Jan 07, 2026 Economic Development Commission

COULD I HAVE A MOTION? I CAN TAKE VERBALS.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORTOYA AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER NOVIN.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

YOU WANT US TO JUST DO A 'CAUSE IT'S NOT POPPING UP.

YEAH, IT'S NOT POPPING ON YOUR, NO.

UM, THAT'S OKAY.

I CAN GO DOWN THE LIST WITH VERBALS.

COMMISSIONER MATOYER? YES.

COMMISSIONER NORDIC.

COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL? YES.

COMMISSIONER NOVIN? YES.

COMMISSIONER SMITH? YES.

UM, SO, UM, AS I SAID, WELCOME TO 2026.

IT'S GONNA BE EXCITING YEAR.

SPENT SOME TIME WITH JOHN AND I HAVE SPENT TIME WITH, WITH JULIAN AND WITH CARLA.

AND SO WE'VE GOT THE FIRST THREE MONTHS PRETTY MUCH CALENDAR OUT AS FAR AS AGENDA ITEMS. I HAVE MENTIONED TO MANY OF YOU, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE LET US KNOW 'CAUSE WE CAN ADD THEM IN.

SO I HAVE GOTTEN SOME COMMENTS FROM SOME OF YOU.

RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE NIO PRESENTATION ON THE WEST SIDE PROMISE.

UM, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND READ, UM, OUT ITEM NUMBER TWO.

ITEM TWO.

[2. 26-57360 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the Westside Promise, a ten-year community investment plan for West Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

A 10 YEAR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PLAN FOR WEST LONG BEACH.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU EVERYONE.

AND I WILL INTRODUCE OUR, UM, EXCUSE ME, I'M SO SORRY.

MAY WE HAVE A FIRST AND SECOND? UH, I MOVE I SECOND.

MOTION BY, UM, COMMISSIONER NORTICA AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SANDAL.

UM, SO WHAT IS THE WEST SIDE FOR OUR PURPOSES? THE WEST SIDE IS DEFINED AS THE AREA WEST OF THE LA RIVER, UH, SOUTH OF 4 0 5 AND NORTH OF THE PORT.

JULIAN, TAKE IT AWAY.

SORRY.

I WAS USED TO THE, UH, THE DIGITAL, UM, VOTING, SO NO, LIKE I WAS SAYING.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

UH, SO TODAY WE'RE REALLY LUCKY, UH, TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD TEAM PRESENT ON THE WEST SIDE PROMISE.

SO, UM, IT'S BEING LED BY KELLY P. KELLY PELLE, SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCED THE LAST NAME.

P FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

SO SHE IS THE LEAD WITH THE WEST SIDE PROMISE THAT YOU'RE GONNA LEARN ALL ABOUT TODAY.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE LOIS ROGERS, WHO IS A FUSE FELLOW AND IS HOPE FOCUSING ON INCREASING ACCESS TO FINANCE AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ON THE WEST SIDE.

AND THEN, UH, OUR VERY OWN TEAM MEMBER, CARL SMITH, WHO IS THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PROGRAM MANAGER, IS ALSO GOING TO, UH, GIVE YOU GUYS A GOOD UPDATE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT SERVE THE WEST SIDE, UH, IN ALIGN WELL WITH THE PROMISE.

AND THEN ALSO, UM, GIVE YOU GUYS A GOOD, UH, ROBUST AS YOU CALL THE UPDATE ON THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ACTIVITY THAT WAS GOING ON OVER THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL PASS IT OVER TO KELLY.

HELLO EVERYONE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

UM, GREAT.

SO I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE WEST SIDE PROMISE INITIATIVE.

UM, IN AUGUST, 2023, THE CITY KICKED OFF THIS INITIATIVE.

IT'S A PROPOSED 10 YEAR PLAN, UM, INVESTMENT PLAN FOR THE WEST SIDE OF LONG BEACH.

WE ARE IN YEAR THREE OF THIS PLAN TO UPLIFT AND INVEST IN THE LONG BEACH, UM, SORRY, IN WEST SIDE LONG BEACH.

UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT MOMENTUM IN THESE LAST TWO YEARS, AND WE HAVE GREAT INTERDEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION.

UM, I AM SEATED IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO, UM, THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS LISTED ON THE SLIDE.

[00:05:01]

UM, WHY WAS THE WEST SIDE CHOSEN? IT IS AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY, UH, TO THE PORT AND THE SEVEN 10 FREEWAY.

IT HAS DISPROPORTIONATE RATES OF POLLUTION AND POOR AIR QUALITY, AND THE POVERTY RATE IS MORE THAN TWO TIMES HIGHER THAN THE CITY'S AVERAGE WITH AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF NEARLY 15%.

UM, BUT OF COURSE, THE WEST SIDE HAS A LOT OF GREAT STRENGTHS THAT WE WANNA LIFT UP.

UM, DIVERSITY, UM, IT HAS A LARGE POPULATION OF HISPANIC, LATINO PACIFIC ISLANDER AND AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES.

IT ACTUALLY HAS THE HIGHEST HOME OWNERSHIP RATE OF ANY OTHER AREA IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

AND THERE ARE ALSO MANY THRIVING SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE NOW.

IT HAS A LONG AND RICH HISTORY.

IT RESIDES ON THE ANCESTRAL LAND OF SEVERAL NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND WAS ONCE, UM, HOME TO A LARGE US NAVAL HOUSING COMPLEX WHERE CABRILLO HIGH SCHOOL NOW STANDS.

AND DESPITE BEING HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED, WEST LONG BEACH ACTUALLY HAS, UH, SEVERAL NEW AND LONG-TERM NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND A PROMINENT FAITH COMMUNITY.

UM, GREAT.

SO THE CITY WILL PRIORITIZE IN ADVANCE THESE 10 COMMITMENTS, UM, OVER THE NEXT DECADE TO HELP LIFT UP THE WEST SIDE.

I'M GONNA GIVE A SHORT OVERVIEW ON EACH OF THESE, JUST GIVING HIGH LEVEL PROGRESS UPDATES.

AND THEN I'LL HAND IT TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO GO IN A DEEPER DIVE ON THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.

UM, SO HEALTH.

SO THE CITY IS AIMING TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH ON THE WEST SIDE BY ADVANCING STRATEGIES AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND ACROSS THE REGION.

UM, SOME PROGRESS WE'VE MADE SO FAR IS, UM, WE HAVE A DASHBOARD ON OUR WEST SIDE PROMISE WEBSITE, UM, THAT LISTS AIR QUALITY DATA.

SO WE'RE PULLING THAT IN AND TRACKING THAT FOR REGULAR UPDATES.

UM, AS OF JULY 20, 25 51 TREES WERE PLANTED ON WEST SIDE LONG BEACH TO OUR TREE PLANNING PROGRAM.

AND WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO SHARE THE PORT OF LONG BEACH COMMUNITY GRANTS THROUGH OUR WEST SIDE PROMISE CHANNELS.

UM, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A WEBSITE AND WE ALSO HAVE A NEWSLETTER THAT WE SEND OUT, UM, THAT HAS PRETTY GOOD ENGAGEMENT, UM, THAT WE'RE SENDING OUT OPPORTUNITIES TO THE COMMUNITY.

UH, THE NEXT AREA IS LIVABILITY.

THE CITY AIMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EXISTING PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS IN WEST LONG BEACH.

AND WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE A LOT OF GREAT PROGRESS ON THIS JUST IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

UH, THE TWO MAJOR PARKS IN THE AREA, ADMIRAL KIDD PARK AND SILVERADO, BOTH GOT NEW PLAY AREAS AND IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY.

UM, SILVERADO ALSO GOT A COOLING MR. SHADE CANOPIES AND HYDRATION STATIONS.

UH, SO THE PHOTO YOU SEE HERE IS THE GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW ADMIRAL KIDD PARK PLAY AREA.

AND THERE'S A PICTURE HERE OF SILVERADO PARK, UM, THAT WAS JUST UPDATED AND COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER.

UM, HOUSING IS ANOTHER COMMITMENT.

UH, THE CITY AIMS TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND THE QUALITY, AVAILABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING IN THE WEST SIDE.

UM, SO FAR, ONE NEW 89 UNIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UM, OPENED IN DECEMBER, SORRY, LAST DECEMBER FOR LOW INCOME VETERANS.

UM, LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERS HAVE RECEIVED GRANTS TO REPLACE THEIR ROOF SO THEY CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES.

AND A YOUTH SHELTER AND NAVIGATION CENTER OPENED IN AUGUST FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

UM, JOBS IS ANOTHER COMMITMENT.

UM, WE AIM TO EXPAND ACCESS TO WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS IN WEST LONG BEACH.

UM, SOME IN PROGRESS SO FAR IS THE CITY HAS AN EMPLOYEES YOUTH MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AND THE CITY, UM, PARTNERED A CITY EMPLOYEE WITH STUDENTS AT STEVENS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CABRILLO HIGH SCHOOL FOR A MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITY.

UH, FUTURE LB LED A SUMMER WORKSHOP SERIES ON TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH.

AND LBCC HELD A HANDS-ON WORKSHOP AT THE WEST SIDE LIBRARY TO ASSIST RESIDENTS WITH ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE, REGISTRATION, AND CAREER PLANNING.

UH, CULTURE.

WE AIM TO INVEST IN PUBLIC ARTS, CULTURAL PROGRAMMING AND FESTIVALS, AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CULTURAL DISTRICT TO UPLIFT THE WEST SIDE'S RICH DIVERSITY.

UM, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL, UM, MAJOR CULTURAL EVENTS ON THE WEST SIDE.

UM, WE HAVE THE WEST SIDE FEST, WHICH IS OUR, UM, ANNUAL EVENT THAT WE'RE HAVING EACH YEAR IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH WILL CELEBRATE ALL THE EFFORTS OF THE WEST SIDE PROMISE.

UM, BOTH THESE AND BEACH STREETS WAS HELD IN LONG BEACH, UH, SORRY, ON THE WEST SIDE IN 2025.

