Apr 01, 2026 Equity and Human Relations Commission

CHAIR SCHULTZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

MOTION BY VICE

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UM, WITH THE MINUTES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES FROM COMMISSIONERS? SEEING NONE WILL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN PERSON, PLEASE SIGN UP AT THE PODIUM.

AND IF IN ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW.

OH, ON ITEM ONE.

THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

COMMISSIONER LIZETTE FLORES.

UM, WITH THAT, SINCE THERE IS NO DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES, UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UM, PLEASE CALL FOR A VOTE.

YES, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER SHA MALONE.

YES, THANK YOU.

UM, SO BEFORE WE GET INTO, UM, THE ACTUAL, UH, MEAT AND POTATOES OF TODAY, UH, I WANTED TO PASS IT OVER TO OUR AD HOC, UH, WHO'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE TODAY'S LESS LISTENING SESSION.

UH, THE SUCCESS THAT IS GOING TO BE.

UM, SO I WOULD LOVE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC TO EXPLAIN WHAT TODAY IS, UM, HOW FOLKS CAN UTILIZE THE QR CODES, UH, ON THE SIDE.

AND ALSO, UM, WHAT QUESTIONS WE WILL BE ANSWERING TODAY.

SO, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO OUR AD HOC.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME PRESENTATIONS.

PARDON ME? I'M SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

UM, MAY WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO, AND I CAN DEFINITELY GO AHEAD AND READ IT AS WELL.

IS THAT OKAY? THANK YOU.

UM, SHOULD WE DO THAT AS A PART OF ITEM TWO? IT'S JUST LIKE GROUND SETTING FOR WHY WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY AN EXTENDED CHAIR AHEAD, AND THAT INTO ITEM TWO.

UM, THIS WAS ACTUALLY BEFORE WE JUMP INTO ITEM TWO.

[2. 26-54603 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Long Beach Workforce Innovation Network (LBWIN) as part of the Economic Stability Listening Session, providing background and community perspectives on related issues in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

WE SHOULD BE GOING INTO ITEM TWO.

OKAY, COOL.

OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD.

UM, MAYBE WE HAVE ITEM TWO.

READ PLEASE.

OF THANK YOU.

ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE PRESENTATION FROM LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK AS PART OF THE ECONOMIC STABILITY LISTENING SESSION, PROVIDING BACKGROUND AND COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ON RELATED ISSUES IN LONG BEACH.

UH, MAY WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MOVED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER SAMUEL, WE AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILAN.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

AND IF, IF YOU WOULD, MIGHT, JUST AS, UH, TO AS INTRODUCTION, UH, BEFORE ELI CAN SPEAK, THE AD HOC HAS BEEN WORKING ON COORDINATING THE, UH, SECOND LISTENING SESSION FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC STABILITY.

SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE FROM, UH, THE PUBLIC AND OR ON ZOOM, UH, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS AND OR QR CODES, UM, BOTH DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN AND ON THE SIDEWALL.

UH, ALL FOCUSED ON QUESTIONS REGARDING TO ECONOMIC STABILITY IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, AND HOW, UH, THEY PERTAIN TO EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS.

UM, AND YOU'LL HEAR SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING THE ONE RIGHT NOW ON THE TOPIC ITSELF.

THANK YOU, TONY, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS FROM OUR AD HOC MEMBERS BEFORE WE GO INTO THE PRESENTATION? I THINK WE COVERED IT.

UH, SO WITH THAT, SINCE WE HAVE OUR MOTION A SECOND, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO OUR PRESENTATION, UH, FROM LONG BEACH WIND.

GOOD EVENING, FOLKS.

I'M ELI ROMERO.

I'M A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT.

REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU ALL COMMISSIONERS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL AND SHARING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, AND ALSO GIVING YOU ALL SOME, I GUESS, BIT OF FRAMING AND CONTEXT AROUND THE LOCAL, UH, WORKFORCE AND ECONOMICS, UH, ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS.

BUREAU HOUSED UNDER THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

JUST REAL QUICKLY, WHO WE ARE AS AN ENTITY.

WE ARE THE, UH, WE WORKFORCE

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WE ARE GOVERNED BY OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

WE ARE ADMINISTERED, OF COURSE, BY OUR LOCAL DEPARTMENT, AND WE OVERSEE WORKFORCE INVESTMENTS, MEANING THAT'S THE INVESTMENTS IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, TRAINING, SCHOLARSHIPS, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE BUSINESS, UH, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, AND ALSO PROVIDING CAREER AND BUSINESS SERVICES FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND ALSO BUSINESSES AS WELL.

OUR PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE IS FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, AND THAT IS THE, UH, FEDERAL WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.

UH, WHO WE ARE.

WE, UH, ARE ONE OF 45 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARDS ACROSS THE STATE, ONE OF SEVEN IN THE COUNTY.

UH, WE ARE ENTRUSTED IN PROVIDING CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.

IN OUR DEFINITIONS, UH, WE SERVE THREE MAIN TARGET POPULATIONS.

UM, ONE OF THEM INCLUDES ADULT.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UH, HISTORICAL BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, MEANING THEY HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR A LONG TIME.

THEY'RE RECEIVING PUBLIC BENEFITS.

THEY HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

UH, SECOND POPULATION IS DISLOCATED WORKERS.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS HAVE BEEN RECENTLY SEPARATED, AND OF COURSE THEN QUALIFY FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SERVICES TO HELP THEM, UH, BE GAINFULLY, REEMPLOYED, UH, UH, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

A THIRD POPULATION, UH, IS OUR YOUTH POPULATION.

THOSE ARE PEOPLE FROM THE AGES OF 14 TO 24 ALSO, WHO HAVE, UH, MANY OF THE SAME BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.

UH, WE DO THIS WORK OUT OF OUR TWO CAREER CENTERS.

WE HAVE ONE IN THE WRIGLEY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT FOCUSES MORE SO ON YOUTH SERVICES, A SECOND ONE THAT'S FOR ADULT, YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN THERE.

AND OF COURSE, IT'LL GO OUT, I THINK WITH THE MINUTES.

UH, THE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WE OFFER OUT OF THOSE TWO PHYSICAL SITES, UH, INCLUDING OF COURSE, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, ACCESS TO, UH, UH, SOFT SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS.

AND YOU COULD FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, AS YOU COULD SEE LISTED THERE.

NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC INSTABILITY IN LONG BEACH, OR JUST ECONOMIC, UH, STABILITY IN GENERAL, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST ABOUT HAVING A JOB.

IT'S ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT JOB CREATES A PATHWAY FORWARD.

AS YOU COULD SEE IN OUR CITY, STRATEGIC VISION 2030 AND THE GROW LONG BEACH ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT, THEY BOTH EMPHASIZE UPWARD MOBILITY.

SO NOT JUST, JUST NOT JUST A JOB PLACEMENT AS BEING THE GOAL, BUT A LARGER INVESTMENT IN THE OVERALL ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF, UH, LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.

SO THAT INCLUDES, OF COURSE, ACCESS TO QUALITY JOBS, ABILITY TO ADVANCE WITHIN THAT JOB OVER TIME AND ABILITY TO WITHSTAND AND, OF COURSE, UH, WITHSTAND DISRUPTION.

SO AN OVERALL FOCUS ON, UH, ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.

NOW, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT REGIONAL, THE REGIONAL REALITY MOBILITY, UNFORTUNATELY, IS QUITE LIMITED.

REGIONAL DATA SHOWS THAT FOR, UH, MANY OF LOS ANGELES RESIDENTS, UH, OVERALL AS AN ENTITY, WE, AS A AREA WE LAG BEHIND BOTH CALIFORNIA AND OTHER, UH, ENTITIES ACROSS THE STATE IN REGARDS TO UPWARD MOBILITY.

ABOUT ONLY 27% OF WORKERS MOVE INTO HIGHER PAYING ROLES WITHIN THREE YEARS.

EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, MANY OF THE LARGEST OCCUPATIONS, INCLUDING RETAIL FOOD SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES, RARELY TRANSLATE INTO LIVING WAGE CAREERS.

AND OF COURSE, THAT REINFORCES THAT ACCESS ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH, AND THAT PATHWAYS MATTER.

UH, WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE FOR RESIDENTS IS THAT BARRIERS ARE STRUCTURAL, NOT INDIVIDUAL.

THERE IS A KEY IMPORTANCE IN INVESTING IN ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES THAT DEMYSTIFY DIFFERENT GROWING INDUSTRY SECTORS.

WE ALL, OF COURSE, ANECDOTALLY HEAR ABOUT SPACE SPEECH, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO A, A, A, A TRADITIONAL RESIDENT? WHAT DO JOBS AT THE PORT MEAN AS WELL? WE ALL KNOW ABOUT LONGSHOREMAN, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SUPPORTING, UH, OCCUPATIONS BEHIND THAT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXPOSE PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THROUGH THEIR, IN THEIR BACKYARD.

UM, THERE'S ALSO, UH, A BIG STRUCTURAL ISSUE IN REGARDS TO DISCONNECTION FROM EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND GENERAL DISCONNECTION FROM EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE SYSTEMS. SO, UH, WE RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN A DATA CONVENING WHERE, UH, IT WAS PRESENTED TO US AT LONG BEACH.

HAS, UH, CURRENTLY NEARLY 6,000 YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 24 THAT ARE NOT WORKING AND NOT IN SCHOOL.

AND OF COURSE, THERE'S A DIFFERENT RATES TO MEASURE UNEMPLOYMENT AND LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG, UM, OLDER ADULTS.

NOW, OF COURSE, FINANCIAL INSTABILITY, UH, LIMITS PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING, AND OF COURSE, THAT IMPACTS, UH, UPWARD MOBILITY, UH, THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.

AND WHAT YOU'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT IN A BIT IS THAT WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS.

BUT OFTENTIMES PEOPLE HAVE A CHALLENGE OR A BARRIER IN PARTICIPATING IN THOSE PROGRAMS WHEN THEY HAVE TO MEET, ENDS MEET, AND THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

AND OF COURSE, THERE'S GENERAL BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING, UM, INVOLVEMENT WITH

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THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND IMMIGRATION STATUS.

UH, AND WHAT WE REALLY SEE LOCALLY IS, UH, WITH OUR DATA THAT MANY RESIDENTS ARE WORKING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ADVANCING.

THESE BARRIERS ARE OFTEN STRUCTURAL.

THE, UM, THERE'S LIMITED, LIMITED EXPOSURE TO THESE INDUSTRIES, AS I JUST MENTIONED, FRAGMENTED SYSTEMS THAT OPERATE IN SILOS, AND THERE'S ALSO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO PURSUE TRAINING AND, AND CAREER TRANSITIONS.

HOWEVER, WE ARE MAKING SOME PROGRESS.

SO THE CITY'S, UH, DEFINITELY ALIGNING PATHWAYS.

UM, WHAT WE ARE DOING LOCALLY IS THAT, UM, JUST A SECOND, FOLKS.

UM, WE ARE, UH, DEVELOPING SERVICES AND STRATEGIES WHERE WE ARE CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THESE HIGH GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES.

WE ARE SEEING THAT THERE'S A NEED TO DEMYSTIFY THESE INDUSTRIES, AND WE'RE DOING SO BY ENGAGING PEOPLE IN WORKPLACE TOURS, GUEST SPEAKER SESSIONS, UH, OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO NETWORK AND CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS.

AND WE ALSO, OF COURSE, THAT IS IN LINE WITH THAT LAST BULLET WHERE WE'RE INVESTING IN CAREER EXPOSURE AND, AND SKILL BUILDING ALTOGETHER.

AND THE WAY WE DO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'VE DONE THAT.

SO, DEMYSTIFYING INDUSTRIES IS THAT WE ARE EXPANDING ACCESS TO INDUSTRIES THAT PARTICIPANTS, OR SORRY, RESIDENTS ALTOGETHER, MAY NOT OTHERWISE SEE.

SO WE'VE DONE THIS RECENTLY THROUGH INVESTMENT IN, UH, SPACE, SPEECH, AND AEROSPACE, WHERE WE HAVE AN ANNUAL SUMMER CAMP WHERE WE CONNECT, UH, CLOSE TO 40 YOUNG PEOPLE TO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THEY GET THEY ARE MENTORED AND SUPPORTED AND, AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING WITH, UH, INDUSTRY LEADERS.

WE HAVE A PROGRAM, UH, CALLED URBAN PLANNING INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, WHERE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, HERE LOCALLY, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, AN UNDERGRADUATE OR A, UH, OR A GRADUATE URBAN PLANNING PROGRAM AT EDUCATIONAL LEVEL.

SO WE CREATED A, A PROGRAM WHERE WE ATTRACT PEOPLE THAT HAD TO LEAVE THE AREA TO, UH, GET A DEGREE IN THIS FIELD, BUT CONNECTED THEM BACK THROUGH AN INTERNSHIP THAT WILL THEN, OF COURSE, INSPIRE THEM TO STAY AND GET A JOB IN URBAN PLANNING HERE LOCALLY.

THEN MORE RECENTLY, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING, UH, WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE CREATIVE CORE, WHERE THIS IS GOING TO PREPARE A LOCAL WORKFORCE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT, UH, PROFESSIONALS.

THIS IS, OF COURSE, UH, RIGHT ON TIME WITH EFFORTS RELATED TO THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT, AND OF COURSE, THE OPENING OF THE AMPHITHEATER AND THE DIFFERENT, UH, ENTERTAINMENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE NOW CALLING LONG BEACH HOME OR SOON WILL BE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SECTOR BASED TRAINING AND EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.

UH, THOSE ARE, I, SORRY, MULTI NAVIGATING TWO SCREENS HERE.

SEE SOME EXAMPLES HERE OF, UH, LOCAL RESIDENTS ENGAGING IN SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT I DESCRIBED.

UH, THESE ARE MOSTLY, I THINK, UH, SPACE SPEECH RELATED, WHERE WE'RE CONNECTING, EXPOSING PEOPLE TO AEROSPACE CAREERS.

WE THEN, OF COURSE, HAVE A, A, A JOB FAIR THERE WHERE WE ATTRACTED A LOT OF LOCAL TALENT TO, UH, THAT EMERGING INDUSTRY.

SO OTHER WAYS THAT WE'RE CREATING ON-RAMPS TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IS THROUGH, UH, WE'RE EXPANDING ACCESS POINTS DEPENDING ON WHERE RESIDENTS ARE STARTING FROM.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR SERVICES THAT ARE FUNDED BY WEOA, WORKFORCE INNOVATION OPPORTUNITY ACT.

THOSE ARE FOR MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THOSE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, WHERE WE NEED TO INFUSE THE, A SERVICE DELIVERY WITH SKILL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

UM, THINGS LIKE HOW TO SHOW UP ON TIME, HOW TO COMMUNICATE, HOW TO COLLABORATE, UM, AND OF COURSE THEN EVENTUALLY FOLLOW THAT UP WITH PROVIDING THEM ACTUAL TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE PEOPLE TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS OF, OF, TO 606, UH, 600, SORRY, $6,000 TO GET A CERTIFICATION IN A HIGH GROWTH FIELD.

NOW, WITH FUTURES, FIRST IT'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHERE WE REALIZE THAT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE NEED STABILITY.

AND WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A SERIES OF CAREER COACHES, LIFE COACHES AND SERVICE NAVIGATORS THAT ARE ABLE TO CONNECT YOUNG PEOPLE TO CRITICAL SERVICES AROUND EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH, HOUSING, ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO, UH, EVENTUALLY ENGAGE IN, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

FREE OF DISTRACTION.

ECONOMIC LIBERATION PROJECT IS ALSO A ACCESS POINT FOR, UH, CRITICAL HIGH NEED POPULATION HERE IN THE CITY.

I BELIEVE LAST TIME WE CHECKED THERE WAS AROUND 16,000 RESIDENTS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, THAT WHO LIVE HERE IN LONG BEACH THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH AN ORGANIZATION NAMED .

UH, WE ARE CONNECTING, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS OR MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP SERVICES.

'CAUSE AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW IN, UM, THE UNITED STATES, AS AN UNDOCUMENTED PERSON, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO HOLD A JOB.

YOU NEED TO WORK AUTHORIZATION, BUT THE IRONIES THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY OWN A BUSINESS AND PAY YOURSELF.

SO WE'RE

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CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THOSE SERVICES THAT ALLOW THEM TO START AND OPEN A BUSINESS.

AND THEN THE LAST EXAMPLE THERE IS A REGIONAL EQUITY AND RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP PROJECT THAT WE COORDINATE WITH LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, WHERE WE, UM, INFUSE ALL OF THESE SERVICES TO A LOT OF FIRST GEN STUDENTS, WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S CRITICAL TO ALSO, UH, SUPPLEMENT THEIR ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE WITH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.

SO THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN INTERNSHIP THAT IS INDUSTRY ALIGNED, ALIGNED WITH THEIR MAJOR AND THEIR PATHWAY WHILE THEY'RE STILL GOING TO SCHOOL.

AND OF COURSE, JUST EXPANDING ON WHAT I JUST SHARED, SOME OF THIS IS REFLECTED IN OUR SERVICE STRATEGY THROUGH CAREER COACHING AND NAVIGATION, PAID WORK EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB TRAINING.

ALL OF THAT IS SUBSIDIZED AND PAID FOR BY US IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAMS. WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE UNION, AND CONNECTION TO EMPLOYERS AS WELL.

NOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT ACCESS IS A BIG ISSUE.

SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS A WORKFORCE SYSTEM IS THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY PARTNERED WITH THE GERMS IRVINE FOUNDATION, WHERE THEY HAVE GRACIOUSLY FUNDED US TO PARTICULARLY FOCUS ON THREE POPULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED BY OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE SYSTEM.

UH, THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE, THEY'RE NOT LISTED THERE, BUT THOSE POPULATIONS ARE OLDER WORKERS, BLACK WORKERS, AND TRANSGENDER GENDER NONCONFORMING INDIVIDUALS.

SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THREE ENTITIES, UM, I THINK I CAN NAME 'EM NOW.

THEY'VE BEEN ANNOUNCED GOODWILL TRANS CAN WORK, AND THE LOS ANGELES BLACK WORKER CENTER, WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO HOST A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT LISTENING SESSIONS AND DISCOVERY SESSIONS ACROSS THE CITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNIQUE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE NEEDS OF THOSE RESPECTIVE POPULATIONS.

OF COURSE, THEN ALSO MEET WITH OUR STAFF AND ASSESS AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS HOW, HOW WE AS A WORKFORCE SYSTEM COULD BE MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THOSE POPULATIONS.

AND THEN THAT, OF COURSE, WE HOPE TO IMPROVE AT NAVIGATION TO OUR SYSTEM OUTREACH AND CONNECTION TO OTHER WORKFORCE SYSTEMS AND EMPLOYERS ALTOGETHER.

