Weekly Update & Happy Passover | |
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Happy Friday, District 5! This coming Monday, April 22nd, marks the beginning of Passover, the week-long holiday in remembrance of the Hebrews’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. Many celebrate by retelling the tale of this liberation, and by sharing in the traditional meal known as seder. However you celebrate, I wish all who do so a warm and joyous holiday. Chag Sameach!
This weekend, the Grand Prix is in Long Beach! If you plan to head downtown, be sure to keep an eye on the race’s event schedule and road closures. Earlier this week, students from Burcham Elementary had the opportunity for the Grand Prix to come to them! Thanks to Murchinson Consulting for providing this memorable experience for the Burcham students. See below for more details.
If you’re sticking around in CD5 this weekend, you can visit the Expo Arts Center for a Local Artists Showcase hosted by the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach to hear from and support our local artists. Then, stop by LBX for a National Pet Day Market on Saturday, April 20th from noon to 5pm. If you don’t have your own furry friend to bring along, consider becoming a Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) foster parent to a shelter pet in need! This is the busiest time of year for our ACS team, and the animals could use your help, even for a short amount of time. See below to learn more!
Keep in mind, Earth Day is coming up as well! The national day falls on Monday, April 22nd, and is meant to raise awareness of environmental issues and inspire action towards taking care of our planet. Share in the celebration with hands-on activities and a variety of vendors at LBX’s Earth Day Market on Sunday, April 21st from noon to 5pm! Then, you can keep the Earth-appreciation going next weekend, by participating in the City Nature Challenge and taking photos of wildlife in our district’s natural spaces like Willow Springs Park and Rancho Los Cerritos. Next weekend, I also hope you’ll join me, my team, and the Bixby Strollers for a morning stroll beginning and ending from our own CD5 Field Office at Wardlow Park, on Saturday, April 27th at 7:30am sharp. All are welcome, no matter your neighborhood, regular Strollers and newcomers alike!
As a brief note of business, at Tuesday’s Council meeting, the Council designated the property at 1131 E Wardlow Rd as “exempt surplus land,” allowing the space to be used to build affordable housing. Additionally, on Wednesday, April 17th, the Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), held their monthly meeting in which they approved Item 3, to enter into a contract for demolition of the property currently existing at the site on 1131 E Wardlow Rd. See below for more details and informational resources in reference to these items.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, April 23rd at 5pm in the City Hall Chambers. 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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Community Development
News & Updates
Recent Items Related to 1131 E Wardlow Rd.
On Tuesday, April 16th, Item 18 came before Council to designate the city-owned property at 1131 E Wardlow Rd as “exempt surplus land.” It is required by State law, under the Surplus Land Act (SLA), for all local agencies to offer surplus land for sale or for lease to affordable home developers and other local government agencies before offering the land to another entity. The SLA intends to prioritize the reuse of surplus land for affordable housing, parks, and schools. That said, note that the surplus designation does not approve any particular use or entitlement
Before hearing Item 18, Council heard Item 16, which related to the affordable housing community being built on Fountain Ave in District 3. As both items relate to the development of affordable housing communities, the Community Development and Health Departments provided an overview of Long Beach’s affordable housing efforts, including highlighting the current disparity around where affordable housing opportunities are located throughout the city.
Then on Wednesday, April 17th, Item 3 came before the Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC) to enter into a contract with the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (WHCHC) for the demolition of the building currently existing on the site. Early demolition of the existing property is recommended to mitigate potential problems and reduce the risk of the site becoming a neighborhood nuisance. We acknowledge that the demolition of the existing site will have impacts on the surrounding community, and we will keep you informed of the work’s timeline and any other updates relating to this site as soon as they are available.
Please note, the passing of these items this week does not speed up the process for the construction of the proposed development at 1131 E Wardlow. These items are technical and necessary pieces of the process required for any affordable housing community to be built on city-owned property. Designating the site as exempt surplus land is mandatory for compliance with State law, and as a city we have learned the risks and challenges around attempting to keep vacant buildings from creating more issues for the surrounding communities. The specifics of the proposed development and its design are still being worked out, and we continue to encourage those interested in providing feedback to do so via our online form. See the links below to learn more about the recent items.