UM, THESE WERE MAJOR EVENTS WITH VENDORS, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS AND RESOURCES.

AND THERE'S ALSO NOW THE FILIPINO HERITAGE COLLECTION IS NOW AT THE BRET HART LIBRARY, WHICH IS ON THE WEST SIDE, WHICH IS A NEW COLLECTION OF MATERIALS THERE.

UM, I HAVE A FEW PHOTOS HERE JUST FOR FUN.

UH, YOU CAN SEE BEACH STREETS HERE.

IT WENT ALONG WILLOW FROM, UH, THE EAST SIDE OF THE FREEWAY TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.

YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE RIDING THEIR BIKES ACROSS THE BRIDGE.

UM, THIS HAD SEVERAL HUBS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH MUSIC AND FOOD AND PEOPLE.

UM, WE HOPE THAT IT INTRODUCED PEOPLE TO THE WEST SIDE THAT MAYBE HADN'T BEEN THERE BEFORE.

OR,

[00:10:01]

YOU KNOW, SEEING NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAD THAT THEY HADN'T, UM, VISITED BEFORE.

AND WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT WEST SIDE FEST.

UH, THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR IN SEPTEMBER.

UM, IT WAS GREAT SUCCESS.

HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS CAME OUT.

UM, HERE YOU CAN SEE THE CABRILLO BAND AND CHEERLEADING SQUAD, UM, DOING A PERFORMANCE.

AND WE ALSO HAD BANDS THAT DAY AND DIFFERENT, UM, LOCAL ENTERTAINERS.

UM, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE FEEL FOR IT, WE HAD, UM, MANY VENDORS, DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL VENDORS THAT CAME OUT.

UM, THE OTHER PHOTO HERE IS SOMEONE GETTING THEIR HAIR CUT FOR FREE.

UM, THEY HAD LOTS OF GIVEAWAYS AND, AND SKATEBOARD GIVEAWAYS, AND IT WAS REALLY FUN AND IT REALLY FELT LIKE A CELEBRATION.

ALL RIGHT.

MOBILITY IS ANOTHER COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE.

UH, THE CITY AIMS TO INVEST IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS TOWARD ENHANCING PUBLIC FACILITIES, ROADS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THE PHOTO THAT YOU SEE HERE IS A STREET IMPROVEMENT ON SANTA FE AVENUE, WHICH IS THE MAJOR CORRIDOR, UM, DOWN THE WEST SIDE.

UM, HERE YOU SEE CABRIO HIGH SCHOOL, THE JAGUAR PAW HERE.

SO IT'S A ENHANCED SAFETY OF THE CROSSWALK, BUT ALSO IS A LITTLE FUN AND HAS SOME SCHOOL PRIDE THERE.

UM, INVESTMENT IS A STRATEGY THAT, YOU KNOW, GOES HAND IN HAND WITH ALL THE OTHER STRATEGIES.

'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE TAKE MONEY.

UM, SO WE'RE LEADING A COORDINATED STRATEGY TO SECURE STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS PURSUE PRIVATE AND PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENTS.

UM, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SECURED FOR A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT I ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT, AND WE DO HAVE UPCOMING PROJECTS COMING UP TOO.

UM, THE CITY'S ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH NONPROFITS.

UM, THEY'RE DOING MONTHLY COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS, UM, TO HAVE NONPROFITS ON THAT SERVE THE WEST SIDE GET TOGETHER, UM, SEEING IN WAYS THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER AND ALSO HOPE TO HELP THEM ACCESS DIFFERENT GRANT FUNDS.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.

UH, THE CITY AIMS TO IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND ENGAGEMENT BY EXPANDING RESOURCE FAIRS, CLEANUPS AND BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS, AND EMPOWER RESIDENTS.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HEARD OF THE LOVE YOUR BLOCK PROGRAM, BUT THAT WAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED.

AND FIVE, UH, FIVE RESIDENTS WERE AWARDED PROJECTS.

UM, THEY WERE RESIDENT INITIATED PROJECTS AND THEY GOT A SMALL MINI GRANT TO DO THEIR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WANNA SEE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AND ALSO GET THEM MORE INVOLVED.

UM, IN APRIL, 2025, WE HAD OVER 400 PEOPLE CAME TO ADMIRAL KIDD PARK FOR A FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND RESOURCE FAIR.

AND WE HAVE ONGOING NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS AND TREE PLANNINGS.

AND IN FACT, THIS SATURDAY WE DO HAVE A CLEANUP THAT IS SCHEDULED AT 10:00 AM IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN SHOWING UP TO HELP CLEAN UP THE WEST SIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, UM, EXPAND ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING BANKING AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

UM, ONE, ONE LITTLE PROGRESS WE HAD IS WE HOSTED A FINANCIAL EDUCATION WORKSHOP AT ADMIRAL KIDD PARK AND THE CITY ALSO SECURED A FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOW TO EXPAND ACCESS.

AND NOW I WILL HAND THAT OVER TO THAT FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOW LOIS ROGERS, UM, TO TAKE OVER.

THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY IS NICE AND IT'S REALLY NO DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY, THAN THAN MANY OTHERS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS LOIS ROGERS, AND I AM A FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOW WORKING AS A WEST SIDE PROMISE KEEPER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

A LITTLE INSIGHT AS TO HOW AND WHY FUSE PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

FUSE IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND LOOKING TO ENGAGE COMMUNITIES AND WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY, UH, FOR EVERYONE.

WE WORK INTENTIONALLY WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES BECAUSE OF THEIR DIRECT ABILITY TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES ACROSS ENTIRE COMMUNITIES.

AS SKILLED EXECUTIVES, WE BRING FRESH PERSPECTIVES AND VALUE EXPERTISE, VALUABLE EXPERTISE THAT IS CATALYTIC TO CHANGE MANAGEMENT EFFORTS.

OUR WORK ADDRESSES TODAY'S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS, UM, SORRY, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, UM, AND MORE BANKING IS MY EXPERTISE.

KNOW THAT MY EFFORTS ARE BUILT UPON THE MASTERFUL INROADS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY MY CITY PARTNERS.

AND I REGARD YOU FOR THAT.

I WANT TO BRIEF YOU ON THE, MY FIRST WEEK, UM, WHEN I ARRIVED, AND IT WAS TO DEFINE, WELL, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANT WHEN YOU SAY EXPAND ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING BANKING AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN CULTIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD WEALTH AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION.

INTERPRETATION WAS THE WEST SIDE.

LONG BEACH COMMUNITY WANTS A BANK IN MY DISCOVERY.

UM, I HAD TO REALLY IMMERSE MYSELF INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT I SAW

[00:15:01]

BUT WHAT I REALIZE IS THE LACK OF ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE AND SAFE FINANCIAL, UH, SERVICES AND INSTITUTIONS.

WHAT I'M SAYING, AND, AND THAT THEIR DEFACTO BANKING HAS BEEN MONEY SERVICE BUSINESSES AND INDEPENDENT AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINES.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WALKING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, OR IF YOU WALK ALONG SANTA FE CORRIDOR AND ONE CITY BLOCK YOU, THERE ARE 10 RETAIL STORES, APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THEM, IF YOU WALK THROUGH THE STORES, HAVE MONEY SERVICE BUSINESSES EITHER CHECK CASHING OR, UM, CHECK CASHING OR, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? TRANSMITTING MONEY, UH, TRANSMITTING BUSINESSES.

BUT IT'S SAFE.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO I MOVED TO THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION.

THE THREE PATHWAY APPROACHES ARE I DIDN'T I, SORRY MM-HMM .

SO IN MY PLANNING AND APPROACH, UM, YOU DON'T JUST BUILD A BANK, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PROCESS.

SO WE LOOKED AT SHORT TERM AND INTERMEDIATE AND LONG TERM PRO, UH, PATHWAYS FOR THE SHORT TERM.

THIS UPCOMING YEAR, WE HAVE, UH, THE VITA EVENT.

UM, IT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE AT SILVERADO PARK FEBRUARY 28TH THIS YEAR.

UM, BUT IT IS ALSO, THE REASON THIS EVENT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY IS IT'S A BANKABLE MOMENT AND IT REACHES, IT OFFERS FREE, UH, EXCUSE ME, PARDON, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT VIDA IS.

VIDA IS A VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANT PROGRAM.

UM, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN, IN EXISTENCE FOR 50 YEARS.

IT IS OFFERED AND MONITORED BY THE IRS, BUT IT IS A FREE TAX PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED ASSISTANCE.

THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE WHO MAKE $67,000 OR LESS, AND THOSE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH SPEAKING, UM, ABILITIES AS WELL.

IT'S ALSO A BANKABLE MOMENT.

WHAT WE CALL BANKABLE MOMENTS ARE, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE THE UNBANKED OR UNDERBANKED POPULATION TO, UM, HAVE TO HA HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, UH, BANKING SERVICES, AS WELL AS ENCOURAGE THEM TO SAVE ONE OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE OFFERING OR THAT WE WILL ACCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY IS LA SAVES, THAT'S PART OF THE SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY.

ANOTHER SHORT TERM OPTION IS, UH, A BANKER'S ROUND TABLE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN APRIL, 2026.

THAT IS PART OF THE LONG-TERM APPROACH IN TERMS OF PLACING, UM, A PERMANENT BANK IN THE WEST SIDE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY.

THAT IS A LARGE CONVENING OF BANKERS WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS, THE LARGE DECISION MAKER BANKERS.

UM, AND TO REALLY ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA PITCH OUR PRIORITIES OF THE WEST SIDE PROMISE INITIATIVE AND GENERATE FIRM INTEREST FOR THE, UH, FOR THEIR INVESTMENT.

AND INTERMEDIATE PATHWAY IS, UH, SELF-HELP, FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, PROPOSED PLACEMENT OF A COMMUNITY FINANCIAL RESOURCE, POSSIBLY A LOAN CENTER.

WHAT MAKES THIS PATHWAY GREAT IS, UM, IT'S A COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING APPROACH.

