Long Beach · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Long Beach public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Mentorship and empowerment program directory
The commission created the first centralized list of mentorship programs for women and girls in Long Beach, to be posted on the Office of Equity website and updated twice a year. Commissioners hope it becomes a go-to resource for families.
Mentorship and empowerment programs for women and girls
The Mentorship and Education Ad Hoc Committee is close to finishing a directory of Long Beach organizations serving women and girls, which the commission hopes to publish and grow into partnerships.
2026 Long Beach Veterans Day Celebration
Planning for the November Veterans Day event is ahead of schedule, with 11 of 25 resource fair vendor slots filled and a new flyer awaiting approval. There will be no veterans recognition ceremony this year and the flyover was cut as too expensive; commissioners will help promote the event and invite council offices.
2026 Veterans Day event planning
The November 7 Veterans Day event is happening but without the traditional recognition ceremony, because staff hours were cut and council offices declined to help. A veteran in the audience criticized the city for not honoring veterans properly compared to Orange County cities.
Drake Park Community Center reopening
The remodeled Drake Park Community Center reopened after three years of off-and-on improvements, with new bathrooms, roof, flooring, and energy-efficient upgrades.
Street cleaning and beautification funding
With a projected surplus, commissioners want more cleaning frequency, median landscaping, and decorative lighting on Second Street — and plan to invite public beautification ideas next month.
Equity in contract class distribution
A commissioner noted most of the 17 renewed instructor classes are on the east side of the city. Staff explained space constraints and pointed to growing westside and downtown offerings, including a new karate class at Drake Park.
2026 Visibility Plan and commission ad hoc structure
The commission finalized its Visibility Plan for Council transmittal and debated how commissioners can participate in interest areas without overloading ad hoc committees.
Senior adult education partnerships with Long Beach City College
LBCC offers free non-credit courses — computer skills, trades, financial literacy — and wants to host them at senior centers. Commissioners suggested a citywide survey of what classes seniors actually want.
Park vandalism and ambassador program savings
September vandalism and theft cost $5,396, lower than typical. The city's ambassador teams, which took over restroom opening, closing, and cleaning from a contractor, have cut evening vandalism repair costs by about 50%.
Community fee waivers for parks events
Four community events — a mental health awareness day, a school 5K, a charity softball tournament, and a church fall fair — received $6,041.50 in fee waivers, lowering costs for local nonprofits and community groups using city parks.
Inclusive and accessible playgrounds
Residents said no local playground fits older children and adults with developmental disabilities. Commissioner Jones noted Ramona Park is partially adaptive and a universally accessible playground is planned, but no funding was added this year and full build-out isn't expected until about 2030.
Facility naming honors
The banners reception is on for September 10 at the Long Beach Yacht Club thanks to cost savings and a sponsor. Honorees from 2024-2026 will be invited, with framed banner keepsakes as gifts.
Potential renaming of Chavez Park
The city is exploring whether to rename Chavez Park, with the Office of Equity leading a public input process. A recommendation could come back to the commission later.
County Park Grants for Neighborhood Projects
The council accepted $5.79M in county grant money for the 10th Street Greenbelt, Washington Neighborhood Community Center and Willow Springs Trailhead.
Relocating MAC meetings from the Long Beach Yacht Club to a public space
Commissioners debated moving meetings out of the private yacht club to a free public venue, with the Conservation Corps conference room near the Third District field office as a leading candidate. Staff will check availability and fees.
National Community Planning Month and department initiatives
October is National Community Planning Month, and the city's planning department used the occasion to highlight its work: rezoning efforts, housing element implementation, the downtown waterfront plan, and an internship program for students. Residents can join a community planning day with pizza at the next commission meeting.
Recruiting new Marine Advisory Commission members
Meetings have been canceled for lack of quorum. Commissioners want council offices and the mayor's office to publicize openings, and Joan Polanko is already rallying the boating community to apply.
Swimming access and equity
Multiple speakers urged the city to prioritize swim lessons and pool access, noting lessons fill quickly, some neighborhoods lack pools, and drowning safety is an equity issue.
East Village Arts Park activation
A usually-locked downtown park will be activated through a partnership with the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, giving the East Village Arts District — which lacks green space — free community programming.
Open Space and Recreation Element update
The city's long-range plan for parks and open space is being updated, with survey data showing safety, restrooms and maintenance as top resident concerns — and about 80% of residents not actively using parks. Work was paused over budget constraints and may continue in-house.
Utility box artwork repair and beautification
Graffiti and weather have damaged the utility box murals on Second Street; repairs with the original artists will run about $1,800 and appear in the October budget. With new revenue headroom, commissioners want to explore more beautification projects.
Parks budget cuts end Stearns Park afterschool program
The adopted city budget cut the afterschool program at Stearns Park, which ends October 1 — the only afterschool program cut citywide. The Chavez Park Teen Center and B-Safe programming were restored, but staffing and hours at Lincoln Park were scaled back.
Beverly O'Neill Way street renaming
East Lew Davis Street near Long Beach City College will be renamed for former Mayor Beverly O'Neill, a 30-year LBCC leader and mayor from 1994 to 2006, who just turned 96. A legacy event is planned at LBCC on October 1.
Disability Advocates of the Year Awards
The commission set up an interim process for this year's advocacy awards after 2026 leadership changes disrupted the usual cycle. Nominations are due within a week, with honorees selected next month by a three-member panel.
