This week, I voted against the FY27 Budget, which ultimately passed on a 7-2 vote.

My primary concern was the elimination of Engine 14 in District 3. The City’s own analysis shows this cut will increase emergency response times by about a minute for the surrounding community and reduce emergency capacity across the city. After watching our City teams, including Engine 14, respond to the impacts of Hurricane Marie last weekend, I could not support reducing emergency services as we prepare for what is expected to be one of the worst El Niños in decades this winter.

I understood that fully restoring Engine 14 would be difficult, so I proposed what I believed was a reasonable alternative to pilot a Fast Response Vehicle at Station 14 using Measure B funding. This would have maintained some emergency response capacity, but the amendment was not accepted.

I also made a substitute motion to continue the budget hearing for one week so the City Council could get more community input on the significant changes to the budget proposed just hours before Tuesday’s meeting, but that motion was voted down 2-7. Those changes included generating more than $2 million a year by increasing parking citation fines, which I felt deserved more discussion. 

These are difficult choices, and none of the options feel good, but these are the moments when our priorities matter most. Thank you to everyone who advocated for Engine 14. I will continue fighting to restore this critical emergency resource for our community.

Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

The impacts of Hurricane Marie were worse than expected, with many longtime residents saying these were some of the worst conditions they have ever seen. We knew El Niño could bring significant challenges, but this past weekend reinforced the urgency of preparing for the months ahead.

This weekend also showed the strength of the Peninsula community. Neighbors helped neighbors prepare, and City teams worked around the clock to protect life and property. A huge thank you to everyone who stepped up during this emergency.

I spent the majority of the weekend on the Peninsula and along the boardwalk and saw the impacts of the storm firsthand. We saw unprecedented beach erosion, damage to the boardwalk, flooding and damage to homes, and one home was yellow-tagged because damage to the boardwalk restricted access to the property.

As conditions stabilize, City teams are continuing to assess the damage and actively planning for what needs to happen immediately to prepare for the coming months. Building inspectors inspected homes, maintenance crews have been clearing sand and debris and making repairs to the boardwalk, coastal engineers are actively developing several potential near-term solutions, and City leadership and I have been working with State, regional, and industry partners to understand how other coastal communities are preparing.

We need to think about this in phases, including addressing the immediate threat from El Niño, the midterm needs over the next three to five years, and long-term sustainability of the Peninsula. Much of this work was already underway, but this storm has added urgency to the immediate planning. An update on the City's next steps are expected in two weeks, and I will be looking to host a community meeting on the Peninsula once we have enough information to make that discussion meaningful.

I am urging residents to begin preparing now for upcoming storms. While the City was able to activate significant resources over the weekend, heavier rain, higher tides, and additional storm impacts in the coming months could stretch those resources thin.

Please prepare and keep materials on hand to protect your homes. Store water and emergency supplies, have backup power available where possible, create a family safety plan, and sign up for AlertLB to receive emergency communications.

If you live on the Peninsula, please reply to this email and let us know so we can add you to our Peninsula-specific email list. We have been sending targeted updates to residents on that list, but many people on our broader District 3 list did not identify their neighborhood when they signed up.

For a more detailed look at the City’s response to Hurricane Marie, including the operational steps taken before, during, and after the storm, please read the City’s full update below. It includes information on emergency preparations, evacuations, sand berm construction, boardwalk and bulkhead stabilization, cleanup efforts, and the coordination between City departments and regional partners. It also provides additional detail on the work now underway.

AlertLB is the City of Long Beach’s emergency notification system used to send important updates during severe weather, emergencies, and other incidents that may impact the community. Residents can sign up to receive alerts by text message, phone call, or email so they can quickly get information about changing conditions, safety instructions, and other emergency updates.

Yesterday, Councilmember Duggan joined the City of Long Beach in commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with a citywide moment of silence to honor the lives lost and remember the first responders and civilians who died that day.

Watch this helpful video explaining what El Niño is, why forecasters are preparing for a very strong event this winter, and what it could mean for heavy rain, coastal flooding, erosion, and large surf. The National Weather Service also emphasizes that now is the time for coastal communities and residents to prepare.

Beginning this weekend, the Port of Long Beach will start demolishing ramps connecting the Shoemaker Bridge to the North Harbor Area. The work will take place over three consecutive weekends and will require full closures from 10:00 pm Friday through 5:00 am Monday.

• September 11–14: Northbound 710 from Anaheim Street to Ocean Boulevard
• September 18–21: Shoemaker Bridge
• September 25–28: Southbound 710 from Anaheim Street to Pico Avenue

Drivers should plan ahead and use alternate routes, including Willow Street, Pacific Coast Highway, Anaheim Street, Ocean Boulevard, and the Queensway Bridge. More information on detours and the demolition work is available through the Port of Long Beach.

My Chief of Staff, Nick, and his son James joined the Long Beach Greek Food & Music Festival this weekend to celebrate Greek food, music, and culture with the community.

Colorado and Eliot Street paving is scheduled for September 18 and 19, with the streets expected to reopen in phases. Colorado Street, including small portions of Orlena and Eliot, will be paved first and is expected to reopen by the end of the month, barring unforeseen conditions or weather impacts. Crews are also continuing landscaping, fencing, irrigation, and trail work throughout the project area. Eliot Street will reopen after remaining construction work is completed and crews and equipment are demobilized. Click below for the full update.

Check out our traffic & parking advisory in CD3 neighborhoods. Residents should plan ahead as several upcoming events may impact parking availability and traffic flow in our neighborhoods.

We encourage residents to allow extra travel time, anticipate parking impacts, and use alternate routes when possible.