NOW, WHERE THE GAP REMAINS IS THAT, UM, THERE'S STILL GENERAL ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.

OUR SYSTEM IS VERY COMPLEX AND, AND, UH, DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.

A LOT OF OUR SISTER CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO, INCLUDING SOME FOLKS AND COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE, IT'S LIKE THEY OFTEN WANNA COLLABORATE WITH US AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU GUYS ARE THE ENTITY THAT PROVIDES INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS.

RIGHT? THE REALITY IS A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF ELIGIBILITY, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.

THERE'S VERY NUANCED SERVICES, THERE'S PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE NEED TO ADHERE TO, BUT WE ARE WORKING TO BE A LOT MORE COLLABORATIVE, A LOT MORE RESPONSIVE, A LOT MORE OPEN, AND, UM, ESPECIALLY BEING THERE TO SUPPORT AND SERVE INDIVIDUALS THAT DO HAVE THOSE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.

AND OF COURSE, AS A LARGER SYSTEM, THERE'S RESTRICTIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, TIGHTENING LABOR MARKET, FEDERAL FUNDING, ORGANIZATIONS COMPETING FOR RESOURCES AND INDUSTRY NEEDS.

ALSO JUST GENERAL OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.

THE GOOD THING IS THAT WE ARE GOING INTO OUR OWN.

THERE'S GREAT EFFORTS BEING DONE AROUND TALENT RETENTION AND OUTREACH.

WE ARE PART OF A MUCH BROADER ECOSYSTEM AROUND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHERE THERE IS A VILLAGE OF DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING SOME FOLKS WHO ARE I SAW BACK HERE THAT ARE, WE REALLY ARE COMING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED APPROACH TO SERVING, UH, LONG BEACH RESIDENTS AND MEETING THEIR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE NEEDS.

NOW, I, I SIT HERE AND A PART OF ME IS, I, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I'M INTERFACING WITH ALL OF YOU AS A CITY OF LONG BEACH EMPLOYEE, AND I WISH I COULD BE HERE AND SHARE TONS AND TONS OF DATA THAT WILL CONTEXTUALIZE AND WOULD MAKE A STRONGER, UH, ARGUMENT FOR WHAT I SHARED HERE.

I HAVE SHARED, UM, SOME READING MATERIALS AND, UH, UH, POLICY GUIDES AND, AND, UH, LABOR MARKET, UM, UH, REPORTS WITH, UM, UH, YOUR COMMISSION.

SO THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME READING MATERIALS AND SOME, SOME THINGS YOU GUYS COULD READ ON YOUR OWN TIME TO FURTHER DIGEST AND PROCESS AS YOU, UM, OF COURSE ENGAGE IN YOUR AD HOCS WORK.

UH, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.

I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S TIME FOR Q AND AS NOW, RIGHT? OR THERE IS.

SO, SO WE GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE HAVE A DISCUSSION.

YES.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, MAYBE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OR IN PERSON CORRECTION, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON OR IN ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO, PLEASE LINE UP AT, AT THE PODIUM IF IN PERSON AND IF IN ZOOM, USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

NOW SEEING NONE, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

THESE GREAT JOBS THAT ARE COMING.

UH, SO NOW WE WILL GO TO COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION AND IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN POSE THEM TO YOU, ELI.

ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP.

COMMISSIONER FLORES.

ELI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VERY THOROUGH AND THOUGHTFUL PRESENTATION.

I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE SPACE BEACH AND AEROSPACE AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, GETTING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE READY FOR

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I UNDERSTAND THAT LONG BEACH IS THE NEXT BEST PLACE FOR SPACE THESE DAYS, SO THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME IN OUR CITY.

ALSO, ARE YOU WORKING WITH, UM, LBCC AND CAL STATE LONG BEACH FOR YOUNG STUDENTS WHO HAVE AAS OR HAVEN'T COMPLETED THEIR STUDIES AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH TO GET THEM THE APPROPRIATE CERTIFICATIONS OR ACCREDITATIONS TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THESE PROGRAMS? YES.

WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH, UM, THOSE TWO ENTITIES.

IN FACT, THEY'RE BOTH, UM, UH, TRAINING PARTNERS OF OURS.

SO THEY, WE COULD USE OUR FEDERAL WORKFORCE DOLLARS TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE SHORT TERM TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS THAT USUALLY ARE, UM, AVAILABLE THROUGH, FOR EXAMPLE, LONG BEACH STATE, A LONG BEACH STATE'S EXTENSION PROGRAM, AND LCCS COMMUNITY ED PROGRAMS. UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ALSO HAVE A PROJECT WHERE WE CO-ENROLL, UM, USUALLY FIRST GEN STUDENTS AND PROVIDING THEM INTERNSHIPS TO FURTHER CONTEXTUALIZE THEIR EDUCATION.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE OUR HIGHLY REGARDED PUBLIC SERVICE CORE PROGRAM WHERE WE, UH, CONNECT SENIORS AND JUNIORS, USUALLY AROUND 30 TO 50 INDIVIDUALS PER YEAR TO DIRECT PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES HERE AT THE CITY.

SO IT'S DIRECTLY FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN CAREERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND WE OFFER THEM, AT THIS POINT, IT'S, UH, AROUND 800 HOURS PER YEAR TO LEARN ABOUT CAREERS HERE AND, AND GET FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES, UH, SHADOWING AND WORKING ALONGSIDE, UH, PUBLIC LEADERS.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

I KNOW IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG STUDENTS, YOUNG GRADUATES TO GET WORK, SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO PARLAY INTO OUR CITY AND STAY HERE AND GROW WITH US.

ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONER DELIO.

SOME THAT'S POINTS, RIGHT? THANK YOU.

AND, UH, ONE QUICK POINT OF INFORMATION FOR KIND OF PROCESS.

I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD LISTENING SESSIONS WHERE WE CAN ASK ALL THE SPEAKERS ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

IS THIS SORT OF ONE CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS MM-HMM .

BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT ONE? OKAY.

THEN ONE, AND WE WILL NOT LEAVE ANY BEHIND .

UH, IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU AND THANK YOU ELI, FOR, FOR THE, UM, REALLY, UM, HELPFUL PRESENTATION.

UM, I'M MOST INTERESTED IN THE PARTS YOU SHARED AROUND GAPS AND CHALLENGES, BECAUSE I THINK, UM, MY IMAGINATION FOR HOW THIS COMMISSION CAN MOVE FORWARD FOR ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS AND ORGANIZATIONS SHARING THEIR EXPERTISE IS THAT WE CAN ADD A MICROPHONE OR SHINE A LIGHT ON THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE HEAR FROM THESE LISTENING SESSIONS WHEN WE DO OUR SYNTHESIS OF ALL THESE PRESENTATIONS.

AND SO, UM, I WANNA DIG INTO THOSE GAPS THAT YOU, THAT YOU MENTIONED.

UM, YOU SHARED A LOT OF READING MATERIALS, A LOT OF POLICY.

UH, IF YOU COULD IDENTIFY ONE, UH, POLICY CHANGE THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND THE CITY TAKES ON THAT WOULD IMPROVE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE PROGRAMS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, ARE THERE LIKE LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT YOU SEE AS AN EASY FIX? UM, OR ARE THERE KIND OF LIKE MASSIVE BARRIERS THAT, THAT YOU FEEL, UM, NEEDS A A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH FROM THE CITY TO REALLY TACKLE THAT MAY BE, IS NOT ADEQUATELY RESEARCHED AT THIS MOMENT? YEAH, IT, SO IT'S ALL RELATIVE IN TIME, RIGHT? SO I'M MINDFUL OF THE, THE BUDGET DEFICIT THAT THE CITY IS FACING RIGHT NOW, BUT HISTORICALLY, EVEN AT TIMES WHERE THE DEFICIT WASN'T AS GREAT, UM, AS A BUREAU, AS A DEPARTMENT, UH, ARE THE, THE CONTRIBUTION THAT WE GET FROM GENERAL FUND INVESTMENTS AND OUR BUREAU AND DEPARTMENTS REALLY SMALL.

IN FACT, WE'RE MOSTLY FEDERALLY FUNDED AND SOME PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT AS WELL.

SO, UM, WE REALLY INTENTIONALLY DON'T GET MUCH GENERAL FUND SUPPORT.

IF WE WERE TO HAVE A GREATER GENERAL FUND INVESTMENT, WE'LL HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO SERVE ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS.

UH, AND THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU GESTURE AT THE, YOU KNOW, CHANGES IN FEDERAL FUNDING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

I KNOW YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SAY EVERYTHING THAT, UM, SO WITH, WITH WHAT YOU CAN SHARE, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE IMPACTS OR CHANGES IN, IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT YOU'VE SEEN, UH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CHANGES OR ANY TRENDS? YEAH, SO IN TERMS OF FUNDING LEVELS, LUCKILY WE'VE BEEN CONSISTENT THERE.

IT WAS KIND OF UNKNOWN FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND OF COURSE THE BUDGET WENT WITHOUT, UH, FEDERAL APPROVAL FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.

SO JUST LIVING IN THAT UNCERTAINTY WAS, IT WAS ANXIETY INDUCING.

BUT WE DO KNOW THAT AT THE REGULATORS FOR THE NEXT PROGRAM YEAR, WE'LL, WE'LL BE AT THE SAME FUNDING LEVEL AS THIS YEAR.

UM, THERE ARE OF COURSE, LOOMING POLICY CHANGES AROUND THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INTO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.

UH, SO THERE, THERE'S POLICIES AT THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, CAL PERKINS, UM, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION THAT THOSE, THERE WILL BE CHANGES TO THAT THAT WILL THEN IMPACT HOW LOCAL WORKFORCE SYSTEMS OPERATE AND ARE SHAPED.

UM, AND THAT'S STILL A COURSE OF KNOWN.

UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DEION.

I WILL MOVE TO COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY.

OF PACIFIC GATEWAY, WHICH IS NOW LV ONE, UM, .

I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, I JUST WANNA SAY I WAS ACTUALLY A PRODUCT

[00:40:01]

IT ACTUALLY, UM, I STARTED THERE AND THAT IS HOW I GOT MY INTERNSHIP AT THE CITY.

AND HERE I AM SITTING UP HERE.

SO THE SERVICES THAT YOU GUYS PROVIDE ARE DEFINITELY BENEFICIAL.

AND I AM IN FULL SUPPORT.

UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY A YOUNG WOMAN AT MY JOB NOW WHO WENT THROUGH LB ONE, AND SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR A JOB.

I WORK AT LONG BEACH TRANSIT.

UM, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE USING YOUR SERVICES AND GETTING INTO PUBLIC SERVICE.

SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.

AWESOME.

THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING'S AWESOME.

THAT'S VERY, UH, INS UH, UPLIFTING, INSPIRING, AND IT KEEPS ME GOING, SO I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT.

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THOUGH, BUT I DON'T WANNA EXPOSE OTHER PEOPLE.

IT'S OKAY.

IT'S NOT MY TURN YET.

ARE THERE OTHER COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER SAMMY.

WOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR AMAZING PRESENTATION.

I REALLY, UM, JUST APPRECIATE YOUR OVERALL, UH, UM, EXPANSIVE , UM, ALL THE INFORMATION REGARDING, UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS ESSENTIAL.

UM, AND WE COULD PROBABLY ALL AGREE THAT EMPLOYMENT ALONE DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, EQUATE OR GUARANTEE SUSTAINABILITY OR STABILITY.

UM, I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS, UM, WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON IS LIVABLE WAGES, RETENTION.

AND AS TO YOUR POINT, LONG-TERM CAREER PATHWAYS, UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED, I KNOW A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE BUILT, UM, TO HELP, UM, BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION AND TO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES AND PATHWAYS TO HAVE A CAREER, UM, A LONG-TERM CAREER.

BUT WHAT IF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE FACING REENTRY, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF HOMELESSNESS OR BEING UNHOUSED, UM, OLDER FOLK.

YOU HAD MENTIONED TRANS.

WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT EITHER YOUR DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY IS LOOKING TO HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES FOR? AND DEFINITELY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.

UH, SO IN TERMS OF OUR, OUR, UM, SERVICE POPULATION, WE WORK WITH PEOPLE AS YOUNG AS 14 AND UPWARDS OF 90 SOMETHING.

SO I THINK I, I DID MENTION THE, UH, JAMES R. RYAN FOUNDATION PROJECT, WHERE WE ARE SPECIFICALLY BEING FUNDED TO EXPLORE HOW TO BEST SERVE OLDER WORKERS.

THERE'S STILL A GAP THERE IN TERMS OF HOW TO BEST SERVE THEM.

'CAUSE IT'S NEW TO US.

WE'RE, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE THAT ARE 75, 80 YEARS OLD THAT ARE BEING FORCED TO WORK AGAIN, RIGHT? SO HOW TO BEST SERVE THEM IS STILL UNKNOWN.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE O OTHER POPULATIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE A SUITE OF PROGRAMS CALLED SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES.

AND UNDER THOSE, UNDER THAT SUITE, WE HAVE, UM, A, UH, STATE FUNDED PROGRAM CALLED PRISON TO EMPLOYMENT, WHERE WE RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM C-D-C-D-C-R.

THAT'S, UH, SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACRONYM STANDS FOR, BUT IT'S THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM.

AND THEY REFER FOLKS THAT ARE RETURNING TO LONG BEACH.

AND, UH, OF COURSE WE CONNECT THEM TO THE VARIETY OF THE SAME SERVICES THAT WE OFFERED.

BUT THEY ALSO, UNIQUELY TO AN ADULT PROGRAM, ALSO ARE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE, UH, WORK EXPERIENCE WAGES WHERE WE COULD WORK WITH AN EMPLOYER, RECOVER THE WAGES SO THIS REENTRY PERSON COULD THEN GAIN SOME EXPERIENCE.

UM, KIND OF IN THE SAME AREA.

WE HAVE, UM, A PROGRAM NAMED INVEST INVEST WORKS WITH FOLKS THAT ARE REFERRED TO US FROM THE COUNTY PROBATION SYSTEM.

THOSE ARE USUALLY ADULT FOLKS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE BACKER BACKGROUND VARIES, WHETHER IT WAS A FIRST TIME OFFENSE OR HIGHER ENGAGEMENT OR LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PROBATION SYSTEM AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.

UM, AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY WORKING WITH UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, WE HAVE A, OF COURSE, A, A PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SISTER DEPARTMENT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, WHERE THEY OFTEN GET, UH, FEDERAL HUD FUNDING TO, UH, TO INVEST IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR FOLKS THAT AREN'T HOUSED.

SO WE HAVE, UH, A STAFF PERSON THAT IS DEDICATED TO, UH, PROVIDING THESE CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT ARE FACING HOUSING CHALLENGES OR ARE LITERALLY UNHOUSED.

SO THIS PERSON, OF COURSE, HAS ACCESS TO THE HMIS SYSTEM, IS ABLE TO CAPTURE REFERRALS DIRECTLY FROM DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS.

AND OF COURSE WE ALSO THEN WORK WITH THE, THE COORDINATE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM PARTNER, WHICH I THINK LOCALLY IS HARBOR INTERFAITH.

AND OF COURSE, WE ARE CO-LOCATED AT THE, UM, MULTI-SERVICE CENTER TO, UH, DIRECTLY MEET INDIVIDUALS WHERE THEY'RE AT.

AND THAT TENDS TO BE A BIG, UH, UH, CENTRALIZED AREA WHERE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE IN-HOUSE, UM, SOLICIT SERVICES AND SEEK SUPPORT.

UH, A FORMAL REPORT THAT WE'LL BE BUILDING AS A, AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS.

UM, BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER DOCKERY, UM, I SEE WE HAVE MORE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING.

UH, WE HAVE THIS AMAZING QR CODE ON THE TOP, UH, THAT WILL ASK YOU QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO ECONOMIC STABILITY.

UH, WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO COMPLETE THAT WHILE YOU'RE HERE.

UM, BOTH PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UH, THE FINDINGS FROM THE SURVEY WILL BE USED IN,

[00:45:01]

UM, SO COMMISSIONER DOCKERY.

YEAH, MY, UM, QUESTION IS NOT, WELL, MAYBE TO YOU, I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF WE CAN GET A, IF I CAN GET A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION THAT YOU JUST, UM, THAT YOU PRESENTED.

OF COURSE.

COMMISSIONER DELEON? YEAH.

UH, OH.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU CAN HEAR ME.

MY LIGHT.

SO, UM, ONE MORE JUST QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, SPACE SPEECH HAS BEEN A BIG POINT OF CONVERSATION, UM, OVER THE LAST, I THINK YEAR.

I'M CURIOUS, UM, FROM, FROM YOUR VIEWPOINT, UH, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY OF THE JOBS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE CURRENTLY LIKELY TO BE FILLED BY LONG BEACH RESIDENTS? VICE? HOW MANY OF THE POSITIONS, ESPECIALLY THE HIGHER INCOME POSITIONS, UM, WILL BE FILLED BY A WORKFORCE THAT IS, UM, RELOCATING FROM OTHER LOCATIONS INTO LONG BEACH? DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THAT, THAT BREAKDOWN? I DON'T HAVE THE TOTAL, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS.

AND OF COURSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE SOMETIMES HARD TO PROJECT.

BUT I, I DO COME ACROSS A NUMBER USUALLY AS WE WORK ON DEVELOPING GRANT PROPOSALS AND GETTING, HIRING COMMITMENTS FROM, UH, THE EMERGING COMPANIES AND SOME THAT HAVE ALREADY MOVED HERE.

UM, I COULD PUT IT INTO CONTEXT AND SAYING, FOR EXAMPLE, VAST HAS ONLY BEEN HERE, I THINK FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS, THEY STARTED OFF WITH A HUNDRED OR SO PEOPLE, NOW THEY'RE CLOSE TO A THOUSAND.

AND THOSE MORE, THOSE WERE NEW.

THAT'S NET JOB GROWTH, THAT'S NEW JOB GROWTH.

THOSE ARE JOBS THAT WERE FILLED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS.

THEY DIDN'T GET 'EM FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND THERE'S ALSO DIVERSITY IN THE REPRESENTATION OF THE ACTUAL, UM, CANDIDATE POOL.

THERE'S SOME ENTRY LEVEL PEOPLE, THERE'S SOME, SOME, SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEGREES.

BUT A LOT OF THE TECHNICAL POSITIONS ARE, ARE ENTRY LEVEL, AND THERE'S ALSO DIVERSITY.

AND IN TERMS OF THE JOBS THAT LONG BEACH TO RESIDENTS FILL, THEY FILL A COMBINATION OF BOTH THE TECHNICAL JOBS AND SOME OF THE ENTRY LEVEL ONES.