IT'S A SOFTER BUY-IN FROM THE INVESTORS, POTENTIAL INVESTORS, AND IT'S A SIMPLE OFFICE, UH, BUILD DUE TO NOT HAVING, UH, A VAULT REQUIREMENT.

SO THAT'S AN INTERMEDIATE PATHWAY.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, THE LONG TERM IS PHYSICAL PLACEMENT OF A TRUSTED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN THE WEST SIDE LONG BEACH.

I HAVE ALSO COMPLETED INDIVIDUAL ROUND TABLES WITH, UH, VARIOUS BANKS AND CONDUCTED DISTRICT TOURS, UM, AND, AND CONDUCTED DISTRICT TOURS.

THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS, UM, I WANT BANKERS TO UNDERSTAND OR TO GET THE SAME SENSATION WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE PEOPLE LOOK AT NUMBERS, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY GET A FEEL AND A SENSE OF THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.

UM, AND WE'VE GOT, WE'VE RECEIVED GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE DISTRICT TOURS.

IT'S WHEN THEY REALLY JUST IMMERSE THEMSELVES INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SEE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S THERE.

I THANK YOU KINDLY FOR YOUR AUDIENCE AND ENCOURAGE ANY FEEDBACK.

CHAIRMAN, IF YOU'D LIKE, WE COULD PAUSE THERE FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ANYBODY HAS, OR WE CAN, UM, KEEP GOING FOR THE PRESENTATION, UH, WITH COLLEGE IF YOU'D PREFER.

UM,

[00:20:01]

HOW MUCH MORE OF A PRESENTATION DO YOU HAVE? I THINK ABOUT THREE SLIDES OR SO.

RIGHT? THREE OR FOUR SLIDES.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.

WHY DON'T YOU KEEP GOING AND THEN THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS AFTER.

OF COURSE.

YOU GOT IT.

AS PART OF THE WEST SIDE PROMISE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY IS SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF EXISTING AND FUTURE WEST SIDE SMALL BUSINESSES.

I'M GOING TO TOUCH ON SOME KEY PROGRESS INDICATORS, INCLUDING AN UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION ON THE WEST SIDE, FOCUSED ON RETAIL TRADE AND ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICES.

THIS ASSOCIATION WOULD COMPLIMENT THE EXISTING WEST SIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF LONG BEACH, WHICH PRIMARILY SERVES THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF THE WEST SIDE.

SO OUTREACH BEGAN, UM, TO KIND OF COORDINATE AND GET A GROUP OF BUSINESSES TOGETHER, UM, AND STAFF CONNECTED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH BUSINESS OWNERS.

AND WE ASKED THAT THEY INTRODUCED US TO THOSE BUSINESSES, BUSINESSES ALONG SANTA FE.

OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS, STAFF MADE PERSONAL VISITS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF BUSINESSES ON THE WEST SIDE AND GROW SUPPORT FOR FUTURE GATHERING WHERE THESE BUSINESS OWNERS COULD MEET AND NETWORK.

THIS EFFORT LED TO THE FIRST NETWORKING EVENT ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2025, WHERE 40 BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTENDED.

AND WE DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL OF A WEST SIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, OR THE POTENTIAL OF WEST SIDE BUSINESSES.

AND IT WAS ANCHORED BY A SPEECH FROM BLAIR CONE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BI BIXBY K KNOWLES BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.

FROM THIS MEETING, THE BUSINESS OWNERS RESPONDED, SIX BUSINESS OWNERS MET FURTHER THE DISCUSSION AROUND A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND REACHED OUT TO CITY STAFF REGARDING THE NEXT STEPS.

I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT TOMORROW WE ARE HOSTING OUR SECOND BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT AT CASA CHOTSKY AT 8:00 AM INVITE, AND I INVITE ALL OF YOU TO ATTEND.

I KNOW IT'S KIND OF EARLY, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE BUSINESS OWNERS WANTED.

WE ARE ALSO IN TALKS WITH THE WEST SIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF LONG BEACH, WHICH FOCUSES ON INDUSTRIAL BUSINESSES, BOUNDED BY PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY TO THE NORTH NINTH STREET TO THE SOUTH, AND SEVEN 10 FREEWAY TO THE EAST, AND WILMINGTON THE WEST TO EXPAND ANOTHER BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

WRAPPING UP, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME TASKS WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED AND TALK ABOUT A FEW UPCOMING PROGRAMS. AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS A CERTIFIED LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM, WHICH FIVE BUSINESSES ON THE WEST SIDE ACHIEVED THIS STATUS.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY CONDUCTED A SUCCESSFUL SANTA FE CORRIDOR BUSINESS WALK, WHICH BROUGHT MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS OUT TO THE SANTA FE CORRIDOR TO DUCK TO CONDUCT A BUSINESS SURVEY AND INTRODUCED THEIR DEPARTMENTS TO BUSINESSES.

IN ADDITION TO THESE EFFORTS, 41 BUSINESSES HAVE RECEIVED VISUAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANTS, WHICH PROVIDED RELIEF TO LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS IMPACTED BY CRIME AND VANDALISM.

SOME OF, UH, SOME UPCOMING PROGRAMS INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SAFE AND SECURE PROGRAMS REVOLVING LOAN FUND, INCLUDING MICROENTERPRISE LOAN PROGRAM, MICRO ENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANCE, AND FIRST YEAR FEE, FIRST YEAR LICENSE FEE PROGRAM.

THESE PROGRAMS ARE STILL BEING DEVELOPED BY STAFF AND WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE PROGRESS AT A FUTURE MEETING.

AND STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THE COMMISSIONERS ALWAYS HAVE QUESTIONS, SO WHY DON'T I GO AHEAD AND ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER SMITH AS A WEST SIDE RESIDENT, I, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WERE DOING.

I'M ONE BLOCK FROM SILVERADO PARK, BUT MY QUESTION IS FOR PAGE 10, THE YOUTH SHELTER NAVIGATION CENTER, WE'RE SAYING IT'S OPENED, BUT IT'S INACCESSIBLE.

WE HAVE SECURITY THERE, BUT WE'RE NOT USING IT.

WHY? WHY IS THAT? WHY IS IT NOT OPEN? WAS THAT ON SLIDE 10, COMMISSIONER? YES.

LET US LOOK INTO THAT.

AND THEN, UM, WE'LL, UH, PROBABLY REACH, WE'LL HAVE TO REACH OUT TO OUR PARTNER, UH, DEPARTMENT AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER MATOYA? SORRY.

UM, THANK YOU.

GO FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I HAVE A QUESTION ON SLIDE 16 REGARDING THE MOBILITY, SORRY, UH, MOBILITY, AND I THINK IT WAS ANOTHER SLIDE THAT YOU HAD PRESENTED DURING THE BEAT STREETS, UM, PRESENTATION.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE GOING INTO IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY? UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE THE KIND OF, UM, THE GRAPHIC CROSSWALK TO MAKE IT MORE NOTICEABLE FOR PEOPLE TO

[00:25:01]

CROSS THE STREET.

UM, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER INVESTMENTS THAT ARE GOING AROUND SOME OF THE, UM, SAFE CORNER PROGRAMS, THE BULLOCK PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO JUST MAKING SOME OF THE STREETS OR THE BLOCKS SMALLER SO THAT THEY DON'T FEEL SO LONG FOR FOLKS, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE WALKING.

SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE INVESTMENTS, UH, WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE? UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER FOR YOU.

I'M SORRY TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER, I DON'T KNOW THERE .

UM, BUT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, I CAN GET, UM, THE PLANS THAT ARE IN THE WORKS OR WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AND GET BACK TO YOU.

GIVE TO JULIAN.

YEAH, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

HAVE A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN THE LOCAL, IN THE WEST SIDE AREA.

AND SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THE WEST SIDE PROMISE IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY LARGE INITIATIVE.

SO IF YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU, UH, THE COMMISSION WOULD WANT TO SEE LIKE FURTHER, MORE DEEP DIVE INTO ANY OF THESE OTHER 10, UM, COMMITMENTS, WE'RE HAPPY TO COORDINATE THAT AS WELL.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS MEANT TO GIVE YOU A DECENT OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, BUT IF YOU KNOW YOU REALLY WANT TO DIG INTO SOME PROJECTS, WE'RE HAPPY TO TO COORDINATE THAT AS WELL.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST OBVIOUSLY LOOK TO YOU GUYS FOR DIRECTION ON THAT PIECE.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER? GREAT, THANK YOU.

SO THIS IS ON THE, UM, ON THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT STRATEGIES.

UH, I'D LOVE TO UNDERSTAND JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE KIND OF THE HISTORICAL FACTORS THAT LED TO A LACK OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN THIS AREA.

AND THEN WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT AS YOU SPEAK WITH THESE, THESE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, THAT WOULD, WOULD LEAD THEM TO DECIDING TO ACTUALLY PLACE A PHYSICAL PRESENCE THERE AND, UH, UH, AND THEN ACTUALLY HAVE U UTIL HIGH UTILIZATION OF THAT BY THE COMMUNITY? SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.

UM, AND I WILL ANSWER TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, UM, AND ON, BASED ON MY DISCOVERY IN TERMS OF HISTORICAL FACTORS, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHEN THE NAVAL INDUSTRY, WHEN THE NAVAL INDUSTRY, UM, WAS IN THE WEST SIDE, MANY USED THEIR COMMISSARY FOR PROCESSING, UH, FOR MONEY TRANSACTIONS.

AND AFTER THE EXODUS, AFTER THE EXIT STRATEGY, I MEAN, NOT EXIT STRATEGY, BUT AFTER THEIR EXODUS, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST OVERLOOKED.

AND I MEAN, I SPOKE WITH CD SEVEN ABOUT THIS.

I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH A CUS A COUPLE OF, UM, RESIDENTS, UM, THEY JUST FEEL AS IF THE COMMUNITY HAS JUST BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR ALL OF THESE YEARS, NO RHYME OR REASON.

SO THAT'S JUST MY UNDERSTANDING AND THAT'S THE BEST THAT I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION TO YOU FOR YOU.

