[00:01:46]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER FOR AUGUST 26TH, 2025.
UM, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN, VICE CHAIR URANGA CHAIR RICK SODI.
UH, CAN WE READ THE FIRST ITEM?
[CALL TO ORDER]
ITEM ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT[ROLL CALL]
COMMITTEE MEETING OF MEETINGS OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 14TH AND TUESDAY, AUGUST 19TH, 2025.ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON
[1. 25-56167 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Budget Oversight Committee meetings of Thursday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM NOW.SEEING NONE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
UH, NEXT ITEM, ITEM TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN OVERVIEW OF THE JUSTICE FUND.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO STAFF.
[2. 25-56168 Recommendation to receive and file an overview of the Justice Fund. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON.UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ON THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AND OUR PROPOSED FY 26 BUDGET.
MY NAME'S ALANA GRANT, AND I'M THE CITY, UH, EQUITY OFFICER IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
I'M JOINED BY OUR FINANCIAL SERVICES OFFICER, ANDREW CHANG AND THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND PROGRAM MANAGER TONY MONT.
SO THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND PROVIDES FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE OR WORK IN LONG BEACH, OR HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE CITY, UM, BY HELPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ASSERT VALID LEGAL CLAIMS TO REMAIN IN THE US.
SO OUR MISSION IS ROOTED IN ENSURING THAT EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER HAS ACCESS TO THE DUE PROCESS AND JUSTICE, UH, REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME OR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
TO WALK YOU THROUGH A QUICK TIMELINE OF THE JUSTICE FUND, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A TWO YEAR CONTRACT, UH, WITH VERA INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE TO ESTABLISH THE JUSTICE FUND BACK IN 2018.
UM, IN 2021, THE PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES WERE TRANSITIONED TO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
UM, AND IN 2022, WE CONTINUED OUR REMOVAL DEFENSE SERVICES, BUT PILOTED CONTRACTS WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO SERVE AS COMMUNITY CONNECTORS.
AND SO THEY PROVIDE OUTREACH ON THE GROUND, UM, AND HELP TO MAKE DIRECT REFERRALS TO THE JUSTICE FUND.
IN 2023, WE EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF OUR JUST OF THE JUSTICE FUND TO INCLUDE LEGAL SERVICES, UH, SUCH AS AFFIRMATIVE REPRESENTATION AND APPELLATE REPRESENTATION.
AND THEN IN 2024, WE AWARDED CONTRACTS TO FOUR VENDORS THAT SERVE, UH, FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
AND SO THOSE CONTRACTORS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM TODAY.
UM, MOST RECENTLY WE AWARDED TWO POLICY EXCEPTIONS TO, UH, PROVIDE INTERIM REMOVAL DEFENSE SERVICES WHILE WE, UM, OPENED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, UM, TO, UH, RECRUIT NEW LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AND SO THAT, UH, SOLICITATION CLOSED ON AUGUST 12TH.
THE FY 25 BUDGET FOR THE JUSTICE FUND IS MADE UP OF THREE FUNDING SOURCES, STRUCTURAL FUNDING ONE-TIME ALLOCATIONS IN FY 25 AND UNSPENT ONE-TIME FUNDS THAT WERE CARRIED OVER FROM FY 24.
[00:05:01]
THE TABLE ON THIS SLIDE OUTLINES THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET OF THE JUSTICE FUND, INCLUDING CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, UH, THEIR FUNDING SOURCES AND AMOUNTS.SO FOR REMOVAL DEFENSE LEGAL SERVICES, UH, RECE, WE RECEIVED, UH, 269,000, UH, $888 IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING.
OUR APPELLATE AND AFFIRMATIVE LEGAL REP REPRESENTATION AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION SERVICES ARE FUNDED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF FFY 24 AND FY 25 1 TIME ALLOCATIONS TOTALING, UH, 1.3 MILLION.
UM, DUE TO PROVIDER CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS, WE DECIDED NOT TO CONTINUE OUR AFFIRMATIVE AND APPELLATE CONTRACTS.
AND SO THOSE REMAINING FUNDS HAVE BEEN ROLLED INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE FY 26 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR LEGAL SERVICES.
WE ALSO FUNDED INTER INTERIM REMOVAL DEFENSE SERVICES WITH $150,000 FROM THE FY 24 GENERAL FUND YEAR END SURPLUS.
AND THAT, UH, WAS REAPPROPRIATED THROUGH A MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENT.
IN TOTAL, THE FY 25 BUDGET WAS 1.7 MILLION, AND OUR ESTIMATED, UM, FY 25 EXPENSES ARE $762,450 WITH AN ESTIMATED BALANCE, UM, THAT WILL BE APPRO REAPPROPRIATED IN FY 26.
UM, AND THAT AMOUNT IS 957, UH THOUSAND $438.
FINALLY, OUTSIDE OF THE TABLE, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY RECEIVES AN ADDITIONAL $30,112 TO SUPPORT STAFFING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JUSTICE FUND.
AND THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS CHART AS THIS IS JUST ALL OF THE, A BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT WE ADMINISTER START IN FY 26.
OUR STRUCTURAL FUNDING WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CORE LEGAL SERVICES TOTALING, UH, THE AMOUNT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THAT TWO 70,000.
UM, WE WILL ALSO REAPPROPRIATE THE 957 AMOUNT THOUSAND AMOUNT, I SHOULD SAY, UM, AND ONE ONE-TIME FUNDS THAT'LL BE CARRIED OVER FROM THE, THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
AND OF THAT AMOUNT, 734,000 WILL FUND NEW LEGAL SERVICES, UH, THROUGH OUR RFP PROCESS, WHICH CLOSED AGAIN ON AUGUST 12TH.
UM, IN ADDITION, THE MAYOR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE A ONE-TIME ALLOCATION OF $600,000 TO THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
ALTOGETHER, THIS BRINGS THE FY 26 JUSTICE FUND BUDGET TO 1.8 MILLION, AND THE NEW LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACTS WILL COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL WITH A TENTATIVE, UH, START DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2025.
AND SO I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU IN SEVERAL OTHER FORUMS JUST ABOUT THE JUSTICE FUND.
AND SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A QUICK REFRESHER OF THE FULL SCOPE OF THE SERVICES RENDERED UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO, COMMUNITY CONNECTION SERVICES PROVIDE OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND REFERRALS TO OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTION, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, WITH IMMIGRATION SUPPORT AND LEGAL SERVICES.
UH, REMOVAL DEFENSE OFFERS REPRESENTATION FOR OUR IMMIGRANTS FACING DEPORTATION WITH VALID CLAIMS TO REMAIN IN THE US.
AFFIRMATIVE LEGAL SERVICES, UH, SUPPORTS APPLICATIONS FOR U VISAS, T VISAS, AND V PETITIONS FOR ELIGIBLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND APPELLATE LEGAL SERVICES HANDLE MOTIONS TO REOPEN AND APPEALS IN CASES WITH UNFAVORABLE RULINGS.
TOGETHER, THESE SERVICES ENSURE THAT THE JUSTICE FUND CAN MEET PEOPLE AT EVERY STAGE OF NEED.
THIS MEANS REACHING THOSE WHO ARE JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS, SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS AS THEY APPLY FOR IMMIGRATION RELIEF, PROTECTING RE, UM, FAMILIES WHEN SOMEONE IS FACING REMOVAL AND PURSUING APPEALS.
WHEN A CASE REQUIRES FURTHER CHALLENGE BY ADDRESSING THE FULL SPECTRUM OF IMMIGRATION LEGAL NEEDS, THE FUND CREATES A MORE EQUITABLE AND COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY NET FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, JUST TO WALK THROUGH THE IMPACT OF OUR, UM, OF THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE JUSTICE FUND DELIVERED A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES FOR THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, WORKING IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THREE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE AS COMMUNITY CONNECTORS AND THREE LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT DELIVER DIRECT LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTION SERVICES HOSTED A TOTAL OF 12 EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, UH, HELPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND CONNECT TO LEGAL SERVICES, WHETHER THROUGH THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND OR THROUGH OTHER AVAILABLE SERVICES REMOVAL.
DEFENSE LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDED DIRECT REPRESENTATION TO 16 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH 19 CONSULTATIONS.
UM, WE HAD FIVE ACTIVE CASE MATTERS AND THREE, PRO SE ASSISTANCES HELPING INDIVIDUALS FACING DEPORTATION NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS WITHIN THE AFFIRMATIVE LEGAL SERVICES BRACKET.
UM, WE REPRESENTED 36 TO, UM, 36 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CONDUCTED 110 CONSULTATIONS AND ADVANCED 39 CASE MATTERS, RESULTING IN 34 APPLICATIONS FOR RELIEF, UH, THROUGH THOSE PREVIOUS, UM, APPLICATIONS FOR STATUS U VISAS, T VISAS, AND BA PETITIONS
[00:10:01]
WITHIN THE APPELLATE, UH, LEGAL SERVICES BRACKET.UM, WE REPRESENTED FIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROVIDED 16 CONSULTATIONS PURSUING FIVE APPEALS AND MOTIONS TO REOPEN WHEN INITIAL OUTCOMES WERE UNFAVORABLE.
SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE JUSTICE FUND IN 2019, WE HAVE REPRESENTED 89 PEOPLE IN REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS, AND IN TOTAL, WE HAVE SUPPORTED MORE THAN 130 INDIVIDUALS OVER THROUGH DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES.
THESE NUMBERS REFLECT NOT JUST CASES, BUT LIVES AND FAMILIES IMPACTED.
UM, EACH REPRESENTATION MEANS A LONG BEACH RESIDENT HAS A, HAD A FAIR CHANCE TO ASSERT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS, REMAIN WITH LOVED ONES, AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, JUST TO CLOSE, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE JU JUSTICE FUND REMAINS A VITAL LIFELINE FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, ENSURING THAT RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND DUE PROCESS REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME OR CIRCUMSTANCE.
THIS WORK IS ONLY IMPOSSIBLE THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP AND WISDOM OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO WALK ALONGSIDE US, KEEPING US INFORMED OF EMERGING NEEDS AND REALITIES ON THE GROUND.
AS THE IMMIGRATION LANDSCAPE CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ADAPTING AND STRENGTHENING THE FUND SO IT NOT ONLY RESPONDS TO URGENT CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO GROWS AS A MODEL OF EQUITY, RESILIENCE, AND CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, VICE MAYOR RANGA, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HMM.
UM, UH, VICE MAYOR RANGA HAS ACTUALLY ASKED TO, UM, GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK FOR DISCUSSION, WHICH I AM QUITE AMENABLE TO.
UM, SO, UH, WE ARE NOW GONNA TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
UH, ONCE THIS LINE IS ESTABLISHED, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD FOR THIS ITEM.
IT DOES NOT LOOK THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, SO WE WILL COME BACK AND TAKE IT BEHIND THE DICE.
UH, VICE MAYOR RONER, UH, DIDN'T SOUND QUESTION.
UH, LAST YEAR WE HAD A, UH, UNEN CONFERENCE, OR NOT, NOT ENCUMBRANCE, BUT, UH, A, UH, UH, WHAT WAS THAT WORD YOU GUYS USE? UH, A CARRYOVER OF 900 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WAS DUE BECAUSE OF A, UH, A CONTRACT THAT DIDN'T, THAT DIDN'T COME INTO AGREEMENT UNTIL AFTER A CERTAIN DATE, I GUESS BECAME CARRIED OVER INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ANOTHER POSSIBILITY OF, OF A CARRY OVER OF $957 ACCORDING TO SLIDE, UH,
BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? WHY, WHY WOULD WE CARRY THAT MUCH OVER AGAIN, AGAIN, WHAT'S GOING ON THAT WE'RE NOT TOTALLY EXPENDING THE MONEY FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WHICH WE SHOULD TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT THE COMMUNITY DESIRES OR DESERVES? SURE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO GET STARTED ON THAT QUESTION.
UM, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE CONTRACTS THAT WE ADMINISTER, THAT THE TERMS DO NOT ALIGN DIRECTLY WITH THE FISCAL YEARS START IN END DATE, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CARRYOVER FUNDS.
THE AMOUNT, UH, THAT WAS CARRIED OVER FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR WAS TO CONTINUE SERVICES FOR, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTION CONTRACTS AND OUR AFFIRMATIVE AND APPELLATE.
SO BECAUSE THE CONTRACT TERMS DON'T START AND END JUST AS OUR FISCAL YEAR DUE DOES, UM, THAT MISALIGNMENT RE UH, DOES LEAVE THAT BALANCE TO BE CARRIED OVER INTO THE NEXT, NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND THEN MORE SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THE AMOUNTS THAT'S BEING CARRIED OVER THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE, UM, A LOT OF THAT FUNDS, THOSE FUNDS, UH, CONNECT TO THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THAT WE JUST CLOSED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, THOSE CONTRACTS AWARDED AND LIVE VERY SOON.
UM, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE AS MUCH FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN CARRIED OVER IN THE PAST.
UH, WE SHOULDN'T EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.
OKAY, SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE CARRY, WE DON'T HAVE THESE, UH, BIG CARRYOVERS FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
UM, VICE CHAIR, UM, ONE, UM, UH, FACTOR THAT PLAYED INTO THE, UH, LARGE CARRYOVER FROM FY 24 TO FY 25, UM, WAS THE AVAILABILITY OF, UH, RECOVERY ACT FUNDS FOR FY 24 FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
UH, AND STAFF, UH, PRIORITIZED DRAWING DOWN THOSE FUNDS TO PROVIDE SERVICES, UH, FOR FY 24, WHICH LEFT, UH,
[00:15:01]
THE, UH, UH, NEW FY 24 1 TIMES UNSPENT AND AVAILABLE TO BE CARRIED OVER.AND THAT'S THE 800,000, UH, THAT WAS REAPPROPRIATED THIS YEAR.
