CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
SACRAMENTO, CA
June 21, 2023
Travel
• Depart: Wednesday, June 21st
o Flight: Southwest Airlines 1703—9:55 a.m. departure from LGB to SMF • Return: Wednesday, June 21st
o Flight: Southwest Airlines 4879—7:45 p.m. departure from SMF to LGB
Run of Show
• 11:15-11:45 a.m.—Arrival at SMF, Travel to Arc Strategies
• 12:00-12:30 p.m.—Lunch
• 12:30-1:00 p.m.—Meeting with Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
• 1:00-1:30 p.m.—Meeting with State Lands Commission
• 2:45-3:15 p.m.—Meeting with Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal
• 3:15-3:30 p.m.—Walk to Swing Space (1021 O Street)
• 3:30-4:00 p.m.—Meeting with Governor’s Office
• 4:00-4:15 p.m.—Meeting with Assemblymember Mike Gipson
• 4:30-5:00 p.m.—Meeting with Senator Lena Gonzalez
• 5:00-5:30 p.m.—Meeting with Senator Scott Wiener
City Attendees
• Mayor Rex Richardson
• Vice Mayor Cindy Allen, Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee • Councilmember Roberto Uranga, Chair of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee • Councilmember Megan Kerr, Member of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee • Paul Barragan-Monge, Policy Director, Mayor Rex Richardson’s Office • Sean Bernhoft, Chief of Staff, Councilmember Roberto Uranga’s Offic e • Robert Allarte, Chief of Staff, Councilmember Megan Kerr’s Office • Rahul Sen, Acting Chief of Staff, Vice Mayor Cindy Allen’s Office • Tyler Bonanno-Curley, Acting Deputy City Manager, City Manager’s Office
Location: Arc
Strategies (1121 L
Street, Suite 408)
Location: Swing
Space (1021 O
Street)
MEETING W/ ASSEMBLYMEMBER BUFFY WICKS
MEETING BRIEFING
MEETING DETAILS
Wednesday, June 21 st—12:30-1:00 p.m.
Location: Arc Strategies (1121 L Street, Suite 408)
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
Chair, Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks represents the East Bay in the California State Assembly. As Chair of the Assembly Housing Committee, Wicks aims to tackle the inadequate housing supply at all income levels across California, encourage the creation of an ongoing funding source for affordable housing, and address the disproportionate burden of the housing affordability crisis on women and people of color. In her first year as Housing Chair, she championed AB 2011 as a critical solution to one of the biggest housing challenges facing Califor nia, accelerating housing production for all while ensuring a strong, well -paid workforce is ready and available to build that housing.
Key Items for Discussion
• AB 1657 (Wicks): A proposal to put a $10B bond measure on the ballot to support State affordable housing development grant programs
• Housing: The City has built 5,700 affordable and special needs housing units built in the last five years, and $3.8B in housing investments and development o The City’s Housing Element certified and received Comprehensive Plan Award of Excellence from the American Planning Association
• Homelessness: On January 10, 2023, the Long Beach City Council proclaimed a state of emergency for homelessness in Long Beach
o Findings of the 2023 Homeless Point in Time Count reveal that Long Beach identified 3,447 people experiencing homelessness in January 2023, which represents a 4.6% increase from last year
ASKS:
• Additional State resources to advance the development of affordable housing (Wicks is likely to ask for the City’s support of AB 1657 ) • Expand state efforts to incentivize and produce affordable housing and shelter in the Gateway Cities region—advancing a regional approach in areas that have not built sufficient housing
• Make distribution of State homeless funding more equitable through the Homeless, Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Program
MEETING W/ ASSEMBLYMEMBER BUFFY WICKS
MEETING BRIEFING
MEETING DETAILS
Wednesday, June 21 st—1:00-1:30 p.m.
