Long Beach · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Long Beach public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Long Beach Values Act support
The Council will consider directing the City Manager to report back within 60 days on federal immigration enforcement cooperation, SB 54 compliance, complaint processes, and the October 17 incident. This is a key accountability item for immigrant residents.
Human trafficking research partnership
The commission's human trafficking committee is awaiting results from a Cal State Long Beach research project and plans to meet for an update soon.
Late-filed disciplinary appeal of terminated refuse operator
A six-year city employee lost his job after his commercial driver's license was suspended, then missed the 10-day window to appeal. The commission's decision turns on whether strict deadlines apply even when the employee claims he didn't read the notice.
Timeliness of disciplinary appeals and the ten-day filing deadline
A city worker fired after his commercial driver's license was suspended missed the 10-day window to appeal and asked the commission to hear the case anyway. The commission denied the request, saying excusing one late appeal would effectively erase the deadline for everyone, but signaled openness to future rehire consideration.
Cybersecurity awareness and deepfake threats
The city ran a month-long cybersecurity campaign with staff trainings, posters, and tips on phishing, AI deepfakes, and voice-cloning scams. Staff plan to make lunch-and-learn sessions quarterly and are training directors to verify unusual requests — a real defense against AI-powered fraud.
Police Chief Retirement
Long Beach's police chief is retiring, forcing city hall to launch a high-stakes search for a new top cop. This leadership change gives residents a rare chance to see how future policing priorities will take shape in our neighborhoods.
Fire hydrant maintenance and stem nut standardization
The city just finished surveying all ~8,000 fire hydrants and found about 550 with non-standard stem nuts that don't fit firefighters' wrenches. The new hydrant parts contract supports replacing those so the Fire Department can use its standard equipment.
CSI Patrol accountability and reporting
The private security contractor presented its first monthly reports after years without data. Residents criticized the reports as thin and daytime-heavy, noting the late-night bar hours remain the problem window.
Surveillance camera trailer pilot
Mobile camera trailers will watch two Belmont Shore parking lots for six months (~$20,000) as a crime deterrent pilot. Residents raised privacy and transparency concerns and asked that data and reports be made public.
Noise violations and community noise concerns
There were 13 noise violations in August — all first-time general aviation offenders, so no fines — and over 22,700 noise concerns logged, up a couple thousand from July. Staff explained the escalating penalty structure, including a unique criminal misdemeanor provision.
Department-wide storm response readiness
Staff described storm preparations including 109 dead tree removals, generator checks, pump readiness at Houghton Park, and past activation of an evacuation center at El Dorado Park for peninsula flooding.
Second Street public safety options
The city presented a menu of options to address late-night problems on Second Street: a special dining district with fees on bars, a citywide alcohol coordinator, extended meter hours to fund police overtime, and more. City Council will decide direction in November — residents can still weigh in.
FAIR Act lobbying ordinance progress
The FAIR Act — the ethics commission's lobbying reform package — got a warm reception at a City Council study session. Council members want clarity on what counts as a lobbyist 'contact,' and the mayor wants an extra council review before the meet-and-confer process, which could push final adoption well past the end of the year.
Social media and campaign contact lists
The ad hoc is finalizing a recommendation to keep constituents connected to outgoing officials' social media accounts and contact lists — so you don't lose your source for sandbag locations during a flood when a council member leaves office. Enforcement would require a new ordinance.
Proposed Internal Affairs process for Long Beach Police Department
The Office of Police Oversight has proposed a new Internal Affairs process for how the Long Beach Police Department handles complaints against officers. The commission was scheduled to discuss it and gather public feedback, but the meeting was cancelled, so that conversation has not yet happened.
Social media and campaign activity recommendation
The commission's recommendation on social media and campaign activity is one step from the City Council — it's awaiting the City Manager's final review and could reach council by Friday.
