Oct 27, 2026 Housing and Public Health Committee

UM, LET'S MOVE TO THE FIRST AGENDA.

ITEM ITEM NUMBER ONE.

PLEASE

[CALL TO ORDER]

READ THAT OUT.

ITEM ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING OF TUESDAY, MAY 19TH, 2026.

THANK YOU

[ROLL CALL]

SO MUCH.

IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON ITEM ONE, PLEASE APPROACH PODIUM SEEING NA CHAIR.

UH, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

[1. 26-56519 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Housing and Public Health Committee meeting of Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MOTION CARRIES.

MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE READ OUT THE MATTER.

ITEM TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE FILE PRESENTATION FROM LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED REGARDING THE LONG LOS ANGELES ALLIANCE FOR A NEW ECONOMY REPORT CONFRONTING THE LONG BEACH HOUSING CRISIS, FOCUSING ON JUST CAUSE PROTECTION AND SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL REFORM.

ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOTION.

AND SECOND, I'LL DO SO.

THIS IS ONE, UM, , THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

AT THIS TIME, UH, WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE STAFF REPORT.

OH, NO, WE'LL START WITH THE PRESENTATION FROM, UM, THE GROUP THAT IS PRESENT TODAY.

SO I'LL ASK THE MEMBERS WHO ARE COMING TO PRESENT TO PLEASE COME FORWARD.

[2. 26-56520 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Long Beach Residents Empowered (LiBRE) regarding the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) report, "Confronting the Long Beach Housing Crisis," focusing on just cause protection and substantial remodel reform. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UM, MY NAME IS ANDREA AL, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LIBRE OR LONG BEACH RESIDENCE.

EMPOWERED AND , THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

THANK YOU, .

UM, AND YES, AND I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, LILY.

GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME'S LILI PIERA.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION WITH, UM, LIBRE.

UM, WE'RE HERE TODAY WHAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGH OUR WORK WITH RENTERS ACROSS LONG BEACH.

EVERY DAY WE CONNECT WITH AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF FAMILIES NAVIGATING FINANCIAL INSTABILITY, HOUSING INSECURITY, AND THE THREAT OF DISPLACEMENT.

UM, TODAY WE'RE HERE TO OUTLINE SOME OF THE KEY CHALLENGES AS, UM, DOCUMENTED IN THE REPORT, UM, AND OFFER SOME SOLUTIONS TOWARD HOUSING STABILITY AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION.

THE POINT IN TIME COUNT REPORTED THAT THE HIGHEST HOMELESS RATES IN LONG BEACH, THE HIGHEST HOMELESS RATES SEEN IN LONG BEACH OVER THE LAST DECADE, WHICH WENT UP AGAINST AGAIN THIS YEAR.

AND AS MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED, LAST SUMMER, LIBRE AND LAY LOS ANGELES ALLIANCE FOR A NEW ECONOMY COLLABORATED ON A REPORT THAT ANALYZED THE STATE OF HOUSING IN LONG BEACH.

THE REPORT TAKES A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE AT THIS MOMENT AND WHAT STRATEGIC STEPS TO TAKE.

NEXT, WE WILL HIGHLIGHT THE KEY FINDINGS OF, OF OUR APPROACH AND ADDRESS, UH, IN ADDRESSING THEM.

AND I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THE REPORT.

AND THIS REPORT CAN ALSO BE FOUND ONLINE ON OUR SITE, ON OUR WEBSITE AND LANE'S WEBSITE.

SO LONG BEACH IS A RENTER MAJORITY CITY, UH, ALMOST 60% OF THEIR, THE POPULATION, UH, OF LONG BEACH IS MADE UP BY RENTERS.

ACCESS TO HOME OWNERSHIP, HOWEVER, IS NOT EQUAL ACROSS COMMUNITIES.

BLACK, LATINO AND CAMBODIAN RESIDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE RENTERS.

THIS MAP SHOWS US A SMALL POCKETS OF HOME HOMEOWNERS IN THE CITY WHERE THESE COMMUNITIES TEND TO BE UNDERREPRESENTED.

PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS, THE GAP BETWEEN HOME PRICES AND WAGES IN LONG BEACH HAS SIGNIFICANTLY, SIGNIFICANTLY WIDENED.

WHILE INCOMES HAVE INCREASED BY 125%, HOME PRICES HAVE RISEN BY 387% MORE THAN DOUBLE.

THROUGH OUR WORK, WE OFTEN CONNECT WITH FAMILIES THAT ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS JUST TO MAKE END MEET.

THIS GROWING GAP GAP HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED OUR RESIDENTS FINANCIAL STABILITY.

OUR RESEARCH FUND THAT 52% OF OUR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS ARE RENT BURDEN, MEANING THEY SPEND MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME RENT.

BLACK AND LATINO RESIDENTS FACE THE HIGHEST RATES OF RED BURDEN IN THE CITY.

FAMILIES ARE BEING STRETCHED THIN, AND A SMALL EMERGENCY LEADS TO, TO THEM FALLING BEHIND ON RENT AND RISKING HOMELESSNESS.

THIS ISSUE ALSO REFLECTED IN THE CITY DATA.

LAST YEAR,

[00:15:01]

ALTHOUGH THE CITY REPORTED A 12% INCREASE IN SHELTERED BED INVENTORY, MORE FAMILIES ARE FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS EACH YEAR.

42% OF INDIVIDUALS INDICATED LOSING THEIR HOME DUE TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS.

AND 60%, 16% DUE TO AN EVICTION, ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES AT A NATIONAL LEVEL ARE ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE INSTABILITY FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING IN EXPERIENCING IN OUR CITY.

THIS CREATES AN URGENCY TO ACT NOW.

SO WHAT IS HAPPENING? UM, LIVING, UH, FEDERAL COURTS ARE IMPACTING CRITICAL FUNDING INTO HOUSING, FOOD ACCESS, AND HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES RELY ON.

OUR ICE RATES ARE TERRORIZING NEIGHBORHOODS.

NOW, MORE THAN EVER, OUR RESIDENTS HOMES NEED TO BE PROTECTED AS SANCTUARY.

PLUS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE DEPORTED ARE ALSO FACING THE FINANCIAL INSECURITY AND THE LOSS OF WAGES ON THEIR HOUSEHOLDS.

UM, AND AS THE CITY PLANS, THE OLYMPIC EVENT, EVICTION THREATS INCREASE.

LANDLORDS MOVE TO REMOVE RESIDENTS FROM THEIR PLACE AND TO PUT SHORT RENT, UH, SHORT RENTAL PLATFORMS, THE CALIFORNIA TENANT PROTECTION ACT, THE CABS, RENT INCREASES, IMPLEMENTS, JUST COST PROTECTIONS, AND SENT MANDATORY RELOCATION OF ASSISTANCE WILL ALSO SUNSET IN 2030.

AND ALTHOUGH THERE'S SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS TO UPDATE THAT ONE AT THE STATE LEVEL, UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT FOR SURE.

SO THIS REPORT COUPLED WITH ONGOING FEEDBACK FROM RENTERS WE WORK WITH HELP US DEEPLY EXAMINE THE GAPS IN OUR CURRENT APPROACH TO RENTER PROTECTIONS, RENTER PROTECTIONS, AND JUST, JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTION IS JUST ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER THAT THIS, BY RENTER PROTECTION IS LIKE THE, ONE OF THE, THE WAYS IN WE CAN, WE, WE CAN SAVE MONEY WHILE ENSURING PEOPLE STAY HOUSED BASED ON ALL THIS.

UM, AND TOGETHER WITH THE LONG BEACH HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION, WE'VE ESTABLISHED A, A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT GUIDE OUR ADVOCACY TO STRENGTHEN JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS.

SO UNDER STATE LAW AND OUR LOCAL LONG BEACH JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE, ONCE A TENANT HAS LIVED IN THEIR UNIT FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, A LANDLORD MUST HAVE A VALID REASON TO FILE FOR EVICTION.

THOSE VALID REASONS TO FILE FOR AN EVICTION INCLUDE NONPAYMENT OF RENT, BREACH OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT, OWNER OR FAMILY MOVE-IN REMOVAL FROM THE RENTAL MARKET AND DEMOLITION OR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE LIMITATIONS BECAUSE THEY KEEP THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES SAFELY HOUSED.

UM, SO WHAT GAPS ARE WE SEEING OUR LOCAL JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE ONLY MEETS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS SET BY THE CALIFORNIA TENANT PROTECTION ACT.

AND AS ANDRES SAID, BOTH OF THESE ARE SET TO EXPIRE IN 2030.

PROTECTIONS ALSO DON'T APPLY TO EVERYONE.

RENTERS IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE NOT COVERED AND CAN BE EVICTED FOR ANY REASON.

RENTERS HAVE TO WAIT 12 MONTHS TO BE PROTECTED.

AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE IS CURRENTLY SET AT ONE OR TWO MONTHS OF RENT.

AND THIS IS NOT ENOUGH TO COVER MOVING COSTS UNDER CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS.

THE ORDINANCE ALSO ALLOWS FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS.

AND THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL IS NOT A BIG PROBLEM IN LONG BEACH CITY.

RECORDS SHOW THAT ABOUT 170 SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS HAVE BEEN FILED SINCE APRIL, 2023.

BUT THIS NUMBER DOESN'T PAINT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

THROUGH OUR WORK, WE OFTEN ENCOUNTER WHOLE BUILDINGS OF TENANTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL NOTICES WITHOUT ATTACHED PERMITS, OR FOR RENOVATIONS THAT DON'T MEET THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

MANY OF THESE CASES NEVER REACH COURT OR APPEAR IN RECORDS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RELY ON PERMIT FILINGS OR UD FILINGS ALONE TO REFLECT THE EXPERIENCES OF RENTERS IN THE CITY.

[00:20:02]

LAST YEAR, WE CONNECTED WITH ONE OF OUR NOW TENANT LEADERS WHO FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THE SYSTEMS MEANT TO PROTECTOR.

AFTER ONGOING HARASSMENT AND UNPERMITTED CONSTRUCTION, UM, ENACTED BY HER LANDLORD, THIS TENANT RECEIVED A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTION NOTICE.

SHE SUBMITTED AN INQUIRY TO THE CITY THROUGH WHICH WE NOT ONLY CONFIRMED THAT THE EVICTION NOTICE DIDN'T HOLD UP, BUT THAT IT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY.

EVEN THOUGH IT LOCKED PROPER DOCUMENTATION, A CHECKBOX INTENDED TO ALERT CITY STAFF TO FOR DEEPER REVIEW WASN'T NOTICED, AND HER LANDLORD GOT THE CITY'S GO AHEAD TO SERVE THE LAND, THE NOTICE WITHOUT FURTHER SCRUTINY.

THIS IS JUST ONE, ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE SEE HAPPEN.

SO OFTEN MANY FAMILIES WHO RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL NOTICES NEVER MAKE IT AS FAR AS THIS TENANT DID.

THEY VACATE WITHOUT QUESTIONING WHETHER THE NOTICE IS LEGAL OR NOT, OR SIMPLY CHOOSE TO MOVE OUT BECAUSE THE THOUGHT OF PUTTING UP A FIGHT IS TERRIFYING.

LIBRE WORKS WITH TENANTS DIRECTLY, AND WE TRACK THIS WORK THROUGH INTERNAL INTAKE FORMS. THESE INTAKE FORMS AND OUR EXPERIENCES DURING KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CLINICS TELL US THAT SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL NOTICES ARE MUCH MORE COMMON THAN WHAT'S REPORTED TO THE CITY.

MANY OF THESE NOTICES ARE SERVED WITHOUT PERMITS OR END IN SELF EVICTION, AND THEREFORE DON'T APPEAR IN ANY DATABASES.

WE'RE SEEING CASES WHERE MINOR IMPROVEMENTS TO CABINETS AND LIGHT SWITCHES ARE BEING JUSTIFIED AS SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS, EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T FIT THE LEGAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR MANY HOUSEHOLDS.

CHALLENGING AND EVICTION IS NOT ONLY COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING, IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND INTIMIDATING.

WITHOUT LEGAL SUPPORT, FAMILIES LEAVE BEFORE AN UNLAWFUL DETAINER IS FILED, WHILE OTHERS FEEL PRESSURED TO MOVE BECAUSE THEY FEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF STAYING.

SO OUR CURRENT PROVISION HAS LOOPHOLES THAT LANDLORDS USE TO INCREASE RENTS AND DISPLACE FAMILIES.

WE'VE SEEN WEBINARS OFFERED ONLINE BY LANDLORD, UM, ATTORNEYS TEACHING THEM EXACTLY HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PARTICULAR LOOPHOLE.

OUR REPORT HAS HELPED US EXAMINE THE POLICY APPROACHES ALSO PUT IN PLACE IN NEIGHBORING CITIES.

SO PLACES LIKE BELL GARDENS, SANTA MONICA, WEST HOLLYWOOD, HAVE STRENGTHENED THEIR JUST CAUSE POLICIES BY ELIMINATING SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, UM, ELIMINATING THE JUST CAUSE WAITING PERIODS, EXTENDING PROTECTIONS TO ALL RENTERS, AND AGAIN, REMOVING SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

COMPARING THESE POLICIES WITH OUR CITY'S LOCAL ORDINANCE HIGHLIGHTS THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IN LONG BEACH TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTIONS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE SAME STABILITY FOUND NEARBY.

LIBRE AND THE HOUSING JUSTICE COALITION HAVE OUTLINED FOUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION TO ADDRESS THESE GAPS AND STRENGTHEN HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION IN OUR CITY.

THE FIRST ONE IS THE ELIMINATION OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AS A JUST CAUSE FOR EVICTION.

THIS WOULD ELIMINATE THE LOOPHOLE AND NOT SUBJECT FAMILIES TO UNJUST EVICTIONS BECAUSE THE LANDLORD WANTS TO FLIP THEIR UNIT FOR HIGHER PROFIT.

OUR SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS TO ESTABLISH A REASONABLE NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD.

AT TWO MONTHS, RENT, FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS DRIVE HOMELESSNESS, AND IN LONG BEACH, FALLING BEHIND EVEN BY A FEW DOLLARS CAN LEAD TO AN EVICTION NOTICE.

THIS CHANGE WOULD GIVE RENTERS VULNERABLE RENTERS TIME TO CATCH UP ON RENT BEFORE FACING AN EVICTION.

OUR THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS TO MATCH OR TO INCREASE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE SO THAT IT MEETS THE MOMENT IN LONG BEACH RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.

IT'S A, IS A FIXED AMOUNT, ONE OR TWO MONTHS RENT, OR $4,500, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.

BUT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, THE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE IS ADJUSTED ACCORDING TO INFLATION.

MOVING IS EXPENSIVE AND AN EVICTED TENANT'S RENT IS GOING TO GO UP.

THIS CHANGE ENSURES THAT RENTERS RECEIVE MORE ADEQUATE SUPPORT WHEN THEY ARE EVICTED FOR NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

LASTLY, WE'RE ASKING THAT JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS BE MADE UNIVERSAL AND COVER ALL RENTERS, ALL RENTERS DESERVE STABILITY, WHETHER THEY'RE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR A LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEX, THIS POLICY WOULD EXTEND PROTECTIONS REGARDLESS OF ONE'S HOUSING TYPE BECAUSE A RENTER

[00:25:01]

IS A RENTER DESPITE WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING THEY'RE IN.

THIS POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT ONLY INFORMED BY RESEARCH AND COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES, BUT THE EXPERIENCE SHARED BY LONG BEACH RESIDENTS THROUGH OUR JUST CAUSE ACTION NETWORK.

ABOUT 500 LETTERS WERE SENT BY RESIDENTS AND EXPRESSING THEIR SUPPORT FOR STRONGER PROTECTIONS IN LONG BEACH.

WE ALSO RECEIVED ABOUT 50 ENDORSEMENTS FROM OUR ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO, FOR US TO SHARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH YOU TODAY.

WE ARE COMMITTED, COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THIS COLLABORATION BY AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURING THAT HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT FOR EVERYONE IN LONG BEACH.

UM, THE AUDIENCE MAY WANNA CLAP FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I KNOW THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE WHO, UM, HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO TODAY'S, UH, PRESENTATION.

UM, SO FOR, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UM, MATTER THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA, I'M JUST SO PLEASED THAT YOU ALL WERE ABLE TO COME AND SHARE, UH, ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND SOME OF THE GREAT POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND, UH, THAT WE CAN CONSIDER HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

AT THIS TIME, WHAT I'LL DO IS GO AHEAD AND SEE IF WE CAN OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THEN FROM THERE, UM, WE WILL, WILL COME BACK, UH, TO THE DAIS FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

AND SO WE'LL HAVE PROBABLY HAVE YOU RETURN, UH, FOR THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION.

BUT AT THIS POINT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AT THIS TIME, UH, CLERK, CAN YOU HELP ADMINISTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT? IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP THE PODIUM SO WE COULD DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS THERE ARE.

AND ONCE THAT NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, THERE WILL NO LONGER BE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO AT THIS TIME, ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE KINDLY, UH, LINE UP.

UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO LINE UP IN ANY ORDER THAT YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.

UM, FROM THERE, ONCE WE HAVE THE LINE ESTABLISHED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT EACH PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL BE GIVEN.

UM, I ASK YOU TO MOVE TO THE CENTER OF THE AISLE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHO WILL BE SPEAKING DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.

I SEE THE CLERK IS OUT AND ABOUT READY TO BEGIN THE COUNT.

UM, PLEASE, UH, BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CLERK SO SHE CAN BE SURE TO HAVE A FULL COUNT OF ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING AT PUBLIC COMMENT.

I'LL LET THE CLERK, UH, CONDUCT THE COUNT.

SO WE HAVE NINE, 10.

IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER SPEAKER HAS JOINED THE LINE.

SO THAT'LL LEAVE US AT THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.

UM, AT THIS TIME, IF THERE IS ANYONE FOR, UH, THEIR OWN MEDICAL NEEDS AND NEEDS TO SIT DOWN, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO.

IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO STAND IN THE LINE, WE UNDERSTAND.

JUST DO YOUR BEST TO TRY AND MAINTAIN WHERE YOU ARE IN THE LINE SO THAT WE CAN CONDUCT PUBLIC COMMENT IN AN ORDERLY FASHION.

THE LAST STUDIO APARTMENT I HAD.

AT THIS TIME, UM, I WILL HAVE OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTER.

PLEASE COME FORWARD AND SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIN FOLEY.

I AM THE RESOURCE MANAGER FOR LIBRE.

AND I'M ALSO A RENTER THAT'S LIVED IN THE FIRST DISTRICT, UM, FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS.

AND IN LONG BEACH FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS AS A RENTER, I'M CALLING ON THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE OFFICIALS MANAGING OUR RENTER MAJORITY CITY TO STRENGTHEN THE JUST CAUSE EVICTION ORDINANCE.

ONE.

PLEASE REMOVE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AS A REASON FOR EVICTION BECAUSE GENERATIONS OF LONG BEACH FAMILIES ARE BEING DISPLACED DUE TO THIS LOOPHOLE.

TWO, PLEASE SET A REASONABLE NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD SO FOLKS AREN'T EVICTED AFTER ONE MONTH OF FALLING BEHIND.

THREE, PLEASE MAKE JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS UNIVERSAL.

SO I, AS A RENTER, LIVING IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AM NOT AFFORDED LESS RIGHTS THAN RENTERS IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING.

FOUR, PLEASE MATCH RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO LA COUNTY STANDARDS 'CAUSE THE RENT IS TOO DARN HIGH.

TO SHARE SOME OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA HAVE TO MOVE LAST YEAR FROM MY HOME IN WILMORE THAT I'VE LIVED IN, IN FOR THE PAST DECADE WITH VARIOUS ROOMMATES, BECAUSE THE RENT WAS GETTING TOO HIGH AND MY ROOMMATES HAD TO MOVE OUTTA THE CITY.

I STARTED LOOKING FOR A STUDIO APARTMENT AND QUICKLY REALIZED IT WAS VERY, VERY HARD TO FIND SOMETHING ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY, MUCH LESS THAN THE SAME VICINITY THAT I HAD BEEN LIVING.

AND I NOTICED THAT THE CHEAPEST I WAS FINDING FOR A FEW REALLY TINY ROOMS WAS NOW MORE THAN DOUBLE THE PRICE OF

[00:30:01]

ALTHOUGH THAT WAS 15 YEARS AGO.

BUT I WAS LIVING IN RETRO ROW, AND THE OFFERINGS TODAY ARE NOWHERE NEAR AS NICE OR AS BIG, AND THEY'RE UP TO 1500 TO 2000 A MONTH FOR A WORN DOWN TINY, TINY ONE ROOM SPACE.

I WAS DESPERATE TO STAY IN MY HOUSE AND I FOUND ROOMMATES TO HELP ME STAY.

AND I WAS VERY GRATEFUL.

I'M SO GLAD THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE LONG BEACH OR THIS AND THIS PARTICULAR HOME BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I, BUT EVEN THOUGH I LOVE IT, THERE'S SO MUCH LEFT UNFIXED UNATTENDED.

'CAUSE I OFTEN DON'T WANNA BOTHER MY LANDLORD WITH TOO MANY MAINTENANCE REQUESTS TO THE POINT THAT THEY USE A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EXCUSE TO PUSH ME OUT AND LEARN SOME TENANT AT A HIGHER MARKET RATE.

I'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES NOW WHEN LANDLORDS USE SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR EVICTION.

IT REALLY USUALLY JUST FUNCTIONS AS A MECHANISM FROM THEM TO UPGRADE THEIR OWN PROPERTY INVESTMENTS AND GENERATE HIGHER PROFITS.

AND IT ALL TOO OFTEN COMES AT THE DIRECT EXPENSE OF LONGTIME RESIDENTS.

I'M REMINDED OF SOME NEIGHBORS, A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY, FRIENDS OF MINE THAT LIVED IN A FOURPLEX WITH THREE OTHER FAMILIES ALL LIVING THERE FOR A DECADE OR MORE.

AND IN THAT TIME THEY BECAME, UM, CO-CONSPIRATORS AND FIXING UP THE BACKYARD, FIXING UP THE AREA AROUND THEM.

THEY CREATED A, LIKE A FOOD GARDEN.

THEY WERE SHARING WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS.

THEY WERE, THEY LIKE REHABILITATING THE SOIL, UM, AND HAD OFTEN HAD TURNED IT INTO A REALLY BEAUTIFUL SPACE AND IN TURN TURNED CHESTNUT STREET INTO A MORE BEAUTIFUL SPACE ON THEIR BLOCK.

BUT THEY GOT EVICTED BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

ALL THE FOOD PLANTS THAT WERE GROWING WERE RAISED TO THE GROUND.

AND I'VE HEARD THAT THAT HAS NOW TURNED INTO AN AIRBNB WITH PEOPLE THAT COME IN AND OUT AND DON'T CARE AND PUT THE LOVE INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT.

SO I'M ASKING, UM, YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT RENT RENTERS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY IN LONG BEACH.

THERE ARE FAMILIES, CLASSMATES, COWORKERS AND DEDICATED COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, AND THEY'RE GETTING PUSHED OUT.

SO WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE STRENGTHEN THE PROTECTIONS TO KEEP THEM LIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS MIKE KINON.

I AM AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST.

UH, AND I AM ACTUALLY THE NEW SENIOR PASTOR OR RECTOR AT ST.

LUKE'S, SAN LUCAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON ATLANTIC AND SEVENTH.

ACTUALLY, THIS MORNING I SIGNED A LEASE.

SO I AM NOW A LONG BEACH RENTER.

UH, AND I JUST LEARNED THE TERM RENT BURDENED.

AND I AM CERTAINLY RENT BURDENED, BUT I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UH, MYSELF.

I'M IN DISTRICT, UH, TWO BY THE WAY.

UH, I'VE WORKED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS AND 30 YEARS TOTAL AROUND THE COUNTRY.

BUT 10 YEARS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA THROUGH CHURCHES, UH, WITH PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH HOMELESSNESS, I AM THRILLED THAT ST.

LUKE'S SAN LUCAS HAS AT LEAST A 30 YEAR HISTORY OF BEING AN ACTIVE PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND TRYING TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM HOMELESSNESS TO HOUSING.

UH, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, FINDING SOMEONE THAT FIRST APARTMENT, THAT FIRST HOME IS AMAZING.

IT IS JUST, IT.

YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE FINALLY HAVE A, A PLACE WE CAN CALL OUR OWN OWN IS INCREDIBLE.

THE CHALLENGE IS THAT FINDING THAT PLACE IS AT BEST HALF THE BATTLE.

UH, STAYING IN HOUSING IF YOU ARE NOT USED TO BEING IN IT, IS HARD.

UH, AND, AND YOU NEED COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO DO THAT.

AND TIME AND AGAIN, WE HAVE RUN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE NEW TENANTS FACE EVICTION WHEN THEY ARE JUST GETTING THEIR FEET ON THE GROUND.

HOMELESSNESS IS A CRISIS PROBLEM IN LONG BEACH AND ALL OVER THE LOS ANGELES AREA.

WE NEED TO HAVE LOWER RENTS SO THAT WE CAN FIND PEOPLE HOUSING.

BUT AS MUCH AS WE NEED TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE INCREASED PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS BECAUSE AS MUCH AS IT IS WONDERFUL WHEN SOMEONE FINDS THAT FIRST HOUSE, OH MY GOSH, THERE ARE FEW THINGS WORSE THAN THE HEARTBREAK OF, OF EXPERIENCING THAT.

AND THEN FACING EVICTION AND BEING EVICTED.

UH, THE, THE, THE ASKS HERE ARE, ARE SENSIBLE, UH, REMOVING SUBSTANTIAL, REMODEL, SETTING A REASONABLE NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD, UH, MAKING THOSE PRODUCTIONS UNIVERSAL, PARTICULARLY THE 12 MONTH, UH, THAT YOU HAVE TO BE THROUGH.

THAT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE IF YOU ARE JUST GETTING ON YOUR FEET TO HAVE TO WAIT 12 MONTHS UNTIL RENTERS PROTECTIONS, UH, APPLY TO YOU AND CERTAINLY IN MATCHING RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO LONG BEACH SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE.

I STRONGLY ENDORSE EVERY ONE OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PRESENTATION.

THEY'RE ABOUT WHETHER FAMILIES CAN FEEL SAFE IN THEIR HOMES, WHETHER WORKERS CAN KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS, AND WHETHER OUR COMMUNITIES CAN REMAIN STABLE.

HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS CYNTHIA AND I'M HERE WITH LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED.

I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO STRENGTHEN JUST CAUSE BY REMOVING SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS, SETTING A REASONABLE NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD, MAKING PROTECTIONS UNIVERSAL AND MATCHING RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO LA COUNTY STANDARDS.

THESE CHANGES ARE MORE THAN JUST POLICY.

THEY'RE ABOUT PEOPLE.

[00:35:01]

I WORK WITH COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.

I HELP WHEN THEY RECEIVE THINGS LIKE THREE DAY NOTICES OR NOTICES FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

AND ONE THING IS ALWAYS SUPER CLEAR TO ME.

PEOPLE ARE SCARED.

LET'S REMEMBER THAT HOUSING IS AT THE CENTER OF OUR LIVELIHOODS.

WE CANNOT EXPECT PEOPLE TO DO GOOD IN SCHOOL OR SHOW UP TO WORK OR DO GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY ARE FACING THE THREAT OF HAVING TO SLEEP IN THEIR CARS.

WE NEED TO INVEST BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES THAT BUILD LONG BEACH.

AND THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS MAKE SURE RESIDENTS HAVE ENOUGH PROTECTIONS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE STAY HOUSED.

I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THERE AREN'T AREN'T TOO MANY OF US HERE TODAY.

PLEASE DON'T MISTAKE LACK OF ABSENCE AS LACK OF INTEREST.

MANY TENANTS CANNOT AFFORD TO LEAVE WORK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY TO ATTEND A PUBLIC MEETING.

WE'RE WORKING TO PAY RENT CARE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND KEEP OUR LIVES TOGETHER.

THE VERY PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THESE DECISIONS OFTEN FACE THE GREATEST BARRIERS TO BEING HEARD.

IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT CREATING POLICIES THAT SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES, WE NEED TO CREATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE OUR VOICES.

I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE POLICIES THAT WILL KEEP LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HOUSE.

MY NAME IS CARTER MOON.

UH, I AM A RECENT EMPLOYEE OF LIBRE, BUT I HAVE ORGANIZED FOR HOUSING JUSTICE ACROSS LA COUNTY FOR MANY YEARS.

UH, THE CONDITIONS IN LONG BEACH ARE SIMILAR TO CONDITIONS I'VE ENCOUNTERED ACROSS LA COUNTY.

WORKING FAMILIES WITH TWO INCOMES STILL STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH RENT.

SENIORS LIVING IN UNHEALTHY AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO MOVE AND THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVE APARTMENTS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

DISABLED PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOMES UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH SUDDEN RENT INCREASES.

IN MY WORK WITH LIBRE, I MAKE PHONE CALLS TO LONG BEACH RESIDENTS TO SEE IF ANYONE IS HAVING HOUSING ISSUES.

I CAN SPEND AS LITTLE AS 10 MINUTES CALLING RESIDENTS AT RANDOM AND FIND A TENANT WHO'S IN ACUTE CRISIS.

ONE OF THESE CALLS WAS WITH A WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR JUST TWO MONTHS, CAUSING HER AND HER HUSBAND TO FALL SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND ON RENT.

AND THIS WAS DESPITE THE FACT THAT HER HUSBAND WAS STILL WORKING FULL-TIME.

DESPITE THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT HER WITH, SHE WAS STILL BEING THREATENED WITH EVICTION.

HER FAMILY'S CONDITION IS THE EXACT KIND OF SITUATION THAT, UH, EXTENDING THE REASONABLE NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD WOULD DIRECTLY BENEFIT AND HELP.

UM, THESE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS ARE EXACTLY HOW WE PREVENT FAMILIES FROM FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS.

AND I SHOULD REMIND EVERYONE THAT BY THE TIME A FAMILY FALLS INTO HOMELESSNESS, BY THE TIME THEY'RE ON THE STREETS, THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO INVEST TO THEN GET THEM BACK INTO HOUSING ARE SUBSTANTIAL.

I CONSTANTLY SEE LONG-TERM TENANTS BEING PRESSURED TO LEAVE THEIR BUILDINGS DUE TO SO-CALLED SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS.

DISRUPTING COMMUNITIES, ENFORCING SENIORS OUTTA THEIR STABLE HOUSING THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN FOR DECADES IS A DISRUPTION, IS A DISRUPTION TO ALL OF OUR WELLBEING AND TO OUR RESOURCES.

CLOSING THIS EVICTION LOOPHOLE IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY STABILITY.

I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO PASS THE FOLLOWING DEMANDS.

REMOVING SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL IS A REASON FOR EVICTION SETTING A REASONABLE THRESHOLD FOR NON-PAYMENT MAKING, JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS UNIVERSAL TO ALL TENANTS, AND MATCHING RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO MATCH LA COUNTY STANDARDS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT STRONGER, UH, JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS.

UM, WHEN I STARTED, HI, GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS MAGALIA PERERA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE HERE IN LONG BEACH.

I'M A RENTER OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT AND PASS STRONGER, PROTECT STRONGER, JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS IS TOO MANY TIMES MY NEIGHBORS HAVE SUFFERED EVICTION ONLY BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO REMODEL THEIR APARTMENTS AND THEY HAVE TO LEAVE.

AND IN ONLY A FEW DAYS, THEY RENT THOSE SAME UNITS TO OTHER PEOPLE.

TO ME, THAT IS ABUSE OF POWER BY THE LANDLORDS, BY THE OWNERS WHEN THERE WAS NO OTHER, UM, FIX OFFERED.

THIS IS AN, THIS IS AN INJUSTICE FOR ALL RENTERS.

I WOULDN'T LIKE THAT IF, IF THEY DID THAT TO ME.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU TODAY.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE IN OUR SITUATION? SO THAT'S WHY

[00:40:01]

OH, AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED, UM, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE, UM, HOW MANY SPEAKERS HAVE WE HAD SO FAR? OR CIRCLE CLERK NOW? SIX.

THERE'S FOUR, FIVE MEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN ALREADY.

MY NAME IS DIANA AND I AM A RESIDENT AND RENTER OF COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO.

I'M HERE TODAY ALONG WITH MY COMMUNITY TO CALL IN THE CITY THAT WE ALL FIGHT SO HARD TO CALL HOME, TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES, UH, THAT HAVE ESTABLISHED INSURED HOUSING STABILITY FOR ITS RESIDENTS BY STRENGTHENING THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE.

PLEASE REMOVE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AS A REASON FOR EVICTION.

PLEASE SET A REASONABLE NONPAYMENT THRESHOLD, MAKE JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS UNIVERSAL AND MATCH RELOCATION ASSURANCE TO LA COUNTY.

STANDARDS.

CURRENTLY LONG BEACH'S JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE MEETS THE BARE MINIMUM OF THE CALIFORNIA TENANT PROTECTION ACT, WHICH IS SET TO, UH, TO EXPIRE IN JUST A FEW YEARS.

POLICE PROTECT LONG BEACH TENANTS, CLOSE THE LOOPHOLES AND CREATE STRONGER JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS.

I ALSO URGE YOU TO PLEASE MAKE THESE MEETINGS ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WHO ARE MOST AFFECTED BY YOUR POLICIES, BY HOLDING THEM AT A TIME WHERE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES CAN ACTUALLY ATTEND AN OPEN VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

MY NAME IS RA KING.

I'M FROM DISTRICT NINE, AND I'M OVER HERE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONTINUE AND, UH, MAKE STRONGER, UM, UH, THE JAS, UM, SUPPORT FOR THAT.