Location: Arc Strategies (1121 L Street, Suite 408)
Jennifer Lucchesi
Executive Officer, State Lands Commission
Jennifer Lucchesi, Executive Officer of the State Lands Commission, has worked for the Commission since November 1999. The Commission appointed Jennifer as its Executive Officer in December 2012. Jennifer graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Jennifer began her career at the Commission as a land agent in the Land Management Division, prim arily working with ports and harbor districts on waterfront redevelopment efforts. While working in the Land Management Division, Jennifer attended evening classes at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. Jennifer began her legal career a t the Commission in 2006 after earning her Juris Doctor from the McGeorge School of Law.
Key Items for Discussion
• Long Beach is a leader in preparing for climate change and has established an Office of Climate Action in the City Manager’s Office to manage implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan
• Top priority climate action projects include facility resilience to ensure City and public facilities are resilient to climate change impacts, as well as funding for key emissions reductions includi ng the transition away from oil production and reliance on combustion vehicles
• Grow Long Beach is a strategy to increase local revenues and catalyze economic growth to prepare for the transition from fossil fuel production • State investment in oil well abandonment in the Tidelands. The State needs to save another $6 40 million to meet their abandonment liability, and the City has to save around $70 million.
ASK:
• State resources for the City to help cover abandonment costs to support the transition from fossil fuel production and additional revenue streams for the Grow Long Beach framework
MEETING W/ ASSEMBLYMEMBER JOSH LOWENTHAL
MEETING BRIEFING
MEETING DETAILS
Wednesday, June 21 st—2:45-3:15 p.m.
Location: Arc Strategies (1121 L Street, Suite 408)
Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal
Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 to represent the 69th Assembly District.
Assemblymember Lowenthal worked as an entrepreneur and business owner with a long, successful record of accomplishment in tech and telecom startups.Growing up and working in Long Beach, Josh committed himself to improve the community we live in by working to alleviate homelessness, help at-risk children, and create good, 21st-century jobs. Assemblymember Lowenthal serves on the following Standing Committees: Appropriations, Business and Professions, Privacy and Consumer Protection, and Transportation.
Key Items for Discussion
• Sponsored Legislation: AB 1046 (Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act) • Grow Long Beach is a strategy to increase local revenues and catalyze economic growth to prepare for the transition from fossil fuel production • Housing: The City’s Housing Element certified and received Comprehensive Plan Award of Excellence from the American Planning Association
ASKS:
• Grow Long Beach: State support to identify new revenues and resources to transition to new growth economies
• Homelessness Emergency : Advocate for making distribution of state homeless funding more equitable for Long Beach through sources like the Homeless H ousing, Assistance, and Prevention program
• Mental Health: Advocate for a pathway for cities with their own health departments to access direct allocations of future MHSA funding and expand County resources
MEETING W/ GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
MEETING BRIEFING
MEETING DETAILS
Wednesday, June 21 st—3:30-4:00 p.m.
Location: 1021 O Street, 9th Floor
Lauren Sanchez
Senior Advisor for Climate
Sanchez has served as Senior Advisor for the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate in the Biden -Harris Administration since 2021. She was Deputy Secretary for Climate Policy and Intergovernmental Relations at the California Environmental Protection Agency from 2019 to 2021 and International Policy Director at the California Air Resources Board from 2018 to 2019.
Grant Mack
Director, Office of Governmental Affairs, CPUC
Mack served as Acting Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs since 2021 and Senior Legislative Consultant since 2016. Mack held multiple positions at the California Energy Commission from 2011 to 2019, including Chief Policy Advisor to Chair Robert Wei senmiller, Energy Policy Advisor and Executive Fellow.
Key Items for Discussion
• Long Beach is a leader in preparing for climate change and has established an Office of Climate Action in the City Manager’s Office to manage implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan
• Top priority climate action projects include facility resilience to ensure City and public facilities are resilient to climate change impacts, as well as funding for key emissions reductions including the transition away from oil production and reliance on combustion vehicles
• Grow Long Beach is a strategy to increase local revenues and catalyze economic growth to prepare for the transition from fossil fuel production • Revenue impacts of SB 1137—the total negative financial impact of SB 1137 on the City over just the first five years is estimat ed at $122 million • State abandonment liability: $940 million (the State has currently saved $300 million); Long Beach’s share is $154 million (the City has currently saved $70 million)
ASK:
• State resources for the City to help cover abandonment costs to s upport the transition from fossil fuel production and additional revenue streams for the Grow Long Beach framework
MEETING W/ ASSEMBLYMEMBER MIKE GIPSON
MEETING BRIEFING
MEETING DETAILS
Wednesday, June 21 st—4:00-4:15 p.m.
