Welcome to our City Newsletter! |
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Greetings!
New year, new goals for the City of Long Beach. We started off 2023 welcoming a new mayor and several new councilmembers. We wasted no time taking on one of the biggest issues facing the city and entire state, homelessness.
ICYMI: Earlier this month homelessness was proclaimed a local emergency by the City of Long Beach. We immediately began centralizing emergency response efforts in the Downtown area, expanding street outreach and deploying a new Mobile Access Center vehicle. We are asking the community to come together on this issue because we will need everyone's support on this extremely important matter.
You might have noticed that natural gas prices have skyrocketed. This is not unique to Long Beach. It is happening nationwide. We have all the details on what is causing this dramatic increase as well as information on conservation tips, rebates and bill assistance.
Scroll down to get more important updates, resources and learn about events happening in Long Beach!
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City Announces Donation Campaign for Mayor’s Fund for Homeless Action |
We launched a donation campaign to help raise money for the Mayor’s Fund for Homeless Action. This is an additional way community members can get involved to help people experiencing homelessness. Donations will help support organizations in Long Beach that address significant needs of people and families in the community who are experiencing homelessness. |
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City of Long Beach Centralizes Homelessness Emergency Response Efforts Downtown, Deploys Mobile Access Vehicle |
In an effort to more strategically conduct outreach to people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, the City of Long Beach has begun centralizing emergency response efforts in the Downtown area, expanding street outreach and deploying a new Mobile Access Center vehicle. |
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Housing Authority to Provide Program Incentives for Property Owners in Long Beach |
The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach, a bureau within the Department of Health and Human Services, is offering several incentives to encourage new housing providers to lease up with people who are assisted through its Emergency Housing Vouchers and Housing Choice Voucher programs.
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Work Groups Established to Respond to Homelessness Emergency in Long Beach |
Following the proclamation of a local homelessness emergency in Long Beach on January 10, City leadership established an Incident Command Center and identified nine work groups consisting of 100 people to take on the various aspects of homelessness emergency response.
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City Launches New Homeless Services and Information Hub Webpage |
The City of Long Beach launched a new Homeless Services and Information Hub webpage developed in an effort to provide a one-stop-shop of resources and information for the public and to offer a more open and transparent platform regarding homelessness in Long Beach. |
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City of Long Beach Awards $6.1 Million in Funding to Two Developers for New Affordable Rental Housing |
The City of Long Beach, through its nonprofit affiliate The Long Beach Community Investment Company, awarded a total of $6.1 million in loans to two area firms for the purchase and development of affordable rental housing that will serve those who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. |
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City of Long Beach Offers Financial Incentives for Historic Property Preservation |
We are accepting applications for the Mills Act Property Tax Abatement Program (Mills Act), an economic incentive program for properties that have been designated a historic landmark or are located in the city’s designated historic districts. Join us for two upcoming workshops to learn about Mills Act eligibility and requirements.
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Pre-Application Workshop: Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, 10 a.m. to noon Jordan High School (Auditorium), 6500 Atlantic Ave. RSVP
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Application Workshop: Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, 10 a.m. to noon Long Beach Energy Resources Department (Auditorium), 2400 E. Spring St. RSVP
All potential applicants or their representative must attend the Pre-Application Workshop. Spanish and Khmer interpretation will be available. To learn more, visit the Mills Act webpage.
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City of Long Beach Earns Perfect Score Plus Bonus Points in Nationwide LGBTQ+ Municipal Equality Index |
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Long Beach Utilities Unveils New Logo and Branding |
Long Beach Utilities recently unveiled a new logo and branding for the newly unified department providing water, gas and sewer services to residents and businesses. The City’s water, sewer & natural gas services are now provided by the Long Beach Utilities department following approval by Long Beach voters. Previously, services were provided by two separate departments. Note that nothing has changed for customers. |
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Winter Natural Gas Prices Have Increased Dramatically |
Natural gas prices have increased dramatically during this winter season. The increased winter prices are due to several factors including high natural gas consumption due to below-average temperatures, increased natural gas needs to generate energy, constraints on the natural gas supply for California, lower than seasonal average natural gas storage, as well as an increase in exports of natural gas In order to assist our customers, the City of Long Beach Utilities provides specific tools to lessen bill spikes. |
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Public Invited to Share Their 2024 City Budget Priorities at Upcoming Community Budget Meetings |
We are inviting the community to participate in the City’s fiscal year 2024 budget development process by sharing their service priorities at one of the upcoming community budget meetings or by completing the Long Beach Budget Priority Survey.
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City to Host Sidewalk Vending Community Feedback Meetings |
We are hosting two Sidewalk Vending Community Feedback Meetings to seek community feedback on the development of sidewalk vending regulations for Long Beach. Feedback from the community meetings will be utilized to help inform sidewalk vending regulations that address the needs and concerns of sidewalk vendors, residents, business owners and other stakeholders. |
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Southwest Connects Long Beach to Kansas City with Daily Nonstop Service Starting March 9 |
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Long Beach Airport Celebrated Southwest’s New Sunday Nonstop Service to New Orleans |
ICYMI: Southwest Airlines is now offering weekly nonstop flights on Sundays from Long Beach Airport to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, just in time for Mardi Gras season. To celebrate the first flight to Louisiana on Sunday, Jan. 8, Long Beach Airport hosted the New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band to perform a second line parade for departing passengers. |
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Long Beach Public Library Extends To-Go Service at Three Neighborhood Branches |
Our Long Beach Public Library is extending its “To-Go” model of service, currently in place at Alamitos, Brewitt and Dana Neighborhood Libraries, through the end of March 2023.
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Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine to Host Job Fairs for Recreation Positions This February |
The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine will host job fairs on Saturday, Feb. 4 and Saturday, Feb. 25, where PRM staff will share information on current and upcoming job openings for Recreation Program Leaders. |
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Long Beach Animal Care Services Hits Highest Adoption Rate Ever, Surpasses 2024 Strategic Plan Goal |
In 2022, our Long Beach Animal Care Services reached its highest adoption rate ever, placing 1,968 pets into homes and increasing placement of animals by 194% since 2018. This exceeded the LBACS 2024 Strategic Plan goal of placing 1,500 animals by nearly 500 pets. In comparison, in 2018, 687 pets were placed into homes.
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The City of Long Beach is seeking a qualified organization with experience in affordable housing, and trust among Long Beach residents and neighborhood organizations, to establish and operate a Community Land Trust (CLT) Program. |
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City of Long Beach Launches 2023 Smart City Challenge |
The City of Long Beach has launched the 2023 Smart City Challenge. Now in its fourth year, the Challenge seeks to create collaboration between City Departments and the private sector to improve City service delivery through piloting creative solutions addressing key civic issues and needs. |
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