NOW WITH A COMPANY LIKE ANDRENE THAT'S MOVING TO LONG BEACH IN THE SUMMER, UM, OF COURSE THEY HAVE A FOOTPRINT IN CYPRUS, BUT THEY'RE MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS TO LONG BEACH.

THEIR PROJECTED JOB GROWTH, UH, OVER A PERIOD OF A MONTH IS, UH, A FEW MONTHS ACTUALLY, IS THAT THEY EVENTUALLY, UM, SEE HAVING A NEED FOR 5,000 JOBS.

AND THESE ARE INFORMED BY NEW CONTRACTS.

SO THIS IS NEW, NEW, NEW, NEW WORK.

THIS IS NEW WORK THAT'S NOT IN EXISTENCE.

SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS THERE.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S OF COURSE VOYAGER, WHO'S ALSO MOVING TO LONG BEACH VERY SOON.

AND THEN THERE'S THE GROWTH OF COMPANIES LIKE ROCKET LAB, UM, RELATIVITY SPACE AS WELL.

SO, UH, AT ONE POINT, UM, A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES WERE KIND OF EBB AND FLOW, RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THEIR, UM, IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT PHASE, STARTUP PHASE.

BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONCRETE AND THEY'RE HERE TO STAY.

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GROWING IN THE THOUSANDS.

SO THERE IS REAL JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT THERE FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, SOME JOBS THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE.

UM, SO IT'S CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THOSE CNC UH, CERTIFICATIONS, THOSE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT, UH, GENERATE EXPOSURE SO THEY CAN BE READY TO GET THOSE JOBS.

SO IT'S IN THE THOUSANDS, UH, INCLUDING ONE OF THE EMPLOYERS THAT I MENTIONED WILL BE LONG BEACH'S, UM, LARGEST EMPLOYER, UH, BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

COOL.

UH, AND DUE TO TIME, UM, 'CAUSE WE ALSO HAVE THREE OTHER PRESENTATIONS, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UH, MOVE ON.

UH, UH, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

DONATE OR SUPPORT LBN, UM, SO THAT WE GET THE, THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THESE PROGRAMS? YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE A CITY ENTITY, SO WE CAN'T NECESSARILY ACCEPT DONATIONS, BUT I REALLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEM OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT DO GREAT WORK WITH US.

THANK YOU ELI.

UM, AND THE LONG BEACH WIND TEAM, UH, IT IS, I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL, UM, TO BOTH ELI PERSONALLY, UH, AND LV WIN PACIFICA AS WELL.

UH, BECAUSE AS A YOUTH, I CAME IN THROUGH THE HIGHER YOUTH PROGRAM.

UH, THERE WAS A MURAL, UH, AT THE COLORADO LAGOON, UH, THAT I HELPED WORK ON.

THAT WAS MY FIRST JOB.

UH, AND THEN THROUGH LV WIN OR PACIFIC A OA, I WAS ABLE TO INTERN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER D ANDREWS.

UM, SO I'M A PRODUCT OF, UM, ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.

UH, AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER JUST GRADUATED FROM THE SPACE BEACH PROGRAM, UH, AND IT ACTUALLY OPENED UP HIS MIND TO, UM, TO ALL THE THINGS THAT SPACE SPEECH IS OFFERING.

AND NOW HE'S LOOKING INTO GOING TO SCHOOL, UM, TO GET THE, THE CERTIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO ENTER THE FIELD.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

I DO HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION, UH, FOR YOU, AND SORRY THAT YOU SAT DOWN.

NO, YOU'RE FINE.

UM, BUT JUST A GENERAL PITCH, UH, TO YOUTH AND ADULTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING A SHIFT IN, IN EMPLOYMENT OR JUST GETTING STARTED, HOW CAN THEY CONNECT, UH, WITH LB WIN? AND ALSO, UM, I KNOW REVENUE IS, IS A BIG ISSUE.

UH, HOW CAN PEOPLE

[00:50:01]

UM, IF I NAME ENTITIES SPECIFICALLY, THEN I'LL FEEL LIKE I'LL LEAVE SOMEONE ELSE.

SO I'D RATHER NOT.

UM, IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING HOW TO ACCESS OUR SERVICES, PLEASE, UH, VISIT OUR PHYSICAL LOCATIONS.

WE'RE AT 48 11 AIRPORT PLAZA DRIVE AND ALSO 508 WEST WILLOW STREET.

THOSE ARE OUR CAREER CENTERS.

UH, YOU COULD ALSO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SERVICES@LONGBEACH.GOV, UM, SLASH ED.

UM, ON THAT SITE, YOU'LL SEE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES, INCLUDING SOME THAT YOU CAN NAVIGATE, UM, FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME, WHERE YOU COULD EXPLORE DIFFERENT SKILL ASSESSMENTS, LOOK AT THOSE TRANSFERABLE SKILLS AND MAYBE CONSIDER LIKE, HEY, I KNOW THAT I HAVE THE SKILLSET, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT TRANSLATES TO THIS IN AN OCCUPATION.

SO IT KIND OF EXPANDS YOUR HORIZONS.

THERE'S ALSO SOME, UH, INDUSTRY VIDEOS WHERE YOU COULD LEARN ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, AGAIN, FROM YOUR COMPUTER AND START YOUR CAREER EXPLORATION JOURNEY RIGHT THEN AND THERE.

AND WHEN YOU'RE READY TO THEN VISIT US IN PERSON, YOU COULD SIGN UP FOR AN ORIENTATION AND OF COURSE, UH, YOU COULD MAKE IT THEN AN APPOINTMENT TO MEET ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY CAREER SPECIALISTS WHO WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE WAY AND GIVE YOU THE SUPPORT THAT YOU NEED TO FIND THE NEXT JOB.

ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED AS PART OF THE ECONOMIC STABILITY LISTENING SESSION, PROVIDING BACKGROUND AND COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ON RELATED ISSUES IN LONG BEACH.

THANK YOU ALL.

SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE IN THE PUB, IN, IN PUBLIC, UH, ALSO ONLINE, THE JOBS ARE COMING, Y'ALL.

UM, SO DO GET CONNECTED.

IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING A SWITCH OR CONSIDERING GETTING STARTED OR A FRESH START, UH, FROM A CHALLENGING SITUATION, UM, THE RESOURCES AND CONNECTIONS ARE HERE.

UH, CLOSED MOUTHS DON'T GET FED.

UH, SO DEFINITELY, UM, MAKE THE CONNECTION AND, AND START YOUR JOURNEY.

UM, AND MAYBE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM READ, PLEASE.

CHAIR COVINGTON.

MAY WE TAKE A VOTE PLEASE? THANK YOU.

[3. 26-54604 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Long Beach Residents Empowered (LiBRE) as part of the Economic Stability Listening Session, providing background and community perspectives on related issues in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DELEON AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SAMUEL WEILL.

AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THE PRESENTATION.

HI ANDRE.

HI CHRIS.

HI EVERYONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION.

MY NAME IS SANDRA DONDO AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LONG BEACH RESIDENCE AND POWER OR LIBRE.

I AM ALSO A RENTER IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT.

LIBRE WORKS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RENTER PROTECTIONS, AND COMMUN COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT.

TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME PERSPECTIVES FROM LONG BEACH RENTERS THAT TALK ABOUT THE BARRIERS THEY FACE IN MAINTAINING ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND STABILITY AS THE OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES.

LIBERTY'S WORK IS READY IN COMMUNITY.

WE ENGAGE RESIDENTS, UH, ACROSS THE CITY THROUGH OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.

THIS IS POSSIBLE IN BIG PART THANKS TO THE CITY'S RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND POLICY ADVOCACY.

OUR WORK IS INFORMED, BUT WHAT WE HEAR DIRECTLY FROM RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE TRYING TO STAY HOUSED WHILE NAVIGATING RISING RENTS, HOUSING CONDITIONS AND ECONOMIC PRESSURE FOR RENTERS, THEIR ECONOMIC STABILITY BEGINS WITH HOUSING IN STABILITY.

NEARLY 60% OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS ARE RENTERS, OR HALF OF RENTERS PAY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME TOWARDS HOUSING AND A QUARTER OF RENTERS PER MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR INCOME TOWARDS HOUSING.

WHEN FAMILIES SPEND SO MUCH OF THEIR INCOME TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS, THEY BE, IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO SAVE MONEY, RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES, OR BE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY, OR EVEN AFFORD TO STAY IN THE CITY.

THIS CHART SHOWS RENT BURDEN ACROSS LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT DISTRICT.

WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THE, THE BURDEN IS NOT EVENLY

[00:55:01]

DISTRIBUTED.

DISTRICTS 1, 6, 1 AND SIX EXPERIENCE HIGH HIGHEST LEVELS, LEVELS OF RENT BURDEN WITH OVER 60% OF HOUSEHOLD HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING COSTS.

MUCH OF THE DATA YOU SEE TODAY IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN RES GIS WEBSITE WHERE RESIDENTS CAN EXPLORE HOW RISING RENTS, DISPLACEMENT, AND HOUSING CONDITIONS ARE AFFECTING NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS LAUNCH.

THIS TOOL IS FREELY, FREELY AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITY TO TRACK HOW NEIGHBORHOODS ARE CHANGING.

EVICTIONS IS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE ECONOMIC SHOCKS A RENTER CAN EXPERIENCE.

WHILE EVICTIONS IMPACT EVERYONE ACROSS THE CITY, WE DO SEE THAT DISTRICTS WANT TO AND SIX, EXPERIENCE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF EV OF EVICTIONS IN OF EVICTION ACTIVITY.

AN EVICTION DOESN'T JUST MEAN LOSING YOUR HOUSING.

IT CAN AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO STAY IN THE SCHOOLS, JOBS AND COMMUNITIES.

WE ARE PART OF OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS TO FUTURE HOUSING AND PUTS PEOPLE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS FOR MANY FAMILIES, EVICTION, PUSH THEM INTO CYCLES OF INSTABILITY THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO RECOVER FROM.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT REALITY WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT EVICTIONS ARE NOT ONLY ECONOMIC, THEY ARE ALSO RATIONALIZED.

DATA SHOWS THAT EVICTION PATTERNS ARE CONCENTRATED IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH HIGHER POPULATION OF LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

THESE PATTERNS REFLECT DEEP, DEEPER STRUCTURAL INEQUALITIES THAT HAVE SHAPED LONG BEACH FOR DECADES.

HISTORICALLY, RED LINE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE COMMUNITIES OF COLORS WERE DENIED LOANS AND INVESTMENT ARE THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT TODAY EXPERIENCE HIGHER RENT BURDEN, HIGHER EV RATES AND POOR HOUSING CONDITIONS.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC STABILITY, WE ALSO TALK ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY AND HISTORIC DISINVESTMENT.

HISTORIC HISTORIC HOUSING POLICIES CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE QUALITY OF HOUSING AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

TODAY, WHEN WE MAPPED HOUSING CODE VIOLATIONS ACROSS THE CITY, WE SEE A CLEAR OVERLAP WITH NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE REDLINED AS HARD ASSETS.

IN THE 1930S, NEARLY 90 YEARS LATER, THE SAME COMMUNITIES ARE STILL DEALING WITH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, INFESTATIONS AND WORSENING HOUSING CONDITIONS.

MORE THAN 12,000 HOUSING, HOUSING CODE VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED IN THESE AREAS.

ANOTHER BARRIER RENT INTERFACE IS, IS GAP.

INTERNET PROTECTION.

STATE LAWS LIKE CALIFORNIA TENANT PROTECTION ART PROVIDE SOME SAFEGUARDS, BUT MANY UNITS REMAIN EXEMPT.

OUR GIS ANALYSIS SHOWS THOUSANDS OF UNITS IN LONG BEACH FALL, OUTSIDE THOSE PROTECTIONS TO CONSTRUCTION DATE EXPIRATIONS AND OR OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE.

THAT MEANS MANY RENTERS STILL FACE RAISING RENTS OR EVICTIONS WITH LIMITED PROTECTIONS, BUT ALSO MEANS IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LOCAL POLICIES FILL THE GAP.

SO WHEN WE STEP BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE DATA, FOUR MAJOR BARRIERS EMERGE.

FIRST, HIGH RENT BURDEN, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY.

SECOND, EVICTION AND DISPLACEMENT, WHICH THERE DISRUPTS HOUSEHOLDS AND COMMUNITIES.

THIRD, POOR HOUSING CONDITIONS AFTER CONCENTRATED IN HISTORICALLY DISINVESTED NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND FOURTH, POLICY GAPS WHERE EXISTING PROTECTIONS DO NOT FULLY COVER RENTERS.

SO WHERE CAN WE GO FROM HERE? LAST YEAR RE AND THE LOS ANGELES ALLIANCE FOR A NEW ECONOMY PUBLISHED A REPORT TRYING TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.

HOW DO WE GO, HOW DO WE CONFRONT OUR HOUSING CRISIS? WHAT EMERGED FROM THIS STUDY IS THAT ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR RENTERS REQUIRES BOTH PROTECTION AND LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN HOUSING STABILITY.

WHEN LOOKING AT THE PILLAR OF TENANT PROTECTIONS, THIS INCLUDES SUSTAINING THE RIGHT TO CANCEL PROGRAM.

SO TENANTS FACING EVICTIONS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND A FAIR CHANCE TO STAY HOUSED.

THIS ALSO INCLUDES STRENGTHENING LOCAL JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS TO ALIGN WITH NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORING CITIES AND ENSURE LONG BEACH FAMILIES ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO BASIC EVICTION PROTECTIONS.

ALSO AMONG COMMUNITY CENTER INITIATIVES IS REALLY REGULATING SHORT TERM RENTALS TO KEEP MORE HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.

IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AROUND EVICTION DATA WILL ALSO HELP BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE DISPLACEMENT IS HAPPENING AND TRACK OUR PROGRESS IN REDUCING IT

[01:00:03]

AS OUTLINED IN THE REPORT.

ANOTHER KEY PILLARS IS INVESTING IN PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SOCIAL HOUSING MODELS LIKE THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ARE ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW CAN WE CREATE PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHILE BUILDING COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP LOCALLY, THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IS ALREADY WORKING TO ACQUIRE LAND AND PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

LASTLY, COMMUNITY CENTERED INITIATIVES CALLED FOR STRENGTHENING HOUSING HABIT, UH, HABIT, UH, HABIT ENFORCEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN HISTORICALLY DISIN DISINVESTED NEIGHBORHOODS.

APPROACHES LIKE THIS HAPPENS THROUGH HOUSING REMAINS STABLE AND ACCESSIBLE OVER THE LONG TERM.

ULTIMATELY, ECONOMIC JUSTICE MEANS THAT RESIDENTS CAN REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY HELD BUILT.

IT MEANS HOUSING THAT IS SAFE, STABLE, AND AFFORDABLE.

WHEN RENTERS HAVE STABILITY, FAMILIES CAN INVEST IN FUTURE COMMUNITIES, CAN GROW TOGETHER, AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

BENEFITS.

WE APPRECIATE THIS COMMISSION COMMITMENT TO HEARING COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES TODAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING EDUCATING AND ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY FOR ALBERTANS.

RESOURCES, BUT WE DO NEED TO BE CENTERED.

THANK YOU, ANDRE.

UH, MAY WE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON OR ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM THREE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

AND IF IN ZOOM, USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

NOW I SEE NO ONE IN PERSON, BUT I DO SEE, UH, A MEMBER IN ZOOM.

MELISSA, WHEN YOU ARE READY, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH.

YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.

WONDERFUL.

HI EVERYONE.

UH, AND PLEASE EXCUSE ME.

MY NAME'S MELISSA AND I HAVE A NEW PUPPY RUNNING AROUND IN THE BACKGROUND WITH A DOG.

IF YOU HEAR BACKGROUND NOISES, THAT'S WHY TWO DOGS.

UM, I AM, UH, JUST HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU ALL ARE MEETING ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TONIGHT.

I AM HERE, UM, WEARING THE HAT OF BEING A CORE TEAM MEMBER OF OUR BLM GRASSROOTS LONG BEACH TEAM.

WE ARE STILL AROUND HERE, BEEN WORKING, UM, WITH COMMUNITY TO BUILD GRASSROOTS POWER.

UM, ONE OF THE EXCITING THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LIBRE, UM, WITH ANDRE'S TEAM.

AND WE HAVE BUILT TOGETHER THE CITY'S FIRST BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD TENANT COUNCIL.

SO WE'RE A COMMUNITY LED TENANT POWER COLLECTIVE IN LONG BEACH, FOCUSED ON EMPOWERING RESIDENTS AND PROTECTING THE RIGHTS THROUGH COLLECTIVE ACTION BY REALLY CENTERING BLACK COMMUNITY.

AND WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT, STRENGTHENING HOUSING STABILITY, BUILDING BLACK POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC POWER FOR A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE.

UH, WE HAD EMBEDDED AN ORGANIZER IN LIBRE, UH, A BLACK WOMAN, UH, WHO HAS HELPED TO CREATE, UH, THIS SPACE WHERE WE HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF ABOUT SIX, UH, RENTERS IN THE CITY WHO ARE NOW TENANT LEADERS WHO ARE HOLDING SPACE ONCE A MONTH FOR BLACK COMMUNITY TO COME FEEL SAFE, LEARN ABOUT THE RIGHTS.

WE HAD AN ATTORNEY WHO CAME LAST NIGHT AND WAS ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

SO IT'S BEEN REALLY, UM, AN EXPERIMENT BUT ALSO AN IMPORTANT EXERCISE AND HOW TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN CENTERING BLACK COMMUNITY.

UM, I'M GONNA POSE THE QUESTION TO YOU ALL AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT, TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S THE BLACK DATA? 'CAUSE QUITE OFTEN OUR NUMBERS THAT, UH, SHOW THE EXPERIENCE OF BLACK COMMUNITY AND ANY OF THESE ISSUES AROUND ECONOMIC INCLUSION ARE, WE ARE TARGETED, WE ARE CHALLENGED, WE SUFFER, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE OFTEN NOT PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT, UH, IN THIS MEETING YET TONIGHT, I'VE HEARD ANYBODY TALK ABOUT BLACK COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT IT.

UM, 65% OF BLACK RENTERS IN CALIFORNIA ARE RENT BURDENED.

39%, UM, OF US PAY OVER HALF OF OUR INCOME ON RENT.

UM, BLACK WOMEN ARE KNOWN TO BE THE MOST RENT BURDENED PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, AND IT'S BEEN BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDING SPACE WITH THIS TENANT COUNCIL.

UM, ALSO THE MEDIAN BLACK HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN LONG BEACH IS $57,000 COMPARED TO ABOUT $98,000 FOR WHITE, UH, FAMILIES.