Location: 1021 O Street, Room 8110
Assemblymember Mike Gipson
Assemblymember Gipson served as Mayor Pro Tempore in the City of Carson for nearly a decade, before running for the California State Assembly in 2014. Assemblymember Gipson represents the new 65th Assembly D istrict which includes Watts, Willowbrook, Compton, Carson, North Long Beach, Harbor Gateway North & South, Harbor City, Wilmington, and San Pedro. Assemblymember Gipson Chairs the Select Committees on Police Reform, Infectious Diseases; and is a member of the Select Committees on Domestic Violence, Foster Care, Gasoline Supply, Social Housing, Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship, and Ports. Assemblymember Gipson is also an active member of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Key Items for Discussion
• Legislative Priorities: Supported AB 21
o This proposal would require the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to revise their field training program to include instruction on how to effectively interact with persons with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia • Grow Long Beach is a strategy to increase local revenues and catalyze economic growth to prepare for the transition from fossil fuel production • Housing: The City’s Housing Element certified and received Comprehensive Plan Award of Excellence from the American Planning Association
ASKS:
• Grow Long Beach: State support to identify new revenues and resources to transition to new growth economies
• Homelessness Emergency: Advocate for making distribution of state homeless funding more equitable for Long Beach through sources like the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program
• Mental Health: Advocate for a pathway for cities with their own health departments to access direct allocations of future MHSA funding and expand County resources
MEETING W/ SENATOR SCOTT WIENER
MEETING BRIEFING
MEETING DETAILS
Wednesday, June 21 st—4:30-5:00 p.m.
Location: 1021 O Street, Room 7720
Senator Lena Gonzalez
Senator Lena A. Gonzalez was first elected to the State Senate to represent the 33rd District in a special election in June of 2019 and was subsequently re-elected in the November 3, 2020 general election for her first full 4-year term. As State Senator, she represents nearly 1 million residents in Southeast Los Angeles, Signal Hill, portions of South L os Angeles, Lakewood, and her hometown of Long Beach. Senator Gonzalez serves as the Chair of the Transportation Committee and is a member on the following Standing Committees: Energy, Utilities and Communications; Environmental Quality; and Health.
Key Items for Discussion
• Sponsored Legislation: SB 498
o This proposal would strengthen the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s administrative review process for retail licenses by expanding their authority to increase administrative fines for violations • Grow Long Beach is a strategy to increase local revenues and catalyze economic growth to prepare for the transition from fossil fuel production • Housing: The City’s Housing Element certified and received Comprehensive Plan Award of Excellence from the American Planning Association
ASKS:
• Grow Long Beach: State support to identify new revenues and resources to transition to new growth economies
• State resources for the City to help cover abandonment costs to support the transition from fossil fuel production ($640 million for the State and $70 million for the City)
• Homelessness Emergency: Advocate for making distribution of state homeless funding more equitable for Long Beac h through sources like the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program
• Mental Health: Advocate for a pathway for cities with their own health departments to access direct allocations of future MHSA funding and expand County resources
MEETING W/ SENATOR SCOTT WIENER
MEETING BRIEFING
MEETING DETAILS
Wednesday, June 21 st—5:00-5:30 p.m.