SO I'M OVER HERE JUST, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTING ALL THE NEIGHBORS THAT KEEP CALLING US, ASKING AND SUPPORTING FOR HELP BECAUSE LIKE MY PARTNERS HAVE BEEN SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVE PHONE CALLS EVERY SINGLE DAY FROM FAMILIES ASKING FOR HELP.

'CAUSE THEY GOT THE EVICTION LETTERS.

LETTERS.

UM, WHEN THEY DO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO RUN AND RUSH AND SEE WHAT IT IS.

AND WE NOTICE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE EVICTIONS ARE NOT ON THE JUST CAUSE.

SO THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING HOUSING.

IT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE ALL ENJOY AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR FAMILIES AND ALL THAT.

AND IT'S REALLY SAD LISTENING TO ALL OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND, UH, JUST YESTERDAY I RECEIVED THREE CALLS.

UH, THEY WERE ASKING FOR HELP AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAD A THREE DAY NOTICE OF EVICTION.

SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM.

AND OVER HERE WITH LIBRE, UH, WE ARE WORKING HARD AND PASSING THEM ON.

SO I WILL LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE THIS AND MAKE IT STRONGER ON THE JUSTICES.

SO THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO DO, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL FROM LONG BEACH AND WE SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF ALL OF 'EM.

AND WE NEED TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE.

ASSISTANCE THAT THE REST OF LA COUNTY GETS TO BENEFIT FROM.

HELLO, COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS RORY HERRERA.

I'M FROM DISTRICT ONE, AND, UH, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE.

UH, I AM A RENTER HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND I HAVE BEEN FOR ALMOST SEVEN YEARS NOW.

HOWEVER, I'VE NEVER BEEN A RENTER THAT HAS BEEN PROTECTED BY THIS JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE.

THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.

I'VE, UH, LIVED HERE ONLY IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, SHARED HOUSING AND SUBLETTING, NONE OF WHICH IS COVERED.

THE ONE TIME THAT I DID HAVE A LEASE, I WAS NOT ON IT LONG ENOUGH TO MEET THE FULL YEAR.

AND SO WHEN MY LANDLORD DID BRING AN EVICTION AGAINST ME, I WENT TO COURT AND I FILED AN UNLAWFUL DETAINER, AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT BECAUSE I HAD MOVED OUT.

THEY, IT WAS A COMPLICATED SITUATION.

THEY STILL BROUGHT IT ON ME AFTER I MOVED OUT.

AND SO THIS IS, I DID NOT HAVE A WAY TO CONTEST THAT IF THEY HAD BROUGHT THAT TO COURT, THOUGH.

UH, AND THIS IS WHY THESE SHOULD BE A UNIVERSAL FOR EVERYBODY.

THE FACT THAT THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO BUILDINGS THAT ARE, UH, IN THE BILL IN THE LAST 15 YEARS IS MAKING THOSE RENTERS VULNERABLE TO EXPLOITATION BY THESE LANDLORDS.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR YOU TO REMOVE THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AS A REASON FOR EVICTION.

SO A REASONABLE NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD SO THAT RENTERS WHO ARE FALLING BEHIND, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, HAVE A CHANCE TO CATCH UP AND NOT JOIN THE ARE ALREADY LARGE UNHOUSED POPULATION HERE IN LONG BEACH, MANY OF WHICH ARE NEWLY UNHOUSED, UH, AND MAKE JUST CAUSE PROTECTIONS UNIVERSAL.

AND AS WELL AS MATCHING THAT RELOCATION

[00:45:01]

BECAUSE OTHERWISE, AS THE PEACE PEOPLE ARE BEING MOVED OUT, MANY OF THEM WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO BE IN WORSE AND WORSE SITUATIONS.

AND THAT'S WHY I WROTE ON MY SIGN, NOT JUST THAT HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, BUT THAT SAFE HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT BECAUSE WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE IN HOUSING THAT IS FREE OF A LANDLORD'S NEGLECT.

AND IF THE LANDLORD IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB AS A HOUSING PROVIDER, THEN WE DESERVE TO HAVE THE PROTECTIONS AS TENANTS.

HELLO, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS FRED SUTTON WITH THE CALIFORNIA PER PERMANENT ASSOCIATION.

GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO.

UM, VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING BEING ADVOCATED FOR TODAY WILL MAKE HOUSING MORE EXPENSIVE AND HARDER TO FIND.

UH, I WANNA ADDRESS THE LOOPHOLE ACCUSATION.

THIS IS STATE LAW THAT WAS DESIGNED OVER MONTHS AND MONTHS OF NEGOTIATION.

IT IS NOT A LOOPHOLE, IT IS A FEATURE TO HELP UPDATE OLD HOUSING STOCK.

LONG BEACH HAS AN INCREDIBLY OLD HOUSING STOCK.

UM, THINGS ARE NOT BUILT LIKE THE PYRAMIDS TO LAST A THOUSAND YEARS.

THEY NEED UPGRADES FOR SAFETY IN HABITABILITY.

I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE MENTION ILLEGAL ACTIVITY THAT IS ILLEGAL.

NO ONE CAN GO IN AND JUST PAINT OR DO NEW GRANITE COUNTERTOPS AND CLAIM THIS.

THE CITY PUT IN, UM, REGULATIONS TO HELP, UH, CURB THIS.

THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO MORE.

NO ONE SHOULD BE DOING THESE, UH, THINGS ILLEGALLY.

THERE'S A LOCAL JUST CAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA EXPIRE.

YOU HAVE A LOCAL JUST CAUSE IN YOUR ORDINANCE, RENT, DEBT BASELINE.

THIS IS SAYING YOU DON'T NEED TO PAY ON TIME.

YOU WOULD NOT SAY YOU GO TO THE, THE SUPERMARKET AND YOU DON'T NEED TO PAY FOR A COUPLE WEEKS.

THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT THE RENT DEBT STARTS TO CREATE AN INSURMOUNTABLE BURDEN.

IF THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PAY AT THE REGULAR TIME TWO MONTHS LATER, ARE WE GONNA ASSUME THAT THAT DEBT HAS BEEN EASIER TO PAY OFF? THE SOLUTION THOUGH, IS, IS REALLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD.

AN EMERGENCY RENTAL PROGRAM, YOU COULD DIVERT FUNDING FROM THE CURRENT EVICTION DEFENSE PROGRAM AND PUT IT IN TO HELP INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH RENT.

IT'S A REAL ISSUE.

UM, BUT RENT A RENT DEBT THRESHOLD IS NOT THE WAY FORWARD.

AND IT'S ALSO CURRENTLY BEING LITIGATED AT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

UM, COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES, WE'RE COMPARING SANTA MONICA, LOS ANGELES, WEST HOLLYWOOD, SOME OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND DYSFUNCTIONAL HOUSING MARKETS IN THE NATION.

UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN.

UH, IF SOMEONE IS CREATING AN A DU, WHICH ARE OUR CITY'S DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, LET'S JUST IMAGINE SOMEONE'S, UH, DAUGHTER GOES OFF TO, TO COLLEGE OR LEAVES THE STATE FOR A COUPLE YEARS, AND YOU WANNA PUT A TENANT IN THERE FOR, UH, A COUPLE YEARS.

THIS IS IS SAYING THAT YOU BASICALLY CANNOT RECLAIM THAT THAT UNIT FOR YOURSELF.

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, BUT IT'S, IT'S A RIGHT TO BE SECURED THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS.

AND THAT IS THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY.

IT IS NOT A RIGHT TO BE PROVIDED, UH, BY SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT SECURED THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING PROCESS.

AND THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO, TO POINT OUT, UH, I, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE RECORD TO ENSURE THAT, UH, ANY, I'M A PAID ADVOCATE HERE TODAY THAT ANY, UM, CITY CONTRACTS OR ANYTHING THAT ANYONE'S RECEIVING, THESE SHOULD BE DISCLOSING THAT IN PUBLIC COMMENT.

A CRISIS NOT ONLY OF, UH, A MORAL CRISIS, AN INTENSE MORAL CRISIS, BUT A A CRISIS OF GREED.

I BELIEVE THAT, UH, OH, WE HAVE ONE MORE.

WELL, HELLO, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, MY NAME IS OSCAR ZAMORA.

I'M A FAITH ROOTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH CLUE JUSTICE.

UH, CLUE IS CLERGY AND LADY UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

UH, WE ARE AN INTERFAITH ORGANIZATION THAT, UM, MOBILIZES THE COMMUNITY TO LIVE OUT THEIR FAITH, UM, IN A WAY THAT BUILDS THE BELOVED COMMUNITY, UM, .

AND LET ME BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT, UH, NOT ONLY IS HOUSING A HUMAN RIGHT, BUT THAT HOUSING SHOULD NOT BE BECOME MODIFIED AT ALL.

NO SINGLE HUMAN BEING SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A LIVING OFF OF RENTING OR SELLING, UM, A PLACE TO LIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE.

HOUSING SHOULD BE GUARANTEED TO EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING.

UH, I, I'M HEAVILY MOTIVATED BY MY FAITH.

I I, I COME FROM A CHRISTIAN BACKGROUND AND, UH, UH, MY CHRISTIAN, TO MY CHRISTIAN TRADITION TEACHES US THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO CLOTHE AND FEED OUR NEIGHBOR, UH, CARE FOR THE SICK AND SO MUCH MORE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I PROPHET ISAIAH EVEN SAYS THAT, UH, WOE TO THOSE THAT JOIN HOUSE TO HOUSE AND WHO JOIN FIELD TO FIELD TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ANYONE ELSE.

UM, THIS IS THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE SEEING

[00:50:01]

RIGHT? THERE IS NO LACK OF HOUSING THAT THAT IS A CORPORATE LIE FOR US TO FUNNEL MORE MONEY AND INVESTMENTS INTO BUILDING HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE IT MAKES THE RICH RICHER, RIGHT? UM, THE BELOVED COMMUNITY SHOULD BE ONE WHERE NO SINGLE PERSON NOT ONLY GOES HUNGRY, DOESN'T GO HUNGRY, BUT HAS A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.

WE'RE CURRENTLY IN AN EL NINO SEASON, AND THAT'S GONNA BRING SO MUCH WATER AND FLOODING AS WE'RE ALREADY SEEING ON OUR COASTAL LINES, RIGHT? WHAT IS THAT GONNA DO TO OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION? GOT, GOT, GOT, GOD FORBID.

WHAT, WHAT'S IT GONNA DO TO, UM, OUR, OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS? I WAS A STUDENT AT CAL STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, AND THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS RENT BURDENED.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOME WOULD LIKE TO PAINT THAT PICTURE A PICTURE OF LAZINESS.

BUT HOW CAN YOU EXPECT A STUDENT THAT'S TAKING FIVE CLASSES, UM, WORKING 20 HOURS A WEEK, RIGHT? BE ABLE TO GO THE EXTRA MILE TO AFFORD THE PLACE THAT THEY LIVE IN, RIGHT? AND THEN, NOW IMAGINE THE ADDED STRESS OF BEING EVICTED BECAUSE YOUR LANDLORD WANTS TO, UM, MAKE YOUR, YOUR HOUSING PRETTIER, BUT NOT FOR YOU, FOR SOMEONE ELSE SO THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY.

RIGHT? AND LET'S, LET'S THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE HAS TO HAVE A PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THEIR CARS TO BE SAFELY SECURED ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS.

THAT IS A DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THE VALUES THAT OUR CITY IS STANDING FOR.

THIS IS A SMALL STEP THAT WE CAN TAKE NOT ONLY TO ADDRESS AND TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE AND, AND, AND BE, UH, EXPRESS GENEROSITY TO OUR NEIGHBOR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, TO HELP THE HOMELESS WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY HOMELESS IS AN ACT OF GENEROSITY.

BUT TO, TO PASS SOMETHING LIKE THE JUSTCO ORDINANCE IS AN ACT OF JUSTICE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

OWN BUDGETS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SHORING THAT UP ACCORDINGLY.

I WANNA THANK, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WERE HERE TO SHARE THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS MATTER.

UM, I KNOW THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS, UH, CERTAINLY TAKEN UP A NUMBER OF ISSUES, UM, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS ACCORDINGLY.

UM, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE DIFFICULTY IN THE TIME OF DAY, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO GET HERE AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALL REPRESENT MANY MORE RESIDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE, BUT FOR, UH, OTHER JOBS AND ACTIVITIES COULD NOT.

SO KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, RECEIVED YOUR, UH, COMMENTS AS WELL IN WRITTEN FORM, UM, AND ARE UTILIZING THOSE AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION.

SO, UM, FOR TODAY, UH, I'LL GET STARTED WITH A, A FEW COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

UH, FOR BOTH LANE AND LIBRE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I WOULD SAY MAYBE YOU JOIN US HERE AT THE, UM, PODIUM, UM, SO THAT IF ANY QUESTIONS COME YOUR WAY, WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, GET THOSE ANSWERED ACCORDINGLY.

SO YOUR, UH, ROADMAP AND KEY POLICIES, UH, ARE ONES THAT CERTAINLY DO WHAT I THINK THIS COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED TO.

AND THAT IS IDENTIFYING AS ONE PUBLIC COMMENTER SAID, SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN.

UM, MANY OF YOUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ONES THAT WE HAVE PROBABLY TRIED TO ADDRESS TO, TO SOME EXTENT IN OUR BUDGET AND IN OUR POLICIES.

UM, SO IN YOUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU TALK ABOUT ENHANCING TENANT PROTECTIONS RELATED TO, UM, RIGHT TO COUNSEL.

AND WHILE WE HAVE, UH, SOME RESOURCES IN THAT AREA, UH, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENHANCE, UM, THOSE, UH, DOLLARS AND SUPPORT SO THAT RENTERS, UH, HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE IN BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE AND GET ACCESS TO THE SERVICES THAT THEY'LL NEED IN ORDER, UH, TO HOPEFULLY REMAIN HOUSED.

UM, TODAY IS, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE JUST CAUSE EVICTION STANDARDS.

IT'S A HUGE PART OF TODAY'S DISCUSSION AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT, UM, WE HAVE THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE HERE TO HEAR, UM, YOUR PERSPECTIVES ON THAT AND TO GO, AND I'LL GO THROUGH IN A MOMENT, UM, SOME OF MY THOUGHTS REGARDING YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THAT IN TERMS OF PROVIDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, THIS COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN UP, UH, PREVIOUSLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, PARTLY IN CONNECTION WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LA CASA, OUR NEW REGIONAL AGENCY AND HAVING RENTER AID AVAILABLE, UH, TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.

THAT PROGRAM ROLLED OUT THIS YEAR, UM, AS A LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.

UM, AND WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO ROLL OUT OUR SENIOR SHALLOW, SHALLOW SUBSIDY PROGRAM AS WELL.

SO BOTH OF THOSE, UM, ARE PROGRAMS THAT I THINK RESPOND TO THE NEED, UM, FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NEVER ENOUGH.

UM, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO FIND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH LA CASA AND OUR

[00:55:01]

IN TERMS OF, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TAKEN THAT MATTER UP AS A COUNCIL AS WELL, UM, AND WOULD BE OPEN TO ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS REGARDING HOW WE STRENGTHEN, UM, THOSE ORDINANCES, ESPECIALLY AS WE SEE THE OLYMPICS, UH, COMING OUR WAY, FOR EXAMPLE, AND OTHER MAJOR, UM, SPORTING EVENTS.

AND THEN FINALLY, YOU KNOW, I DO HOPE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING PUTS US ON THE ROAD TOWARDS RENT STABILIZATION.

UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU IDENTIFYING SOME ALTERNATIVE, UH, SOLUTIONS FOR THE KIND OF HOUSING THAT WE CAN CREATE.

AND I AM CERTAINLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANCE TO UTILIZE THE CARLITOS DEVELOPMENT THAT IS IN MY DISTRICT IN THE EIGHTH DISTRICT, THE LARGEST PUBLIC HOUSING SITE WITHIN THE CITY THAT IS OPERATED BY THE COUNTY, UM, AS A, UH, REDEVELOPMENT AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN, UH, PILOT THE USE OF SOCIAL HOUSING AND OTHER COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND OTHER FORMS OF HOUSING THAT CAN, UH, BE A MODEL THAT WE COULD SCALE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO WITH THAT, UM, I WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS, UM, YOUR SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE, UM, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

UM, TELL ME, UH, HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, UM, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GLEAN FROM THE CITY IN TERMS OF, UM, THE STATISTICS AROUND HOW RENTERS HAVE FARED WHO HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL? UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UM, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, AND WE KNOW OUR DATA IS INCOMPLETE, RIGHT? THAT'S SORT OF THE CHALLENGE OF, UM, TRYING TO TRACK ALL OF THESE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL CASES, IS THAT THE DATA'S JUST MISSING.

UM, BUT WE KNOW FROM OUR INTERNAL RECORDS THAT WE RECEIVE, UM, AT LEAST AS MANY LIKE UNREPORTED SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL NOTICES FROM OUR TENANTS OR THE TENANTS WHO WE WORK WITH, UM, AS ARE REPORTED TO THE CITY.