Police interactions with residents with behavioral disabilities
A mother told the commission her adult son with communication disabilities had a weapon drawn on him during a police visit, and asked for sticker/notification systems so officers recognize disability cases. She also asked the commission to push the council on inclusive park design.
Long Beach Justice Fund funding
Advocates are pushing the city to fund the Justice Fund at $3 million in FY 27, up from last year's $2.2 million, as ICE enforcement intensifies. The mayor has proposed $1 million in structural funding, and Uranga's letter asks for $1 million every year going forward.
Response to Cesar Chavez and Jeffrey Epstein sexual abuse allegations
The Office of Equity is hosting listening sessions this fall on potentially renaming city assets currently honoring Cesar Chavez.
Threats to public services and facilities
The Board met in closed session with security and IT leaders to assess threats to public services and facilities. Details are confidential; no action was reported.
City data privacy policy (AR-839) implementation
The city now runs privacy evaluations on every technology that collects resident personal information, with most data required to be deleted within 90 days. Residents can look up how their data is used on the city's digital rights platform.
Community input shaping future police audits
The council privately evaluated the performance of the city's police oversight director and discussed labor terms with that unrepresented employee. The outcome could affect how independently the city's police watchdog operates.
Alcohol license overconcentration in North Long Beach
The City Council voted the night before to develop restrictions on smoke shops near schools, senior facilities, and senior buildings; a commenter noted a smoke shop next to the senior center and ongoing drug activity.
Mayor's Fund grant awards for homeless services
The subcommittee decides which community organizations get Mayor's Fund grants to serve people experiencing homelessness. This round, about $30,000 went to two organizations, while meal-focused requests were declined as outside the fund's intent.
Library fence and Olympic-era displacement
The HSAC letter criticizing the fence around the Billie Jean King Main Library is with the city manager's office. Members worry Olympic security zones could shift control to federal authorities and lead to displacement of unhoused residents, and want proactive, community-centered planning.
PFOS and sewer crossbore safety
The Infrastructure Committee report showed no PFOS detections in Long Beach wells to date and reviewed the crossbore inspection program, which finds gas lines accidentally run through sewer laterals — a serious safety risk.
FAIR Act ethics and lobbyist ordinance overhaul
The Office of Ethics and Transparency is advancing the FAIR Act, which would consolidate scattered ethics policies into one ordinance covering all city officials. It returns to City Council next month before drafting.
Citywide ethics framework (FAIR Act)
The Office of Ethics and Transparency is advancing the FAIR Act, which would consolidate scattered ethics policies into one ordinance covering all city officials. It returns to City Council next month before drafting.
West Nile virus surge in Long Beach
Long Beach has 28 human West Nile cases this season — including 21 neuroinvasive — versus just one case all of last year, and September is peak season. The city is mapping cases by zip code, larvaciding, and pushing public notices, with 90803 showing historically higher rates. Residents should dump standing water and protect themselves at dusk.
Street medicine expansion into Long Beach
Dr. Lorenzo Gonzalez of DHS Community Partners announced that LA County's street medicine mobile clinic expanded its transitions-of-care program into Long Beach, offering mobile HIV specialty care to 20–30 people at a time for residents who struggle to access traditional care.
Vandalism and homelessness impacts on beachfront facilities
Crews keep pulling rental e-scooters out of the water, and commissioners are frustrated that companies face no consequences. They want retrieval fees or fines charged to scooter vendors and asked staff to follow up with the mobility program, possibly by spring.
Citywide investigation protocol rebuild
The commission is restarting work on a draft investigation protocol meant to standardize how city staff handle misconduct investigations. A new ad hoc will rebuild it from scratch, incorporating areas of agreement among the City Attorney, City Auditor, and HR.
Alleged forgery and fraud in city department
A city employee told the commission he reported forgery and fraud — signatures copied onto documents — six months ago with no meaningful auditor follow-up, and says a co-worker's similar allegation has also gone unaddressed.