UM, AND HAS PLANNED TO BE, UM, ONCE AGAIN, UH, REQUESTED TO CARRY OVER TO FY 26, UH, TO FUND.
UM, AS ALANA MENTIONED, UH, THE NEW CONTRACTS, UM, THAT ARE ANTICIPATED TO, UH, BE ENTERED INTO EARLY IN FY 26 AND LONG SHORT, NOTHING, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON TIMING, I GUESS.
UM, WE, UH, WE'LL BE ENTERING INTO THE CONTRACTS AND THAT SHOULD HELP US DRAW DOWN THOSE FUNDS AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES, UM, UH, FOR THE, UH, THE SERVICE AREAS OF THE JUSTICE FUND, UM, IN FY 26.
IS THERE AN ISSUE WITH, UH, WITH STAFFING? DO WE NEED MORE STAFF OR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON? I'M TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON WHY WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, BUT YET WE CAN HEAR HAVE THESE BIG HUGE CARRY OVER FROM YEAR TO YEAR IS STAFFING ISN'T WELL TIMING, SO TIMING, IT'S EVERYTHING.
BUT ANYWAY, IT'S THAT, BUT I WANNA GET THE, I WANNA UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BETTER AS TO WHY WE'RE UNCOVERING SO MUCH MONEY FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO THE CURRENT FUNDS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO STAFF COVER, UH, ABOUT 20% OF OUR STAFF TIME.
HOWEVER, MORE TIME DOES GO TOWARDS THE MANAGING THE JUSTICE FUND.
AGAIN, JUST BECAUSE THE CONTRACT TERMS ITSELF DON'T ALIGN DIRECTLY WITH THE FISCAL YEAR DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE SERVICES AREN'T BEING RENDERED IN YEARS PAST.
WE HAVE, HAVE HAD, UM, SERVICE PROVIDERS LOSE CAPACITY.
AND SO STAFFING IMPACTS AT WITH OUR CONTRACTORS HAS ALSO BEEN A CHALLENGE.
UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT BY, THROUGH THIS NEW SOLICITATION OF LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, WE DON'T, UM, ENCOUNTER THOSE SAME CHALLENGES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, EXCUSE ME, FOR ME, ARE CRITICAL, BUT WHILE SERVICES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, OTHER SERVICES ARE NOT, BECAUSE WE NOT THAT MUCH ABOUT THE CONFERENCE.
SO THERE ARE SERVICES THAT ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF EITHER ADVERTISING THE BUSINESS FUNDS ANIMAL OR MAKING IT MORE AVAILABLE WAY OTHER THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.
TO THAT POINT, A LOT OF OUR OUTREACH AND PROMOTION OF THE PROGRAM IS DONE THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S UNLIKELY FOR A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO IS OF UNDOCUMENTED STATUS, STATUS TO, UH, FEEL COMFORTABLE TRUSTING AND GOING DIRECTLY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR SERVICES.
SO WE DO OUR OUTREACH THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
YEAH, I THINK TO THE VICE MAYOR'S POINT, UM, I THINK, UH, UNDERSTANDABLY THE COMMUNITY HAS MET WITH A LOT OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES, UM, AND SHARED, I THINK THEIR FRUSTRATION AROUND THE DELAYS IN THE RFP, RIGHT? AND AS THEY'RE MAKING A REQUEST AROUND THE $2.2 MILLION IN, IN NEW MONEY, RIGHT? I THINK TO THEM, WHEN THEY LOOK AT SOME OF THE BUDGET PROPOSALS, THEIR CONCERNS ARE, WELL, THIS ISN'T REALLY ALL NEW MONEY, RIGHT? LIKE, BECAUSE THE RFP CAME OUT SO LATE THEN WE'RE NOW KIND OF ROLLING OVER THIS MONEY THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED.
UM, AND SO I THINK FROM, FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THIS JUST FEELS LIKE, WELL, HEY, THIS IS A WAY FOR, THE PERCEPTION IS THIS IS THE WAY FOR THE CITY NOT TO NECESSARILY GIVE US THE ADDITIONAL NEW MONEY BECAUSE THEY KEEP ROLLING OVER AND KIND OF DELAYING THAT, RIGHT? SO I THINK TO THE VICE MAYOR'S POINT, RIGHT, I THINK WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRANSPARENT AND UNDERSTANDING TO THE, TO THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE RESOURCE THAT'S NECESSARY IN LIGHT OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE NOW HAPPENING TO OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND TO THE, THE CITY AT LARGE.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, VICE MAYOR, UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, KIND OF ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS A LITTLE BIT ALONG THE SAME LINE, BUT IT WAS JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET AND THEN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, THAT WE HAVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
AND SO, UH, QUESTION IS, AND I THINK, UM, MISS, MS. GRANT, I THINK YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THIS.
SO THAT $30,000 THAT YOU MENTIONED, THAT'S FOR STAFFING SUPPORT, UM, I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT'S LIKE BASICALLY KIND OF LIKE 20% OF A PERSON.
SO THAT'S HOW MUCH IS TECHNICALLY ALLOCATED TO SUPPORTING THE JUSTICE FUND, BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT A LOT MORE GOES INTO SUPPORTING THIS PARTICULAR FUND THAN YOUR OFFICE ACTUALLY GETS.
UH, AND I'M, UH, AND SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, SO LOOKING AT, IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, SLIDE THREE, LET'S GO BACK TO SLIDE THREE FOR A SECOND.
[00:20:01]
SAYS 703 4,000 IS FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT NEW LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACTED THROUGH THE RFP.UM, IS THAT $734,000, UM, THROUGH THE RFP PART OF THE ESTIMATED FISCAL YEAR 25 ONE-TIME FUNDING THAT IS EXPECTED TO BE ROLLED OVER INTO THE FISCAL YEAR 26 FOR REAPPROPRIATION.
SO ARE WE TAKING THAT 734,000 OUT OF THOSE ONE TIMES? UM, CHAIR, UH, THAT 734 IS NOT BEING TAKEN OUT OF, UM, IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, UM, IT'S NOT BEING TAKEN OUT OF FY 25.
SO THE WHOLE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO ROLL OVER STILL EXISTS.
THAT 7 34 WILL JUST NOT BE SPENT, UH, AS PART OF THAT ROLLOVER UNTIL FY 26.
SO WE'RE, SO, UM, THE SEVEN 34,000 IS GONNA BE PART OF FY 26 AS NEW MONEY OR NEW FUNDS.
I GUESS I'M WONDERING BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE, BASICALLY IT'S $300,000 THAT ARE STRUCTURAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, RIGHT.
THAT WE DO FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS POTENTIALLY, UM, ONE, ONE TIME ALLOCATIONS.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THAT'S 734,000 COMES OUT OF THESE UNSPENT DOLLARS FROM FISCAL YEAR 25, OR IS THIS GONNA BE A NEW ALLOCATION OF MONEY FROM FISCAL YEAR 26? I CAN JUMP IN.
SO IT'S A PORTION OF THE ONE TIMES THAT ARE BEING CARRIED OVER FROM FISCAL YEAR 25, AND THEN THE IN COMBINATION WITH THE STRUCTURAL FUNDS WE GET ANNUALLY FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
SO I'M GONNA DO A LITTLE MATH IN MY HEAD.
SO IF THE, THE, SO THE, THE TYPICAL STRUCTURAL IS THE 270,000, RIGHT? WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM THE 30,000 THAT GOES FOR STAFF SUPPORT.
SO THAT'S 734,000, LIKE 270,000 OF IT WILL BE THAT STRUCTURAL FUNDING.
AND THEN THERE'LL BE BASICALLY, WE'RE PLANNING KIND OF LIKE AN ENHANCEMENT OF DOLLARS, OR THE REST OF IT WILL BE, THEY'LL BE CARRIED OVER FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 OF THE CURRENT AMOUNT.
SO THEN A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THIS IS THEN OF THAT 1.8 MILLION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON SLIDE FOUR, UH, SO THE 1.8 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AND FISCAL YEAR 26, HOW MUCH IS DESIGNATED FOR CONTRACTED LEGAL SERVICES AND HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW IS, IS FOR THE COMMUNITY, UM, CONNECTION SERVICES? BECAUSE I KNOW IN ONE OF THE SLIDES YOU ACTUALLY LIST BOTH OF THOSE IS KIND OF TWO DISTINCT CATEGORIES, BUT, UH, BUT IN THE, IN THE, UM, IN THE TABLE, THEY'RE COMBINED TOGETHER.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO KIND OF DISAGGREGATE THOSE AND SEE HOW MUCH IS FOR LEGAL SERVICES AND THEN HOW MUCH IS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES OR COMMUNITY CONNECTION SERVICES.
AND SO WE PROVIDE A BREAKDOWN BASED OFF OF THE, UM, CURRENT FUNDS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE JUSTICE FUND.
SO WE'RE NOT MAKING THOSE, UH, AMOUNTS BASED OFF OF THAT 1.8 JUST YET, BECAUSE THAT IS, UM, THE TOTAL FUNDING, YOU KNOW, WE ANTICIPATE IN THE JUSTICE FUND PER THE MAYOR'S, UH, YOU KNOW, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
SO TO THAT POINT, WE HAVE 734,000 THAT WILL GO TOWARDS LEGAL SERVICES AND $361,075 THAT WILL GO TOWARDS THE CONTINUATION OF OUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY CONNECTION SERVICES CONTRACTS.
AND OF COURSE, IF ADDITIONAL FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED TO THE JUSTICE FUND, THEN WE WILL, UM, REALLOCATE BASED OFF OF, UM, WHAT WE RECEIVE.
AND THEN, UM, IF THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION, IS THERE LIKE A, A BREAKDOWN OR LIKE A PERCENTAGE, LIKE DO YOU TEND TO GIVE CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR LEGAL SERVICES, CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR, UM, COMMUNITY CONNECTORS, OR IS THAT BASICALLY, DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S ALLOCATED, SAY IT'S A BOC RECOMMENDATION OR SOMETHING, A RECOMMENDATION FROM COUNSEL, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS DETERMINE? HOW IS THAT FIGURED OUT? UH, SO WE USUALLY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UM, IT IS ALSO BASED OFF OF JUST HISTORY WITH THE JUSTICE FUNDS.
SO WE PRIMARILY ALLOCATE MORE FUNDS TOWARDS LEGAL SERVICES.
HOWEVER, THE, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THERE'S LIKE A CLEAR PERCENTAGE JUST BECAUSE THE PROGRAM HAS EVOLVED SO MUCH MORE RECENTLY.
UM, WITH REGARD TO LIKE WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING, UH, LIKE THAT DISAGGREGATION LOOKING AHEAD, UM, I'D SAY THAT WE WOULD ANTICIPATE, UM, AT LEAST 200 TO 3000, 300,000 PER LEGAL SERVICE TYPE.
UM, AND BECAUSE THE CONTRACTS FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTION SERVICES ALREADY EXIST, WE WOULD FUND THAT AT THE SAME AMOUNT, UM, UNLESS WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
AND THEN, UH, LAST QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, AND I KNOW, I THINK I HAD SENT THIS TO YOUR, TO YOUR OFFICE MS. GRANT.
SO I HAD ASKED ON, UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SLIDE NUMBER SIX, UM, WHICH OUTLINES THE FISCAL YEAR 25 IMPACT OF THESE FUNDS, I SAID, COULD WE GET A BREAKDOWN OF EACH OF THE FOUR COMMUNITY CONNECTORS AND VENDORS AND WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS WERE TO THE OVERALL NUMBERS PRESENTED IN THAT, IN THAT, UM, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 IMPACT? UM, AND THE REASON I HAD ASKED THAT IS THAT I HAD MET WITH A NUMBER OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND SOME OF THE NUMBERS THEY
[00:25:01]
WERE PRESENTING TO US AROUND THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FOLKS THAT THEY HAD HELPED DIDN'T SEEM TO ALIGN WITH WHAT I WAS SEEING HERE.AND SO WHAT THEY WERE TELLING US IS THAT THERE WAS, THE IMPACT WAS LARGER.
SO I WAS INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THE, THE, THE CITY'S, UM, DATA WAS.
AND I SEE THAT, I THINK YOU, YOU RESPONDED WITH SOME OF THAT DATA FOR THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER OR A AND THE UNITED CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OF THAT DATA FOR OUR OTHER PARTNER THAT WAS ONE OF THE VENDORS? EL TR SO ALO TR IS OUR LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDER, NOT A COMMUNITY CONNECTOR.
IF YOU WANT THAT DATA, WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE THAT.
UM, CAN, CAN I ASK, UM, THAT AS A REPORT BACK THAT WE COULD GET THAT DATA FOR THE, FOR THE LEGAL SERVICES AS WELL? SURE.
UM, I THINK THAT ENDS MY QUESTIONS UNLESS VICE MAYOR RANGA.
UM, WE ALREADY DID PUBLIC COMMENT, SO, UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ITEM THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN OVERVIEW OF THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL SLASH TENANT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
[3. 25-56169 Recommendation to receive and file an overview of the Right to Counsel/Tenant Assistance program. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IF WE CAN HAVE THE PRESENTATION UP.
UM, SO I'M HERE WITH THE DREAM TEAM.
I'VE GOT STRONG WIN, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND MEGAN SORENSON, OUR HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES BUREAU MANAGER.