UM, I I THINK I'M GONNA LEAVE IT THERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO REALLY BE QUESTIONING AND PUSHING THE CITY TO LEARN WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO ADDRESS ANTI-BLACKNESS WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC EQUITY.

WE CERTAINLY ARE REALLY GOOD AS A CITY AT SAYING THAT WE BELIEVE IN EQUITY, BUT WHEN YOU START TO LOOK AT THOSE AMONGST US WHO ARE THE MOST MARGINALIZED, IT OFTEN IS BLACK FAMILIES.

AND THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE, UM, NEED TO COMPETE WITH ROOT FOR

[01:05:01]

THANK YOU, MELISSA.

UM, DOES THAT CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, CHAIR.

UM, SO NOW WE'LL MOVE IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION.

UH, AND WE CAN ASK, UH, ANDRE QUESTIONS, UM, AND WE WILL HAVE THAT DIALOGUE.

SO I'LL OPEN IT UP.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THEIR QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED ALREADY, .

UM, I DEFINITELY HAVE ONE.

UM, SO I KNOW LAST YEAR, UM, DURING THE BUDGET FIGHT, UH, THERE WAS SPECIFIC ASKS, UH, FOR, UM, ONE-TIME FUNDS STRUCTURAL FUNDS TO GO TOWARDS THE LAND TRUST AND ALSO, UM, TO SUPPORT WITH, UM, EVICTION LITIGATIONS.

UH, CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHERE THOSE PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY AT? UH, I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LAND TRUST, BUT, UM, THE EVICTION, UM, SUPPORT PROCESSES AND THEN ALSO, UM, WHAT CAN THE CITY DO MORE, UM, TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS SINCE WE'RE SEEING HIGHER RATES OF EVICTIONS CURRENTLY GOING ON? YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY, AS, AS FAR AS THE RIGHT TO CANCEL, UM, FUNDS, WE, THIS, THE CITY WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO PROVIDE, UM, $2 MILLION FOR THE RIGHT TO CANCEL 1.5 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 500,000 FOR WHAT WE CALL SETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE.

RIGHT NOW, THE SERVICES CONTINUING THE CITY THANKS TO THE COUNTY PROVIDING SOME FUNDS, AND I BELIEVE I HEARD TODAY THAT WE ARE FINALLY SIGNING THE CONTRACT TO START USING THOSE FUNDS THIS YEAR.

UM, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING PROCESSED AND I'M HAPPY TO TO, TO SHARE, UM, HOW, HOW WE MOVE.

BUT, UM, FOR THE MOST PART, THE, THE EVICTION DEFENSE, AND MAYBE I CAN SHARE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING EVICTIONS CAN CONTACT OUR ORGANIZATION, THE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED OR STATE HOUSE LA AND WE, IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND POSSIBLY CONNECT YOU WITH AN ATTORNEY THAT WILL HELP WITH YOUR CASE.

AND IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, UM, THOSE FUNDS WERE, UH, TIED TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, UM, ALSO ACQUIRING PROPERTY PROPERTY.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IS MOVING TOWARDS ITS FIRST ACQUISITION AND THE CITY HOPEFULLY IS GOING TO PROVIDE, UH, THE $200,000 THAT, UH, THEY THEY APPROVED FOR, FOR THIS PROGRAM.

COOL.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER DELEON.

I APPRECIATE IT.

HAVE COME TOGETHER TO, TO PRESENT TO LIKE, TO THE VOTERS A NEW REVENUE MEASURE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BRING A LOT MORE FUNDING FOR SOCIAL HOUSING AND FOR THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS TO ACQUIRE NEW HOUSING AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE STAY HOUSED AND PREVENT DISPLACEMENT.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S SO MUCH RICHNESS IN THIS PRESENTATION, SO WE WON'T BE ABLE TO COVER EVERYTHING I WANNA TALK ABOUT HERE.

I THINK ONE THING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IS IF YOU COULD SHARE MORE ABOUT, UM, THE, THE POLICY RECOMMENDATION FOR, UM, ACQUIRING AT-RISK BUILDINGS.

I THINK THAT MAY BE, UH, A THING THAT'S, THAT'S A NEWER CONCEPT FOR FOLKS, AND SO MAYBE YOU COULD SHARE MORE ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE? YES.

UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING IS AS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF, UH, FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOUSING, UH, NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE, BUT AS WE WAIT FOR THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING, WE ARE ALSO SEEING THAT THE HOMELESS POPULATION CONTINUES TO INCREASE.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT? AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT.

AND, UM, THROUGH THE, THROUGH NEW AND INNOVATIVE, UH, APPROACHES SUCH AS THE CHAMELEON TRUST, WE CAN ACQUIRE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND ENSURE THAT THOSE RENTERS STAY HOUSED AND THAT THAT HOUSING REMAINS AFFORDABLE IN PERPETUITY.

SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFERENT TO PUBLIC HOUSING TODAY, PUBLIC HOUSING OFTEN HAVE COVENANTS THAT EXPIRED COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ARE IN AFFORD AFFORDABLE FOR IN PERPETUITY.

AND THIS IS JUST A NEW APPROACH THAT WE ARE THINKING THROUGH AS A WAY TO SOLVE A LITTLE BIT THE, THE HOMELESS CRISIS, UM, FUNDING FOR, FOR THAT.

UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER, WE WERE ABLE TO PASS AT THE COUNTY MEASURE A AND MEASURE IS ALREADY PROVIDING SOME SUPPORT FOR THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SHARE THIS PUBLICLY, BUT I THINK I CAN LIBRE, UM, THE LANE ACTION FUND AND THE FIREFIGHTERS

[01:10:01]

SO IT, THE MEASURE IS CALLED, UH, BLOCK THE CUTS AND BUILD LONG BEACH.

IT'S, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FERAL BUDGET CUTS.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY INVEST IN OUR CITY AND TAKE CONTROL OF OUR FINANCES.

COMMISSIONER SAMMY WEILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, I I REALLY BELIEVE THAT, UM, HOUSING IS THE FOUNDATION OF, UM, ECONOMIC STABILITY.

UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE INDIVIDUAL'S, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR FAILURE.

I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A SYSTEMIC ISSUE.

UM, AND I, I'M KIND OF INTERESTED IN AS TO THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, ABOUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND THE INEQUITIES, UM, AND DISPARITIES, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FACING.

UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT DATA, UM, THAT WAS JUST SHARED AND, UM, ARE THERE ANY POLICY CHANGES THAT YOU THINK THAT THE CITY CAN DO TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THESE INEQUITIES? YES, AND I THINK MELISSA, UM, WAS VERY, UM, ACCURATE IN WHAT SHE SHARED.

SHE SHARED IN TERMS OF BLACK RENTERS, BLACK WOMEN IN PARTICULAR BEING AFFECTED MOST, UM, SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE IN, UM, IN OUR GIS SITE AND THAT CAME OUT OF THE REPORT THAT WE WORKED ON WITH ELAINE, UH, SHOWED THAT IT'S THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITIES, UM, DISPROPORTIONATELY THE HIGHEST.

AND, UM, FIRST, NOT JUST WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO, TO RENTERS, BUT ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO HOME OWNERSHIP.

UM, THE BLACK COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DISPLACED THE MOST OUT OF LONG BEACH.

AND A LOT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAT USED TO OWN HOMES AND IN LONG BEACH WERE DISPLACED.

A LOT OF THEM, UM, MOVED TO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF, UM, LONG BEACH, BUT ALSO THEY ARE LIVING IN MOBILE HOMES, WHICH IS TECHNICALLY, UM, THEY'RE TECHNICALLY STILL RENTERS.

SO WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, THE, THE INEQUITIES, UM, WE MUST CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE, AT THE BLACK COMMUNITY, BLACK WOMEN AS MELISSA SHARED.

AND, UM, AND IN TERMS OF POLICIES, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AND KNOWING THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS THE ONE THAT GETS DISPLACED THE MOST, I THINK MORE POLICIES LIKE JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS, MORE FUNDING FOR, YOU KNOW, PREVENTING THESE TYPE OF EVICTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, POLICIES THAT REALLY ENFORCE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, ARE, ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE DISCREPANCIES DISPARITIES.

ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.

UM, BEFORE WE CLOSE, CAN YOU JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT AGAIN, UH, HOW FOLKS CAN GET IN CONTACT WITH LIBRE? YES, OF COURSE.

UM, YOU, YOU ALL CAN CONTACT US THROUGH OUR WEBSITE OR INSTAGRAM AT LIBRE.

UH, WE ARE LIBRE.ORG AND, UM, OUR INSTAGRAM IS THE SAME.

AND, UM, I THINK IN OUR WEBSITE THERE'S UH, CONTACT US OPTION AND ALSO THE STATE HOUSE LA IF YOU ARE FACING A, AN EVICTION AND YOU NEED URGENT SUPPORT, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO TO THE STATE HOUSE LA WEBSITE AND INPUT YOUR, YOUR INFORMATION.

THANK YOU, ANDRE.

UH, MAY WE PLEASE CALL FOR A VOTE? COMMISSIONER SHA MALONE.

FIVE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM LOS ANGELES CENTERS FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE AS PART OF THE ECONOMIC STABILITY LISTENING SESSION, PROVIDING BACKGROUND AND COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ON RELATED ISSUES IN LONG BEACH.

UH, LET'S, I'M GOING TO SWITCH THE ORDER A LITTLE BIT FOR FOLKS.

UM, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO MOVE WITH ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

UM, BUT JUST WANNA CHECK IN THE AUDIENCE, DO WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM FOOD FINDERS HERE? YES.

YES, YES.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, SO MAY WE PLEASE HAVE ITEM NUMBER

[01:15:01]

FIVE, READ ITEM

[5. 26-54606 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (L.A. CADA) as part of the Economic Stability Listening Session, providing background and community perspectives on related issues in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

AWESOME.

MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER SAM? WE SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FLORES.

ALRIGHT, UH, SO WE'LL PASS IT OVER TO YOU.

TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO GO THROUGH A PROGRAM, IT'S ONE THING TO GET SOBER, BUT THEN HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF EDUCATION, SOME TYPE OF UNDERSTANDING, SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT.

UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSION.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

UH, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AND HAVE A VOICE IN THIS EVENING.

UM, SO MY NAME IS MICHAEL RUBIO.

I AM THE DIRECTOR OF OUTPATIENT SERVICES AND HOMELESS SERVICES WITH THE LOS ANGELES CENTER FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.

WE HAVE OPERATIONS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

UM, PRIOR TO MYSELF BEING A DIRECTOR, I WAS THE MANAGER FOR THE LONG BEACH OUTPATIENT COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER FROM 2021 TO 2024.

AND NOW, UM, MY COLLEAGUE AND SUCCESSOR IS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL.

SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR ROOTS HERE IN LONG BEACH AS WELL.

UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT REENTRY AND ECONOMIC STABILITY AND THIS WAY.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY REENTRY MATTERS.

UM, REENTRY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN FOLKS ARE COMING BACK INTO SOCIETY, THEY NEED TO HAVE SUPPORT AND WHATEVER THAT IS.

SOME OF THE VOICES THAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT DISCUSS EMPLOYMENT, DISCUSS HOUSING, WE'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT FOOD INJUSTICE IN A LITTLE BIT.

AND ALL OF THESE ARE PIECES THAT TIE INTO REENTRY, SOMETHING THAT WE DO AT LATA AS WE ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT TO THESE FOLKS TRYING TO COME BACK INTO SOCIETY.

AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAPPEN AND CREATE RECIDIVISM IS THERE IS A LACK OF SUPPORT.

THERE'S HOMELESSNESS, THERE'S DISPARITY WITHIN HOUSING, THERE'S DISPARITY WITHIN EMPLOYMENT, THERE'S DISPARITY WITHIN DIVERSITY.

AND WE HAVE AN INCREASED OVERDOSE RISK.

UM, HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, OVERDOSE HAS RISEN OVER 300% IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

UM, I BELIEVE IN 2022, I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH.

THERE WAS 38 DEATHS FROM OVERDOSE, AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR WE WENT UP TO 98.

SO THAT'S A 372% INCREASE IN OVERDOSE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PROGRAMS LIKE LA KATA AND OTHER TREATMENT PROVIDERS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE REENTRY SPACE.

UM, AND THEN ALL OF THIS CREATES RECIDIVISM AND CREATE.

AND WELL ALSO NOW WITH, UH, SENATE BILL 43, UM, AND TURNING, UM, I'M SORRY, I WANNA MAKE SURE I SAY THE CORRECT TERM, GRAVELY DISABLED, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOW CALLING FOLKS WHO HAVE SUD GRAVELY DISABLED AND SENDING THEM BACK TO JAIL OR SENDING THEM INTO INSTITUTIONS FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN EASILY GET WORKED OUT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S COMING FROM THE SENATE.

IF WE PROVIDE SUPPORT, WE PROVIDE STABILITY, WE PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT, WE PROVIDE RECOVERY, UM, FOR FOLKS TO MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT OR FOLKS TO MAINTAIN HOUSING, THEY NEED TO WORK ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

THEY NEED TO WORK ON THEIR SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES, THEY NEED TO WORK ON THEIR PTSD.

HOW ELSE DO WE EXPECT THEM TO MAINTAIN AND CONTINUE TO CONGREGATE IN SOCIETY AND BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY UNLESS WE HAVE THESE SERVICES HERE, UM, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT ECONOMIC JUSTICE MEANS.

SO PROVIDING FAIR OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? AND IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW, UM, THERE'S A, A MOVE TO GET RID OF DEI AND IN LONG BEACH, I THINK LONG BEACH IS VERY MUCH A DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.

UM, THERE IS MANY VOICES OF COLOR AS WE, AS WE HEARD, UM, FROM ONE OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

THERE'S MANY, UM, PERSONALITIES AND DIVERSE POPULATIONS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO EVERYBODY DESERVES TO HECK HAVE AN EQUITABLE CHANCE AT REENTRY AND EQUITABLE SERVICES, RIGHT? UM, FOLKS LIKE US AND OTHER TREATMENT PROVIDERS HERE IN THE CITY, WE DON'T LOOK AT PEOPLE'S DIVERSE POPULATIONS.

WE LOOK AT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED, AND WE HELP THEM WITH THOSE COORDINATION SKILLS SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED AND TO CONTINUE TO PROGRESS IN SOCIETY.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOTICING IS THERE ARE SOME DISPARITIES IN HEALTHCARE NOW.

UM, AS THERE ARE MEDICAID CUTS, THERE'S EMPLOYMENT CUTS, THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDING CUTS.

I THINK IT WAS 40 MILLION THAT WAS CUT FROM REENTRY, UM, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AT THIS CURRENT TIME.

THIS CREATES SYSTEMIC BARRIERS AND IT LEADS PEOPLE BACK TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, WHICH LEADS THEM BACK TO JAIL, WHICH CREATES RECIDIVISM.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HOPING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS TONIGHT AND CREATE SOME TYPE OF WAY FORWARD WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

SOME OF THE BIGGEST FINANCIAL STRESSORS.

UM, NO IMMEDIATE INCOME, RIGHT? GR IS NOT GONNA COVER RENTAL HOUSING.

IT'S NOT GONNA EVEN COVER FOOD FOR A FULL MONTH.

AND AT THIS POINT, UM, WE HAVE HOUSING COSTS, AS WE JUST HEARD ABOUT THE DISPARITIES FROM, UM, THIS LOVELY PERSON OVER HERE WHO TALKED ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT HOUSING ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

HOW DO WE EXPECT FOLKS WHO ARE COMING OUT OF JAIL WITH GR OR SOCIAL SECURITY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES? AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE HAVE ONE OF OUR AMAZING HOUSING PROVIDERS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, MISS CONSTANCE WITH TRANSFORMATIONAL

[01:20:01]

LIVING HOMES.

IT'S PEOPLE LIKE THIS WHO WORK IN THE REENTRY SPACE, WHO HELP GIVE BACK TO FOLKS SO THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO GET BACK INTO LIFE.

UM, THERE'S TRANSPORTATION, UH, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, EXCUSE ME.

UM, CARS, GAS.

WHAT IS GAS AT NOW? SEVEN, $8 .

UM, SO I'M LUCKY TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC CAR, SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

BUT, UM, , UH, LEGAL FINES AND FEES, RIGHT? UM, THIS IS JUST WAYS THAT CONTINUE TO HAVE PEOPLE STRUGGLE AND THEY'RE NEVER ABLE TO COME BACK UP FROM IT.

AND SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE DISPARITIES THAT WE'RE SEEING.

A LACK OF, ID LACK OF DOCUMENTS, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE HOMELESS, YOU'RE NOT CARRYING ABOUT AN ID, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO GET ONE.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE PROVIDERS WHO ARE, UM, RECEIVING FUNDING OR RECEIVING GRANTS, THEY HAVE FEE WAIVERS, THEY HAVE RESOURCES, THEY HAVE CO CARE COORDINATORS WHO CAN HELP WALK SOMEBODY THROUGH TO BECOME AN INDEPENDENT PERSON.

AND THAT'S WHY THESE, UM, MEETINGS AND THESE SPACES ARE IMPORTANT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE STILL AVAILABLE GET FUNNELED INTO THE RIGHT PLACES.

STRUCTURAL BARRIERS.

STIGMA.

STIGMA IS A BIG ONE.

WHETHER IT COMES TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, WHETHER IT COMES TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, WHETHER IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH, RIGHT? A LOT OF FOLKS, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, ARE AFRAID TO ADDRESS THEIR MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE ALL THE STIGMA THAT'S ENTWINED WITH IT'S, YOU KNOW, GENERATIONAL.

AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO WORK ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH OR YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, THEN HOW DO WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO REENTER INTO SOCIETY SUCCESSFULLY? SO MAKING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF FUNDING CUTS COMING DOWN FOR MENTAL HEALTH, COMING DOWN FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT, AND ALL THESE VARIOUS GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND LA COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

UM, SO HOW DO WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO BECOME ACTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY IF WE'RE NOT PROVIDING THESE RESOURCES AND WE'RE NOT ALLOCATING THE FUNDS, UM, DELAYS IN BENEFITS.

SO I BELIEVE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS ONE, BUT THERE ARE, UM, THE MEDI-CAL RENEWAL PROCESS RIGHT NOW, IT'S GONNA GO TO EVERY SIX MONTHS INSTEAD OF TO EVERY YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN THOSE PACKETS, BUT THOSE PACKETS ARE LIKE THIS BIG.

AND FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS JUST TRYING TO WORK AN 80 HOUR WEEK TO GET DAY BY DAY, HOW DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO KEEP UP WITH A PACKET WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OR THE APPRECIATION FOR WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? UM, SO WE JUST CONTINUE TO CREATE BARRIERS IN SOCIETY, ESPECIALLY IN THE CURRENT SITUATION.

AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON IS SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS, WHAT'S WORKING, RIGHT? UM, SO I'LL SPEAK TO WHAT WE DO.

UM, WE DO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT.

WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM LA COUNTY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FINDING THAT'S WORKING IS HELPING STABILIZE FOLKS, RIGHT? SO SOMEBODY WHO IS COMING TO US WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, AND MAYBE THEY'RE CO-OCCURRING, THEY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER, THEY CAN COME TO US THROUGH RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT.

THEY'LL BE IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FROM ANYWHERE TO, YOU KNOW, 30 TO 90 DAYS OR WHATEVER'S MEDICALLY, MEDICALLY NECESSARY.

UM, THEY GET STABILIZED.

MAYBE WE HAVE THEM SEE A PROVIDER FOR MENTAL HEALTH, MAYBE WE HAVE 'EM SEE A PROVIDER FOR MEDICAL HEALTH THAT THEY START RECEIVING MEDICATION, START WORKING ON WHATEVER ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON INTERNALLY, AND THEN THEY STEP DOWN.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY CREATE, COMPLETES RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT AND THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO? WHAT IF THEY CAME TO US UNHOUSED AND THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO? WE HAVE RECOVERY BRIDGE HOUSING.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY'S PROVIDING NOW AS WELL.

UM, AND THESE RECOVERY BRIDGE HOUSING BEDS CAN BE FROM ANYWHERE FROM 30 DAYS TO UP TO 364 DAYS.

AND THEN, UM, AS LONG AS THERE'S A MEDICAL NECESSITY AND THERE'S AN AUTHORIZATION, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH THE CLIENT FROM HIGHEST LEVEL OF CARE, WHICH IS RESIDENTIAL.

IF THEY ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER, ALCOHOL USE DISORDER, THERE ARE MEDICATIONS, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH THOSE CRAVINGS AND HELP THEM WITH THOSE, UM, ISSUES THAT THEY'RE HAVING WHEN IT COMES TO BECOMING SOBER AND MAINTAINING ABSTINENCE.

UM, WORKING WITH PARTNERSHIPS SUCH AS ELI OVER HERE.

I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH ELI.

UM, I JUST REALLY FOUND OUT THEY CHANGED THEIR NAME TO LB WYN, BUT, UH, WHEN THEY WERE PACIFIC GATEWAYS, WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM.

BUT THE POINT OF THIS IS THAT IN ORDER TO GET SOMEBODY TO THAT POINT OF EMPLOYMENT, IN ORDER TO GET SOMEBODY TO THAT POINT OF HOUSING, YOU NEED TO GET THEM STABILIZED.

AND IN ORDER TO GET THEM STABILIZED, WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE SUD.

UM, AGAIN, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO AS AN AGENCY, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN GETTING PEOPLE BACK INTO THESE OTHER SPACES.

PEER SUPPORT MODELS, THIS IS SOMETHING, UM, VERY NEW THAT HAS COME DOWN THE LINE, BUT FOLKS, UM, LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE IN RECOVERY AND WHO HAVE BEEN SYSTEM IMPACTED, WHO HAVE COME OUT BETTER ON THE OTHER SIDE, ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE SAME SPACES.

AND NOW, UM, CALIFORNIA AND MEDI-CAL HAS A PROGRAM CALLED, UM, CERTIFIED MEDI-CAL PEER SUPPORTS.

AND WHAT WE DO AS AN AGENCY IS WE HAVE AN ACADEMY AND A LOT OF OUR GRADUATES GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THEY GET A CERTIFICATION, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO EMPLOY THEM SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE SERVICES AND GIVE BACK WHAT WAS FREELY GIVEN TO THEM, RIGHT? AND SO BEING, UM, SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THINGS, I CAN

[01:25:01]

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, LAKOTA'S APPROACH.

UH, WE COME AT THINGS AS FROM A WHOLE PERSON CENTERED APPROACH.

SO, UH, IT'S VERY MUCH INTEGRATED CARE.

WE HAVE PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISCIPLINES WORKING WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL.

WE MIGHT HAVE MEDICAL PROVIDERS, PSYCHIATRIC PROVIDERS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER COUNSELORS, MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS, PEER SUPPORTS, MONITORS.

UM, THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO COME TOGETHER TO WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR CASE.

UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT LINKAGES, TRAUMA INFORMED CARE, SUBSTANCE USE, I LIKE TO SAY IS A BANDAID.

IT'S A BANDAID TO SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY, SOME TYPE OF TRAUMA, RIGHT? AND IN ORDER FOR US TO WORK THROUGH THAT RECOVERY AND BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT RECOVERY, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE CORE RISK, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE PUTTING A BANDAID ON A CUT THAT NEEDS STITCHES.

IT DOESN'T WORK, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY THAT MAIN POINT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROGRESS.

AND SO THAT TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, UM, SPEAKING TO FOLKS IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO NOT TRIGGER THEM AND HELP THEM CONTINUE TO PROGRESS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

UM, HIGH ACUITY NEEDS.

SO, UM, WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH DMH WHERE WE PROVIDE A SHORT TERM RESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.

UM, IT'S A 14 DAY STAY.

UH, IT'S FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS, SEVERE SUD, UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE STAB STABILIZATION PIECE, RIGHT? MAYBE THEY NEED TO GO THERE FOR 14 DAYS BEFORE THEY STEP DOWN TO THAT RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CARE, AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME.

THIS IS, AGAIN, TO GET THEM STABILIZED IN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH TO MAYBE WORK ON SOME OF THE MORE HIGHER ACUITY ISSUES.

UM, AND A LOT OF DONATIONS AND FUNDING GOES INTO THIS TO WORK WITH THIS POPULATION.

'CAUSE IT IS A DIFFICULT POPULATION GAPS IN RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS A REENTRY COMMITTEE, UM, THROUGH THE LONG BEACH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

I SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE FOR A COUPLE YEARS.

UM, AND THEN MY SUCCESSOR ALSO SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE.

BUT WHAT I'VE NOTICED, AT LEAST IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, IS WE HAVE A LOT OF GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS AND VERY LITTLE FUNDING, AND IT BECOMES A COMPETITION FOR THE FUNDING.

AND PEOPLE TEND TO FOCUS ON GETTING THE FUNDING, THEN PROVIDING THE SERVICES TO THE CLIENTS, AND THEY TEND TO OPERATE IN SILOS.

AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T EVERYBODY, BUT THIS IS JUST WHAT I'VE WITNESSED.

AND SO I THINK IF WE CAN EXPAND THE FUNDING SOURCES AND WE CAN MAYBE MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE, IT WOULDN'T BE SUCH A COMPETITION AND PEOPLE WOULD FOCUS ON COLLABORATING A LITTLE MORE.

LIKE THERE'S LARGE AGENCIES LIKE LA KATA, LIKE PACIFIC GATEWAYS, WE'RE A LITTLE MORE ESTABLISHED AND WE KIND OF DON'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE FOR, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DIFFERENT GRANTS AND THINGS.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THESE AMAZING SKILLS, BUT YET THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING, BEING GIVEN EQUITABLE CHANCE, I THINK THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE.

UM, SOMETHING I'VE SEEN, UH, WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ALSO IS WITH THE HOUSING, ALL OF OUR HOUSING HAS TO GO THROUGH THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.

AND THAT'S FANTASTIC BECAUSE IT'S FUNNELED THROUGH ONE PLACE, RIGHT? HOWEVER, WHAT IF YOU'RE ON NORTH LONG BEACH AND YOU DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION AND YOU NEED A SHELTER THAT DAY, AND YOU GOTTA GET TO THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER TO GO FILL OUT SOME PAPERWORK AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ON A BUS TO GET BACK TO NORTH LONG BEACH AND YOUR BED'S ALREADY GIVEN AWAY.

THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT I'VE SEEN.

AND SO, WHILE I THINK IT'S GREAT TO KIND OF TRY AND MAKE EVERYTHING INTO ONE SPECIFIC PLACE, WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR EVERYBODY.

THE SAME THING, THE SAME SHOE THAT FITS ME IS NOT GONNA FIT YOU.

YOU KNOW? AND SO I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EQUALITY AND EQUITY, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, REENTRY AND ECONOMIC STABILITY.

UM, SO INVESTING IN FOLKS LIKE I, WHAT I MENTIONED IS INVESTING IN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH OPPORTUNITIES, INVESTING IN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE EMPLOYMENT AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE HOUSING, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STABILIZED SO THAT THEY CAN MAINTAIN THAT.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A STRONG EMPHASIS ON HOMELESS DOLLARS RIGHT NOW WITH THE MEASURE A FUNDS AND THE WAY THAT THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE FROM THE COUNTY, AND THE FOCUS IS ON HOUSING.

BUT I PERSONALLY, AND I'M BIASED, RIGHT? I THINK WE WOULD FOCUS MORE ON THE OUTREACH PORTION, FOCUS MORE ON THE CARE COORDINATION PORTION, FOCUS MORE ON THE CONNECTION PORTION, BECAUSE WE CAN GET ANYBODY INTO HOUSING LOCATION, BUT HOW LONG ARE THEY GONNA MAINTAIN IT FOR? AND I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY WANTS TO SEE THESE NUMBERS OF FOLKS COMING OFF THE STREET AND GETTING PLACED INTO HOUSING, BUT HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE RECIDIVATING BACK INTO THE STREETS? WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS ALSO.

[01:30:03]

ALRIGHT, UM, THAT IS IT.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME SPACE TO SHARE AND TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, MAYBE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON OR ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM FIVE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

AND IF IN ZOOM, PLEASE USE A RAISE HAND FEATURE.

NOW I DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN ZOOM CHAIR.

SORRY, MELISSA, YOU HAVE THREE UH, MINUTES TO SPEAK.

PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE READY.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

GREAT.

YES.

UM, AGAIN, I'M MELISSA, I'M STILL WEARING THE HAT.

AS A BLM, GRASSROOTS LONG BEACH MEMBER, A RESIDENT HERE IN LONG BEACH.

AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, AFTER GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED AT, THROUGH BLMI HELPED TO START A COLLABORATIVE THAT WAS VIRTUAL CALLED BE WELL STOOD FOR BLACK WELLNESS.

AND WE BROUGHT TOGETHER BLACK FOLKS AND HEALERS TO TALK ABOUT OUR MENTAL HEALTH TO DESTIGMATIZE AND DEMYSTIFY IT.

UM, SO I, I WANNA REALLY THANK THIS PRESENTER WHO JUST GAVE THIS PRESENTATION.

IT WAS REALLY POWERFUL AND I COULD FEEL YOUR PASSION.

UM, SO WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES, THIS, THIS CONVERSATION DEFINITELY CAN'T BE SEPARATED.

WHEN WE LOOK AT RACIAL EQUITY, HEALTH EQUITY, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, UM, REENTRY OBVIOUSLY IS A CRITICAL TURNING POINT FOR PEOPLE.

AND WITHOUT SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO CAN FACE INCREASED HOMELESSNESS, OVERDOSE RISK, RECIDIVISM, THIS REALLY IMPACTS, UH, BLACK COMMUNITY.

WE, IT WAS SAID DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

AND WE KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE FOR OUR BLACK COMMUNITY, WHO IS DISPROPORTIONATELY PUSHED INTO THE WITHOUT SUPPORT REALITY BECAUSE THESE SYSTEMIC EQUITY INEQUITIES HAVE EXISTED LONG BEFORE SOMEBODY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

UM, THIS IS NOT JUST A REENTRY ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S A RESULT OF GENERATIONS OF DISINVESTMENT OVER POLICING, EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION, AS WELL AS BARRIERS TO HEALTHCARE.

UM, THIS CONNECTS SO MUCH TO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR JOBS AS BLACK FOLKS, WE'RE ALREADY GETTING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST WHEN IT COMES INTO BEING HIRING, UM, RETAINED IN WORK, UH, PROMOTED, ET CETERA.

UM, AND SO WHEN ALL THESE INTERSECTIONS IMPACT US IN OUR LIVES, THIS REALLY, UM, IS, IS A BIG ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

SO AGAIN, I ASK YOU TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON BLACK COMMUNITY? WHERE DO YOU HAVE BLACK VOICES AT THE TABLE AROUND THESE CONVERSATIONS, UM, ET CETERA.

UM, LASTLY, I JUST WANNA BRING UP A, A NEIGHBOR OF MINE WHO HAD GONE TO SCHOOL, GOTTEN HER DEGREE, HAD GOTTEN SOBER, AND NOW SHE IS REALLY SUFFERING WITH HER MENTAL HEALTH.

AND, UM, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE PHYSICALLY BEATING HER UP.

I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH THE CITY.

THIS WOMAN HAS SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

SHE'S RUNNING AROUND NAKED.

SHE'S, UM, EATING OUT OF GARBAGE CANS.

AND I HAVE SEEN A HUGE GAP, UM, BETWEEN THE COUNTY, THE CITY, AND HOW FOLKS CAN REALLY TREAT AND TAKE CARE OF, ESPECIALLY AGAIN, ANOTHER BLACK PERSON, A BLACK BODY, UM, I'VE CALLED NEIGHBORS, HAVE CALLED THE POLICE, I'VE CALLED THE MENTAL EVALUATION TEAM AND ON AND ON.

AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET REALLY ANY GOOD CARE FOR THIS WOMAN.

SHE'S TAKEN AWAY BY POLICE.

UM, NEIGHBORS ARE UPSET AGAIN, PHYSICALLY BEATING ON HER.

HER FAMILY DOESN'T WANT HER HUSBANDS LEFT HER.

AND I'M JUST REALLY FACED WITH THIS QUESTION, HOW DO WE ADDRESS COMMUNITY CARE WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD? NOBODY HAS BEEN COMING TO BAND AROUND THIS WOMAN AND HELP HER TO GET THE RESOURCES.

SO I'D LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT AS HOW CAN FOLKS IN THESE INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING THE CITY, UH, WORK TO CONNECT AND, AND REALLY BRIDGE THESE GAPS TO HELP OUR PEOPLE.

DO WE HAVE ANY MORE ONLINE? NO, I'LL CHAIR.

COOL.

AND THEN THERE'S NO ONE IN THE PUBLIC ALSO WHO WISHED TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT.

ALRIGHT, COOL.

UH, THANKS FOR COMING OUT.

ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER DEION.

UH, SO WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE TO DISCUSSION, SOME QUESTIONS THAT COMMISSIONERS HAVE, AND THEN WE NEED TO SEE WHO'S QUEUING UP.

SO SORRY, I WAS TRYING TO NOT BE FIRST THIS TIME.

, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

AND, UM, UH, WE WERE JUST KIND OF SIDE CHATTER.

WE'RE, I THINK, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WAY THAT THESE PRESENTATIONS ARE WEAVING TOGETHER.

UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S SO MUCH OVERLAP, AND TO YOUR POINT AROUND SILOS, I THINK THAT SO OFTEN, UM, APPROACHES TO THE

[01:35:01]

KIND OF TOTALITY OF UNAFFORDABILITY DISPLACEMENT, UH, EXTRACTION THAT A LOT OF OUR FOLKS ARE FACING.

LIKE, WE NEED THESE CONVERSATIONS TO BE THE NATURAL MODE THAT WE'RE IN OF BRINGING ALL THESE DIFFERENT EXPERTISE TOGETHER.

SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THIS IS THE FRAME THAT WE HAVE.

UM, SO I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH, I THINK THE, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE BRINGING BROUGHT INTO HERE.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THAT.

UM, THIS TAPESTRY, I WANT TO DIG IN, UM, TO THE POINT YOU MADE AROUND THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AND, UM, THE ACCESSIBILITY GAPS THAT WE'RE FACING.

I THINK THAT'S, UM, ONE THAT COULD USE SOME EXPANSION ON, BECAUSE I, THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOW HANGING FRUIT IN TERMS OF LIKE, HOW DO WE MAKE ACCESSIBLE, UM, THE, NOT GATEKEEPERS, BUT MAYBE THE, THE, THE VEHICLES BY WHICH PEOPLE CAN GET ACCESS.

SO WHAT, UM, HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE CURRENT STATE OF ACCESSIBILITY FOR FOLKS, UM, UH, WITH, UM, WITH THE MALAYSIA RISK CENTER? AND THEN WHAT ARE SOME CHANGES OR RECOMMENDATIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE PROGRAMS? UM, AND THEN AS A SIDE THING, ALSO, I THINK IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT WE HEARD MELISSA SHARING SPECIFIC PERSON WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO GET Y'ALL CONNECTED, BUT PUTTING PIN IN THAT AS WELL.

GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

UM, SO I DO HAVE ANSWERS TO BOTH QUESTIONS OR AT LEAST MY THOUGHTS TO BOTH QUESTIONS.

UM, SO AS FAR AS WORKING WITH THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, I THINK LONG BEACH HAS COME A LONG WAY IN THE REGARD THAT BEFORE IT WAS, UH, LONG BEACH ONLY HAD ITS OWN HMIS PLATFORM, WHICH SEPARATED IT FROM LA COUNTY.

AND I THINK WE'RE KIND OF MOVING INTO WHERE THEY'RE GONNA INTEGRATE THE TWO, WHICH MAKES IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO OTHER SPAS WITHIN THE COUNTY.

UM, SO THAT'S HELPFUL.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO CREATE A PATHWAY BETWEEN LOCAL CBOS, LOCAL PRO UM, PROVIDERS, LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, AND THE MSC, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU EVER TRIED TO CALL THE MSC AS A CARE COORDINATOR, BUT THERE'S, IT'S LIKE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THROUGH, RIGHT? YOU NEED TO GO AND SHOW UP IN PERSON, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT GOING ON THERE, RIGHT? AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING SOME INCREDIBLE WORK, DON'T GET ME WRONG.

AND SO I WOULD HATE TO WALK IN THERE AND TAKE AWAY FROM SOMEBODY WHO HAS A NEED WHEN I CAN ACCESS SOMEBODY, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH CHAT, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PHONE, SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.

UM, I FIND THAT SOMETIMES WORKING WITH THE UNHOUSED POPULATION, THEY DON'T HAVE PATIENTS EITHER.

IF THEY SAY YES IN THE MOMENT, YOU NEED TO GET IT DONE THEN AND THERE, RIGHT? AND TO TAKE SOMEBODY, HEY, HOP IN THE VAN, LET'S GO TO THE MSC, LET'S WAIT IN LINE, LET'S HOLD ON, WE GOTTA FILL OUT THIS PAPERWORK.

OKAY, LET'S DO THIS NEXT.

BY THAT TIME THEY'RE DONE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN GONNA FINISH THROUGH.

AND HOW NOT ONLY HAVE WE WASTED A, A PERSON'S HALF DAY OR FULL DAY OF SALARY, BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT THIS PERSON THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO GET CONNECTED, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SIT THROUGH THE PROCESS.