UM, YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION WHICH, UM, I COULD STEP A LITTLE DEEPER INTO ABOUT WHAT WOULD LEAD ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE THE, UM, TO PUT A STAKE IN THE GROUND, IF YOU WILL.

SOME OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT ARE OF INTEREST, UM, ARE THE ECONOMIC INDICATORS, WHICH WOULD BE EVERY, THEY LOVE THE FACT OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES.

I THINK THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 700 SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, THAT WITH ONE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, THEY EXPRESSED, UM, THAT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT INDICATOR FOR THEM.

I THINK AT THE SANTA FE AND THE SANTA FE AND PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY INTERSECTION.

THEY SAW THAT AS A GREAT, ARE THOSE, IS THOSE CORRECT? UM, FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT, THEY COULD SEE A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN THAT LOCATION.

SO, BUT THE BIGGEST DRIVER WAS THE SMALL BUSINESSES.

UM, THEY'D LIKE TO SEE OTHER THINGS IN TERMS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW, WHAT WOULD MAKE INDIVIDUALS, UM, NOT THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT INDIVIDUALS, WHAT WOULD BE AN ATTRACTION FOR THEM? UM, I, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS TOO, AND THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION, I THINK YOU ALL SPOKE, UH, THE ECONOMIC, UM, DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY BUREAU SPOKE OF THE RETAIL LEAKAGE.

I THINK HAVING A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THERE, UM, CAN PREVENT SOME OF THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE TEND TO, I KNOW LIKE MYSELF, IF I DRIVE TO A CERTAIN LOCATION, I WANT TO KNOW MY BANK.

WHERE AM I GONNA, UH, WHERE AM I GONNA DO MY BANKING, MY SHOPPING? SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO

[00:30:01]

UM, I THINK THOSE ARE, BUT, UH, I THINK THE GOOD NEWS IS I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BANKERS, UH, ROUNDTABLE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN APRIL, 2026.

UM, I'M WORKING, I'M GONNA WORK PARTNER WITH LA L-A-E-D-C IN LA COUNTY BECAUSE A LOT OF THEIR, UM, DECISION MAKERS FOR BANKS SIT ON THEIR BOARD AND, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO NETWORK, DO THE NETWORKING AND INVITE THEM TO THE BANKER'S ROUND TABLE.

AND THAT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, UM, PITCH WHAT THE WEST SIDE PROMISE TO PITCH OUR PRIORITIES OF THE WEST SIDE PROMISE INITIATIVE AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WILL, WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR THEIR BIKE BUY-IN.

I ALSO UNDERSTAND ONE OF THE BIGGEST, I WAS TOLD IN PREPARATION FOR THIS EVENT THAT WE NEED TO LOCATE SOME VIABLE AREAS OR SOME VIABLE SITES BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE HUGE FOR THEIR BUY-IN.

SO THAT'S THE WORK THAT WILL BE DONE ON OUR END.

GREAT.

AND ONE FOLLOW ON QUESTION, IF I MAY.

SURE.

UM, IS THERE PRECEDENT, UH, OR AN UNDERSTANDING FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE GONE FROM ZERO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PHYSICALLY PRESENT TO ONE, UM, WHAT THAT IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITY IS, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S CERTAINLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE A COMPELLING STORY AND IF THIS HAS OCCURRED ELSEWHERE, AND I IMAGINE IT HAS, THAT MIGHT BE A, A GOOD LINE OR MULTIPLE LINES TO DRAW AS PRECEDENT FOR THE POSITIVE IMPACT IT CAN DRIVE INTO A COMMUNITY.

UM, I PERSONALLY AM NOT AWARE, BUT IT WOULD BE, UH, INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT.

I, I THINK A GOOD TO YOUR, TO YOUR INQUIRY, I THINK A, A GOOD STARTING POINT WOULD BE THE, THE CHASE THAT, UH, IN CD NINE, I THINK THERE WAS A CHASE BANK, UM, THAT WAS, UH, ESTABLISHED IN CD NINE, I THINK.

SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IMPACT STORY TO LEARN ABOUT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T HAVE A PEN TO WRITE MY THOUGHTS DOWN.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE JUMBLED, BUT MOST BANKS ARE SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLY WHILE OTHERS MAYBE ARE NOT.

AND, AND NOT EVERY BORROWER QUALIFIES FOR THE TRADITIONAL LOAN.

UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IN ADDITION TO, LET'S SAY ONE BANK THAT, THAT MOVES IN AND HAS, UH, HAS A PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT OTHER, HOW ARE YOU MAKING OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE THAT ARE NOT JUST FROM THE ONE BANK THAT MAY BE, UH, 'CAUSE THERE'S LIKE NONPROFIT FINANCING AND THERE ARE, UH, LENDERS THAT LEND TO MINORITY, UM, OR, OR BARS WITH, WITH REALLY BAD CREDIT, RIGHT? OR STARTUPS THAT DON'T HAVE THE, THE REVENUE OR THE TRACK RECORD TO ACCESS THE TRADITIONAL FUNDING, UH, MECHANISMS. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE QUESTION.

I'LL LET YOU ANSWER THAT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING NOW, I, I, THE WAY I I'M GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT IS, UM, WHEN I DISCUSSED, I, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK ONE OF THE, THE, THE MOST WORTHY APPROACH IS THE INTERMEDIATE PATHWAY.

WHEN WE SPOKE ABOUT SELF-HELP, FEDERAL CREDIT UNION PROPOSING A PLACEMENT OF A COMMUNITY FINANCIAL RESOURCE AND OR A LOAN CENTER, BECAUSE THAT MODEL IT, ONE, IT ESTABLISHES A COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING APPROACH, WHICH IS MUCH NEEDED FOR TRUST.

AND IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE COMMUNITY FINANCIAL RESOURCES THERE AND THE BUY-IN LIKE RECEIVING CRA DOLLARS, WHERE, WHERE OTHER BANKS, THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE NOT WILLING TO PUT A STAKE IN THE GROUND THERE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL PUT SOME DOLLARS TOWARDS, TOWARDS THIS, THIS, UH, THIS BUSINESS MODEL.

AND SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.

I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, BIG WHATEVER CHASE BANK OR CALIFORNIA TRUST OR OR CNB, WE DON'T THINK WE'LL SERVE A GREAT PURPOSE THERE, BUT WE ARE WILLING TO HELP YOU ESTABLISH THIS COMMUNITY.

I THINK THE IMMEDIATE INTERMEDIATE APPROACH IS, IS A BIGGER WIN.

IF I COULD RESPOND THAT WAY.

AND I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AND A FOLLOW UP.

UM, THE, UM, THE COMMENT THERE TOO, REGARDING THE PRESENTATION, IT'D BE GOOD TO SEE LIKE THE MAKEUP OF THE BUSINESSES, UH, WHAT TYPE OF INDUSTRIES OR BUSINESS TYPES ARE WITHIN THIS, UH,

[00:35:01]

AREA.

UM, I'M ASSUMING THERE'S A LOT OF INDUSTRIAL, A LOT OF MAYBE LOGISTICS COMPANY THAT'S JUST FROM WHAT I ASSUME IS IN THE, IN THE AREA ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES.

I DRIVE THROUGH THAT AREA TO GET TO WILMINGTON SOMETIMES OR THROUGH CARSON.

I'M ON THE WRIGLEY SIDE.

UM, SO IF THERE IS DATA ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE, UM, LIKE HOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF BUSINESS TYPES ARE, ARE LAID OUT.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER COMMENT I HAVE OR QUESTION IS AROUND CONNECTIVITY TO WRIGLEY OR TO BIXBY KNOWLES AND TO KIND OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

UM, I'VE SEEN IT IN DIFFERENT BUSINESS COMMUNITIES OR BUSINESS CORRIDORS WHERE THEY, EVEN WITHIN THEMSELVES, THEY'RE DISJOINTED AND IT'S LACKING IN ONE AREA OR THE SURROUNDING CITY, UH, EVEN WITHIN THE SAME, UM, UH, ZIP CODE.

UM, THEY LACK CONNECTIVITY THERE.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE LITERALLY DIVIDED BY A RIVER AND, AND A FREEWAY, WHICH IS REALLY HARD.

UH, AND THEN YOU HAVE ALSO THE CHALLENGE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AROUND HOMELESSNESS TOO.

AND, AND KIND OF THE, THE GATHERING OF, OF FOLKS AROUND THE, THE RIVER, THE RIVER BANK THERE, AND THE BRIDGES.

UM, SO IS THERE ANY, ANY, ANY THOUGHTS OR, OR, OR, OR, OR PLANS ON CONNECTING WITH THE REST OF LONG BEACH? 'CAUSE IT'S VERY MUCH AN ISLAND IN, ITS IN ITS OWN WAY, .

SO I'LL TRY AND ANSWER THAT IN THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

AND, UM, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF CREATING, HOPEFULLY A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, UM, IN THE WRIGLEY AREA ALONG PACIFIC AND WILLOW.

AND I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, THE WEST SIDE AND WE LOOK AT THE BUSINESS CORRIDORS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GATHER TOGETHER TO CREATE A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, WHICH CAN EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, UM, THAT SAME SECTION ALONG SANTA FE AND WILLOW AND UP A LITTLE BIT, DEPENDING ON HOW THE BUSINESSES AND THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY EVENTUALLY COME BACK TO KIND OF SET THAT BOUNDARY.

UM, I THINK USING THAT WILLOW CORRIDOR POTENTIALLY CAN BE A GOOD BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES.

I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION AS BEST OF MY, AS BEST I CAN.

THANKS.

YEAH, AND I'LL JUST QUICKLY ADD, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR, FOR US, YOU KNOW, WE SEE FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY PERSPECTIVE AS A DEPARTMENT, WE SEE THE WEST SIDE PROMISE IN COORDINATION WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH, YOU KNOW, AND PRM AND ALL PROJECTS AND MARINE AND THE, OUR OTHER PEER DEPARTMENTS AS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.

UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN MANY WAYS, OBVIOUSLY WE FOCUS ON THE LENS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT SINCE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, UM, THE WEST SIDE PROMISE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO WHERE WE CAN STEER RESOURCES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE LONG OVERDUE TO THIS, TO THIS AREA OF LONG BEACH.

UH, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL WISH THAT WE WERE FURTHER ALONG THIS NARRATIVE, BUT NOW, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY IS HERE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, REALLY WORKING WITH OUR, THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN THAT CORRIDOR IS LIKE, YES, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS IS THE TIME NOW.

LET'S NOT LET THAT PASS AND STEER THIS RESOURCES IN A STRATEGIC WAY THAT ALSO INVOLVES YOUR FEEDBACK, RIGHT? BECAUSE OFTENTIMES, UM, WE, WE, WE MOVE, UM, WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE FEEDBACK.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OUTREACH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE'VE DONE AND, AND I'VE SEEN ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, IN RELATIONS TO THE PROMISE HAS BEEN I THINK ONE THAT IS VERY MUCH INFORMED BY, UH, THE, THE RESIDENT AND ALSO THE, THE BUSINESS OWNERS ON THE CORRIDORS.

SO, AND THAT'S BEEN, I WILL SAY, AND, AND KYLE MENTIONED THIS, UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GREAT ENERGY, UH, THAT, THAT, UM, THAT HAS GONE, AS HE SAID, THE FIRST TIME, UH, WE HELD THAT, UH, BREAKFAST JUST GET TOGETHER WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS, OVER 40 BUSINESS OWNERS SHOWED UP.

UH, SO THE, THE ENTRANCE IS THERE, THE PASSION IS THERE, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CARL EXTENDED YOU GUYS THAT INVITE.

I KNOW IT'S IN THE MORNING AND, UM, NOT TOO MUCH OF A HEADS UP, BUT IF YOU ARE ABLE TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, WANNA FEEL SOME ELECTRICITY IN THE AIR, THAT IS A, A GREAT, UM, EVENT TO GO TO, TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

OH, GO AHEAD.

I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE YOUTH SHELTER.

I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE PLUMBING ISSUES THAT THEY'RE FINISHING UP THERE.

IT REALLY WELL FOR, UH, NEXT MONTH'S PRESENTATION AS WELL, IS THE MARKETPLACE STUDY THAT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED FOR, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE.

UM, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION ANSWERING AND ALSO FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, I WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THE WEST SIDE AREA HAS THE HIGHEST HOME OWNERSHIP RATE.

WHAT IS THAT RATE AND WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? UH, THE HOME OWNERSHIP RATE IS 51%.

AND, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR WHAT I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO.

I MEAN, MY, OUR EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT IT'S A REALLY TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE A REALLY LONG TIME.

UM, I'LL SAY THAT.

ANY OTHER, IT'S GENERATIONAL.

IT'S, IT'S GENERATIONAL.

I CAN ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT PIECE TOO.

IT'LL BE GREAT.

IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT WHAT, UH, SO ARE SOME OF THE PRACTICES THAT YOU HAVE ON THE WEST SIDE ARE TRANSFERRED OVER TO SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS OF OUR CITY WHERE WE COULD RAISE THE HOME OWNERSHIP RATE? YEAH.

SO, UM, ONE THING THAT WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU GUYS, AND I THINK WE CAN DOVETAIL

[00:40:01]

SO THAT TAKES A LOOK AT, UM, THE LEAKAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THAT WAS, THAT WAS, UM, MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHAT, WHAT INDUSTRY SECTORS ARE MISSING, WHAT ARE THE, THE, UM, SOME CORE ADVANTAGES THAT THE WEST SIDE SIDE, UH, HAS.

SO WE'LL SHARE THAT AFTER THE MEETING WITH YOU GUYS.

IT'S REALLY GOOD, UH, MARKET STUDY.

AND IN THAT SAME MARKET STUDY, IT DOES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 51% HOME OWNERSHIP AND THE CONSULTANTS THAT, UH, COMPLETE THAT STUDY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY SIMILAR QUE THEY HAVE THE SAME QUESTION AND THEY BELIEVE IT'S 'CAUSE THEY'RE LONG TIME, UH, HOLDERS, UH, THEY'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR DECADES AND DECADES TO WHERE THEY'VE HELD THEIR HOMES AND HAVE NOW, UH, THEIR, THEIR HOMEOWNERS.

SO YEAH, IF YOU COULD DO THE FOLLOW UP WITH THE NEXT PRESENTATION, BECAUSE IT'D BE INTERESTING TO ALSO HEAR MORE ABOUT, IS THAT HISTORICAL OR IS IT, WAS IT JUST STARTING TO TREND UP? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? OKAY.

UM, SO THE OTHER ONE WAS ABOUT THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OR THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, 700 PLUS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

YEAH, THAT'S REALLY WONDERFUL.

I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HERE WHO SUPPORT THAT.

UM, I WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING A BID.

IS IT, UM, AND WHAT TYPE OF BID ARE THEY LOOKING AT? ARE THEY LOOKING AT THE MEMBER BASED OR PROPERTY OWNER BASED? WHAT IS, CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO, UH, WHEN WE WERE FIRST TASKED TO KIND OF START EXPLORING A BID ALONG SANTA FE, UH, JULIAN AND I WENT DOWN AND LIKE I SAID, WE RE WE REACHED OUT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, AND WE STARTED WALKING THE CORRIDOR AND MEETING THESE BUSINESS OWNERS.

AND WHAT BECAME EVIDENT WAS THAT, UH, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE THESE AMAZING BUSINESSES ALONG SANTA FE AND ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, NOT ONLY WERE THEY ISOLATED OVER ON THE WEST SIDE, BUT THEY KIND OF FELT ISOLATED AMONGST THEMSELVES.

AND SO WE THOUGHT, UM, DEVELOPING A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION TO BRING THEM TOGETHER TO START COMMUNICATING WOULD BE THE FOUNDATIONAL, UM, STEP TO THEN MOVE TOWARDS EVENTUALLY A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

UM, TYPICALLY THERE IS, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF IT, A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OR BUSINESSES THAT REACH OUT TO THE CITY THEN TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY.

AND IN THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY, IT WOULD COME BACK ON IF IT'S A MERCHANT BASED OR A, UH, PROPERTY BASED.

AND SO THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD RIGHT NOW.

WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF MOMENTUM ON BUILDING THIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND STARTING TO WORK WITH THAT GROUP.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, THANKS.

AND MAYBE, UH, AT OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA ASK THE BIDS COBA TO DO SOME, YOU KNOW, PRESENTING MORE ON SOME OF THE BIDS.

AND SO, UM, MAYBE WE CAN GET ANOTHER UPDATE TOO, ON WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH THE PROCESS? UM, OKAY.

AUSTIN LOOKED SURPRISED.

AND THE OTHER THING WE WERE, WE WERE GOING TO ASK, AND ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS DID TALK ABOUT, UM, WANTING TO KNOW MORE.

I KNOW O UH, COMMISSIONER MATOYA HAS GIVEN US UPDATES ON THE ACTIVATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO FIND OUT MAYBE SOME UPDATES ON THAT AND HOW IS THAT LOOKING? OKAY.

LIKE, IS, ARE THERE CDFIS IN THE WEST SIDE? UH, IS THERE A CDC, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE THESE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVES, AS COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL SAID, ALTERNATIVE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS THAT COULD BE BROUGHT INTO THE COMMUNITY FOR IF A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION AS A BANK ISN'T, YOU KNOW, A MONEY CENTER BANK IS NOT THINKING ABOUT OR WILLING TO COME IN.

UM, I HAD A QUESTION, AND THIS IS PROBABLY A FOLLOW UP TO WHAT COMMISSIONER MATOYER WAS TALKING ABOUT.

SO IN THE WEST SIDE AREA, YOU KNOW, UM, I'VE SEEN SOME PRESENTATIONS, UM, FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND IT IT RELATES TO LIKE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT'S COME INTO A PARTICULAR AREA, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS HOW THE FUNDS ARE INVESTED.

SO, UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY TO JULIAN AS IT POSSIBLY YOU COULD GET PUBLIC WORKS TO COME IN AND TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT IS BEING INVESTED IN THE WEST SIDE, UM, AND ON FEDERAL FUNDING, AND ALSO ARE THERE ANY OLYMPIC CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON ON THE WEST SIDE.

AND THEN JUST TO FOLLOW UP TO THE, UM, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION REPORT.

SO ROSE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PASSIONATE WORK, .

I KNOW I'VE SPENT SOME TIME TALKING WITH YOU, AND ALSO WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU AS A FUSE FELLOW WHO'S LIKE IN THERE TRYING TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE COMMUNITY.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, JUST A VERY, VERY BRIEF PSYCH FOR CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE FINTECH COMPANIES ARE DOING MANY THINGS THAT ARE ONLINE.

THEY'RE DIGITAL, I MEAN, FOR THROUGHOUT OUR NATION AROUND THE WORLD.

SO, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL LOCATIONS, UM, IT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE USED TO BE A DOWNTOWN BANK OF AMERICA, RIGHT? AND THERE'S NO LONGER A DOWNTOWN BANK OF AMERICA.

SO I GUESS PART OF IT IS, IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, AS, AS COMMISSIONER NORDIC SAID, WHAT IS THE COMPELLING REASON AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, ALSO, WHAT DOES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY IS, IS SEEING SOME OF THAT.

SO MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT AS YOU DISCOVER THAT.

I THINK THE OTHER PART IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE,

[00:45:01]

UM, SO IS THERE SOMETHING INNOVATIVE THAT YOU COULD DO IF, IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A PHYSICAL PRESENCE BY YOUR COMMUNITY, BY THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE, UM, AROUND THAT WITH NON-TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES? SO, UM, MY QUESTION IS AROUND THAT IS, IS, UM, FOR THE 700 SMALL BUSINESSES OR FOR THE RE INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, THEY MUST BE DOING THEIR BANK.

IF THEY WANNA PHYSICALLY GO INTO THE BANK, THEY MUST BE DOING THEIR BANKING SOMEWHERE CLOSE BY.