Disability Data and Community Survey
The city's first-ever disability survey has gathered over 900 responses after pivoting from online collection to in-person, one-on-one outreach. An interim report goes to City Council, with a full report due in the spring to guide city departments on accessibility equity.
2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games planning in Long Beach
Long Beach will host 11 Olympic sports and Paralympic swimming, expecting about 2 million ticketed fans. Big issues for residents: reserved freeway lanes, expanded transit, security perimeters, and whether seniors and immigrant communities will be able to participate safely.
New Senior Center at 125 Elm Avenue — design and funding
The city's six senior centers are running a month-long scavenger-hunt style event series through September, ending with a dance at Hamilton Park on September 25.
Senior center programming and National Senior Center Month
The city's six senior centers are running a month-long scavenger-hunt style event series through September, ending with a dance at Hamilton Park on September 25.
Potential Recreation Park 9 closure for 2028 Olympics parking
Early discussions suggest Recreation Park 9 could close for one to two weeks during the 2028 Olympics to serve as an emissions-free parking area, potentially generating about $1 million with a share directed back into the course.
Library Monday hours restoration
The package restores $1.28 million and 11 positions to keep Monday hours at the Bay Shore, Burnett, El Dorado, Harte, and Michelle Obama Neighborhood Libraries, funded partly by higher parking fines.
Library Hours Reduced to Five Days
The package restores $1.28 million and 11 positions to keep Monday hours at the Bay Shore, Burnett, El Dorado, Harte, and Michelle Obama Neighborhood Libraries, funded partly by higher parking fines.
Park safety, restrooms, and maintenance
Survey data shows feeling unsafe is the top reason residents avoid parks, outpacing the national average. The Parks Department has brought restroom cleaning in-house with morning and evening teams and is protecting maintenance funding in its budget.
Food and beverage pricing at municipal golf courses
The committee endorsed updated menu and pricing for the courses' food and beverage operations, which now goes to the Director for final approval. Most prices stay flat or rise modestly, some breakfast items drop, and the kids' menu would be removed at three courses.
Aging bathrooms at Recreation Park 18
A resident asked the city to upgrade the decades-old on-course bathrooms at Recreation Park 18. About $40,000-$50,000 is already earmarked, and American Golf plans to bid all the bathroom projects together.
Golf course capital improvement projects
A batch of long-delayed projects is finally moving: El Dorado bunker bids, Skylinks driving-range lights in permitting, Hartwell lighting upgrades at about $180,000, and a wedding lawn redo at Recreation Park 18, with several expected to start by year's end.
Fee waivers for community organizations
Seven community groups asked the city to waive park permit fees for events like food distributions, an Earth Day celebration, and spring egg hunts. The largest request, about $14,000, came from Community Action Partnership of Orange County for monthly food distributions at three parks.
Houghton Park Playground Rebuild
District 9's Houghton Park gets a $2.7 million playground reconstruction contract — a tangible neighborhood improvement.
Chittick Field electrical switchgear vandalism and repair
Someone wrecked the electrical cabinet that powers field lights, bathrooms, and the county's pump station at Chittick Field — about a $200,000 fix. The county initially said it wasn't their problem but will now cover half. Repairs need to finish before November when field lighting becomes essential.
Beach cleanup and ADA access improvements
Crews finally finished clearing all the debris from November and December storms, hauling 466 tons of trash off the beaches in January alone. Recent rain brought a smaller new round of debris.
Senior programs and commission outreach
The commission approved its new mission statement, brochure, and flyers to raise its public profile, and heard updates on senior programming at the Expo Arts Center and an upcoming meeting at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
Belmont Pier structural integrity question
The committee wants a public presentation on efforts to improve the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier before the 2028 Olympics, led by Council Member Kristina Duggan's advisory group, since no Tidelands or general funds are currently available.
VIP Records sign community workshop
Public Works is hosting an August 13 workshop at the MLK Jr. Community Center to gather community input on a new public space honoring the historic VIP Records sign at MLK Jr. Avenue and PCH.
Commission tabling at Long Beach Jazz Festival
The commission hopes to have a booth at the August 1 Jazz Festival at Houghton Park but is on the wait list. Commissioners divided setup, midday, and closing shifts and agreed to hold off buying materials until participation is confirmed.
Veterans banner program installation
The 2025 banner committee was dissolved and the 2026 committee continues its work, with meetings moved to Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. so Vice Chair Atkins Blade can attend. Members want to rebalance scoring between military and community service and consider darker lettering for readability.
Waves of Ability event participation
The commission will staff a resource table at the second annual Waves of Ability event at Marine Stadium on September 26, 2026, to raise awareness of its work and recruit public participation.
Houghton Park Senior Program
Houghton Park's senior program offers classes, day camps, trips and health screenings for older adults. Staff are working to spread the word, since many nearby seniors don't know the services exist.
Park equity and investment in underserved neighborhoods
Staff presented the first park equity update since before COVID, showing some neighborhoods have 47-59% less park space than the city median. Roughly $14 million of a $17 million county-funded appropriation is going to high-need areas, with MLK Park and the Drake/Travis master plan up next.
Office of Youth Development Report
The board approved creating a standing Youth Voice Advisory Committee so young people help shape workforce programs that serve them. Fellows argued it avoids tokenism and builds accountability; it will require a bylaw amendment and a charter.
Tidelands capital projects
Big projects moving: 19 lifeguard tower replacements by end of 2026, Colorado Lagoon utility work done, Davies Boat Launch upgrades by 2027, and a channel dredging funding application to the Coastal Conservancy.