AND WE KNOW WE ALSO DON'T REACH EVERYBODY, LIKE NOT EVERYBODY'S ABLE TO REACH OUT FOR, FOR SUPPORT TO US.

UM, AND SO WE CAN ONLY GUESS AT HOW LARGE THAT NUMBER IS, BUT WE KNOW IT'S AT LEAST DOUBLE BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE INTAKE FORMS THAT WE RECEIVE.

SO IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE SUGGESTING BASED ON YOUR OUTREACH THAT YOU'VE DONE, THAT THERE ARE RESIDENTS WHO RECEIVE A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL NOTICE, UM, AS FAR AS WHY THEY'RE BEING EVICTED.

BUT THAT INFORMATION MAY NEVER REACH THE CITY.

UM, AND IT MAY NEVER BE RECORDED AS SUCH, BUT THE TENANT WILL HAVE RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION AND WITHOUT ACCESS TO, UH, SOMEONE TO SUPPORT OR, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, TENANTS ACCEPT THAT, UH, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTION WITHOUT REALLY REPORTING IT ANYWHERE AS WELL.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

AND MOST OFTEN WHAT WE SEE IS, IS TENANTS CATCH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY INTERPRET A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL NOTICE THAT IS, THAT HASN'T GONE THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS AS LIKE THE MESSAGE THEY RECEIVE IS, MY LANDLORD WANTS ME OUT MM-HMM .

AND THEY SHARE NOW I'M UNCOMFORTABLE IF THEY WANT ME OUT, I DON'T WANNA LIVE HERE ANYWAY.

AND THEY END UP SELF EVICTING, EVEN THOUGH IN COURT IT WOULDN'T HOLD UP AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO REMAIN.

NOW, UM, YOUR SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UM, SET REASONABLE NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLDS.

THIS IS SPECIFICALLY MOVING FROM ONE MONTH TO TWO MONTHS AS THE THRESHOLD FOR EVICTION.

SO, UM, IS THIS, UH, I MEAN, I CAN IMAGINE IF YOU MISS ONE MONTH, IT COULD BE YOU, YOU KNOW, MISSING WAGES FOR THAT MONTH OR EITHER LIMITED WAGES OR NO WAGES.

UM, AND THE NEXT MONTH, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE AS TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND.

BUT IN MY MIND, THAT NEXT MONTH COULD GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY CATCH UP BEFORE YOU RECEIVE AN EVICTION NOTICE.

AND I BELIEVE THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY ALSO HAS A TWO MONTH NON-PAYMENT RESULT OF RENT.

AS WE MENTIONED, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE RENT BOARDED.

SO ONE EMERGENCY AT THE HOSPITAL, ONE EMERGENCY AT WORK, THAT WILL PUT THEM UP TO, UM, FOR AN EVICTION.

AND THE OTHER THING IS, LIKE WHILE WE HAVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SOMETIMES ACCESSING TO THOSE PROGRAMS TAKES A A LONG TIME AND IT IS VERY HARD.

SO, AND EVEN WITHIN THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IT, THE TWO MONTH, UH, NON, UH, THRESHOLD FRONT WILL ALLOW THE TENANT TO CATCH UP AND PREVENT SERIAL EVICTIONS.

BECAUSE I CAN IMAGINE YOU WON'T EVEN QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS IF YOU CAN'T SHOW ONE MONTH THAT YOU'VE

[01:00:01]

MISSED.

UM, NOT ALL PROGRAMS ALLOW FOR POTENTIAL FUTURE MONTHS OF BEING MISSED.

SO MISSING ONE MONTH, UH, MAKES YOU ELIGIBLE EVEN FOR ACCESSING RESOURCES TO HELP WITH THAT MONTH.

AND MAYBE, UM, A MONTH GOING FORWARD.

HAVE ONE THING.

YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH.

UM, WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE EVEN A ONE MONTH THRESHOLD IN THE CURRENT JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE.

THERE'S NO THRESHOLD AT ALL.

SO A LOT OF THE THREE DAY NOTICES THAT WE SEE, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT'S STANDARD FOR NONPAYMENT, UM, ARE FOR LIKE $500, SOMETIMES LESS.

AND SO WE'RE SEEING EVICTION NOTICES FILED FOR, YOU KNOW, IT, IT THEORETICALLY IT COULD BE FOR LIKE $1 THAT YOU FALL BEHIND BECAUSE THERE IS NO THRESHOLD CURRENTLY.

WELL, THE ONE MONTH IS THE THRESHOLD BY DEFAULT, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVEN'T FULLY PAID YOUR RENT FOR THE MONTH AND YOU ARE BEHIND SURE.

UM, AND THEN IT COULD BE EVICTED ACCORDINGLY.

UM, SO IN TERMS OF RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANNA PUT ON THE RECORD.

I NOTED THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE AT $4,500.

IS THAT CORRECT? FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH? YES.

IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, YES.

AND I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU WANNA PEG IT TO, UM, SIMILAR, UM, NEW RELOCATION RESOURCES THAT LA COUNTY HAS OFFERED.

UM, TELL ME, YOU, YOU TALK ABOUT IT BEING CONNECTED WITH, UH, INFLATION OR COST OF LIVING INCREASES, CAN MAYBE SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, HOW THAT PARTICULAR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, THE ANATOMY OF IT, HOW IT'S SET UP NOW.

IT'S 10,000 IN COUNTY ROAD.

SO CURRENTLY IN, UH, EL UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF LA COUNTY, THE, UM, RELOCATION ASSISTANCE IS 10,000.

AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS JUST SO WE DON'T HAVE TO, UM, COME AGAIN AND FIGHT FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE THAT AFTER YOU MATCH THE LA COUNTY, UM, RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, THAT THAT POLICY ENSURES THAT IT CONTINUES TO RAISE WITH INFLATION.

WE'LL HAVE TO REVISIT AND GET SOME MORE DETAILS ON THAT AS THE COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO DELIBERATE THAT.

UM, AND THEN, UH, FINALLY, YOU ARE VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR RECOMMENDATION IN HAVING JUST CAUSE, UM, APPLIED TO ALL TENANTS.

SO THAT INCLUDES THOSE SPECIFICALLY IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

TELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE GOTTEN THERE.

CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF THE PERSPECTIVES AS TO WHY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES MIGHT NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH? I, I BELIEVE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE LANDLORDS THAT ARE, UM, THAT LIKE RENT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE NOT CORPORATE LANDLORDS.

THE CITY, UH, ATTEMPTS TO PROTECT SMALLER LANDLORDS.

HOWEVER, THE, THE CITY SHOULD ALSO LIKE, PROTECT THEIR RENTERS LIVING IN THOSE UNITS.

SO THE, UH, POTENTIAL PERSPECTIVE COULD BE THAT THOSE ARE MOM AND POP OWNED HOMES, UH, SMALLER LANDLORDS WHO MAYBE HAVE, UM, FEWER RESOURCES AND THE CITY OR WE COULD BE IN A POSITION OF TRYING TO BALANCE, UH, WHERE AND HOW THIS POLICY GETS APPLIED, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T BURDEN ONE PART OF THE LANDLORD COMMUNITY.

I'LL, I'LL THINK ABOUT THAT SOME MORE.

UM, SO THOSE ARE MY INITIAL QUESTIONS FOR NOW.

I'LL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR MY COLLEAGUES.

UH, THE MOTION OF THE FIRST GO AHEAD.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, MINE WERE JUST, A LOT OF IT WAS JUST KIND OF CLARIFICATIONS AND SOME JUST LIKE CLEANUP SO THAT I UNDERSTAND THE, THE CONVERSATION WHAT I HAVE.

AND THEN ALSO, UM, FOR STAFF TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SOME OF THE DECISION MAKING.

'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT EVERYONE HERE WAS PRESENT WHEN THE ORIGINAL JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED.

SO THAT WAY WE WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AROUND DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE INITIALLY.

UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS PART OF THAT PRESENTATION WAS TALKING ABOUT ILLEGAL EVICTIONS BECAUSE OF UNAPPROVED PERMITS, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE LANDLORDS WHO AREN'T PULLING PERMITS AND THEN THEY ARE SERVING ILLEGAL, UM, UNLAWFUL DETAINERS TO EVICT THEIR, THEIR, UH, TO THEIR TENANTS.

AND THEN THE CONCERN BEING THAT IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO RIGHT TO COUNSEL, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION.

THEY BASICALLY FEEL BULLIED AND THEN DON'T WANT TO STAY, AND THEN THEY SELF EVICT, RIGHT? WHICH IS SOMETHING WE OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN.

UM, AND SO I GUESS THIS IS A CONVERS THIS IS A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL AS LIRE AND LANE AS WELL AS OUR CITY STAFF, UM, IN THOSE SITUATIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE OUR REGULATIONS ARE MEANT TO, TO GOVERN, RIGHT? LAWFUL USES, RIGHT? LAWFUL EVICTIONS.

AND SO IN YOUR MIND, HOW WOULD STRONGER A STRONGER JUST CAUSE PROTECT AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE ILLEGALLY CO-OPTING THE SYSTEM AND NOT ENGAGING WITH IT AT ALL? I BELIEVE IN A, FOR, FOR STARTERS, JUST HAVING THE CONVERSATION, BRINGING THE NEWS UP TO THE COMMUNITY IS ALREADY LIKE A GREAT START POINT.

WILL ALREADY LIKE, BRING THE CONVERSATION.

LIKE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS AND HAVING LIKE THIS TYPE OF PRESENTATIONS

[01:05:01]

UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS, AS LIBRE AND PART OF THE STATE HOUSE, WE DO A LOT OF CANVASSING TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

BUT LIKE, AS LILY MENTIONED BEFORE, WE UNFORTUNATELY DON'T REACH, EH, EVERYONE IS VERY HARD FOR, FOR WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.

AND, UM, AND IT, IT WILL, IT WILL REQUIRE A LOT MORE, MORE, UM, EDUCATION.

BUT I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE, IF THIS COMMITTEE AND LEADER CITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO PASS, JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS, THAT WILL BE NEWS THAT WILL GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY WILL READ THAT MORE ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS ON JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS.

UM, AND THEN MAYBE THIS IS ALSO A CONVERSATION OR QUESTION TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT WE CAN DO AND LIMITS TO WHAT WE AS A CITY HAVE DECIDED TO DO AS IN, AS IT, UH, PERTAINS TO OUR ENGAGEMENT LEGALLY BETWEEN LANDLORD AND TENANT, UM, DISPUTES.

SO IN YOUR MIND, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, LANDLORDS POTENTIALLY HAVING UNAPPROVED PERMITS, LEGALLY EVICTING PEOPLE, RIGHT? NOT GOING THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.

SO WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T SEE WHAT'S, UH, POTENTIALLY HAPPENING.

HOW WOULD A STRONGER JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE PROTECT AGAINST THOSE TYPES OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES? AND THANKS FOR THE QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO, UM, I THINK IT WOULD CAUTION THE COMMITTEE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY VIOLATING THE LAW.

I, I DON'T KNOW THAT ADDITIONAL LAWS NECESSARILY PERFECTLY CONSTRAINTS THEM, BUT THERE'S A UNIVERSE OF THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN CONTROL AND THINGS THAT THE CITY DOESN'T CONTROL.

SO, UM, IS THE SYSTEM WORKING PERFECTLY? IT IS NOT.

THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS WE COULD DO BETTER.

I THINK WE COULD HAVE BETTER DEFINITIONS IN TIGHTER PROCEDURES, WHICH WOULD, UM, ELIMINATE CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF AMBIGUITY OR CONFLICT ABOUT WHAT TRULY, UM, IS A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND WHAT IS MORE OF A COSMETIC ITEM THAT SHOULDNT, UH, RESULT IN AN EVICTION.

SO THERE'S ROOMS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

UM, THAT SAID, I THINK OUR RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVERYONE, MOST LANDLORDS DO THEIR BEST, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS FOLLOWING THE RULES.

AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE ENFORCEMENT.

AND HERE AT THE CITY, WE DON'T HAVE RENT CONTROL, WE DON'T HAVE A RENT ROLE, WE DON'T HAVE A, UH, MONITORING STAFF.

UM, THAT'S MONITORING EVERY UNIT OUT THERE.

IT'S AN ENFORCEMENT BASED PROGRAM, AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH RIGHT TO COUNCIL AND FAIR HOUSING.

UM, AND TO DO THAT THIRD PARTY ENFORCEMENT AND TO DO EDUCATION FOR TENANTS AND TO PROVIDE THEM, UM, WITH LEGAL ASSISTANCE WHEN NEEDED.

UM, SO I GUESS MY ANSWER TO YOU IS WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER.

WE CAN ALWAYS, UM, REFINE OUR DEFINITIONS AND OUR PROCEDURES, BUT PASSING ANOTHER LAW DOESN'T NECESSARILY CONSTRAIN AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S ALREADY MADE THE CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO DISREGARD THE LAW THAT'S ON THE BOOKS TODAY.

UM, SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT COMMITTEE WANTS TO CONSIDER.

NO, THANK YOU.

AND, UM, UH, CHAIR, I'D JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, I KNOW I WOULD BE INTERESTED POTENTIALLY IN EXPLORING, UH, WHAT THE DIRECTOR KUNZ JUST MENTIONED AROUND, UM, THE DEFINITIONS FOR JUST CAUSE.

UM, BECAUSE I THINK AS WE THINK ABOUT THE AMBIGUITY THAT WE'RE SEEING OUT IN THE MARKET, UM, AROUND WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN'T FOR LANDLORDS AS WELL AS TENANTS, LIKE, I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SUPPORT.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON RECORD.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE, UH, THE FOLKS FROM FROM LIBER AND LANE IN THE REPORT ALSO MENTIONED, UM, AN EX, THEY GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A, UH, UNLAWFUL EVICTION RELATED TO A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

UM, THEY BASICALLY ENDED UP WITH, IT LOOKED LIKE, IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS OVERSIGHT FROM THE CITY, BUT THEY SIGNED A DOCUMENT, THEY SIGNED OFF ON A DOCUMENT THAT SAID THAT THIS WAS A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL WHEN IT WASN'T.

WAS THAT THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU GAVE? THAT'S RIGHT, YES.

APPLICANT SAYS IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, AND THE TENANT OR THE TENANT'S LEGAL COUNSEL MAY SAY, NO, UM, THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS, OR NO, THIS IS COSMETIC IN NATURE.

UM, AND SO I GUESS THAT HAS BEEN A CONVERSA, UH, A QUESTION THEN TO YOU, UM, FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO DIRECTOR KUNTZ.

UM, ASSUMING THAT THAT IS TRUE, AND I, YOU KNOW, I IMAGINE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS MAY HAPPEN.

SURE.

WHAT ARE INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT WE CAN HAVE AS A CITY TO PREVENT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS FROM HAPPENING? RIGHT.

SO, AND I WILL SAY, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU OF THAT, THAT CASE, BUT OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE MUCH BETTER TODAY THAN DURING THE FIRST YEAR, UM, THAT, THAT THIS WAS ON THE BOOKS.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AN INDIVIDUAL COMES IN, THEY TRY TO PULL PERMITS, AND IF IT'S A MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING, THERE'S ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK THAT THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT TO SUBSTANTIATE.

IS IT A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL? AND IF IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, WHAT IS THEIR PLAN TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RELOCATION AND NOTICE? UM, SO WHERE WE HAVE DISPUTES IS THE

[01:10:01]

UM, AND THE PROCEDURE WE HAVE NOW, WHICH WE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE, WAS THAT THEN GOES THROUGH A REVIEW BY OUR BUILDING INSPECTION TEAM WHO ARE CONSTRUCTION EXPERTS AND THEY SORT OF ARBITRATE WHETHER IT REALLY TAKES 30 DAYS OR NOT, AND WHETHER IT'S TRULY COSMETIC OR NOT.

UM, SOMETIMES THERE'S DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.

SO WE'VE HAD CASES WHERE WE DID, UM, DEEM THAT IT WASN'T COSMETIC, BUT IT MAY SEEM LIKE A VERY COSMETIC THING BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU'RE OPENING UP THE WALL TO PULL OUT THE WIRING AND PUT DIFFERENT WIRING AND BECAUSE SAY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY REQUIRED YOU TO DO THAT, UM, BUT TO THE TENANT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE REPAINTING OF THE WALL AND DRYWALL.

SO, UM, WE ARBITRATE THOSE.

WE'RE NOT THE COURT HOWEVER, SO, UM, WE TALK TO THE APPLICANT, UM, WE TELL THEM OUR OPINION, AND THEN IF THERE'S A DISPUTE, WE OFFER BOTH PARTIES A WRITTEN OPINION, WHICH THE JUDGE CAN LOOK AT AND CONSIDER.

UM, BUT WE ARE NOT, WE'RE NOT THE ARBITER, SO WE'RE NOT THE COURTS.

UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GET IT RIGHT MORE TIMES THAN WE GET IT WRONG.

BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, UM, WE'RE NOT PERFECT AND, AND JUDGES ARE HUMAN.

