D5 Community News: Upcoming Events & LBPD Updates

As we hope to begin to dry out from our continued winter storms, I know that trees and street damage continue to be of concern. I encourage you to directly report problematic trees, potholes, or street damage through Go Long Beach or by calling the Public Works hotline at (562) 570-2700.

Despite the challenging weather, it was a busy few weeks in the Fifth District. I attended the LBCC State of the College with other local leaders and educators to hear updates about this past year's accomplishments and some exciting future plans, including programs that align with LBUSD's commitment to student success.

In preparation for my assignment on the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, I attended local Town Halls for Congressman Robert Garcia and Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, who both represent portions of the Fifth District.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Bixby Knolls BIA Almost St. Patrick's Day event. The impressive turnout made for a fun day along the business corridor, and I am proud of the support Fifth District residents consistently show their locally-owned small businesses.

I also attended the Los Cerritos Neighborhood Association's annual Furry Friends Faire in partnership with The Fix Project and Sparky & the Gang, where I was able to sponsor their distribution of over 1500 pounds of food and treats. This event provided over 400 vaccinations and saw two successful pet adoptions.

The city staff remains hard at work advancing the mission of the Homelessness Emergency Declaration. In addition to the Homelessness Services and Information Hub, information detailing the city's homelessness response efforts is now available on the Homelessness Digital Dashboard. I encourage you to tune in to the Tuesday, March 21st, City Council Meeting to view a live presentation of the new dashboard. Please visit the Emergency Response Overview for more information on the actions taken.

As part of our ongoing work related to the Homelessness Emergency Declaration, the city has launched a survey seeking community members' knowledge and perceptions of homelessness in Long Beach to inform future services and response efforts:

TAKE THE SURVEY ON HOMELESSNESS IN LONG BEACH

Some folks in the community have reached out with offers to help with essential items needed to distribute at the Multi-Service Center. Those interested in contributing are encouraged to attend Donation Drive-Thru tomorrow, March 18th, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Veterans Stadium parking lot.

I am grateful for your continued engagement with me and my office, and I look forward to seeing you out in the community soon.

Let's get to work,

Councilwoman Megan Kerr

Long Beach District 5

Welcome Robert Allarte

Chief of Staff, District 5

Robert has served the Long Beach community in multiple capacities and brings a wealth of knowledge to help move the Fifth Council District forward. Robert served as Vice Chair of the Long Beach Airport Advisory Commission and most recently as Chief of Communications and Public Affairs to Los Angeles County Assessor, Jeff Prang. Robert also served as Assistant Deputy to then Los Angeles County Supervisor, Don Knabe.

Robert is a bilingual native Spanish speaker and holds a bachelor’s degree from Whittier College. He lives in Long Beach with his husband and their miniature schnauzer.

Robert's first day will be Monday, March 20. Join me in welcoming Robert to the Fifth District team!

Upcoming Events & Community Meetings

Looking for background on this project? Click here to visit the Skylinks Regional Stormwater Capture Project Page

UPCOMING LBPD COMMUNITY MEETINGS

North Division Commander's Forum

Commander Megan Zabel invites North Division community members to join her at the quarterly commander's forum on Thursday, April 6, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at McKinley Elementary School at 6822 Paramount Blvd in the auditorium. If you have questions about the event, email lbpdnorth@longbeach.gov or call (562) 570-9827

East Division Commander's Forum

Commander Michael Richens invites East Division community members to join him at the quarterly commander's forum on Wednesday, March 29, from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Sound House Church at 1429 Clark Ave. If you have questions about the event, please email lbpdeast@longbeach.gov or call (562) 570-5808

Southwest Airlines announced that it will offer nonstop flights on Saturdays and Sundays between Long Beach Airport (LGB) and Boise, Idaho (BOI) and Portland, Oregon (PDX). The additional service begins Oct. 7 and tickets are available now at Southwest.com.