UM, AND THE AUDIENCE IS ALSO, UM, MS. KING FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
I THINK, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK TO YOU TODAY, UH, PRIMARILY ABOUT IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AND OUR RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM.
BUT WHAT I WANT THE, UH, COMMITTEE, UM, TO COME AWAY WITH IS THAT'S JUST A PART OF THE WORK THAT WE DO TO ASSIST TENANTS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UM, AND THESE, UH, THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, UM, IS MEANT TO COMPLEMENT ALL THE OTHER WORK WE DO HERE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS IN HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SAFE, DIGNIFIED HOUSING, UH, TO OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, SO, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
UM, RENTAL, UM, RESTRICTIONS ARE FOUND, UH, WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
THERE'S A PRETTY COMPLICATED HISTORY, UH, IN A NUTSHELL.
UH, THE CITY PRIOR TO COVID, UH, ENACTED CERTAIN, UM, PROVISIONS RELATED TO JUST CAUSE EVICTIONS AND SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS.
UM, THEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ENACTED, UH, OTHER RESTRICTIONS, WHICH OVERRODE OUR LOCAL ONES.
THEN COD HAPPENED AND THE LAWS CHANGED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE INTERCEDING PERIOD.
UM, BUT THROUGHOUT ALL OF THAT, OUR GOAL HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE, UH, SAFE, DIGNIFIED, UH, HOUSING AND GOOD TREATMENT TO THE CITY'S TENANTS, UM, WHILE ALSO, UH, RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR HOUSING PROVIDERS TO, UM, BE ABLE TO HAVE POSITIVE CASH FLOW AND KEEP UP THEIR PROPERTIES.
UM, SO SOME PAST PROGRAMS THAT WE RAN DURING, UM, COVID WAS THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH ACTUALLY THE LARGEST DIRECT AID PROGRAM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAS EVER, UM, OPERATED AND ASSISTED THOUSANDS, UH, OF TENANTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, DISPERSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
UM, WE THEN ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP, UH, AS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED OF A TEMPORARY PARTNERSHIP UNDER THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT TO DO THE STAY HOUSED LA RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM.
THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT NOW, UM, HAS BECOME AN ANNUAL, UH, FIXTURE OF THE BUDGET.
UM, AND IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US AND THE COUNTY.
AND THEN WITH NEW RESOURCES UNDER COUNTY MEASURE A, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE PROVIDING SHALLOW SUBSIDY AND OTHER RENTAL SUBSIDIES, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO WORK IN CONCERT WITH ALL OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS, UM, TO PROVIDE, UM, FOLKS WITH RESOURCES, UM, TO BE ABLE TO LIVE AND THRIVE IN THE CITY.
SO, UM, AS I JUST MENTIONED, UM, THIS ALL STARTED WITH THE CALIFORNIA STATE TENANT PROTECTION ACT OF 2019, UM, WHICH CAPPED, UH, RENTAL INCREASES AS WELL AS OTHER REGULATIONS.
[00:30:01]
THAT, UM, THERE IS A STANDARD PROCESS FOR LANDLORDS AND TENDENCY, UM, ALSO KNOWN AS JUST CAUSE.AND THEN IN 2020, THE COUNCIL ENACTED A NUMBER OF, UM, REGULATIONS RELATED TO HOW, UM, EVICTIONS WORK AND REQUIRED FOR THE FIRST TIME RELOCATION ASSISTANCE FOR NO FAULT, UM, EVICTIONS, UM, THIS DID NOT ACTUALLY GO INTO EFFECT.
UM, YOU MAY SEE THE DATE ON THERE.
ON MARCH 20TH, WE STARTED, UM, EXPERIENCING THE STAY AT HOME ORDERS AND THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE, UH, CHANGED DRAMATICALLY THEREAFTER.
UM, SO THEN IN 2023, UM, WE MADE CHANGES, UH, ON THE CODE ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER SIDE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE NOT DISPLACING TENANTS EVEN IN A CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
UM, WE REQUIRED RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, UM, EVEN IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, AND WE PROVIDED, UM, MOVE BACK OPTIONS FOR DISPLACED TENANT HOUSEHOLDS.
SO AS PART OF THE, UH, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AS I MENTIONED, WE ASSISTED 16,000 HOUSEHOLDS DISPERSING MORE THAN $71 MILLION TO KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED BETWEEN 2021 AND 2023.
AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON SOME OF THE FEDERAL, UH, CLOSEOUT AND AUDIT OF THIS, UH, PROGRAM, BUT IT WILL BE COMPLETELY DONE, UM, SOMETIME SOON.
UH, SO WE ORIGINALLY, ORIGINALLY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT IN 2021 WITH THE COUNTY OF LA FOR A TEMPORARY COVID RELATED PROGRAM KNOWN AS STAY HOUSED LA.
THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN RE-UPPED BY THIS COUNCIL EVERY YEAR AND HAS GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE ORIGINAL 250,000 THAT WAS ENVISIONED TO MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS PROPOSED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, THIS JUST SHOWS YOU, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY.
WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY, UH, BEEN ABLE TO SPEND ALL OF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO THIS PROGRAM IN THE PAST.
SO WE DO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL CARRYOVER THAT WILL, UM, FLOW INTO NEXT YEAR PLUS THE PROPOSED MILLION DOLLARS IN NEW FUNDING, UM, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A TOTAL RESOURCES OF A MILLION AND A HALF, WHICH IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT AGAIN, COMPARED TO WHERE THE PROGRAM STARTED AT $250,000.
UM, HOW DOES RIGHT TO COUNCIL WORK? WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS IT HELPS PEOPLE, UH, BUT THERE IS LIMITED, UM, UH, OVERHEAD FOR THE CITY.
UH, WE, UH, RELY ON THE COUNTY TO COORDINATE THE PROGRAM AND THEN NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDERS PROVIDE THE PROGRAM.
THEY DO DIRECT OUTREACH TO TENANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE AND THAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE SHOULD THEY NEED THEM.
THEY DO TENANT NAVIGATION AND WORKSHOPS.
NAVIGATION IS WHERE YOU MATCH A CLIENT, A TENANT WITH VARIOUS SERVICES THAT COULD BE, UM, GETTING TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS.
IT COULD ALSO BE LOOKING FOR OTHER HOUSING OR OTHER SOFT LANDING OPTIONS, AND THEN THEY PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES.
SO, UM, SOME OF THAT IS LIMITED SCOPE, PROVIDING ADVICE, UH, TO THE CLIENT.
AND THEN SOME OF IT IS WHAT'S CALLED FULL SCOPE, WHICH IS PROVIDING, UH, REPRESENTATION THROUGH, THROUGH THE COURT PROCESS FOR THE UD.
UM, WHILE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROVIDES WHAT WE CALL A SOFT LANDING, AND IT HELPS PEOPLE BE REPRESENTED IN COURT.
IF SOMEONE CANNOT AFFORD THEIR RENT IN THE LONG TERM, UM, THEY DO NEED OTHER OPTIONS.
AND WE WORK TOGETHER AT CD AND, UH, HEALTH TO PROVIDE THOSE OTHER OPTIONS.
SO THAT MEANS, UH, DIRECT INVESTMENTS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL AS, UH, VARIOUS HOUSING PROGRAMS INCLUDING OPERATING, UH, THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
SO LOOKING FORWARD, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC WITH NEW FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING COUNTY MEASURE, A FOCUS ON OUR INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION, INVESTING IN REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND ASSESSING AND EVALUATING, UH, WHAT WORKS BEST.
AND WHAT WE, UH, BELIEVE IN ARE UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS.
SO WE DO NEED TO PROVIDE RIGHT TO COUNSEL, WE NEED TO, UM, PROVIDE REPRESENTATION AND THAT RELIEF AT THAT FINAL MOMENT TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOME AND HAVE A SOFT LANDING.
BUT WHAT WE NEED EQUALLY, OR EVEN MORE OUR UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS THAT PROVIDE A BETTER HOUSING ENVIRONMENT, PROVIDE FOLKS, UH, WITH AFFORDABLE PLACES TO LIVE AND WHILE THEY'RE WAITING FOR AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE, UM, LIMITED SHALLOW SUBSIDY AND OTHER ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, THAT'S OUR OVERVIEW OF, UM, RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND TENANT ASSISTANCE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR KUNTZ, UM, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF JUST CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
[00:35:01]
TO SLIDE EIGHT, UM, AND I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, UM, WE'VE HAD THE, THE COUNTIES HAD, UH, WE'LL SAY, YOU SAID IT NICELY, YOU SAID THEY'VE HAD DIFFICULTY SPENDING THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED, UH, TO THE PROGRAM FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.UM, AND SO WE'LL HAVE THAT CARRY OVER, IT LOOKS LIKE, OF THAT 432,000 FROM THIS FISCAL YEAR INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT WE STARTED OUT WITH AN ALLOCATION OF ABOUT 250 K WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM.
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE, UM, PREVIOUS ALLOCATIONS AND OR, AND OR, UH, CARRYOVERS WE'VE HAD IN PREVIOUS YEARS? DO YOU KNOW? YES.
UM, BUT IN, UM, 2021 WE STARTED AT, YOU KNOW, A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, DURING THE FOLLOWING, UM, YEAR WE ADDED ABOUT $680,000, UH, TO WHAT WAS ALLOCATED OVER TO THE COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN THERE WERE, UM, 200,001 TIMES THAT WERE ADDED IN, UM, THE FALL OF 2023.
UM, AND THEN, UM, FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, UM, THAT WE ARE IN, UM, THERE WAS A MILLION DOLLARS ALLOCATED.
SO THE COUNTY, UM, HAS IMPROVED A COUPLE THINGS.
THERE ARE SPEND RATE, SO IF YOU LOOK AT JUST THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, THEY ARE NOW, UH, APPROACHING A SPEND RATE THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE FUNDING THAT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED, WHEREAS BEFORE THEY WERE BELOW.
SO IT WASN'T JUST THAT WE WERE GETTING MORE BEHIND EVERY MONTH BECAUSE WE WERE ALLOCATING MORE MONEY THAN WAS BEING SPENT AT THE COUNTY.
UM, THE OTHER THING, AND I SYMPATHIZE 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GREAT AT THIS EITHER.
UH, I THINK IN THE EARLY YEARS THE COUNTY, SOMETIMES THE INVOICES WOULD GET BEHIND AND THAT WOULD MAKE IT REALLY DIFFICULT ON BOTH SIDES.
UM, FOR US TO CORRECTLY, UM, BUDGET, UH, THE, THE SPEND RATE AND, AND HOW MUCH FUNDING SHOULD BE ALLOCATED.
UM, GOING FORWARD, THE COUNTY IS VERY INTERESTED IN EXPANDING, UM, THIS PROGRAM, BUT IT HAS BEEN FUNDED ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS, BOTH HERE AT THE CITY AND AT THE COUNTY, WHICH HAS MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO, UH, FIGURE THINGS OUT, SUCH AS HOW MANY STAFF ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM, WHAT CONTRACTS THEY ENTER INTO WITH, UH, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
UM, BACK IN 21, 22, THE IDEA WAS THAT OTHER, UM, CITIES WOULD SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, BUT THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN THE CASE.
UM, SO, SO THE PROGRAM HAS HAD MANY CHALLENGES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HAS ASSISTED, UH, MANY RESIDENTS INCLUDING HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND AS IT STANDS, UM, FOR THE, THE COUNTY PROGRAM, THE TWO CITIES THAT BASICALLY GIVE FUNDING FOR IT CURRENTLY ARE LA AND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND OUR PROGRAM, WE DIRECTLY PROVIDE FUNDS, UM, TO THE COUNTY.
THE LA CITY MODEL IS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
SOME OF IT'S DONE AT LA CITY IN COOPERATION WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, BUT YEAH, THOSE ARE THE PARTICIPANTS.
UNINCORPORATED COUNTY, CITY OF LONG BEACH AND CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
UH, AND THEN A COUPLE, JUST A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS.
IT WAS JUST CLARIFICATION FOR ME.
SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED ON SLIDE NINE ON THE LEGAL SERVICES, SO THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED LIMITED SCOPE AND THEN FULL SCOPE.
UM, AND SO, UM, I, I IMAGINE THE FULL SCOPE BEING CASES THAT REQUIRE MORE SUPPORT, MORE FUNDING, ET CETERA.
DO WE HAVE AN IDEA? SO I'M, DO WE, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPEND ON THE FULL SCOPE VERSUS THE LIMITED SCOPE OR HOW MUCH THE COUNTY SPENDS? I, I ASSUME I DON'T HAVE THAT BROKEN OUT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHEN YOU ALLOCATE ALL THE CASES, WE'RE PAYING LESS THAN $2,000 PER CASE, WHICH IS AN AMAZING DEAL, UM, TO GET, UM, LEGAL SERVICES, EVEN A LIMITED SCOPE CASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE ATTORNEY IS ENGAGED WITH THE CLIENT AND IS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE BUT DOESN'T PHYSICALLY GO TO COURT.
UM, THEY MAY BE HELPING THE TENANT, UH, PROVIDE A WRITTEN RESPONSE, THEIR LANDLORD, THEY MAY EVEN TALK TO THE LANDLORD AND COME, UH, TO AN OUT OF, UH, COURT, UM, ARRANGEMENT.
UM, THAT'S STILL WORKING THE CASE VERSUS A FULL SCOPE CASE MEANS THAT THE ATTORNEY IS, UM, PRESENTING IN FRONT OF A JUDICIAL OFFICER AT A, AT A HEARING.