UM, AND THEY, THEY MAKE DECISIONS.

THEY DON'T ALWAYS, UM, AGREE WITH US AND, AND WE DO OUR BEST, UM, TO PROVIDE THE OPINION BASED ON THE FACTS IN FRONT OF US.

YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF ASKED EARLIER IN THESE PROCEEDINGS ABOUT WHERE THIS ORDINANCE CAME FROM.

SO WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED, THERE WAS NOT REALLY CONSENSUS ON THE COUNCIL.

THERE WERE NINE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AT LEAST NINE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO.

UM, BUT HOW THE, HOW THE ORDINANCE WAS ABLE TO GO FORWARD.

THE COUNCIL MAJORITY AT THAT TIME REALLY DID NOT WANT TO CREATE AN APPARATUS WHERE THE CITY WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF EACH ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUAL LANDLORD TENANT RELATIONSHIPS.

SO THEY STRUCTURED THIS ORDINANCE SUCH THAT ULTIMATELY IT WAS THE COURTS AND A PRIVATE ACTION THAT WAS ARBITRATING THESE DISPUTES IF THE PARTIES COULDN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT, UM, AMONGST THEMSELVES.

UNDERSTOOD.

SO THEN, UM, A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT.

SO LET'S SAY A PROPERTY OWNER COMES TO THE, TO, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, TO OUR WINDOW IS APPLYING AND SAYING, HEY, LOOK, I THINK I'M GONNA HAVE TO DO A STAMP SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

THEY, UH, PROVIDE THEIR DOCUMENTATION TO OUR BUILDING INSPECTORS, AND OUR BUILDING INSPECTORS ARE LIKE, NO, UH, THIS IS NOT, UH, TANTAMOUNT TO A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

UM, WHAT THEN HAPPENS THERE? SO THEY'RE ISSUED A, THEY'RE ISSUED A, A DOCUMENT.

DO THEY STILL GET THEIR PERMITS? DO THEY NOT GET THEIR PERMITS? WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? YEAH, SO THAT WOULD, THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT ON THEM.

SO IF THEY'RE WILLING TO PROCEED, UH, WITHOUT THE EVICTION, THEY CAN OBTAIN THE PERMITS.

SO EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT EVICTING A TENANT, IF SAY YOU'RE SWAPPING OUT APPLIANCES OR YOU'RE DOING A KITCHEN OR BATH REMODEL, YOU STILL NEED PERMITS FOR THAT, EVEN THOUGH THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE THE TENANT NOTICE AND UM, YOU DO IT WITHOUT THE EVICTION, SO THEY'RE STILL ABLE TO OBTAIN PERMITS.

UM, IF THERE'S A DISPUTE, THEY SAY, NO, IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

UM, WE WOULD WITHHOLD THOSE PERMITS UNTIL THAT DISPUTE IS RESOLVED.

UM, SO EITHER THEY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE OR, UM, THEY CHANGE THE SCOPE, UM, OR THEY OBTAIN SOME TYPE OF COURT ORDER, WHICH WE WOULD COMPLY WITH, UM, AND THEN WE PROCEED.

SO, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, NOT TODAY, BUT WHEN CITY COUNCIL KIND OF HEARD THIS TOPIC, AND FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE WAS GIVEN A, A NOTICE AND THEY DISPUTED THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

AND THEN OVER THE COURSE OF MORE THAN A YEAR, IT SORT OF WENT BACK AND FORTH.

AND ULTIMATELY, UM, THE SCOPE WAS CHANGED INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE SUBSTANTIAL AND QUALIFIED.

SO I THINK IN THE VIEW OF SOME FOLKS, THAT'S THE SYSTEM NOT WORKING BECAUSE THE TENANT DID GET, UM, EVICTED IN A DIFFERENT VIEW.

THEY GOT AN ADDITIONAL YEAR TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO GO.

THEY DID GET THEIR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND THERE WERE ADDITIONAL UPGRADES TO THE BUILDING WITHIN THE SPIRIT AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE.

SO SOMETIMES, UM, OUR STAFF IS IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME VERY DIFFICULT EMOTIONAL, UM, ON BOTH SIDES, SORT OF, UH, DISPUTES.

AND WE TRY TO JUST DISPASSIONATELY MAKE A DETERMINATION BASED ON THE FACTS AND MOVE FORWARD.

AND THE LANDLORD WANTS TO CONTINUE WITH THE EVICTION, YOU SAID THAT WE WOULD WITHHOLD THE, THE PERMIT.

UM, AND THEN JUST TWO, TWO LAST QUESTIONS.

UH, COUNCILWOMAN.

SO I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WITHHOLD THE PERMIT.

SO IS THE WITHHOLDING OF THE PERMITS PART AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS BEFORE THEY START THE WORK? OR LIKE, BECAUSE I GUESS, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IF IT'S NOT A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL

[01:15:01]

SO WE WERE WITHHOLD ISSUING THE PERMITS AT ALL.

WE WOULD UNTIL THE DISPUTE WENT AWAY.

BUT IF THE LANDLORD TELLS THE CITY, OKAY, I'M NOT GONNA EVICT THE PERSON, AND THEY LIE TO US, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY PRIVY TO THEM THEN TELLING THE TENANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

BUT THAT IS ALSO WHY WE SPEND OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON RIGHT TO COUNSEL SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE, UM, LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO HELP THEM IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

GOTCHA.

I GUESS, SO THEN I GUESS MY, UH, QUESTION WOULD BE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO THIS OR NOT, THIS IS ME CONTINUING TO PUN KIND OF LIKE, THINK OUT LOUD HERE.

SO WE GIVE THEM THE PERMITS, THEY SAY, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA EVICT, THEN THEY END UP EVICTING, RIGHT? AND WE FIND OUT THAT THEY DO, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, AND WE'VE NOTIFIED THEM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO, UM, FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT ON THE BACKEND IF WE FIND THAT OUT, FOUND THAT OUT, NOT PRESENTLY.

THE TENANT HAS A LEGAL RIGHT OF ACTION AND THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR RELIEF, NOT JUST REINSTATEMENT, BUT MONEY DAMAGES IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.

BUT THAT RELIEF WOULD FLOW TO THE TENANT, NOT NECESSARILY, UM, TO THE CITY AS THE ORDINANCE IS CURRENTLY STRUCTURED.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, UH, THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE JUST CAUSE, UM, ORDINANCE AND WHAT THEY DON'T APPLY TO.

COULD YOU WALK US THROUGH, UM, WHAT THOSE EXEMPTIONS ARE AND THEN JUST KIND OF BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT, UM, WHY THOSE EXEMPTIONS EXIST? YEAH, SO, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF EXEMPTIONS.

UH, IT DOES NOT APPLY TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, UM, CERTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF FEDERAL RULES THAT APPLY IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND, UM, IN THOSE FACILITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE RUNNING A SOBER LIVING FACILITY AND SOMEONE IS NOT SOBER, YOU, THERE IS A, A NEED TO REMOVE THEM, UM, EVEN IF THEY HAVE, I GUESS, TENURE.

UM, AND SO THERE'S DIFFERENT RULES APPLY IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

UM, THESE RULES DON'T TODAY APPLY TO ADUS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, DUPLEXES WHERE THE OWNER LIVES IN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DUPLEX.

UM, THERE'S THOSE LIMITED, UH, EXCEPTIONS THAT RELATES BACK TO MODELING AFTER CERTAIN STATE RULES AND EXCEPTIONS TO HOW, UM, RENT INCREASES ARE STRUCTURED AND SIMILAR ORDINANCES IN OTHER CITIES.

UM, WHILE THERE ARE VARIATION ACROSS MANY CITIES, MOST CITIES, UM, DO HAVE EXEMPTIONS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND HOMES OR UNITS IN A LOCATION WHERE THE OWNER OCCUPIES.

THAT'S A POLICY CALL.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY WE COULDN'T DO IT DIFFERENTLY.

THAT JUST WAS THE CONSENSUS ON THE COUNCIL, UM, WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UH, NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

BETTER EDUCATION BOTH TO TENANTS AND LANDLORDS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

YEAH.

THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AND ONE THAT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY HAS WAITED ON.

UM, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANNA SAY IN RESPONSE, THE, UM, PART OF WHAT WE ARE HEARING IS HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO FOLLOW UP, TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHO IS AN HONEST LANDLORD AND WHO MAY NOT BE.

UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, COULD BRING US TO THE, BACK TO THE CONVERSATION THAT I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED US FOR, WHICH IS, DO WE NEED THIS, UH, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AS ONE, AS AN ORDINANCE THAT ALL, YOU KNOW, CAN WE ELIMINATE IT ALL TOGETHER, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

AND THEN, UM, I THINK THE, UM, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HAVING, UM, THE DEFINITIONS AND STRENGTHENING THAT, BUT THAT TOO ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS A COUNCIL WE'LL HAVE TO WEIGH DO WE STRENGTHEN THE DEFINITIONS OR DO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE, UM, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AS A WAY TO EVICT.

SO THOSE ARE SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT I THINK WILL BE ONGOING AMONG THE COUNCIL.

I SEE.

MY COLLEAGUE IS READY TO HOP ON IN THERE.

SO, UH, COUNCILMAN YEAH, I, I JUST HAVE, UH, TWO QUESTIONS.

ONE WAS JUST PROMPTED BY THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS.

UM, MR. KUN ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ON ON, ON THE BACK END, WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

SO I WANNA GO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

IS THERE ANY MORE COUNCIL CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOUR DEPARTMENT IN, UH, GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT THERE? AND, AND THAT IS, CAN WE DO MORE, UH, IN, IN LINES OF EDUCATING BOTH TENANTS AND LANDLORDS ON, UH, BOTH SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL OR JUST CAUSE YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK, UM, WE, WE NEED, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE THE ANSWER OF EXACTLY HOW TO DO IT, BUT WE NEED TO PROVIDE

[01:20:01]

SO, UM, TENANTS HAVE MANY RIGHTS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES ALSO.

AND, UM, THEY, THEY NEED TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE UNIT.

AND WE OPERATE OUR PROACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM WHERE WE VISIT, UM, REGIONAL USE ALL AROUND THE CITY TO, UM, ASSURE, UM, HABITABILITY AND 99% OF THE UNITS PASS THAT INSPECTION.

BUT THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT IS WHAT WE SEE IN THE OTHER 1%.

SO, UH, WE SEE SOMETIMES THE WORST OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR, BUT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, WE SEE IT IN SORT OF BOTH DIRECTIONS.

SO WE HAVE LANDLORDS THAT ARE NOT TAKING GOOD CARE OF THEIR BUILDINGS THAT HAVE, UH, NO HEATING FOR THE TENANTS AND TELL THE TENANTS, WELL, IF YOU WANT THE HEAT, I'M GONNA KICK YOU OUT.

JUST TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE THINGS.

UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES, UM, WHERE, UH, A TENANT WILL DESTROY A UNIT AND THEN CALL CODE ENFORCEMENT ON THEMSELVES AS A WAY TO HAVE THE LANDLORD CITED, UH, WHICH IS THEN USED IN COURT TO PREVENT THE EVICTION BECAUSE THEY'VE STOPPED PAYING RENT.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S A BIG CORPORATION AND IT'S JUST A THOUGHT.

BUT WE HAD A PRETTY HEARTBREAKING CASE WHERE IT WAS A FOURPLEX.

UM, THE FAMILY LIVED IN ONE OF THE UNITS, THEY RENTED THE OTHER THREE UNITS OUT.

THEY HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULTY, WENT INTO FORBEARANCE ON THEIR MORTGAGE BECAUSE THEY WERE IN AN 18 MONTH BATTLE WITH ONE OF THEIR TENANTS WHO STOPPED PAYING RENT AND CALLED CODE ENFORCEMENT EVERY DAY.

AND THERE WERE THINGS BROKEN ON THE PROPERTY.

IT TURNED OUT THEY HAD BEEN BROKEN BY THE TENANT.

SO THAT'S, I THINK WE ALL AS HUMANS, OWE BETTER, UH, TO EACH OTHER THAN THAT BEHAVIOR IN, IN EITHER DIRECTION.

UM, BUT I THINK WE COULD, THERE'S MODELS IN OTHER CITIES, I THINK WE COULD, UM, DO A BETTER JOB OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW NOT JUST THEIR RIGHTS, BUT ALSO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES SO THAT EVERYONE IS, IS TAKING GOOD CARE, UH, OF EACH OTHER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THEN MY, MY LAST QUESTION IS ALSO FOR CITY STAFF, AND YOU HAD JUST MENTIONED MODELS IN OTHER CITIES.

UM, SO HAS THERE BEEN AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS TO CONFIRM OR CHALLENGE, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR SIMILAR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD? OR, UH, I GUESS STATE ANOTHER WAY, UM, HAS A FACT-BASED ANALYSIS BEEN COMPLETED TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE? UH, SO THERE'S BEEN NO THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS.

I, I LOOKED OVER THE MATERIALS FOR TODAY.

I REPORTED BACK HERE SOME MONTHS AGO, MAYBE SIX MONTHS AGO, THAT WAS AN INTERNAL REVIEW RATHER THAN A THIRD PARTY.

UM, BASICALLY WHAT OUR REVIEW AS A REMINDER SHOWED WAS, UM, THAT THE PROGRAM ITSELF WORKS WELL BUT DOES NEED SOME UPDATES THAT THE AMOUNT OF RELOCATION NEEDS TO BE UPDATED, THAT SOME OF THE DEFINITIONS NEED TO BE UPDATED.

UM, BUT THAT IT WOULD BE UP TO COUNCIL TO GIVE, UH, DIRECTION.

SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN AWAITING THAT DIRECTION AND THAT'S WHERE WE WERE ON THE INTERNAL ANALYSIS.

OKAY, GREAT.

RIGHT.

I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR TIME AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR BEING AVAILABLE WHERE YOU MAY BE SEATED.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.

CHAIR, DID YOU WANNA TAKE A VOTE? OH, SORRY.

I DON'T HAVE THAT SCREEN UP, SO I ASSUME WE WERE DONE.

UM, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES.

MOTION CARRIES.

ALRIGHT, CLERK, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.

ITEM THREE IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE A FILE AND PRESENTATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION CALIFORNIA'S SOUTHERN CITIES REGARDING RENTAL HOUSE PROVIDER PERSPECTIVES AND SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL STANDARDS.

HOUSING PROVIDERS FOR OVER HUNDRED YEARS.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE, UM, WAITING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND, SORRY, WE'RE TAKING NOTES MYSELF.

UH, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE.

YOU MAY PROCEED.

UH, THANK YOU CHAIRWOMAN.

UH, MADAM CHAIR, UH, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, CITY CLERK.

MY NAME IS JOHN EDMOND.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA SOUTHERN CITIES.

UH, WE ARE FOUNDED RIGHT HERE IN LONG BEACH IN 1924.

UM, WE SUPPORT LOCAL RENTAL

[3. 26-56521 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Apartment Association, California Southern Cities (AACSC), regarding rental housing provider perspectives and substantial remodel standards. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

OUR MEMBERS INCLUDE INDEPENDENT HOUSING PROVIDERS, FAMILY OWNED APARTMENT BUILDINGS, AND OTHERS WHO INVEST AND PROVIDE HOMES FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS AND BEYOND.

WE STAND FOR SAFE HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES, RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP.

WE PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR MEANINGFUL TENANT PROTECTIONS AND WE PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY.

WE DO NOT TOLERATE

[01:25:01]

UNLAWFUL CONDUCT BY ANY OF OUR MEMBERS.

HOUSING PROVIDERS MUST ALSO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTIES.

SOME MAJOR REPAIRS AND REDEVELOPMENT CANNOT HAPPEN SAFELY WITH RESIDENTS IN PLACE, WE CANNOT MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE WITHOUT BUILDING MORE OF IT.

OUR REQUEST IS SIMPLE, RETAIN AND ENFORCE EXISTING ORDINANCE.

AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN, UH, ENTERTAINING OF ANY OF THE PROPOSALS PROVIDED WITH THE PRIOR PRESENTATION, COMMISSION AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT BEFORE MAKING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.

HOUSING COSTS DISPLACEMENT, CREATE REAL HARDSHIP, BUT THAT ALONE DOESN'T PROVE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS CAUSING THE HARDSHIP OR THE PROBLEM.

LONG BEACH ALREADY REQUIRES QUALIFYING MAJOR WORK TO HAVE PERMITS, NOTICES, RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS.

COSMETIC UPGRADES DO NOT QUALIFY, AND THE WORK MUST REQUIRE RESIDENTS TO VACATE AT LEAST 30 DAYS.

THE CITY REQUIRES RELOCATION ASSISTANCE FOR COVERED TENANTS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 4,500 OR TWO MONTHS RENT WHICHEVER'S GREATER.

AND IF THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL IS NOT STARTED OR COMPLETED AS DESCRIBED IN THE TERMINATION NOTICE, THE OWNER MUST OFFER THE FORMER TENANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO RE-RENT THE UNIT THAT THE PREVIOUS RENTAL RATE AND LEASE TERMS. THESE ARE MEANINGFUL PROTECTIONS THAT ALREADY IN PLACE BE CHANGE BEFORE CHANGING THE ORDINANCE.

