Welcome to the Housing Choice Newsletter! This is a regular publication for the Long Beach Housing Authority to share relevant news, resources, and information for applicants and participants connected to our housing assistance programs.

FEATURED NEWS

Family Self-Sufficiency Program 

The Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program is a voluntary program designed to help families reach economic self-sufficiency by providing referrals for supportive services such as job training/education, child care, transportation assistance, budget/debt counseling, and more. The FSS Program is only available to current Section 8 program participants.

Each FSS participant creates a five-year plan that includes employment or business development goals and then identifies their training or education needs. The Housing Authority staff will work with the household to identify, locate, and arrange the services needed to accomplish these goals. 

This program offers an incentive to participate, an escrow account that will grow as your income increases. The Housing Authority makes regular contributions to this account and has no deposits made by the family. The family will receive the entirety of their escrow account after their completion of the FSS Program.

Annual MEDI-CAL Redetermination

City's New Fair Housing Website

In the City of Long Beach, it is unlawful for a landlord to discriminate against or harass a tenant or potential tenant based on a protected class, including using a Section 8 voucher which is now considered a source of income. In an effort to protect families assisted through our rental subsidy programs, we have partnered with the City Prosecutor's Office to launch a new Fair Housing Pilot Initiative to inform the public of housing discrimination laws and investigate and remedy housing discrimination violations.

The City has launched its new website to help you learn more about housing discrimination, submit a complaint, and view upcoming events.

Long Beach's Homelessness Services and Information Hub Website

The City of Long Beach has launched a new tab on its Homelessness Services and Information Hub website detailing the City’s response efforts for the homelessness state of emergency. The new tab, available at longbeach.gov/homelessness, will offer a one-stop-shop for City news, data and resources surrounding the homelessness crisis and will also support the City’s efforts to provide timely, transparent information to the public. The Emergency Response tab will be updated regularly and includes the following information:   

• Synopsis and mission statement for the emergency proclamation.  
• Link to the newly-launched data dashboard.   
• A list of notable activities related to the emergency.  
• Updates to the Long Beach City Council, including presentations and recordings.  
• A list of emergency response livestreams hosted by Mayor Richardson.  
• Frequently asked questions, available in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog, regarding new programs and shelter sites.  

For more information on the City’s efforts to reduce homelessness in Long Beach, people may visit longbeach.gov/homelessness and follow @lbhealthdept and @longbeachcity on social media and follow the hashtag #EveryoneHomeLB.  

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

UPCOMING EVENTS

August 2 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Long Beach Fair Housing Workshop

Fair Housing Foundation

Tenants, Housing Providers, Landlords, Owners, Attorneys, Realtors, and Property Management Companies are encouraged to join our IN PERSON workshop to learn more about:

• COVID-19 Federal and State Fair Housing Laws
• Housing Discrimination
• Modifications and Accommodation
• Rental Application Process
• General Guidelines
• Families with Children
• Notices
• Evictions Process
• Security Deposits
• Habitability & Repairs
• Rent Increases
• Occupancy Standards

This workshop will be held at Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library

5870 Atlantic Ave Long Beach, California 90805 United States

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH

For general questions or if you'd like to include something in the next newsletter, please email: HA-News@longbeach.gov