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Happy Friday, District 5! This weekend we are honoring and celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a champion of equal rights and a symbol of building a unified community, Dr. King has left an inspiring legacy of standing up for what is right and acting in service to one another.
As a reminder, some City facilities and services will be closed due to the observance of MLK Day on Monday, January 15th, including our CD5 office. Click here for a complete list of affected facilities and services.
If you’re looking for ways to fill your long weekend with celebrations of Dr. King’s legacy, you won’t need to look far. This Saturday, January 13th is the 36th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade! The parade will kick off at 10am on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. and Anaheim St. and make its way down the road to end in a celebration of culture and community at King Park. Hope to see you there! Then on Monday, January 15th you can continue to honor MLK’s memory by volunteering to serve your community. Leadership Long Beach is hosting its 15th annual MLK Day of Service, where you can choose from a variety of projects to participate in all over the city. Click here or see below for more information.
On Tuesday, we heard from Mayor Rex Richardson about the State of the City. I encourage you to watch the recap here or the full video here. The event featured Long Beach’s first ever Youth State of the City, presented by Maleka Lassiter of the Youth Advisory Council, highlighting the successes of youth programs, services, and individuals across the city. Among other youth performers, we heard a reading by Long Beach’s 2023 Youth Poet Laureate. Starting Monday, January 15th, youth ages 13 – 18 can submit applications for the 2024 Youth Poet Laureate Program. Applications will be accepted through February 28th; see below for more information.
This weekend, there are options galore for getting out and about within CD5. Tomorrow, January 13th you can volunteer to help keep your neighborhood clean by joining the Bixby Highland Clean Streets Team from 8:30am – 9:30am. Then, you can enjoy shopping locally, great food vendors, activities, and more at Parkview Village’s “Second Saturdays Block Party” at 5423 E Village Rd from 11am – 3pm. You can also stop by LBX tomorrow for their “New Year New Me” Maker’s Market from 11am – 5pm. There, too, you can support small businesses, enjoy great food, and even try out a new workout routine from Orangetheory, Ra Yoga, or Grit Cycle. Learn more about these events and others from the flyers below.
The planning and development process for the Fiscal Year 25 (FY25) budget is underway, and starting next week, you can attend a community meeting to join the conversation and share your priorities. The first session will be Wednesday, January 17th from 6pm – 7:30pm at the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave). See the flyer below for more information on days, times, and locations of each of the upcoming meetings.
Reminder: if you didn’t have a chance to drop off your Christmas tree at one of the City’s Treecycling drop-off locations, don’t worry! Just put your tree where your recycling is normally collected before 7am tomorrow, January 13th for free pickup.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, January 16th at 5pm. A list of items of interest can be found at the bottom of this newsletter. I encourage you to attend or watch online.
As always, I am grateful for your continued engagement with me and my office, and I look forward to seeing you out in the community.
The work continues,
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Megan Kerr, Councilwoman
Long Beach, District 5
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Upcoming Events &
Community Meetings
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Long Beach Commissions
District 5 Vacancies
Serve on a City Commission or Committee
For those interested in an opportunity to directly serve the community alongside the City Council, a few of our City’s Commissions and Committees have openings for District 5 residents. Long Beach’s community-based commissions play a vital role in bringing transparency, change, and growth to the City of Long Beach.
Veterans Commission
The Long Beach Veterans Commission was established in 2017 and housed in the City’s Department of Health and Human Services to: honor Veterans’ service and highlight the many achievements of those who have dedicated their lives to protecting the country; serve as an advisory board to the City Council regarding the well-being of military Veterans in Long Beach; provide recommendations on all matters pertaining to the affairs of Veterans residing within the City; evaluate and recommend programs, policies, and practices to assist Veterans in multiple capacities; and act as a central clearing house for information, programs and services relating to Veterans in the Long Beach community.
If you are interested in serving, please submit your application here.
Homeless Services Advisory Commission
The City of Long Beach established the Homeless Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) in 1988. The HSAC serves at the discretion of the City Council and Mayor to make recommendations on policies, programs and activities related to homeless assistance resources.
The HSAC considers recommendations from the Long Beach Continuum of Care Board and General Membership on matters related to homeless services-related policy, programs, and funding. The HSAC develops recommendations on matters related to homeless services-related policy, programs, and funding. The HSAC receives public comment at its regular monthly meeting on matters related to homelessness within the City of Long Beach. The HSAC submits an annual report to the City Council, containing a summary of highlights and recommendations for the next year. The HSAC meeting schedule is the first Wednesday of every month (unless otherwise noted).
If you are interested in serving, please submit your application here.
Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee
The Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) was established by Municipal Code 10.068.010. PSAC shall determine whether any intersection utilized by children going to and from school poses a special problem of safety, requiring the installation of an adult crossing guard; and shall advise the City Council of its findings and recommendations.
PSAC shall be composed of one representative from each council district, one representative from the Long Beach Unified School District, one City Traffic Engineer, one representative of nonpublic schools in the Long Beach area, and one President of the Parent Teacher Association of the Long Beach Unified School District or a designee thereof, for a total of 13 members. A committee member’s term length is two years, and the term limit is four terms. PSAC meets twice a year.
If you are interested in serving, please submit your application here.
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Long Beach Public Library
News & Events
2024 Youth Poet Laureate Program
The Long Beach Public Library, in partnership with the Arts Council for Long Beach and supported by Urban Word NYC, is launching the 2024 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) program. Applications for the program, which brings Long Beach youth the opportunity to enact positive change in their communities through their activism and art, open Monday, Jan. 15 to Long Beach residents ages 13 to 18.
The application period for the Long Beach YPL program will open at 8 a.m. on Jan. 15 and close on Feb. 29 at 11:59 p.m. Youth interested in applying are asked to submit a YPL application, curriculum vitae noting their civic and social engagement experience, and a portfolio of five poems.
The application, templates and submission guidelines, as well as additional program information, are available on the YPL website. Applicants with questions may email Jessica Perez at Jessica.Perez@longbeach.gov or attend virtual office hours where they can receive assistance with the process of compiling their curriculum vitae and portfolio.
LEARN MORE…
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Port of Long Beach
News & Events
PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT FOR PIER WIND PROJECT AT PORT
The Port of Long Beach is gathering input for the environmental review for Pier Wind, a proposed 400-acre terminal designed to facilitate the assembly and deployment of offshore wind turbines.
Comments will be gathered for input about the scope and content of the proposed project’s upcoming Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement. The Notice for Preparation and Initial Study for the project is available at www.polb.com/ceqa. The public comment period was initially scheduled to close at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19. The Port is choosing to extend the public scoping and comment period for the EIR/EIS through Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 4 p.m.
LEARN MORE...
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Long Beach Health Department
News & Updates
Resolve to stay healthy this New Year!
With respiratory virus transmission increasing in Los Angeles County, consider taking simple safety measures, like staying home, testing and getting treatment if sick.
The safest and easiest way to limit your risks of becoming very sick from COVID-19 is by getting the updated vaccine. Testing and knowing if you are infected can reduce your chances of unintentionally spreading COVID-19 to others. At-home COVID-19 tests are easy to use and widely available in Los Angeles County at no cost to you. Learn how to get free test kits at ph.lacounty.gov/COVIDtests. You can order four free At-Home tests here.
If you do test positive, paxlovid, the antiviral medication to treat COVID-19, is widely available throughout Los Angeles County at retail pharmacies:
- At pharmacies, ask if the product is free when placing your prescription.
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If it is not free, ask about the co-pay savings program.
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If you are uninsured or under-insured, find information about a patient savings program at Paxlovid.com.
- COVID-19 treatment remains free through Public Health Telehealth services.
If you need a telehealth appointment or help getting a prescription for COVID-19 medication, call the LA County Public Health InfoLine at 1-833-540-0473 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 7 days a week.
Additionally, you may notice Licensed Healthcare Facilities that provide Inpatient Care requiring patients and providers to mask again as the Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reached Medium Level.
Masking in these facilities will remain in effect until the COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level in Los Angeles County is below the CDC’s Medium Level for at least 14 consecutive days.
Mobile Outreach Vehicle
Mobile vaccination and mobile testing is being offered as a service for individuals who are not able to travel to Long Beach COVID-19 Vaccination/Testing Clinics, such as those in skilled nursing, elder care, sober living and other facilities, and older adults who cannot leave their homes. Mobile vaccination and testing will be available weekdays for Long Beach residents in an eligible tier with mobility issues and Long Beach facilities.
To request mobile vaccine for residents with mobility issues (in an eligible tier), complete this form or call the Public Health Info Line at (562)-570-4636 (open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. To request mobile testing, complete this form or call the Long Beach Public Health Info Line at (562) 570-4636 (open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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Long Beach Community Development News
Neighborhood Leadership Program
The Community Development Department is pleased to announce that applications are available for the Neighborhood Leadership Program (NLP) Class of 2024. This unique free program is offered by the City of Long Beach Housing and Neighborhood Services Bureau. The program design and curriculum provide an opportunity for participants to strengthen their linkages with the city, schools, businesses, parents, families, neighborhoods, and community. Since participants are selected from Long Beach neighborhoods, the NLP brings together a diverse group of dedicated neighborhood residents to participate in a five-month experience that facilitates the enhancement of communication skills, conflict resolution, leadership and human relations skills. Additionally, NLP participants enhance their knowledge about our community and the network of available services.