ASK WHAT ISN'T WORKING? HOW WIDESPREAD IS A PROBLEM? WHAT EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THESE CHANGES WILL HELP? AND IF THERE'S A COMPLIANCE PROBLEM, LET'S ESTABLISH IT.

IF THERE'S AN ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM, LET'S CORRECT IT.

ACCORDING TO THE JUNE, 2026 HOUSING ELEMENT, UH, PROGRESS REPORT, THE LONG BEACH RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL DISPLACEMENT NOTICES INVOLVING AT LEAST 167 RENTAL UNITS AND 129 TENANTS BETWEEN APRIL, 2023 AND MAY OF 2026.

THESE NUMBERS MATTER, BUT NOTICES DON'T PROVE ANY MISCONDUCT.

WE STILL NEED ANSWERS.

HOW MANY OUR TRUE VIOLATIONS WERE COMMITTED AND CONFIRMED WHICH PROPERTIES WERE COMPLETED.

HOW MANY TENANTS MOVED? WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE HOUSEHOLDS AFTERWARDS WHEN PROPER VIOLATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS DID NOT, THAT THE CITY DID NOT TAKE, IF THE OWNER MISREPRESENTS PROPOSED CONSTRUCTIONS, AND I'LL JUST SAY IT, IT'S SORT OF LIKE SCALIA, YOU KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE IT.

MECHANICAL, PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL ARE SUBSTANTIAL.

UM, DISPLACED TENANTS, UH, ARE RECEIVE THE RELOCATION, UM, WHICH WHICH HELPS WITH DEFINITION.

AND WE SHOULD IDENTIFY, UM, AND ENFORCE THE EXISTING LAW.

THESE LAWS ARE THERE TO PROTECT THE TENANTS, BUT IF THE OWNER COMPLIES WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS AND COMPLETES LEGITIMATE REHABILITATION, THAT'S ENTIRELY A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

THEY ARE REASONABLE AND NECESSARY AND ARE LAWFUL BEFORE DECIDING THE LAW IS FAILING.

SHOULDN'T WE ESTABLISH WHAT'S HAPPENING UNDER THE LAW THAT'S ALREADY EXISTED? AND AS A FOOTNOTE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING NEEDED FOR MANY, MANY PROPERTIES IN LONG BEACH NOW AND IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, THERE ARE OTHER IMPORTANT PARTS OF DISCUSSION.

LONG BEACH HAS A VERY AGING HOUSING POPULATION THAT NEED CONTINUE INVESTMENT.

THE CITY'S 2021 AND HOURS FOUND THAT 82% WAS BUILT BEFORE 1980 AND 70.

71% IS OVER 50 YEARS OLD.

THIS REQUIRES, WE DON'T WANT TUBE AND KNOB WIRING.

WE DON'T WANT ILLEGAL OR, OR UNSAFE DWELLINGS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

MAJOR PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, AND STRUCTURAL REPAIRS DO REQUIRE RESIDENTS TO LEAVE FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY.

SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL IS NOT A LOOPHOLE.

IT'S A LAWFUL PROCESS THAT ALLOWS HOUSING PROVIDERS TO COMPLETE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS WHEN RESIDENTS CANNOT SAFELY REMAIN IN PLACE DURING CONSTRUCTION.

THIS WAS WIDELY DISCUSSED AND DEBATED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND LOCALLY HERE.

AND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, MANY OF THESE HOUSES ARE OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU AND ME.

HOUSING PROVIDERS MUST ARRANGE FOR APPROPRIATE FINANCING, OBTAIN PERMIT PERMITS, HIRE CONTRACTORS, PAY THEIR WORKERS, AND OFTEN WHILE FACING RISING INSURANCE COSTS, INTEREST RATES, CONSTRUCTION COSTS, AND FINANCING COSTS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

SO THERE'S AN IMPORTANT POLICY QUESTION.

IF WE MAKE LEGITIMATE SUBSTANTIAL REMODELING MORE DIFFICULT, OR WHAT WAS SUGGESTED

[01:30:01]

ELIMINATED MORE UNCERTAIN OR FINANCIALLY IMPRACTICAL, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE INVESTMENTS THAT THESE AGING BUILDINGS SO DESPERATELY NEED? AND WITH CONSTRUCTION, INSURANCE, FINANCING COSTS AND ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS, DELAY OR DISCOURAGE THOSE NECESSARY REPAIRS.

PROTECTING, UH, TENANTS AND PRESERVING SAFE HOUSING SHOULD GO HAND IN HAND IN THIS DISCUSSION.

HERE'S ONE PRACTICAL EXAMPLE THAT WE SEE.

MANY TIMES THE CITY MAY ISSUE A WRITTEN OPINION SAYING PROPOSED WORK DOES NOT QUALIFY AS SUBSTANTIAL READ MODEL.

BUT THERE IS NO COMPARABLE DETERMINATION CONFIRMING THAT WORK DOES QUALIFY.

OWNERS MAY COMMIT TO PLANS, PERMITS, FINANCING WITHOUT CLARITY.

TENANTS ARE ALSO FACED UNNECESSARY ABOUT WHETHER THE PROJECT MEETS THE RULES OR DOES NOT.

THERE'S A LOT OF AMBIGUITY, WHICH THEN OFTENTIMES ENDS UP IN A VERY LENGTHY LEGAL DISPUTE.

WE'VE HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT DIFFERENT CONCLUSIONS DURING SEPARATE REVIEWS.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYONE ACTS IN PROPERLY.

IT SHOWS WHY CLEAR STANDARDS MATTER AS SUGGESTED IN DEFINITIONS.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR AN AUTOMATIC APPROVAL PROCESS.

WE'RE ASKING FOR CLEAR WRITTEN RULES ABOUT WHAT QUALIFIES CONSISTENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.

CONSISTENT DECISIONS ACROSS THE REVIEWS AND ADVANCED REVIEW PROCESS TO RESOLVE QUESTIONS VERY EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS.

AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT SHOULD EXAMINE THESE OPTIONS AND THEY COULD REDUCE DISPUTES WHILE PRESERVING TENANTS PROTECTIONS THAT WERE IN MIND WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS FIRST CREATED.

CLEAR ANSWERS EARLY COULD PREVENT UNNECESSARY CONFLICT IN THE FUTURE.

WE'RE WE'RE ASKING FOR REALLY THREE SIMPLE STEPS.

THE FIRST RETAIN AND ENFORCE THE EXISTING ORDINANCE.

I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT OR MAYBE NOT.

APPLY.

PROTECTIONS CONSISTENTLY HOLD VIOLATORS ACCOUNTABLE AND THOSE PROTECTIONS SHOULD BE ENFORCED TODAY.

AND IF YOU CONSIDER ANY OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED, COMMISSION AND FUND AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT.

WHAT IS THE ACTUAL REMODEL ACTIVITY AND COMPLETED PROJECT VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT RESULTS, TENANT OUTCOMES AND REHABILITATION NEEDS AND LIKELY EFFECTS OF PROPOSED CHANGES, WHETHER BETTER ADMINISTRATION COULD ADDRESS THE EXISTING PROBLEMS HERE DIRECTLY FROM TENANTS AND HOUSING PROVIDERS.

INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT ATTEND THIS PUBLIC MEETING BUILT ON THE CITY'S HOUSING ELEMENTS THAT WORK NOW TO MAKE BETTER.

THIRD, MAKE THE PROCESS MORE TRANSPARENT.

I THINK THE SCOPE, WHAT QUESTIONS YOU ASK CAN OFTEN DICTATE THE OUTCOME OR SOLUTION THAT YOU GET.

FUNDING, UH, INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER TAKES MONEY AND TIME, BUT IT'S NECESSARY TO GET TO THE REAL ROOT OF ANY PROBLEMS AND MAKE, UH, FUNDING PUBLIC AND RETURN TO THE COMMITTEE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE.

HEARING BOTH SIDES IS NOT THE SAME AS HAVING INDEPENDENT DATA AND ANALYSIS.

A-A-C-S-C IS READY TO PARTICIPATE AND PRESERVE SAFE HOUSING FOR ALL, HOLD VIOLATORS ACCOUNTABLE AND CHANGE THE RULES WHERE AS AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN COME BACK, UH, TO THE DAAS FOR QUESTIONS.

SO AT THIS TIME, FEEL FREE TO TAKE A SEAT.

WE'LL CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT DON'T GO TOO FAR.

UH, WE MAY ASK YOU TO COME BACK FOR A FEW MORE QUESTIONS TO OUR CLERK, PLEASE ADMINISTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF ANY OF THE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.

UM, AND ONCE, UH, WE ESTABLISH A TOTAL, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD FOR THIS ITEM.

ALL.

THOSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE, UH, JOIN THE LINE.

I ASK YOU TO JOIN THE LINE SO THAT WE CAN GET A SENSE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SPEAKERS SO THAT WE CAN SET THE TIME LIMIT, FINAL CALL, ANY SPEAKERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE JOIN THE LINE SO THAT WE CAN GET A COUNT.

CLERK.

CAN YOU KINDLY CONFIRM, UH, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SPEAKERS CHAIR? IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE FIVE SPEAKERS.

THAT MEANS THAT EACH SPEAKER WILL BE PROVIDED WITH THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO IS IN LINE AND NEEDS TO BE SEATED, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO.

UH, JUST TRY AND REMEMBER YOUR PLACE IN LINE SO THAT YOU CAN RETURN TO THE PODIUM JUST AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE OUR FIRST SPEAKER TO COME FORWARD.

MY NAME IS AARON, AND I LIVE IN THE FIRST DISTRICT AND I'VE BEEN A RENTER HERE FOR 20 YEARS.

HELLO AGAIN,

[01:35:01]

I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND AND SAY THAT I WANNA CLARIFY THAT HE IS REFERRING TO INVESTORS.

CALLING THE PROPERTY IS AN INVESTMENT THAT BENEFITS THE OWNER.

IF THEY'RE JUST DOING IT OUT OF KINDNESS, OUT OF ALTRUISM, THEN MAYBE WE COULD CALL THEM A PROVIDER.

BUT IT FEELS DISINGENUOUS TO NOT CALL THEM AN INVESTOR, WHAT THEY ARE.

IF SUBSTANTIAL UPDATES ARE NEEDED TO THEIR INVESTMENT BECAUSE THEY'VE FALLEN BEHIND ON UPKEEPING THEIR INVESTMENT, JUST MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WITHOUT DISPLACING OUR NEIGHBORS.

DON'T HIDE BEHIND IT AS A CAUSE FOR DISPLACEMENT THAT IS OUT OF YOUR HANDS.

YOU KNOW, PROPERTY, PROPERTY OWNERS CAN RAISE THE RENT AND GET EVEN MORE OF A PROFIT BY LURING THE FOLKS FROM HIGHER TAX BRACKETS IN WHILE WE LOSE GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES AND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS CITY GREAT TO MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUTSIDE OF LONG BEACH, AWAY FROM THEIR JOBS AND LONGTIME NEIGHBORS.

HELLO AGAIN, COUNCIL OSCAR IMMORAL WITH CLUE.

UM, YEAH, I JUST, UM, I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK AGAIN IN THE FACE OF SUCH CORPORATE GREED, UM, IN OUR PUBLIC FORUM.

UM, AND I WANNA PUSH BACK ON THE NARRATIVE AGAIN AS, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT LIKE LARGE CONGLOMERATES OF, UH, REAL ESTATE, PROPERTY AS PROVIDERS.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY PROVIDING? RIGHT? THE HOMES ALREADY EXIST.

UM, QUICK, I BELIEVE, UM, BEST NEIGHBORHOOD.ORG SHOWS THAT, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT, UH, 10,000 EMPTY HOMES IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

UM, THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO HOUSE ALL THE PEOPLE, RIGHT? I THINK, UH, THIS IS ADDRESSING A BIGGER PROBLEM OF, UM, SYSTEMIC GREED, UH, SYSTEMIC PROBLEM, UH, A PROBLEM OF CAPITALISM.

ONE WHERE WE RUN OUR SOCIETY IN, UH, IN A WAY THAT PRIORITIZES THE PRIVATE PROFIT GENERATION OF A CORPORATION OR AN INDIVIDUAL VERSUS THE PUBLIC NEED OF THE COMMON EVERYDAY PERSON.

AND, UM, I'M HERE SPEAKING ABOUT BROADER IDEOLOGY, RIGHT? AND IT CAN OFTEN BE TIMES BE OBFUSCATED IN, IN THE PUBLIC FORM.

UH, BUT ONE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES, RIGHT? EARLIER I WAS TALKING ABOUT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE STUDENTS TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THE STREETS AT ST.

LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, THE PEOPLE THAT DEVELOP ENCAMPMENTS AROUND THE CHURCH.

THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT ARE UNHOUSED BECAUSE OF, OF ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, A FORM OF GREED, RIGHT? WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT LIKE, YO, WHERE DID THE INDIVIDUAL GO WRONG? RIGHT? BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SYSTEMIC WRONG? THANK YOU.

WHO ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD BETTER AND OR BECAUSE THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE A RECORD OR A BAD CREDIT SCORE, OR THEY JUST CAN'T, DON'T HAVE THE INCOME TO AFFORD REGULAR OTHER RENTAL UNITS IN THIS THING.

HELLO, MY NAME IS RORY HERRERA.

I'M FROM DISTRICT ONE, AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE SPECIFICALLY FOR MAKING, ALTHOUGH WE DO NEED TO RETOOL THE DEFINITIONS, ENCOURAGING STILL TO PRESS THIS JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE AND TAKE WHAT THIS APARTMENT ASSOCIATION HAS JUST SAID WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, BECAUSE THEY ARE WILLING TO MANIPULATE YOU WITH WORDS HERE THAT DO NOT HAVE TO MATCH UP WITH WHAT THEY DELAYED OR DO WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR.

UH, AND THAT, BECAUSE AS OSCAR SAID BEFORE ME, THEY ARE INVESTORS AND THEY ARE LOOKING TO TURN A PROFIT.

AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO CHEAT, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE SYSTEM THAT YOU'RE IN RIGHT NOW TO, IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT PROFIT.

AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS USING LOOPHOLES LIKE THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, UH, OR OTHER THINGS TO DISPLACE TENANTS INTO.

AND ALSO THE IDEA OF THAT THEY SAY THAT THEY MONITOR THINGS, THAT THINGS ARE ENFORCED HERE IN LONG BEACH.

CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN TO MY APARTMENT BUILDING, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.

RATS, MOLD, UH, ROACHES, WATER DAMAGE.

THEY HAVE BEEN THERE MANY, MANY TIMES.

IT TOOK THEM OVER FIVE OR SIX TIMES FOR THEM TO EVEN BE CITED FOR ANYTHING.

AND THEY STILL, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT.

IT DOES NOT MATTER THAT THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS BECAUSE THE LANDLORDS REFUSE TO SPEND THE MONEY THAT THEY ARE GOING, THAT THEY SHOULD BE ON MAKING SURE THAT THEIR TENANTS ARE IN HABITABLE CONDITIONS.

SO CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN AWARE ABOUT THIS.

THE, MY LANDLORD AND THE THAT OWNS THE BUILDING HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED FOR A WHILE NOW.

IT, BUT THEY ARE NOT MOVING ON IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE LEGAL BACKING OF THINGS LIKE THIS.

JUST CAUSED POLICY EVEN APPLYING TO WHERE I LIVE BECAUSE IT'S SHARED HOUSING.

AND SO THEY, IT, THIS IS NOT FAIR TO THE TENANTS WHERE I LIVE, ESPECIALLY THOSE, MANY OF THOSE WHO ARE, WERE FORMERLY UNHOUSED

[01:40:01]

THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY SHOULD BE DEALING WITH THESE LANDLORDS WHO ARE ABLE TO, UH, WORK THE SYSTEM.

JUST BECAUSE THESE THINGS ARE NOT RECORDED DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE CANNOT, YOU SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING FORWARD WITH THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PAID ACTORS FOR THIS.

I DO NOT HAVE ANY PAID CONNECTION TO LIBRE.

I HAVE, I WILL DISCLOSE THAT I AM BEING CURRENTLY BEING PAID TO CANVAS FOR THE LANE ACTION FUND.

YOUR TIME IS ELAPSED, BUT THAT IS NOT COUNT AS PART OF THIS.

F FRED SUTTON, AGAIN WITH THE CALIFORNIA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.

JUST HERE TO, TO PUSH BACK ON ON, ON SOME OF THE THINGS I'M HEARING.

'CAUSE I THINK THE LANGUAGE REALLY MATTERS.

LOOPHOLE.

LOOPHOLE MEANS IT WAS AN UNINTENTIONAL, UM, UH, LOOPHOLE OR, UH, PROVISION.

IT WAS INTENTIONAL TO HELP REHABILITATE PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF CITIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAVE THIS POLICY.