04/16/24 City Council Meeting
04/17/24 LBCIC Meeting
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Grand Prix News & Updates
The Grand Prix at Burcham Elementary
On Wednesday, the Grand Prix came to Burcham Elementary School! Thanks to Murchinson Consulting for presenting an educational series about the Long Beach Grand Prix. Students were able to learn, ask questions, and get up close and personal with the impressive cars that are part of the race! It was a great time!
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CD5 Community News & Updates
Transit and Traffic Talk at McBride High
We are grateful to the students who came to a City Council meeting earlier this year to express their desire to learn more about the Studebaker Corridor Complete Streets project and about LBTransit routes near McBride High and to discuss how these things affect students day to day. To help answer those questions and facilitate that conversation, Councilwoman Kerr convened with our City Traffic Engineer and representatives from LBTransit to share information and speak with students from McBride’s Engineering and Criminal Justice pathways. Students asked great questions and their desire to learn was inspiring. Students also learned about the free student bus pass offered by LBTransit to all LBUSD students. It’s great to see our youth take an active role in bettering the community!
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Animal Care Services
News & Updates
Animal Care Services Fosters Needed!
Fostering saves lives. Whether you volunteer to care for a litter of un-weaned orphaned kittens or give a dog a break from the stress of the kennel, you are making a difference in an animal's life. Fostering fills a critical gap.
As we approach the busiest season for our Animal Care Services (ACS) team, please consider lending your home to an animal in need! Change an animal's life by becoming an LBACS Foster today! Email petfoster@longbeach.gov and/or visit the ACS Foster page to learn more and apply!
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Parks, Recreation & Marine
News & Updates
Youth Summer Day Camps - Registration Opened April 13
Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine (PRM) will offer Summer Aquatics and Park Day Camps from June 17 - August 23, 2024. Registration began Saturday, April 13!
Summer Park Camps
Youth ages 5 to 12 will enjoy games, crafts, physical fitness, enrichment activities and more. Summer Park Camps will operate Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., for those enrolled in extended care.
Aquatics Day Camps
PRM will offer two aquatics day camps for youth this summer. The Belmont Junior Beach Camp, for ages 5 to 7, located at Belmont Plaza Pool (4320 E. Olympic Plaza), features games, crafts, beach play, songs, excursions, kayaking, canoeing and American Red Cross swimming lessons. Campers at Bayshore Beach Camp, for ages 8 to 12, located at Bayshore Park (5415 E. Ocean Blvd.), will enjoy the same activities as the Belmont Junior Beach Camp in addition to marine biology lessons.
LEARN MORE...
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Long Beach Airport
News & Updates
Road Improvements Require Temporary Lane Closures
As progress on the Long Beach Airport (LGB) Terminal Roadway Improvements Project continues, travelers are advised to expect a reduced number of lanes at the pick-up and drop-off area in front of the Historic Terminal from Monday, April 15 through the end of June. Note, the most significant impacts will occur April 15 - 21.
The pick-up and drop-off area is for active loading and unloading only and will be limited to the two lanes closest to the Historic Terminal. The center median and two adjacent lanes to the east will be closed. See the map below.
Travelers can sign up for notifications about the LGB roadwork at LinkLB or can visit LGBRoadImprovements.com for updates. Those with questions can contact a construction hotline at 562.445.6439 or email info@lgbroadimprovements.com.
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Health & Human Services
News & Updates
Mobile Access Center - Updated April Schedule
The Mobile Access Center (MAC) vehicle is a form of street outreach that allows staff to begin the intake process on the street with people experiencing homelessness beyond the City's Multi-Service Center (MSC). See below for their current schedule.
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California Dept of Transportation
News & Updates
CalTrans Seeks Comment on Draft Environmental Document for Vincent Thomas Bridge Deck Replacement Project
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has begun the public comment period for the Vincent Thomas Bridge (State Route 47) deck replacement project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment (Draft EIR/EA), which includes results from technical and environmental studies, staff recommendations, and construction staging options, among other information and data. Public comment will last 90 days, ending on July 15, 2024.
This public feedback opportunity is part of the project’s environmental phase, determines a project’s potential environmental and community impacts. Public feedback gathered during this 90-day comment period will be evaluated by Caltrans staff to help inform staff decisions and recommendations for construction staging and detour routes, among other project operations.
In addition, Caltrans welcomes public input at any time, regardless of whether the public comment period is open. However, public comments received after July 15, 2024, will not be included as a public record in the final environmental impact report.
Learn more about the project and how to comment by visiting the project website.