UH, AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS JUST, UM, WHAT DENOTES TENANT NAVIGATION? SO I KNOW, I SEE HERE IT'S LIKE NAVIGATION WORKSHOPS, ATTENDEES IS NAVIGATION NAVIGATING THEM TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE? YEAH, SO TENANT NAVIGATION TAKES MANY FORMS AND THE SAME CLIENT
[00:40:01]
MAY RECEIVE MANY POINTS OF NAVIGATION AND EACH ONE IS COUNTED.IT COULD BE A REFERRAL, UM, TO OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY TO GET ON A WAIT LIST.
IT COULD BE A REFERRAL TO A HOUSING PROVIDER TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET INTO A SUBSIDIZED UNIT.
IT COULD BE, UM, THAT THE REASON THE PERSON CAN'T MAKE RENT IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE CHILDCARE AND THEY CAN'T WORK 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CHILDCARE.
SO IT COULD BE A REFERRAL TO A SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE PROGRAM.
EACH ONE OF THOSE, UH, POINTS OF REFERRAL IS A NAVIGATION.
UM, AND THAT'S COUNTED IN THE STATISTICS.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU, VICE MAYOR RANGA? I, I JUST HAVE ONE IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, UH, REASONS FOR TENANTS BEING REMOVED.
UH, YOU HAVE IT HERE ABOUT, UH, NINE, FIVE, NO FOUR, UH, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.
THAT HAS BEEN A BIG STICKING POINT, UH, FOR, UH, TENANT RIGHTS IN REGARDS TO WHY YOU'RE BEING EVICTED OR WHY YOU'RE BEING, UM, DENIED CONTINUING HOUSING.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITION OF THAT.
HOW CLOSE ARE WE OR ARE WE EVEN DEALING WITH, WITH THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS OR WHEN IS NOT A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL? WELL, WE DO HAVE A DEFINITION, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT A GREAT DEFINITION AND IT NEEDS SOME WORK.
WE DO HAVE A DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.
SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL IS WORK, UM, THAT, UH, REQUIRES, UH, THE REMOVAL OF THE TENANT FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE A TEAM, UM, IN OUR HOUSING AND BUILDING GROUPS THAT LOOK AT THOSE.
I KNOW THIS IS A TOPIC OF GREAT, UH, INTEREST, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS, UM, NUMBER IN THE LOW HUNDREDS.
IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EPIDEMIC, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND ONE IS, IS TOO MANY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE PERSON SUBJECTED TO THAT.
SO, UM, I THINK WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING NOW IS JUST THE, THE BUDGETARY INFORMATION.
BUT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER THRESH INTO HAS ASKED US TO PRESENT TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE THIS FALL ABOUT THE STATE OF, UM, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND, AND WHAT CHANGES, UH, COULD BE MADE.
WE'VE DONE SOME COMMUNITY WORK AND, AND DIDN'T FIND A LOT OF CONSENSUS, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SECOND STAB AT THAT, UM, NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, UM, COMING OUT, UH, IN THE MONTHS AHEAD AND, AND PRESENTING, UH, THAT TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
OKAY, WELL, I NEED TO WORK ON THAT DEFINITION BECAUSE AS YOU SAY, RIGHT NOW, IT'S, UH, A PROJECT THAT MIGHT TAKE 30 OR MORE DAYS THAT WILL REQUIRE THE TENANT TO VACATE THAT AREA.
BUT WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY DONE MIGHT NOT MEAN.
THAT MIGHT BE A FLOOR, MIGHT BE A WALL.
NOTHING REALLY, IN MY DEFINITION, SUBSTANTIAL FOR A REMODEL, UH, IN MY DEFINITION OF REMODEL IS, YOU KNOW, KNOCKING DOWN WALLS, UH, OVER 50% OF THE DWELLING WOULD BE UNDER RECONSTRUCTION PER SE.
SO SAY THAT IT'S DIRTY DAYS OR MORE, IT IS NOT, IT'S NOT A GOOD DEFINITION FOR ME.
IT'S GOTTA BE LIKE, WHAT'S THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE DEFINITION OF A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL IN ORDER TO GET THE TENANT TO VACATE THE AREA FOR 30 DAYS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF MASTER, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF WHAT IS A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL TO A BUILDING, TO AN APARTMENT, TO A BUSINESS, WHATEVER THAT WOULD REQUIRE A PERSON OR A FAMILY TO VACATE THAT AREA FOR 30 OR MORE DAYS.
DO WE HAVE THAT DEFINITION? DO WE KNOW? WHAT IS I, I, I HEAR YOU, UH, COUNCIL, UH, VICE MAYOR AND WE DO HAVE THE DEFINITION AND, AND WE WORK THROUGH THAT EVERY DAY.
BUT I ALSO HEAR, UH, YOUR COMMENTS AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT AND I'M GLAD TO REPORT BACK ON THAT.
UM, SEEING NO COMMENTS FROM, UH, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE DIOCESE.
I WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
AGAIN, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND IN FORM LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
ONCE THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, UH, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD FOR THIS ITEM.
LOOKS LIKE WE MAYBE GOT THREE OF YOU, THREE FOLKS GOING ONCE.
[00:45:01]
OKAY.I CAN BE AUCTIONEER LIKE 2, 3, 4, MAYBE GOING 4, 4, 4.
IS THERE FIVE? FIVE, JESSE? FIVE? NO.
MY NAME IS SHAYLA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF LANE'S LBGE TEAM.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOCATING 1 MILLION OF NEW FUNDS TOWARDS, UM, THE EVICTION DEFENSE PROGRAM RIGHT TO COUNCIL.
UM, BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THAT THE BUDGET GO FURTHER AND ALLOCATE A FULL 2 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR THE LI TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, BOTH WHICH PLAY A ROLE IN PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT AND CREATING LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I ALSO WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
NOW'S THE TIME FOR MEASURE A TO FULFILL ITS PROMISE TO VOTERS AND DIRECT NEW FUNDS TOWARDS RULE SOLUTIONS LIKE EVICTION, DEFENSE AND INNOVATIVE HOUSING MODELS.
UM, INNOVATIVE HOUSING MODELS AT COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
57% OF LONG BEACH VOTERS SAID YES TO MEASURE A, WE NEED STRONG, WE NEED TO PAIR STRONG TENANT PROTECTIONS WITH PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND KEEP LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HOUSED FOR GOOD.
ALTHOUGH THE PROPOSED BUDGET STATES THAT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM WILL RECEIVE 1.5, 1.5 MILLION IN FUNDING, IT ALSO STATES THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE FUNDS ARE ROLLOVER FUNDS FROM LAST YEAR AND THEY'RE ON TRACK TO BEING SPENT ON ARE AND ARE NOT NEW INVESTMENTS.
THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY IS ONLY INVESTING ABOUT 500,000 NEW DOLLARS TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM, BUT, AND IT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WITH LONG BEACH RESIDENTS NEED ARE STRONGER PROTECTIONS LIKE EVICTION DEFENSE AND REAL SOLUTIONS TO KEEP THEM HOUSED AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
MY NAME IS BRANDI DAVIDSON AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR BLM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LIBRE.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION TO THE TENANT RIGHTS TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, WHICH PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT.
AS WE ALL KNOW, EVICTIONS ARE STILL ONE OF THE TOP CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS WE'RE SEEING IN OUR CITY.
AND INVESTING IN A STRONGER RIGHTS COUNCIL PROGRAM WOULD MEET THE URGENCY OF THE MOMENT AND CREATE HOUSING STABILITY.
I'VE WORKED DIRECTLY HELPING WITH TENANT NAVIGATIONS AND KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS PROGRAM IS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN REITERATING THAT WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY ROLLOVER FUNDS AND THIS THURSDAY, THE DCBA, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE CITY AND LALA AS WELL AS LIBRE WILL MEET TO REVIEW THE ALLEGED ROLLOVER FUNDS.
WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU WAIT TO REVISE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE PROGRAM UNTIL AFTER THIS MEETING OCCURS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH COMPLETE CARE CLARITY AND CERTAINTY.
UM, LASTLY, I ALSO JUST WANNA SUPPORT, UM, $2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AS WELL.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIN FOLEY AND I HAVE LIVED IN LONG BEACH FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS AND IN DISTRICT ONE FOR THE OVER A DECADE.
AND THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER.
I'M HERE ASKING THAT WE FULFILL THE PROMISES MADE TO ALL VOTERS WHO ARE MOBILIZED TO VOTE FOR MEASURE A AND DIRECT NEW FUNDS TO REAL SOLUTIONS LIKE THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL AND INNOVATIVE HOUSING MODELS LIKE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS.
WE NEED TO PAIR STRONG TENANT PROTECTIONS WITH THE PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO KEEP LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HOUSED FOR GOOD.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET STATES THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM WILL RECEIVE 1.5 MILLION IN FUNDING.
BUT AS MENTIONED, A SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THOSE FUNDS ARE ROLLOVER FUNDS FROM LAST YEAR THAT ARE ON TRACK TO BEING SPENT AND ARE NOT NEW INVESTMENTS.
YET THE WORK TO REACH TENANTS FACING EVICTION HAS BEEN FULLY OPERATIONAL AND EXCEEDING ALL DELIVERABLES.
IF YOU COUNT THESE ROLLOVERS AS PART OF THE CURRENT BUDGET, THAT MEANS WHAT IS PROPOSED IS NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS RENTER.
WE NEED ROBUST FUNDING FOR EVICTION DEFENSE.
WE NEED A MORE EQUAL PLAYING FIELD FOR THIS REAL LIFE STRESSOR THAT CAN SO OFTEN BE A PRECURSOR TO HOMELESSNESS.
AS BRANDI, MY COLLEAGUE SAID RIGHT BEFORE THIS THURSDAY, DCBA, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE CITY LALA AND LIBRE WILL MEET TO REVIEW THESE ROLLOVER FUNDS AND WE ASK THAT YOU WAIT TO REVISE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE PROGRAM UNTIL AFTER THIS MEETING FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET, I'M JOINING MY COMMUNITY IN ASKING YOU TO DIRECT NEW FUNDS FROM MEASURE A FOR 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, AS WELL AS 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME SPEAK HERE.
MY NAME IS PAMELA WEST AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE COOLIDGE TRIANGLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BUT I AM ALSO A LONG BEACH PRESIDENT, LONGTIME LONG BEACH PRESIDENT.
WHAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING IN RUNNING INTO SOME OF THE CLIENTS THAT I HELP, THEY ARE, UM, FACING WITH EVICTION AND SOME OF THEM ARE WITH SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE, UH, REMODEL OR WHICHEVER.
UM, I'M ASKING THAT LONG BEACH BE PROACTIVE IN HELPING THE TENANTS THAT THE OWNERS ARE ASKING TO BE EXITED TO FOR
[00:50:01]
LONG BEACH, TO INITIATE SOMETHING WITH RESOURCES TO HELP THE PERSONS THAT ARE BEING, UH, REMOVED.BECAUSE MANY TIMES THEY END UP NOT BEING PLACED BACK IN WHEN THE REMODEL IS OVER AND THEN THEY END UP HOMELESS OR LOOKING FOR MORE HOUSING OTHER PLACES AND OTHER CITIES.
HI, MY NAME'S KATHLEEN ADAMS. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO US TODAY.
UM, I WAS PART OF THE GROUP THAT HELPED PASS, UM, MEASURE A BY GOING DOOR TO DOOR, INCLUDING, UM, OTHER MEASURES.
AND WHILE I DID THAT, I TOLD PEOPLE WHEN I SHOOK THEIR HAND, WE ARE GONNA HELP PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING HOMELESS.
SO I ENDORSED AND FULLY THAT $2 MILLION IS OF RESIDENT IN DISTRICT FOUR, UM, AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO FULLY FUND THE $2 MILLION AND ALSO TO SAVE MY FACE.
'CAUSE I TOLD THEM WE WOULD DO THAT.
WHILE, WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, MY, UH, SEVERAL FRIENDS OF MINE, UH, WERE GIVEN EVICTION NOTICES AND ALSO WERE TREATED HOSTILELY BY THEIR LANDLORDS.
UM, AND SO FOR THE CASE WHERE A RESIDENT IS BEING TREATED BADLY, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT COVERED IN THIS POSSIBILITY.
UM, WE HELPED HER MOVE IN AN EMERGENCY.
SHE WAS STRESSED OUT HER, I MEAN, IT, IT WAS HORRIBLE MENTAL STRESS.
AND SO I SEE THIS AS AN INTERSECTIONAL THING AS WELL WITH THE EQUITY DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE NEED TO PUT THE WHOLE BUNDLE OF SERVICES TOGETHER, NOT JUST, UM, THE GO TO THE WEBSITE AND READ WHAT IT IS.
IF YOU GET A NOTICE FOR AN EVICTION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HAVE MORE HEART IN OUR RESPONSE TO OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN EVICTION NOTICE AND ARE BEING TREATED BADLY BY THEIR, UM, LANDLORDS.
ALSO, I THINK YOU'VE BEEN HERE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE COME FROM THE HOMELESS SHELTER AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR ABUSE AND IT BREAKS MY HEART AND SORRY TO HEAR.
AND HOW IS, IS THERE ANY HELP FOR THEM TO GO, YOU KNOW, TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T NEED HOUSING.
UM, AND UM, AND SO MY FRIENDS WERE TOLD, THERE ARE NO SERVICES FOR YOU UNLESS YOU'RE, UM, EVICTED.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT NOT BE THE RESPONSE WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO GET HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF ADVOCACY TO MEDIATE WITH THEIR LANDLORD, UM, IN THE CASE, ESPECIALLY OF WHEN THEY'RE BEING MISTREATED.
I HEARD A FEW WEEKS BACK IN CITY COUNCIL, SOMEONE TESTIFIED FOR THAT.