IT'S ACTUALLY A MINORITY OF CITIES THAT, THAT TRY TO GET RID OF THESE PROVISIONS.

UM, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN OVER, THE BUILDINGS ARE VERY OLD HERE.

YOU HAVE HABIT HABITABILITY INSPECTION TEAMS SPECIFICALLY.

'CAUSE THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT FAILING HOUSING STOCK.

WE JUST HEARD QUOTE, IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS, YET THERE'S A WHOLE PROGRAM SET TO HELP MAKE IT SO IT'S NOT NEGLECTED.

AND WE HAVE THE SAME GROUP SAYING, WAIT A SECOND, DON'T, DON'T FIX IT.

DON'T UPDATE IT.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.

AND I, I HEARD SOMEONE JUST SAY DISPLACEMENT, DISPLACEMENT IS A REAL ISSUE.

AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS TO GO ALONG WITH IT.

AND AGAIN, THE CITY SHOULD PROVIDE DIRECT MONETARY ASSISTANCE.

THAT IS THE CLEAR ANSWER.

I ALSO HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT CORPORATE GREED, AND I TOTALLY REJECT THAT.

I THINK EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL SHOULD START PUSHING BACK ON THIS IDEA THAT HOUSING PROVIDERS ARE SOME GREEDY CORPORATE MONOPOLY.

MAN, IT'S FALSE, IT'S MISLEADING, AND IT'S, IT'S QUITE HOSTILE LANGUAGE.

THE VAST BULK OF HOUSING, THE VAST BULK OF HOUSING, BOTH AFFORDABLE, UH, AND TAX SUPPORTED, IS CREATED THROUGH PRIVATE CAPITAL.

IT'S PRIVATE CAPITAL THAT HAS BUILT HOMES FOR EVERYBODY.

AND IT IS THE CONSTANT ATTACK ON INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TRYING TO CREATE THIS HOUSING THAT IS DRAWING PEOPLE AWAY.

LOOK AT THE PERMITS IN THE, IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, PEOPLE ARE NOT CREATING HOUSING.

ONE, WE MAKE IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT, BUT TWO, WE NOW HAVE THIS NARRATIVE AND ATTACK ON INDIVIDUALS THAT, THAT ARE CREATING, THAT HOUSING, THE HOUSING THAT WE ALL DESPERATELY NEED.

AND, AND THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO REJECT THAT LANGUAGE AND SHOULD NOT FALL INTO IT.

THE, THE VAST BULK OF OF PEOPLE THAT OWN RENTAL PROPERTIES ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS, DENTISTS, GARDENERS.

IT'S BEEN A WAY TO, UM, CREATE ANOTHER STEP IN THE CORPORATE LADDER.

AND I JUST HEARD IT'S NOT TRUE.

IT IS TRUE.

THE VAST BULK OF HOMES, UH, AND RENTAL PROPERTIES ARE OWNED BY INDIVIDUAL SOLE PROPRIETORS.

UH, NEXT COMMENT.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I, UM, I JUST WANT TO, TO JUST MENTION, UM, I JUST A QUICK THOUGHT.

UM, LOS ANGELES CITY ACTUALLY PASSED A CLOSED A SUBSTANTIALLY REMODELED LOOPHOLE WITH A LOT LESS CASES THAT WERE REPORTED IN LONG BEACH.

AND THAT MEANS THAT IN LONG BEACH, PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY, LIKE LANDLORDS ARE ACTUALLY ABUSING THE POLICY.

UM, AND WITH DIMENSION SUSTAINABILITY UPGRADES THAT ARE COMING.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND WE ARE NOT ADVOCATING FOR THE, THE UNITS TO REMAIN LIKE THEY ARE.

THE UNITS SHOULD BE UPGRADED AND SHOULD BE KEPT.

WELL, WHAT WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR IS FOR PEOPLE TO NOT BE EVICTED WHEN THE THESE REMODELS MUST HAPPEN.

UM, AND LASTLY, UH, I I ALSO, I I, I, I REALIZE I FORGOT TO MENTION, UM, OUR REPORT THAT LIBRE AND LANE WORKED TOGETHER ON IS BACKED BY FACTS AND DATA.

AND, UH, IF I WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO LOOK AT THE AUTHORS, ONE OF WHICH IS SANDRA MCNEIL, UH, HAS INCREDIBLE, UM, REPUTATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND HAS SUPPORTED, UM, MANY OF THE REPORTS THAT HAVE COME, UM, ON HOUSING.

I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.

[01:45:01]

I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR APARTMENT ASSOCIATION IF YOU WOULD JOIN US HERE AT THE PODIUM.

WE'LL BEGIN, UH, OUR DISCUSSION.

SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING.

IT WAS IMPORTANT, UH, TO ME AND TO THIS COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A ROBUST AND WELL-ROUNDED CONVERSATION, UM, SO THAT WE COULD HEAR FROM VARIOUS DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE A STAKE IN A POLICY SUCH AS THIS.

SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE ACCORDINGLY.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTED WAS AN EMPHASIS ON, OH, I'LL START AND THEN I'LL SHARE WITH COLLEAGUES.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTED IS THE INTEREST IN HAVING AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW, UM, OF SOME OF THE, UH, ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BY, UH, COLLEAGUES HERE.

UM, YOU I THINK, HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS OVER THE SUMMER.

YOU'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF OUR $58 MILLION DEFICIT, UH, THAT THE CITY WAS ABLE TO CLOSE.

UM, IS THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATED PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR SUCH INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS? UH, REGARDLESS OF THE COST? WELL, REGARDLESS OF THE COST, NO, OF COURSE NOT.

IT WOULDN'T BE, WOULDN'T BE PRACTICAL.

I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF, UH, INITIATING POLICY THAT ARE NOT BASED IN FACT CAN HAVE MAJOR CONSEQUENCES AND COSTS FOR THE CITY, INCLUDING LESS HOUSING PRODUCTION AND LESS INVESTMENTS.

AND SO, UM, INDEPENDENCE IS IMPORTANT I THINK, IN ASSESSING THE DATA AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK THE CITY SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY ON ALL KINDS OF STUDIES FOR ENTERTAINMENT, FOR SPORTS COMPLEX, FOR ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

AND IF THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM, THEY SHOULD SPEND THE MONEY ON THAT.

GOOD TO KNOW.

UM, THAT IS TRUE.

BUT OFTEN WHEN WE ARE CALLED UPON FROM THE PUBLIC TO DO THAT, ESPECIALLY IN INTEREST, WE DO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY, UM, LIKED AND I THOUGHT WAS MAYBE A MOMENT OF, UM, UH, CONSENSUS AMONG ALL THE PARTIES THAT ARE HERE TODAY IS THE NEED FOR MORE DETAILS REGARDING WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE.

SO ONE OF YOUR SLIDES, UH, DOCUMENTED THAT THERE IS A NEED TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, IF A, UM, JUST CAUSE OR A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, UH, NOTICES SENT TO A, A TENANT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP AND BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING THAT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE INVESTIGATE OR WE AT LEAST HAVE SOME WAY TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THAT HAS, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT AND SOMEONE WASN'T EVICTED, WHO DIDN'T NEED TO BE OR EVICTED ILLEGALLY WHEN THERE WAS NO SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL DONE.

SO, UM, IN THAT AREA, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK YOU AND YOUR MEMBERS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE COLLECT THAT DATA, THAT WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WEED OUT ANYONE WHO IS NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW, BUT ALSO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE DEALING WITH AND WHERE THEY GET WHERE WE GET CAUGHT UP AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PROTECT TENANTS? YEAH, I, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS MANY OF THE, THE TESTIMONY THAT WAS GIVEN, UM, LIKE ISSUING A LETTER OF A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND NOT, UH, COMPLETING AN APPLICATION WITH THE CITY IS ALREADY ILLEGAL, UM, AND NOT PERMITTED AND WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL ORDINANCE.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF, IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO CURTAIL OR, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, BREAK THE LAW, THEN THERE ARE MECHANISMS TO ENFORCE THAT AND, AND THEY WILL, UH, HAVE THE REPRISALS OF THAT.

I, YES, BUT I, I DO THINK WE, WE PROBABLY NEED A STRONGER, UM, SYSTEMS IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN BETTER IDENTIFY THAT ALONG THE WAY.

SURE, YEAH.

WELL, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IS THAT THE CITY'S, UM, HAPPY TO OPINE ON WHAT IS NOT SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, BUT WILL LEAVE AMBIGUITY ON WHAT IS.

AND SO CERTAINLY THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR MORE CLARITY SO THAT IT WOULD MINIMIZE ANY KIND OF MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

AND I THINK THAT GOES MORE TO DEFINITIONS AND ACT, SO LIKE, WHEN THIS WAS FIRST CONTEMPLATED DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, WE, THE MECHANICAL, PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL PERMITS OUR PUBLIC, YOU CAN VIEW IT.

SO IF YOU GOT A NOTICE AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU CAN, IT'S ALL INDEPENDENTLY CAN BE VERIFIED BY THE PUBLIC OR COUNCIL OFFICES WHEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING CASE MANAGEMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE BEEN, UM, PULLED.

HEAR IS THAT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS THESE UPGRADES TO HAPPEN, UM, AND TO SUPPORT, UH, IMPROVING THE HOUSING STOCK.

I FOUND THAT, UM, SLIDE THAT YOU PRESENTED TO BE VERY COMPELLING.

UM, AND I ALSO FOUND IT TO BE, UM, AN AREA WHERE I CAN SEE SOME LEVEL OF CONSENSUS.

UM, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY COMPELLING TO, UM, POINT OUT WHERE WE DON'T SHARE WITH LANDLORDS AND MAKE CLEAR WHAT IS PERMISSIBLE.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I

[01:50:01]

ONE AREA THAT I WONDER IF WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOUR MEMBERS, UH, WE DO IT CERTAINLY FOR SMALL BUSINESS.

WE INVEST IN THEM, THEIR CITY, UH, RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR LOANS AND OTHER LOW COST, UM, CAPITAL.

WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK YOUR MEMBERS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IF WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PUBLIC RESOURCES THAT EITHER BROUGHT DOWN THE COST OF, UH, INTEREST OR COULD SUBSIDIZE IN SOME WAY THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? YEAH, I MEAN, IF I, IF YOU, IF YOU'D ALLOW ME JUST TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT, IF THAT'S OKAY, BUT I MENTIONED THERE ARE, UM, A PUBLICATION BY THE CITY OF ABOUT, UH, 3000 PROPERTIES THAT DO NOT MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR SEISMIC ACTIVITY.

AND OBVIOUSLY NOBODY'S FOR UNSAFE HABITABLE HOUSING UNITS.

UM, BUT MANY OF THESE OWNERS ARE SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS AND DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL IN A WAY THAT'S MATERIAL OR SUBSTANTIAL OR CAN BE ABLE TO WORK OUT THAT DEBT.

AND SO CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW IT'S A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM WITH THE CITY.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED THESE UNITS AND WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING TO MANY HOUSING PROVIDERS TO BASICALLY PUT IT THROUGH THEIR CAPITAL PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

MEANING IF IT'S NOT TODAY, YOU GOTTA START WORKING TOWARDS THAT.

SO CERTAINLY I THINK THERE'S A VESTED INTEREST BY ALL TO, FOR THE CITY TO HAVE SOME SORT OF REVOLVING LOAN FUND, LOW INTEREST FOR WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL BECAUSE MANY OF THESE REVOLVE REINFORCED STEEL BEAMS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED, UM, I THINK THERE'S A PUBLIC INTEREST TO START THERE FIRST, UM, SINCE THERE'S SUCH A LARGE, UM, NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT.

UM, BUT IT, IT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA TAKE TIME.

UM, JUST WHAT WE, WHEN WE SAW FOR THE BALCONY INSPECTION AT THE STATE, YOU KNOW, WE, THEY RAN OUT OF ENGINEERS, WE RAN OUTTA COMPANIES THAT WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, TO DO THE INSPECTION, UM, FROM A STATE LAW AND THE IMPLEMENTATION THAT KEPT GETTING MOVED BACK BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES FOR THEM TO EVEN COME UP TO CODE AND STANDARD ON JUST A BALCONY.

SO IMAGINE THAT AS A MULTIPLIER FOR HABITABILITY OR RETROFITTING FOR THEIR UNITS.

WELL, YOU MIRRORED EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING THAT I WOULD HEAR, UM, FROM YOU AND, AND POTENTIALLY FROM YOUR MEMBERS.

I DO THINK THAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROVIDE THE LOWER COST CAPITAL, MORE FLEXIBLE CAPITAL, UH, TO OWNERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING THESE UPGRADES.

AND AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THAT IF THEY'RE GOING TO ACCESS THESE PUBLIC DOLLARS IN THAT WAY, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN, UH, RENT LEVELS AND, UH, THE TENANTS WHO HAVE BENEFITED FROM THESE SPACES.

CAN I AMEND A, A PREVIOUS ANSWER TO ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS? OH, RIGHT.

JUST SITTING IN REAL TIME.

I'M, I'M ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL, UM, HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS.

SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT OUR ASSOCIATIONS A SMALL BUT MIGHTY ASSOCIATION, BUT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS THAT WOULD WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY.

UM, UH, AND I THINK I COULD GO BACK AND ASK THEM IF THERE'S AN INTEREST FOR FOLKS TO DO THAT, UM, FROM PEERS, RIGHT? SO IF WE HAVE CAA IN THE, YOU KNOW, HERE THERE'S AGLA, THERE'S OTHER GROUPS THAT MAY COME TOGETHER AND HELP FOR THE INDEPENDENT, UH, STUDY TO BE DONE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO AMEND MY PREVIOUS SET 'CAUSE I GAVE KIND OF A FLAT NOTE 'CAUSE IT SOUNDED OVER AND ABOVE WHATEVER I CAN AFFORD, I'M SURE.

ANYWAY.

WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE COULD BE SOME, UH, POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.

I I DON'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE A CREATIVE, SO I NEED TO QUALIFY THAT.

I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.

AND CREATIVE WAYS TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES SHOULD THAT BE A DIRECTION THE COUNCIL TAKE? CORRECT.

UM, I DO WANNA JUST FINISH UP ON MY THOUGHT REGARDING, UM, FINANCING RESOURCES.

UM, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS CONVERSATION HAS SPARKED FOR ME, UM, AND INTEREST IN SEEING HOW THE CITY CAN ELEVATE THAT.

BUT BEYOND THAT, WE, I MENTIONED LA CASA AT THE TOP, UH, OF MY COMMENTS HERE.

I SERVE AS THE MAYOR'S ALTERNATE.

THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER PLACE WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY A SET OF RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DEDICATED SOURCE TO NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE THIS MIGHT BE PART OF THE STRATEGY, UM, TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE UPGRADES AND KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED ACCORDINGLY.

UM, I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CONSENSUS AROUND, UM, CLEARING UP DEFINITIONS.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK YOUR SLIDE SPOKE TO THAT.

I DO WANT THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO KNOW IN YOUR MEMBERS THAT WE ARE UP AGAINST THE URGENCY, UM, OF THIS MATTER.

AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT A STUDY, UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ISN'T VALUE IN THAT.

AND CERTAINLY IF YOU CAN, WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE RESOURCES EXTERNALLY, GREAT.

BUT WE DO HAVE AN URGENCY ISSUE THAT I'M HOPING, UM, THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS CAN UNDERSTAND.

AND THEN FINALLY, UM, PART OF WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS CONVERSATION TO SPARK, UM, FOR

[01:55:01]

YOUR MEMBERS, AND I KNOW THIS COMMITTEE WOULD, OR AT LEAST I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BRINGING FORTH ANOTHER CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU CREATE MORE HOUSING, UM, BECAUSE THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT IS ONGOING.

UM, AND ONE WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED WHERE THEY ARE, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO CREATE MORE HOUSING, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CREATE MORE AFFORDABILITY OPTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO WITH THAT, UM, I WILL, UH, ASK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, FOR THEIR COMMENTS ACCORDINGLY.

VICE CHAIR RICK SODI.

WELL, THANK YOU.

UH, YES.

UH, THE FIRST QUESTION ACTUALLY IS FOR, UH, YOU JOHN, UM, IN THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT.

UM, DO YOU KNOW OF ANY EXAMPLES OF THAT TYPE OF INDEPENDENT STUDY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FROM OTHER CITIES IN CALIFORNIA? YOU MAY NOT KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT I'M CURIOUS.

I I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, MR. MR. SUTTON MIGHT HAVE A MORE EXTEMPORANEOUS KNOWLEDGE OF THAT.

I, I, I WANT TO QUALIFY ALSO, I THINK IT'S IN RESPONSE OR REACTION TO SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING SUGGESTED.

DESERVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION AND STUDY.

I THINK, AND I, MAYBE I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE, BUT LIKE DEFINITIONS, I THINK WE'RE ALL ON BOARD ON THAT, MAKING WHAT WE HAVE BETTER, I THINK, I HOPE IS A THEME TO WHAT, UH, YOU HEARD FROM ME TODAY.

UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANNA BE CAREFUL TO UNDERSTAND LIKE, IN MY MIND, WE HAVE AN EXISTING ORDINANCE THAT CAN BE BETTER.

SO WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO DO THAT? I THINK ANY SIGN OUTSIDE OF THAT WHERE WE'RE HEARING ELIMINATING ALTOGETHER AND NOT ALLOWING IT, THAT WOULD BE A VERY COSTLY ECONOMIC THING FROM HAPPENING, RIGHT? SO IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR HOUSING MARKET THAT'S PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL AND REAL.

YOU DON'T NEED, BUT ME SELLING IT IS DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY ELSE TO SAY THAT, RIGHT? SO I WOULD SAY THAT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED IN SUGGESTED BY TENANT GROUPS ARE WORTHY OF FURTHER EXAMINATION BECAUSE THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR DATA POINTS TO MAKE THOSE SUGGESTED POLICY CHANGES THAT ARE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IN TERMS OF RELOCATION, UM, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

UNDERSTOOD.

YEAH, I JUST, UH, IN, IN BRINGING IT UP, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY, UM, EXEMPLARS THAT YOU ALL HAD? I COULD, I COULD GET BACK TO YOU.

I'M SORRY.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT'S ACTUALLY.

UM, THIS QUESTION IS, UH, DIRECTED TOWARDS DIRECTOR KUNZ, UM, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN OUR CHAIR TH AND TOOK, UM, I ALSO THOUGHT THAT IT WAS INTERESTING, UM, WHAT THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION BROUGHT UP AROUND THE LACK OF BEING ABLE TO GIVE KIND OF A KIND AFFIRMATIVE DETERMINATION OF A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

COULD YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT? I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S LIKE, IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY OUR ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN? IS THAT A POLICY? IS THAT KIND OF LIKE A, LIKE A LEGAL ISSUE? COULD YOU KINDA WALK US THROUGH WHY THAT IS OR IS NOT? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WAS PRESENTED IS TRUE, BUT IS MAYBE NOT THE WHOLE STORY BECAUSE WE HAVE IN DISPUTES, UM, WRITTEN OPINIONS THAT UPHELD THE LANDLORD'S ACTION, ALTHOUGH THE REQUEST CAME FROM THE TENANT.

SO OUR OPINION LANDS WHERE THE FACTS LAND, BUT THE CURRENT PROCESS, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN WE COULDN'T CHANGE IT, UM, IS THAT MOST OF THESE OPINION LETTERS COME OUT OF A, A REQUEST OR AN APPEAL FROM A TENANT.

UM, SO I'M NEVER PROUD WHEN THE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T DO EVERYTHING THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS IT TO DO OR OUR CUSTOMERS WANT IT TO DO.

BUT I DO HAVE TO REMIND THE COMMITTEE, I HAVE ONE STAFF MEMBER THAT DOES THIS, AND THIS IS NOT HER ONLY ASSIGNED DUTY.

SO, UM, COULD, COULD WE DO MORE? COULD WE WRITE AN OPINION ON EVERY SINGLE CASE RATHER THAN ONLY ON ONCE WHERE THERE'S AN APPEAL THAT'S, THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE, BUT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE TO THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET AND STAFFING.

UNDERSTOOD.

SO, UM, WE DID RAISE THIS ISSUE WITH CITY COUNCIL WHEN THE POLICY WAS ADOPTED.

AND, AND COUNCIL'S DECISION AND RESPECT THEIR DECISION WAS, NO, LET'S CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE AS LITTLE BURDEN ON CITY STAFF AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE DON'T NEED TO APPROPRIATE STAFF OR MONEY TOWARDS THIS EFFORT.

SO THAT WAS A PAST DECISION THAT WAS MADE AND, AND WE'RE WORKING WITHIN THAT FRAMEWORK.

UM, BUT COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS REVISIT THOSE DECISIONS.

AH, WELL, I WILL JUST SAY THAT THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HEARS WHAT THE DIRECTOR IS SHARING.

THERE'S THIS, I, THE, THE PERSPECTIVE I HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTER IS THAT, HEY, LIKE I DON'T HAVE, THESE PROTECTIONS NEVER HAVE BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT I'M IN AND THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT IS UNFAIR.

I DO TOO.

UM, AND THIS GOES BACK TO THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING AROUND SOME OF THE EXEMPTIONS AROUND, UM, THE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING RULES.

AND I KNOW YOU SHARED DIRECTOR KUNTZ AROUND SOME OF THE LEGALITIES AROUND THAT AND WHY THAT EXEMPTION EXISTS.

UM, AND SO I WAS HOPING THAT MAYBE YOU CAN LIKE JUST EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON, BECAUSE I THINK THERE, I THINK THERE IS CONFUSION 'CAUSE

[02:00:01]

RIGHT? AND SO MAYBE YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO, WHAT CAN'T WE DO? WHY IS THAT LIKE, SO, SO THAT WE'RE ALL EDUCATED ON THAT.

SURE.

SO THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

MOST FOLKS THAT LIVE IN SMALL, A AFFORDABLE HOUSING LIVE IN WHAT'S CALLED NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IT'S OWNED BY A PRIVATE LANDLORD AND IT'S RENTED AT A FAIRLY AFFORDABLE RATE.

AND IT IS THAT PERSON'S HOME.

IT IS THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, THESE RULES AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY TO THOSE UNITS.

THERE IS A SMALLER BUT VERY IMPORTANT NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE BIG A AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND THOSE ARE UNITS FOR WHICH THERE IS AN AFFORDABILITY COVENANT RECORDED AGAINST THE TITLE THAT FOR SOME NUMBER OF YEARS THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN AFFORDABILITY BELOW A CERTAIN AREA, MEDIAN INCOME AND TENANTS PAY A PERCENTAGE, USUALLY 30% OF THEIR A MI, THOSE ARE DIRECTLY MONITORED BY THE CITY.

AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO HUD TO MONITOR THEM IN A VERY SPECIFIC WAY.

THE HUD OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND OTHER PARTS OF HUD ESTABLISH ALL OF THE RULES FOR HOW THAT PARTICULAR LANDLORD TENANT RELATIONSHIP WORKS.

UM, SOMETIMES THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL LAYER, THERE MAY BE A VOUCHER, IT COULD BE A PROJECT BASED VOUCHER, WHICH THE TENANT TAKES WITH THEM, OR, UM, IT, IT COULD BE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER, UM, THAT MOVES.

SO, BUT AGAIN, THOSE RULES, WHILE THEY'RE LOCALLY ADMINISTERED BY ALLISON STAFF OR BY MY STAFF, THEY COME FROM DC THOSE ARE FEDERAL RULES AND THEY ARE PREEMPTIVE MEANING THAT THEY COME OUT AHEAD OF ANY LOCAL RULES THAT WE MAY HAVE.

SO WHETHER IT'S FAIR OR UNFAIR, IT JUST IS, THAT IS HOW IT APPLIES TO BIG A AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, AND THEN EVEN IF IT'S NOT A HUD PROPERTY, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC, UM, PROPERTIES LIKE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS NOT PERMANENT HOUSING.

UM, A TREATMENT FACILITY IS NOT PERMANENT HOUSING, AND THEY MAINTAIN A POPULATION WHERE IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, THEY HAVE TO MOVE SOMEONE OUT SOMETIMES VERY RAPIDLY TO THE BENEFIT OF THE OTHER VULNERABLE PERSONS THAT ARE STAYING IN THAT FACILITY.

SO THAT'S WHY THERE ARE DIFFERENT RULES THAT APPLY IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.

IS THAT CLEAR? YES.

AND SO I THINK WHAT I WAS TRYING, I WAS HOPING TO GET AT, AND THAT'S MY FOLLOW UP, IS TO SAY, FOR INSTANCE, FOR THE ONES THAT ARE LIKE THE BIG A AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UM, GOVERNED BY, UM, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS FOR HUD, IF SOME, IF, IF THE ADVOCACY AROUND SAY LIKE THE JUST CAUSE OR CHANGES TO, UM, ANY TYPE OF THO THOSE ELEMENTS AND REMOVING THAT, THAT, UM, THAT LIMITATION, RIGHT? OR THAT EXEMPTION, THAT ADVOCACY ACTUALLY ISN'T, SOUNDS LIKE IT IS NOT WHAT THE CITY IS ACTUALLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

'CAUSE YOU'D WANT THE FEDERAL POLICIES CHANGE.

YEAH.

BUT IT MAY BE THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT PROTECTIONS THAT APPLY.

SO EVEN THOUGH OUR JUST CAUSE POLICY DOESN'T APPLY, THERE ARE A WHOLE LAYER OF TENANT PROTECTIONS THAT APPLY.

UM, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT RULES.

SO WE MONITOR OUR RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IF THEY FAIL A, UM, INSPECTION, THE UNIT DOESN'T MEET HUD STANDARDS, WE'RE OBLIGATED BASICALLY IMMEDIATELY TO HAVE THAT UNIT REMEDIATED.

WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION OF SAYING, OH NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA REMEDIATE IT BECAUSE WE CAN'T REMOVE THE TENANT.

SO THERE'S JUST LAYERS UPON LAYERS OF REGULATION THAT REQUIRE US NOT TO, WE CARE ABOUT EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS IN THOSE UNITS, BUT WE DO HAVE TO OPERATE UNDER A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES IN THOSE UNITS.

GOTCHA.

UM, AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE WAS, AND HOW CAN WE BRING YOUR PRESENTATION BACK UP? IS IT POSSIBLE TO BRING THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATIONS AND PRESENTATION BACK UP, UH, GO FORWARD ONE, I WANTED TO GO TO THE SLIDE WHERE YOU HAD THE NUMBER OF REPORTED, UM, SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS, AND THEN THERE WAS A SLIDE THREE.

IS THAT, IS THAT SLIDE THREE? OR IS IT, OR THE, IT'S THE ONE WHERE YOU HAD, AND THEN YOU HAD LIKE THE SERIES OF QUESTIONS OF, OF PIECES OF, OF, OF, UM, THE METRICS THAT, UH, YOU WANTED ANSWERED.

OH, I SEE.

GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

I THINK IT'S THE NEXT ONE THAT WOULD SLIDE FIVE CLEAR STANDARDS, CONSISTENT DECISIONS.

UH, MEAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

OH, I THINK GET HIT MY, YEAH, THERE YOU GO.

DO YOU HAVE THE CLICKER? NO.

, YOU WANNA, WE'RE ALL GONNA MAKE THE TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR US.

I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE TALKING TO ME.

IT'S, IT'S, LOOK, WHOEVER WAS GOVERNING

[02:05:01]

THE GREAT SCREEN IN THE SKY.

UM, SO I, THIS IS, I GUESS THIS IS ALSO A QUESTION FOR, MAYBE IT MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED HERE.

SO OUR, OUR TENANT ADVOCACY GROUPS, OUR, UM, OUR PROPERTY OWNERS, AND FOR THE CITY, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THESE FIVE BOXES, RIGHT, CONFIRMED VIOLATIONS, PROJECTS COMPLETED, ET CETERA, DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO ANY PIECES OF THIS INFORMATION ALREADY? AND THEN IF NOT, I GUESS THE QUESTION WAS HOW COULD WE MM-HMM .

SURE.

SO I THINK WE HAVE SOME, BUT NOT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.

SO VIOLATIONS, THE COURT DOESN'T ALWAYS NOTIFY US, OR IF THERE'S AN OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT REACHED, I, I HAVE NO WAY OF ACCESSING THAT INFORMATION PROJECTS COMPLETED.

I DON'T HAVE THAT AT MY FINGERTIPS, BUT WE CAN CROSS REFERENCE THE PERMITS AND FIGURE THAT OUT.

UM, TENANTS WHO MOVED, WE HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT WAS DISCLOSED TO US BY THE APPLICANT.

AGAIN, I THINK THERE WAS SOME TESTIMONY THAT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH OR PROVIDE, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT WE DO HAVE HOUSEHOLD OUTCOMES.

I HAVE NO WAY OF TRACKING PEOPLE DOWN AFTER THEY MOVED AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO PRIVACY.

SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR OUTCOMES WERE AFTER THEY MOVED.

UM, AND THE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS STRUCTURED, THOSE ARE PRIVATE ACTIONS FILED BY A THIRD PARTY IN A COURT.

SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DATA.

UH, THAT'S HELPFUL.

UM, FOR THE DATA THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, AND THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.

UM, AND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONCERNS AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHICH I HEAR COUNCILMAN MCRESS TOOK SAYING LIKE, HEY, IF WE'RE GONNA DO SOME TYPE OF INDEPENDENT STUDY OR TRY TO EVALUATE SOME OF THESE METRICS, HOW WOULD WE DO IT RIGHT IN A WAY THAT'S COST EFFECTIVE? UM, IT MAY END UP BEING THAT WE DO SOME TYPE OF LIKE TRIANGULATION WHERE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF DATA FROM THE CITY.

IT IS SOME OF THE DATA FROM SOME OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS.

IT'S SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE'RE USING FROM, UM, SOME OF OUR ADVOCACY GROUPS AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, NARROW DOWN, UH, THESE DIFFERENT BUCKETS SO THEN WE CAN DO AN ASSESSMENT, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION IS ASKING FOR, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, PROVIDING THAT EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING, UM, THAT I THINK WE ALL WANT, RIGHT? AND SO THAT WAY WE CAN COME UP WITH A, A PROPOSED, YOU KNOW, POLICY POTENTIALLY MOVING FORWARD, UM, THAT ALIGNS WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, ON THE, ON THE GROUND HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.

VICE CHAIR, UH, MEMBER SUPERMAN.

UH, THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, I, I HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF DISCREPANCY HERE, DISAGREEMENT ON, ON CERTAIN TOPICS, BUT ONE THAT KIND OF JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS, UM, MOM AND POP VERSUS CORPORATE OWNERSHIP.

NOW, I HAVE A VERY BIAS OPINION BECAUSE AS A COUNCIL OFFICE, WE HEAR PRIMARILY FROM MOM AND POPS.

I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE EVER HEAR FROM CORPORATE OWNERSHIP, SO I'D BE A VERY BAD BAROMETER FOR THIS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY SIMPLE STAT THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH, AND MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING CITY STAFF COULD PROVIDE, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S A BONE OF CONTENTION HERE, OF, OF, OF, OF WHICH WAY IT GOES.

UM, THE OTHER, OH, ALSO, I, I'M VERY INTERESTED.

I THINK I ALL CALLED IT FRONT END BEFORE, AND IF WE CAN AVOID SOMEONE, UH, HAVING A LAWSUIT, UH, AT THE BACK END, UM, I THINK COUNSEL WOULD CERTAINLY BE, UH, WOULD ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF FUNDING THINGS LIKE, UH, A HOTLINE THAT BOTH, UM, TENANTS AND LANDLORDS CAN CALL, UM, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE FRONT END OF THINGS SO WE DON'T GO DOWNSTREAM WITH FALSE PREMISES AND WHATNOT.

AND LAST, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I BROUGHT UP THE POINT, I THINK IN, IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION ABOUT AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I, I, WHAT I CAN'T COMPREHEND IS HOW AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS WOULD BE FUNDED BY ADVOCATES FOR TENANTS OR ADVOCATES FOR LANDLORDS.

HOWEVER, UM, I'M OPEN TO, TO, UH, AN EXPLANATION.

SO I'LL, I'LL KEEP AN OPEN MIND FOR ENLIGHTENMENT ON THAT TOPIC.

UH, THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

UM, THE POINT WAS TO IDENTIFY THE RESOURCES.

THE SCOPE OF WORK WOULD STILL BE MANAGED BY THE CITY, AND THE CITY WOULD, UM, HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER THE SCOPE AND WHO GOT HIRED REGARDING THE ANALYSIS.

THERE IS OTHER PRECEDENTS WHERE THE CITY HAS RECEIVED RESOURCES IN ORDER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND A SPECIFIC ISSUE.

SO WITH THAT, UM, I WANNA THANK, UH, OUR, UM, GUEST FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND BEING PART OF THIS ROBUST CONVERSATION.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

AT THIS MOMENT, UH, MEMBERS CAN CAST THEIR VOTE.

I REMEMBER CHAIR,

[02:10:01]

MOTION CARRIES.

HAS BEEN ONE WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TAKEN IN QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION AND ARE PLEASED THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO COME OUT.

AT THIS TIME, UH, WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA AND WE WILL CHECK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

UM, IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT, I'M GOING TO ASK THE, UH, CLERK TO GO AHEAD AND ADMINISTER PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF ANY MEMBERS OF THIS PUB OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON A NON AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM SEEING N CHAIR.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

AND I DO WANT, UH, THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, UM, THIS CONVERSATION, UM,

[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Housing and Public Health Committee on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]

I BELIEVE MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE WILL LOOK TO PROVIDE A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.

UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, AS, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED, WE'LL CERTAINLY BE IN TOUCH, UH, WITH, UH, ADVOCATES ON ALL SIDES OF THIS MATTER, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

SO, WITH THAT, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING AT 2 0 6.