Long Beach · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Long Beach public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
100% Condo Participation Requirement
Owners in historic condo buildings like the Cooper Arms say the requirement that every single unit owner join a Mills Act contract lets one holdout block an entire building. Staff recommends keeping the rule, citing legal concerns and older contracts with sub-100% participation, but commissioners asked for further study of alternatives like supermajority HOA approval.
Substantial remodel loophole and aging housing stock
Advocates say landlords abuse the substantial remodel eviction ground — about 170 notices filed since April 2023, with many more unreported — while the apartment association argues it's a lawful, necessary tool for upgrading housing where 82% of stock predates 1980. Both sides agreed clearer definitions are needed.
FY 2028-2032 HUD Consolidated Plan development
Long Beach is starting the year-long process of writing its next five-year plan for federal HUD money — funds that pay for affordable housing, homeless services, senior meals, after-school programs, and park improvements. Residents can shape it now through a multilingual survey open through March, community sessions in early 2027, and public hearings in the spring.
Affordable housing shortfall
Long Beach has met market-rate housing targets but only about 6% of its 15,000-unit affordable housing need, and applications for large new projects have dropped sharply since late 2024. Commissioners want better tracking of why entitled projects die before construction.
$4 million in affordable housing awards for North Long Beach
Three developers were selected to create or preserve 119 affordable units in North Long Beach — rehabbing two existing apartment buildings and buying land for 39 new family units. Rehab projects keep current tenants in place and lock in affordability for 55 years, or forever in the land trust's case.
Affordable housing production under Measure A
The city has finished 163 of its 540-unit five-year affordable housing goal, but 669 more units are under construction — meaning Long Beach should exceed its target at 124% once they're done. About half of those units are expected to be completed within the next year.
Housing affordability crisis for seniors and people with disabilities
The city has built only about 6% of the affordable housing it needs this cycle, and survey data show seniors and disabled residents face the greatest difficulty finding housing. Commissioners pressed staff on voucher acceptance by landlords, vacant buildings, and adaptive reuse.
Proposition 1 — Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond
An $11.25 billion state bond for affordable housing, veterans' home loans, and homelessness programs. The committee heard arguments for supporting it but ultimately took no position with the election three weeks away.
Housing accessibility and reasonable accommodations
A renter described a landlord who refused to repair hazardous flooring, pressured her to move out, and left her son injured after a fall. The commission took her information to connect her with help.
Peninsula storm recovery and coastal erosion
Hurricane Marie dropped parts of the Peninsula beach by more than eight feet in two days, leaving over half a mile of beach and boardwalk damaged or inaccessible. Councilmember Duggan also pointed to longer-term coastal restoration projects that could better protect the coastline over the next 10 to 30 years.
Pier B on-dock rail support facility right-of-way vacations
The Port needs four street segments in the Lower West Side vacated to build its rail support facility, which shifts cargo from trucks to trains. That should mean fewer truck trips and better air quality as port volumes grow. The City Council makes the final call after Public Works review.
$1 Million State Grant for Digital Inclusion for Residents with Disabilities
The city won a $1 million state budget grant to give residents with disabilities adaptive technology like screen readers and adaptive keyboards, one-on-one training, and a free computing device upon completion. It still needs City Council approval to accept and spend the funds.
PLHA 2024-2028 Five-Year Housing Plan
Long Beach expects about $12.8 million in state housing funds over the next five years, and the plan sends 95% of it to new affordable rental construction. The city has only met 6% of its state-mandated affordable housing target for 2029, so this money is a down payment on a much bigger need.
Disability data survey completion
The commission's survey of Long Beachers with disabilities is at roughly 1,500 responses but needs 4,500 — 10% of the community — by May 1. Commissioners are being asked to tap every neighborhood group, church, and listserv they know to close the gap.
Measure A renter assistance and homelessness prevention funding
The city's new Renter Aid program drew 2,200 eligible applicants but can serve only about 250 people this year with roughly $2.5 million in assistance, forcing prioritization by urgency of need.