NEXT SPEAKER, I, UH, THANK YOU.
AND MY NAME IS JOSH TEON WITH LONG BEACH FOR JUST ECONOMY.
UM, REALLY DO ECHO A LOT OF, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WAS SHARED WITH, UH, LBJE FOLKS, LIBRE FOLKS.
I DO WANT TO KIND OF JUST ADD ONE ADDITIONAL THREAD THAT WE'VE HEARD IN A LOT OF THESE PRESENTATIONS, UM, WHICH IS THE IMPACT THAT A LACK OF STRUCTURAL FUNDING HAS ON THE EFFICACY OF PROGRAMS, ON THE SPEND DOWN OF PROGRAMS AND ON THE LONG-TERM PLANNING, UH, FOR BOTH THE, UH, LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AS WELL AS WITH, UH, RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAMS. SO MUCH THAT IS KIND OF ONE TIME, UH, FUNDING THAT FOLKS ARE NOT ABLE TO PLAN YEAR OVER YEAR FOUR.
UH, WE'RE HEARING THAT IN THE PRESENTATIONS THAT THERE'S A DIRECT IMPACT ON BEING ABLE TO, UH, DO THE MULTI-YEAR PLANNING NECESSARY FOR THESE PROGRAMS TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
AND I'M HEARING SO MUCH CREATIVITY, SCRAPPINESS INNOVATION FROM OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, WORKING WITH THE, UH, THE HOPEFUL ASSUMPTION OF X AMOUNT OF FUNDS EVERY YEAR, BUT NOT THE GUARANTEE.
AND WHAT THIS IS TELLING ME IS WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF LONG TERM AND SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL FUNDS FOR ALL OF THESE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR OUR RENTERS, FOR UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, FOR ALL OF THESE GROUPS.
UM, BECAUSE YOU CAN HIRE THE BETTER LAWYERS, YOU CAN HIRE THE LONG TERM CONTRACTS, YOU CAN HAVE THIS SORT OF SUSTAINABILITY WHEN YOU CAN LOOK AHEAD IN ALMOST EVERY OTHER BUSINESS IN THE WORLD.
UM, YOU'RE NOT GUESSING ON THE MAJORITY OF YOUR BUDGET COMING IN YEAR OVER YEAR, RIGHT? UM, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THESE SORT OF 10 ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, THAT LACK OF PREDICTABILITY REALLY HAS A MATERIAL IMPACT ON THE IMPACT THEY CAN THEN CARRY.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S A THEME THAT I THINK WE'RE HEARING IN SO MANY OF THE BUDGET ADVOCACY WE'VE HAD.
SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE WANNA CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS IS HOW DO WE GET A HIGHER LEVEL OF STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THESE PROGRAMS SO THEY CAN BE AS IMPACTFUL AS THEY CAN BE SO THAT THEIR SCRAPPINESS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE NORM, UH, AND, AND, AND REALLY WANT TO GIVE THE SPACE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO, UH, NOT BE STRETCHED CONSTANTLY AS WE, AS THEY DO THIS WORK.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT IT'S A THING WE KEEP HEARING FOR THESE PROGRAMS THAT SERVE OUR MOST MARGINALIZED.
UM, SEEING THAT, THAT IS THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE.
THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE.
[00:55:03]
MOTION CARRIES.ITEM FOUR IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE COUNCIL DISTRICT CORRESPONDENCE.
ALL RIGHT, SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT CORRESPONDENCE FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX, AND I THINK WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE
[4. 25-56170 Recommendation to receive and file Council District correspondence. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX HERE, UM, FOR SOME ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS.THIS ONE WAS ADDED A LITTLE BIT LATE ON OUR, ON THE, THE CITY'S PART.
UM, UM, WOULD CD SIX WANNA COME UP AND JUST KIND OF JUST BRIEFLY PRESENT WHAT THAT REQUEST IS? UM, HELLO.
UM, CD SIX IS REQUESTING TO ALLOCATE RDA FUNDS SOURCED FROM CENTRAL LONG BEACH TO BE RESERVED FOR CENTRAL LONG BEACH OLYMPIC PREPARATIONS AND EVENT ACTIVATIONS.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY CURRENTLY TO FLESH OUT WHAT EXACTLY THOSE EVENTS WOULD BE.
IT WOULD BE THINGS LIKE, SUCH AS A MUSIC HOUSE, EVENTS, WATCH PARTIES, ET CETERA.
UH, YOU SAID THESE WERE, AND THESE ARE RDA FUNDS, CORRECT? YES.
UM, SO I'LL ASK CITY STAFF, COULD CITY STAFF JUST CLARIFY AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHAT THE, WHAT RDA FUNDS ARE? YES.
UH, RDA FUNDS ALSO KNOWN AS, UH, FORMER SUCCESSOR AGENCY LAND SALES ARE SALES FROM PREVIOUS PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY THAT GO.
THE FUNDING FROM THOSE SALES GOES TOWARDS, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN, UH, THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THOSE ARE INTENDED FOR.
SO WE HAVE A BALANCE OF THOSE FUNDS, WHICH IS OUTLINED WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET ON, ON PROPOSED, UM, PROGRAMS. UH, COULD YOU GIVE US JUST LIKE A, A BRIEF, UM, OVERVIEW OF HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET? YES.
LET ME PULL UP THAT TABLE REALLY QUICK.
UH, SO THEY'RE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED ACROSS, UH, THE AREAS OF THE CITY, CITYWIDE CENTRAL, DOWNTOWN NORTH AND WEST, UM, OVER A RANGE OF PROGRAMS SUCH AS, UH, RAPID RESPONSE GROW, LONG BEACH REVOLVING LOAN FUND, BUSINESS SUPPORT OFFICE, DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION AND EVENTS, PUBLIC REALM AND VISUAL IMPROVEMENTS, SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING, DISTRICT PLANNING, VIP, SAFE AND SECURE GRANTS, UH, PILOT FOR THE FIRST YEAR FREE PROGRAM, ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING CORRIDOR INITIATIVES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NONPROFIT CONTRIBUTION, NORTH LONG BEACH HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER, EL MERCADO DAY LONG BEACH, UH, MIDBLOCK IMPROVEMENTS WALK OF FAME, UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S AN ADVERTISING DISTRICT AND THAT'S A MAJORITY OF THE PROGRAMS SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, NOW MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WHEN WE HAVE RDA DOLLARS RIGHT, IT'S FROM THE SALE OF A PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
UM, AND SO TYPICALLY WHEN YOU SELL THAT PROPERTY IN A SPECIFIC AREA, THAT THOSE FUNDS THEN REMAIN IN THAT AREA.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IN THIS, THAT THE KIND OF BUDGET ALLOCATION WOULD, WOULD DISPERSE THOSE.
DO WE NEED ANY KIND OF SPECIAL LIKE DECISION OR HOW, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? UH, ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT KIND OF GOING ACROSS DIFFERENT AREAS? YEAH, SO IF WE'RE NOT GONNA KEEP THOSE FUNDS IN THE AREA IN WHICH THEY, THE PROPERTIES WERE SOLD AND THEN WE'RE GONNA KIND OF DISPERSE THOSE FUNDS ACROSS THE CITY, UM, DO WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF SPECIAL EXEMPTION OR EXCEPTION THAT'S MADE IN ORDER TO DO THAT? YES.
UH, THERE ACTUALLY IS A PROPOSED EXCEPTION IN THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS MORE FOR THE USE, NOT NECESSARILY THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION.
SO THAT COULD BE, AS COUNCIL POLICY DID DIRECT THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THE FUNDS COUNSEL CAN ALSO CREATE ANOTHER POLICY TO MAKE THAT EXEMPTION.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, CD SIX.
WE'LL TAKE YOUR REQUEST UNDER CONSIDERATION.
UM, ANY AND NO QUESTIONS, SO, UM, I'LL GO THROUGH ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ONE.
SEEING NONE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND REVOKE TO RECEIVE AND FILE MOTION CARRIES.
UH, NEXT ITEM, ITEM FIVE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENCE.
[5. 25-56171 Recommendation to receive and file community correspondence. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
SO I THINK THE, THERE WERE TWO ATTACHMENTS, RIGHT? FIVE A AND FIVE B THAT WERE BOTH CORRESPONDENCES RELATED TO THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. UM, THEY'RE BOTH PRESENTING DATA AND LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO ADVOCATE FOR INVESTMENT IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT[01:00:01]
AND COMMUNITY AND HEALTH-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION SOLUTIONS.UM, VICE MAYOR RANGA, ARE YOU OKAY TAKING BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS TOGETHER? GREAT.
UM, SO BEFORE I DISCUSS, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC THINGS ACTUALLY, I THINK THIS IS RELATED TO A DIFFERENT ITEM.
OH, I ACTUALLY JUST HAD, UH, I ACTUALLY JUST HAD A QUESTION, UM, RELATED TO THIS ONE.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO INVESTMENT IN OUR, UM, OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. AND WE'VE HAD, UM, CONVERSATION AND ADVOCACY AROUND IT, THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, BUDGET CYCLE, AS WELL AS PREVIOUS BUDGET CYCLES.
UM, AND ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT'S COME UP, UM, A LOT IS AROUND, UM, OUR SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAM.
SO I HAD A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO, UH, SAFE PASSAGE.
UH, IS THERE A PRIORITIZED LIST, UM, THAT THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TEAM CAN PROVIDE US, PERHAPS IN CONSULTATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IDENTIFIES WHERE THE, UM, THE LARGEST OR, UM, BIGGEST NEED IS IN THE CITY FOR THE EXISTING SAFE PASSAGE SITES.
UM, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, COULD WE ALSO DETERMINE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO OPERATE THAT SITE? YES.
WE CAN RETURN WITH A FOLLOW UP FOR THAT.
UH, AND THEN IN ADDITION, UM, IS IT POSSIBLE, CAN WE, CAN I REQUEST A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MUCH HAS ALREADY BEEN RECOMMENDED, UM, IN THE CITY MANAGERS AND MAYOR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EACH OF THE CATEGORIES THAT'S REFERENCED IN THAT ATTACHED LETTER? YES, WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE, UM, HOW MUCH IS CURRENTLY, UM, ALLOCATED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
SOMETIMES BECAUSE IT'S ALLOCATED ACROSS, UM, MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, UH, IN THE CITY, UM, OR PERHAPS ALSO WITH ENHANCEMENT IN THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT, YOU DON'T ALWAYS SEE, UM, ALL THE WAYS THAT WE'RE INVESTING.
AND SO THIS WAY I THINK IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE, UM, WHERE THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE BEING MADE.
AND WITH THAT, ANY, ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ONE? UH, OKAY, WONDERFUL.
UH, SO NO COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUE ON THAT ONE.
UH, SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE AGAIN TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
AND ONCE THIS, THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, AGAIN, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD.
WE ALL GOOD? ANYONE ELSE? OH, HERE WE GO.
AND FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANNA APPRECIATE, UH, THIS, UH, BODY FOR MEETING WITH US.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MEET WITH ALL OF THE OFFICES, SO WE APPRECIATE EXTENDING, UH, TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ON OUR REQUEST, BUT ALSO DIVE DEEPER INTO THE DATA, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE PROPOSED TODAY TO CITY STAFF, UH, N NEXT WEEK ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, UH, YOU ALL WILL BE RECEIVING A PRESENTATION FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON SAFE PASSAGES.
UM, SO THOSE QUESTIONS CAN BE DIVERTED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SO THEY'RE PREPARED, UM, TO PRESENT ON THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UH, IN REGARDS TO THE LARGEST NEED, THERE ARE A COMBINATION OF BOTH THE VIOLENCE THAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO VIOLENCE THAT IS HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE REQUEST FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A FRIENDLY, UH, REQUEST OF INFORMATION FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO UNDERSTAND, UH, HOW MANY INCIDENCES OF VIOLENCE OR CONFLICT IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS AND OUTSIDE THE SCHOOLS.
UH, SAFE PASSAGE AS A WHOLE IS A PROGRAM THAT MERGES BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE STRATEGIES TO, UH, ALLEVIATE TENSION, UH, BUILD COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE THOSE SAFE PASSAGES INTO AND FROM SCHOOL.
UM, SO THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE CAN EXPLORE.
UH, I BELIEVE THERE USED TO BE A, A, A EDUCATION COMMITTEE, UH, THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR IS SUPPOSED TO BE CHAIRING, BUT THEY HAVE NOT MET ALL YEAR OR SINCE THE EXCEPTION, UM, OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, SO THAT'S MAYBE SOMETHING TO REVITALIZE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UH, IN REGARDS TO THE COST OF SITES, THERE'S TWO MODELS.
UH, THERE'S A PARAPROFESSIONAL MODEL THAT, UM, COSTS 300,000 FOR A YEAR, AND THEN THERE'S A VOLUNTEER MODEL, UH, THAT COSTS, UH, 90,000 A YEAR, UM, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UH, ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY IS INVESTING IN ARE BELOW THOSE, UM, THOSE AMOUNTS.
UH, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY UNDERPAYING OUR, UM, OUR VENDORS, UH, IN PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, FUNDRAISE IN OTHER WAYS TO, TO FILL THE GAPS ON, ON THEIR END.
UH, IN REGARDS TO, UH, HOW MUCH HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR.
UH, IN THE SECOND ITEM, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE B, WE PROVIDED A A TABLE OF HOW MUCH OUR PRIORITY REQUEST IS, UH, WHICH
[01:05:01]
IS $5 MILLION, AND THEN HOW MUCH THE MAYOR, UH, ALLOCATED, UM, IN HIS PROPOSAL OUTSIDE OF THE MAYOR, THERE'S, UH, A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WERE ALLOCATED TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVES.BUT I WOULD LOVE TO, TO LEARN WHERE ELSE, UH, IS VIOLENCE PREVENTION BEING INVESTED IN.