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California Conference for Equality and Justice
CCEJ's Spring Community Building Training - April 25 & 26
What is Restorative Justice? Restorative Justice is centering relationships in all we do, including when harm happens. Community Building Circles are dialogue-based spaces to build empathy, strengthen community, prevent conflict, and prepare for using Restorative Justice as a way to hold people accountable. This work is rooted in a culture shift away from incarceration & carceral thinking, disposability of human beings, three strikes laws/zero-tolerance policies, racist formal and informal policing, and disproportionately punitive disciplinary models.
Thursday April 25 & Friday April 26 | 9am - 4pm each day
CCEJ Office | 3605 Long Beach Blvd, 90807
Led by CCEJ's adult education team, this 2-day experiential training will help you start building your own Restorative Justice practice in your workplace, community, or classroom. We will reflect on our own communication and discipline styles, learn what makes our practices authentically restorative, and engage in skill-building around teambuilding and leading circles. Participants leave with concrete Circle plans, ready to facilitate on their own. All participants will receive a Community Building Handbook during the training. Learn more and RSVP today!
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Office of Youth Development Announces Voting Phase of Youth Power Participatory Budgeting Long Beach
The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) Office of Youth Development, in partnership with The Nonprofit Partnership (TNP), Invest in Youth Coalition anchored by Khmer Girls in Action, California State University of Long Beach, and Leadership Long Beach is announcing the voting sites for the Youth Power PB Long Beach participatory budgeting process, where Long Beach youth are invited to vote on how to spend public dollars on youth projects.
To kick off the voting period, a voting fair will be held at Long Beach Polytechnic High School (1600 Atlantic Ave.) on Wednesday, April 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
LEARN MORE...
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City Launches Community Survey and Workshops to Advance Short-Term Information Technology Strategic Plan, TID 26
Long Beach's Technology and Innovation Department (TID) is launching a community survey and workshop series as part of its efforts for the development of TID 26, the department's short-term information technology strategic plan.
TID is working to create a plan that articulates a clear and achievable vision, principles, strategic focus and implementation roadmap to have in place by the end of 2026 to align with the City's 2030 Strategic Vision themes of ensuring people have access to technology to learn, communicate, engage, and thrive and that the City is technology and data informed.
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City Celebrates Ribbon Cutting of New Affordable and Supportive Housing Development
The City of Long Beach today celebrated the ceremonial ribbon cutting for a new affordable and supportive housing development located in the Cambodia Town community, in partnership with its nonprofit affiliate, The Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB), BRIDGE Housing and TCC Family Health.
Located at 1500 E. Anaheim St., the affordable housing development features 87 affordable rental units for low- and extremely low-income households earning 30% to 60% of area median income, 20 units reserved for older adults formerly experiencing homelessness, and one manager’s unit.
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City of Long Beach Announces Inaugural Youth Day in the LBC for People Ages 13 to 26
The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) Office of Youth Development announces Youth Day in the LBC, an exciting new event that will bring together youth ages 13 to 26 and empower them to connect around youth advocacy and youth resources.
This inaugural event will combine two of the City’s existing youth-centered events, Youth Advocacy Day, which was previously hosted by the Mayor’s Office, and the Youth Festival, into a one-day co-hosted event in order to integrate a collective impact approach towards youth development. Youth Day in the LBC will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, at Cabrillo High School (2001 Santa Fe Ave.).
LEARN MORE...
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Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. April 23, 2024, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
FULL AGENDA
Item 9 Recommendation to approve the 2024 Office of Climate Action and Sustainability Work Plan. (Item Details)
Item 13 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any necessary amendments, with California Humanities to accept and expend grant funding in the amount of up to $5,500, for a Library Innovation Lab Grant Project, for the period ending December 31, 2024; and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group (SR 120) in the Library Services Department (LS) by up to $5,500, offset by grant revenue. (Item Details)
Item 21 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement and any necessary documents including subsequent amendments, with the United States Forest Service to accept and expend grant funding in the amount of $1,000,000 for the Inflation Reduction Act, Urban and Community Forestry Program, with a term ending March 18, 2029; and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the City Manager Department by $1,000,000, offset by US Forest Service grant funds. (Item Details)
Item 22 Recommendation to receive and file presentation of a 2023 Gateway Cities Energy Action Gold Award earned by the City of Long Beach for achievements of excellence in furthering sustainable energy goals. (Item Details)
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