Interested applicants are encouraged to attend the following information session:
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 from 6 pm – 7 pm
Energy Resources Department, 2400 E Spring St., Long Beach, CA 90806
Applications are due Monday, January 29, 2024, at 4:30pm. Visit longbeach.gov/lbcd/hn/leadership for more information and application materials. If you have any questions or need assistance with the application, please feel free to call Francisco Rodriguez at (562) 570 1010 or email Francisco.Rodriguez@longbeach.gov.
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Homelessness Emergency Declaration
As we experience cold and wet weather, people who are sleeping out in the open are more likely to seek shelter. Building overhangs and stoops provide protection from the elements for those who have chosen not to come into our city’s winter and inclement weather shelters. People become homeless for a wide variety of different reasons and situations, and it often takes several outreach attempts before services are accepted. If you would like to request outreach to be dispatched to a specific area, please call the Multi-Service Center at (562) 570 4672.
Long Beach Inclement Weather Shelter Program
The City of Long Beach will utilize its Multi-Service Center (MSC) to serve as an overnight Inclement Weather Shelter for people experiencing homelessness during the winter months. The City will activate the emergency shelter site during extreme weather conditions to provide temporary, low-barrier, safe, and supportive emergency shelter to protect individuals experiencing homelessness from severe cold and wet weather conditions.
Community members interested in supporting the Inclement Weather Shelter can donate items for hygiene kits and/or cold-weather items like blankets, coats, socks, sweaters, beanies, gloves, and handwarmers.
The facility will be activated as needed now through March 2024. Read these FAQs or visit longbeach.gov/homelessness for more information.
Long Beach Winter Shelter Program
The Long Beach Winter Shelter is open! Beds were made available as of Tuesday, November 14th. Open now through March 31st, we are able to support over 120 beds this winter at our permanent location, 702 E Anaheim. Inclement weather dictating, the shelter may remain open later into spring as well.
City Increases Homeless Service Outreach with Mobile Access Centers
The MAC significantly lowers barriers to providing case management services and other resources for people experiencing homelessness. The schedule below reflects the current schedule as of January 3, 2024, inclusive of both MAC vehicles.
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South Coast Air Quality
Management District (AQMD)
Check Before You Burn: A Message from South Coast AQMD
November marked the start of the South Coast AQMD’s annual Check Before You Burn season. From November through the end of February, residents are asked to check whether a No-Burn Day has been declared before burning wood fireplaces to limit emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
A No-Burn Day is a 24-hour ban on wood-burning in residential fireplaces, stoves, or outdoor fire pits in the South Coast Air Basin. South Coast AQMD forecasters call for residential No-Burn Days when PM2.5 is expected to reach Unhealthy levels due to air emissions and stagnant weather conditions.
Click here to learn more and to access public resources for daily forecast information.
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City Manager Shares Executive Management Organizational Updates, Including Roles and Responsibilities
Today, Long Beach City Manager Tom Modica shared organizational updates related to the Executive Management Team, including roles and responsibilities. Under the direction of the City Manager, the Executive Management team is responsible for planning and directing the implementation of City programs and initiatives in accordance with City Council policies, the City Charter and Municipal Code, and providing leadership for the effective delivery of municipal services for the Long Beach community.
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City to Host Virtual Community Meeting on Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement Project
The City of Long Beach is hosting a virtual community meeting to provide recent updates on the Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement Project. The meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.
The Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement Project aims to protect water quality in Alamitos Bay by maintaining existing water circulation with new fish-friendly pumps that are separate from power plant cooling operations.
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Long Beach Pledge, Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Expansion Application Now Open
The City of Long Beach has launched the application period for the expansion of the Long Beach Pledge, the City’s guaranteed income pilot program. The program will provide $500 a month for 12 months to 200 additionally funded households, utilizing $1.2 million in funding to support the City’s upstream homeless prevention efforts. The application is open for eligible residents at longbeachpledge.org now through Jan. 24 at 11:59 p.m.
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City Seeks Partner to Operate a Mobile Healthy Food Market in Long Beach
The City of Long Beach is seeking a partner to implement and operate a Mobile Healthy Food Market in Long Beach. The goal of the Mobile Healthy Food Market is to increase access to affordable fresh produce in neighborhoods defined as having poor food access as well as increase opportunities for residents to be connected to other services and resources that address the social determinants of health and improve health outcomes.
This re-release of a previous RFP now requires that the selected vendor will be required to procure and/or retrofit an existing vehicle to turn it into a Mobile Healthy Food Market. This will allow for more flexibility and a faster startup.