SO WHAT IN YOUR RESEARCH ROSE, WHAT, WHAT DID YOU FIND? I MEAN, IS JUST, IT'S JUST THE BANK IS CLOSE BY, SO THEY DON'T NEED A BRANCH THAT'S RIGHT THERE IN THE WEST SIDE.

UM, WHAT I, WHAT I OBSERVED, AND, AND THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WAS SO INTERESTING, IT, IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU HAVE TWO, TWO DIFFERENT POPULATIONS.

YOU HAVE THE UNBANKED UNDERBANKED POPULATION THAT STAYS LOCAL, THAT THERE'S A TRUST ISSUE.

THEIR DEFACTO BANKING IS GOING INTO THE RETAIL STORES USING THE MONEY SERVICE BUSINESSES.

THAT'S HOW THEY, THEY HAVE SURVIVED.

I MEAN, WHEN ON ONE RETAIL BLOCK, IF THEY'RE 10 STORES, 60% OF THEM HAVE MONEY SERVICE BUSINESSES, WHICH ARE CHECK CASHING.

OKAY? THAT'S, THAT'S THE BANKING TERM FOR CHECK CASHING, UM, SENDING, UH, WIRES TO THEIR FAMILIES.

YEP.

THAT THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.

AND YOU CAN GO AND CASH THAT CHECK AND, AND GET A LOAN BECAUSE YOU TRUST THEM.

IT IS JUST SAFE.

SO THAT'S THEIR DEFACTO BANKING.

NOW THE OTHER POPULATION ARE THOSE WHO, UM, HAVE THE ABILITY TO DRIVE ACROSS THE BRIDGE TO BANK OF AMERICA.

UM, AND, AND ALSO WHEN I STARTED, I WENT TO THE FDIC, UH, WEBSITE, AND I ACTUALLY, UM, SPOKE WITH A, UM, WITH A PARTNER WHO WORKS FOR FDIC AND TO DETERMINE IS THE WEST SIDE A BANKING DESERT? AND ACCORDING TO THE LOCATIONS OF THE BANK, IT'S NOT CONSIDERED.

AND HE SAID, HE SAID, THE TOOL IS ONLY AS GOOD AS, UH, IT, IT, IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S THE ACCESS TO WALK OVER A BRIDGE.

IS IT SAFE? HOW DO YOU, SO IT'S THE ACCESS, IT'S NOT THE MILEAGE.

MM-HMM .

IT'S THE ACCESS.

SO IN ORDER TO ACCESS IT, ONCE YOU GO OVER THE BRIDGE, NOW THAT'S, THAT GOES TO THE RETAIL LINKAGE.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO IT HURTS THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I THINK I MOVED AWAY FROM YOUR QUESTION.

ALL THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW, UM, BECAUSE KEEPING RESOURCES IN THE WEST SIDE.

THE OTHER ONE WAS THE ARE THERE SERVICES? YES.

BUT THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE, ARE TAGGED ON FINANCIAL SERVICES ARE TAGGED ON AT THE RETAIL LOCATIONS.

ARE THEY AT A REALLY HIGH RATE? BECAUSE THAT IS A DISSERVICE, RIGHT? TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT PHYSICALLY GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION.

CORRECT.

AND, AND THE AMOUNT OF, UM, AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE MACHINES, THE INDEPENDENT AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINES, THEY HA THEY HAVE FEES, WHICH MM-HMM .

HURT THOSE WHO ARE UNBANKED OR UNDERBANKED.

AND REMEMBER, THERE'S ONLY, OR I, I'M NOT SURE IF, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE, THERE'S ONLY ONE, UM, ATM, IT'S US BANK AT THE WEST SIDE POLICE DIVISION.

THERE'S ONLY ONE ATM IN, IN BY A TRADITIONAL BANK AND ALL OF THE WEST SIDE.

SO THAT'S, THAT, THAT IS A CONCERN.

THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IS, I MEAN, FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, HAVING A PHYSICAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN THE COMMUNITY, IT, IT SAYS SOMETHING TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS AND, AND FOR THE BUY-IN OF PEOPLE, WHY SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO MOVE INTO THE COMMUNITY.

IF YOU SEE A NEW BRANCH GOES UP, YOU'RE, YOU SEE THAT SOMEONE'S MAKING AN INVESTMENT HERE, SOMETHING'S GOING ON, THINGS ARE CHANGING.

SO IT IS ANOTHER WAY TO, IT'S A CATALYST TO BRING OTHER BUSINESSES INTO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY SEE PEOPLE MOVING INTO THE COMMUNITY OR OTHER BUSINESSES OR INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY.

[00:50:01]

THANKS.

THAT REPORTER IS REALLY GOOD.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S MORE RESEARCH THAT COULD BE DONE.

I MEAN, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT TOO, ESPECIALLY FOR THE INDUSTRIAL BASE OF THAT WEST BUS, WEST SIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.

FOR LONG BEACH IS WHERE ARE THESE FOLKS BANKING WHERE THEY, WE WILLING TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, UM, AND COULD THEY SUPPORT YOUR WORK.

UM, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU ARE WELCOME.

COMMISSIONER SMITH.

CAN I JUST PIGGYBACK OFF YOU REAL QUICK? YOU SAID IT WAS PLUMBING ISSUES.

WELL, I JUST WANNA GET IT IN DEPTH 'CAUSE WE SPENT $4.1 MILLION ON RENOVATION ON THAT BUILDING AND IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN OPENED SINCE.

WE'RE SAYING IT'S OPEN IN AUGUST.

IT HASN'T BEEN USED.

'CAUSE I'VE TRIED TO USE IT TO PLACE PEOPLE THERE.

CAN I HAVE MORE FOLLOW UP WITH THAT IN THE NEXT TIME, PLEASE.

HEY, UM, SEEING NO OTHER UPDATES, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, SO WHEN WE TAKE A VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IS IT WORKING? I CAN TAKE A VERBAL AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER MATOYER? YES.

COMMISSIONER NORDIC.

COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL? YES.

COMMISSIONER NOVIN? YES.

COMMISSIONER SMITH? YES.

I THINK WE HAD SOME FOLLOW-UP ITEMS THERE, BUT I WANNA THANK OUR WESTSIDE PROMISE TEAM AND, UM, THANKS JULIAN FOR COORDINATING THAT.

UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE AND THAT'S THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

WHY DON'T WE MOVE ON TO,

[3. 26-57361 Recommendation to receive and file Executive Director’s Report. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO DISCUSS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT? I MOVE.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER MATOYER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER NOR.

IS, WE WILL ALLOW, UM, THE PROGRAM WILL ALLOW BASICALLY TO, WE'LL, WE'LL BE PAYING THE FEES, UH, ANY KIND OF BUSINESS AND, AND, UH, FEES THAT ARE INCURRED THROUGH THE PROCESS OF OPENING A BUSINESS, UM, ON THE WEST SIDE AS WELL.

ALRIGHT, YOU'RE ON JULIAN.

SO, UM, I WILL PROVIDE YOU SOME UPDATES ON PROGRAMMATIC LAUNCHES, UH, THAT ARE REALLY GOOD TO JUST GO AFTER THE WEST SIDE PROMISE, BECAUSE WE DO, YOU KNOW, AS A STAFF WANNA FOCUS THESE PROGRAMS THERE AS WELL.

SO, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO LAUNCH BY THE END OF THE MONTH, IF NOT VERY EARLY NEXT MONTH, IS, IS THE SAFE AND SECURE PROGRAM.

SO THIS PROGRAM, UH, WILL PROVIDE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH EITHER, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT EITHER 500 OR, OR A THOUSAND DOLLARS GRANTS THAT CAN GO TOWARDS PURCHASING OF SAFETY AND SEC UH, SECURITY EQUIPMENT.

SO IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, RING CAMERAS, IT CAN BE, UH, YOU KNOW, A HARDER LOCK.

UH, IT CAN ALSO BE FLOODLIGHTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE LET, WE, WE WILL LET THE, THE, UM, THE SMALL BUSINESS MAKE THAT DETERMINATION ON WHAT THEY NEED.

BUT JUST PROVIDING THOSE GRANTS, UH, TO BUSINESSES.

AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS TO SERVE HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, AS A DETERRENT, UH, FIRST, FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.

BUT IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN, THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE CAN BE FOOTAGE THAT CAN BE SHARED RIGHT, FOR ANY INVESTIGATION AND THOUGHT THAT AS NEEDED WAS BEFORE IT WASN'T.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE TO SEE THIS, UH, PROGRAM LAUNCH HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.

UM, THE OTHER, UH, UPDATE TOO, ALSO RELATED TO, TO THE WEST SIDE IS, UM, THROUGH OUR NEW, UM, OUR, OUR NEW FY 26 FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, FUNDING FOR, UH, YOU MAY RECALL THE, OUR REVOLVING LOAN FUND OR OUR GROW AMERICA, UM, LOAN.

SO WE WERE SEEING FUNDING THAT, UH, FOR A GROW AMERICA LOAN THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE WEST SIDE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE SPREAD THAT INFORMATION WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT, UH, THAT DISBURSEMENT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE, UH, GROW AMERICA LOAN.

AND THEN THE VERY NEAT THING ABOUT THAT, UH, THE GROW AMERICA, UH, LOAN IS THAT IT ACTUALLY IS LEVERAGED, UH, ON A GOOD THREE TO ONE RATIO.

SO IT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WORK WITH GROWER TO THEN, SO THEY FIND OUTSIDE FUNDING AND OFTENTIMES INCLUDING THEIR OWN FUNDING, UH, TO LEVERAGE THAT.

SO IT'S A GREAT, UH, WE HAS A GREAT MULTIPLIER EFFECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ACCESS TO A COMPETITIVE LOAN LOAN INTEREST RATE PRO, UM, AMOUNTS.

UH, THE OTHER, ANOTHER REALLY COOL, UH, PROGRAM THAT, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON, THIS ONE'S A BIT FURTHER DOWN THE LINE, UM, BUT IS THE MICRO ENTREPRENEUR ASSISTANT.