This past Friday was the first day of service for 'Crash 3,' the new Long Beach Fire Department Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF) vehicle at the Long Beach Airport. The maneuverable fire-fighting tool has rear steer capabilities & 360-degree cameras with infrared thermal imaging to help see through smoke & steam.

LBPD Doubles Quality of Life Team

Chief Wally Hebeish announced the expansion of the Quality of Life team, which was expanded as part of the adoption of the FY23 Budget, bringing the total to eight full-time officers. The department will now have four two-officer teams that will each focus on one geographic division.

For more details, read the LBPD press release.

Other Local Events:

Are you looking for free or low-cost internet services?

Get connected through the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP is a federal program provided by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. A low-cost internet service plan may be fully covered through the ACP. A household is eligible for the ACP if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household participates in a benefit assistance program.

Speak with a Human-I-T internet specialist and get connected today!

Call: (888) 391-7249

Text: (562) 561-2565

Email: info@human-i-t.org

Website: human-i-t.org/acp

Check out the Fifth's Favorite Salons and Barber Shops:

George Oliveri Salon – Submitted by Arlene G.

Esquire Men's Grooming - Submitted by Andy K.

cHAIR - Submitted by Adriana J.

It's St. Patrick's Day, so for the next newsletter, let us know your favorite Fifth District spot for Happy Hour!

MAKE A SUGGESTION

City of Long Beach Launches Food Truck Survey

The City of Long Beach invites the community to take the Food Truck Survey, now available through April 2nd. The City is committed to supporting food truck entrepreneurial opportunities, while also addressing the needs and concerns of residents, business owners, current food truck operators and other key stakeholders.

LEARN MORE...

Applications for Visual Improvement Program Grant

Long Beach released the application for the Visual Improvement Program (VIP) Grant, which will support local businesses impacted by crime and vandalism on or after October 1, 2022. Eligible businesses can receive $1,500 to cover storefront repairs, boarding costs, insurance deductibles and business operating expenses.

LEARN MORE...

Long Beach Seeks Partnerships with Community Organizations to

Serve Residents Experiencing Homelessness

Local organizations and companies that are interested are invited to fill out the Emergency Homelessness Response Community Partnerships Interest Form

LEARN MORE...

Port of Long Beach Sponsorships Available for Community Nonprofits.

Community groups may submit sponsorship applications online starting March 1, through 5pm Friday, March 31.

For information on the Port's sponsorship program and how to apply, visit the Port's website.

LEARN MORE...

Upcoming

City Council Agenda

Tues. March 21st, 2023, 5:00pm

411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

Full Agenda

Items of Interest

Item 1 Approve contribution by the Fifth Council District One-Time District Priority Funds to The Fix Project (Item Details) (eComment)

Item 10 Recommendation to receive and file the attached report, “Elevation Changes in the City of Long Beach, November 2021 through November 2022.” (Item Details) (eComment)

Item 19 Recommendation to receive and file Amendment with Healthvana Inc., to extend the term of the contract date through May 11, 2023, to align with the end of the Federal Public Health Emergency Declaration for COVID-19. (Item Details) (eComment)

Item 21 Recommendation to authorize City Manager or designee, to submit a renewal grant application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for the 2023 Continuum of Care for Homeless Assistance Program (Item Details) (eComment)

Item 25 Recommendation to authorize City Manager to receive and expend grant funding from the Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant Program to improve officer wellness and expanding mental health resources (Item Details) (eComment)

Item 32 Recommendation to adopt resolution approving the Annual and Five-Year Reports for the Transportation Improvement, Parks and Recreation Facilities, Fire Facilities Impact, and Police Facilities Impact Fees. (Item Details) (eComment)

Item 34 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on public safety communications from the Long Beach Police Department. (Item Details) (eComment)

Members of the public have the option to use eComment to provide comments on agenda items. Written Comments may also be submitted by email to CityClerk@longbeach.gov .

Public eComment