SO HOW DO WE MAKE THAT PROCESS SHORTER? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A HUB AND SPOKE MODEL WHERE WE HAVE THE MSC AND THERE'S SEVERAL SPOKES WITHIN THE CITY.

'CAUSE I NOTICED SOMETHING WITH LONG BEACH AS WELL IS IF YOU LOOK AT GANG AFFILIATION, SOMEBODY FROM THE NORTH SIDE DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO THE WEST SIDE OR TO THE EAST SIDE OR TO THE SOUTH SIDE.

AND SO HOW ARE WE GONNA PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO EVERYBODY EQUALLY IF IT'S ONLY IN ONE LOCATION? SO MAYBE WE CREATE HUBS, THERE'S A NORTH SIDE, THERE'S A WEST SIDE, THERE'S AN EAST SIDE, SO THAT IT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND WE CAN GET PEOPLE THERE A LOT QUICKER AND WE MAYBE HAVE MORE PROVIDERS WHO ARE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND DO CONNECTIONS.

UM, THAT'S MY FIRST THOUGHT.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE SC AS FOR THIS, UH, YOUNG LADY, IT DOES MAKE ME VERY SAD TO HEAR THAT THAT IS HAPPENING TO HER.

UM, LA CAUGHT IS VERY LUCKY TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE LONG BEACH CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.

WE WORK ON THE LEAD, UM, PROGRAM, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED DIVERSION.

SO I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO STAFF, UH, ONE SUD COUNSELOR AND ONE PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST WHO ARE IN THE FIELD WITH QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS EVERY SINGLE DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

AND THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.

THEY ENGAGE FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH, SUD, UM, HOMELESSNESS WITH THE OUTREACH TEAM AND WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS.

SO IF SOMEBODY CAN, UM, PROVIDE ME A LOCATION, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A STREET CORNER, A DESCRIPTION, WE CAN TRY AND ACCESS THIS PERSON AND HOPEFULLY CONNECT THEM TO THE PROPER, UM, SERVICES.

I'M SURE QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND THE OUTREACH TEAM WILL PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW WHO THIS IS 'CAUSE THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD AT KIND OF IDENTIFYING THOSE THINGS.

UM, BUT OUR TEAM IS ALSO INVOLVED AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASSIST IF SOMEBODY COULD PROVIDE ME THAT INFORMATION.

ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS OR QUESTIONS? UH, SCENE? NONE.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, I ALSO JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU PERSONALLY FOR BEING VULNERABLE, UH, AND SHARING YOUR STORY AS A PART OF THE AMAZING WORK THAT YOU DO AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE.

UM, I APPRECIATED HEARING, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT, UM, COLLABORATION, UH, AS WELL AS I WROTE A NOTE ON IT.

UM, WHERE DID MY PAPER GO? UH, HERE WE GO.

[01:40:02]

UM, COLLABORATION AND THE HUBS, HUB AND SPOKES.

UH, THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.

UM, I KNOW THAT THE COLLABORATION CAN BE DONE.

UM, SO WHENEVER THIS DOES BECOME AN ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT.

UM, BECAUSE THERE CAN BE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN GRANTS TO DO, UH, TO INCLUDE SUB-GRANTS.

UM, SO BIGGER ORGANIZATIONS CAN YOU, YOU CAN REQUIRE BIGGER ORGANIZATIONS TO OFFER SUBGRANTS TO SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT, UH, ELEVATING SOME OF THOSE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS UP, UH, AS WELL AS COLLABORATION GRANTS.

UM, AND I DO HOPE THAT, UM, SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS CAN REALLY GET IT TOGETHER WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING ALL THE FOLKS WHO WANNA DO THE WORK BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY REQUIREMENTS AND, UM, UM, YOU GOTTA JUMP THROUGH SO MANY HOOPS, EVEN WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND COLLECTIVES.

UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OFFERING AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IN OUR FINAL REPORT, UM, WHEN WE GET TO THAT PROCESS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COMMISSION.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

ALRIGHT, UM, MAY, UH, WE CALL FOR A VOTE, PLEASE.

COMMISSIONER SAM, MAY WI CAN TAKE A VERBAL THANK YOU.

ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM FOOD FINDERS AS PART OF THE ECONOMIC STABILITY LISTENING SESSION, PROVIDING BACKGROUND AND COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ON RELATED ISSUES IN LONG BEACH.

UM, WITH THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, FOOD FINDERS.

[4. 26-54605 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Food Finders as part of the Economic Stability Listening Session, providing background and community perspectives on related issues in Long Beach. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, MAY WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? MOTION BY VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FLORES.

AND WITH THAT WE'LL PASS IT OVER TO YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HELLO? OH, UM, WE, OKAY.

THE CORRECT PRESENTATION IS ABOUT TO COME UP.

IS JUST GROWING INCREDIBLY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE, FEEL FREE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

MY NAME IS DIANA LARA AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FOOD FINDERS.

I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR 19 YEARS.

I APOLOGIZE, IT'S VERY LATE.

THIS, UH, PRESENTATION MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LONG, SO I WILL TRY TO RUN THROUGH THE SLIDES.

UM, SO THIS YEAR WE'RE, WE WILL CELEBRATE 37 YEARS OF, UM, FEEDING THE COMMUNITY OF LONG BEACH, AS WELL AS ALL OF LA COUNTY, ORANGE COUNTY, RIVERSIDE, AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES.

OUR VISION IS TO COLLABORATE WITH FOOD DONORS, TO RESCUE NUTRITIOUS FOOD, MINIMIZE THE CLIMATE IMPACT WHILE MAKING GOOD USE OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND PROVIDING TO OUR PARTNER AGENCIES FOR DISTRIBUTION TO PEOPLE IN NEED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT, UM, THINK ABOUT THE CLIMATE IMPACT WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT FOOD WASTE, BUT THAT FOOD HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE RIGHT, ENDS UP IN A LANDFILL.

AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE GREENHOUSE GASES START FOR ME.

I WILL SKIP THIS PAGE.

OUR 37 YEAR IMPACT.

UH, LAST YEAR WE RESCUED 15.6 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD, UH, WHICH PROVIDED 13 MILLION MEALS.

UH, WE DIVERTED 8.47 MILLION POUNDS OF CO2 GASES, AND WE RESCUED 7.1 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER.

ANOTHER THING PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD WASTE IS THAT IT REQUIRES RESOURCES, IT REQUIRES LAND, IT REQUIRES TIME, IT REQUIRES WATER.

UM, WHEN YOU THROW THAT STRAWBERRY AWAY, IT GOES, THERE'S A LOT OF PROCESSES INVOLVED IN THAT WASTE.

OUR PROGRAM, SO OUR MAIN CORNERSTONE IS OUR FOOD RESCUE ORGANIZATION.

UM, IT IS, WE OPERATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

UM, WE HAVE, LAST YEAR WE HAD 493 GENEROUS FOOD DONORS.

AGAIN, A TOTAL OF 13 MILLION POUNDS WHERE DISTRIBUTED TO CHILDREN, FAMILIES, SENIORS, AND STUDENTS.

THE MAJORITY OF WHO WE SERVE ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE.

SO, MELISSA, I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR IF YOU'RE STILL OUT THERE.

WE COVER ALL OF LA COUNTY, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST REGION THAT WE COVER IS LA COUNTY.

IT'S PROBABLY WHERE I WOULD SAY A GOOD 70 TO 80% OF OUR FOOD GOES TO, UH, ORANGE, RIVERSIDE AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

RIVERSIDE AND SAN BERNARDINO ARE NOW GROWING BECAUSE OF THE 1383

[01:45:01]

LEGISLATION.

UM, WE'VE ALREADY COVERED WHAT WE DIVERTED AND OUR, UM, POUNDS SAVED OUR FAVORITE KIDS PROGRAM.

THIS IS STRICTLY A LONG BEACH PROGRAM.

WE ARE CURRENTLY IN 47 SCHOOLS IN LONG BEACH.

WHEN WE TOOK OVER THE PROGRAM 12 YEARS AGO, WE WERE SEVEN SCHOOLS.

WE NOW ARE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL WELLNESS CENTERS, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

LAST YEAR WE SERVED 285,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO THIS PROGRAM, AND WE DISTRIBUTED 17 OR 13,000, UH, WEEKEND MAILBOXES.

SO THESE WEEKEND MAILBOXES HELPS, UM, WE HOPE SUPPLEMENT WHAT THEY HAVE EXISTING, BUT IN MANY CASES WE KNOW A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES ARE HOMELESS.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE FAMILIES ARE EATING OVER THE WEEKEND.

AND THOSE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, TWO OF THOSE PICTURES ARE SCHOOLS.

THREE.

THE PICTURES ARE SCHOOLS THAT WE, UM, DELIVER TO OUR COLLEGE PANTRY PROGRAM.

UM, NOT A PROGRAM THAT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT.

WE SHOULD TALK A LOT MORE ABOUT IT.

BUT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN NINE, UH, COLLEGES ACROSS, UM, LA COUNTY, ORANGE COUNTY, RIVERSIDE IN LONG BEACH.

WE'RE AT BOTH, UH, LONG BEACH CITY CAMPUSES AS WELL AS, UM, CAL STATE LONG BEACH.

UH, AND WE'RE AS FAR OUT AS VICTORVILLE COLLEGE.

AND THEN IN ORANGE COUNTY, WE'RE AT SANTA ANA, ORANGE COAST.

I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT, AND FULLERTON FULLERTON WAS THE NEWEST ONE WE BROUGHT OUT.

UH, WE DISTRIBUTED 191,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO THESE COLLEGE PANTRIES, AND IT PROVIDED 159,000 MEALS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO BREAK THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF POVERTY AND HUNGER IS FOR THESE KIDS TO GET THEIR EDUCATION.

AND THE LAST THING YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE TO DO IS WORRY ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO EAT THAT EVENING OR IF THEY'RE GOING TO EAT THAT EVENING.

SO, UM, WE'VE ADDED, SINCE THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'VE ADDED TWO NEW UNIVERSITIES TO THE PROGRAM.

SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

AND THESE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, PICTURES AT THE PANTRIES.

AND YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THEM'S CAL STATE LONG BEACH UP THERE, OUR BACKYARD HARVEST.

THIS IS OUR NEWEST PROGRAM, AND THIS PROGRAM'S TWO YEARS OLD.

AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND WE'RE GLEANING FROM PEOPLE'S YARDS.

THIS IS JUST A NATURAL EXTENSION OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

AND, UM, LAST YEAR THERE WAS SOME KIND OF ASIAN FRUIT FLY THAT DIDN'T ALLOW US TO, UH, GLEAN IN MANY HOMES IN ORANGE COUNTY AREA.

WE COULD JUST GLEAN IN NON ORANGE COUNTY AREAS.

SO THIS YEAR THEY ARE GOING CRAZY, UM, PICKING IN PEOPLE'S HALF FROM PEOPLE'S TREES.

UM, WE HAD 30, UH, 73 HARVEST LAST YEAR.

AND THIS YEAR THEY'RE COMPLETELY BOOKED UP UNTIL JUNE.

SO THIS YEAR WE WILL HAVE A REALLY GREAT HARVEST.

BUT THIS PROGRAM CAME TO US THROUGH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED HAPPY HARVEST, WHO WAS STARTED BY A WOMAN, UM, WHEN SHE RETIRED, AND, UH, JUST STARTED PICKING FRUIT FROM HER NEIGHBOR'S TREES AND THEN GOT OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED.

AND NOW THIS PROGRAM HAS REALLY GROWN, AND THE REASON WE BROUGHT THEM ON BOARD IS THEY WERE REFERRED TO US BECAUSE THEY WERE BRINGING SO MUCH PRODUCE IN THAT THE AGENCIES THEY WERE GOING TO COULDN'T HANDLE THE VOLUME.

SO THEY BROUGHT 'EM TO US, WE PUT 'EM UNDER OUR UMBRELLA, WE GOT 'EM INSURANCE.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE.

SO THEY NOW HAVE THE COVERAGE.

WE BUY THEIR TOOLS, WE SHARPEN THEIR TOOLS.

IT'S JUST A NATURAL PROGRAM FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.

AGENCY SERVED LA COUNTY.

UH, OH, I DID NOT UPDATE THIS.

I APOLOGIZE.

UM, AGAIN, LA COUNTY IS THE LARGEST COUNTY THAT WE SERVE, BUT WE PROVIDED 10 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD TO LA COUNTY, WHICH OF COURSE, LONG BEACH IS A PART OF.

LONG BEACH ALONE, WE PROVIDED, UH, TWO, ALMOST 2 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD.

SO IT'S A HUGE AMOUNT THAT WE GAVE JUST TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

ORANGE COUNTY WAS 3 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD.

AND, UH, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 44 SAN BERNARDINO 546.

AGAIN, WE'RE GROWING IN THOSE TWO OTHER REGIONS, OUR FOOD POPUP.

UM, WE HAVE A FOOD DISTRIBUTION AT ADMIRAL KID PARK.

IT'S THE FOURTH SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH.

IT'S NOW FOUR YEARS OLD.

WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM IN 22, WE WERE SERVING 40 FAMILIES.

WE HAD A FOOD DISTRIBUTION LAST WEEK, AND WE JUMPED UP TO 500.

IT WAS LIKE 36 FAMILIES.

AND THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE'VE HAD, AND THIS IS ON ONE DAY BETWEEN THE HOURS OF NINE AND 11, IS WE HAD 604 FAMILIES THAT CAME.

UM, SO THIS PROGRAM

[01:50:01]

IT'S THE ONLY DIRECT DISTRIBUTION THAT WE DO.

MOST OF OUR DISTRIBUTIONS GO DIRECTLY TO OTHER NONPROFITS THAT SERVE INDIVIDUALS, BUT THIS IS OUR OWN, UH, PROGRAM.

AND IT IS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DO.

IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE TO, UM, GIVE TO INDIVIDUALS.

UH, WE, NOT ONLY THAT, WE ALSO DO, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE EXPANDED TO A POP-UP ON WEDNESDAYS.

SO AGENCIES THAT WE CAN'T SERVE, MAYBE WE CAN'T PROVIDE THEM WITH A REGULAR WEEKLY STORE, CAN NOW COME TO THESE POP-UPS AND GET FOOD ON WEDNESDAYS.

WE OPENED IT UP TO ANY NUMBER OF AGENCIES THAT ARE ALLOWED.

UM, WE SAW 218 AGENCY VISITS IN, UM, 2025, AND THAT AMOUNTED TO 398,000 POUNDS OF FOOD JUST ON THE WEDNESDAY POPUPS, NOT INCLUDING WHAT WE WERE DOING AT OUR FOURTH SATURDAY OF THE MONTH POPUP.

SO THE FOURTH SATURDAY IS CALLED THE COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE.

WE DISTRIBUTED AN ADDITIONAL 254,000 POUNDS OF FOOD.

WE SERVED, UM, 6,700 HOUSEHOLDS AND IMPACTED 26,000 INDIVIDUALS AT OUR COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS HELD AT, UM, ADMIRAL KIT PARK ON THE WEST SIDE OF LONG BEACH, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A FOOD DESERT.

AND THOSE ARE ALL, UH, RECENT PICTURES FROM OUR FOOD HUB.

THE MAJORITY OF, OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT THE COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE ARE SENIORS.

AND THAT'S A, A HUGE FEAR OF MINE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

AS US BABY BOOMERS START TO AGE OUT, THAT SENIOR POPULATION IS JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW VOLUNTEERS IN CORPORATE GROUPS.

OUR VOLUNTEER BASE IS ACTUALLY WHAT HELPS POWER THE ORGANIZATION.

OUR VOLUNTEERS PICK UP AGAIN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

AND WHAT'S REALLY NICE IS EVEN ON HOLIDAYS LIKE CHRISTMAS, WE GET THOSE STRONG JEWISH VOLUNTEERS THAT WE HAVE THAT IT'S NOT CHRISTMAS FOR THEM AND THEY PICK UP THE SLACK.

SO SOME OF THE OTHER VOLUNTEERS WHO CALL OUT DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR ROUTES ON THOSE DAYS.

UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM OUR, UH, CORPORATE GROUPS.

UM, AND THAT'S JUST A LISTING OF SOME OF THE, THE FOLKS THAT WE'VE HAD COME OUT TO OUR WAREHOUSE TO ACTUALLY VOLUNTEER WITH US.

OUR FINANCIALS, WE HAD A, A GREAT YEAR, UH, LAST YEAR, THANK, THANK GOD.

UH, WE RAISED $2.2 MILLION LAST YEAR, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST YEARS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND, UH, THE MAJORITY OF IT CAME FROM PRIVATE FOUNDATION FUNDING.

UH, WE REALLY ARE TAKE MAKING A LOT OF EFFORT TO GROW INDIVIDUAL GIVING BECAUSE THAT IS ALL CONSIDERED GENERAL OPERATING.

UM, A LOT OF THE FOUNDATIONS AND GRANTS HAVE STIPULATIONS.

YOU CAN USE IT TO PAY CERTAIN THINGS, BUT YOU CAN'T USE IT TO PAY OTHER THINGS.

UM, SO WE HIRED AN INDIVIDUAL GIVING PERSON JUST TO FOCUS ON, UM, INDIVIDUAL GIVING.

WE HAVE VERY LITTLE GRANT REVENUE, UH, AND WE'VE LIMIT THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE, WE PUT ZERO BOOKS IN OUR BUDGET, UM, WITH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND THE POLICIES.

UM, WE DON'T WANNA HAVE TO RELY ON, ON FEDERAL FUNDING.

SO I'M, I'M VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE DESPITE THE LACK OF FEDERAL FUNDING, SOCIAL MEDIA.

I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I EVERY NONPROFIT SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE IT'S FREE MARKETING AND IF YOU'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT, IT'S, IT'S AT A GREAT LOSS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.

UM, WE ARE ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND LINKEDIN, AND WE'VE REALLY SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH OVER THE LAST PROBABLY SIX YEARS, UM, JUST THROUGH POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND THIS IS OUR STAFF.

YOU KNOW, WE MAKE UP, UH, I THINK WE'RE A PRETTY DIVERSE GROUP AND WOULD WELCOME AGAIN YOU, MICHELLE, IF YOU'RE STILL ONLINE, WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT POSSIBLY JOINING OUR BOARD.

I WANNA KNOW, I'M LISTENING TO HER WAYS TO GET AHOLD OF FEED FINDERS, OUR WEBSITE, AND OF COURSE ON ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS.

ANY QUESTIONS, UM, BEFORE WE GO INTO THE QUESTIONS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON OR ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

AND IF IN ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

NOW

[01:55:03]

SEEING NONE IN PERSON AND IN ZOOM, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

UH, COMMISSIONER FLORES, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR FEEDING LONG BEACH.