SO REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, WE SUPPORT OUR MICRO ENTREPRENEURS.

SO PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVE, UM, DO SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALK VENDING, DO SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STARTING TO A BUSINESS, UH, EITHER AT HOME BUSINESS, SO REALLY SUPPORTING THEM.

UH, SO REALLY, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO DESIGNING THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.

AND THEN ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT IS, UM, GEARED TOWARDS THE WEST SIDE IS A, THE FIRST YEAR BUSINESS LICENSE FEE PROGRAM.

AND THESE PROGRAMS ARE THAT, THAT KYLE MENTIONED.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS KNEW THERE IS A HOST OF PROGRAMS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE BEING STEERED TOWARDS OBVIOUSLY ALL OF LONG BEACH, BUT THEN ALSO WE'RE VERY MUCH KEEPING IN MIND THE WEST SIDE AND HOW IT PAIRS REALLY WELL WITH THE, THE WEST SIDE PROMISE.

SO THIS

[00:55:01]

YOU KNOW, WE KNOW OFTENTIMES THAT CAN BE THE KIND OF THE BARRIER THAT KEEPS, UH, AN ENTREPRENEUR FROM STARTING A BUSINESS, OR MAYBE THEY START THE BUSINESS BUT DON'T HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PERMITS BECAUSE OF THE FEES.

AND THAT OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, UM, KEEPS 'EM FROM ACCESSING EVEN MORE RESOURCES, RIGHT? SO JUST REMOVING THAT BARRIER SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, FORMALLY ENTER THE ECONOMY.

AND THEN ALSO THE TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T, WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE TO 'EM.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE, I HIGHLIGHTED THOSE PROGRAMS AGAIN FOR YOU.

SO NOW, UM, MORE TO TOWARDS YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS.

UM, IT'S GOING TO BE A BUSY NEXT WEEK.

UM, , THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S MY OVERALL, UH, HIGHLIGHT THERE FOR YOU.

BUT THERE ARE SOME, UH, EVENTS THAT I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU GUYS THAT YOU GUYS ARE OBVIOUSLY INVITE, UH, INVITED.

IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE, THE INVITES ALREADY, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

UH, SO NEXT WEEK WE HAVE, UH, LIKE I SAID, A BUSY WEEK, UH, FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

SO ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 13TH AT FIVE 30, WE HAVE THE STATE OF THE CITY, UH, THAT WILL BE HAPPENING IF YOU HAVEN'T RSVP'D, UH, BUT ARE INTERESTED, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

I'LL MAKE SURE I GET THAT, THAT TO YOU GUYS.

UM, NEXT, THE VERY FOLLOWING MORNING ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14TH AT 9:30 AM WE HAVE THE LONG BEACH AMPHITHEATER GROUNDBREAKING.

SO, UM, THAT ONE HAS NOT YET GONE OUT, UH, BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE ONE, UH, AN INVITE FROM OUR PAO, UM, OFFICER, UH, CHELSEA, YOU GUYS MET HER, UH, LAST YEAR, SO, UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS PROBABLY KEEP UP WITH THE NEWS, BUT THAT, UH, PROJECT HAS BEEN MOVING VERY QUICKLY.

SO THE, UM, ANTICIPATED THE, UH, THE OPENING IS THE, UH, THIS YEAR, SUMMER OF THIS YEAR.

AND THEN ALONG WITH THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT THE FIRST, UM, WHERE THE, UH, THE, UH, FIRST SHOW HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, WHICH WILL BE THE MOTLEY CREW, UH, IN SEPTEMBER.

SO EVERYBODY'S VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PROJECT, UH, TAKE OFF.

AND IF, UH, YOU'RE AVAILABLE ON JANUARY 14TH, WE CERTAINLY INVITE YOU TO BE THERE AT NINE 30 IN THE MORNING, UH, FOR THAT EVENT.

AND THEN ON JANUARY 15TH, THE DAY AFTER THAT IS THE STATE OF THE PORT.

SO THAT IS HAPPENING, UH, UH, AT 11:00 AM SO ALSO, UH, ANOTHER REALLY GOOD EVENT TO, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO KIND OF, TO ATTEND TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE PORT, UM, THEY'LL BE COMING, UM, TO US.

UH, WE ANTICIPATE THAT IN MARCH.

SO IF YOU'VE MISS IT, UH, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, TO GET A REALLY GOOD RECAP, BUT DO ENCOURAGE YOU, UH, TO ATTEND THAT, UM, THAT UPDATE AS WELL.

IT'S VERY GOOD.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SO IT'S, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GREAT PARTNERS TO WORK WITH AND DO WITH BUSINESS ATTRACTION, RETENTION AND, AND GROWTH AND OBVIOUSLY WORKFORCE AS WELL.

AND THEN, UM, I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THE MARKETPLACE STUDY, SO WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU GUYS AND I'LL SEE IF WE CAN, UM, FOLD THAT IN IN NEXT MONTH'S, UM, PRESENTATION.

I THINK IT'LL GO REALLY WELL.

UH, SO A LITTLE BIT OF A LOOK AHEAD FOR US HERE IN FEBRUARY, UH, FOR THE COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS.

WE WILL HAVE, UM, A PRESENTATION ON THE, UM, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

SO I WILL SHARE THE MEMO THAT WAS RELEASED, UH, LAST MONTH ON THAT.

JUST IF YOU WANNA TAKE A READ OF THAT.

IT'S A LITTLE HEFTY, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'LL INTEREST, IT'S RIGHT DOWN OUR ALLEY HERE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SO YOU'LL GET A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE.

WE'LL HAVE THE CON UH, THE CONSULTANT THAT WE PARTNERED WITH TO DO THE EEEC EXPLORATION, UH, PRESENT NEXT MONTH.

AND YOU WILL SEE THAT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND ONE OF THOSE AREAS IS, IS THE WEST SIDE, UH, AS WELL.

SO IT'S SUCH A GREAT, UH, VERY TIMELY OF THE SEQUENCING, OF HAVING THIS PRESENTATION, UH, THIS MONTH, THEN SEEING THAT EEZ PRESENTATION NEXT MONTH, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY WORKING HARD TO BUILD THAT MUSCLE FOR YOU GUYS.

SO THEN WE CAN START, YOU KNOW, WORKING AND UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN, UH, PARTICIPATE AND, AND GET TO WORK, UH, ONCE WE HAVE ALL THIS, THIS DOWNLOAD ON OUR OWN GOOD KNOWLEDGE THERE.

SO THAT WILL BE FEBRUARY AND THEN MARCH.

UH, WE WILL HAVE, UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING, UH, FOR THE PORT TO COME AND VISIT US HERE AT THE COMMISSION TO ALSO, UM, GIVE US AN OVERVIEW.

AND YOU GUYS MAY HAVE HEARD, UH, WE HAD MARIO, UM, RETIRE.

SO WE HAVE A BRAND NEW DIRECTOR AND WE'RE REALLY WORKING TO MAKE SURE, UH, SEE IF WE, IF NOEL CAN, UH, COME AND, AND SAY HELLO.

AND LET'S SEE HERE.

YES, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE, UH, THIS IS A QUESTION, UM, FOR YOU CHAIR AND ANY AND ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER TO MAKE SURE I CAPTURED MY FOLLOW UPS HERE.

SO WE HAVE, UH, BID UPDATES FOR FEBRUARY, IDEALLY, AND THEN, UM, LOOKING TO BRING PUBLIC WORKS, UH, BACK IN SO FAR AS, UH, IT RELATES TO THE WEST SIDE PROMISE AND TO SEE ARE THERE ANY OLYMPIC RELATED PROJECTS, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE.

IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THAT BEING SAID, THAT UH, CONCLUDES MY UPDATES AND MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

LEMME KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

[01:00:02]

WOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEED THROUGH IT EITHER.

I FELT LIKE I WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG, ACTUALLY.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

HOW DID THAT FEEL? YOU HAVE MORE TIME? I BREATHED.

OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR JULIAN? COMMISSIONER MATOYER.

RIGHT? THANK YOU JULIAN FOR THAT UPDATE.

I, I DID HAVE A QUESTION.

I THINK I MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM, BUT AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFE AND SECURE WITH THE CAMERAS, UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION ON, UM, WORKING WITH A CONTRACTOR OR A VENDOR TO PROVIDE ECONOMIES OF SCALE FOR SOME OF THESE ITEMS? SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL GET THEIR WINDOWS BROKEN.

ANY BUSINESS WILL GO OUT TO ANY GLASS REPAIR PERSON TO GET IT DONE.

AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY'RE SPENDING THE FULL $1,500 OF THE GRANT, SOMETIMES THEY'RE SPENDING $700.

BUT IF THERE WAS ONE VENDOR THAT WAS SECURED EITHER BY THE CITY OR BY AN ORGANIZATION THAT COULD SAY, HEY, WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS AT A 30% DISCOUNT.

UM, IT JUST HAPPENS SO FREQUENTLY.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT JUST DON'T HAVE, EVEN COMMISSIONER SMITH HAS GONE OUT THERE AND REPAIRED, UH, YOU KNOW, BOARDED UP A BUSINESS TO GET THAT SUPPORTED.

SO AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SAFE AND SECURE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAINLY DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAMERAS OUT THERE.

UM, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO, I GUESS, PUT THEM, BEHOLD 'EM, BUT MAYBE A RECOMMENDATION ON LIKE, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST CAMERA BASED OFF OF PDS RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT YOU CAN SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THIS VENDOR WHO COULD GIVE IT TO YOU FOR X AMOUNT SO THAT THE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT, UM, MOST EFFICIENTLY, UM, VERSUS SOMEBODY GOING OUT AND GETTING A, A SMALL GOOGLE CAMERA THAT THEY PUT OUT ON, ON THE SIDE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.

NO, VERY, UH, I LIKE THAT SUGGESTION.