UH, MY KEY TAKEAWAY TODAY IS THERE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE, UH, PROVIDED IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL.
I THINK, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS BODY AND CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IS HOW CAN WE INSTRUCT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME GOAL AND PARTNER IN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE THE MOST IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER, SO THAT IF WE CAN'T FIND THE MONEY, AT LEAST WE'RE USING WHAT WE HAVE FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL.
NEXT COMMENT, PUBLIC COMMENTOR.
AND I JUST ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION OF RECOGNITION.
AT TIMES WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH COVID, THEY TOOK THE COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT FUNDS AND USED THEM FOR THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AS GOING THROUGH THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING OVER TODAY, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING WITH THE, UM, COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANTS THAT ALLOW NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO HAVE FUNDS THAT WRITE GRANTS.
AND, UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF ANYBODY WAS AWARE AND DIDN'T, UM, REALIZE THAT WE STILL NEED THOSE COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDS TO, UM, HAVE ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES FOR OUR NEIGHBORS IN EACH OTHER, DIFFERENT DISTRICT AND COUNCIL.
I LIVE IN, UH, DISTRICT EIGHT, SO WE JUST STARTED WRITING GRANTS AND BEING ABLE TO DO MORE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WASN'T DOING, UM, AS MANY ACTIVITIES AND, AND BEING RESOURCEFUL TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF I CAN EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WRITE GRANTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
I AM THE CBI PROGRAMS MANAGER AT LOS CENTRO CHA.
AND ALSO I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ONE LONG BEACH COLLABORATIVE AND ALSO ME MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE IN THE LONG BEACH ADVANCING PIECE.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA BEGIN BY EXPRESSING, UM, MY, MY GRATITUDE FOR THE ONGOING COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, I RESPECTFULLY URGED, UM, TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE REMAINING $1.54 MILLION NEEDED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THIS, UM, FISCAL YEAR.
AS COMMUNITY NEEDS CONTINUE TO GROW, UM, THESE INVESTMENTS IN PREVENTION ARE VERY TIMELY, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO HEALING AND SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UM, THESE, THE LETTER THAT WE DID PROVIDE FOR OUR CITY LEADERS IS GROUNDED IN THE ONE LONG BEACH, UM, COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WAS LED BY THE COLLABORATIVE IN SPRING OF 2024.
UM, OVER 17 THOU 1,700 RESIDENTS, UM, SHARED THEIR CONCERNS AROUND VIOLENCE, DISINVESTMENT, AND THE LACK OF ACCESS TO SERVICES.
50% OF THOSE RESPOND, UM, RE 50% OF OUR, UM, PARTICIPANTS, UM, SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T REPORT CRIME.
50% OF CRIME INCIDENT DIDN'T REPORT, UM, WEREN'T REPORTED DUE TO THE LACK OF SUPPORT, WHETHER THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, THEY DIDN'T, UM, GET THE RIGHT PAPERWORK OR RIGHT SERVICES.
AND THEN RESIDENTS FROM THE 9 0 8 13 9 0 8 0 5 9 0 9 0 8 6 IDENTIFIED ECONOMIC DISINVESTMENT AS PART OF THE CAUSE OF VIOLENCE.
AND THEN LASTLY, ANOTHER POINT OF THE SURVEY IS THAT THEY CALLED FOR SAFE, UM, SPACES, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND CULTURALLY, UH, ROOTED IN, UM, INTERVENTIONS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE LEAD TO OUR THREE PRIORITIES OF INVESTING IN THE 600,000 FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS.
THE REMAINING, UM, TO FILL THE GAP FOR THE 500,000 FOR SAFE PASSAGES AND IN THE 300,000 FOR HEALING RESPONSES, BECAUSE IN THE DATA IN THE LETTER THAT WE INCLUDED, WHICH WAS, UM, HAD CRIME DATA COLLECTED FROM THE LONG BEACH POLICE NEWS ARCHIVE OR THE BLOTTER, WE COMPILED DATA FROM 2024 TO 2025.
UM, AND WE HOPE TO SHARE, UM, OUR MAPS THAT WE, UM, CREATED.
IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT THOSE, UM, ZIP CODES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE SURVEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE HOT SPOTS FOR ALL VIOLENT CRIME HOMICIDES AND SHOOTINGS, UM, AND PARTICULARLY BEING VERY HIGH IN THE EIGHTH AND NINTH, NINTH DISTRICT, AND THEN ALSO IN THE FIRST AND SIXTH DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL EAST AREA.
SO, UM, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR
[01:10:01]
YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.MY NAME IS ISSA URIARTE SMITH, AND I AM THE NEW DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP.
LAST WEEK WE SUBMITTED A LETTER, UM, OF SUPPORT FOR THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT FOR THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
I AM GOING TO READ HIGHLIGHTS FROM THAT LETTER.
WE APPLAUD THE CITY FOR RECOGNIZING THE ESSENTIAL ROLE NONPROFITS PLAY IN ADVANCING COMMUNITY WELLBEING AND FOR PRIORITIZING RESOURCES THAT MAKE MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS.
WE ESPECIALLY COMMEND THE CITY FOR ITS EFFORTS TO REDUCE BARRIERS BY PARTNERING WITH TNP TO ADMINISTER GRANT FUNDS.
THIS APPROACH HAS MADE THE PROCESS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EQUITABLE, ENSURING THAT A WIDER RANGE OF NONPROFITS, PARTICULARLY SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, CAN SUCCESSFULLY PARTNER AND THRIVE.
NONPROFITS ARE NOT ONLY SERVICE PROVIDERS, THERE ARE ALSO ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
TOGETHER NONPROFITS EMPLOY THOUSANDS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS, GENERATE REVENUE, AND CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
FOR THIS REASON, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT FUNDING BE SET ASIDE WITHIN THE CITY'S SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO INTENTIONALLY INCLUDE AND STRENGTHEN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR AS PART OF, AS PART OF THE BROADER LOCAL ECONOMIC ECOSYSTEM.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO CONTINUE EXPLORING INNOVATIVE AND EQUITABLE STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS, INCLUDING IMPROVING INVOICING AND CONTRACTING P PRACTICES TO STREAMLINE PROCESSES AND REDUCE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS, EXPANDING ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND UPFRONT PAYMENTS SO NONPROFITS CAN DELIVER SERVICES EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT CASHFLOW INTERRUPTIONS, CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN EQUITY AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, ENSURING THAT DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE SUPPORTED.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND YOUR INVESTMENTS IN OUR NONPROFIT SECTOR THAT EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM.
HELLO, I'M KATHLEEN ADAMS. I LEARNED ABOUT THE SAFE PASSAGE FROM THE, UM, UM, LONG BEACH EDUCATION DEPUTY, AND I AM, UM, THRILLED THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON ABOUT IT.
UM, ONE THING THAT CAME TO MIND IS IF I WITNESS A VIOLENT, UH, INCIDENT IN MY COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, I, UM, THERE'S NOTHING THAT ALLOWS ME TO REPORT THAT THROUGH A WEBSITE OR GO LONG BEACH THAT I'M AWARE OF UNLESS I PUT OTHER.
SO, UM, AS PART OF THIS OVERALL INTERSECTIONAL LOOK AT HOW WE'RE PROMOTING SAFE PASSAGE, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR MAYBE UPDATING THE GO LONG BEACH WEBSITE TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE COMMUNITY CONCERNS REPORT OR, UM, INTEREST SO THE COMMUNITY CAN GET ENGAGED IN THE SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAM.
I WAS BY LUCK THAT I LEARNED ABOUT IT.
UH, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE WHO WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN US.
UM, SO, HI, MY NAME IS AMANDA GUAVA.
I'M WITH THE PHOENIX RISE PROJECT.
I CANNOT ATTEND THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION BUDGET MEETING AS PLANNED, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THAT THIS PAST WEEKEND I HELD A POWERFUL VIOLENCE PREVENTION HEALING EVENT IN NORTH LONG BEACH.
OUR RAMONA PARK RISE AND THRIVE EVENT MANAGED TO ENGAGE 226 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND 90 SCHOOL AGE, UM, MINORS, UH, PLEASE SPEAK ON MY BEHALF AS HOW IMPACTFUL, UM, AND MUCH NEEDED, UH, DESIRED HOLISTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE NEEDED, ESPECIALLY IN NORTH LONG BEACH.
AND THEN IN ADDITION, UM, WE GAVE YOU THE DATA, UM, TO EACH OF YOU.
UM, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
UH, OKAY, SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THESE, UH, SO THERE WERE, WE HAVE ATTACHMENT FIVE C.
THAT WAS THE, THIS IS THE MEMO FROM, UM, THERESA CHANDLER REGARDING THE LETTER FROM THE COMMISSION AND GIRLS RECOMMENDATION.
IS THAT THE NEXT ONE? THAT'S FIVE C.
REGARDING, UH, GENERAL EQUITABLE FACILITIES AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER, UM, FIRST MAYOR WRONG, I DUNNO IF YOU HAD ANY COMMENTS YOU WANTED TO MAKE ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ONE.
NO, NO MATTER NOT TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD, MUCH NEEDED.
YEAH, THE ONLY THING I WAS GONNA MENTION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS THAT FOR THIS DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE'S ALREADY A
[01:15:01]
PROPOSED ALLOCATION OF THE BUDGET.UH, THEY MAY OVERLAP WITH THESE ASKS.
SO, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SECTION OF THE BUDGET BOOK ON PAGE 36, UM, THERE IS A THOUSAND DOLLARS, OH, SORRY, A THOUSAND DOLLARS, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EARMARKED FOR GENDER AND DIVERSITY INITIATIVES.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, ON PAGE 37, UM, THERE IS $50,000 661 ALLOCATED FOR UPGRADE TO THE CAPTAIN DAVE OF ROSA TRAINING CENTER.
UM, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS FUNDING, UM, IN THE, UH, IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY.
UM, THAT COVERS, UH, THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IF THE, UM, THE COMMISSION FEELS LIKE THERE IS A, A, A ADDITIONAL ASK RELATED TO THAT, BUT I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS, UM, FUNDING ALLOCATED TO THAT PARTICULAR ASK.
UM, AND THEN WE GOT A COUPLE OF, UH, ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, ONE FROM CAR ROCKS, UM, WHO'S A MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, WHO WAS ASKING, UM, AND ADVOCATING FOR THE $2.2 MILLION TO THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
UM, ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE TENANT, UM, RIGHT TO COUNCIL, UM, AS LONG AS AS, AS WELL AS THE LONG BEACH, UM, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
UM, AS WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT HERE BEFORE, UM, THE MAYOR'S, UM, BUDGET MESSAGE IN UPSTREAM LONG BEACH ACTUALLY COVERS, UM, ASK FOR SEVERAL OF THESE ITEMS. UM, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE UPSTREAM LB.
UM, UH, ADDITIONALLY WE'VE GOTTEN PUBLIC COMMENT FROM, UM, IT'S JUST, I'LL JUST SAY SEVERAL, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, SIMILARLY ADVOCATING FOR SUPPORT FOR THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, YOUTH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, UM, RELATED COMMUNITY BASED INITIATIVES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN, UM, WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH, UM, ALLIANCE REGARDING PRIORITY FUNDING FOR DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR COMMENTS ON THIS ONE.
UM, THAT PARTICULAR ITEM DID REQUIRE, UM, DID ASK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, FOR DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH RELATES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEY DID RECOMMEND SOME BUDGET OFFSETS RELATED TO, UM, CURRENTLY ALLOCATED FUNDING, UM, THAT WE WILL CONSIDER AS A, AS A COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN I BELIEVE THIS IS THE LAST ONE, LEMME JUST CHECK.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THESE, SO BEAR WITH US.
UH, AND THEN THE LAST ONE WAS A, AN EMAIL FROM THE, UM, WRIGLEY ASSOCIATION REGARDING BUDGET PRIORITIES, UM, THAT WERE, UM, A NUMBER OF ASKS, UM, FOR, UM, VARIOUS, UH, VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF INVESTMENTS IN THEIR PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
UM, AND I DID WANT TO JUST KIND OF ADDRESS THOSE HOLISTICALLY JUST TO KIND OF GIVE PEOPLE AN IDEA OF, UM, WHEN WE RECEIVE CERTAIN TYPES OF REQUESTS RELATED TO KIND OF COMMUNITY SERVICES OR OPERATIONAL ENHANCEMENTS, WHAT POTENTIALLY THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOME COMMUNITY REQUESTS WE'VE RECEIVED ASK FOR VERY SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL ENHANCEMENTS, PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY'S BUDGET FUNDS OPERATIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, DOLLARS ARE ALLOCATED TO PUBLIC WORKS SO THAT TRAFFIC ENGINEERS AND CREWS CAN ADDRESS CITYWIDE NEEDS, LIKE STOP SIGN INSTALLATIONS.
UM, BUT TYPICALLY THE BUDGET DOES NOT LIST OR FUND EACH PROJECT INDIVIDUALLY.
THE CITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PASS A BUDGET THAT MEETS THE CITY'S OVERALL NEEDS.
WITH OUR FINANCIAL CAPACITY, THE CITY MANAGER AND DEPARTMENTS ARE THEN RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING THE OPERATIONAL DETAILS OF HOW THAT WORK IS CARRIED OUT.
THE BUDGET PROCESS IS STILL AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR COMMUNITY CONCERNS.