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LB Public Library Presents Early Learning Fairs: A Dive into Early Childhood Education
The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) invites parents and caregivers and their children to a series of Early Learning Fairs, a program for families who are looking to enroll their children in an early learning preschool program. Fairs are divided into four sessions and will begin on Saturday, Jan. 20.
Registration is not required to attend an Early Learning Fair. Parents with children ages 0 to 5 are also encouraged to learn and explore with them throughout the year by joining Dive Into Learning, LBPL’s early learning program. To sign up, visit longbeach.beanstack.org, download the Beanstack tracker app, or visit your local LBPL location. Please call 562.570.5455 for more information.
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City Seeks Community Input for Creative Economy Grants’ Public Mural Program
The City of Long Beach launched a community survey for its Public Mural Program, an entity of the City's Creative Grants Program that is funded by the Long Beach Recovery Act and administered by the Arts Council of Long Beach (ArtsLB).
Now through Feb. 2, 2024, members of the community are invited to submit a community survey, available in Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog, to provide their input on the Public Mural Program
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Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. January 16, 2023, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
FULL AGENDA
Item 1 Recommendation to provide a contribution to: African American Cultural Center of Long Beach in support of their ongoing programming at free community events and support their ongoing mission; Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association in support of their ongoing programming at free community events and support their ongoing mission; Friends of the Long Beach Firefighters in support of the Cars and Clippers event. (Item Details)
Item 9 Recommendation to receive and file the application of Tony’s Kitchen A Little Of Everything, LLC, dba Tony’s Kitchen, for an original application of an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) License, at 4280 Atlantic Avenue. (Item Details)
Item 10 Recommendation to receive and file the application of Gyushige USA LLC, dba Wagyu Street, for an original application of an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) License, at 4150 McGowen Street Space 12, submit a Public Notice of Protest to ABC; and, direct City Manager to withdraw the protest if a Conditional Use Permit Exemption (CUPEX) is granted. (Item Details)
Item 14 Recommendation to accept Categorical Exemption (CE-23-112) and find the Municipal Code Amendments exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301, 15304, 15305, and 15308 of the CEQA Guidelines; Declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 5.73; and amending Sections 3.80.146, 3.80.180, 3.80.253, 5.04.050, Chapters 5.08, 5.66, Title of Chapter 8.44, Sections 8.44.040, 8.44.050, 8.44.061, 8.44.070, Chapters 14.04, 14.14, 16.04, and Sections 16.08.504, and 16.16.060, all relating to sidewalk vendors, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading; authorize City Manager, or designee; and authorize Economic Development to reimburse the cost of general liability insurance coverage, in an amount not to exceed $450 per applicant, for any sidewalk vendor who is issued a sidewalk vendor permit and submits a receipt for the cost of said insurance to City within one year of the effective date of the ordinance (Item Details);
Declare ordinance adopting Zoning Code Amendment ZCA23-006, that repeals Long Beach Municipal Code Section 21.45.170.L, deleting regulations pertaining to encroachment permits for vendors located within the right-of-way, and amending Table 35-1 Use in the Parks District clarifying that sidewalk vending is a permitted use subject to the regulations of Chapter 5.73 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (Item Details);
Adopt resolution authorizing Director of Community Development and City Manager to submit the zoning code amendments to Title 21 of the Long Beach Municipal Code and those provisions of Chapter 5.73 of the Long Beach Municipal Code applicable inside the Coastal Overlay Zone and which relate to coastal development as defined in California Public Resources Code section 30106, specifically, the relevant definitions in Section 5.73.020 and Sections 5.73.110(C), 5.73.110(D), 5.73.110(H), 5.73.110(P)(17), 5.73.120 of the ordinance, to the California Coastal Commission for a finding of conformance with the Certified Local Coastal Program. (Item Details)
Item 16 Recommendation to adopt resolution continuing the Bixby Knolls Parking and Business Improvement Area assessment levy for the period of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to extend the agreement with the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association for a one- year term. (Item Details)
Item 20 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to amend Contract No. 36164 with Family Promise of the South Bay, of Torrance, CA; Contract No. 36166 Illumination Foundation, of Orange, CA; Contract No. 36176 Mental Health America of Los Angeles, of Long Beach, CA; and Contract No. 36167 People Assisting the Homeless of Los Angeles, CA, to provide intensive case management services for individuals and families who are matched with Emergency Housing Vouchers through the Long Beach Coordinated Entry System. (Item Details)
Item 25 Recommendation to declare ordinance of the City Council of the City of Long Beach adopting the 2023 Military Equipment Special Order of the Long Beach Police Department creating a policy for the funding, acquisition, use and reporting requirements for military equipment as mandated by Assembly Bill 481, and declaring the urgency thereof, read for the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. (Item Details)
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