Location: 1021 O Street, Room 8620
Senator Scott Wiener
Chair, Senate Committee on Housing
Senator Wiener works to make housing more abundant and affordable, invest in our transportation systems, increase access to healthcare, meaningfully address climate change, reform our criminal justice system, reduce gun violence and poverty, and safeguard and expand the rights of all communities. Among Senator Wiener’s bills are SB 35, a law to expedite housing permits, which has resulted in thousands of new affordable homes in San Francisco; SB 10, which provides a powerful tool for local governments to zone for more housing more quickly; SB 886, which streamlines and accelerates student housing production across the state
Key Items for Discussion
• Senator Wiener has been particularly interested in addressing the issue of housing development and this year is pushing for CEQA reform related to student housing o Discuss the proposed Long Beach Housing Promise program and alignment with the State’s interest in additional student housing
• Housing: The City has built 5,700 affordable and special needs housing units built in the last five years, and $3.8B in housing investments and development o The City’s Housing Element certified and received Comprehensive Plan Award of Excellence from the American Planning Association
• Homelessness: On January 10, 2023, the Long Beach City Council proclaimed a state of emergency for homelessness in Long Beach
o Findings of the 2023 Homeless Point in Time Count re veal that Long Beach identified 3,447 people experiencing homelessness in January 2023, which represents a 4.6% increase from last year
ASKS:
• Additional State resources to advance the development of affordable housing • Expand state efforts to incentivize and produce affordable housing and shelter in the Gateway Cities region—advancing a regional approach in areas that have not built sufficient housing
• Make distribution of State homeless funding more equitable through the Homeless, Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Program
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
Background Info: Grow Long Beach Initiative
Grow Long Beach Initiative
• On March 7, 2023, City Council approved the Grow Long Beach Initiative, a strategy to increase local revenues and catalyze economic growth to prepare for the transition from fossil fuel production
• The Grow Long Beach Initiative asks the City Manager to work with the Economic Development Department to develop targeted strategies, policies, and benchmarks to propel the growth of five key industries, including:
o Aerospace and aviation (Space Beach)
o Ports and supply chain
o Entertainment and hospitality (arts, culture, tourism, restaurants) o Healthcare and hospitals
o Education
• To implement the Grow Long Beach Initiative, the Long Beach City Council revamped the structure of its committees by creating the Arts, Culture, and Tourism Committee and the Economic Development and Opportunity Committee, appointed a deputy mayor of economic development, and kicked off the “Launch Beach” initiative to recruit 100 startups in the next five years, aligned with the five key industries mentioned above • The Grow Long Beach Initiative also requests the City Manager to work with the Financial Management Department to identify a menu of alternative revenue generating strategies and opportunities to offset projected reductions in oil revenues and its associated impacts over the next decade and grow the City of Long Beach’s revenues in the short, medium, and long term, and refer to the Budget Oversight Committee for input and discussion
Oil Revenues & Oil Well Abandonment Costs
• Long Beach’s oil revenues is projected to decline 9-10% each year until 2035 • This presents a significant challenge to the city’s fiscal outlook, as nearly $12 million of existing General Fund city services are funded directly by revenues tied to the production of oil, including the Fire Department; Police Department; Office of Youth Development; and implementation of the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan • Because the City must set aside a portion of each year’s revenue to cover eventual abatement costs associated with closing down oil wells, the revenue available for city services will actually decline faster than the total revenue, at closer to 20-25% each year, on average, although this can vary year-to-year due to the fluctuation of oil prices. • The total cost to abandon, eventually, the City’s oil wells is currently estimated at $1.2 billion • Long Beach’s share to fully fund its own oil well abandonment liability is $154 million (the City currently has $70 million set aside)
• The State’s share to fully fund its own oil well abandonment liability is currently estimated at $939.7 million (the State currently has $300 million)
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
Revenue Implications of SB 1137
• Long Beach plans to halt its oil production by 2035—10 years ahead of the state’s goal of 2045 • Recently enacted SB 1137 (Gonzalez) establishes a 3,200-foot health and safety zone around new and reworked existing oil wells and prohibits drilling of new wells and improvements to existing wells within that radius