WE APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THE EFFORTS THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE NEED IS GROWING.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FEEDING OUR COMMUNITY.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT WE DO.

COMMISSIONER SHAMILA, UH, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UM, THREE QUESTIONS.

REALLY THREE PART QUESTION.

HOW DO PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT THE POPUPS, WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED? UM, HOW DOES A PERSON DONATE AND WHAT KINDS OF FOOD IS ACCEPTED? SO WE TAKE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN TERMS OF FOOD.

IT CAN BE PREPARED FOOD, FROZEN FOOD, UH, PACKAGED FOOD, CANNED FOOD, YOU NAME IT.

WE TAKE IT.

UH, THEY CAN.

UM, I MEAN THERE'S, WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF PARTNERING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WITH ALL OF THE LOCAL LIBRARIES.

SO JUST ABOUT YEAR ROUND, UH, THE LIBRARIES HAVE BINS.

SO IF YOU WANT TO DROP SOMETHING OFF AT A LIBRARY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT.

YOU CAN ALSO TAKE THINGS OVER TO OUR FACILITY.

WE'RE LOCATED IN, UM, LOS ALAMITOS, UH, RIGHT ACROSS FROM EL DORADO PARK.

AND, UM, THINGS CAN ALSO BE BROUGHT THERE.

AND THEN OUR WEBSITE, WE JUST PUBLISHED A BRAND NEW WEBSITE LAST WEEK, FRIDAY.

AND ALL OF OUR INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL AS HOW TO GET AHOLD OF US, UM, HOW TO BECOME A FOOD DONOR, HOW TO BECOME AN AGENCY, HOW TO VOLUNTEER, UM, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS, IS ON THAT.

AND YOU CAN ALSO DM US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

DOES THIS INCLUDE FROZEN FOOD? YES, EVERYTHING.

OH, THEY GOT FREEZERS.

WELL, I'M JUST SAYING, I HAVE A LOT TO GIVE A LOT.

HOW ARE YOU? I'M GOOD.

HOW ARE YOU? IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

YOU TOO.

UH, UH, UH, UH, FOOD FINDERS IS, UH, IS NEAR AND NEAR TO MY HEART.

IT WAS THE FIRST NONPROFIT BOARD THAT I, THAT I SAT ON.

WE JUST WERE IN THE SAME BUSINESS PARK TOGETHER AND THEY CAME AND INTRODUCED THEMSELVES AND, AND SCOOPED ME UP ON THEIR BOARD.

I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT FOOD INEQUITY AND, AND, AND FOOD ISSUES, BUT I, I LEARNED A LOT.

AND, AND I'M ALSO SEEING YOU, YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE YOUR LAKEWOOD LOCATION.

I'M, I'M, UH, UH, I'M REALLY, I KNEW YOU WHEN YOU WERE JUST THE OPERATIONS MANAGER.

UH, UH, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK, UH, THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE.

UM, UH, UH, JUST THE, THE , YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN POUNDS AND .

IT'S, WE'D GET LIKE LITERALLY 20 POUNDS OF FOOD.

YOU'D WA WELL, WHY DO WE WAVE THIS? SHE GOES, YOU'LL SEE.

AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT LIKE A MILLION POUNDS, UH, AND PEOPLE SERVED.

UM, UH, UH, AND I MISS YOU, YOU GUYS ALL THE TIME.

YOU WERE, YOU WERE OUR NEIGHBOR AND, UH, UH, UH, I USED TO STEAL THEIR WIFI.

UM, BUT, UH, UM, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UH, UM, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE NON-PROFIT AND, AND EFFECTIVE NON-PROFITS THAT I'VE, I'VE EVER BEEN A PART OF OR, OR, OR, OR, OR, OR KNOW OF.

SO, UH, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

AND, UH, ANY WAY THAT WE CAN BE HELPFUL, UH, YOU KNOW, FILL US IN.

WE WILL HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.

I, I, I STILL DO.

I DON'T SEE YOU GUYS AROUND A LOT.

I HELP EVERY YEAR.

YOU GUYS ARE UP AT THE POST OFFICE COLLECTING MM-HMM .

STUFF.

SO, UH, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY'RE SO, AND THEY'RE SO TIED IN.

YOU CAN LEAVE FOOD ON YOUR PORCH AND THE POSTMAN WILL TAKE NOT EVERY DAY.

THIS IS LIKE ONCE A YEAR.

DON'T, DON'T, UH, BUT , THEY AND THE POSTMAN PICK UP THE FOOD AND IT'S, IN THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE, I DON'T KNOW, HOW MANY POUNDS OF FOOD DO YOU GET OR SOMETHING.

LAST YEAR WE HAD A RECORD YEAR.

UM, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT WAS THE MOST WE'VE EVER HAD.

AND FROM THE POST OFFICE, THE POST OFFICE IS A ONE DAY EVENT.

IT'S ALWAYS A SATURDAY BEFORE MOTHER'S DAY.

AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO LEAVE, UM, FOOD OUT, AND THE POST PEOPLE WILL COME AND PICK IT UP.

AND THEN WE SEND RUNNERS OUT AND CHASING THE POST OFFICE, UH, TRUCKS SO THAT WE CAN RECOVER THAT FOOD BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A VERY LONG DAY FOR THEM.

SOME OF 'EM ARE REALLY HAPPY TO HELP.

SOME ARE HAPPY.

OTHER ONES YOU GOTTA GO OUT LIKE THE, THE OLDER POSTMAN, LIKE, COULD YOU JUST GET THIS FOOD OFF MY TRUCK?

[02:00:01]

BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S MAGIC.

THEY COME BACK AND YOU START OUT WITH A BUNCH OF EMPTY BOXES AND, AND BY THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S JUST PALLETS AND PALLETS OF FOOD.

AND YOU JUST HAVE TO LEAVE A, A BAG OF FOOD OUTSIDE ON THAT DAY.

SO, UH, UH, KEEP THAT IN MIND.

UH, YOU USUALLY GET A LITTLE REMINDER POSTCARD, UH, AND, AND THIS IS WHERE IT GOES.

AND, AND THEY, AND, AND THEY GET RID OF, YOU KNOW, EVERY, EVERY POUND.

UH, UH, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE, DAN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

YOU TOO.

THANK YOU VICE CHAIR.

UM, AND CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE LISTENING.

UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I JUST LEARNED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA TOO, IS THAT FEEL FREE TO LIVE A GIFT, LEAVE A GIFT CARD FOR YOUR POSTMAN IF THEY'RE GONNA HELP OUT.

UH, FEEL FREE TO LIVE, LEAVE A WATER AND SOME SNACKS, UH, WITH A NICE NOTE.

AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THOSE DAYS.

AND THEN ALSO GIVE A DONATION OF FOOD FINDERS, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THE AMAZING WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.

UM, ARE, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER DELIO.

SO I'LL BE SUPER QUICK.

I KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE COMING UP AT THE END OF THE MEETING HERE, AND I VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS.

EVERYONE CAME THROUGH INVITING, UM, SOME REALLY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS.

I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING IN THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING FOOD DISPERSAL TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU, THAT'S ALSO A BELLWETHER FOR THE ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF THE CITY.

AND SO YOU PROBABLY SEE A LOT OF TRENDS AND INSIGHTS INTO THE, THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE APERTURE OF THE FOOD.

UM, SO I'M CURIOUS, ARE THERE ANY POLICY CHANGES AT THE CITY LEVEL THAT MIGHT HELP ADDRESS OR ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE SEEING? UM, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF FOOD JUSTICE, I MEAN, IT'S THE PASSAGE OF THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE COULD DO AT A STATE LEVEL OR EVEN A CITY LEVEL THAT, UM, I HAVE A NOTE HERE THAT I WROTE.

WE'RE GOING TO REALIZE $186 BILLION CUT IN SNAP OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

AND IT'S AFFECTING THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT HERE.

UM, IT'S PEOPLE OF COLOR, IT'S PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THE PRISON SYSTEMS, IT'S SENIORS, IT'S, UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THIS.

UM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A TRILLION DOLLAR REDUCTION IN, IN MEDICARE.

SO WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO? IT'S GONNA HIT, IT'S GONNA IMPACT THEIR, THEIR FOOD LINE ITEM, RIGHT? BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE PAYING MORE.

UM, I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY.

UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO AFFECT, UM, THE INDIVIDUALS.

YOU KNOW, THE, THE BEST THING I THINK THAT, THAT WE CAN DO LOCALLY IS WHAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING RENT STABLE AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET THE JOBS THAT THEY NEED.

WE GET INTERNS IN THE OFFICE WHENEVER WE CAN.

AND, AND THIS PRESENTATION WAS DONE BY AN INTERN, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR SOME OF THE, UM, THE ISSUES WITH THE PRESENTATION.

UH, BUT SHE DID IT, SHE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB CAPTURING ALL THE INFO, BUT IT WASN'T HER FAULT.

, IT'S, IT'S A FORMATTING ISSUE.

ME OF, OF WHERE I WAS AND, UM, HOW FAR I'VE COME.

BUT, UM, BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO GET INVOLVED IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR WHEN THEY'RE IN COLLEGE, ALL THEY HEAR ABOUT IS AS A FOR-PROFIT.

BUT WE HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES IN, IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SALES, WE HAVE ACCOUNTING, AND WE HAVE MARKETING.

WE HAVE ALL, ALL THE SAME THINGS.

BUT IT'S, IT'S MAKING SURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE HAVE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY DESERVE.

'CAUSE THEY'RE PAYING THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAXES AS I AM IN 9 0 8.

OH EIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER SAMUEL WILD.

YES.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UM, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M A PERSON OF LIVED EXPERIENCE.

I MEAN, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES DO NOW.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A LITTLE MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, I FOUND MYSELF ACCESSING SERVICES SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT PRESENTED TODAY.

UM, I WAS LIVING OUTTA MY, MY CAR.

UM, I FOUND MYSELF, UM, ACCESSING TREATMENT, UM, UH, FACING FOOD INSTABILITY.

UM, AND FOOD FINDERS WAS ONE OF THOSE PLACES.

AND I REMEMBER LIKE WAITING IN LINE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE A FOOD PANTRY AND THAT FOOD PANTRY.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE I GOT THERE A LITTLE BIT AN HOUR, A LITTLE LATE, OR MAYBE LIKE, JUST A LITTLE BIT MINUTES, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MINUTES LATE.

AND THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT.

AND I REMEMBER TALKING, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO MYSELF OR THINKING TO MYSELF, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S MY NEXT MEAL GOING TO BE? UM, YOU KNOW, SO I REALLY, I'M JUST GONNA TEAR UP A LITTLE .

LIKE, I FEEL LIKE THIS WHOLE LIKE LISTENING PRESENTATION REALLY KIND OF HIT HOME AND REMINDED

[02:05:01]

BUT IT'S, IT'S THANKS TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS AND OTHERS PRESENTED TODAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF CAN, CAN NAVIGATE THE SYSTEMS. ALTHOUGH SOME OF YOU KNOW, NOT, THEY'RE NOT PERFECT AND THERE'S STILL GAPS AS, AS OF COURSE WE, WE TALKED ABOUT.

BUT IT STARTS WITH A CONVERSATION.

IT REALLY STARTS WITH US COMING TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE ISSUES AND, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THEM.

UM, DO I THINK WE'RE GONNA SOLVE THEM OVERNIGHT? NO.

UM, IS THAT FEASIBLE? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO, UM, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, SO THANK YOU.

WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, I'VE HAD SO MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS THAT AT ONE POINT ARE NEVER, YOU KNOW, WERE IN THAT SAME BIND.

AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TRYING, IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB.

WE, WE SERVE SO MANY SINGLE MOTHERS, YOU KNOW, SO MANY SENIORS.

UM, YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, LIFE IS EXPENSIVE.

THE, THE COST OF FOOD IS INCREASED 23%.

AND I HAVEN'T EVEN LOOKED AT NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR.

UH, THIS WAS JUST AS OF LAST YEAR.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH, WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING.

UM, AND WE TRY TO JUST SERVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN, AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AND TO MAKE OUR SERVICES, UM, JUST VERY EASY FOR PEOPLE.

UM, THE COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE ON SATURDAY, THEY WOULD COME AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO GET IN LINE.

AND WE SAID, THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU TO COME AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

IT'S NOT SAFE.

IT'S A PARK.

THERE'S NOBODY HERE.

SO WE STARTED GIVING OUT NUMBERS AND WE LET THEM KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT NUMBER YOU GET, YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHATEVER WE HAVE THAT MORNING, YOU'RE NOT BE, IF YOU'RE NUMBER 500, THERE WILL STILL BE CHICKEN, THERE WILL STILL BE RICE, THERE'LL STILL BE BEANS FOR YOU.

AND NOW THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T ARRIVE AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW THEY, AS LONG AS THEY GET A NUMBER, THEY'LL GET FOOD.

SO WE, WE REALLY TRY TO MAKE IT EQUITABLE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ.

YOU MENTIONED THE BIG DUMB BILL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UH, UM, THE, THE THE, FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, UH, UH, ARE YOU ALREADY SEEING, YOU'RE ALREADY SEEING LESS FUNDING COMING IN AND WHAT AREAS OF THE OPERATION ARE SUFFERING OR, OR, OR STOPPING THE MOST? WELL, FOR US, BECAUSE WE TRY VERY HARD NOT TO RELY ON GOVERNMENT FUNDING.

YOU DO REALLY WELL AT FUNDRAISING.

WE TRY, YEAH.

WE TRY VERY HARD NOT TO HAVE TO RELY ON GOVERNMENT FUNDING.

'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CUT BACK ON PROGRAMS. JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, SECOND HARVEST LOST AN ENTIRE PROGRAM THAT WAS COMPLETELY FEDERALLY FUNDED.

SO WE TRY VERY, VERY HARD AND WE MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE IN GRANTS, IN FUNDRAISING, IN OUR EVENTS EVERY YEAR.

UM, SO WE, YOU KNOW, THANK GOODNESS HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REDUCTIONS.

UM, BUT THAT'S US.

A LOT OF THE AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH THAT RELY ON THAT FUNDING HAVE, UM, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT THE NEED IS INCREASING ALREADY.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO, THESE CUTS ARE OVER 10 YEARS, SO WE ARE AL THE LINES ARE ALREADY GROWING.

THEY WERE ALREADY HIGH.

THEY NEVER WENT BACK TO PRE COVID LEVELS, SO THEY WERE ALREADY HIGH AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE.

AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE, YOU KNOW, ON TOP OF THAT, YOU'VE GOT THE BABY BOOMERS AGING OUT AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE MEDICARE RECIPIENTS THAT ARE HAVING A MORE NEED FOR FOOD.

SO IT'S A PERFECT STORM THAT'S BREWING HERE WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? UM, SEEING NONE, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING IT WITH INTEGRITY, UH, DOING THIS WORK WITH INTEGRITY.

I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS ARE FACING.

UM, AND I HEAR NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS ABOUT FOOD FINDERS.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND, UM, THIS PRESENTATION, UM, AND A, A BIG THANK YOU TO THE AD HOC, UM, COMMITTEE FOR CREATING OR INVITING THESE SPEAKERS.

UM, BECAUSE ECONOMIC STABILITY IS AN EVERYBODY ISSUE.

MONTH AWAY FROM BEING HOMELESS MM-HMM .

WHETHER YOU HAVE A JOB OR NOT, WHETHER YOU HAVE SAVINGS OR NOT.

UM, SOME OF US, EVEN WITH SAVINGS, UH, ARE, YOU KNOW, ONE

[02:10:01]

UM, JUST BECAUSE OF HOW EVERYTHING IS EXPENSIVE, UM, AND THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO FOLKS.

I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT LAID OFF, UM, THE STATE CHECK WAS ONLY $430 MM-HMM .

UH, AND I WAS LIKE, WAIT, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS? MY COST OF LIVING IS SO MUCH.

AND SO I HAD TO UTILIZE SERVICES, UH, TO MAINTAIN DURING THAT PERIOD.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE.

SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE TIRELESS AND THANK THANKLESS WORK OFTEN, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE LITERALLY KEEPING PEOPLE HEALTHY, UM, DURING THE CHALLENGING TIMES THAT EVERYBODY'S NAVIGATING.

UM, AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER DOCKERY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GIVING THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE HAD MY HEAD IN THE SAND OR WHAT, BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND I AM JUST SO OVERWHELMED.

AND SO I FEEL SO, UM, WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND, AND, AND, AND TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE GET INVOLVED IN ORGANIZATIONS AND ON COMMISSIONS AND, AND AND WHATNOT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS SITTING HERE AND I WAS LISTENING TO YOU AND WHAT YOU WERE DOING, AND I THOUGHT, THIS IS WHY I'M HERE.

THIS IS WHY I'M HERE, IS BECAUSE NOW I CAN GO AND I CAN TELL PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT, THAT MAY NEED HELP FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION.

AND I CAN ALSO TELL MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE MONEY, UM, THAT YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THIS ORGANIZATION.

SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

CAN I, CAN I, ALL RIGHT.

UM, COMMISSIONER SHA, SORRY.

ONE, YOU'LL BE THE LAST ONE MORE THING.

I KNOW YOU, YOU, YOU SAID THAT WE CAN DROP OFF, BUT WHERE, I MEAN OH, SHE, SHE SAID EXACT.

NO, SHE SAID DROP OFF THERE.

THANK THAT.

MUST IT'S, I, AND WE CAN, I CAN SHARE THE PRESENTATION WITH YOU AND, UM, BUT IT'S AT OUR, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU WANNA DROP OFF AND WE ALSO CAN PICK IT UP, IF YOU LET US KNOW, WE CAN SEND SOMEBODY, WE CAN SEND A VOLUNTEER TO COME AND PICK IT UP.

UM, BUT OUR OFFICE IS LOCATED IN LOS ALAMITOS.

IF IT'S NON-PERISHABLES, LIKE AGAIN, MOST OF THE LIBRARIES HAVE CONTAINERS THAT, UM, THEY DO COLLECTION FOR US.

UM, AND IF YOU GOTTA TREE FULL OF ORANGES AND YOU WANT 'EM PICKED, YOU KNOW, WE CAN COME BY AND PICK THOSE.

NO, I HAVE, I HAVE A BOAT LOAF FULL OF FROZEN FOOD.

SO, YEP.

AT, AT OUR OFFICE IN, UH, LOS ALAMEDAS.

PERFECT.

UM, SO IF FOLKS DEFINITELY WANNA GET IN CONTACT WITH FOOD FINDERS, UM, WE'VE ALL BEEN GIVEN THE INFORMATION, UH, VIA EMAIL, BUT, UH, THEIR PHONE NUMBER IS (562) 283-1400 OR YOU CAN FIND THEM@WWW.FOOD FOOD FINDERS.ORG.