Fencing around Billie Jean King Main Library
A draft letter criticizes the roughly $800,000 fence around the Billie Jean King Main Library, which locked up shaded space people had used and displaced homeless residents. The letter asks the city to consult the committee and homeless services staff before future fencing projects and to provide shelter options before erecting barriers.
Scoring methodology for domestic violence providers
Presenters showed domestic violence is a leading driver of homelessness for women, with fewer than 1,000 survivor-specific interim beds countywide. The state HELP Act now requires cities like Long Beach to include survivor strategies in homelessness plans.
Transition planning for households losing housing assistance
New interim guidance creates a process to assess and match households losing aid (from reallocation, EHV wind-down, or funding cuts) to remaining resources so they don't return to homelessness.
Homelessness and equity
Commissioners agreed homelessness remains a core issue for the commission, noting Black residents are overrepresented among the unhoused. Staff will report back on how the commission's work can complement the Homelessness Services Advisory Committee.
Summer youth employment and training programs
LBWIN expects to serve 350-400 young people this summer through a Space Beach career expo with $1,000 incentives, up to 70 training scholarships worth $7,500 each, and partnerships with LBCC, Conservation Corps, and school districts.
Mayor's Fund grant awards and priorities
The subcommittee decided which homelessness nonprofits get donated city funds — approving one grant at a reduced amount and denying two others. Members are pushing the fund toward programs that directly house or serve people already on the street, rather than prevention or repeat small grants.
Amphitheater traffic, safety, and waterway impacts
The new downtown amphitheater is set to open in mid-June, and commissioners worry about freeway backups, emergency evacuation, sound carrying across the waterways, and conflicts with cruise ship movements. The city is exploring shuttles and ferry service from Rainbow Harbor.
Economic stability and workforce development
The city's workforce bureau says only about 27% of local workers move into higher-paying roles within three years, and roughly 6,000 young people aren't working or in school. It offers training scholarships up to $6,000 and is building aerospace and creative-industry pipelines as thousands of new jobs come to Long Beach.
Youth Navigation Center opening
The newly built Youth Navigation Center near PCH and Santa Fe has drainage and sewage backup issues from faulty plumbing. Repairs are starting, an RFP for a service provider has closed, and the goal is opening around April.
755 Orange Avenue garage/ADU project in Hellman Street Craftsman Historic District
A property owner wanted to replace a deteriorated one-car garage with a two-story, three-car garage topped by two ADUs. The Heritage Commission found the two-story structure too visually impactful for the historic district and blocked the demolition of the original garage. The owner can still build ADUs another way under state law, or appeal.
Passenger concourse enhancement project
The airport broke ground on a $37 million modernization of its passenger concourses — new seating with charging outlets, renovated restrooms, better signage, and a service animal relief station. It's funded partly by $24 million in federal grants and should wrap up before the 2028 Olympics.
Inclusionary housing alternative compliance at 400 E. Anaheim
The council accepted Coastal Commission-required changes to the inclusionary housing ordinance so affordable housing rules can finally take effect in the coastal zone — a process that takes another year or two of state review.
$10.7M Measure A housing and renter protection funding
Long Beach is getting about $10.7 million in year-one Measure A dollars through LACAHSA — $5 million for new affordable housing, $2.2 million for emergency rental aid launching April 13, $1.4 million for eviction-defense legal help, and youth homelessness prevention starting in June.
Project Homekey at 1725 Long Beach Boulevard
A 43-bed shelter for unhoused individuals and families at 834 Pacific Avenue, referral-only with on-site management and security. Neighbors worried about noise and safety; the commission added delivery-hour conditions to address the commercial kitchen's early-morning truck traffic.
Mayor's Fund hygiene pilot: portable toilet vs. shower truck staffing
The city approved buying a mobile shower truck, but its purchase and staffing status is unclear. The subcommittee must decide whether to fund a staffed overnight ADA toilet pilot (~$350/month plus staffing) or put money toward shower truck staffing, and needs staff answers on costs and locations.