THESE CONCERNS CAN BE ELEVATED THROUGH COUNCIL OFFICES AND SHARED WITH DEPARTMENTS WHO CAN THEN RESPOND AND PRIORITIZE TO THEM OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR IS NOT NECESSARILY BEST PRACTICE, THOUGH, TO SINGLE OUT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD REQUEST AS A SEPARATE BUDGET LINE ITEM.
DOING SO UNDERMINES THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO ASSESS PROJECTS BASED ON TIMING AND GREATEST NEED.
AND IT BYPASSES THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OUTLINED IN THE CITY CHARTER, WHICH SEPARATES COUNCIL'S ROLE IN SETTING POLICY FROM THE STAFF'S ROLE IN MANAGING DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
A BETTER APPROACH FOR THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS TO CONSIDER BROADER PROJECT ENHANCEMENTS, SUCH AS INCREASING THE OVERALL ALLOCATION FOR TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS AROUND THE SYSTEM.
WHILE THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE PROVIDE STAFF THE FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE THE BEST WAY TO DELIVER THOSE PROJECTS.
OUR ROLE AS BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AS I SEE IT, UM, IS TO SET PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATE RESOURCES WHILE STAFF WHO ARE ON CHARGE WITH OPERATIONAL OVERSIGHT APPLY THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO ENSURE THE WORK IS COMPLETED EFFECTIVELY.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE, UM, AS WE GET, UM, DIFFERENT TYPES OF REQUESTS TO THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT MIGHT BE ASKING FOR VERY SPECIFIC, UM, ENHANCEMENTS TO NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, WHAT WE MAY CONSIDER AS A, AS A BODY TO DO IS TO SAY, HEY, IF WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF REQUESTS AROUND, I'LL JUST GIVE AN EXAMPLE, TREE TRIMMING OR CURB CUTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, WHILE YOU MAY SAY, HEY, IN MY SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD I NOTICED THAT THESE INDIVIDUAL INTERSECTIONS REQUIRE X, Y, OR Z, WHAT
[01:20:01]
WE WOULD POTENTIALLY DO IS TO SAY, OH, IF WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THESE REQUESTS, WE MAY SAY, HEY, LET'S ADD ENHANCEMENTS TO PUBLIC WORKS SO THAT THEY CAN DO MORE OF THAT WORK.BUT WE'RE THEN GOING TO ALLOW PUBLIC WORKS TO THEN, UM, ASSESS HOW THAT FUNDING IS THEN PRIORITIZED AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FACT THAT SOME OF YOU, ALL RIGHT, SOME OF YOUR COMMUNITIES MAY HAVE ALREADY MADE REQUESTS, UM, IN THE PAST.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING CURRENT REQUESTS AHEAD OF ONES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IN, MAY BE IN THE PROCESS FOR ONE TO TWO YEARS, RIGHT? SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE WAY WE'RE ASSESSING THAT IS EQUITABLE.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, UM, THIS IS ALSO A PLACE FOR US TO HEAR THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE FLAG THEM FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THEN I KNOW, UM, FOR INSTANCE, FOR THE WRIGLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, IF ANY INDIVIDUALS ARE HERE, UM, FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALSO TO MEET WITH YOUR, UM, YOUR COUNCIL OFFICE, MEET WITH THOSE RECOMMENDED CITY DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ELEVATING, UM, THOSE PRIORITIES.
UM, 'CAUSE TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO AS PART OF AS COUNCIL OFFICES, AND I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, UM, IS THAT WE WILL GO AND WE MEET REGULARLY WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN YOU BRING THINGS TO ME, I WILL THEN GO AND TALK TO THAT CITY DEPARTMENT AND SAY, HEY, I'M HEARING X, Y, AND Z FROM MY RESIDENTS.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
CAN WE PUT TOGETHER A PLAN, UM, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT CONCERN? AND THEN THOSE THINGS GET PRIORITIZED AND ROLLED INTO, UH, INTO THE WORK AND THE PLANNING.
AND THAT ALSO GETS ROLLED INTO THE, UM, THE, THE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS THAT COME FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? SO THERE ARE A MULTITUDE, AGAIN, MULTITUDE OF WAYS, UM, FOR THOSE THINGS TO BE HIGHLIGHTED.
THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS JUST ONE OF THEM, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT WE READ, UM, ALL THE REQUESTS THAT COME IN AND WE MAKE SURE THAT, UM, DEPARTMENTS ARE SEEING THOSE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ELEVATING THOSE APPROPRIATELY.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE DID PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO A VOTE UNLESS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, RON, YOU HAD ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD? NO, I JUST WANNA PIGGYBACK ON, UH, MANY OF THE COMMENTS BECAUSE WE MEETING THIS SEVEN, UH, WE KNEW EXECUTIVE, WHAT YOU SAID, WE LOOKED AT IT, WE EVALUATED, WE CONTACT THE, UH, THE, UH, AFFECT DEPARTMENTS, AND THEN WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO OR NOTHING, AND THEN WE WORK IT OUT AND WE NEGOTIATE AND WE CREDIT AGAIN, THE ALLOCATIONS IN AHEAD OF TIME TO THAT DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
SO A VERY GOOD PROCESS THAT YOU OUTLINED AND THAT'S SUPPORTED.
AND I, I SUPPORT MANY OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE HERE.
UH, I WILL, WE WILL WORK WITH THIS GOOD DOCUMENT.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, UM, TAKE A VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE MOTION CARRIES.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS? DID I MISS ANYTHING? NOPE.
YOU, OH, I, I DON'T, OH, ITEM NUMBER SIX.
YOU HAVE SEVEN ITEMS AND YOU GOT IT.
THERE'S, SO, THERE'S SO MANY NOW.
UH, SO THESE WERE ALL OF THE REPORT BACKS, SO WE'RE NOW WE'RE ONTO ITEM SIX.
UM, SO ITEM SIX, WAS ALL OF THE, UM, DEPARTMENTAL OR REPORT BACKS RELATED TO, WERE THESE REPORT BACKS RELATED TO JUST THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT, OR ARE THESE ALSO FROM, UM, THE BUDGET HEARINGS WE'VE HAD IN COUNCIL? UH, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
UM, AND THEN ARE THESE DISSEMINATED, I KNOW THEY'RE PART OF THE,
[6. 25-56172 Recommendation to receive and file a list of follow-up items from the Budget Hearings and/or Budget Oversight Committee meetings. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THE BOC RECORD, ARE THESE AND ALSO DISSEMINATED TO THE OTHER COUNCIL OFFICES AS WELL? CORRECT.IT ACTUALLY COMES OUT AS A TWO FROM FOUR, AND THEN WE ATTACH IT AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THIS COUNCIL.
OOPS, SORRY, I'M OVER HERE TALKING WITHOUT, UH, YOUR FIRST AND YOUR SECOND.
OKAY, SO WE'RE, YEAH, SO I WAS
SO I WAS JUST GIVING YOU A MOMENT.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND FORMALLY READ ITEM SIX, PLEASE, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A LIST OF FOLLOW-UP ITEMS FROM THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND OR BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
SO, UH, SOUNDS LIKE YES, THEY WILL COME AS A TFF.
HAS THAT TFF COME OUT YET? YES, IT HAS.
SO, UM, SO THESE ARE ALL AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE.
SO JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WHENEVER WE ASK QUESTIONS, UM, ANY FOLLOW UPS FROM EITHER THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OR IF WE NEED FROM OUR BUDGET HEARINGS THAT WE GET IN CITY COUNCIL, UM, THOSE THINGS COME BACK AS A MEMO, UM, FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
SO IF YOU EVER INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THOSE, OBVIOUSLY YOU COULD LOOK AT THE AGENDA FROM THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
YOU ALSO CAN GO ONTO THE CITY MANAGER'S PAGE.
UM, AND THOSE ARE, THEY SAY, UM, MEMOS TO COUNCIL, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK AND YOU CAN SEE THE FOLLOW UPS TO ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE ASKED, UM, DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
SO THAT BEING SAID, ANY COMMENTS, UM, FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, SEEING NONE, UM, THEN WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND IN FORM OF LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
ONCE THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD.
YEAH, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, I THINK A COUPLE OF YOU'LL PROBABLY HEAR FROM GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
[01:25:01]
WE WILL STILL DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, COMMENT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE TO RECEIVE A FILE.
NOW WE WILL GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON A NON AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO THAT WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
ONCE THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, NO ADDITIONAL
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Budget Oversight Committee on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD.WONDERFUL CITY CLERK FOR HELPING WITH THE COUNT.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE, WE HAVE, UM, 10 OR MORE, SO THE TIME WILL BE SHORTENED TO 90 SECONDS CHAIR.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, LONG BEACH BOARD.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE LANGUAGE JUSTICE COALITION BUDGET DEMAND OF 300,000 TO STRENGTHEN THE LANGUAGE ACCESS IN OUR CITY.
UM, A LETTER WILL BE SENT TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, VERY SHORTLY.
WE'RE HERE TO URGE A CITY TO DEDICATE THIS ALLOCATION OF STRUCTURAL FUNDING TOWARDS A FULL-TIME TAGALOG, UM, LANGUAGE SPECIALIST, AS WELL AS, UM, PRETTY MUCH 150,000 REALLY TO INCLUDE THEIR SALARY, THEIR BENEFITS, A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE OFFICE OF EQUITY TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY.
THERE'S A GROWING NEED FOR STRONGER LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES IN LONG BEACH.
AND TO MEET THAT NEED, WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO REASSESS THE MOUS WITH DEPARTMENTS AND INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE CONTRIBUTIONS EACH DEPARTMENT MAKES TO THE LANGUAGE ACCESS FUND SO THAT THIS, UH, ESSENTIAL WORK IS SUSTAINED AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL 50,000 TO ENHANCE MULTILINGUAL OUTREACH THROUGH CONTRACTS WITH TRUSTED COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
WHILE THE CITY, UH, BUDGET FUNDS MANY VITAL HOUSING AND IMMIGRATION PROGRAMS, THEY MEAN VERY LITTLE IF PEOPLE CANNOT ACCESS THEM.
LANGUAGE ACCESS AND ACCESSIBILITY ARE NOT OPTIONAL.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL BY ENSURING OUR COMMUNITIES CAN ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THESE SERVICES.
SO OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, REFUGEE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES DESERVE MORE THAN SYMBOLIC SUPPORT.
THEY DESERVE THE ABILITY TO NAVIGATE HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, AND LING AND LEGAL SERVICES AND LANGUAGES THAT THEY SPEAK.
SO BY INVESTING IN LANGUAGE JUSTICE, WE CAN BUILD A LONG BEACH WHERE EVERY RESIDENT FEELS HURT.
NEXT SPEAKER, HONORABLE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO TRANSLATE TAGALOG FOR THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY.
WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE'S NO FILIPINO, UH, INTERPRETER FOR THE, UH, THE CITY.
SO, UH, WE ARE, THEY'RE HERE TO, UH, SPEAK UP AND I'M HEL HERE TO HELP.
GOOD AFTERNOON, VICE MAYOR AT BAPTIST CHURCH, DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH INTERPRETER LONG BEACH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ELI SANIA SAN DIEGO, AND I LEAD THE FILIPINO, UH, CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH, THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF LONG BEACH.
I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY ADVOCATE FOR THE INCLUSION OF TAGALOG INTERPRETERS IN THE CITY SERVICES TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR FILIPINO RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR ELDERS WHO FACE CHALLENGES DUE TO LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
MANY STRUGGLE TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE, HOUSING AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND OR COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH.
ENSURING TAGALOG LANGUAGE ACCESS IS A VITAL STEP TOWARD EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND MAKING SURE EVERY RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH IS TRULY SEEN AND HEARD.
[01:30:03]
THANK YOU.I AM 82 YEARS OLD AND A NATIVE TAGALOG SPEAKER.
I STRUGGLE TO COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH, WHICH MAKES IT VERY HARD TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, AND OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES.
I RESPECTFULLY ASKED THE CITY TO PROVIDE TAGALOG INTERPRETERS TO HELP FILIPINO SENIORS LIKE ME FEEL UNDERSTOOD AND SUPPORTED.
I'M 75 YEARS OLD AND SPEAK TAGALOG AS MY FIRST LANGUAGE.
COMMUNICATING IN ENGLISH IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME, WHICH MAKE IT HARD TO GET THE HELP I NEED WITH HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, AND OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES.
I KINDLY ASK THE CITY TO PROVIDE TAGALOG INTERPRETERS SO THAT FILIPINO SENIORS LIKE ME CAN BE BETTER SUPPORTED.
UH, I RESIDED, UM, IN LONG BEACH.
UM, I'M JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY SAY THAT I, I SUPPORT THE MANY SENIORS AT OUR LOCAL CHURCH AND WITNESS FIRSTHAND HOW LANGUAGE BARRIERS, UH, HINDER AND PREVENTS THEM FROM, UH, ASSESSING VITAL SERVICES.
I'M HERE TO, UH, ADVOCATE FOR THE URGENT NEED TO PROVIDE TAGALOG, UH, INTERPRETERS SO OUR FILIPINO ELDERS CAN BE HEARD, UNDERSTOOD, AND PROPERLY, UH, SUPPORTED.
UM, HONOR HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND VICE MAYOR, UM, VICE MAYOR AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RICK ODI.
I'M VIOL, AN OUTREACH WORKER AT THE PACIFIC ASIAN COUNSELING SERVICES, AND A PROUD RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR 23 YEARS.
I CLOSE WORK, WORK, UH, I CLOSELY WORK WITH THE FILIPINOS AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN LONG BEACH AT THE GRADUATE LEVELS.
