FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE. AND IT'S EXEMPT FROM CQA. AND OUR RECOMMENDATION OVERALL IS APPROVAL OF OUR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE POLICY. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. OKAY. WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION. WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE HEARING. WE HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT HERE. UH, 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. I'M GONNA READ THE FIRST 10. PLEASE LINE UP WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME VERSUS SPENCER THOMAS. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT. THEN KIMBERLY LIM CAMERON RE RESIDE. RAY LAWSON, LEE KENA, OU, UH, KAISHA, KAIA HEARNS, LILIA O DIANA NORMAN, CARINA MENDOZA, AND ALEX SPENCER. YES, YOU'RE UP, SIR. ALRIGHT. UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS MEETING TODAY. UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK ON MY PART AND I TRULY APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BE ABLE TO TALK TONIGHT. UM, SO I'M GOING TO BE TELLING A SHORT LITTLE STORY ABOUT MYSELF AND MY JOURNEY. I AM A LONG BEACH RESIDENT, FIRST AND FOREMOST. UH, THIS IS ALL I'VE KNOWN FOR MUCH OF MY LIFE. UM, I AM A LONG BEACH RESIDENT AND A LONG BEACH, UM, EXCUSE ME, , A LONG BEACH PRODUCT THROUGH AND THROUGH. I WENT TO MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY. I WENT TO HAMILTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I WENT TO RENAISSANCE HIGH SCHOOL, UH, FOR THE ARTS. UM, I'M CURRENTLY STUDYING HERE AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, UH, PURSUING SOME ASSOCIATE DEGREES IN PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, UH, PHYSICAL SCIENCES, AND MY CERTIFICATE IN, UM, OH, EXCUSE ME, , LONG-WINDED, UH, AND MY CERTIFICATE IN COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER. UM, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME FOR THIS BILL TO PASS, BUT I WOULD ALSO PROPOSE SOME DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS. UM, PERSONALLY I FIND THE MOST ISSUE WITH THE THREE YEAR, UH, PHASE IN PERIOD. UM, MY PERSONAL STORY, I WAS A, UM, A LOW INCOME PERSON AND I CAME FROM A LOW INCOME FAMILY. WE PARTICIPATED IN LOW INCOME HOUSING, UH, FOR AROUND 10 YEARS, 11 YEARS. UM, AND WE DEALT WITH MUCH SUBSTANDARD, UH, QUALITIES AND SUBSTANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS. UM, ONE OF MY BIGGEST MEMORIES GROWING UP THERE, UM, IS A ROOF, UH, COLLAPSING ON US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. UM, IT WAS AFTER A BAD RAINSTORM AND, UH, IT COLLAPSED ON MY BROTHER. IT COLLAPSED ON ME. IT LED TO A LOT OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE, UM, FORCED TO DEAL WITH AND JUST FORCED TO, UH, LIVE WITH AS WE COULDN'T GO ANYWHERE ELSE. THERE WAS NOT HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR US. UM, AND CERTAINLY NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING EITHER. UM, THE THREE YEAR PHASE IN PERIOD, LIKE I MENTIONED, IS WHERE I FIND THE MOST ISSUE WITH. UM, IT NEEDS TO BE NOW. A LOT OF THESE CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN NEEDED TO BE MADE FOR A LONG TIME. UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, I WAS THERE IN THE LOW INCOME HOUSING FOR AROUND 10 YEARS, 11 YEARS. THAT IS HALF OF MY LIFE. I'M CURRENTLY 20 YEARS OLD, TURNING 21 ON SEPTEMBER 22ND. UM, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE ANY GENERATION, BUT NONETHELESS, THE FUTURE GENERATIONS, UH, GROWING UP IN THESE CONDITIONS. UM, WE NEED TO BE RAISING COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS. WE NEED TO BE RAISING LEADERS AND WE NEED TO BE, UH, RAISING THE NEXT DOCTORS, THE NEXT POLITICIANS, THE NEXT JUDGES, AND THE NEXT PROFESSIONAL, UH, GENERATION WITH THE LEVEL HEALTH. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS CONCLUDED. THANK YOU, SPENCER. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMER, SO MAYBE YOU JUST KEEP THE TIME AND WE'LL GET IT FIXED, BUT FOR NOW, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO DO IT. OLD SCHOOL. ALL RIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. KIMBERLY? YES. SO, HELLO [01:50:01] MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS KIMBERLY LI AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH LONG BEACH PORT. I URGE THE CITY TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING TO ADDRESS OUR CITY'S AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND PREVENT THE DISPLACEMENT OF EXTREMELY AND VERY LOW INCOME RESIDENTS BY REQUIRING 11% VERY LOW INCOME AND 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME UNITS ACROSS THE CITY. MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE WORK, ARE WAKING UP EVERY DAY WITH FEAR THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE A HOME TOMORROW. SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE WORKING TWO, EVEN THREE JOBS, YET STILL ARE A, STILL ARE ABLE TO AFFORD A SAFE PLACE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO SLEEP. THIS IS NOT JUST A STATISTIC, IT IS A PAINFUL REALITY FOR COUNTLESS FAMILIES IN OUR CITY. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS NOT JUST ABOUT POLICY, IT'S ABOUT HUMANITY. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT THOSE WHO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES RUNNING, OUR HOSPITALITY WORKERS, OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, JANITORS, STREET VENDORS, ARE ABLE TO AFFORD THE CITY THAT THEY LIVE IN. WHEN WE FAIL TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE FORCE FAMILIES INTO OVERCROWDED APARTMENTS, UNSTABLE LIVING SITUATIONS, OR EVEN HOMELESSNESS. WE STRIP CHILDREN THE STABILITY THEY NEED TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL. WE PUSH SENIORS OUT OF COMMUNITIES THEY'VE CALLED HOME FOR DECADES FOR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME RESIDENTS. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS OFTEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STABILITY AND CRISIS IN BETWEEN OPPORTUNITY AND HARDSHIP, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE TO SUPPORT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING AND DEMAND THE CITY TO REQUIRE 11% VERY LOW INCOME AND 5% OH, 11% VERY LOW AND 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME ACROSS THE CITY. NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR OF DISPLACEMENT. WE NEED AFFORDABLE UNITS NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS KAREN. AFTER KAREN IS RAY, AND THEN LEENA. HI, I'M KAREN RE SIDE. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH GRAY PANTHERS, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S TAKEN US 30 YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT, BUT IT HAS, I WENT THROUGH MY FILES AND PULLED OUT AN INITIAL DISCUSSION IN 2020, UH, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT. WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY TO GET TO THIS POINT, AND WE COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN HERE WITHOUT YOU. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE PUSHED THE ENVELOPE AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, PARTICULARLY CHRISTOPHER AND ALLISON, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO GET US TO THIS POINT. UM, MORE IS ALWAYS BETTER, AND I'M SPEAKING PARTICULARLY FROM THE SENIOR ASPECT. UH, WE HAVE AN OFFICE AT THE SENIOR CENTER. MOST OF THE SENIORS THAT COME INTO THE SENIOR CENTER ARE LIVING ON A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH OR LESS. THEY DEPEND ON THAT FREE LUNCH. THEY NEED HOUSING. IT IS A NUMBER ONE REQUEST THAT WE GET. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT HOME OWNERSHIP INCLUDES OLDER ADULTS AND WE WANNA SEE MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOUSING. I HAVE SPOKEN TO, UM, MERCY HOUSING. THEY'RE INTERESTED IN DOING A PROJECT, SO AS JOHN MOLINA. SO WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. THIS IS A START. I DON'T WANT US TO STOP HERE. EVERYBODY NEEDS HOUSING AND IT'S A MORAL ISSUE, AND WE'VE GOTTA HAVE SO MANY CHALLENGES THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK GETTING US TO THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS RAY AND LAINA, THEN KAIA. GOOD EVENING. HONORABLE MAYOR. UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, RAY LAWSON WITH THE CARPENTER JUNIOR OF STAKEHOLDERS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND WE JUST, UH, LIKE TO PRESENT MAYBE A NEW AND NOVEL IDEA. UM, LONG BEACH IS FULL OF, UH, COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND HIGH SCHOOLS. UM, WE ARE ABOUT IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS THERE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS. UM, THE INCLUSION, UH, INCLUSIONARY, UH, ORDINANCE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, LOCAL HIRES. WHY NOT HIRE, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE FROM UH, LBCC HIGH SCHOOLS, UH, UH, LONG BEACH HIGH SCHOOLS AND GET THEM TO BUILD THESE HOMES. BUT IN BUILDING THESE HOMES, UM, THEY NEED A LIVABLE WAGE BECAUSE THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING MARKET IS, UH, JUST RUN AMUCK WITH, UH, UNLIVABLE STANDARDS. THEY, THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE HOUSES THAT THEY BUILD. WE, WE WILL NOT BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF POVERTY IF WE CONTINUE TO BUILD HOUSING THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD THAT LIVES IN THE CITY OF, OF LONG BEACH. SO IN THIS WAY, WE'LL BE SOLVING TWO PROBLEMS AT THE SAME TIME, WE'LL BE GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND TRADE WHERE THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF HOMES THAT NEED TO BE BUILT RIGHT HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN THESE HOMES AND BUY THESE HOMES. AND THAT'S WHAT, UH, APPRENTICESHIP OFFERS, THAT IT OFFERS THEM A SCHOOLING, IT OFFERS THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO WHEN THEY JOIN THE MIDDLE CLASS. BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING AND DON'T ADD THIS IN, IN THIS ORDINANCE, WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO MAKE DEVELOPERS RICH AND KEEP, UH, PEOPLE STRUGGLING IN THE CITY OF [01:55:01] LONG BEACH. SO THIS IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THEN KAIA, THEN LILIA, UH, BACKGROUND. SO ACON, GOOD EVENING MAYOR RE RICHARDSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LA AND I AM A PARENT ORGANIZER WITH BEST AT CENTRAL LONG BEACH. AND I AM ALSO RESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT NUMBER SIX. BEST START, CENTRAL LONG BEACH IS A, UM, ANCHORED BY A COMMUNITY CHANGE AGENDA THAT WAS VOTED BY THE COMMUNITY AT LEAST, OF PRIORITIES THAT DRIVER ADVOCACY FOR THE SUPPORT AND SUCCESSFUL FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM, UH, YEAR ZERO TO FIVE YEARS OLD. AND, UH, ONE OF OUR PRIORITY IS INCREASED ACCESS TO QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC SECURITY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN NEED ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, SAFE, AND STABLE HOUSING. SO I'M HERE ALONGSIDE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ASK YOU TO EXPAND THE 11% VERY LOW INCOME FOR ALL OF THE LONG BEACH AND ADD 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME FOR ALL OF LONG BEACH AND KEEP THE POLICY MANDATORY. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, REMOVE FACE IN, WE NEED AFFORDABLE UNITS. DEVELOPMENT IS HAPPENING AND WE DON'T NEED A FACE IN. PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SO NEXT, IS IT KEISHA KAIJA KAIJA? I, I I WAS CLOSE. OKAY. KAIJA AND THEN LILIA. YES. HELLO EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR RICHARDSON. UH, DR. RICK ODI, COUNCILWOMAN THR TOOK CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF. MY NAME IS KAISER HEARNS AND I'M A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT. I AM HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE LONG BEACH IS FACING A DEEPENING HOUSING CRISIS, AND WE NEED AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY THAT TRULY SERVES THOSE MOST IN NEED BY REQUIRING 11% VERY LOW AND 5% EXTREMELY LOW, AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. AS A CHILD, I EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS AFTER FACING EVICTIONS ON MULTIPLE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THAT INSTABILITY FORCED MY SINGLE MOTHER, YOUNGER SIBLINGS AND I TO SLEEP ON A RELATIVE'S COUCHES, LIVE IN HOMELESS SHELTERS AND STAY IN MOTELS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME JUST TO HAVE A ROOF OVER OUR HEAD. SO I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE TOLL THAT HOUSING INSECURITY TAKES ON A CHILD. AND I ALSO KNOW THAT MY STORY IS NOT UNIQUE. RIGHT NOW, THOUSANDS OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS ARE FACING THE SAME CRISIS. OUR SENIORS, OUR WORKING CLASS FAMILIES, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ARE STRUGGLING TO AFFORD EVEN THE MOST BASIC NECESSITIES WITH HOUSING AT THE FOREFRONT. CHILDHOOD HOMELESSNESS IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES OR THE ACES, WHICH IMPACT MENTAL HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, AND LONG-TERM STABILITY. WITHOUT DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE ARE FAILING THE NEXT GENERATION BEFORE THEY EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO SUCCEED. THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY BEING CONSIDERED MUST DO MORE. PRIORITIZING MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS OVER EXTREMELY LOW INCOME FAMILIES WILL LEAVE THE MOST VULNERABLE BEHIND WE NEED. MADAM, YOUR CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS LILY [02:00:01] AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS. AND I'M ALSO HERE AS A PROMOTER OF HEALTH WITH ARY HOUSING TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE APPROVE THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY. UH, AND IT ALSO REQUIRE FOR YOU TO, FOR THE 11TH PERCENT WITH VERY LOW INCOME AND 5% WITH EXTREME LOW INCOME UNITS ACROSS THE CITY, WERE IN NEED OF THOSE SPECIFIC PERCENTAGES MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, IN ORDER TO PREVENT ANY TYPE OF EVICTIONS OF, OF FAMILIES. UH, AND WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR THE INCLUSIONARY, UH, HOUSING POLICY TO BE, UH, CITYWIDE. SO NOT ONLY TO CERTAIN AREAS OR PERCENTAGES IN THE CITY, BUT OVERALL IN GENERAL. AND ALSO, UH, TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE LESS THAN 30,000 A YEAR, UH, AND BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A LIVING. AND ALSO THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, NEEDED FOR, UH, THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE NEED OF, UH, DIRECTIVE. UM, THEY'RE HAVING A VERY HARD TIME PAYING THEIR BILLS AND PAYING, UH, THEIR LIVING SITUATION. AND IT'S A VERY, VERY, UH, DEGRADABLE AND DIRE STRAIT, UH, SITUATION. THANKS. THANK YOU. GOOD IDEA. I'M DIANA NORMAN, RESIDENT. GOOD EVENING. I AM DEANNA NORMAN, AND I AM A HEALTH PROMOTER WITH SANDRA CHA AND RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO LONG BEACH. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EXCLUSIONARY HOUSING THAT AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY. HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT, AND UH, FOR ALL OF OUR MEMBERS THAT IS SERVE A SAFE AND AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE. DIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE MAJOR STRENGTHS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AS WE PROMOTE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, WE'RE NOT ONLY PROMOTING HOUSING FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT THE MOST, BUT WE'RE ALSO FERMENTING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FLOURISH. [02:05:04] THIS BENEFITS EVERYONE. SINCE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY IS A COMMUNITY RICH AND EXPERIENCES PERSPECTIVES AND TALENTS, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT OUR HOUSING POLITICS REFLECT THIS VALUES. WE'RE IN NEED OF SOLUTIONS THAT ENSURE THAT PEOPLE BELONGING TO THESE DIVERSE INCOME LEVELS, ORIGINS AND CAPACITIES HAVE ACCESS TO DECENT HOUSING. AND THIS INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE RENOVATION OF EXISTING STRUCTURES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR THOSE FACING DIFFICULTIES. AS WE INVEST IN OUR INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, WE'RE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE CREATING A PLACE IN WHICH WE'RE ALL CAN PROSPER AND CONTRIBUTE TO A COLLECTIVE WELLBEING. I URGE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER OUR PROPOSAL AND TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR CITY A ROLE MODEL OF INCLUSION INEQUITY WITH HOUSING ACCESS LONG BEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND COMMITMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY, MEN, MEN. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KARINA MENDOZA, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO AND HEALTH PROMOTER OF CENTRO CHA. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY IN ORDER TO PROMOTE AND MORE FAIR LONG BEACH FOR ALL THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH HOUSING. I WOULD LIKE FOR AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY TO BE OBLIGATORY FOR ALL OF THE UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS, SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE THAT FOCUS ON PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOME WHO ARE, ARE MOST, UH, IN MOST NEED. IF THERE'S FLEXIBILITY, THEN THEIR DEVELOPERS SHOULDN'T BUILD HOUSING FOR THOSE WITH EXTREMELY LOW INCOME. STUDIES SHOW THAT OBLIGATORY PROGRAMS CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAN VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS, AND THE EXCLUSIONARY, UH, VOLUNTEER OF THESE DEVELOPERS CAN REDUCE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE HOUSING OF MIXED INCOME RATIOS. FOR ME, THIS IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE SINCE 85% OF MY SALARY IS DESTINED TO RENT, LIVING ME WITH JUST 15% TO COVER, UM, OTHER, UH, BASIC FAMILY NEEDS, WHICH CAUSE GRAVE ECONOMIC STRESS, UH, AND WHICH ULTIMATELY DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF MY FAMILY. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS INCLUSIONARY HOUSING TO BE OBLIGATORY FOR ALL UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE FOCUSING IN LOW INCOME, UH, STANDARDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. [02:10:06] OH, SORRY. UH, . BEFORE ALEX SPEAKS, I'D LIKE TO SAY THE NEXT 10 NAMES MC, ERIC MENDOZA, CARINA, ME, RACHEL DEON, JOHN EDMAN, MINA CRUZ, JAMES SWAN, JANE I. GARCIA, MELANIE UNA AND IMA ELA. GO AHEAD. ALEX URA. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ALEX. I'M A LONG-TERM RENTER OF DISTRICT TWO, AND I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, BUT WANT TO STRESS TO THE COUNCIL THAT THIS ITEM DOES NOT DO ENOUGH. AS WE ALL KNOW, OUR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT SHOWS THAT WE NEED 16,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS BY 2029, 7,000 OF WHICH MUST BE VERY LOW AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME UNITS, WHICH IS UNATTAINABLE WITHOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION EXPANDING INCLU, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE IS A PROACTIVE SOLUTION TO ADDRESSING OUR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CRISIS. AND THE REALITY IS THAT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN THE FREE MARKET NO LONGER HAS ANY CONNECTION TO AVERAGE INCOME MAKING HOUSING UNAFFORDABLE AT NEARLY EVERY LEVEL. WAGES AND INCOME HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH THE RISING COST OF HOUSING, RESULTING IN A MAJORITY OF FAMILIES PAYING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT, WHICH ABSOLUTELY INCLUDES ME. NOW, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE DEMANDING? IN ADDITION TO WHAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT, WE REQUIRE THAT 11% OF UNITS ARE DEEMED VERY LOW INCOME, 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. WE DEMAND THAT THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY BE MADE MANDATORY BECAUSE THIS, I DON'T REALLY THINK NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED FURTHER. BUT IF THERE IS FLEXIBILITY, THEN DEVELOPERS WON'T BUILD FOR VERY AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME. FOLKS. WE KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE. WE DEMAND THAT WE REMOVE, REMOVE THE PHASE IN REQUIREMENTS FROM THE POLICY BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE GOING TO LOSE OUT ON AFFORDABLE UNITS WITH SUCH A SLOW AND BACK LOADED PHASE IN MA, PEOPLE ARE CONTINUING TO DIE ON THE STREETS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MC. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS COMMON SENSE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING. INSURE YOU NEED IDENTIFY YOURSELF. SO WHEN WE DON'T HEAR, I'M SORRY. YOU THE ONE THAT'S TALKING. OKAY. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, NEED IDENTIFY YOURSELF FIRST. OH, I'M MC. I'M A RENTER. UH, IN DISTRICT TWO INCLUSIONARY HOUSING INSURERS WORKING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES HAVE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LONG BEACH. IT NEEDS TO BE REQUIRED FOR 11%, VERY LOW AND 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME UNITS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PRESENTATION, ONLY LOW INCOME UNITS AREN'T AFFORDABLE ENOUGH. THIS INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY NEEDS TO BE MADE MANDATORY BECAUSE DEVELOPERS, LIKE ALEX SAID, WILL FIND WAYS TO OPT OUT ONLY HUMMING LONG BEACH RESIDENTS. THE PHASE IN REQUIREMENTS FROM THE POLICY NEED TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OUT ON AFFORDABLE UNITS WITH THE SLOW PROCESS. WHILE PEOPLE NEED HOUSING NOW AND ARE STRUGGLING ON OUR STREETS, BUT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ALONE ISN'T ENOUGH AND WILL ONLY WORK IN TANDEM WITH STRONGER TENANT PROTECTIONS AS A WHOLE. TENANTS CANNOT WAIT FOR DEVELOPERS TO BUILD. THEY NEED IMMEDIATE PROTECTIONS INCLUDING REMOVING SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION, EVICTION LOOPHOLES, AS WELL AS PASSING RENT CONTROL. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS THE STARTING LINE FOR TENANTS RATES, NOT THE FINISH LINE. AND HOUSING SHOULD ALWAYS BE FOR PEOPLE NOTFOR PROFIT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. UM, TODAY I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY, UH, SUPPORT OF ITEM 21 AND A YOUNG FAMILY THAT'S GOING THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT TIME. THIS COUPLE AND THEIR 7-YEAR-OLD SON HAVE LEAVE IN THEIR HOME FOR SEVEN YEARS. UM, HOWEVER, THEY RECENTLY RECEIVED THE NEWS THAT THEY MUST EVACUATE, EVACUATE DUE TO, UH, RENOVATION. UH, THIS FAMILY HAS DESPERATELY SEARCHED FOR A NEW PLACE TO LIVE, BUT THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY LUCK BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN TO BE VERY LOW. UH, INCOME, ANXIETY AND STRESS [02:15:01] HAVE STARTED, UH, TO AFFECT THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING. BUT WHAT'S EVEN MORE CONCERNING IS THAT THE BUILDING OWNER HAS DECIDED TO MAKE REPAIRS WHILE THE FAMILY'S SIMPLY TRYING TO ENJOY WHAT COULD BE THEIR LAST DAYS IN THAT HOME. UH, THIS IS NOT ONLY THE NORMAL OF LANDLORD FOR LANDLORDS, BUT THEY ALSO DON'T TAKE THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO DO, TO DO IT RIGHT. THIS IS IMPACTFUL TO THE FAMILY'S HEALTH AND SAFETY. THE NOISE, DUST AND CHEMICALS USED IN THE REPAIRS CAN CAUSE RESPIRATORY, UH, PROBLEMS AND OTHER HEALTH ISSUES. THE FAMILY SIMPLY SEEKING A FAIR AND SAFE SOLUTION. THEY WANT A PLACE THEY CAN AFFORD WHERE THEY CAN LIVE IN PEACE. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING COULD HELP THEM WITH VERY LOW INCOME HOUSING, BUT TENANT PROTECTIONS IS WHAT WILL KEEP THE HOUSE. IT'S OUR DUTY AS A SOCIETY TO PROTECT VULNERABLE FAMILIES LIKE THIS. ST. TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, KARINA. KARINA ME IT MY GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY. HERE WE ARE, JOINED OUR MEETING IN ORDER TO CONFRONT, UH, VERY DIFFICULT, UH, CHALLENGE THAT IS VERY URGENT, UH, THAT OUR COMMUNITY FACES. AGAIN, IT WOULD BE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THE STABILITY AND, UH, AFFORDABILITY OF, OF LIVING SITUATIONS. UH, SUPPORTING ARTICLE 21, LIVING IN A, IN A SECURING, UH, LIVING SITUATION THAT IS AFFORDABLE IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE, UH, MANY PEOPLE AND FAMILIES IN OUR CITY THAT ARE FIGHTING AND STRUGGLING TO FIND AND MAINTAIN, UH, EQUITABLE LIVING SITUATION THAT THEY CAN AFFORD. THE, UH, LACK OF DIFFERENT, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IN, UH, INCREASING THE, UH, INEQUALITIES AND INSECURITIES THAT ARE LIVING BY, LIVED BY THESE PEOPLE, WHICH IS THE, UH, LACK OF HOUSING. ACCORDING TO, UH, LAST STATISTICS IN OUR CITY, UH, THE PRICE OF LIVING HAS IN INCREASED INCREDIBLY, UH, AUGMENTED OR INCREASED WITHIN THE LAST YEARS. IN THE MEANTIME, UH, SALARIES HAVE REMAINED STAGNANT. UH, YOU ARE IN NEED OF FOUR JOBS IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, AND THAT, UH, PUSHES OR FACES MANY FAMILIES OF, UH, DECENTRATION BEING AWAY FROM THEIR JOBS, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES. THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, MORE SO WHEN FAMILIES HAVE TO SPEND MORE OF THEIR MONIES AND, UH, THEIR LIVING SITUATIONS, THEY HAVE LESS MONIES TO COVER OTHER BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS, UH, HOUSING, UH, FOOD, UH, MEDICAL ATTENTION AND EDUCATION. YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU, UH, RACHEL. GOOD, GOOD EVENING. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF AND RESIDENTS. MY NAME IS RACHEL DESHAW AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE THIRD [02:20:01] DISTRICT LIVING IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING U DEVELOPMENT 26.2 ON PCH AND REDONDO. AS A LONG BEACH STATE GRADUATE, I'M HERE WITH LONG BEACH BOARD TO ASK THAT THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY BE MADE MANDATORY TO INCLUDE EXTREMELY LOW AND VERY LOW INCOME LIMITS, AND THAT THE PHASE IN PERIOD BE REMOVED. SINCE MOVING INTO MY DEVELOPMENT IN DECEMBER OF 2023, I'VE LEARNED A FEW THINGS. FIRST, EXTREMELY LOW INCOME IS DEFINED AS MAKING JUST UNDER $30,000 A YEAR FOR ONE PERSON. MY DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTED TO EXTREMELY LOW INCOME RESIDENTS IS LIMITED BY GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES AND SPECIFIC CRITERIA. THIS MODEL MAINLY HELPS CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS, AND THOSE WITH MENTAL OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THIS FOCUS, THE SUCCESS RATE FOR TRANSITIONING PEOPLE TO STABLE HOUSING IS JUST ABOUT 45%. THIS SHOWS THAT CURRENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRITERIA AREN'T MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. FOR THIS REASON, I'M ASKING THE CITY TO EXPAND THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY TO INCLUDE BOTH EXTREMELY LOW AND VERY LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T QUALIFY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. ADDITIONALLY, THIS POLICY SHOULD EXTEND BEYOND MIDTOWN AND DOWNTOWN TO THE ENTIRE CITY. OVERCOMING MODERN DAY REDLINING TACTICS LIKE THAT TO LIKE TACTICS, LIKE THE PHASE IN MODEL. MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JOHN EDMOND. JOHN, JOHN EDMOND , OUR VOTE MAYOR OF VICE MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, ONE, I REALLY APPRECIATE STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS. UH, IT'S YEARS IN THE MAKING. UM, I REPRESENT THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA SOUTHERN CITIES, AND I NEVER WANT TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY OF, OF A MOMENT. UM, WE DO NOT OPPOSE A CITYWIDE EXPANSION. WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR SOME TYPE OF SOLUTIONS, UH, FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE, UH, LONG BEACH IS IN A HOUSING CRISIS AND WE NEED MORE DEVELOPMENT, NOT LESS. UM, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T OVERBURDEN POLICIES THAT DETER NEW PROJECTS OR DISCOURAGE INVESTMENTS AND OR SLOW PRODUCTION. UH, WE TRULY WANNA MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE FOR ALL. THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE. WE NEED TO ABSOLUTELY BUILD MORE HOUSING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 PLUS YEARS. SUPPLY AND DEMAND DICTATE INCREASE HOUSING AND AVAILABILITY IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY, UH, TO STABILIZE COST. SO HERE'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING. WE APPRECIATE BALANCED AND GRADUAL APPROACH. WE HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT WE'D LIKE FOR FOLKS TO CONSIDER. 'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, MARKET RATE HOUSING IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR MARKET. UM, AND IF BUILT, IF DEVELOPERS CANNOT MAKE MONEY, THEY WON'T BUILD IT, THEY'LL BUILD SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO WE THINK THAT RAISING THE THRESHOLD FROM 30 TO 50 UNITS, OR AT LEAST ALLOW SOME SORT OF DISCRETION IN STAFF, UM, THAT SHOWS A MEANS TWO PLUS TWO WILL EQUAL FOUR NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT IT. AND IT'S BETTER TO HAVE A PROJECT THAN NOT TO HAVE A PROJECT ALLOW FOR A REASONABLE BUYOUT OPTION, $5 A SQUARE FOOT. SANTA ANA HAS STARTED THAT WAY. IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, WILDLY SUCCESSFUL, SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE COUNCIL INCREASED IT TO $15 AND THEREBY SABOTAGING IT. AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY, UH, MONIES IN THEIR HOUSING FUND TO BE ABLE TO BUILD MORE UNITS. SIR, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. OKAY. WOO, OVER PROFIT. THANK YOU. JOHN. OH, BY JANE? NO, BY, SORRY. OKAY. [02:25:39] GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MINA CRUZ AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX, AND I'M HERE TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY, UH, WHICH WOULD SUPPORT THE MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES DUE TO HIGH COST OF LIVING IN LONG BEACH. UM, THEREFORE, UH, WE ARE ASKING FOR AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY THAT COVERS ALL OF THE CITY AND NOT JUST CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY. WE'RE ALSO ASKING THAT THE EXPANDED POLICY REQUIRES 11% OF THE LIVING, UH, UNITS. FOR THOSE PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOME AND 5%, UH, REQUIRES 5% OF INCOME OF EXTREMELY LOW IN ALL OF THE CITY. I KNOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORS, UH, THAT I, THAT HAVE MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVE ISSUES, UH, PAYING THE RENT, AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR THEM TO, UH, COVER THE RENT. AND WHEN SALARIES ARE NOT INCREASING, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE HARDWORKING AND THEY LIVE HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE AN AMBIANCE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, ACCESS LIVING WITH FAC, UH, WITH NO DIFFICULTY. AND, UH, NOT HAVING TO CONFRONT ANY TYPE OF EVICTIONS OR, UH, ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, THEREFORE, UH, AGAIN, I'M HERE AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME AND FOR MY NEIGHBORS IN MY COMMUNITY. I AM HERE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE PROVIDE AND TO SUPPORT THE POLICY OF INCLUSIONARY, UH, HOUSING THAT I CAN INCLUDE ALL THE PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH, UH, THAT ARE, ARE IN NEED OF IT. AND THAT TAKE THAT IT TAKES PLACE AND IT TAKES EFFECT IN, UH, IN ALL OF THE CITY AND NOT JUST IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION. YOU DO IONS, UH, JAMES SCHWAZO ALL BY JANE. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. UH, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME'S JAMES SCHWAZO. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LONG BEACH FORWARD, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SIXTH DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND ALL YOUR PATIENCE ON THIS. I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND IN A TIME THAT'S, UH, SEEMS VERY DARK IN OUR COUNTRY AS GOVERNMENT STAFF ARE BEING VILLAINIZED, THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE CITY STAFF HERE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEETING AND HEARING THE CONCERNS AND THE STORIES OVER TOWN HALLS, OVER MEETINGS, OVER INTERVIEWS, UM, OF WHAT IS, WHAT IS HAPPENING, UH, ACROSS OUR CITY IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RENTS. UM, AND JUST THE ABILITY TO LIVE AND THRIVE HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, I WANT TO REITERATE THE DEMAND FOR 11% VERY LOW INCOME AND 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME ACROSS THE CITY. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE APPROACH IT FROM A TARGETED AND UNIVERSAL APPROACH TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT FROM AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY. I ALSO WANT TO REITERATE, AND SOMETHING I'VE MENTIONED IN THE PAST, THAT WE ALWAYS NEED TO ASK OURSELVES AS POLICY MAKERS, AS ADVOCATES, IS THE MEDICINE STRONG ENOUGH? RIGHT? THE REALITY IS THAT EVEN THOUGH, UM, OUR GOVERNMENTS HAVE DECLARED THAT COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS OVER, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STILL SICK, WE ARE STILL SUFFERING. WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC, STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET. AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I WANNA LIVE IN A LONG BEACH WHERE EVERYBODY HAS SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. I WANNA LIVE IN A LONG BEACH WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T WORRIED LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. I WANNA LIVE IN A LONG BEACH WHERE PEOPLE LIKE BRANDON BROY AND HIS FAMILY ARE BE ABLE TO LIVE IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY HOME. I WANNA LIVE IN A LONG BEACH WHERE CHILDREN HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE ACROSS THE CITY. SO PLEASE, WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN EXPANDING INCLUSIONARY ZONING AND INCLUDING VERY LOW INCOME AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME ACROSS THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JANE. FOLLOWED BY IVAN GARCIA. HI, UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND ESPECIALLY MEGAN. UM, MY NAME IS JANE LAPHAM. I'M A RESIDENT AND FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE A HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT FIVE. UM, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS. I ALSO WORK, UM, AT ONE OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS DOING DIRECT PATIENT CARE. UM, AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO SUPPORT, UM, THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY AS MANDATORY. AND I ALSO WANNA REITERATE WHAT JAMES SAID ABOUT THE, UM, INCLUDING 11% VERY LOW AND 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME UNITS. UM, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT AS A PROACTIVE SOLUTION TO ADDRESSING THE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CRISES THAT WE'RE FACING. UM, [02:30:02] I SEE A LOT AT MY WORK PATIENTS THAT COME IN HOUSING INSECURE AND ONE ILLNESS SUDDENLY CAUSES THEM TO BECOME HOMELESS. UM, AS JAMES SAID, DURING COVID, WE SAW THE THESE DIFFICULTIES INCREASE, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM COME BACK TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE COVID BEGAN. UM, I ALSO WANNA KIND OF ECHO AND LIFT UP SOMETHING THAT ANOTHER COMMUNITY MEMBER, UM, DEANNA TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS THESE POLICIES, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED A LOT, UM, BEFORE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS MEASURE ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT TO LONG BEACH OUR DIVERSITY IS AND HOW MUCH WE CELEBRATE IT. AND I THINK WE'RE DOING THAT, UM, SYMBOLICALLY, AND SOMETIMES WE NEED TO ALSO DO THAT PRAGMATICALLY AND FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE. AND THIS IS ONE WAY WE CAN DO THAT. SO, UM, IN CONCLUSION, TO MAINTAIN THE DIVERSITY IN LONG BEACH, I SUPPORT THE INCLUSIVE HOUSING POLICY. THANK YOU, IVAN. ALL BY MELANIE. MELANIE O GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. MY NAME IS IVAN. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX. I ONCE, AS THE FOLKS BEHIND ME, HAVE DONE FOR THE LAST, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MINUTES, BUT, UH, SUPPORTING THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY THAT EMPHASIZES THE 11% FOR THE LOW INCOME FOLKS AND 5% FOR THE EXTREMELY LOW INCOME FOLKS, AS WE'VE ALL SEEN SINCE, WELL, YOU KNOW, LORD KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS, BUT AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER, I, I'VE, I'VE JUST SEEN THE, THE SITUATION, THE HOUSING SITUATION, THE HOMELESSNESS SITUATION GET WORSE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. AND WE, THE, THE CITY AND WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE MADE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN RECTIFY THAT. THIS BEING A CRITICAL STEP TO ENSURING THAT WE CONTINUE THAT WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, THAT WE'VE BEEN, THAT WE'VE SAID, WE'VE BEEN DOING, THAT WE'RE, WE SAY WE'RE GONNA DO. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO GET TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND ONE WAY, ANOTHER WAY WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN IS TO ELIMINATE THE PHASE IN, UH, THE PHASE IN. BECAUSE THREE YEARS IS, IT IS JUST TOO MUCH TIME. IT'S, IT IS JUST, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER THREE YEARS. WE'RE KICKING THIS ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD, SO TO SPEAK. SO IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET TO WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HOUSE FOLKS IN HOMES THAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN, AS FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED BEHIND ME, ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A DIVERSE LONG BEACH AND I LONG BEACH THAT RESIDENTS ARE PROUD TO BE A PART OF. SO I SUPPORT IT. LET'S DO IT. THANK YOU, UH, MELANIE, BEFORE WE BEGIN, MELANIE, I'D LIKE TO, UH, NAME THE NEXT GROUP. IMA ROT, SO LU MARIA LOPEZ, CASS, EDITH GONZALEZ, JOSE RAY, MEGAN, UH, WEEKS. ANDREA REDMOND AND HOUSING FORAY. THAT'S THAT BE OUR LAST GROUP. GO AHEAD, MELODY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MELODY UNA. I AM AN ATTORNEY WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAW PROJECT. WE ARE A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION, UM, PROVIDING, UM, UH, THAT SPECIALIZES IN LAND USE AND HOUSING, AND WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO LEGAL AIDS AND NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. UM, WE'VE ADVOCAT ADVOCATED AND DRAFTED MANY LOCAL AND STATE LAWS AND REGARDS TO LAND USE, INCLUDING SB 1505 IN 2017. I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT. I COME HERE TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S INITIATIVE TO EXPAND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING CITYWIDE, BUT REQUEST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. UM, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT STAFF HAS DONE ON THIS ORDINANCE, AND WE APPRECIATE THE THEM LISTENING TO US. BUT WE ASK THAT WE EXPAND INCLUSIONARY ORDINANCE TO THE ENTIRE CITY WITH THE SAME ELE LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITIES AT THE SAME CITY AS WE HAVE FOUND IN OUR PAST. UM, SEPARATE DOES NOT EQUAL EQUALITY. UM, WE NEED THE SAME AFFORDABILITY, WE NEED THE SAME PERCENTAGES ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY TO ENSURE THAT WE GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE UNITS ARE FOR VERY LOW INCOME, UH, HOUSEHOLDS AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, UM, AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD. UM, THAT'S A FAMILY OF FOUR THAT'S MAKING, UM, ABOUT 40,000 A YEAR. THOSE ARE WORKING FAMILIES IN OUR CITY. UM, WE ALSO NEED TO KEEP, UH, ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COME TO YOU. WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPEAL AS COMMUNITY. WE ARE NOT THE DEVELOPERS. UM, SO WE DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN APPEAL A PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [02:35:01] THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS IRMA FERREIRA. I HAVE LIVED IN LONG BEACH FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS, 20 YEARS IN DISTRICT 11, DISTRICT ONE. I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE SUPPORT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, WHICH IS IN NEED OF, UH, 11% OF LIVING, UH, STRUCTURE OF LOW INCOME AND 5% OF INCOME OF EXTREMELY LOW INCOME. IN ORDER TO PREVENT FAMILIES LIKE MINE NOT TO BE IN HIGHER STREETS, I ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT, UH, THE RESIDENTS WHICH CAN SEE THESE MANY ISSUES IN PROGRESS AND HAVE SEEN IT GROW. WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT LACK A DECENT HOUSING SITUATION OR PERHAPS LIVE IN THE, IN THE CARS OR ARE HOMELESS. PLEASE, I ASK YOU TO SUPPORT, UH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. WHAT YOU DOING? UNITED STATES ROSANA, SO FOLLOWED BY LOOSE. YES. HI, MY NAME IS ANA. SO I WORK AT THE CAMBODIAN, UH, UNITED CAMBODIA COMMUNITY AT THIS DISTRICT IN, UH, CAMBODIAN TOWN. AS A HOUSING COUNSELOR, I COME WITH 20 YEARS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, REAL ESTATE AND LEASE UP AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXPERIENCE. SINCE 2004, THE HOUSING CRISIS WASN'T CREATED OVERNIGHT. NATIONAL PROPERTY INDUSTRY STATUS HAVE A PRACTICE OF INCREASING RENTS ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. WHEN YOU INCREASE RENT BY 10% EVERY YEAR, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO WAY FOR INCREASE OF AN AVERAGE WAGE TO CATCH UP WITH THE RATE OF INFLATION. THE MATH DOES NOT ADD UP HOUSING OVER PROFITS. JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I WAS ABLE TO AFFORD A TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR 1500. I CAN BARELY AFFORD A $1,500 STUDIO. JUST THINK ABOUT THAT. SO RIGHT NOW, I HELP TO EDUCATE OUR CLIENTS TO FIND HOUSING THAT MEETS THEIR FINANCIAL NEED. THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INVENTORY. IT'S LIKE FINDING A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. THERE'S AN ENDURING PROCESS OF A WAITING LIST, AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, SECTION EIGHT HASN'T OPENED THEIR WAITING LIST SINCE JUNE OF 2016. SO I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR AGENDA ITEM 21. THE OCCLUSION HOUSING POLICY AIMED TO THOSE WITH EXTREMELY LOW INCOMES. OUR COMMUNITY IS IN NEED FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER. THERE ARE TERMED EXTREME LOW INCOME REPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY WHO ARE IN THE LOWEST MARGINALIZED SPECTRUM OF, OF POVERTY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. AT LEAST 15 TO 30%, UH, AVERAGE MEDIUM INCOME, MANY OF THOSE THAT ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS, ELDERLY, DISABLED OF FAMILIES, LIVING OFF OF FIXED INCOME OR OTHERWISE IN URGENT NEED OF STABLE HOUSING. THEY'RE SUBJECTED TO SUBSTANDARD LIVING AND SAFE LIVING CONDITIONS AND HOMELESSNESS. SO I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER LONG-TERM BENEFIT OF OC EXCLUSIONARY HOUSING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, LOOSE. HELLO, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LUZ, AND I WANNA SAY FIRST OF ALL, THAT I LOVE LONG BEACH, BUT IN RECENT YEARS, I'M NOT SURE IF LONG BEACH LOVES ME BACK . UM, AND I WANNA SAY THAT, UM, MY FAMILY HAS LIVED IN DISTRICT ONE OVER 25 YEARS. MY MOM WORKED FOR THE LONG BEACH SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I'VE WORKED FOR LOCAL NONPROFITS MAKING ABOUT $30,000 A YEAR AND SOME YEARS AGO. SO THAT FALLS WITHIN THE, I SEE NOW VERY LOW INCOME, I THINK, UM, EXTREMELY LOW INCOME ACTUALLY. I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY. I'VE ALSO, UH, PARTICIPATED AS A NUM, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. I'M A GRADUATE FROM THAT. AND I'M CURRENTLY A FINANCIAL EDUCATOR AND A CAREGIVER TO MY MOM WHO IS A CANCER SURVIVOR. I WANNA SAY WE'RE STILL, AGAIN, LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE HERE, SURVIVING AND STRUGGLING TO GET BACK ON OUR FEET AFTER THE PANDEMIC. UM, WITH MY MOM'S ILLNESS, OF COURSE, THAT SET US BACK. WE WENT FROM BEING VERY CLOSE TO BECOMING HOMEOWNERS IN 2019 TO THEN HAVING TO USE THOSE FUNDS TO, FOR MY MOM'S ILLNESS, TO SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC. AND WE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET A BREAK. UM, I WANNA SAY THAT [02:40:01] WE, UM, HAVE NOT SURE. NOW, IF OUR DREAM OF BECOMING A, UM, HOME BUYERS, IT FEELS UNREACHABLE ACTUALLY. AND RECENT FIRES HAVE, ARE, YOU KNOW, THREATENING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THEIR RENTS. THE OLYMPICS ARE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, AND WE NEED HOMELESSNESS AND DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION HOUSING PROGRAMS. NOW, REMOVING FACING IS KEY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, I LOST IT RIGHT HERE. MARIA LOPEZ, IF YOU'RE HERE FOR INCLUSIONARY ACT FOR INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, I'M ASKING YOU TO GET UP. IF YOU BELIEVE HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, MAKE SOME NOISE. I HOPE YOU SEE OUR POWER. AND I KNOW, I, I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT WE DESERVE MORE. MY NAME IS MARIA, DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AND AUTONOMOUS TENANT ORGANIZER WITH THE LONG BEACH TENANTS UNION TO YOU IS IN AN INDENIABLE SUPPORT OF EQUITABLE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY AND HOPES TO SEE THIS COUNCIL PASS. JUST THAT THIS MEANS MAKING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING MANDATORY. THIS MEANS DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT OF LONG-TERM TENANTS. THIS MEANS REQUIRING MORE EXTREMELY LOW AND VERY LOW INCOME UNITS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. THIS MEANS NO PHASE IN PEOPLE NEED THESE UNITS LIKE YESTERDAY. AN EQUITABLE HOUSING POLICY IS ONE OF MANY TOOLS DESPERATELY NEEDED TO UPLIFT OUR MOST VULNERABLE. BUT I MUST EMPHASIZE WE CANNOT STOP THERE. I REPEAT, WE CANNOT STOP THERE. I CURRENTLY SEE MY LIVELIHOOD THREATENED BY SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT IN MY, IN MY CHILDHOOD HOME, AS MY COMRADES HERE DO TOO. SPEND IN MOURNING IN EVICTION COURT AND DIS AND IT'S EASY TO SEE. LANDLORDS SEE EVICTIONS AND DISPLACEMENT AS SOLUTIONS, THE UPROOTING OF OUR FAMILIES AND THE DEEP IMPLICATIONS OF DEVASTATING IMPACTS FOR GENERATIONS AS A SOLUTION. I WONDER HOW I URGES COUNSEL TO PASS STRONGER TENANT PROTECTIONS LIKE CLOSING THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL LOOPHOLE LIKE RENT CONTROL, LIKE INCREASED RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, LIKE A CODIFIED RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST NON-PAYMENT OF RENT. LIKE SOMEONE MR. SAID INCLUDED SOMEONE WHEN YOU FALL ILL, YOU STILL NEED A HOUSE? THANK YOU. CA FOLLOWED BY EDITH ZA ZALES. NICE. UH, HELLO, CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR AND CITY STAFF. I AM CASS LONG BEACH RESIDENT TENANT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER OF DISTRICT TWO. UM, WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CINDY ALLEN. I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE'S DEMANDS FOR BEING INTENTIONAL AND PROACTIVE ABOUT INCLUSIVE HOUSING. AND THAT MEANS SUPPORT OF ITEM 21. UM, IN THIS PART OF YOUR HEARING PROCESS, PLEASE HEAR THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WHO DON'T SIMPLY WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT REQUIRE IT FOR OUR LIVELIHOOD HOUSING FOR PEOPLE NOT FOR PROFIT. I HEARD EARLIER, LET'S JUST KEEP BUILDING AND BUILDING. UM, AND YES, WE NEED MORE HOUSING AND WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT I WALK THE STREETS OF LONG BEACH AND I SEE THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND I SEE EMPTY WINDOWS AT NIGHT AND IN DAY. I DON'T KNOW WHO'S MOVING INTO THOSE SPACES 'CAUSE THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE. UM, SO WE NEED, UH, THE, THE DEMANDS FOR THIS TO BE EXPANDED, UM, 21. AND SO PLEASE VOTE YES ON ITEM 21 WITH THE CRITICAL AMENDMENTS EMAILED TO ALL OF YOU BY MANY OF US HERE TODAY. THANK YOU GON WHEN I STARTED THIS IN. GOOD EVENING. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR, MY NAME IS EDITH, AND I'M HERE TO ASK [02:45:01] YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THE INCLUSIONARY, UH, HOUSING POLICY, WHICH I THINK, UH, FIRMLY THAT WITH THIS LAW, IT CAN CREATE MANY JUST, UH, LIVING SITUATIONS AND STRUCTURES. BUT OVERALL THAT THEY ARE, UH, ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE SO THAT THE COMMUNITY, UH, CAN HAVE STABILITY IN EACH OF THEIR HOMES. I WISH THAT, UH, TO SEE THE INCLUSIONARY, UH, HOUSING UNIT THAT REQUIRES 11% OF THE UNITS WITH, UH, VERY LOW INCOME AND 5% OF THE IN, UH, UH, INCOME WITH EXTREMELY, UH, LOW INCOME FOR THE CITY. AND IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR, UH, IT IS NOT ENOUGH PERCENTAGE OF UNITS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY, UH, AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT. WE NEED A HIGHER AMOUNT OF, UH, ACCESSIBLE UNITS FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES, UH, HARDWORKING FAMILIES LIKE MINE. OVERALL, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THAT IS, UH, EQUITABLE. UH, AND IT'S, THIS, THESE DAYS IS REALLY HARD FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, DECIDE EITHER WE PAY RENT OR WE HAVE A BALANCED, UH, MEAL. UM, SINCE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AS WELL AS, UH, LIVING SITUATION GOES. AND OVERALL IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE INCLUSION IN THESE HOUSINGS WHICH WILL IMPROVE THE SECURITY OF OUR LONG BEACH. YES, JOSE RAY, HOW AM I MAKING? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOSE AND I LIVE IN CINDY ALLEN'S DISTRICT. I WOULD LIKE JUST TO SHARE SOME, UH, IMPORTANT STATISTICS AS FAR AS, UH, HELPING OUT WITH YOUR DECISION. THESE ARE, UH, NUMBERS THAT ARE FROM 2023, WHICH ARE THE MOST RECENT THAT I FOUND. UH, THE RENT, UH, MEDIUM RENT, UH, WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS IS OF, UH, 1800, WHICH IS 21,600, UH, MONIES ANNUALLY. THE INCOME OR SALARY OF A GARDENER THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY STARTS AT 37,000 ANNUALLY, WHICH IS EQUATES TO 58% OF THEIR, UH, INCOME GOES STRICTLY TO RENT. UH, PRINCIPAL, UH, BEGINNING PLANNER [02:50:01] THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY RECEIVES AN ANNUAL INCOME OF 50 4K, WHICH EQUATES TO 40% OF THEIR INCOME GOES STRAIGHT TO RENT. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THAT NOT EVEN PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAVE THE CHANCE TO LIVE A DECENT LIFE, UH, DUE TO HIGH COST AND THEREFORE, UM, THESE ARE SUPPOSEDLY GOOD GOOD JOBS. WE HAVE TO EXPAND THIS POLITIC, UH, THIS POLICY OF INCLUSIONARY, UH, HOUSING AND OVERALL, UH, INCREASE, UH, THAT FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN NEED, WHICH ARE MOSTLY, MOSTLY VULNERABLE AND AND VULNERABLE TO LOSING THEIR HOME, 11% FOR THE UNITS OF PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOME AND 5% FOR THOSE PEOPLE OF EXTREMELY LOW INCOME. AND THE MONIES THAT THE, UH, DEVELOPERS, UM, WOULD BE RECEIVING OF THESE UNITS, UH, RARELY, UH, THEY ARE BEING USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO PLEASE, UH, REQUIRE AFFORDABLE UNIT HOUSING. IT'S WHAT WILL HELP US THE MOST. AND I ALSO, UH, SUPPORT ALL THE CARPENTERS, UH, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS THAT ARE VERY INTEGRATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, MEGAN, FOLLOW MY, UH, WINGS. HI. GOOD EVENING, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYBE MAYOR. UM, APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE. MY ALLERGIES ARE REALLY BAD. SHOUT OUT TO THE ITEM YOU PASSED EARLIER. MY NAME IS MEGAN STANFORD. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE. THERE IS NOTHING MORE I CAN SAY ON THIS ITEM THAT MY COMRADES HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID, BUT I'D LIKE TO SUPPORT BY BRIDGING SOME CONCEPTS. I'M PROUD THAT MY CITY IS AWARE OF THE CRISIS THAT IS OUR LOW AIR QUALITY, NOT JUST AWARE, BUT ENGAGED ENOUGH TO IMPROVE THE ITEM TO REDUCE EMISSIONS. UM, SEE ITEM 21 AS THE HOUSING EQUIVALENT. LET'S CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM AND IMPROVE ITEM 21 TO EXPAND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING. AND WHILE THIS ITEM HAS PASSED, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SHARE MY PRIDE AND SUPPORT FOR THE RAISING OF THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG. LET IT NOT JUST BE A SYMBOL OF OUR ABSTRACTED SUPPORT. LET IT DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO TANGIBLE ACTION AS WELL THROUGH PROVIDING JUSTICE TO THE FAMILY OF BRANDON BOYD. APPROVE ITEM 21 AND REQUIRE 11% VERY LOW AND 5% EXTREMELY LOW HOUSING UNITS ACROSS THE CITY. FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE AND ACT ON RACIAL JUSTICE TO HAVE LONG BEACH LIVE UP TO ITS PROGRESSIVE REPUTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. A ADRIANA. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS AIS ROMO GONZALEZ AND I'M THE ORGANIZING DIRECTOR WITH CALIFORNIANS FOR JUSTICE AND A RESIDENT, UH, OF DISTRICT TWO I. ALONGSIDE MANY COMMUNITY PARTNER PARTNERS AND MEMBERS, UH, URGE YOU TO EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE TO BETTER SERVE, UH, LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND WORKING PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH. THIS POLICY NEEDS TO BE EQUITABLE CITYWIDE RIGHT NOW. IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR DEVELOPERS TO AVOID BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN WEALTHIER AREAS. WE ALSO NEED A 5% OF UNITS FOR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE MOST AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, UH, MUST BE MANDATORY. LOOPHOLES FOR DEVELOPERS WILL WEAKEN THE POLICY AND RESULT IN, UH, FEWER AFFORDABLE UNITS. DECISION MAKING SHOULD STAY WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PEOPLE. AND WE CAN'T AFFORD DELAYS. THE PHASE IN TIMELINE SHOULD BE REMOVED. SO THIS POLICY TAKES EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. MANY YOUTH IN LONG BEACH ARE ALREADY EX EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY OR SEEING THEIR FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO STAY HOUSED IF WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A STABLE FUTURE. HERE, WE NEED ACTION NOW. SO I URGE YOU TO PASS THE ORDINANCE WITH THESE AMENDMENTS TO ENSURE IT TRULY DELIVERS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, IRENA, THAT WOULD BE ME. AND FOLLOWED BY OUR LAST SPEAKER, UH, HOUSING FOR GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MEMBERS, OUR MAYOR. MY NAME'S ARINA REDMOND, FOUNDING LEADER OF BLACK LIVES MATTER, LONG BEACH AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE. UM, I WANNA START BY LIFTING UP THE FAMILY OF BRANDON BOYD, WHO CERTAINLY WOULD BE A FAMILY THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM INCLUSIONARY HOUSING [02:55:01] THE ONE DAY, ONE MONTH AGO TODAY, THEY BURIED THEIR LOVED ONE ON JANUARY 11TH. AND SO TO THEM I SAY WE ARE WITH YOU. WE ARE HERE ALWAYS WITH YOU, AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE BY YOUR SIDE TO THE FAMILY OF BRANDON BOYD. HIS SISTERS ARE STILL GRIEVING, HIS FAMILY IS STILL GRIEVING. WHILE THEY ARE WORKING AND RAISING SMALL CHILDREN, UH, THEY ARE ALSO STILL FACING CHARGES. SOME OF THOSE CHARGES MIGHT IN FACT, MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOME FOLKS TO LIVE IN THIS CITY. AND THREE YEARS IS TOO LONG TO WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO BE POSSIBLE. THINKING ABOUT THE BOY FAMILY, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WOMEN AND I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT CHILDREN BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF WOMEN AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CHILDREN, SMALL CHILDREN IN THAT FAMILY. 61% OF BLACK RENTERS IN THIS CITY, UH, CANNOT AFFORD TO BE HERE. BLACK WOMEN, AS YOU ALL KNOW ALREADY, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THIS, ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE RENTERS IN THIS CITY. SO WE NEED THIS, WE NEED THIS TO MOVE FASTER. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME. WE NEED IT TO BE MANDATORY. WE NEED IT TO BE UNDER THE, THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SAY HIS NAME. THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER. HOW REEN. HELLO. I AM A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT AND I'M HERE TO ASK THAT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING BE MADE MANDATORY. IT IS NOT ONLY THE RIGHT THING, BUT EVEN THE SUMMARY THAT WAS PRESENTED EARLIER STATED THAT THERE IS BROAD OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR CITYWIDE EXPANSION. THE RESEARCH WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF. THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. I ASK THAT YOU SET YOURSELF SERVING HOUSING INTERESTS ASIDE FOR ONCE THE CLOWNS ROBBING ME AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE TODAY, CLEAN EVERY MONTH, ARE LAUGHING IN OUR FACE WHEN THEY SAY THEY FEAR THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO PROFITABLY, PROFITABLY BUILD THESE IF THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL. WE HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT DEVELOPERS AND SLUMLORDS WILL FIND LUCRATIVE WAYS TO OPT OUT AND EXPLOIT LOOPHOLES. THE PHASING REQUIREMENT SIMPLY KICKS THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, MUCH LIKE THE LIVES OF REAGANOMICS, THE IDEA THAT HOUSING WILL TRICKLE DOWN AS WEALTHIER FOLKS MOVE TO WE TO FANCIER HOMES IS SIMPLY BS. ADDITIONALLY, IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE AND THE DIGNITY OF THOSE LIVING IN LOW INCOME, IMPLYING THAT THEY'RE ONLY WORTHY OF LIVING IN LEAKY HOMES WITH MOLD AND CARCINOGENIC ADVISORIES ON THE FRONT. ALSO, REX, WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS MISSING WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE TALKING HOUSING FOR ALL MAKE HOUSING INCLUSIONARY CLOSE THE SUBSTANTIAL MODEL ROOF HOLES AND CONTROL THE RENT. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VICE MAYOR FOR LEADING, UH, FOR LEADING, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AND THANK YOU TO THE 30 PUBLIC COMMENTORS. WE'LL NOW TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL FOR COUNCIL DELIBERATION. WE'LL START WITH THE MAKER OF THE MOTION. COUNCIL MEMBER OTTI. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE TONIGHT. UM, WE WERE DILIGENTLY HEARING AND LISTENING TO ALL OF YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO CITY STAFF AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE, UM, QUESTIONS I HAVE. SOME WILL BE ELICITED FROM SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE HEARD TONIGHT. AND SO I FIGURED WE MIGHT AS WELL ADDRESS ONE OF THE, UM, ISSUES WE SAW IN PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN A, UM, A REQUEST THAT THE CITY CONSIDER AN 11% VERY LOW INCOME AND A 5% EXTREMELY LOW INCOME. UM, AND I KNOW FROM THE STAFF REPORT, UM, THAT TRI THAT THAT THOSE, THAT COMBINATION WOULD TRIGGER. UM, AND THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITH THAT. SO COULD CITY STAFF KIND OF EXPLAIN THEIR REASONING BEHIND, UM, NOW I SAY REASONING, BUT WHY THEY MIGHT HAVE CONCERNS AROUND CHANGING, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION TO ACCOMMODATE THAT REQUEST? SURE. UH, THANK YOU DR. RICK SODE, COUNCIL MEMBER. SO IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, INCLUSIONARY ORDINANCES THAT ARE OVER 15% AND 11 PLUS FIVE BY MA MATH WOULD BE 16%, UM, DO REQUIRE AN ECONOMIC STUDY. AND THEN WE WOULD NEED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO I THINK LEGALLY THE MAXIMUM NUMBER YOU COULD GO UP TO WOULD BE 15. BUT ON TOP OF THAT, WE WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT PROJECT VIABILITY. WE DID A PRIOR STUDY, UM, WHICH IS WHERE THE 11% AND 12% COME FROM. SO I DON'T WANNA SAY THERE'S NO WIGGLE ROOM, BUT ANYTHING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THAT 11%, 12% MAY RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT DROP OFF IN THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT ARE CONSTRUCTED. SO WHILE OUR INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENT, UM, WOULD GO UP, WE COULD BE IN THE POSITION OF ENDING UP WITH FEWER [03:00:01] UNITS, BOTH ON THE INCLUSIONARY SIDE AND ON THE MARKET RATE SIDE. SO, UH, WE DON'T THINK IT'S VIABLE TO DO AN 11% VERY LOW PLUS A 5% EXTREMELY LOW. UM, WE DIDN'T MODEL EXTREMELY LOW REQUIREMENTS. THERE ARE NO JURISDICTIONS IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE EXTREMELY LOW AS PART OF THEIR INCLUSIONARY PROGRAM. THERE'S THREE CITIES THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THAT. UM, THEY'RE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALBANY, WHICH IS A CITY OF 20,000 JACKSON, WHICH IS A CITY OF 5,000, AS WELL AS FREMONT, WHICH IS A LARGER, UH, MIDDLE SIZED CITY IN THE BAY AREA. UM, THEY ALL MOVED AWAY FROM THOSE REQUIREMENTS OVER TIME AND FOCUS ON LOW AND VERY LOW UNITS. SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A MODEL FOR US TO USE, BUT, UM, WE COULD GO BACK AND, AND, YOU KNOW, RETAIN A CONSULTANT AND DO AN ECONOMETRIC MODEL. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE OUR, UM, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE STAFF TABLE. YOU HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EXTREMELY LOW INCOME AND WE AGREE EXTREMELY LOW INCOME IS A SIGNIFICANT NEED IN THIS CITY AND IT NEEDS TO BE MET. INCLUSIONARY IS ONE TOOL AMONG MANY TOOLS THAT WE USE TO ADDRESS OUR HOUSING NEEDS FROM THE STAFF TABLE. WE DON'T SEE INCLUSIONARY AS THE CORRECT TOOL TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR NEED. WE SEE A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE PROJECTS AND DENSITY BONUS AND OTHER TOOLS AS THE WAY TO EXPRESS, UM, TO MEET THE, THE NEEDS IN TERMS OF EXTREMELY LOW INCOME. THANK YOU FOR THAT. DIRECTOR KUNTZ. UM, AND A FOLLOW UP TO THAT IS, I THINK THE OTHER KIND OF MAJOR THING THAT WE HEARD TONIGHT WAS AROUND THE THREE YEAR PHASE IN, UM, AND I KNOW I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW, BUT IN ONE OF THE SLIDES, I THINK IT WAS SLIDE 24, UM, THERE WAS A COMMENT IN THERE THAT INDICATES THE RENTAL HOUSING PROJECTS. IT SAYS PROPOSE A THREE YEAR PHASE IN WHICH IS YOU CALLED STANDARD PRACTICE FOR INCLUSIONARY ORDINANCES. UM, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW, WHY THAT IS STANDARD OF PRACTICE AND IF THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT ALSO USE THAT SAME PHASE IN AS I KNOW THAT, THAT FOR OUR FIRST PHASE OF OUR INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE, WE HAVE THAT SAME PHASE IN. CORRECT. SO CITIES, UH, ALMOST UNIFORMLY DO PHASE IN REQUIREMENTS FOR INCLUSIONARY. THIS IS BECAUSE A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FROM THE TIME SOMEONE HAS AN IDEA, I WANT TO BUILD AN APARTMENT BUILDING TO THAT PROJECT. STARTING CONSTRUCTION IS TYPICALLY A 60 MONTH PERIOD, SO A FIVE YEAR PERIOD. UM, SO WHEN THE CITY IMPOSES NEW REQUIREMENTS ON DEVELOPERS, IT COULD BE INCLUSIONARY, IT COULD BE YOU CAN'T USE STUCCO ANYMORE, YOU NEED TO BUILD OUT OF GLASS AND STEEL. THOSE REQUIREMENTS HAVE A COST AND THOSE COSTS ARE BORN BY THE DEVELOPER. AND OVER TIME, THAT CHANGE IN COST RESULTS IN A CHANGE IN LAND VALUES AND A CHANGE IN TRANSACTIONS, AND THE MARKET IS ABLE TO ABSORB THOSE CHANGES. UM, WHEN INCLUSIONARY IS IMPOSED, IT DOES DAMPEN PROPERTY VALUES MARGINALLY, UM, BUT DONE RIGHT, THE MARKET, THE LAND MARKET CAN ABSORB THAT AND IT'S STILL BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY BECAUSE WE GET THE BENEFIT OF THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS AS PART OF THE MARKET RATE PROJECTS. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS IF THERE ISN'T TIME FOR, UM, THOSE CHANGES TO PHASE IN, UH, THE MARKET CAN SEIZE UP. SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS TRANSACTIONS WOULD NOT OCCUR, PROJECTS WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD, AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY END UP WITH LESS PRODUCTION OVERALL AS INCLUDING FEWER AFFORDABLE UNITS. UM, THE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE CHOOSING TO DEVELOP IN LONG BEACH CAN DEVELOP ANYWHERE. LONG BEACH IS NOT THE ONLY LOCATION THAT THEY CAN, UM, CHOOSE TO DEVELOP IN. AND WHEN REQUIREMENTS CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY, THERE CAN BE A MISMATCH BETWEEN THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE LAND SELLER AND THE NEW VALUE THAT A DEVELOPER IS WILLING TO PAY BASED ON THEIR POTENTIAL REVENUE AS ADJUSTED FOR THE IMPLE UH, THE INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION? YES. UH, JUST ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT WOULD BE, UM, THIS WILL BE THE LAST ONE. YES. BECAUSE YOU HAD, YOU HAD YOUR TIME. YEAH. UM, ARE THERE ANY CITIES THAT HAVE CONSIDERED OR IMPLEMENTED, UM, A INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE THAT DID NOT HAVE A PHASE IN? I MEAN, IT'S NOT THE MANY, BUT I, SO I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I KNOW. SO THERE'S MORE THAN 170 PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA. UM, OUR CONSULTANT, KMA WORKED ON MANY OF THOSE. THEY DID NOT SHARE WITH US ANY PROGRAM THAT DIDN'T HAVE SOME TYPE OF PHASE. IN SOME PHASE INS ARE THREE YEARS, SOME ARE FIVE YEARS, SOME ARE PHASED IN IN ONE WAY, SOME ARE PHASED IN IN A DIFFERENT WAY. UM, SO I'M NOT AWARE OF ONE, BUT I CAN'T PERSONALLY SPEAK TO ALL 170 PROGRAMS. UM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE INFORMATION WE HAVE, WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH A PROGRAM NOT BEING PHASED IN. THANK YOU. GREAT QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER, THRASS AND TOOK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. UM, SO I, I TOO WANNA ECHO THE SENTIMENTS REGARDING STAFF. [03:05:01] I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DILIGENCE ON THIS. UM, VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND JUST THE, UH, YOU KNOW, DEGREE TO WHICH YOU ALL WENT THROUGH TO COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL, UH, OPTIONS AS YOU HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY. UM, I DO WANNA STAY ON THE SUBJECT THOUGH OF PHASE IN. UM, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE WAITING ANOTHER THREE YEARS TO FULLY IMPLEMENT. UM, I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EXCITING THAT WE HAVE AN INCLUSIONARY POLICY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. GIVEN WHAT YOU'VE JUST SAID. UM, I RECOGNIZE THAT MAYBE THERE CAN BE AND SHOULD BE A PHASE IN, BUT WE ALREADY HAD AN INCLUSIONARY PROGRAM AND A PART OF OUR CITY, AND SO PEOPLE KNEW THAT IT WAS COMING AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS GOING TO GO CITYWIDE. UM, SO GIVEN ANY BACKGROUND YOU MIGHT HAVE, UM, ON THE CONSULTANT IN TERMS OF CITIES THAT HAVE BIFURCATED AND STARTED WITH A SMALLER AREA AND THEN MOVED TO THE ENTIRE CITY, UM, KNOW, COULD WE AT LEAST CONSIDER SOMETHING, UH, SHORTER THAN THE THREE YEARS? YEAH, SO THAT'S AT, AT COUNCIL'S DISCRETION. UM, AND AND RESPECT, UH, YOUR AUTHORITY AND THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, WE WOULD NOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE RECOMMEND A SHORTER PHASE IN. I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS AN EXISTING POLICY, BUT IT'S NOT JUST THAT INCLUSIONARY HASN'T APPLIED IN THIS OTHER PART OF THE CITY UNTIL VERY RECENT IN THE ARC OF THE CITY'S HISTORY. UM, OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY HAVE NOT, UM, SEEN SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. IT'S ONLY IN, IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UM, THERE WERE THE TWO TOWN HOME PROJECTS, UM, IN YOUR DISTRICT. THERE'S THE KB HOME PROJECT IN DR. RICK SODIS, UM, DISTRICT, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROJECTS IN CD THREE, AND THEN THERE'S BEEN A TOWN HOME PROJECT IN CD TWO. YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT I KNOW THEM ALL IN MY HEAD TELLS ME IT'S NOT A LOT OF PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. UM, BUT IT'S STILL A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT BECAUSE WE WENT FROM NEARLY ZERO TO DOZENS OF PROJECTS. SO IT'S ABOUT THE MATURITY OF THE, THE MARKET AND THE AMOUNT OF DEMAND AND THE CAPITAL BEING DEPLOYED. SO THAT'S WHERE OUR RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM. BUT AGAIN, IT IS THE COUNCIL'S, UM, PLEASURE HOW YOU WANT TO SHAPE THE POLICY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I ALSO WANNA MOVE TO THE CONCEPT OF CONCENTRATED POVERTY. UM, I WAS STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT SPECIFICALLY IN THE HIGH RESOURCE AREAS, UM, WE CAPPED IT AT 11%, WHEREAS EVERYWHERE THE OTHER TWO CATEGORIES WERE CAPPED AT 12%. I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE STUDIES ACCORDINGLY. UM, BUT I WAS ALSO WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD WE, IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU SPECIFICALLY SAID IN YOUR, UM, REPORT THAT YOU DIDN'T WANNA CONCENTRATE POVERTY YET THE LOW RESOURCE AREAS ARE RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, 12% OF LOW INCOME, BUT WE WAS THERE A WAY TO CONSIDER THE HIGH RESOURCE AREAS AND AND DIVIDING IT UP. SO MAYBE YOU GET SOME LOW INCOME AND SOME, UH, VERY LOW INCOME TO CREATE SOME STAGGERING FOR DEVELOPERS. YEAH, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ALL UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR QUESTION. NO PROBLEM. SO THERE IS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN HOW WE, UM, SHAPE UP THE PIE. SO WE CAME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT BEST, UM, REFLECTED THE DIRECTION WE WERE GIVEN. BUT IF, IF WE DIDN'T GET IT RIGHT AND COUNCIL GIVES US OTHER DIRECTION, WE'LL WE'LL COME BACK WITH A DIFFERENT MIX. UM, I THINK WHAT WE DON'T HAVE FLEXIBILITY ON, UM, OUR HIGH POVERTY, HIGH SEGREGATION AREAS, SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU ASKED ABOUT. BUT WHEN WE WENT THROUGH OUR HOUSING ELEMENT CERTIFICATION POLICY, WE HAD TO DEMONSTRATE TO HCD AND ONE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION MATTERS WAS THAT WE WOULD KNOW HOW TO BE MORE POLITE, STOP PUTTING ALL OF OUR AFFORDABLE PROJECTS ON LONG BEACH BOULEVARD, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE DISPERSED THROUGHOUT OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. SO IN TERMS OF SOME OF OUR MOST IMPOVERISHED OR AREAS OF THE CITY, WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM VERY LOW INCOME UNITS AND MOVING TOWARDS THE LOW INCOME UNITS TO CHANGE, UH, THE SPREAD OF THE TYPES OF UNITS AND THE INCOME MIX IN THOSE AREAS. SO THAT WAS H CD'S CONCERN. YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. IN HIGH RESOURCE, THEY WERE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE GET MORE UNITS, PERIOD. UM, SO YOU KNOW, WE CAN PLAY WITH THE MIX THERE. WE WERE TARGETING VERY LOW BECAUSE THAT'S, THOSE ARE LOCATIONS IN OUR CITY. MANY CENSUS TRACKS DON'T HAVE A SINGLE, VERY LOW INCOME UNIT. AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE FOCUSING ON VERY LOW IN THOSE LOCATIONS. AND WHAT ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE? DID A, DID ALLISON, YOU WANNA THAT? YEAH, AND AND IN REGARDS TO THE PERCENTAGE, THAT 12% CAP VERSUS 11% COMES FROM THAT STUDY WE DID IN 2019. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SUB OF SUBSIDY [03:10:01] NEEDED FOR THE VERY LOW INCOME UNIT COMPARED TO THE LOW INCOME UNIT. SO WHEN YOU'RE MIXING THE TWO CATEGORIES, YOU CAN ASK FOR A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PERCENTAGE. SO THAT'S WHERE IT COMES FROM, IS THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA ASK FOR ALL VERY LOW INCOME, THE STUDY SHOWED US THAT THE MAX WE COULD ASK FOR WOULD BE 11% TOTAL, UH, WITHOUT, UM, OVERBURDENING DEVELOPMENT TO THE POINT WHERE IT DOESN'T OCCUR. AND THAT'S SORT OF THE STATE LAW AND GUIDANCE IS YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT GONNA OVERBURDEN INTO THAT LEVEL. SO THAT 12%, UM, IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER BECAUSE THE SUBSIDY IS LOWER NEEDED FOR THE LOW INCOME UNIT. OKAY. SO THAT, THAT KIND OF PROVES WHERE I WAS GOING, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IF IF HIGH, MODERATE AND LOW RESOURCES COULD HAVE THE SAME PERCENTAGE, AND IF WE WENT AHEAD WITHIN HIGH RESOURCE AND CREATED SOME VARIATION BETWEEN LOW AND VERY LOW, WE COULD GET TO 12% JUST LIKE THE OTHER AREAS. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO SAY IS WE CAN'T SIMPLY CHANGE THE 11% TO 12% WITHOUT, THAT'S FINE. WITHOUT CHANGING THE MIX, THAT'S FINE. BUT WE CAN GET TO 12%. IT WOULD NEED TO BE A MIX OF VERY LOW AND LOW. UNDERSTOOD. UM, I'LL GIVE YOU BACK TO MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS. THANK YOU. UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH TO THE STAFF. I KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG, LONG ROAD TO, UM, GETTING TO WHERE WE ARE HERE WITH THE INCLUSIONARY H HOUSING. I, UM, BEING THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND HAVING INCLUSIONARY IN MY DISTRICT ALREADY, UM, AND THRILLED THAT, UM, WE ARE NOW GOING, UM, CITYWIDE WITH THIS ORDINANCE, UM, AND WITH INCLUSIONARY HOUSING. UM, I ALSO WANT TO, UM, THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR CITY STAFF THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU FOR, UM, MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE ADVOCATING FOR OUR RENTERS AND OUR, UM, OUR COMMUNITY THAT CAN'T ALWAYS BE HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, ALSO AS, AS, AS A CITY WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE HOUSING. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE TO THAT REALITY. AND NOT ONLY DO WE NEED MORE HOUSING, BUT WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NOW AFFORD. UM, BASED ON OUR ARENA, WE HAVE A STATE MANDATE AS A CITY TO BUILD OVER, I'M SORRY, TO BUILD 26,000 NEW HOUSING UNITS, 15,000 OF WHICH MUST BE AFFORDABLE. AND WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS FACING HOUSING INSECURITIES AND DISPLACEMENT TODAY. THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW CAN WE ENSURE HOUSING FOR ALL, FOR ALL FAMILIES, AND FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS? I THINK THAT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ALLOWS THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING CITYWIDE SOMETHING THAT I'VE ADVOCATED FOR AS A DOWNTOWN COUNCIL MEMBER WHERE THE POLICY IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE. THE FACT THAT THIS POLICY IS ONLY IN SPECIFIC AREAS HAVE ALLOWED FOR ADVERSE EFFECTS LIKE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, LIKE IT WAS JUST MESSAGED, UM, MENTIONED, AND INCOME SEGREGATION, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BUILDING HOUSING FALLS ON THE ENTIRE CITY. AND WE ALL NEED TO STEP UP IN BUILDING HOUSING FOR EVERYONE IN ALL AREAS OF OUR CITY. AND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING GETS US CLOSER TO THAT. ALSO, AS A DOWNTOWN COUNCIL MEMBER, I AM VERY INVESTED IN CONTINUING TO BE, UH, A CITY THAT INCENTIVIZES HOUSING PRODUCTION. I BELIEVE THE PROPOSED, UM, PROPOSAL WILL BE A CAREFUL BALANCE, UM, FOR, FOR INCENTIVIZING AND BUILDING. I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MET WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY GROUPS, UM, AND WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF FOR A FEW QUESTIONS FOR TRANSPARENCY ON SLIDE NUMBER 19. SLIDE NUMBER 19 CONTAINS STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE CALCULATION PROCESS FOR INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENTS? ABSOLUTELY. UM, SO SLIDE 19 DOES SHOW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. UM, THEY ARE BASED ON SORT OF TWO SETS OF CRITERIA. THE FIRST IS THAT MARKET STUDY I WAS REFERRING TO THAT KMA DID, UM, UH, SUPPORT FOR US TO INFORM THE FIRST PHASE OF INCLUSIONARY THAT CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN JANUARY, 2021 FOR ADOPTION. UM, WHICH SHOWED US THAT MAX PERCENTAGE FOR WHICH WE'RE ABLE TO PRO, UM, TO PUT IN A NEW IMPOSITION ON DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT, UM, HINDERING DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO THE STUDY. UM, AND SO BASED [03:15:01] ON THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO GET A MAXIMUM OF 11% VERY LOW INCOME UNITS WHEN IT'S A STANDALONE REQUIREMENT, AS IS SHOWN IN THE HIGH RESOURCE CATEGORY, AND THEN UP TO 12% WHEN YOU'RE MIXING THOSE TWO CATEGORIES. AND THAT GETS INTO THE LEVEL OF SUBSIDY AND DIFFERENCE IN RENT THAT A PROJECT CAN THEN, UM, TAKE, UM, AS AS REVENUE FOR THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT. UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF HOW THESE SUBMARKET AREAS ARE DEFINED, YOU'LL NOTICE THERE ARE FIVE OF THEM. SO DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN ARE EACH TREATED AS THEIR OWN SUBMARKET HERE, UH, WE SEE DOWNTOWN AS A MATURE DEVELOPMENT MARKET WHERE WE DO HAVE SOME POCKETS OF HIGH POVERTY. AND SO THAT'S WHERE HAVING SOME LOW INCOME AND SOME VERY LOW INCOME SEEMED APPROPRIATE. IT'S SORT OF A CHANGING MARKET, WHEREAS IN MIDTOWN, WHERE WE HAVE IN THE PAST HAD A PREVIOUS OVER CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY THAT'S DOCUMENTED IN OUR OWN HOUSING ELEMENT AND OUR FAIR HOUSING, UM, ANALYSIS, WE'RE LOOKING TO DECONCENTRATE THOSE VERY LOW INCOME UNITS BY INSTEAD REQUIRING LOW INCOME AT THE 12% LEVEL IN MIDTOWN. AND THEN THE LAST THREE SUB AREAS ARE DIRECTLY BASED ON THE STATE'S MAPPING OF LOW AND HIGH RESOURCE AREAS, AS WELL AS MODERATE RESOURCE AREAS TO TAKE A STRATEGY OF TRYING TO, UM, DECONCENTRATE POVERTY AND HELP ADDRESS SOME OF OUR FAIR HOUSING POLICIES. SO THIS IS BASED ON, UM, POLICIES IN OUR HOUSING ELEMENT, GUIDANCE FROM HCD, UM, AND PLANNING BEST PRACTICE. SO IN OUR HIGH RESOURCE AREAS, WHICH ARE AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS, WITH THE BEST AIR QUALITY, THE BEST ACCESS TO JOBS, WHICH ARE BASICALLY SET UP FOR CHILDREN TO SUCCEED THE MOST, WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING ALL VERY LOW INCOME UNITS BECAUSE HISTORICALLY WE DON'T GET A LOT OF VERY LOW INCOME UNITS IN THOSE HIGH RESOURCE AREAS LIKE EAST LONG BEACH OR BIXBY KNOWLES. IN THE MODERATE RESOURCE AREAS, YOU SEE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A MIX OF THE TWO CATEGORIES. AND THEN IN THE LOW RESOURCE AREAS WHERE WE'VE PRODUCED THE MOST NUMBER OF VERY LOW INCOME UNITS, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO DO ALL LOW INCOME UNITS HERE. UM, THAT WAY WE ARE ACHIEVING THOSE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY THAT THE COUNCIL ASKED US TO LOOK AT LAST YEAR WHILE TAKING SORT OF A FAIR HOUSING APPROACH TO TRYING TO DECONCENTRATE POVERTY AND CREATE MORE OF, UH, MIXED INCOME COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT ANSWER. UM, CONSIDERING ALL THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM YOUR PRESENTATION AS WELL AS FROM, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE MEETINGS THAT I HAVE HELD, I HAVE TWO FRIENDLIES, UM, COUNCILWOMAN RICK SODI. UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN, UM, FOR THE ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE, IF WE COULD LEAVE THAT AS A CITY COUNCIL DESIGNEE, MEANING THAT THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL WOULD STILL APPROVE, UH, OF ANY CHANGES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS IS A CITYWIDE ORDINANCE OR THAT IS GOING CITYWIDE AND ALSO THAT IT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HELP, UM, WITH TRANSPARENCY, I BELIEVE. UM, ALSO WANTED TO SEE IF YOU WOULD BE AMENDABLE TO HAVING A REPORT BACK AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION. UM, SOMETHING LIKE, I WOULD HAPPILY ACCEPT THOSE FRIENDLIES. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, ZENDEJAS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL KEEP GOING DOWN THE LINE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. WELL THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT DIRECTOR KONZ, ALLISON AND, AND STEPHANIE, YOUR PRESENTATION WAS GREAT. I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS. UM, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IS SOMETHING I'VE REALLY BEEN LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT AND I SEE IT AS A WAY TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY GROWS AND WE'RE, WE'RE INCLUDING HOUSING OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM SO MANY PEOPLE TODAY. THE CITY'S ARENA ALLOCATION MANDATES THAT THE CITY FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF 26,000 UNITS WITH 15,000 OF THEM BEING AFFORDABLE. THAT'S A LOT. THIS MEANS WE AREN'T JUST LOOKING TO BUILD ANY AND ALL HOUSING, BUT WE ARE MANDATED TO FACILITATE THE BUILDING OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING HELPS US MEET THIS REQUIREMENT BY MAKING SURE THAT FOR EVERY 10 UNITS BUILT MORE THAN ONE IS DESIGNATED FOR AFFORDABLE. AND THIS DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT CREATES MIXED INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. AND THIS IS I IMPORTANT BECAUSE UNLIKE 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FAMILIES FROM ALL INCOME LEVELS CAN LIVE TOGETHER. I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT. THIS EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS CAN HAVE MEANINGFUL IMPACTS, ESPECIALLY [03:20:01] FOR CHILDREN SHAPING HABITS AND OPPORTUNITIES. RELYING SOLELY ON A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO MEET OUR HOUSING MANDATES MEANS WE WILL BE CONCENTRATING LOW INCOME FAMILIES INTO HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS WHERE EVERYONE IS FACING THE SAME INCOME BARRIERS. INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ALSO MEANS THAT LOW INCOME FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS WITH DIFFERENT STANDARDS, FOR INSTANCE, TO MAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AFFORDABLE, THE CITY AND STATE OF WAVES CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFSITE TRAFFIC MITIGATION. SO WHEN MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENTS MAY BE REQUIRED TO INSTALL A CROSSWALK SO IT'S SAFER FOR RESIDENT RESIDENTS, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT MAY NOT HAVE TO DO THE SAME. A MARKET RATE DEVELOPER MAY NEED TO INCLUDE PARKING MINIMUMS OR SECURE TO SECURE FINANCING. AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER MAY NOT NEED ANY PARKING AT ALL. SO INCORPORATING H AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS INTO MARKET RATE HOUSING PROJECTS MEANS WE CAN STILL HIT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS WITHOUT ONLY RELYING ON A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH LESSER REQUIREMENTS. SOME MAY ARGUE THAT THIS POLICY COULD SLOW DOWN HOUSING PRODUCTION AND IT MAY BE TRUE IN SOME CASES, BUT OUR MANDATE ISN'T TO JUST ADD A LOT OF HOUSING. WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED A GOAL AND A TARGET FOR THE TYPE OF HOUSING WE NEED TO BUILD, WHICH INCLUDES NEARLY 60% OF IT BEING AFFORDABLE. SO THIS HELPS US REACH OUR GOAL. SO I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTING THE PROPOSAL BY STAFF. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING TONIGHT AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO STAFF. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. FANTASTIC. COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. YES, THANK YOU MAYOR. YES, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UM, IT'S REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR QUESTIONS, UH, AND AS WELL AS STAFF, UH, FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS. UM, SO I CERTAINLY AM VERY MUCH, UM, SUPPORTIVE OF INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE AS A ONE, ONE TOOL IS MENTIONED AS A WAY THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE'RE DECONCENTRATING POVERTY AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INCREASING HOUSING NEEDS. UM, YOU KNOW, AS A DISTRICT WITH ONE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH MORE BEING BUILT, I I DO APPRECIATE THAT IT AND HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF A CITYWIDE, UM, THAT IT BE CITYWIDE. AND SO, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I DO HAVE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SENDE HAD DID KIND OF ALREADY DID A FRIENDLY, BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO OVER AGAIN THE ALTERNATIVE, UH, AL AL ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PROCESS VERSUS WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE NOW. WHAT, WHAT WOULD MAKE IT DIFFERENT, UM, AS FAR AS COUNCIL BEING ABLE TO APPROVE, UM, THIS, UM, CAN YOU PLEASE GO OVER THAT AGAIN? SURE. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER. SO ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE, ANY CITY IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAS INCLUSIONARY HOUSING HAS TO OFFER PROPERTY OWNERS WHAT'S CALLED ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE. SO WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE PROJECT PURSUE ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE YET. SO THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT A DEVELOPER WOULD GO THROUGH IF THEY THEORETICALLY, UM, PURSUED ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE. SO FORMS OF ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE COULD MEAN BUILDING THE AFFORDABLE UNITS IN A SEPARATE BUILDING, A SEPARATE LOCATION, DONATING LAND TO THE CITY, UM, PAYING A FEE, PAYING SOME COMBINATION OF A FEE AND UNITS, UM, DONATING A BUILDING. IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF COMPLYING OUR, UH, PREFERENCE AS A CITY, AS A STAFF IS NOT TO HAVE ANYONE DO ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE IS TO HAVE THEM COMPLY WITH THE POLICY. BUT WE ARE REQUIRED, UM, TO PROVIDE THOSE OPTIONS WHERE BASICALLY THEY COME IN AND ASK FOR AN EXCEPTION AND EXPLAIN WHY IT'S WARRANTED. CURRENTLY, THAT EXCEPTION PROCESS WOULD GO TO CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSION AND THERE WOULD BE REVIEWING THE ENTITLEMENTS FOR THE PROJECT ITSELF. THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT. WE AS STAFF THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO TRANSFER, UH, THAT REVIEW BODY FOR THE ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE TO ALSO BE THE SAME DECISION MAKER. THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I'VE HEARD, UH, TONIGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE COUNCIL'S, UM, PREFERENCE TO KEEP THAT AT CITY COUNCIL. UM, AND AND THAT WOULD BE FINE TOO. THAT WOULD BE, THAT'S A POLICY CALL FOR THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE. SO JUST TO CLARIFY IT WOULDN'T THERE, I THOUGHT I SAW EARLIER THAT IT'LL STILL GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION FOR REVIEW, BUT IT'LL ALSO [03:25:01] COME FOR, IT ULTIMATELY COMES TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. YEAH, SO IF WE KEEP COUNCIL AS THE, UM, BODY, IT WILL COME TO COUNCIL. IF WE TRANSFER IT TO PLANNING TO COMMISSION IT WOULD ONLY COME TO COUNCIL ON APPEAL. OKAY. AND I THINK THAT WAS THE OTHER PIECE YOU WERE REFERRING TO. WE ADDED A CLARIFICATION THAT IT WOULD BE APPEALABLE TO COUNSEL, WHICH ANY PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING WOULD BE WHEN THE COMMISSION'S THE FIRST HEARING BODY. BUT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION FOR THE PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENCY THAT THAT OPTION IS AVAILABLE. SINCE WE HAD HEARD THAT NOT EVERYONE WAS CLEAR THAT THAT APPEAL OPTION WOULD BE THERE. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, WE UNDERSTOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS CURRENTLY AND WHAT IT IS NOW. AND I STAND IN SUPPORT OF THE ITEM WITH THE FRIENDLY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, GREAT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE GREAT DISCUSSION. I WANNA, UM, UPLIFT AND APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK. EVERYONE WHO CALLED AND MET WITH OUR OFFICE, EVERYONE WHO SENT A CORRESPONDENCE TO US REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I APPRECIATE IT GREATLY. I THINK, UM, ONE THING WE ALL AGREE ON IS THAT WE WANT MORE HOUSING, WE WANT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. UM, AND I STAND IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THAT. UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY PART OF OUR CITY NEEDS TO BE PART OF THAT SOLUTION, UM, WITHOUT A DOUBT. AND SO THANK YOU TO PLANNING FOR, FOR DOING THIS WORK. UM, DIRECTOR KUNZ, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE IN COMMITTEE THAT I, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, INCLUSIONARY IS A TOOL THAT WE USE TO GET THERE, SO I APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE ARE OTHER TOOLS THAT GET US TO ADDITIONAL UNITS, UH, FOR DIFFERENT POPULATIONS. UM, KIND OF THE CARROT AND THE STICK. WE, WE, YOU TRY TO BALANCE THAT OUT AND, AND I I CAN SEE IN THIS POLICY THAT YOU WERE REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IT 'CAUSE IT HAS EVOLVED, UM, SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IT. UM, I I JUST WANNA ASK THE, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION AND THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS THAT THERE WERE NO HOME OWNERSHIP STARTS IN THE ZONE SINCE THE POLICY HAS BEEN IN PLACE. AND SO YOU'VE HAD SOME REVISED, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND HOME OWNERSHIP BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HOME OWNERSHIP HELPS BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH. WE KNOW, UM, SOME PARTS OF TOWN DON'T HAVE AT THE MOMENT BIGGER LOTS TO DO BIGGER PROJECTS. SO, UM, THERE IS A TOWN HOME PROJECT THAT WAS COMPLETED IN DISTRICT FIVE AS WELL. UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE POTENTIALLY ON THE WAY. UM, SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT AGAIN, UM, ABOUT THE WAYS THAT YOU SEE THIS BEING HELPFUL FOR HOME OWNERSHIP STARTS? YEAH, SO WE WERE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A POLICY, UM, THAT WORKS AND THE OWNERSHIP SIDE OF THE EQUATION IS VERY DIFFERENT, UH, THAN THE RENTAL SIDE OF THE EQUATION. UM, IN CALIFORNIA, FOR REASONS THAT ARE NOT OF THE CITY'S IMPOSING, UM, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, UM, HIGHLY RISKY, NOT PARTICULARLY PROFITABLE TO BUILD FOR SALE HOUSING. HOWEVER, FOR SALE HOUSING IS HOW PEOPLE, UM, BUILD PERSONAL WEALTH AND INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH AND IS INCREDIBLY DESIRABLE, UM, FOR A STABILIZED SOCIETY AND FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS. SO WE HAD TO TAKE A STEP BACK BASED ON SOME FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM DEVELOPERS AND SAY, WHILE THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON THE OWNERSHIP SIDE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. SO SET THAT ASIDE, WHAT WOULD WORK? WE KNOW FROM OUR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT THERE ARE FOLKS AT ABOUT 200% OF A MI THAT ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING ABLE TO BUY A HOME THAT JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP. SO OUR 15, 20, 20 $5,000 IN THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE GETTING INTO A HOME AND, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET INTO A HOME. SO WE LOOKED AT THE COMMENTS FROM DEVELOPERS AND SAID, OKAY, OUR PROGRAM THAT'S, YOU KNOW, GONNA BE AT 120% IS NOT WORKING LIKE THAT IS NOT VIABLE TODAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT WHAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MUCH LESS IMPACTFUL TO DEVELOPERS BUT STILL PROVIDE BENEFIT TO THE CITY AND THE CITY'S RESIDENTS? SO THAT'S WHERE WE CAME UP WITH 200% OF A MI, IT DOES REPRESENT A DISCOUNT TO MARKET SALES PRICES, BUT IT IS A MODEST DISCOUNT. UM, AND IT, DEPENDING HOW INTEREST RATES MOVE, AND I, I CAN'T PREDICT THAT NO ONE AT THIS TABLE CAN PREDICT THAT. UM, BUT IT, IT, IF INTEREST RATES WERE TO DECREASE, IT COULD BE A, A VERY MODEST, UM, SALES DISCOUNT ON THE OWNERSHIP SIDE. SO WE WERE TRYING TO FIND THE POINT AT WHICH THERE WAS STILL PUBLIC BENEFIT, BUT WE HAD DRAMATICALLY REDUCED THE COST AND POSITION ON PROPERTY OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS SO THAT WE GET ACTUAL PROJECTS. WE'RE NOT, I MEAN, THERE'S A PROJECT IN YOUR DISTRICT, [03:30:01] THERE ARE PROJECTS, I DON'T WANNA SAY THERE'S NONE, BUT STATISTICALLY AS PART OF THE OVERALL MIX, WE ARE VERY FEW OWNERSHIP PROJECTS. UM, WHICH IS CAUSING ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS OUT THERE. EVEN IF PEOPLE CAN AFFORD A FIRST TIME HOME, THEY CAN'T GET THAT HOME BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE IS PAYING CASH FOR THAT HOME AND THE SELLER DOESN'T WANNA ACCEPT AN OFFER THAT INVOLVES FINANCING. SO WE, UM, WE WERE TRYING TO FIND THAT SWEET SPOT WE THINK WE HAVE. UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S UP FOR THE, THE COUNCIL TO DECIDE. AND THEN THE PHASE IN IS BASED ON RESULTS. SO INSTEAD OF DOING THE, THE REQUIREMENT CHANGES EACH YEAR, IT'S BASED ON PRODUCTION. NOT UNTIL WE'VE PRODUCED 200 OWNERSHIP UNITS WOULD WE TIED IN THOSE REQUIREMENTS FURTHER. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I JUST WANNA TOUCH ON THE QUESTION AND JUST, UM, BE REAL IN THE MOMENT. YOU TALKED ABOUT INTEREST RATES. UM, THE, THE STUDY THAT YOU DID WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I THINK WE CAN ALL ACKNOWLEDGE WE ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT MOMENT OF TIME, EVEN THAN WE WERE IN DECEMBER, UH, WHEN WE WENT TO, WHEN THIS WENT TO PLANNING. UM, SO WITH TARIFFS, POLICIES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS COMING OUT OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, UM, THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING INDUSTRY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND INTEREST RATES, I KNOW THAT JUST COMPLICATES ALL OF THAT. HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT ALL OF THAT IN TERMS OF, 'CAUSE ZERO UNITS OF ZERO ISN'T HELPFUL, UM, AT THE MOMENT AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO STILL BUILD AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A REAL THING. UM, SO ANYTHING BAKED INTO HERE THAT, THAT MAKES YOU FEEL THAT WE'RE CONFIDENT, WE'RE CONFIDENT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD? I WOULD SAY WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT ON THE RENTAL SIDE. WE BELIEVE THAT THE PHASE IN, ON THE RENTAL SIDE, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ENTITLEMENTS TODAY, WHICH IS OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE FROM RENTAL DEVELOPERS, GIVES US A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE ON THE RENTAL SIDE. ON THE OWNERSHIP SIDE, WE BELIEVE WE GOT IT CORRECT. WE HAVE A LOWER DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE THAN ON THE RENTAL SIDE. AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE WERE PLAYING WITH THAT SAME CONUNDRUM THAT YOU'RE ASKING ME ABOUT BECAUSE I COULD DESCRIBE FOR THIS COUNCIL REASONS TO HAVE THIS BE AT 250% OR NOT HAVE AN INCLUSIONARY REQUIREMENT ON THE OWNERSHIP SIDE. HOWEVER, THAT WOULD RESULT IN NO, UM, BENEFIT, NO POTENTIAL FIRST TIME HOME BUYER UNITS. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAIR THAT IS WHEN WE'RE CREATING RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES AND NOT CREATING OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE TARIFFS THAT APPLY TO STEEL AND ALUMINUM AND GOODS GENERALLY IN CHINA. UH, FINE IF THERE ARE TARIFFS IMPOSED ON WOOD WHERE THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION, BUT I CAN'T, I DUNNO, STUFF SURPRISES ME EVERY DAY WHEN I HEAR THE NEWS. SO I CAN'T PREDICT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN ON THAT FRONT. THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THE HONESTY THERE. I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO, OR ON DAY, LIKE 21 OF A NEW ADMINISTRATION AND YOU KNOW, WHERE WE MIGHT BE ON DAY A HUNDRED IS WE, AND I THINK WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA. SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU AT LEAST SHARING YOUR AWARENESS THAT WE'VE GOTTA BE A LITTLE BIT NIMBLE OF HOW WE BEST SUPPORT FOLKS IN THIS TIME. YOU KNOW, I, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST ADD BEFORE WE KEEP GOING. UM, TOM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE OTHER BARRIERS TO CONDO DEVELOPMENT, THE 10 YEAR, UH, CONDO LIABILITY ISSUE. COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE SINCE, UM, I THINK IT WAS LIKE SB 800 TOOK PLACE AND HOW THAT'S IMPACTED HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PAST FEW DECADES, COUPLE DECADES? CERTAINLY, UH, CHRISTOPHER CAN HELP ME OUT HERE TOO, BUT, UH, WE'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN HOW CONDOS HAVE BEEN CREATED IN CALIFORNIA IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. SO I THINK WE ALL REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITIES IS YOU, YOU RENT FIRST. YOU MAY GO AND BUY A SMALL CONDO AND BUILD SOME WEALTH AND TURN THAT INTO A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. UH, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT KIND OF CONDO GROWTH IN, IN CALIFORNIA IN 20 YEARS. UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES THAT HAVE LOOKED AT IT, AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE AMOUNT OF LIABILITY THAT IS THEN PASSED ON TO THE DEVELOPER, YOU KNOW, 10 OR 15 YEARS AFTER THEY'VE ALREADY COMPLETED THE PROJECT. SO, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF OF RESEARCH OUT THERE. WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT THAT AND HOW CAN LONG BEACH MAYBE BE A PILOT CITY? UH, WE WANT QUALITY DEVELOPMENT, BUT THERE'S OTHER STATES THAT HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO NOT HAVE AS ONEROUS, UM, KIND OF LIABILITY THERE SO THAT, UM, WE CAN POTENTIALLY, UH, CHANGE SOME OF THOSE AND, AND GET MORE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. 'CAUSE THAT'S REALLY A GREAT WAY TO BUILD WEALTH FOR PEOPLE COMING IN. UH, UH, THAT THEN CAN TRANSITION IT INTO OTHER, UM, UH, OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO, TO PURCHASE HOMES. I, I, I ASKED YOU TO RAISE THAT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THIS POLICY'S ONE DYNAMIC, BUT THERE ARE OTHER DYNAMICS WE'RE ALSO COMPETING WITH AS IT RELATES TO LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES TO BREAK INTO HOME OWNERSHIP. WHEN I WAS COMING OUTTA COLLEGE, UH, CONDOS WERE STILL BEING BUILT, RIGHT? I'M DATING MYSELF, BUT CONDOS WERE [03:35:01] STILL BEING BUILT. AND FOLKS THOUGHT ABOUT BUYING A CONDO BEFORE BUYING A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. BUT I'LL TELL YOU, EVEN BACK THEN, HOUSING WAS THREE TIMES CHEAPER. IT WAS A THIRD OF WHAT HOUSING COSTS TODAY HOUSES HOW HOMES ARE THREE TIMES AS MUCH. SO YOU NEED THREE TIMES THE DOWN PAYMENT YOU NEED, YOU KNOW, THREE TIMES THE MONTHLY PAYMENT AND INTEREST RATES ARE HIGHER TODAY THAN THEY WERE THEN. SO, UH, PEOPLE NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK IN. SO WE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE STILL HAVE, UH, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN. SO I RAISED THAT TO SAY, JUST YESTERDAY I WAS WITH THE BIG CITY MAYORS UP IN SACRAMENTO, AND WE HAD A WHOLE CONVERSATION WITH, UM, WITH THE LEGISLATURE, WITH, UM, UH, THE, THE SENATE PRO TEM, UH, AND WITH THE CHAIR OF HOUSING, UM, AND BUFFY WICKS AS WELL AS, UH, WITH THE GOVERNOR DIRECTLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE MAY BE AN APERTURE RIGHT NOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S AN EMPHASIS IN BRINGING MORE HOUSING DI DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES INTO THE DOWNTOWN. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU ONLY SEE ONE TYPE OF THING BEING BUILT, MAYBE TWO HOTELS AND, AND RENT AND, AND APARTMENTS. THERE'S NO DEMAND ON ON OFFICE RIGHT NOW. AND BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH CONTRACTOR LIABILITY, THERE'S NO CONDOS BEING BUILT IN CALIFORNIA. AND YOU KNOW, MIAMI, RIGHT? MIAMI'S GOT MORE HIGH RISES DEVELOPMENT IN THAT ONE CITY THAT'S SMALLER IN POPULATION THAN CAIF, THAN LONG BEACH. MORE HIGH RISES THAN THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA COMBINED. I THINK I GOT THAT STAT FROM YOU, TOM. YES, THAT'S TRUE. SO MIAMI IS DOING MORE CONDO, UM, AND MORE OF THAT KIND OF CONSTRUCTION THAN THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING LA AND SAN FRANCISCO AND LONG BEACH AND COMBINED AND, UH, AND SAN DIEGO COMBINED ONE CITY THE SMALLER THAN LONG BEACH. SO WE HAVE TO DIVERSIFY THE TYPE OF OF HOUSING WE'RE BUILDING. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE COME OUTTA THIS, WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT STEPPING UP OR MAYBE ADDING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR, UH, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO SUPPORT THAT. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER. TH THANK YOU FOR THAT, MAYOR. I'LL VOLUNTEER TO ASSIST TO HEAD OUT TO MIAMI TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT . UM, I JUST, I HAVE, UH, A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS IF WE COULD ANSWER 'EM QUICKLY SO THAT I CAN GET TO MY FRIENDLY, UM, SO JUST TO RESPOND TO THE AUDIENCE, UH, IF THIS WERE TO PASS, IT WOULD BE MANDATORY FOR, UH, ALL DEVELOPMENTS, ALL DEVELOPMENTS OF 10 UNITS OR LARGER. YES. THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE, WE WOULD HAVE A REGULATORY AGREEMENT WITH THOSE DEVELOPERS. HOW LONG WOULD THAT AGREEMENT RUN? THAT'S A 55 YEAR AGREEMENT. OKAY. AND, AND IT CONTINUES IF THE, IF THE BUILDING CONTINUES AFTER YEAR 55. UM, SO IT IS IN FOREVER AGREEMENT, UM, UNLESS THE BUILDING IS DEMOLISHED OR, UH, OTHERWISE REMOVED. OKAY. AND THEN HOW WILL PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS? WHAT IS THE PUB, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE PLAN TO PUBLICIZE THESE UNITS AND THEIR AVAILABILITY? UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE UNITS, WE HAVE, UM, EXISTING PROGRAMS, UH, FOR WAITING LISTS FOR AFFORDABLE UNITS. UM, IF WE'RE ABLE TO GROW OUR INCLUSIONARY PROGRAM, WE WOULD LOOK AT HOW WE WOULD ALSO INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE LEASE UPS THROUGH THAT AND OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, AND AS PART OF THE REGULATORY AGREEMENT, UM, WE, UH, THAT HOUSING STAFF HERE WORKS WITH EVERY SINGLE DEVELOPER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ALSO A PROGRAM WHERE THEY ADVERTISE HERE IN LOCAL, UH, LOCALLY IN LONG BEACH TO LONG BEACH RESIDENTS FOR THOSE AVAILABLE UNITS. OKAY. UM, AND QUICKLY, DID HAS ANY OTHER, UM, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING PROGRAM THAT YOU KNOW OF HAVE A LOCAL HIRE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS? NO, BUT I HAVE GOOD NEWS THERE. SO, UM, WE WERE ASKED, UH, PREVIOUSLY TO LOOK AT LOCAL HIRE. I THINK IT'S IN THE CITY'S INTEREST AND SOCIETY'S INTEREST TO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SKILLED AND TRAINED LABOR AND, AND LABOR PIECE AND LIVING WAGES. UM, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY ATTACH THAT, UH, TO THIS ORDINANCE. BUT AS PART OF THE, UM, ENHANCED DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM THAT WE WERE AWARDED A GRANT, UH, TO DO AND ALLISON'S TEAM IS WORKING ON, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A DENSITY BONUS RELATED TO, UM, LOCAL HIRE AND SKILLED AND TRAINED, UM, AND LIVING WAGE. UM, SO THAT, UH, POLICY INITIATIVE WILL LIVE IN THAT EFFORT RATHER THAN THIS, THIS ONE HERE, UM, WHICH KEEPS US, UM, ALL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAWYERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, SO FOR MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, I WAS WONDERING IF COUNCILWOMAN RICK OTI WOULD, UH, BE OPEN TO AN INCREASE, UM, IN THE HIGH RESOURCE AREAS TO 12% TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER AREAS, UM, BUT ALLOWING FOR THE CITY STAFF TO FIND THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF VERY LOW AND LOW INCOME, UM, HOUSEHOLDS IN ORDER TO, UH, GET TO 12%. UM, CAN WE PULL UP THAT SLIDE BECAUSE I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M FOLLOWING WHAT SURE. UM, COUNCILWOMAN THRE TOOK IS, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA GONNA PULL UP THE SLIDE AND THEN I, IF WE CAN GET SOME CLARITY, I [03:40:01] THINK IT'S VERY EASY FOR US TO CHANGE IT FROM 11% VERY LOW TO THE SIX PLUS SIX EQUALS 12. UM, I THINK WE UNDERSTAND THAT DIRECTION PERFECTLY. IF THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, WE NEED TO, TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, THAT THAT RECOMMENDATION IS ONE THAT I WOULD ACCEPT AND THEN OFFER TO COUNCILWOMAN, UH, RICK SODI. OKAY. SO REPEAT THAT ONE TO ME SO THAT I, SO THAT I UNDERSTAND. OH, OKAY. SO AS I UNDERSTAND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TH TOOK, UH, COMMENT, UM, WHERE WE HAVE THE ROW THAT SAYS LOW RESOURCE MM-HMM . UM, I'M SORRY, HIGH RESOURCE INSTEAD OF 11%, VERY LOW. UM, IT WOULD BE 6%, VERY LOW, 6% LOW INCOME MATCHING THE ROW AT THE TOP OF THE TABLE THAT SAYS DOWNTOWN. UNDERSTOOD. OKAY. SO MY QUESTION THERE IS TO YOU AND TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THRESH AND TOOK, OR COUNCILWOMAN THRASH TOOK IS, SO THE ARGUMENT THAT I HEARD FROM YOU ALL RIGHT, WAS BASICALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING A BALANCE AND WE'RE NOT HAVING AN OVER CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, AND WE'RE ALSO INCENTIVIZING THESE VERY LOW INCOME UNITS IN AN AREA THAT HISTORICALLY DOES NOT HAVE ANY RIGHT. AND HAS HIGH RESOURCES. AND SO MY QUESTION THEN BECOMES TO COUNCILWOMAN THRES AND TOOK, AND TO STAFF IS MAKING THAT CHANGE, ACHIEVING THAT GOAL? 'CAUSE I WOULD ARGUE, BASED ON WHAT THE STAFF HAS HAS DESCRIBED, THAT DOES NOT ACHIEVE THE GOAL. I, I DISAGREE. SO THE LOW RESOURCE AREA AND ALL OF THE OTHER RESOURCE, SO MODERATE AND LOW RESOURCE, ARE TAKING IN, ARE DOING 12, HAVE A 12% REQUIREMENT. NOW, HOW THEY'RE GETTING THERE IS DIFFERENT BETWEEN MODERATE AND LOW RESOURCE. BUT HIGH RESOURCE IS THE ONLY AREA WITHIN THE CITY THAT IS AT 11%. IF WE MODULATE AND HAVE SOME LOW INCOME, IN ADDITION TO THE VERY LOW INCOME, WE CAN ACHIEVE THE HIGH RESOURCE GETTING TO 12%, WHICH WOULD THEN BE EQUAL TO AND TAKING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF INCLUSIONARY UNITS ACROSS THE CITY. UNDERSTOOD. I WOULD ONLY BE AMENABLE TO THAT IF THERE WAS A WAY FOR STAFF TO PREDOMINANTLY STILL HAVE VERY LOW INCOME UNITS, UM, IN THAT AREA. BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL, I, I FEEL STRONGLY THAT IN THE HIGH RESOURCE AREA, THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING PREDOMINANTLY VERY LOW INCOME UNITS FOR THE ARGUMENT, THE STAFF, THE STAFF MADE. I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE'D WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A BALANCE OF THOSE TWO POPULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES COULD WORK TOGETHER. THERE. CON I I GET CONCERNED ABOUT CONCENTRATING ALL VERY LOW INCOME WITHOUT HAVING SOME LOW INCOME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME CONNECTION IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, INCOME STATUS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE. AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT YOU GUYS ARE OUT OF TIME AND THE REST OF THESE COUNSEL, MR. MAYOR, SO YEAH, I WANT STAFF TO RESPOND, BUT I DO WANNA JUST LIFT UP 'CAUSE I THINK YOU GOT TWO VERY FAIR, UH, ARGUMENTS FROM, FROM, UH, TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I RESPECT A LOT. UH, I THINK THE A FFH, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF THE, OUR, OUR, WE HAVE TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING, WHICH MEANS IN OUR POLICIES WE HAVE TO WORK TO ERASE THE, UH, THE ECONOMIC SEGREGATION THAT THE HISTORY OF ECONOMIC SEGREGATION IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE IDEA OF PUTTING LOWER INCOME AND HIGHER RESOURCE IS A BEST PRACTICE TO ADDRESS IN AFFIRMATIVELY FEATHER FURTHER FAIR HOUSING. IF YOU COULD JUST TALK ON THAT, THEN WE'LL GO BACK AROUND AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN QUEUE BACK UP IF YOU WANNA KEEP IT GOING. SURE. I GET IT. BUT LET'S, LET'S LET STAFF ADDRESS IT. UH, SO THANKS MAYOR. SO AFFIRMATIVELY, FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING WAS A CONCEPT THAT STARTED FEDERALLY, BUT THEN WAS ADOPTED INTO STATE LAW, AND WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH IT AS A CITY. SO THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS. UM, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT AREAS THAT HAVE CONCENTRATED POVERTY AND YOU NEED TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CONCENTRATED POVERTY. AND YOU ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT AREAS THAT ARE HIGH RESOURCE THAT MAY BE EXCLUSIONARY AND OPEN UP THOSE AREAS, UM, FOR A BROADER RANGE OF, UH, INCOMES. UM, SO THAT THERE COULD BE A MIX OF PERSONS. SO WHEN WE DID OUR A FFH AND THEN SUBSEQUENT WORK AND THEN DID OUR, UM, HOUSING ELEMENT, THE MOST CONCERNING ISSUE WAS THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY AREA. SO THAT'S THE, UM, LOW RESOURCE, UM, CATEGORY. AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT NO COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BROUGHT UP CHANGING THAT ROW AND THE TABLE. SO I THINK THAT GETS US, UH, FAR IN TERMS OF OUR COMPLIANCE WITH HCD AND OUR FAIR HOUSING GOALS. BUT THE OTHER PART OF THE EQUATION IS THE, UM, HIGH RESOURCE AREAS. SO THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN IN OUR HIGH RESOURCE AREAS IS GETTING AN INCREASE IN HOUSING PRODUCTION AT ALL, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY CENSUS TRACKS IN OUR HIGH RESOURCE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE HAD NO PRODUCTION SINCE SOMETIME IN THE 1970S. [03:45:01] UM, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO INTRODUCE INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS. UM, SO THAT WOULD BE THE LOW OR THE VERY LOW, UM, FROM STAFF STANDPOINT, UM, WE THOUGHT THE BEST FIT WAS THE VERY LOW, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT A MIX OF LOW AND VERY LOW WOULD NOT WORK. MANY OF OUR HIGH RESOURCE AREAS, UH, HAVE A VERY EXCLUSIONARY, UM, POLICY OR, YOU KNOW, INDIRECT POLICY ON THE GROUND TODAY. SO A LOW INCOME UNIT IS A WIN, A VERY LOW INCOME UNIT IS A WIN IN TERMS OF AMELIORATING. UM, THE CURRENT CONDITION ON THE GROUND, I'M NOT GONNA OPINE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER IS CORRECT. THAT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL TO, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH THIS POLICY. I BROUGHT UP THE SIX AND SIX, JUST BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THE MATH ON THAT. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER EIGHT FOUR COMBINATION, WE COULD COME BACK, BUT THAT'S NOT COWBOY MATH THAT WE CAN, UH, DO IN OUR HEAD. SO, SO, AND JUST, JUST TO SAY, AS LONG AS THE MATH PENCILS, UH, VERY LOW AT 11% BECAUSE VERY LOW INCOME, THERE'S A HIGHER SUBSIDY, THERE'S A HIGHER COST REQUIRED THAT EQUALS THE SAME AS A, AS A LOW INCOME AT 12%. THE DIFFERENCE IS REALLY THAT 1% RIGHT? THERE IS ALSO THE ABILITY TO DO COMBAT. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, I THINK, UH, THE BEST WAY TO, TO GET THERE, WHAT THE COUNCIL, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS OTI IS SAYING, SHE WOULD PREFER TO SEE MAYBE LIKE A FOUR. SO THE MAJORITY IS VERY LOW. AND YOU, YOU, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THRASH INTO IS SAYING IS LIKE SHE JUST WANTS THE 12. SO THAT OPTICALLY IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE DOING LESS AFFORDABLE ON ONE SIDE OF TOWN. SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO, AS LONG AS THE MATH PENCILS, I'M AGNOSTIC AND I THINK THERE'S MAYBE A WAY TO ACHIEVE BOTH. BUT I THINK WE, THERE'S STILL ONE MORE COUNCIL MEMBER WE WANT TO HEAR FROM. UH, IF YOU GUYS CAN JUST DO THE MATH AND LET US KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE THE, THE SOLVE HERE. UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN? UH, YEAH, MINE'S GONNA BE, UH, REALLY SIMPLE. I, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES. THIS IS, THIS IS GREAT. AND, UM, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN KERR, THE, YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONING. UM, I HAVE A LOT, I HAD A LOT OF THE SAME CONCERNS. UM, SO THANK YOU CHRISTOPHER, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR, YOU KNOW, ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A, UH, IT'S BEEN A THOROUGH PROCESS AND YOU'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY INPUT AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO REACH OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS AND FOCUS GROUPS AND, AND ALL OF THOSE A PLANNING COMMISSION AND A CITY COUNCIL. AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY, YOU CAN HEAR BY THESE CONVERSATIONS, THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I TELL YOU, ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IMPACTS, UH, LONG BEACH. VERY MUCH SO. I JUST WANNA SINCERELY THINK THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT REACHED OUT, UM, TO MY OFFICE AND, AND YOU SHARED ALL YOUR PERSPECTIVES AND ALSO FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT AND, AND SPOKE, UM, I THINK YOU CAN SEE BY THE LINE OF QUESTIONING AND THE FRIENDLIES AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, HOW IMPORTANT THAT YOUR ADVOCACY REALLY IS AND WHAT IT MEANS. SO THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION. ALRIGHT. I WANNA NOTE BEFORE WE HEAR BACK ON THE MATH, 'CAUSE I SAW YOU GUYS DOING THE BACK OF THE NAPKIN, I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT, UM, WE HEARD THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND REPRESENTATION FROM ALL ACROSS THE CITY SPEAK UP IN SUPPORT OF INCLUSIONARY HOUSING TONIGHT. AND I, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE BECAUSE OF OUR HISTORY OF HOUSING AND THE PRACTICES IN HOUSING THAT HAVE BEEN EXCLUSIONARY IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY FOR CITY COUNCIL, FROM NORTH TO EAST TO DOWNTOWN, TO ALL OF THEM TO SAY WE WANT AFFORDABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THAT THAT IS ASTOUNDING. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY SINCE 2010. WE'VE NEVER HAD A HOUSE. UH, COUNCIL'S BEEN AS PRO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE THIRD DISTRICT AS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. SO I JUST WANNA SAY STATE. THAT IS, THAT IS REALLY ASTOUNDING. THE DETAILS MATTER, RIGHT? WE'LL FIGURE OUT DETAILS, BUT YOU, I SHOULD KNOW WHERE, WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS HARD TO GET INCLUSIONARY HOUSING IN THE DOWNTOWN PLAN BACK IN 2013, RIGHT? AND THAT WAS JUST DOWNTOWN WHERE WE SEE THE MAJORITY OF OUR CONSTRUCTION. SO, MR. KOONS, DO YOU HAVE A VERDICT? YEAH. SO HERE AT THE TABLE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE AN EIGHT FOUR MIX OR A NINE THREE MIX. SO, UM, WE HAVE TO COME BACK ANYWAYS BECAUSE OF OTHER CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE THAT I BELIEVE COUNCIL IS CONTEMPLATING. SO, UM, I'M GONNA ASK COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, TH TOOK AND BRICK SODI IF THERE'S ANY PREFERENCE BETWEEN THE 8, 4, 9 3. UM, 'CAUSE THE MATH IS PRETTY SIMILAR ON THOSE TWO. I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT GUARANTEE. WE'RE GONNA GO, HOW [03:50:01] ABOUT, SO THE MOTION IS CLEAR. YEAH. WHICHEVER ONE PENCILS TO ALIGN WITH THE STUDY. YEP. IS THAT, ARE YOU AMEN TO THAT? AGREED. I'M AMENABLE TO THAT. SO YOU, NOW YOU EQUAL THE 12%, SO IT'S CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE PRIORITY IS VERY LOW INCOME YES. IN THE HIGH RESOURCE COMMUNITY. YES. I, I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION. IT'LL BE ONE OF THOSE TWO, UM, THAT NUMBER COMBINATIONS. AND THAT'LL BE, UM, WE WILL COME BACK FOR A NEW FIRST READING, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA DO TWO HOURS OF, UM, PRESENTATION AND QUESTIONS. UM, AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE THAT, UM, BEFORE YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. EXCELLENT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. CAN WE, DO YOU WANNA REITERATE? NO, IT'S THE MOTION WITH THOSE TWO, THREE. DOES EVERYBODY THREE, THIS WOULD ASK YOU, DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE FRIENDLIES? YEAH, THERE WAS MARY'S TWO FRIENDLIES. SO IS THE REPORT BACK AND CITY DESIGNATED AS YEAH. SAY AGAIN. CITY DESIGNATED AS THE BODY TO YEAH. THE CITY COUNCIL INSTEAD OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION DESIGNATED. AND THEN THE HIGH RESOURCE COMMUNITY MOVED TO 12%. 