UH, AND THEY'RE IN LOS ALAMITOS.

UH, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, WE'RE GONNA GO NOW TO A VOTE.

YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA TAKE MY VERBAL BECAUSE IT'S NOT COMING UP, BUT YES, NO PROBLEM.

IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PERSON OR ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA, ON A NON AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

UM, NEXT, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UM, NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.

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

AND IF IN ZOOM, USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

UM, SO YOU'LL HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES, UH, TO SPEAK.

UH, FEEL FREE TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

LISTENING SESSIONS AND EQUITY FOCUSED DISCUSSIONS.

UM, UH, AS, AS COMMISSIONER, I COULDN'T PUT ANY BETTER THAN COMMISSIONER DOCKERY.

WHEN YOU SAY FEELING OVERWHELMED OVER WHAT I SAT HERE AND HEARD TODAY, SO I'LL GO OVER THIS VERY QUICKLY THOUGH.

IT WOULD PROBABLY BE DIFFERENT HAD I SAT HERE FIRST.

BUT GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS PAUL CRUZ.

I HAVE, UH, BEEN WORKING IN 9 0 8 1 3 ZIP CODE AREA, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER, CONDUCTING COMMUNITY FOCUS GROUPS ON ACCESS TO SERVICES.

I APPRECIATE THE COMMISSION'S ONGOING WORK AROUND EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS AND YOUR FOCUS ON UPLIFTING COMMUNITY VOICE THROUGH

[02:15:01]

AND TODAY, I WAS EXPOSED TO AN AMAZING PROCESS OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE, IN THIS CHAMBER.

AND THROUGH THIS WORK, SEVERAL CONSISTENT THEMES.

THE WORK OF RUNNING THE FOCUS GROUPS HAS EMERGED.

RESIDENTS SHARED THAT THEY'RE WORKING HARD, BUT STILL FEELING UNSUPPORTED, HIGHLIGHTING GAPS IN HOW SERVICES ARE REACHING FAMILIES, EQUITABILITY, ESPECIALLY IN LOW INCOME AND HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

AND WE ALSO HEARD IN THESE FOCUS GROUPS STRONG CONCERNS AROUND TRUST.

RESIDENTS EXPRESS SKEPTICISM THE TOWARD INSTITUTIONS, WHICH AFFECTS WHETHER THEY SEEK, UH, SERVICES AT ALL.

UH, THIS REFLECTS NOT ONLY A SERVICE GAP, BUT ALSO A HUMAN RELATIONS CHALLENGE IN BUILDING TRUST AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND SYSTEMS MEANT TO SUPPORT THEM.

AND ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A LACK OF AWARENESS ABOUT AVAILABLE SERVICES AND BARRIERS TO ACCESS, SUCH AS TIME FEAR AND THE DIFFICULTY OF NAVIGATING THESE SYSTEMS. UH, MANY OF THESE THINGS WE, WE HEARD, UH, TODAY IN THE PRESENTATIONS.

AND THESE OBSTACLES LEAD TO UNEQUAL ACCESS, LEAD TO UNEQUAL ACCESS, EVEN WHEN SERVICES ARE ACCESSIBLE.

RESIDENTS HAVE ALSO REPORTED A DECLINE IN COMMUNITY COHESION, WHICH FURTHER, UH, REDUCES INFORMAL SUPPORT NETWORKS.

SO TAKING TOGETHER THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST A DISCONNECT BETWEEN SERVICES AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY AIM TO SERVE.

HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT ISSUES OF OF EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS RELATED TO ACCESS, TRUST, AND INCLUSION.

I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER ADDING THIS ISSUE TO FURTHER AGENDA AND TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AROUND THESE BARRIERS, ESPECIALLY HOW CITY SYSTEMS ARE, CAN MORE EQUITABLY SUPPORT RESIDENTS IN THE ORGANIZATION SERVING THEM WHILE ALSO BUILDING TRUST AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY BONDS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN ZOOM.

MELISSA, WHEN YOU ARE READY, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.

AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

UM, I WANNA SHARE DR.

LYDIA HOLLY HAS BEEN TRYING TO CLICK SO THAT SHE CAN MAKE COMMENT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN STILL TAKE ANOTHER PERSON.

SHE'S ONLINE ON ZOOM.

UM, HI, I'M MELISSA.

I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC INCLUSION AND JUSTICE ISSUE AROUND BLACK WORKERS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

UM, I ONCE LIVED FOR THE, WITH I ONCE WORKED WITH THE CITY AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

I WAS A HUMAN DIGNITY OFFICER AND WE BELIEVED EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED WITH COURTESY AND RES DIGNITY AND RESPECT, REGARDLESS OF THE RACE, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ET CETERA.

UH, WHAT WE KNOW TODAY IS THAT BLACK WORKERS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THEY'RE REPRESENTED IN THE WORKFORCE, BUT NOT IN HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS AT THE SAME RATE, UM, THEY MAKE UP ABOUT 11% OF THE CITY WORKFORCE, BUT THEY ONLY HOLD ABOUT 6% OF HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS.

SO THAT MEANS THEY ARE REPRESENTED AT ABOUT HALF OF WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED AT HIGHER WAGE ROLES.

AND WE KNOW THAT ABOUT 35% OF BLACK RESIDENTS IN THE CITY ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS.

PLUS, WHEN YOU TIE ALL THESE ISSUES TOGETHER, BLACK MEN AND LONG BEACH LIVE ABOUT 10 YEARS LESS THAN WHITE MEN SHOWING JUST THAT IMPACT OF INEQUITY ON OUR PEOPLE.

UM, AND WE EVEN HAVE MORE CONFIRMATION RIGHT NOW THAT THE ISSUE OF ANTI-BLACKNESS AMONGST CITY EMPLOYEES IS NOT PERCEPTION.

IT'S SYSTEMIC.

UH, JUST GOT NEWS THAT A RACIAL DISCRIMINATION CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED BY FIVE CURRENT AND PAST BLACK CITY LONG BEACH WORKERS JUST REACHED A SETTLEMENT.

THOSE FOLKS WERE SAYING THEY WERE PAID LESS THAN BLACK COWORKERS STEERED INTO LOWER PAYING JOBS OR UNCLASSIFY ROLE.

UNCLASSIFIED ROLES, DENIED PROMOTIONS AND RECLASSIFICATION SUBJECTED TO RETALIATION IN AN ANTI-BLACK WORKPLACE CULTURE THAT'S REALLY REAL.

Y'ALL IN THIS CITY, UM, ENVIRONMENT FOR BLACK WORKERS.

I COME FROM WORKING WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BLACK WORKER CENTERS, AND WE KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE.

OUR CITY HAS A PROBLEM.

THEY JUST SETTLED WITH WORKERS INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY CHANGING WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

AND SOME OF THOSE PLAINTIFFS CALLED FOR TRUTH THE RECONCILIATION COMMISSION.

SO ON BEHALF OF THE WORK I DO IN COMMUNITY WITH THE LONG BEACH BLACK WORKER CENTER, YOU CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE, L LB BWC.ORG, THAT STANDS FOR LONG BEACH BLACK WORKER CENTER.ORG TO SEE A PETITION THAT WORKERS LIKE ANTHONY HOLMES, WHO IS A REFUSE WORKER, HE PICKS UP PEOPLE'S TRASH AND HE HAS BEEN TREATED LIKE TRASH IN THIS CITY.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD HIM SPEAK AT CITY HALL AND HEAR HIS RAGE.

HIS RAGE IS JUSTIFIED, HIS WORDS MAY NOT BE POLITE.

BUT ONCE YOU DIG DOWN DEEPER, YOU CAN FIND THAT HE HAS BEEN CONTINUALLY HARASSED, UM, AND, UH, JUST REALLY PUSHED INTO A CORNER AS HE TRIES TO SPEAK UP WHEN OTHER BLACK WORKERS ARE TOO AFRAID TO, WE KNEW.

KNOW THAT WHEN WORKERS ARE SPEAKING UP THROUGH THE HUMAN RESOURCES EEO OFFICE, EVEN THE UNION IN THE CITY AND GIVING PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND EVEN GOING TO COURT, THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO BE HEARD.

THIS IS A SYSTEMIC

[02:20:01]

FAILURE, Y'ALL.

AND SO WE REALLY LOOK FOR THIS EQUITY COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THESE ARE RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY AND WE KNOW THE CITY HAS STUDIED THESE ISSUES.

WE'VE HAD RACIAL RECONCILIATION REPORTS, ET CETERA.

SOME OF OUR DEMANDS ARE THAT THE CITY REALLY FULLY FUND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT SUPPORTS HEALTH EQUITY AND RACIAL EQUITY WORK, AS WELL AS THE EQUITY OFFICE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, ET CETERA.

AND YOU CAN FIND THIS AGAIN@LBWC.ORG.

THANK YOU, MELISSA.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? YES, I DO SEE ONE MORE.

LYDIA, WHEN YOU ARE READY, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

I HAVE TO MUTE MYSELF.

REMEMBER, THERE WAS A CHALLENGE BY OUR VICE CHAIR TO COME READY AND PREPARE TO SHARE WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR DISTRICT, UH, AND EVENTS.

UM, YES, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ON THE RECORD WITH REGARD TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE REPORT ON THE STATE OF BLACK CALIFORNIA, UH, UH, LAST YEAR, 2024.

AND IN THAT REPORT, IT'S A 20 YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY.

AND IT COVERED, YOU KNOW, THE VARIOUS COUNTIES, MAJOR COUNTIES HERE IN, UH, IN CALIFORNIA.

AND THAT REPORT, UH, FOUND THAT IT WOULD TAKE, UH, CLOSE TO 248 YEARS TO CLOSE THE INEQUALITY GAP BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE CALIFORNIANS.

AND CERTAINLY CHRONIC BLACK, UH, EMPLOYMENT IS A PARTICULAR FEATURE IN THAT GAP.

SO ACTUALLY IT WOULD TAKE LONGER TO CLOSE THE INEQUALITY GAP IN CALIFORNIA REGARDING BLACK, UH, RESIDENTS.

UH, UH, UH, THEN IT WAS THE 246 YEARS OF SLAVERY FROM 16, UH, UH, UH, 19 TO 18.

UH, 67 LONG BEACH IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE THAT NUMBER.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CHRONIC BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT, PARTICULARLY AMONG OUR MALES IN THIS CITY, HAS NEVER BEEN REAL A REAL PRIORITY, REALLY UP UNTIL FEBRUARY 10TH WHEN, UH, THE EIGHTH DISTRICT COUNCILWOMAN DID BRING THE MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BEGIN YET ANOTHER STUDY OR TO BEGIN TO EXAMINE SOME OF THESE REAL NAUGHTY ISSUES.

BUT THIS IS NOT JUST LONG BEACH, BUT LONG BEACH IS A REFLECTION OF THE NATION, THE STATE, THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, AND OF COURSE OUR OWN LOCAL JURISDICTION.

IT IS AS IF, UH, THERE'S BEEN A MORATORIUM ON HIRING BLACK MEN IN PARTICULAR.

AND SO I WOULD REALLY BE INTERESTED, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITES, THERE AREN'T ANY, WHETHER IT'S, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION SITES OR PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION SITES, WE'RE JUST CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM THE LANDSCAPE.

SO OF COURSE IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS IS EXACERBATED.

YOU KNOW, THE REENTRY ISSUES ARE EXACERBATED.

EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED THIS EVENING IS EXACERBATED BY THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO SENSE OF URGENCY IN HIRING BLACK MEN.

THEIR ONLY VALUE WAS AS AN INCARCERATED, UH, COHORT IN THIS COMMUNITY.

THAT'S THEIR VALUE.

AS A FREE BLACK MAN, THEIR VALUE IS NOT VERY HIGH.

THAT'S WHY YOU GOT LAWSUITS.

'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT DEEMED TO BE VALU VALUABLE ENOUGH TO BE TREATED WITH EQUITY.

SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS LISTENING SESSION IS GONNA LEAD THIS COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE MUST IN ORDER TO CHANGE THESE OUTCOMES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, DR.

HOLLY.

ARE THERE ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT.

NO ONE ELSE CHAIR.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, AND AS A REMINDER TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, IF THERE ARE ITEMS, UM, THAT, UH, WE SHOULD CONSIDER OR THAT WE WOULD, UH, THAT WE SHOULD AGENDIZE, UH, I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE SENDING AN EMAIL, UH, TO TONY, OUR, UM, OUR LIAISON, UH, SO THAT WE COULD BE ABLE TO FORMALLY START COMMUNICATION, UH, TO BE ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, UH, THE ISSUES THAT WERE ADDRESSED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.

UH, SO I WELCOME THAT, UH, AND OFFER THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, SO WE'RE NOW GONNA MOVE TO COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS.

UH, COMMISSIONERS.

AS YOU CAN

[ANNOUNCEMENTS]

UH, SO, UH, PLEASE, UH, FEEL FREE TO SHARE OR PASS.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT,

[02:25:01]

UH, THAT TONY IS GOING TO BE LEADING, UH, AFTER COMMISSIONER'S SHARE.

UM, SO I'LL OPEN IT UP.

COMMISSIONER FLORES.

HELLO.

UM, IN OUR DISTRICT EIGHT, WE HAVE A FIRST FRIDAY THAT HAPPENS ON THE FIRST FRIDAY.

THIS COMING FRIDAY IS FIRST FRIDAY RESTAURANTS, ACTIVITIES.

ALL OF THAT STARTS FROM LIKE SIX TO 10.

SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.

UM, ON ATLANTIC, IN THE BIXBY KNOWLES AREA.

THAT'S FUN.

36, SEE THIS? YEAH, THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING AT THE 36 36 CLUB THIS FRIDAY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

OH, LET'S CHECK IT OUT.

COMMISSIONERS, CHECK OUT FIRST FRIDAYS IN THE EIGHTH DISTRICT, Y'ALL.

UH, ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS? COMMISSIONER SAMUEL WILD, WHAT HAPPENED? EITHER WHAT HAPPENED OR WHAT IS HAPPENING? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THIS PAST SUNDAY, THE L-G-B-T-Q CENTER OF LONG BEACH, CELEBRATED TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY, UM, WHERE THEY HONORED TRANS AND NOT, AND THE NON BINARY COMMUNITY OUT AT THE, I LIKE TO CALL IT CHERRY PARK, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY BIG PARK.

UM, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

UM, AND YEAH, UM, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE, THE CENTER AND ALL THAT THEY DO.

SO YEAH.

UH, VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ.

I'LL GO.

HI, Y'ALL.

HEY.

UM, THIS THURSDAY, UM, THE, UH, SOUTH OF CONANT, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY MEETING IS TAKING PLACE, UH, AT, UM, GOSH, IT'S A CHURCH ON WARDLOW, UH, UM, I SHOULD KNOW THAT, UH, UH, THE NAME OF IT, IT'S, IT'S WARDLOW IN SAN ANINE, BUT AT, UH, 7:00 PM UM, WE'RE HAVING A COMMUNITY MEETING, UH, ALWAYS GOOD FOR, UH, UH, CRIME UPDATES AND COMMUNITY UPDATES.

AND THE GUEST SPEAKER THIS MONTH IS COUNCILMAN MEGAN KERR.

UM, SO, UH, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, THEY'RE ALWAYS, UH, WELL ATTENDED IN FULL MEETINGS AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.

YOUR DEDICATION TO ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY, INCLUSION, RESPECT FOR ALL AND POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

VICE CHAIR.

UH, SO I HAVE TWO, UM, THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT.

UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 4TH, UH, IS GOING TO BE THE CAMBODIAN TOWN PARADE AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.

UH, THEY ARE GOING TO BE MARCHING FROM, UH, AT, UM, FROM MACARTHUR PARK TO THE LBCC, UM, PARKING, UM, STRUCTURE AREA ON PCH AND ORANGE.

UH, SO DEFINITELY COME OUT, UH, BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS, FIND A SPOT, UH, AND COME EXPERIENCE THE AMAZING CULTURE, UH, HISTORY AND COMMUNITY OF THE CAMBODIAN, UM, COMMUNITY HERE IN THE CENTRAL IN THE HEART OF LONG BEACH.

UH, AND ON SUNDAY, UM, WE ARE HAVING, HAVING LONG BEACH QURAN, UH, WHICH IS, UH, THE NEW YEAR, UH, FOR T LAO.

UM, AND I FORGET THE OTHER, UH, COMMUNITIES AS WELL.

UH, AND, UH, THEY WILL HAVE CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, AMAZING FOOD VENDORS, AMAZING SHOP VENDORS.

UH, SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE, UH, PLANS OVER THE WEEKEND, UH, PLEASE DO COME OUT.

UH, I DO ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S EASTER WEEKEND.

UH, SO AFTER YOU'RE DONE HUNTING FOR EGGS IN THE MORNING OR ATTENDING CHURCH, UH, COME OUT TO CENTRAL LONG BEACH, UH, SPEND SOME MONEY, UH, BECAUSE WE NEED IT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, AND, UH, EXPERIENCED AMAZING COMMU, UH, CULTURE AND HISTORY THAT, UM, BOTH OF THESE EVENTS ARE GONNA BE OFFERING.

UM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, I'M GONNA PASS IT TO TONY FOR A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

SO, UM, AS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I SHARED LAST WEEK THAT THIS WOULD BE BENITA'S LAST MEETING.

AND, UH, SO BONITA, WE'RE VERY, WE'RE VERY SAD TO SEE YOU GO, BUT VERY HAPPY, UM, FOR WHAT'S COMING NEXT IN YOUR JOURNEY.

UH, AND WITH THAT, I JUST HAVE A MESSAGE FROM, UH, THE MAYOR REX RICHARDSON, WHO WANTED ME TO PRESENT YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.

UM, AND HE JUST SAYS, UH, THIS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION IS PRESENTED TO BENITA SHA MALONE, UH, IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE ON THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION, AND

[02:30:01]

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND IF WE CAN ALL GET A PHOTO WITH YOU, WE'D LOVE THAT.

OH, THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M SPEECHLESS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, UM, I'M GLAD I'M, I'M GOING OFF TO START A NEW LIFE IN, UH, PORTUGAL, KISH, WHICH IS A SUBURB OF LISBON.

I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE ALREADY LEFT THE COUNTRY AND, BUT, UH, LEAVING LIKE THIS COMMISSION BEHIND IS MIXED FEELINGS.

UM, I SEE THIS COMMISSION ACTUALLY NOW MAKING CHANGES MOVING FORWARD, AND I'M REALLY SORRY I WON'T BE HERE TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS, THAT THAT HURTS MY HEART.

BUT KNOWING IT'S IN EXCELLENT HANDS, EXCELLENT HANDS, AND, UH, I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN OF SERVICE AND TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION.

VERY GRATEFUL.