I ASK THESE FILIPINOS AND ESSENTIAL NEEDS AS AS HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, NAVIGATION, FOOD ACCESS, AND EVEN THE SIMPLE YET CRITICAL TASKS OF TRANSLATING THE AND EXPLAINING FORMS REQUIRED FOR BENEFITS APPLICATIONS.
I HEAR THEIR NEEDS AND SENTIMENTS DAILY.
MANY FILIPINOS, ESPECIALLY YOUR OUR SENIORS, DO NOT HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND BEFORE YOU AS I DO TODAY, BECAUSE THEY FEAR NOT BEING UNDERSTOOD IN THEIR NATIVE NA TAGALOG LANGUAGE.
LONG BEACH IS HOME TO MORE THAN 20,000 RESIDENTS WHO IDENTIFY AS FILIPINOS, MAKING UP TO 35% OF THE CITIES ASIAN POPULATION.
FILIPINOS ARE THE LARGEST ASIAN ETHNIC GROUP IN LONG BEACH, YET THEIR VOICES ARE NOT OFTEN UNHEARD AND THEIR NEEDS UNMET.
THIS IS NOT DUE TO A LACK OF PRESENCE OR CONTRIBUTION, BUT RATHER A LACK OF LANGUAGE ACCESS AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SERVICES.
HISTORICALLY, FILIPINO BEGAN MIGRATING TO THE LOS ANGELES AREA IN LARGE NUMBERS AFTER THE 1924 IMMIGRATION ACT.
WHILE THE ACT RESTRICTED IMMIGRATION FROM MANY COUNTRIES, THE PHILIPPINES WAS EXEMPT DUE TO ITS STATUS AS A US COLONY.
FILIPINOS CONSIDERED US NATIONALS FIELD LABOR SHORTAGES AND ESTABLISHED STRONG COMMUNITY ROOTS.
TODAY, THIS LEGACY IS VISIBLE IN THE LONG BEACH WEST SIDE, SO-CALLED LITTLE, UH, LITTLE MANILA, A CULTURAL HUB ALONG SANTA FE AVENUE, WHERE FILIPINO OWNED BUSINESSES.
YEAH, YOUR TIME IS UP, BUT YOU CAN, YOU CAN FINISH UP, YOU CAN FINISH UP REAL QUICK.
WE'RE FILIPINO ON BUSINESSES AND
[01:35:01]
COMMUNITIES SPACES THRIVE.DESPITE, DESPITE THIS RICH HISTORY AND STRONG PRESENCE, FILIPINO AMERICANS IN LONG BEACH REMAIN UNDERSERVED.
ONE MAJOR BARRIER IS THE LACK OF TAGALOG LANGUAGE SUPPORT IN PUBLIC SERVICES.
MANY FILIPINO RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY ELDERS AND RECENT IMMIGRANTS, STRUGGLE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY WITHOUT TAGALOG INTERPRETERS.
THEY FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN ACCESSING HEALTHCARE, UNDERSTANDING LEGAL DOCUMENTS, AND PARTICIPATING IN CIVIC LIFE.
THIS LANGUAGE GAP LEADS TO MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, MISCOMMUNICATION, IN SOME CASES SERIOUS HEALTH AND LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.
WITHOUT DISINTEGRATED DATA, THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF FILIPINO AMERICANS ARE OVERLOOKED IN POLICY MAKING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION.
THIS CONTRIBUTES TO THE LACK OF TARGETED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING LANGUAGE ACCESS.
PROVIDING TAGALOG INTERPRETERS IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE, IT IS A MATTER OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE.
IT ENSURES THAT FILIPINO RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS SERVICES WITH DIGNITY, UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS, AND ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
IT EMPOWERS OUR SENIORS AND FAMILIES AND OUR WORKERS TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE LIFE OF OUR CITY.
THANK YOU YOU FOR YOUR OR CITY OF LONG CITY.
ASK YOU TO WRAP IT UP A LITTLE BIT.
TO RECOGNIZE THE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL NEEDS OF A FILIPINO COMMUNITY AND BEST IN TAGALOG INTERPRETATION SERVICES ACROSS PUBLIC INSTITUTION, I HOPE YOU WILL SUPPORT THE, THE LANGUAGE JUSTICE FUND WE REQUESTED FOR THE TAGALOG INTERPRETER.
MY NAME'S CANICE SPEAR THOMPSON.
I'M PRESIDENT VAL, SPEECH NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD MICRO GRANT.
UH, THE NO FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED ALLOCATED THIS YEAR FOR THE, IN THE NEW BUDGET.
AND I JUST GONNA SAY WHAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO US.
I'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE GRANTS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCE CENTER.
THE ONE WE HAVE FOR OUR, OUR, IT'S COULD BE OUR FIFTH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL AT BIXBY PARK WITH OTHER SIX OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HAVE NOW JOINED US.
WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE GROUP AND WE PROVIDE A FREE SAFE HALLOWEEN FOR ALL THE KIDS.
WE PROVIDE FREE CANDY TREATS, AND THE PARENTS LOVE IT BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S A SAFE PLACE FOR KIDS TO BE.
AND, UM, I ALSO STARTED A MICRO GRANT FOR, UM, MIRACLE PARK ON FOURTH STREET, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL PARK ON FOURTH AND, UH, WALNUT.
AND WE USED TO BE INHABITED BY HOMELESS PEOPLE AND A LOT OF DRUG USE WAS GOING ON, SO PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DIDN'T USE IT.
BUT THEN WE DECIDED TO GET A GRANT TO PUT IN A, UM, MONARCH WASTE STATION, POLLINATOR HABITATS.
WE PUT IN PLANTER BOXES AND FILLED WITH FLOWERS AND MILKWEED.
AND WE NOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO THE PARK ALL THE TIME TO WATCH THE CATERPILLARS GROW AND THE NEW CHRYSALIS, AND THEN TURN INTO BUTTERFLIES.
AND NOW THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THE HOMELESS.
AND THE COMMUNITY REALLY LIKES THE PARK, AND IT'S JUST BECOME A GREAT PLACE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO COME TOGETHER.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL PARK, IT'S BEING A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ALSO, UM, MONARCHS ARE, THERE'S ONLY 1% OF THE POPULATION LEFT, SO IT ALSO HELPS THE MONARCHS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, VICE MAYOR REKA AND DR.
MY NAME IS SATAN AND I WORK WITH PACIFIC ASIAN COUNSELING SERVICES IN THE AG DISTRICT.
AND I, I AM ALSO A CHAIR OF CAMBODIA TOWN IN SIXTH DISTRICT.
I AM HERE TODAY TO AVOID MY TRUNKS, MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE LANGUAGE JUSTICE COALITION BUDGET REQUEST OF $300,000.
WE ARE REQUESTING THIS ALLOCATION, UH, TO FUND THREE CRITICAL INITIATIVE FULL-TIME TAGALOG, FILIPINO LANGUAGE, UH, SPECIALIST INTERPRETER TRANSLATOR, $150,000 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE OFFICE OF EQUITY TO EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR LANGUAGE SERVICES ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENT, $100,000 AND HAND MULTI-LINGUAL OUTREACH THROUGH CONTRACT WITH TRUST.
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, $50,000 LANGUAGE BARRIER SHOULD NEVER PREVENT LONG BEACH DIVERSE COMMUNITY FROM PARTICIPATING IN CIVIC LIFE OR ACCESSING IN THE RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
IN MY WORK, I SERVE BOTH CAMBODIAN AND FILIPINO COMMUNITY EXTENSIVELY.
I HAVE OBSERVED THAT DURING CITY EVENT EVENTS, THERE IS, UH, NOTABLY LOW PARTICIPATION FROM THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY, LARGELY BECAUSE THERE ARE NO TAGALOG SPEAKING STAFF PRESENT TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE SUPPORT.
THIS LACK OF LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY CREATES A UNNECESSARY BARRIER TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
LONG BEACH STRENGTH LIES IN ITS DIVERSITY, AND WE MUST ENSURE THAT ALL RESIDENT CAN MEANINGFULLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS REGARDLESS OF THE LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS VITAL INVESTMENT.
THANK YOU IN LANGUAGE JUSTICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
UH, ALDIS AND WISE MAYOR, UH, AND
I'M REPRESENTING CAMBODIA TOWN, LOCATED SIK DISTRICT.
ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LANGUAGE COLLUS.
[01:40:01]
I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE LANGUAGE JUSTICE COLLUSIONS BUDGET REQUESTING FOR $300,000 LANGUAGE BARRIER SHOULD NEVER PREVENT OUR DIVERSE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE CIVIC LIFE OR ACCESSING, UH, THE RESOURCE AND SERVICES THAT THEY DESERVE AS RESIDENT OF OUR CITY.THE THREE, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM HAS SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED SERVICE PARTICIPATION WITHIN THE CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY.
THROUGH THE SERVICES CAMBODIAN ELDERS CAN NOW ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN CITY HOST MEETINGS AND TAKE PART IN CITY PROGRAMS THAT WERE PREVIOUS, PREVIOUSLY INACCESSIBLE TO THEM.
THIS OUTCOME ILLUSTRATE HOW LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY DIRECTLY TRANSLATE INTO MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, STRENGTHENING SERVANT ENGAGEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATIONS.
HELLO HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I AM APPLAUDING YOU FOR, UH, COUNSELING THE MEETING AT FIVE.
SO WE, OR, OR THREE OR SO WE CAN ALL GO TO THE WOMEN'S FAIR, WHICH IS AT EAST SEVENTH STREET.
AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE CAN GO OVER THERE AND SUPPORT THAT.
SO WE CAN BE IN COALITION TOGETHER, UH, IN ADDITION TO ME, THE, JUST THE PERSON, BUT SHOW I PARTICIPATE IN SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE, UH, COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND TWO, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE 2.2 MILLION FOR IMMIGRATION FUNDS, UH, RENTAL JUSTICE FUNDS UP 2000001.5 MILLION FOR DEESCALATION ON VIOLENCE TRAINING.
AND 400 K FOR LONG BEACH LAND TRUST ARE SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE CARES ABOUT 8 MILLION FOR A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM.
DIRECT LINE SEPARATE FROM THE 9 1 1 NON-EMERGENCY.
I WILL NOT CALL 9 1 1 IF I SEE A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY, UH, DUE TO SEVERAL EVENTS.
AND ALSO IN TALKING WITH COFFEE AND THE COP, THEY JUST AREN'T PREPARED TO DEAL WITH IT.
I ALSO, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, 24 HOUR LINE, EVEN IF THERE ISN'T A TEAM AVAILABLE, JUST SO WE COULD RECORD THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UM, ALSO I AM AWARE OF A TIPS PROGRAM, TRAUMA INTERVENTION, UH, PROGRAM WHERE VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED FOR, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE GROWING UNDER A POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS FROM AN EVENT THAT SEEMS SO SIMILAR, THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT, UM, TRAINED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ALSO HELP WITH THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM.
SO THEY HAVE EXPANDED CAPACITY JUST AS ADVOCACY AND HOW TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM IN THE EVENT OF A CRISIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR HONORING THIS IDEA TODAY.
AND, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND VICE MAYOR.
UM, I WANTED TO BRING UP, UH, AT LIKE TWO MEETINGS AGO, I, UM, OR ASKED OR OFFERED IF THESE MEETINGS CAN BE ADDED TO ZOOM MM-HMM
SO, UH, THAT'S STILL NOT A THING YET.
UH, AND I'M HOPING FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT TWO MEETINGS THAT THAT CAN BE A THING, SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE UNABLE TO GET HERE DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS OR FEAR, THEY CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE ONLINE.
UH, THEY, YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION, UH, I DID, UH, MAKE, UH, AN ASK FOR PARKING VALIDATIONS TO BE AVAILABLE.
I JUST CHECKED IN THE BACK AND THEY'RE NOT, UH, AT THIS MEETING AGAIN.
UM, SO IF THE PARKING CAN BE ASKED TO LIFT UP THE, THE WHATEVER THAT THING IS CALLED, THE BARRIER, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO JOINED US TODAY.
UM, AND IN REGARDS TO THE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FROM THE BUDGET, UM, DEPARTMENT, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S TAKING LIKE ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR THE ACTUAL RESPONSE TO GET AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO SHORTEN THAT TIMELINE, UM, SO THAT BY THE NEXT MEETING THE RESPONSES ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS ABOUT THE ROLLOVER FOR THE EQUITY HUMILIATIONS COMMISSION THAT STILL HASN'T BEEN RESPONDED TO.
SO I THINK IT TAKES A LONG TIME 'CAUSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, I TOTALLY GET IT, BUT MAYBE THAT LINE CAN BE SHORTER.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKING FOR A SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NEW CITY REVENUE, UM, TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT TAXES FOR THE CITY.
UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE STEALING FOR PAUL TO PAY PETER, UH, WHICH WE SHOULDN'T BE IN THE, IN THE POSITION IN, UH, HOWEVER, WITH A COMMITTEE ON NEW REVENUE, WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE REVENUE SOURCES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, START HAVING ONE TIME FUNDS COME BACK TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND NOT GO DEEPER INTO THE DEFICIT.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, FOR THE YOUNG LADY THAT WAS DOING THE TAGALOG, UH, INTERPRETATION.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
HOW DO YOU SAY THANK YOU IN TAGALOG?
[01:45:01]
SALAMA, SALALA, SALAMA, AND IF IT'S ELDERLY, ELDERLY, WE PUT, UH, PO AT THE END.S SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SPEAKING.
UH, AND WITH THAT I WILL SEE YOU AS ADJOURNED.