FAIR Act ordinance advocacy
The city's new unified ethics ordinance, the FAIR Act, was introduced to council in November and heads to the Government Operations and Efficiency Committee in February, with public input to follow.
Meet-and-confer timing and union access to layoff information
The IAM union argued it can't bargain meaningfully without the names of impacted employees, which HR will only release after the layoff order is approved. Union reps said the process has caused chaos and panic among members.
Rules for elected officials' social media accounts
The commission finalized recommendations for how elected officials should handle social media accounts and campaign activity, and sent them to the Mayor and City Council. The council could adopt a policy or a full ordinance. The goal is clarity about when officials are speaking officially versus campaigning.
Olympics and World Cup health preparedness
Public speakers warned that landlords are using the upcoming Olympics, World Cup, and Super Bowl to legally evict renters, and that older adults are receiving notices that housing vouchers end in October.
Fire and EMS funding sustainability study
A $200,000 independent third-party study will examine the financial sustainability and governance of Long Beach fire and emergency medical services.
Police Patrol and Investigations Reductions
The committee recommends restoring $932,000 to keep a Quality of Life police sergeant and two officers, bringing the total restored section to six officers and two sergeants.
Fire Department reliance on Measure A funding
Measure A now funds more than $15 million of fire staffing and services, including 45 sworn positions and restored engines and ambulances cut during the Great Recession. Without it, stations would face closures and lost staffing. Call volume has grown from ~49,000 to ~82,000 since 2009.
Outsourcing school crossing guards
The committee decides which school crossings count as 'hazardous' and where the city's limited crossing guards go. A new guard is headed to Burnett & Pacific near Lafayette Elementary, funded by shifting guards away from two crossings that no longer meet the criteria. A signal project at Pacific & Burnett could change things again next year.
Micromobility safety concerns
Commissioner Lemmis raised concerns about e-bikes and scooters running stop signs and signals with little enforcement or training, even as the city's micromobility ridership hits record highs. Staff pointed to the successful beach bike path e-scooter pilot and upcoming safety regulations.
Automated speed enforcement rollout
Long Beach is catching up on a big backlog of traffic calming requests, with 13 of 17 priority locations done and speed cameras coming online this fall. Speed camera revenue — about $5 million a year — will fund a new Traffic Safety Division and $2.5 million in annual calming projects.
Disaster preparedness for older adults
Fire and emergency officials told the commission that older adults are among the most vulnerable in disasters, and that simple steps — a family meeting spot, a go bag, shoes and a flashlight by the bed — can save lives. Residents can sign up for Alert Long Beach for geo-targeted emergency notifications.
Union Pacific rail corridor blight and encampments
District 8 residents described fires, graffiti, overgrown vegetation, and encampments along the Union Pacific tracks behind their homes. The council approved a regional coordination framework with UP and neighboring cities, with a report back in 120 days.
2026 Point in Time Count
Over 300 volunteers turned out for the annual homeless count, with 400 signing up. Anecdotally, the LA Riverbed showed considerably fewer people than last year.
Mayor's Fund pilot hygiene project
The committee wants the Mayor's Fund to spend up to $50,000 over six months on overnight toilet and water access near encampments, with a security officer present. It's a pilot — usage and outcomes will be measured before recommending a permanent program.
Gaps in specialized shelter capacity
The city started its inclement weather shelter at the Multi-Service Center in November, offering 65 beds during heavy rain, and it's been running nearly full during storms.
Slow police internal affairs complaint process
The average Long Beach police internal affairs complaint takes about 11.5 months to close — far longer than comparable cases elsewhere. The oversight office is working with the department to triage cases and redefine how misconduct allegations are classified so residents get answers faster.
Autism inclusion efforts in Long Beach
Pools of Hope proposes a business decal program, a centralized city autism resource page, and a push to make Long Beach one of California's first autism-inclusive cities, targeting 500 participating businesses. The commission created an ad hoc committee to draft a support letter to the mayor and council.