12% WITH MAJORITY OF VERY LOW INCOME, RIGHT? YES. YES. MEMBERS, PLEASE CASH YOUR VOTE ON THE SAME PAGE. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. GREAT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, MOVING ON. ALRIGHT, ITEM 22, PLEASE REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD. CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND GRANT AN ENTERTAINMENT PERMIT WITH CONDITIONS FOR ENTERTAINMENT WITH DANCING TO Z GOLF, FOOD AND SERVICES. WE'RE GONNA PAUSE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE FIVE MINUTE RECESS. C DISTRICT ONE. OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THAT. WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS. WE NEED A POTTY BREAK. THANK YOU. [04:02:38] ALL [04:02:38] RIGHT. PARTNERS SADDLE UP. IT'S TIME TO MOVE OUT. 1, 2, 3, 4. WE LOST ONE. OH, SHE, SHE HAD TO GO FORGET SOMETHING AGAIN. 1, 2, 6. . WELL, I MEAN IT'S ALL WOMEN. THE WHOLE COUNCIL'S WOMEN. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? OKAY. ONE, TWO. WHO ARE NOT HERE? YOU MAD? FOUR. NOT HERE. ALRIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WE'RE GONNA START ROLL, CALLING, ROLL AND SEE IF WE HAVE QUORUM BY THE TIME WE FINISH. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS. PRESENT. COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. SHE'S HERE. COUNCILMAN SUBINA? HERE. COUNCILMAN KERR. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. PRESENT VICE MAYOR URANGA. COUNCILMAN THRASH. INTU. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I AM HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE HAVE A QUORUM. ITEM 22, PLEASE. [22. 25-54214 Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, and grant an Entertainment Permit with conditions for Entertainment with Dancing to Z Golf Food & Beverage Services LLC, DBA The Sanctuary by Wedgewood Wedding. (District 1) Levine Act: Yes       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] ITEM 22, REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD. CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND GRANT AN ENTERTAINMENT PERMIT WITH CONDITIONS FOR ENTERTAINMENT WITH DANCING TO Z GOLF, FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES DISTRICT ONE. AND THIS ITEM DOES REQUIRE AN OATH. PLEASE STAND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE GOING TO TESTIFY ON THE ITEM YOU. AND EACH OF YOU DO SOLEMNLY STATE THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU MAY GIVE IN THE CAUSE NOW AND PENDING BEFORE THIS BODY SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. SO HELP YOU GOD. I DO. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. STAFF REPORT PLEASE. OKAY. UH, GOOD EVENING. HONORABLE, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE YOU. TONIGHT IS AN APPLICATION FOR ENTERTAINMENT WITH DANCING FOR THE SANCTUARY BY WEDGEWOOD WEDDINGS. UH, THE ESTABLISHMENT IS LOCATED AT 600 EAST FIFTH STREET AND OPERATES AS A HALL RENTAL. UH, THE BUSINESS HOLDS THE FOLLOWING LICENSE TYPES FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL, UH, A TYPE 47 ON SALE, GENERAL EATING PLACE TYPE 58 CATERER, PERMIT, AND TYPE 68 PORTABLE BAR. ALL APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, POLICE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT HAVE REVIEWED THE APPLICATION AND HAVE PROVIDED THEIR RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS AS CONTAINED IN THE HEARING PACKET. UH, [04:05:01] HERE ARE SOME OF THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS IN ATTACHMENT A THAT SHOULD BE NOTED FROM THE ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS SECTION. INTER ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES SHALL BE RESTRICTED TO SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 12:00 PM TO 10:00 PM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 12:00 PM TO 11:00 PM OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT SHALL BE RESTRICTED TO EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FROM 12:00 PM TO 10:00 PM UH, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR AN EXEMPTION FOR UP TO SIX TIMES, UH, A YEAR WHERE HOURS MAY BE EXTENDED UPON ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL BY THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR. UH, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN THE INTERIOR COURTYARD ARE SUBJECT TO THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE 8.8 0.150. UH, COURTYARD AMPLIFIED MUSIC FOR THE PURPOSES OF WEDDING CEREMONIES. OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING AND AMBIENT BACKGROUND MUSIC SHALL ADHERE TO EXTERIOR NOISE TIMES IN SECTION EIGHT POINT 80.160. COURTYARD AMPLIFICATION FOR CONCERT RELATED MUSIC ASSEMBLY, USE STAGE PERFORMANCES OR DANCE SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED. UH, THE PERMITING MUST PROVIDE ALL RENTERS WITH A COPY OF THE APPROVED PERMIT, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE A COPY OF THE APPROVED CONDITIONS OF OPERATION. THE PERMITEE SHALL DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A PLAN TO ADDRESS NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS RELATED TO THE OPERATION OF Z GOLF, FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES, LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS THE SANCTUARY BY WEDGEWOOD WEDGEWOOD WEDDING, UH, EXAMPLE, NEWSLETTER MEETINGS, ET CETERA. UH, INTERIOR LIGHTING SHALL BE SUFFICIENT TO MAKE EASILY DISCERNIBLE THE APPEARANCE AND CONDUCT OF ALL PERSONS AND PATRONS INSIDE THE BUSINESS. ENTERTAINMENT SHALL NOT BE OFFERED ON ANY DAY WHEN THE ESTABLISHMENT IS CLOSED. I, ALONG WITH COMMANDER MICHAEL RICHENS FROM LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THIS CONCLUDES MY STAFF REPORT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS HEARING? OKAY. SEEING NONE BACK BEHIND THE RAIL COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. I'M ON THE YES BUS. ALRIGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST ADD, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OPERATOR. A LOT OF FOLKS, UH, COME TO OUR CITY FOR WEDDINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS AND IT IS BIG BUSINESS FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND, UH, AND A LOT OF MEMORIES ARE GONNA BE MADE AT THIS PLACE. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ITEM 24, PLEASE. ITEM 24, COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN, VICE MAYOR WANKA. RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY TO DRAFT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT. PROPOSED AMENDED RULES RELATED [24. 25-54287 Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft resolution supporting South Coast Air Quality Management (SCAQMD) Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121 related to the emissions of NOx and other toxic fumes.       Office or Department: Cindy Allen, Councilwoman, Second District; Roberto Uranga, Vice Mayor, Seventh District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO EMISSIONS AND OTHER TOXIC FUMES. COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WANNA THANK VICE MAYOR URANGA FOR, UH, JOINING ME AND SUPPORTING ME IN THIS RESOLUTION. UM, AND WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL, UM, I WAS, UH, THE CHAIR OF THE CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT AND COASTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE. I THINK IT WAS CALLED SOMETHING DIFFERENT THEN. AND, AND THEN I'M, I'LL BE DOING THAT AGAIN. SO, I'M EXCITED TO, UH, SUPPORT, UH, THESE INITIATIVES THAT REDUCE EMISSIONS, PROTECT, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALIGN WITH OUR CITY'S CLIMATE. UM, ACTION GOALS. YOU KNOW, UM, I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS TONIGHT, BUT KNOX IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO SMOG AND RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING, UM, OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. UM, THESE AMENDMENTS FOCUS ON MAKING HEATING AND WATER HEATING CLEANER AND SAFER. UH, RULE 1111 TARGETS FURNACES USED TO HEAT HOMES AND BUSINESSES REQUIRING THEM TO REDUCE HARMFUL EMISSIONS AND TRANSITION TO CLEANER TECHNOLOGY OVER TIME. RULE 1121 FOCUSES ON WATER HEATERS, ENSURING THAT NEW MODELS MEET STRICTER POLLUTION LIMITS AND EVENTUALLY MOVE TOWARDS, UM, ZERO EMISSION OPTIONS. UM, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE TRANSITION TO LOW KNOX ZERO EMISSION APPLIANCES WILL HAPPEN OVER TIME TO ALLOW HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES AND, UM, MANUFACTURERS TO ADAPT. SO BY 2026, NEW FURNACES MUST MEET LOW NOX OR ZERO EMISSION STANDARDS. AND BY 2029, ANY REPLACED WATER HEATERS MUST BE ZERO, UM, EMISSION BY 2036 AND BEYOND. MOST APPLIANCES IN BOTH NEW AND EXISTING BUILDINGS WILL BE FULLY ZERO EMISSION. [04:10:01] AS THE A QMD MOVES FORWARD WITH THESE AMENDMENTS. MANY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING CITIES AND INTEREST GROUPS AND RESIDENTS, HAVE RAISED CONCERN ABOUT THE, UH, TRANSITION. SOME OF THE CONCERNS INCLUDE THE COST OF REPLACING APPLIANCES, ESPECIALLY FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, A LACK OF CONSUMER CHOICE AND ZERO ZERO EMISSION TECHNOLOGY READINESS. THE PROPOSED GO ZERO REBATE, UH, UH, REBATE PROGRAM, REBATE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, UM, TO THOSE HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, AND BUSINESSES THAT TRANSITION TO, UH, CLEANER APPLIANCES. SO THAT'S THE GO ZERO REBATE PROGRAM. UM, THE UH, PROGRAM INCLUDES REBATES FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES, SMALL BUSINESSES, ENSURING THAT ALL SECTORS CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSITION. ADDITIONALLY, IT WILL ALSO FUND INSTALLER TRAINING THAT ENSURES PROPER INSTALLATION OF ZERO EMISSION APPLIANCES AND PROVIDE OUTREACH AND APPLICATION ASSISTANCE WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON SUPPORTING OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED BY AIR POLLUTION. THESE AMENDMENTS ARE A CRI ARE A CRITICAL STEP IN ACHIEVING THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN GOALS BY REDUCING EMISSIONS, IMPROVING AIR QUALITY, AND ENSURING A HEALTHIER, MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR ALL RESIDENTS. BY TRANSITIONING TO LOW EMISSION AND ZERO EMISSION APPLIANCES, WE PROTECT PUBLIC, PUBLIC HEALTH ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, AND CREATE A CLEANER AIR FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. SO THESE AMENDMENTS SUPPORT THE LONG BEACH CLIMATE ACTION PLAN BY TRANSITIONING TO CLEAN ENERGY, REDUCING EMISSIONS, AND ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR OVERBURDENED UH, COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. UH, VICE MAYOR YANGA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. VERY THOROUGH DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THIS ITEM IS. I'M VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT. AND I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO ADD TOO. SURE. UM, I WAS HOPING, UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE, ONE LAST THING. UM, ALSO WE'LL BE JOINING OUR LA UH, CITY COUNCIL, UM, WHO ALSO APPROVE THIS. AND WE ALL WILL BE, UH, A LEADER, UM, IN THE REGION IN SUPPORTING, UH, THESE NEW ROLES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND I SERVED ON THAT BOARD, UH, IT WASN'T MY MOST FOND, UH, MEMORIES 'CAUSE THEY TAKE ON SOME HEAVY, HEAVY STUFF AT SOUTH COAST A QMD, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT WORK. AND THANK YOU FOR LEADING THIS. TWO BIG ITEMS ON CLIMATE TONIGHT. UH, PUBLIC COMMENT. PETE MARSH. HEY, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON, COUNCIL STAFF, UH, FELLOW CITIZENS, PETE MARSH, SECOND DISTRICT. UH, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN ALLEN FOR BRINGING US FORWARD. AND, UH, COUNCILMAN ANG, VICE MAYOR ANG FOR, UH, SUPPORTING IT. UH, THIS, THIS SET OF RULES FROM THE AIR DISTRICT IS ONE I ONLY BECAME INVOLVED IN IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. UM, BUT I REALIZED EVEN THOUGH IT'S TARGETED AT THE CRITERIA POLLUTANTS, IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NEARLY A HUNDRED PERCENT OVERLAP BETWEEN CRITERIA POLLUTION AND GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTION. AND SO THIS ACHIEVES, IT'S PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF, UM, UH, BUILDING DECARBONIZATION, LEGIS, UH, POLICY IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW AND POSSIBLY EVEN THE NATION. IT'S REALLY LEADING. AND SO, UH, WHAT IT DOES IS IT CODIFIES AN APPROACH THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH YOU ALL BEFORE, WHICH IS, AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BEING PHASED IN OVER TIME. BUT IN ADDITION TO THOSE IMPLEMENTATION DATES THAT SHE CITED OF 2026 AND 2029, WHICH IS WHEN THE POLICIES BECOME EFFECTIVE, WHAT THESE APPROACHES DO IS THEY, FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS, THEY DEAL WITH THE HARDEST PART, WHICH IS THE FACT THAT THAT BUILDING OWNER, THE HOMEOWNER OR THE THE LANDLORD, THEY'VE MADE A CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE HVAC EQUIPMENT AND, UH, WATER HEATING EQUIPMENT IN THAT BUILDING. AND IF SOME POLICY WERE TO COME IN AND MAKE THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT, UH, BE [04:15:01] AMORTIZED OVER A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME, THAT WOULD COMPLETELY BLOW THEIR FINANCIALS FOR THE PROJECT. SO WHAT THIS DOES IS IT'S ESSENTIALLY A REPLACE UPON DEATH POLICY. YOU CAN USE YOUR GAS WATER HEATER OR YOUR GAS FURNACE UNTIL IT REACHES END OF LIFE, BUT WHEN IT REACHES END OF LIFE, REPLACE IT WITH ELECTRIC. THAT'S THE APPROACH. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ELECTRIC, IT COULD BE ANOTHER ZERO NOX MACHINE, BUT THERE AREN'T MANY OF THOSE ON THE MARKET YET. SO, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IT'S HEAT PUMPS AND HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS. UM, ANYWAY, I'M WORKING WITH A COALITION, UM, FROM, UH, CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT TO US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL TO, UH, BETTER WORLD GROUP AND MORE THAT ARE, UH, SUPPORTING THIS. AND, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THIS UP AND WOULD ENCOURAGE YOUR, UH, YAY VOTE TODAY ON DIRECTING THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY TO COME BACK WITH A RESOLUTION AND I OFFER THE SUPPORT OF THIS COALITION TO HELP IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS WHILE DRAFTING THE RESOLUTION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS PETE. APPRECIATE IT. ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM 25, ITEM 25, REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 THROUGH 2025 AND SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO 2023 ACTION [25. 24-55997 Recommendation to approve the Substantial Amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 and Substantial Amendment to the FY 2022-2023 Action Plans for the expenditure of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds; and, Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other entities, to execute agreements necessary to implement and comply with related federal regulations. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Community Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] PLANS FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF CDBG FUNDS AND EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER ENTITIES TO EXECUTE AMENDMENTS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT AND COMPLY WITH RELATED FEDERAL REGULATIONS CITYWIDE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SO THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE TO THE FIVE YEAR COMP PLAN, RIGHT? YES. ALRIGHT, START UP. YES. OKAY. LET'S, SO LET'S HAVE, UH, A, UH, BRIEF STAFF REPORT. OKAY. WE'LL BE BRIEF AND, UM, LET'S WITH US. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR OR KNIGHT AT THIS POINT. UM, THE CITY HAS A LONG TERM POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH HUD AND THE PARTNERSHIP HAS FUNDED MANY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS FOR DISENFRANCHISED RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY. AS YOU KNOW, WITH THESE FEDERAL FUNDS, THE CITY'S CONNECTION WITH FEDERAL AUTHORITIES CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND STAFF IS FOCUSED ON DEMONSTRATING AND DELIVERING VALUE FROM FEDERAL DOLLARS, INCLUDING PROCESSING REQUESTS AND EXPENDING FUNDS IN A TIMELY MANNER. OH, OH, NO, THAT WAS A GREAT REPORT. SORRY, . THE, UM, THE TWO AMENDMENTS TODAY ARE FOR TWO ACTION PLANS. ONE WAS APPROVED JULY 19TH, 2022, AND THE OTHER WAS APPROVED THIS PAST JUNE. THE FEDERAL REG REGULATION FOR OUR HUD FUNDS REQUIRE A FORMAL SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT WHENEVER THERE'S A CHANGE IN A SINGLE ACTIVITY BUDGET BY MORE THAN 25% OR A CHANGE IN LOCATION SCOPE OF ANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES. IN 2016, HUD PUBLISHED A NOTICE WITH REVISED LANGUAGE TO ALLOW NSP RECIPIENTS TO TRANSFER PROGRAM INCOME TO C-D-B-G-N-S-P OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM WAS A PROGRAM WHERE GRANTS TO CITIES WERE AWARDED AS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO STABILIZE COMMUNITIES WITH HIGH RATES OF ABANDONED AND FORECLOSED HOMES. THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE REHAB AND PROVIDE SECOND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE TO 140 PROPERTIES. THE GOAL OF THE REVISED LANGUAGE ENCOURAGES JURISDICTIONS TO FORMALLY CLOSE OUT THE NSP GRANTS, WHICH HUT IS NOW REQUIRING THE CITY INTENDS ON CLOSING OUT THE GRANTS SHORTLY AFTER THE APPROVAL OF TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO CDBG PROGRAMS AND QUICKLY SPEND DOWN THESE FUNDS. THE OTHER AMENDMENT IS TO REALLOCATE UNSPENT CDBG ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT PROGRAM FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000. THE CITY'S CURRENT A DU PROGRAM KNOWN AS THE BACKYARD BUILDERS, IS FUNDED THROUGH OTHER SOURCES AND IS CURRENTLY INELIGIBLE FOR CDBG REIMBURSEMENT. AS DESIGNED. THE AMENDMENTS WERE POSTED FOR 30 DAYS FOR PUBLIC REVIEW WITH MULTILINGUAL PUBLIC NOTICES ONLINE IN THE PRESS TELEGRAM, AND IN LAO PINON THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY. ALSO REVIEWED THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT A FEW WEEKS AGO AND RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL. THE TWO CHANGES LISTED HERE AND DESCRIBE THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WILL ALLOCATE 300,000 TOWARDS THE ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND MUCH NEEDED FUNDING TO THE HOME IMPROVEMENT ROOF GRANT PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,866,438 AND 75 CENTS. THE ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A HIGH PRIORITY IN THE CITY AND OUR CON PLAN AND IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, 12.7 MILLION IN CDBG FUNDS HAS BEEN SPENT ACROSS FIVE PROJECTS [04:20:01] RESULTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF 481 UNITS WITH TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COST OF 320 MILLION. THE HOME IMPROVEMENT ROOF GRANT PROGRAM ALSO MEETS A HIGH PRIORITY IN ITS VARY IN DEMAND FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO REPLACE PERMIT TO REPLACE AND PERMIT THEIR ROOFS. TO DATE, THE PROGRAM HAS SERVED 46 HOUSEHOLDS WITH 52 NEW ROOFS UNDERWAY, AND TWO THIRDS OF THEM ARE VERY LOW INCOME SENIORS. WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING A WAIT LIST, A GROWING WAIT LIST OF PRE-SCREENED CDBG ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS CAN NOW MOVE FORWARD. BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE SERVING LOW-INCOME SENIORS WHO HAVE LITTLE TO NO RESOURCES TO ADDRESS MAINTENANCE ON THEIR HOMES AND HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS. THE NEW ROOFS ALSO EXTEND THE LIFESPAN OF THE HOME, KEEP PEOPLE, I MEAN, KEEP LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HOUSED AND AGING IN PLACE. ROOFS ARE FULLY PERMITTED AND PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO LOCAL LONG BEACH CONTRACTORS. IN ADDITION, THE REALLOCATION OF THESE FUNDS HELP THE CITY MEET THEIR SPENDING OBLIGATION DEADLINE FOR HUD KNOWN AS THE CDBG TIMELINESS TEST BEFORE AUGUST. SINCE THE HOME IMPROVEMENT ROOF GRANT PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO QUICKLY SPEND DOWN THESE FUNDS, WE ARE EXPECTED TO MEET THAT DEADLINE AND WITHOUT THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE 24 25 ACTION PLAN FOR NSP AND THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT FOR 22 TO 23 ACTION PLAN FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF CDBG FUNDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, DAVE SHUKLA. MR. MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD. I THINK THE CDBG PROGRAM, UH, STATEWIDE AND CERTAINLY IN LONG BEACH IS A GOOD PROGRAM AND I THINK IT'S WISE TO CONSOLIDATE AND SPEND DOWN THESE MONIES. UM, I THINK THE HOME IMPROVEMENT ROOF GRANT PROGRAM SHOWS REAL VALUE IN, UH, NOT ONLY, UH, ATTENDING TO OUR AGING BUILDING STOCK, BUT IN MEETING HUD PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. AND, UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE LIVED IN A RATIONAL SOCIETY, WE WOULDN'T JUST BE, UH, HELPING PEOPLE PUT NEW ROOFS ON THEIR HOMES, BUT WE'D BE HELPING PUTTING, UH, SOLAR PANELS AND BATTERY STORAGE ALONG WITH THOSE ROOFS. AND THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GET IT RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. I HAD A QUESTION. PUSH THE BUTTON. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ITEM 26, PLEASE. ITEM 26, REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON LONG BEACH'S COMPLIANCE WITH STATE HOUSING ELEMENT REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS [26. 25-54274 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on Long Beach’s compliance with State Housing Element Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) requirements by honoring allowable development under applicable General Plan designations without requiring rezoning of the site, pursuant to the California Housing Crisis Act of 2019. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Community Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] BY HONORING ALLOWABLE DEVELOPMENT UNDER APPLICABLE GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATIONS WITHOUT REQUIRING REZONING OF THE SITE PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA HOUSING CRISIS ACT OF 2019 CITYWIDE. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A STAFF REPORT HERE. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AGAIN. UM, THIRD TRY IS THE CHARM HERE. SO, UM, THIS IS OUR FINAL ITEM, UM, OF THE EVENING FROM CD. UH, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO WORK HERE AND SOMETHING THAT MAKES MY JOB EASIER BUT STILL NOT EASY IS THAT THIS COUNCIL FOLLOWS THE RULES, FOLLOWS THE LAW, AND WHATEVER'S HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY, WE'RE A, WE'RE A CITY OF LAWS, RIGHT? UM, BUT THAT ISN'T TRUE IN EVERY JURISDICTION. SO THE STATE, UH, OUR FRIENDS AT HCD WOULD LIKE US TO CONFIRM THAT WE'RE TREATING, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS FAIRLY AND THAT WE'RE PROCESSING PROJECTS ACCORDING TO THE LAW TO MEET OUR, UH, REQUIREMENTS OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT. SO IN A MOMENT, ALEJANDRO'S GOING TO, UH, WALK YOU THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION. I KNOW IT'S ODD, UM, TO RECEIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT HOW WE WE FOLLOW THE LAW 'CAUSE THAT'S JUST WHAT WE DO. I ALSO AM AWARE OF THE HOUR IS SAYING WE BELIEVE YOU ENOUGH. UH, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF PRESENTATION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT WE WILL BE, WE BELIEVE YOU. WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL BE BRIEF. GOOD EVENING, HONOR ROBERT, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. WE WILL BE VERY BRIEF IN THIS PRESENTATION TODAY. UH, AS CHRISTOPHER MENTIONED THE ITEM BEFORE YOU, WE'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR PROCESS FOR ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSING ELEMENT REGIONAL NEED ALLOCATION OR ASSESSMENT OR RE NOW REQUIREMENTS UNDER STATE LAW. SO I THINK AS WE'RE ALL AWARE, THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT UPDATES TO STATE HOUSING REGULATIONS IN RECENT YEARS, INCLUDING THE HOUSING CRISIS ACT OF 2019 THROUGH SB THREE 30. IT'S CREATED A SERIES OF NEW STATEWIDE RULES ON THE TITLE 27 OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE REGARDING PRODUCTION, PRESERVATION AND PLANNING FOR HOUSING. UM, WE WON'T GET INTO THE DETAILS OF EVERYTHING THAT IT RESULTED IN. UM, BUT MOST, UH, IMPORTANT FOR US TO [04:25:01] NOTE IS THAT IN THE TIME SINCE THE CITY HAS ADOPTED ITS SIX CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES A CITYWIDE SET INVENTORY THAT ALLOCATES MORE THAN 26,000 UNITS ACROSS HUNDREDS OF SITES TO ACCOMMODATE A REQUIRED HOUSING GROWTH ALLOCATION. STATE LAW ALSO REQUIRES THAT PLANNING AND ZONING REGULATIONS BE UPDATED AS NECESSARY SO THAT ALL SITES ON THE HOUSING, UH, ELEMENT SITE INVENTORY CAN FACILITATE THE LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT CONTEMPLATED IN THE ELEMENT. NOT LONG AFTER FG THREE 30 WAS SIGNED INTO LAW CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED A NEW GENERAL PLAN LAND USE SETTLEMENT OR LUE. THIS UPDATE FORECASTED ABOUT 28,000 NEW HOUSING UNITS IN THE CITY AND GUIDES GROWTH AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE HORIZON YEAR OF 2040 TO IMPLEMENT THE LUE, THE HOUSING ELEMENT AND COMPLY WITH STATE LAW, THE CITY IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A PROGRAM KNOWN AS ZONE IN TO REZONE PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADOPTED LAND SETTLEMENT. THIS IS THE SYSTEMATIC EFFORTS TO UPDATE THE ZONING REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE AFO. AFO MENTIONED GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS. THE MAP ON THE SLIDE HERE SHOWS AREAS THAT HAVE EITHER ALREADY BEEN REZONED OR REZONING IS UNDERWAY, UH, SUCH AS ZONING IN BIXBY SHOWN HERE IN ORANGE, UH, ZONE IN, UH, CITY CORE SHOWN IN GRAY AND ZONING IN, UH, U PLAN SHOWN IN BROWN, WHICH WERE AT THE LAST TWO OF WHICH WERE, UM, ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR. THROUGH BOTH THE LAND USE AND HOUSING ELEMENT ADOPTION PROCESSES, ALL SITES INCLUDED IN THE CERTIFIED SITE INVENTORY HAVE ALREADY HAD AN APPROPRIATE GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION. REFLECTIVE OF THE CORRESPONDING SITE LEVEL UNIT ALLOCATION ZONE IN IS STILL UNDERWAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY. HOWEVER, AND AS A RESULT, MANY SITES IN THE CURRENT INVENTORY STILL NEED TO BE REZONED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH AND IMPLEMENT THE AFOREMENTIONED ELEMENTS. THE CITY'S APPROACH WITH ZONE IN IS CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW, WHICH STATES THAT A CITY MUST UPDATE ITS ZONING ORDINANCE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH ITS UPDATED GENERAL PLAN WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME. DELAYS THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH ZONE IN ARE DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FACTORS, INCLUDING THE IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CITY RESPONSE EFFORTS. USE OF CITY STAFF'S TIME AND RESOURCES TO FOCUS ON THE HOMELESS EMERGENCY DECLARED IN 2023 AND PERHAPS MOST SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH PLANNING STAFF TURNOVER IN 20 AND VACANCIES OVER THE PAST FOUR YEAR PERIOD, INCLUDING AN OVERALL 40% VACANCY IN 2023 THROUGH 2024. AND IN A 75% VACANCY IN THE LONG RANGE PLANNING TEAM THAT OVERSEES THE REZONING PROGRAM ALL DURING A TIME OF HISTORICALLY HIGH VOLUME ON THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESSING AND BUILDING PERMIT OPERATIONS. AS THOSE RECORD HIGHS WERE MENTIONED EARLIER WITH A PRIOR ITEM WHILE ZONE IN CONTINUES TO BE ROLLED OUT THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH, THE CITY CONTINUES TO PROCESS PROJECTS BASED ON GENERAL PLAN DENSITY PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 6 5 5 8 9 0.5 AS ADDED BY SB THREE 30. CALIFORNIA HOUSING LAW REQUIRES A REZONING OF PROPERTIES ON THE HOUSING ALMOND SITE INVENTORY WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE CORRESPONDING HOUSING ELEMENT ADOPTION FOR THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OR SCAG REGION. THAT DEADLINE IS TOMORROW FEBRUARY 12TH, 2025 TO ENSURE THAT SITES CAN BE DEVELOPED TO THE DEN PROJECTED IN THE SET INVENTORY. TODAY'S STAFF REPORTS DEMONSTRATES COMPLIANCE WITH SET DEADLINE. THIS CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION. WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT REPORT? ANYONE? NO. OH, OKAY. GREAT. UH, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. CINDY RAD. IS CINDY HERE? SHE LEFT. OKAY. NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT. WE WILL NOW GO AHEAD AND RECEIVE AND FILE THAT MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. THANKS FOR FOLLOWING THE LAW. THANKS FOR FOLLOWING THE LAW. WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE ABIDE THE LAW MAKES DON SO HAPPY. AIN'T THAT RIGHT? OUR ATTORNEY. MOTION CARRIES. MOTION CARRIES. FANTASTIC. ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE GOING TO ITEM 27. I KNOW THERE'S REQUEST TO WITHDRAW THIS ITEM, SO WE JUST NEED A MOTION TO WITHDRAW THE ITEM. OKAY. IT'S, UH, MOVED AND SECONDED AND THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT. SO MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. 29 PLEASE. ITEM 29, REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS. RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO BEST CONTRACTING SERVICES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MAIN HEALTH CRITICAL FACILITY [29. 25-54227 Recommendation to adopt Plans and Specifications No. R-7230 and award a contract to Best Contracting Services, Inc. of Gardena, CA for the construction of the Main Health Critical Facility Improvements Project, in the amount of $5,760,870, authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $1,152,174, for a total contract amount not to exceed $6,913,044; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (District 4)       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,913,044 AND EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT DISTRICT FOUR. ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NOPE. SEEING NONE, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. PUSH THE BUTTON. ONE. COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE. PUSH YOUR BUTTON. YOU WANT A VERBAL AYE. MOTION CARRIES. 32 [04:30:01] ITEM 32, REPORT FROM CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TO AMEND AND RESTATE RESOLUTION TO DENOUNCE GEORGIA'S LIVING INFANT FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY [32. 25-54359 Recommendation to adopt resolution of the City Council of the City of Long Beach to amend and restate Resolution No. RES-19-0111 to denounce Georgia’s Living Infants Fairness and Equality (Life) Act (HB 481) and Alabama’s HB 314, immediately suspend official travel to Georgia, Alabama and any other state which adopts similar heartbeat legislation until such time as the new law is revoked, amended or struck down and clarifying that City Manager and approved Hiring Authorities can allow travel if there is a critical city operational need and removing financial sanctions.       Office or Department: City Attorney         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] ACT IN ALABAMA'S HB THREE 14. IMMEDIATELY SUSPEND OFFICIAL TRAVEL TO GEORGIA, ALABAMA AND ANY OTHER STATE WHICH ADOPTS SIMILAR HEARTBEAT LEGISLATION UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A NEW LAW IS REVOKED, AMENDED, OR STRUCK DOWN AND CLARIFYING THAT APPROVED HIRING AUTHORITIES CAN ALLOW TRAVEL IF THERE IS A CRITICAL CITY OPERATIONAL NEED AND REMOVING FINANCIAL SANCTIONS. ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. 28 PLEASE. ITEM 28, REPORT FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO RETURN ADVANCED PAYMENT GRANT FUNDING TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT [28. 25-54222 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to return advance payment grant funding to the California Department of Housing and Community Development in the amount of $5,616,752 for the Modular Non-Congregate Shelter Project for interim housing for persons experiencing homelessness, originally awarded under the State of California’s Homekey Program. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Health and Human Services         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] AND THE AMOUNT OF 5,616,752 FOR THE MODULAR NON CONGREGATE SHELTER PROJECT FOR INTERIM HOUSING FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CITYWIDE. ALL RIGHT, WELL, UH, I'M JUST GONNA ADD SOME COMMENTS AS TOM TO ADD JUST SOME A FEW BRIEF COMMENTS HERE. THERE'S NO REPORT. SO THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE TRIED A NUMBER OF WAYS, UH, UH, TO ADD INTERIM HOUSING AND SHELTER TO OUR CITY. I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO, WE HAD, WE DIDN'T HAVE A SINGLE UNIT OF CITY RUN SHELTER. AND OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, WE'VE, WE'VE ADDED, UH, PROJECT ROOM KEY SITES, CITY RUN SHELTERS AT A BC. WE ACQUIRED, UH, THE SITE AT, UH, 7 0 2 ANAHEIM STREET. AND SO, AND WE ALSO EXPLORED, UM, A FEW YEARS AGO, EXPLORED, UH, TINY HOMES. SOME HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, SOME NEED A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY. UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE RECEIVE FUNDS ON, ON THIS. AND, UH, THE STATE. WE, WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THE STATE AND THEIR FLEXIBILITY HERE. UH, WE HAVE EVEN MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN WE CONTROL IT LOCALLY WITH OUR OWN DOLLARS. AND SO WE'LL, WE NOW HAVE, UM, FEWER STRINGS AND, AND, UH, MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THESE TINY HOME SITES. UH, WHICH BEGAN AS A CONVERSATION MAYBE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, DURING THE, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATE YEARS AT POST PANDEMIC. SO, TODD, YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING HERE? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. SO DURING THE EMERGENCY, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THE COUNCIL WANTED US TO LOOK AT EVERY OPTION, UH, TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY. AND SO OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, UH, WE HAVE ADDED 446 PERMANENT BEDS. UM, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE OUR SINGLE, UH, SHELTER IN THE CITY. WE BASICALLY HAD THE WINTER SHELTER EVERY WINTER, AND THAT WAS IT. SO THAT WAS THE FIRST, THEN WE ADDED ANOTHER 446 BEDS. UH, WE ALSO, UM, HAVE VERY EFFECTIVELY MOTEL DONE. MOTEL LEASES. WE HAVE ABOUT 180, UH, MOTEL ROOMS THROUGH, UH, DIFFERENT LEASES. WE HAVE 120 MORE BEDS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, UH, INCLUDING THE LUXURY INN. UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR INCLEMENT, UH, WEATHER SHELTER. SO WE'VE PURCHASED, UH, MOTELS, WE'VE CONVERTED THOSE, WE'VE FOUND PROPERTIES. WE ALSO WANTED TO TRY TINY HOMES AND, UH, WE'D SEEN SOME, UH, SOME SUCCESSES IN SOME OTHER CITIES. UH, WHAT WE FOUND THOUGH, IS THAT IN THOSE CITIES, THAT IS WHERE YOU HAVE LOTS OF OPEN LAND, YOU HAVE ACTUAL UTILITY CONNECTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED, UM, AND THOSE DON'T REALLY EXIST IN A BUILT OUT CITY. AND SO, UH, WE'VE WORKED IN THREE DIFFERENT SITES, UH, AND, AND REALLY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THIS. ULTIMATELY, IT IS JUST NOT A GOOD COST EFFECTIVE MODEL FOR WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT. THE GOOD NEWS IS, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE RETURNING THIS GRANT, THOSE, UM, REMAIN OUR ASSET. WE HAVE THOSE TINY HOMES, UH, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS WE CAN SELL THEM, WE CAN WORK WITH NONPROFITS, WE CAN WORK WITH, UM, UM, WITH, UH, CHURCHES, AND WE CAN LOOK WITH, WORK WITH OTHER CITIES, UH, OTHER JURISDICTIONS. AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE THAT WORK. UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, UH, CONTINUE TO BUILD OTHER HOUSES, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE MORE COST EFFECTIVE FOR US. THAT'S RIGHT. AND IT'S GREAT. IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO STATE THAT LIKE WE, WE HAVE THE HOMES AND WE NOW HAVE NO STRINGS ON WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE, UH, WITH THESE HOMES TO EXPLORE. PARTNERSHIPS. COULD BE NONPROFITS, COULD BE CHURCHES, BUT NOW WITH LOCAL DOLLARS, WE HAVE FULL CONTROL HERE. AND IT'S AGAIN, IMPORTANT TO NOTE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS ON, BUT THE, THE A BC SHELTER, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE THINK THE A BC SHELTER DOESN'T EXIST. I STILL HEAR THAT IT IS THE BIGGEST FAIRYTALE PEOPLE CAN GO AND SEE THE A B, C SHELTER. IT IS A SITE THAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL. UH, SO I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE GO OUT AND SAY THAT IT DOESN'T EXIST. IT'S JUST THE STRANGEST THING. SORRY, I'LL GET OFF MY, MY MY, UH, UH, MAYOR, I JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT MY, UH, MY STAFF AND I HAVE VISITED THE ABC SHELTER AND DID A TOUR , IT EXISTS. IT, IT DOES EXIST. AND, AND WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT IT IS WE ACQUIRED THE WHOLE SITE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO EVENTUALLY DEVELOP IT INTO A COMPREHENSIVE CAMPUS. SO EVEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE, ARE DEVELOPING AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THAT SITE, INTEGRATED WITH A SHELTER. AND, AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ACTIVELY LIKE, ARE CONVINCED THAT THIS DOES NOT EXIST AND [04:35:01] WE HAVE HUN WE HAVE HELPED HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME THROUGH THAT SITE SINCE 2020. IT IS JUST ABSURD TO ME. SO ALTERNATIVE FACTS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. KAREN RESIDE. IS KAREN HERE? OKAY. ALRIGHT, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CALL. OH, SURE. PLEASE, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, STAFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR THIS UPDATE. UM, AND I WANNA SAY YES, CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND PROVIDING HOUSING FOR, UH, THOSE UNHOUSED AND THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. I THINK WOULD, LIKE, ALL THAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED HAVE BEEN SO INCREDIBLE, UM, TO HELP PEOPLE GET ON THE RIGHT PATH TO, UH, PERMANENT HOUSING. I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS, RESIDENTS THAT REACHED OUT TO ME AND THEY WERE REALLY, UM, WORRIED ABOUT US BEING ABLE TO GIVE BACK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN, UM, USED FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND TO HELP THEM. CAN YOU PLEASE BRIEFLY EXPLAIN, UM, WHAT THOSE FUNDS WERE INTENDED FOR AND ALSO, UM, THAT THOSE FUNDS COULDN'T BE USED ANYWHERE ELSE, UM, TO HELP THE UNHOUSED? SURE, ABSOLUTELY. SO, UM, IT WAS ROUGHLY A $5 MILLION GRANT, $5.6 MILLION. UM, PART OF THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR OPERATIONS. SO THAT HASN'T BEEN SPENT. UH, PART OF IT, UM, WAS SPENT ON, ON ALL THE WORK THAT WE DID OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS OF WHETHER WE CAN PUT IT, UH, DOWN IN, IN NEAR THE MSC OR ON THE, UM, SPRING IN CALIFORNIA SITE, UH, OR ULTIMATELY A PARTNERSHIP WITH LBCC. SO THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 700,000. THE MOST OF IT WENT INTO PURCHASING THE ASSET, WHICH WE STILL HAVE. SO WE HAVE THE, IT WAS ABOUT $2 MILLION TO PURCHASE THE ASSETS. WE HAVE THEM, WE CAN USE THEM IN ANY WAY THAT WE SEE FIT. AND THEN THE OTHER IS RETURN OF DOLLARS WE HAVE NOT SPENT YET. I THINK, UM, SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, CAN'T YOU JUST PUT THOSE TINY HOMES ON THE LA RIVER? CAN'T YOU JUST PUT THEM OUT IN A, IN AN EDISON AREA? SO WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THOSE AREAS. YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE LIKE YOUR HOUSE. UM, THEY HAVE PLUMBING, THEY HAVE BATHROOMS, THEY HAVE SHOWERS. SO THEY NEED SEWER CONNECTIONS. THEY NEED ELECTRICITY CONNECTIONS. SO THEY CAN'T JUST REALLY BE SET SOMEWHERE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE A TENT. THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY PLANNED. AND THEN, UM, THEY ACTUALLY COME IN THREE PACKS. AND SO THESE ARE DESIGNED TO BE KIND OF A CAMPUS. UM, SO, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF TECHNICAL CHALLENGES ON THIS, UH, BUT UH, WE'VE EXPLORED ALL OF THAT. WE LOOKED AT LOTS OF PARTNERSHIPS AND ULTIMATELY JUST, IT WOULDN'T BE COST EFFECTIVE TO, TO KNOW, TO PLACE THEM IN THE WAY THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT IT. SO, UM, OPEN TO LOOKING FOR OTHER OPTIONS, BUT I DID WANT TO CLARIFY THAT 'CAUSE WE HEAR THAT, CAN'T YOU JUST PUT 'EM IN THE LA CAN YOU JUST PUT THEM, YOU KNOW, UNDER EDISON POWER LINES, UM, THOSE, THOSE WOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS FOR THESE. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA HELP A LOT ALSO. UM, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY, UM, ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT OPTIONS OF MAYBE SELLING THEM IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THEM OR MAYBE THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND SEEING WHERE WE COULD USE THEM. UM, MAKING THEM PART OF, I DON'T KNOW, THIS IS JUST ME THINKING OUT LOUD, BUT MAKING THEM PART OF LIKE THE, OUR A DU, UM, PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE. MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO. UM, BUT I, I WANNA COMMEND, UM, THE STAFF ON ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO THIS. AND I'VE BEEN THERE WITH YOU, TOM, REALLY LOOKING FOR LOCATIONS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT IT VERY HARD. SO I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, UM, WE HAD TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT LONG BEACH IS NOT THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THAT. AND SO THAT, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS A HARD CONCLUSION TO COME TO. UM, BUT I THANK YOU AND THE STAFF AND YOUR TEAM FOR, UM, ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS AND FOR BEING OPEN TO BRINGING THIS INTO OUR CITY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH AND TOOK THANK YOU. IT WILL NOT STAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO FIRST I WANTED TO THANK OUR CITY STAFF FOR GOING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EXTRA MILE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO SOLVE OUR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS. UM, AND YOU KNOW, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE TRIED ALL ASPECTS OF THINGS. UM, IN THIS CASE, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN SEE HOW COMPLICATED IT IS TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, UM, AND THE MANY FACETS IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. UM, AND THIS IS JUST A REMINDER OF THAT. SO I THANK YOU FOR ALSO BEING BRAVE AND SHARING AND BEING ABLE TO REFLECT ON WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T. UM, I DO WANNA NOTE THAT 11,000 STRUCTURES, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, DID BURN DOWN DURING THE WILDFIRES. SO THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CONNECTION, UM, GIVEN THAT THERE WILL BE LOTS OF, UH, CREATIVE REBUILD, UM, IN OUR COUNTY SHORTLY. THANK YOU. [04:40:01] THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT. SO ALTADENA CERTAINLY HAS LOST A A LOT OF, UH, CAPACITY. UM, I'VE RECENTLY BEEN TALKING TO A NUMBER OF CITIES AND TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE THESE TINY HOMES AND WE'RE OPEN FOR PARTNERSHIPS. UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S DIRECTLY IN OUR REGION OR A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY, UM, YOU KNOW, AT ANYWHERE WE'RE ABLE TO ADD CAPACITY TO ANY CITY HELPS ALL OF US. ABSOLUTELY. AND, AND AGAIN, WE HAVE FULL CONTROL NOW. AND SO IF THERE ARE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO FOLKS IN THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY WHO, UH, MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY, WANT TO EXPLORE WAYS TO, UH, GET INTO, YOU KNOW, INTERIM HOUSING, UH, THAT'S POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR US. SO, UM, SO WE ARE STILL IN THE BUSINESS OF, UM, OF FINDING INNOVATIVE WAYS TO, TO EXPLORE INTERIM HOUSING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST A REALLY QUICK QUESTION. ARE THERE ANY LIMITATIONS, UM, TO WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED TO DO WITH THEM? SO NOW THAT WE'VE RETURNED THE GRANT, UM, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY LIMITATIONS UNDER THE GRANT. YOU HAD TO BASICALLY, UM, SHOW THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE BE THERE FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS. SO YOU HAD TO DO LIKE A COVENANT THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE THERE FOR 15 YEARS AND YOU HAD TO, YOU KNOW, SERVE CERTAIN TYPES OF POPULATIONS. SO NOW WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THOSE REQUIREMENTS ANYMORE. AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE A TIME CRUNCH EITHER. SO THE STATE WAS VERY KIND IN WORKING WITH US, BUT THEY ALSO NEEDED TO GET THAT MONEY OUT IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PERIOD. THEY GRANTED US SEVERAL EXTENSIONS AS WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS. UM, BUT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THAT TIME PRESSURE EITHER. UM, AND WE CAN, UH, WE CAN PLAN HOW WE WANNA USE THOSE AND THAT THAT'S A VE YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT THAT WE REALLY WANNA DRIVE HOME. WE HAVE FLEX WAY MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY NOW THAT WE WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THOSE PARAMETERS, THE 15 YEAR LIMITS. AND, AND WHEN WE TALK WITH PARTNERS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED WITH LBCC, LIKE THOSE ARE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO TALK THROUGH NOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN EXPLORE, EXPLORE OTHER ALTERNATIVES. UH, VICE MAYOR, DID YOU QUEUE UP? I MENTION THAT I HAVE A FEW EMPTY LOTS IN MY DISTRICT THAT I, WE COULD USE THEM ALL RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS THAT THERE'RE THREE PACKS, RIGHT? BECAUSE SOME WOULD THINK JUST OPEN UP A DU PLENTY OF PRE, PRE-APPROVED SPACE FOR ADUS. BUT, UH, THESE ARE THREE PACKS. THEY'RE NOT THE TRADITIONAL CONVENTION, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY FIT INTO THE TRADITIONAL, UH, YARD IN LONG BEACH. SO, UH, SO IT ISN'T AS SIMPLE AS, AS SOME MAY, YOU KNOW, UH, TRY TO DESCRIBE IT. UH, THIS IS COMPLEX AND, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP, KEEP WORKING AT IT. THANKS A LOT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM 30. OKAY. ITEM 30, REPORT FROM CITY ATTORNEY. RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING AND RESTATING CHAPTER 5.77 OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS, READ AND ADOPTED AS READ CITYWIDE. [30. 