I THINK IT MAY BE MAYBE A GOOD TIME TO JUST KIND OF REVISIT THE IDEA OF HAVING, IDENTIFY A VENDOR, LET'S SAY FOR, FOR WINDOWS AND SUCH LIKE THAT WE DID, WE, I KNOW WE'VE HAD, WE LOOKED AT IT IN THE PAST AND UM, A LOT OF TIMES IF THE WINDOW IS DIFFERENT IS JUST LIKE A, DOING A BRAND NEW WINDOW.

SO, UM, IT'S HARD TO KIND OF REACH THOSE ECONOMIES OF SCALE, BUT IT NEVER HURTS TO, TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT.

SO, UH, WE'LL DO THAT PIECE.

AND THEN, UM, THE SECOND QUESTION WAS RELATED TO THE, YOU SAID THE VACANCY VIBRANCY REP? NO, IT'S ALL OH, OKAY.

UM, OH, YES.

UH, AND WE, UH, YES, THE, UM, THE SAFE AND SECURE.

SO WE DID CONSULT PD AND SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, THEY ACTUALLY PREFER, UH, RING CAMERAS, UM, OFTEN JUST BECAUSE IT'S MORE, THE VIDEO'S MORE ACCESSIBLE, WHERE IF IT'S A MORE SOPHISTICATED CAMERA SYSTEM, SOMETIMES UM, THE BUSINESS DOESN'T HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO IT, LIKE HAVE TO CONTACT THE PROVIDER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UH, SO I WAS SURPRISED, BUT ALSO RELIEVED THAT THEY DID, UM, SUGGEST SOMETHING LIKE RING CAMERAS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO KIND OF STRETCH THAT DOLLAR.

UM, RIGHT, WHICH IS WHY, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT 500.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, $500 COULD, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, LOOKING, UH, EXPECT THAT THAT WILL PROVIDE LIKE TWO RING CAMERAS, UH, ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION, AND THEN EVEN LIKE FLOODLIGHTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UH, SO DEPENDING ON KIND OF THE SIZE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY ENTRIES AND EXITS THEY WANT TO COVER, UM, IT'S THE SIZE OF THE, THE GRANITE ITSELF, BUT WE ARE FINALIZING THAT ONE TOO, UM, AND ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE IMPACT THAT WE CAN WITH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IN THESE DAYS SUCH LOW DOLLAR AMOUNT AND, AND WHAT THE, UH, THE, UH, THE IMPACT THAT IT CAN HAVE.

MM-HMM .

COMMISSIONER SMITH, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF THAT, WITH AUSTIN, I'VE DONE A LOT OF CLASS DOWNTOWN.

UM, JUST, I HAVE A GLASS COMPANY, WILSON GLASS, THEY INBOX ME, HEY, WE'LL GIVE A DISCOUNT TO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT GET BROKEN INTO.

THEY'RE LOCAL, I BELIEVE THEY'RE IN LAKEWOOD, BUT THEY'RE ON THE BRINK OF LONG BEACH, BUT THEY'RE HERE FOR US.

AND THAT'S MY FIRST GO-TO, BECAUSE WHEN A BUSINESS GETS BROKEN INTO AND PD SAYS, OKAY, WE GOTTA BOARD UP, THAT'S AN AUTOMATIC $550 FOR WHO THEY HAVE CONTRACTED OUT TO BOARD UP THAT BUSINESS ON TOP OF THE GLASS.

SO JUST A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT IS WILSON GLASS IS WILLING TO GIVE SMALL BUSINESSES OR ANY BUSINESS IN LONG BEACH A DISCOUNT ON THEIR WINDOWS.

OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.

WOW.

QUIET TODAY.

MUST BE THE NEW YEAR.

MAYBE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABSENT OF THE TALKERS.

A COUPLE OF THINGS IS .

THANK YOU, JULIAN.

UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE Y ALREADY KNOWS IT.

YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY THE WHOLE ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM, BUT JULIAN AND CARLA REALLY DO A GREAT JOB FOR US ALL THE TIME.

YOU KNOW, THEY KEEP US INFORMED AND ALSO THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH JOHN AND I TO, YOU KNOW, SHAPE WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING, BUT ALSO GET PEOPLE TO THE TABLE.

SO I WANNA THANK THEM FOR THAT.

GREAT.

AND WE HAVE A GREAT, SO WE MOVE INTO 2026.

OH, THANKS.

[01:05:01]

SO WE MOVE INTO 2026.

UM, JULIAN DID MENTION, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN UPDATE FROM COBA, UM, ABOUT THE BIDS.

UM, AND THEN ALSO WE, UM, HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE PORT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NEW CEO FOR THE PORT NOEL HAS GABA DR. NOEL NOBE.

AND SO THEY'RE GONNA COME IN MARCH.

AND THEN THERE'S SOME FOLLOW UP ITEMS THAT WE HAVE.

SO THEY REALLY KIND OF DOVETAIL VERY CLOSELY TO THE GIRL LONG BEACH BLUEPRINT EVERYBODY HAS.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO PUT WORK INTO THIS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

UM, NOT ONLY THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT FOR MANY OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS WHO SAT ON THE COMMISSION AND HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER.

IT WENT THROUGH RIGOROUS REVIEW BEFORE IT WAS PRINTED.

UM, AND SO I WANNA THANK THE TEAM FOR DOING THIS.

UM, SO NOW ALL OF YOU HAVE A COPY.

THERE'LL BE A DIGITAL COPY TOO THAT'S AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

AND THIS WILL BE KIND OF THE BASIS BETWEEN THIS REPORT AND ALSO THE COMMITTEE SET UP.

AND THEN ALSO THE GRID THAT JULIAN AND CARLA HAVE PUT TOGETHER FOR US TO LINK ALL THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT, AS WELL AS TO GROW LONG BEACH MAYOR'S INITIATIVE.

UM, WE'VE LINKED ALL THAT TOGETHER NOW FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD IN OUR COMMITTEE WORK.

UM, SO MANY OF YOU SHOULD BE EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM CARLA AND JULIAN ABOUT SETTING UP SOME OF THOSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, TO START GETTING STARTED ON WHAT YOU FEEL ARE SOME KEY INITIATIVES.

UM, AS, AS JULIAN MENTIONED, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, IN FACT, WE HAVE THE, ONE OF THE EXPERTS COME IN TALK TO US WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.

AND SO NOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT THE CITY HAS CONTRACTED WITH HIM TO DO.

UM, AND SO, UM, THAT WILL BE ONE, AND WE'LL KEEP ADDING THAT.

SO AS YOUR COMMITTEES DECIDE ON, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING AS FAR AS VARIOUS SPEAKERS OR PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, THEN, THEN LET US KNOW SO WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.

I'VE GOTTEN SOMETHING FROM COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL THAT WE'LL DO SOME UPDATES ON.

UM, SO PLEASE JUST SEND THOSE UPDATES TO ME.

AND THEN I THINK THE, UM, THE, THE LAST PIECE WAS, UH, JULIAN, IT'D BE GREAT TO GET THAT MARKETPLACE STUDY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE RESEARCH DONE AROUND THAT.

I DO THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A GOOD BASIS WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WHICH EACH ONE OF THE DISTRICTS IN THE AREAS, SO THAT AS THEY'RE DOING THE WORK WITH THE BLUEPRINT, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME REALLY HARD DATA, WHICH WILL BE HELPFUL.

UM, LET'S SEE.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANY OF THE STAFF OR ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.

SEEING NONE.

UM, HOW ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT CHAIR.

WHY DON'T WE TAKE A VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT? OOH, IT'S WORKING.

MOTION IS CARRIED.

MOTION IS CARRIED.

AND THE, WE CAN ADJOURN THE MEETING.

WE DON'T NEED A VOTE FOR IT.

RIGHT? WE HAVE NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.

OH, NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AGENDA? PUBLIC COMMENTS? YOU GOT PLENTY OF TIME.

ARE THERE ANY NON-AG

[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Economic Development Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]

YOU COULD DO MORE THAN THREE MINUTES .

IT IS WHAT A, WHAT A GREAT WAY TO KICK OFF THE YEAR.

OKAY, WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ME.

ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? OH, ANY

[ANNOUNCEMENTS]

ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO.

ARE YOU READING THIS TONIGHT? ? NO ANNOUNCEMENTS.

COMMISSIONER MATOYER.

YEAH, THIS IS A, IT'S A LITTLE EARLY, BUT, UH, IF WE ARE GONNA HAVE COBA COME IN TO DO AN UPDATE, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO KNOW THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING, UM, THE WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR THE CALIFORNIA DOWNTOWN INTERNATIONAL DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION MARCH.

UM, SO THEY'LL BE HERE MARCH 10TH THROUGH THE 12TH.

UM, WHILE THE ORGANIZATION DOES LOOK AT DOWNTOWNS, UM, ITS MEMBERSHIP DOES INCLUDE A LOT OF MAIN STREET ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS THAT ARE, ARE, ARE STRAIGHT CORRIDORS.

UM, AND SO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT BELMONT, SHO RETRO, ROBBY KNOWLES, AND PART OF OUR, OUR PRE-CONFERENCE TOURS.

AND THEN, UM, LOOKING AT OTHER PARTS OF DOWNTOWN.

SO ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IT'S ABOUT 300 PROFESSIONALS WILL BE HERE, THOSE TWO, THOSE THREE DAYS.

UM, AND SO WE WOULD INVITE YOU ALL TO, TO COME OUT AND MEET THEM WHEN THEY'RE HERE.

AND SINCE WE HAVE TWO MORE MONTHS, I WILL REMIND YOU ALL IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH.

UM, COMMISSIONER MORTOYA AND COMMISSIONER MORRE, ARE YOU ON THAT BOARD TOO? I AM.

ARE YOU RUNNING THAT ORGANIZATION? IS

[01:10:01]

THAT ? NO, .

SO IT'S IN LONG BEACH, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.

YEP.

SO IT MUST HAVE BEEN THROUGH YOUR INFLUENCE.

ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY.

SEEING NONE.

ARE WE OKAY TO ADJOURN NOW? YEAH.

YES MA'AM.

TOTALLY, TOTALLY UP TO YOU.

I'M SO SORRY.

IT'S OKAY.

YOU'RE ALWAYS ON TOP OF IT.