25-54186 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending and restating Chapter 5.77 of the Long Beach Municipal Code relating to short-term rentals, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)       Office or Department: City Attorney         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] THANK YOU. WE HEARD THIS LAST WEEK. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? SEEING NONE, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, UH, WE'LL NOW GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. DAVE SHUKLA, MC, AND MARIA LOPEZ. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, UH, CITY CLERK. THE TOPIC OF THIS PUBLIC COMMENT IS RENAME JORDAN. THAT'S RENAME JORDAN, AND THERE'S NO BEARING THE LEAD HERE. UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND L-B-U-S-D HAVE A DUTY TO RENAME THE HIGH SCHOOL IN NORTH LONG BEACH, AND THAT'S NOT JUST A MORAL DUTY MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, THIS CONTINUES TO BE A STAIN ON OUR CITY. FOR A SURVEY OF DAVID STAR JORDAN'S RACIST AND EUGENICS VIEWS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT STANFORD EUGENICS.COM. THAT'S STANFORD EUGENICS.COM. BUT THE POINT IS THAT THESE WEREN'T JUST VIEWS. THESE BECAME POLICIES. UH, DAVID STAR JORDAN WAS NOT ONLY BEHIND THE PASSAGE OF THIS NATION'S FIRST EUGENICS LAW IN THE STATE OF INDIANA IN 1907, WHICH RESULTED IN 2,304 STERILIZATIONS BEFORE REPEAL IN 1974, BUT HE WAS ALSO BEHIND THE 1909 PASSAGE OF CALIFORNIA'S FORCED STERILIZATION LAW, WHICH RESULTED IN OVER 20,004 STERILIZATIONS OF MOSTLY BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN OVER THE NEXT FIVE DECADES. UM, THERE IS NO WAY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. MAYOR, THAT THESE POLICIES DID NOT TOUCH LONG BEACH AND THE PEOPLE IN THEM FROM 1910 THROUGH 1970. INDEED, IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS IGNOMINIOUS HISTORY, THE NAZIS NOT ONLY CITED JORDAN'S WORK IN CALIFORNIA AS THE MODEL FOR THEIR OWN EUGENICS POLICIES FOR THEIR OWN ENSTROM, [04:45:01] BUT THEY USED THEM IN THEIR DEFENSE AT NUREMBERG. THIS IS NOT A LEGACY BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS IN NORTH LONG BEACH SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER. MOREOVER, THE EFFECTS OF THESE POLICIES CONTINUE TO BE WITH US. I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY BELLY OF THE BEAST, WHICH DOCUMENTS SIMILARLY ED PRACTICES IN CALIFORNIA AS LATE AS THE 2010S. YOU CAN'T CLAIM IGNORANCE OR STUPIDITY WHEN THE MALICE IS SO CLEARLY BY DESIGN, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUN COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT, YOU SIMPLY CANNOT CONTINUE TO ASK BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE TO CONTINUE TO WALK THROUGH THE GATES OF THAT HIGH SCHOOL KNOWING THAT THIS CITY DOES NOT VALUE THEIR DIGNITY OR THEIR LIVES ENOUGH TO PUT SOME TIME, MONEY, AND EFFORT TOWARDS MOVING FORWARD FROM SUCH POLICIES AND OUTCOMES. STANFORD DID IN 2020, AND HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY. IN FACT, IN THE PROCESS OF RENAMING JORDAN HALL AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY IN 2020, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY FOUND OUT? DAVID STAR JORDAN WAS BEHIND THE COVER, UP THE MURDER OF JANE STANFORD, THE WIFE AND CO-FOUNDER OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY IN 1905. NOT ONLY WOULD'VE THAT HAVE MEANT THE END OF STANFORD, BUT THAT WOULD'VE MEANT THE LIKELY BLUNTING OF SUCH POLICIES. THIS IS A FASCIST AND EUGENICS, UH, LEGACY THAT THIS CITY HAS TO BREAK FROM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS MC. IS MC HERE? OKAY. NO, UH, MARIA LOPEZ. I DON'T SEE MARIA LOPEZ IN THE ROOM. NEXT IS VELMA. YOU'VE WAS WAITED PATIENTLY. ELMA. I COULDN'T HEAR YOU, MAYOR. YOU'VE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY. IT'S YOUR TURN. WELL, I'VE ENJOYED TONIGHT. OKAY. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PARTICIPATION AND THEN THE CITIZENS LEFT SATISFIED, HAD A COMFORT IN THEIR HEART. IT WORKS. SOMETIMES I, I, I'M AGAIN, MAYOR AND MY COUNCILMAN, UH, URANGA. UM, I CAME, UH, WHAT I THINK IT WAS THE 21ST JANUARY IN REGARDS TO DOUGLAS IRVING, UH, NOT BEING, UH, ALLOWED TO RETURN TO WORK IT WITH THE RAP PROGRAM AT, UM, WHAT WAS IT? HERRERA, UH, ELEMENTARY, UH, SCHOOL ON TEMPLE. AND SO YOU DIRECTED ME TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF LADIES AND, UM, WE WENT OUT IN THE LOBBY, [ 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. ] UM, REALLY DIDN'T GET ANY ANSWER. HE WANTED TO KNOW, UH, WHY HE IS NOT BEING ALLOWED TO RETURN TO WORK. I'VE TALKED WITH 12 PEOPLE AND SOMETIMES TWICE WITH THEM SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, UH, LAST MONTH. AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW COME WE CAN'T GET AN ANSWER? I'VE GONE, I'VE GONE BOARD. I, I'VE, I'VE TALKED TO CITY MANAGERS, I'VE TALKED TO, UM, WHAT SUPERINTENDENT? UM, JUST SO MANY PEOPLE. WE CAN'T GET AN ANSWER. IT SEEMS LIKE JUST RUNNING AROUND IN A CIRCLE. I, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, BUT I I CAN'T, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, SO I CAN'T DO IT BACK AND FORTH. OH, I, I GET THAT. YEAH, I GET THAT. BUT EVEN SPEAKING WITH THEM, I CAN'T GET AN ANSWER. UM, I WAS TOLD, OR I WAS ACTUALLY ASKED, DO YOU, ARE YOU WITH, UH, I THINK IT WAS INTERNATIONAL. UM, IT'S A UNION, AND I SAID, NO, I'VE DONE UNION WORK, BUT I'M NOT WITH THEM. I'M JUST A CITIZEN THAT WAS JUST CONCERNED WHY HE CAN'T GET AN ANSWER AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T GET YEAH, I I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO ANSWER HERE. SO WHAT DO I DO, MAYOR? WELL, I DON'T, IS HE A CITY EMPLOYEE? HUH? IS HE A CITY EMPLOYEE? YEAH, UHHUH. . THEN YOU GOTTA TALK TO CITY STAFF AND CITY MANAGERS AND THEIR STAFF. I I, I, I BELIEVE, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S YOU, FORGIVE ME FOR POINTING AT YOU. UM, DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER FOR US? MAY WE, SO THIS, THIS IS, YEAH, GO AHEAD. WE, WE HAVE STAFF TO TALK TO HER. OKAY. 'CAUSE WE CAN'T TALK PERSONNEL STUFF HERE, A COMMENT LIKE THIS. OKAY. OKAY. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? YOU STILL HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE WE CAN TALK AT THE BACK. YOU SAID, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? YOU GOT 40, 40 MORE SECONDS. NO, NO, I DON'T. NO. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. STAFF'S AVAILABLE TO TALK WITH YOU IF YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. OKAY. LET'S TALK AGAIN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S EVERYBODY. OKAY. WELL NOW GO TO, UH, CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS IN ADJOURNMENT. HOLD ON. DON'T PUBLIC, DON'T QUEUE UP TOO QUICK, GUYS. ALL RIGHT. ANNOUNCEMENTS IN ADUR. UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. WHO'S GONNA CLOSE A MEMORY OF LEELA BROWN AND BENNY LEE ROBINSON. YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, WE'VE HAD TWO VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT PASS. FIRST IS BENNY LEE ROBINSON, WHO WAS BORN ON NOVEMBER FOURTEEN, NINETEEN, NINETEEN THIRTY ONE IN UTAH, ALABAMA, AND WAS RAISED ON A FARM AS THE ELDEST OF 10 CHILDREN. ONE BROTHER AND EIGHT SISTERS FACED WITH EARLY [04:50:01] RESPONSIBILITIES. HE LEFT SCHOOL IN THE SEVENTH GRADE TO HELP HIS PARENTS CARE FOR HIS SIBLINGS, A SACRIFICE THAT INSTILLED IN HIM A LIFETIME OF HARD WORK, RESILIENCE AND COMMITMENT. BENNY CARRIED THESE VALUES INTO HIS CAREER IN MAINTENANCE, FIRST AT THE NAVY SHIPYARD, AND LATER IN HARBOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE WHERE HIS QUIET STRENGTH AND RELIABILITY EARNED HIM THE ADMIRATION OF COLLEAGUES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALIKE. BEYOND HIS PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT, BENNY DEVOTED HIMSELF TO SERVING HIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 17 YEARS. ALONGSIDE HIS BELOVED WIFE, ALICE ROBINSON, HE ENRICHED THE KING PARK NEIGHBORHOOD BY ORGANIZING MONTHLY FOOD GIVEAWAYS AND PERSONALLY ASSISTING DISABLED SENIORS, WHILE ALSO ACTIVELY ADVOCATING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS. AS A MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BENNY PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER 11TH, 2 20 24, LEAVING A LEGACY OF SELFLESS SERVICE, COMPASSION, AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO UPLIFTING HIS COMMUNITY. THIS LEGACY CONTINUES TO INSPIRE ALL WHO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF KNOWING HIM. AND I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF A JOURNEY AND MEMORY OF LELA BROWN, WHO WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1970 IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND RAISED IN THE VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF LONG BEACH. HER EARLY LIFE ENRICHED BY A CLOSE EXTENDED FAMILY, AND HER SISTER, EVELYN AND KIM, SET THE STAGE FOR A JOURNEY MARKED BY WARMTH, RESILIENCE, AND PURPOSE. LELA LELA'S ACADEMIC PATH THROUGH ST. LU'S, ST. LUCIE CATHOLIC SCHOOL, STEVENS JUNIOR HIGH AND LONG BEACH POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE SHE WAS A PROUD ALUMNI OF CLASS OF 1988, PREPARE HER FOR A MEANINGFUL CAREER, THAT SPAM ROLES AT THE REG REDGATE MEMORIAL RECOVERY CENTER, SAINT MARY'S MEDICAL CENTER, THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH FOUNDATION, THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY, AND FINALLY LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. IN HER PERSONAL LIFE, LELA'S SPIRIT, SEAN BRIGHTLY THROUGH HER LOVE, LAUGHTER, AND DEEP COMMITMENT TO FAMILY. AFTER MEETING HER HUSBAND, SHEPHERD GRANT THIRD IN ARRAY SHOP ON FOURTH STREET IN LONG BEACH AND MARRYING HIM IN 1994, SHE DEDICATED HERSELF TO RAISING THEIR FIVE CHILDREN. ALANA GRANT, WHO IS OUR EQUITY OFFICER IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, ASIA, ESTE ASHANTA GRANT. SHE GRANT IV AND JAYLEE JL GRANT, AND LATER DELIGHTING IN THE JOY OF HER, HER TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS, MARA AND SUNDAY, A DEVOTED CHILD OF GOD AND ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AT LIGHT AND LIFE. CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. WES LELA'S, LEGACY OF COMPASSION, EXUBERANCE AND SERVICE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE. ALL BLESSED TO KNOW HER. SHE PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON JANUARY 10TH, UH, 2025, LEAVING A LASTING IMPRINT OF LOVE IN THE COMMUNITY. JUST WANNA EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO BOTH FAMILIES OF YOUR DEEP LOSS AND THAT YOU ARE, UM, IN MY [ANNOUNCEMENTS] PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. UH, THANK YOU. UM, NEXT WE WE HAVE, UH, VICE MAYOR YANGA, WHO WANTS TO CLOSE IN HONOR OF PRO FAY ARMANDO VASQUEZ RAMOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE THIS MEETING IN HONOR OF ARMANDO RAMOS OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A PROPHET ALL THE WAY PAST ABOUT A YEAR AGO. UH, WE ONLY RECENTLY SAW HIM RAID HIS LIFE THIS PAST WEEKEND AT TRAVIS PARK. THERE'S SO, ANYTHING I CAN SAY ABOUT HIM HAVE ALL THIS STUFF WRITTEN HERE, BUT I GET PERSONAL. BEFORE HE BECAME A COLLEAGUE, A FRIEND, A MENTOR TO ME AND TO MANY OTHERS, HE WAS ALREADY AN ICONIC FIGURE IN LONG BEACH. HE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF UMASS, THE UNITED MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION HERE AT LONG BEACH STATE. THAT ORGANIZATION INVOLVED, HE WAS VERY CRITICAL AND VERY, UH, MUCH INVOLVED IN LETTING POLITICS. HE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE INTEGRATION OF THE BLONDE ISLAM, WHICH WAS A MANIFESTO THAT CREATED CHICANO STUDIES UP DOWN THE STATE, AS WELL AS LED TO THE CREATION OF EOB EQUAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM AND ALLOWING THE PROGRAMS THAT WENT DOWN THE STATE AS WELL. [04:55:01] AND THEN AFTER THAT, HE BECAME DIRECTOR OF THE LONG BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, OR IN CENTRAL LAA HERE IN LONG BEACH, WHICH WAS A ORGANIZATION THAT DEVELOPED RESOURCES, EDUCATIONAL CLASSES, AND PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME STUDENTS AND PEOPLE HERE IN LONG BEACH. WHEN HE RETIRED, WHEN HE LEFT THE, UH, AT CENTRAL, HE BECAME A PROFESSOR. INCOME STUDIES AT LONG BEACH STATE, AND I FOUNDING THE, UH, PROGRAM, STUDENT CENTER, THE, THE CALIFORNIA MEXICO STUDENT CENTER HERE IN, IN LONG BEACH, WHICH WAS AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR DUN STUDENTS THAT ENSURED THAT THEY COULD GO BACK TO THEIR OWN LAND, TO THEIR HOMES IN MEXICO AND MAKE IT BACK SAFELY WITHOUT BEING DETAINED AND DEPORTED. SO I PUT UP IT HAD A LASTING IMPACT IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY HERE IN LONG BEACH. HE WILL AND IS SORELY MISSED. AND I MISSED PERSONALLY HIS GUIDANCE, HIS MENTORSHIP, AND HIS ABILITY TO JUST ROLL UP HIS SLEEVES AND GET INVOLVED TO CREATE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. ONE LAST EXAMPLE WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ETHNIC STUDIES IN HIGH SCHOOLS, CHICA STUDIES FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS. SO, , PEACE BE WITH YOU, LOVE YOU, AND SURE MEET YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS. UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT TO MY SECOND ANNUAL, UM, STATE OF THE DISTRICT, UH, THAT WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND FROM 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM AT THE DOORSTOP SEA ELVER, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER AT 63 0 1 MYRTLE AVENUE. UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY OUT TO OUR INAUGURAL UPTOWN HOUSING EXPO, UM, THAT WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 15TH, UM, FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:30 PM THAT, AGAIN, THAT WILL ALSO BE AT THE DOORSTOP SEA EL COMMUNITY CENTER. UM, WE'RE GONNA BE COVERING, UM, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE HOME OWNERSHIP AND PRESERVE YOUR HOME AND BUILD WEALTH. UM, WE'RE GONNA FEATURE INFORMATION AND WORKSHOPS ON A DU BENEFITS, STATE PLANNING, HOME REPAIR GRANTS, HOME BUYER EDUCATION, AND DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. SO PLEASE COME OUT AND GET ALL THOSE RESOURCES. UM, AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO ATTEND THE CITY'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION THAT WILL BE HELD NEXT TUESDAY FROM THREE TO 5:00 PM UM, AT LONG BEACH CITY HALL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU VICE MAYOR UGA FOR, UM, YOUR LOVELY REMARKS ABOUT ARMANDO. UM, I TOO WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM, UM, FOR BEING JUST AN ICON IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY AND ALSO A, A FRIEND AND A MENTOR WHO ALWAYS HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF EVERYONE INVOLVED. AND HE ALWAYS HAD SUCH AN INFECTIOUS, UM, LAUGH AND IT WAS JUST ALWAYS SUCH A JOY. UM, BUT HIS FIGHT WAS, WAS BIG. AND SO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING HIM. UM, ALSO WANNA SHARE A COUPLE OF EVENTS, UM, FOR THIS WEEKEND. OH, ACTUALLY FOR TOMORROW, THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE LINCOLN LEARNING EVENT WILL BE HELD TOMORROW FEBRUARY 12TH, UM, AT 5:30 PM TO SEVEN THIR TO 7:00 PM AT 3 0 1 NORTH CEDAR AVENUE. ALSO, THERE IS A, THE DANCE FITNESS EVENT ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH FROM 1:00 PM TO 2:00 PM AT LINCOLN PARK. AND ALSO SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR SHORELINE VILLAGE MARDI GRAS EVENT ON SATURDAY, MARCH 1ST FROM 2:00 PM TO EIGHT EVENT. 8:00 PM THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARR? YES. UH, COLLEAGUES, I ASK THAT WE ADJOURN, THAT WE ALSO ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF SERGEANT JACOB DURHAM OF THE US MARINE CORPS, WHO DIED IN AN AIRCRAFT CRASH IN THE PHILIPPINES, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH, 2025. SERGEANT DURHAM WAS A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH AND GRADUATED FROM MCBRIDE HIGH SCHOOL IN DISTRICT FIVE AS AN ELECTRONIC WARFARE ANALYST FOR THE US MARINE CORPS. SERGEANT DURHAM LOST HIS LIFE WHILE ON WHAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN A ROUTINE MISSION JUST FIVE DAYS AFTER HIS PROMOTION TO SERGEANT. AT ONLY 22 YEARS OLD, SERGEANT DURHAM WAS AN EXEMPLARY MEMBER OF THE MARINE CORPS AND IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING BEEN A COMPOSED, INTELLIGENT, SELFLESS LEADER, DEEPLY RESPECTED AND CARED FOR [05:00:01] BY HIS FELLOW MARINES. MAY WE TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER SERGEANT DURHAM AS WE POSTHUMOUSLY THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. AND AS WE OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES, MAY HE REST IN PEACE. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN WE ADJOURN, I ASK THAT WE ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY OF DONALD SCHU, A DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH PROFESSOR AT UCLA'S DEPARTMENT OF URBAN PLANNING WHO PASSED AWAY LAST THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH, 2025. UM, APROPOS TONIGHT, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT URBAN PLANNING. PROFESSOR SCHU WAS BORN IN LONG BEACH IN 1938, THOUGH HE MOVED TO HAWAII AS A YOUNG CHILD DUE TO HIS FATHER'S WORK WITH THE NAVY. PROFESSOR SCHU SPENT MUCH OF HIS CAREER STUDYING URBAN PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND WROTE A NUMBER OF PIECES ON THE SUBJECT, INCLUDING THE GROUNDBREAKING BOOK, THE HIGH COST OF FREE PARKING. HE COMMITTED HIS TIME TO RESEARCHING EXISTING ASSUMPTIONS, DELIVERING HIS FINDINGS IN A WIDELY ACCESSIBLE WAY, AND ENGAGING WITH DECISION MAKERS ON IMPLEMENTING HIS FINDINGS INTO POLICY. WHILE WORKING AT UCLA, PROFESSOR CHUPE WAS AN ACT, WAS ACTIVE IN HIS LOCAL COMMUNITY AND AN AVID CYCLIST. HE HELPED PLAN THE LOS ANGELES BIKE SUMMIT AND THE LOS ANGELES STREET SUMMIT IN 2008 AND 2009 RESPECTIVELY. PROFESSOR SCHU INSPIRED A GREAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS, NOT ONLY WITH HIS IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE CITY PLANNING, BUT WITH HIS INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, AND GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR. PROFESSOR SCHU IS, SURPRI IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE AND ALL THOSE. HE INSPIRED TO BE URBAN PLANNERS WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, UH, FROM HIM AND HIS WORK DIRECTLY AND ASK THAT WE TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER PROFESSOR DONALD SCHOUP AS WE OFFER CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH INTO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. I ALWAYS WONDER AS AN MIT URBAN PLANNER, WHETHER PLANNERS MATTER, BUT THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME ABOUT THE IMPORTANT WORK OF, UH, URBAN PLANNERS AND DR. CHU. UM, SO AS WE ADJOURN, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EXTEND A PERSONAL HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO OUR LONG BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RESCUE ONE, UM, AND THE INCREDIBLE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ASSISTED MY FAMILY. UM, JUST THIS MORNING, I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT'S PROMPT RESPONSE, EXCELLENT CARE AND PROFESSIONALISM MEANT THE WORLD TO ME AND MY FAMILY. AND IN MOMENTS OF NEED, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TRULY EMBODY SERVICE AND DEDICATION AND I'M DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THAT THEY DO AND OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO TURNING TO THE DISTRICT WANNA EXPRESS SINCERE THANKS TO A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS, UH, RESIDENT JOSIE FOR GRACIOUSLY OPENING HER HOME, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, TO HOST A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH SOME OF, UH, RESIDENTS IN THE NORTH VILLAGE, AS WELL AS RESIDENT REBECCA FOR ALSO OPENING HER HOME FOR NEIGHBORS, UH, FROM THE ELM AVENUE AREA TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. BOTH GATHERINGS HAD A WONDERFUL TURNOUT, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM RESIDENTS AND TO CONTINUE THESE INVALUABLE CONVERSATIONS AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN OUR DISTRICT. I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES THIS EVENING FOR VOTING, UH, TO, UH, ADD THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG TO OUR LIST OF APPROVED FLAGS, UH, THAT WILL SOON WAIVE OVER OUR CITY OR IN OUR CITY COUNCIL, UM, COURTYARD. UH, WE WILL BE SCHEDULING THAT SHORTLY. SO JUST, UH, CHECK FOR, UH, UPCOMING DATES IN THE UPCOMING DAYS ACCORDINGLY. UM, THAT IS ALL FOR ME THIS EVENING. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL AT OUR NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR URANGA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, UH, WANT TO ALSO IN INVITE MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY TO THE WRIGLEY MID FEASIBILITY STAKEHOLDER MEETING ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH, AROUND 6:00 PM D EIGHT AT THE COLD HOTEL, 200 EAST WILLOW STREET. THE MEETING WILL GATHER INPUT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OR BID TO REPRESENT THE RINGLEY BUSINESS CORRIDOR ON PACIFIC AVENUE AND WILLOW STREET. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL 5 7 0, EXCUSE ME, 5 6 2 5 7 0 JACKPOT. THAT WOULD BE AREA CODE 5 6 2 5 7 0 7 7 7 7. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND HAPPY VALENTINE'S [ADJOURNMENT] DAY. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. THANKS A LOT AND HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY, AND HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY AND HAPPY LINCOLN DAY, ALL THOSE. THANK YOU. * 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.