• SB 1137 presents major fiscal challenges for the City’s efforts to fund oil well abandonment, as well as critical local programs and projects in the Tidelands • The Energy Resources Department and the State’s Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) estimate that the legislation’s required 1.15-square-mile health and safety setbacks will apply to about half of the City’s oil wells, and accelerate the elimination of oil production before the previously projected year
• The total negative financial impact of SB 1137 on the City over just the first five years is estimated at $122 million
• More than 623,000 valid signatures were gathered to put a referendum on the Nov. 5, 2024, ballot, allowing voters to weigh in on whether to approve or reject SB 1137 • The challenge means the law, which took effect in January, will be on hold until after voters decide
• Long Beach is committed to identifying alternative revenue streams to prepare for the transition from fossil fuel production
Ask
• Additional state resources for cities to help cover abandonment costs to support the transition from fossil fuel production
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
Background Info: AB 40 (Rodriguez)
AB 40 (Rodriguez) – Ambulance Patient Offload Time
• AB 40 would require that every local emergency medical services agency develop a standard for ambulance patient offload time not to exceed 30 minutes, 90% of the time • Additionally, AB 40 would also require hospitals to develop, file, and annually update ambulance patient offload time reduction protocols
• Ambulance patient offload time is the interval between the arrival of an ambulance patient at an Emergency Department (ED) and the time the patient is transferred to the ED gurney, bed, chair or other acceptable location and the hospital assumes the responsibility for care of the patient • According to a 2020 Emergency Medical Services Authority report, roughly 70,000 Californians wait over an hour on an ambulance gurney once they arrive at the hospital before their care is assumed by the emergency department staff and they are moved to an emergency bed • Reducing ambulance patient offload time is an effort to enhance care for patients and community members who need to use the Emergency Medical Services system
Long Beach Context
• Over the past six months, the Long Beach Fire Department Advanced Life Support units have completed 8,100 patient transports, roughly averaging between 1,200 to 1,400 patients per month
• The Long Beach Fire Department Basic Life Support units have completed 5,138 patient transports, roughly averaging between 800 to 900 patient transports per month • Nearly 35 percent of these patient transports have yielded an ambulance patient offload time of greater than 45 minutes, requiring Ambulance Operators to remain at medical emerg ency departments while waiting for the patient to transfer from LBFD care to the receiving medical emergency department
• These wait times have detrimental impacts on public safety when units are not available to respond to other emergency calls, creating a backlog, delaying response times, and increasing dependence on mutual aid
Ask
• Support AB 40 (Rodriguez), which will ensure that emergency response personnel return to the field in a timely manner and are available to respond to the next call
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
Background Info: Housing & Homelessness
Declaration of the Emergency
• On January 10, 2023, the Long Beach City Council proclaimed a state of emergency for homelessness in Long Beach
• The City has established an Incident Command structure, led jointly by th e Health Department and Public Works Department, and comprised of various work groups consisting of more than 100 City staff across departments to take on the various aspects of homelessness emergency response • The mission of the emergency is to reduce the number of persons experiencing homelessness in the City and the region by increasing housing opportunities and by enhancing current initiatives that provide field-based outreach, engagement, and supportive services while maintaining the safety and security of the people experiencing homelessness, the general public and staff, and improving overall public safety for the entire community • The declaration allows the City to move more quickly in approving contracts and projects related to homelessness
• The declaration allows the City to move city employees into different roles to help Long Beach’s efforts to combat homelessness
• The City has initiated conversations with the City’s legislative delegations and sent letters to county, state and federal leaders regarding Long Beach’s priorities related to the emergency on homelessness
2023 Point in Time Count
• Findings of the 2023 Homeless Point in Time Count reveal that Long Beach identified 3,447 people experiencing homelessness in January 2023, which represents a 4.6% increase from last year • In comparison to the 2022 Count, the number of people experiencing first -time homelessness increased by 18%, from 1,549 to 1,827
• The largest percentage of those surveyed identified as Latinx (35.2%), followed by Black (32.4%) and white (23.1%)
• Findings of the 2023 Homeless Point in Time Count revealed that the number of students experiencing homelessness increased from 4.9% to 7.4%
• Findings of the 2023 Homeless Point in Time Count revealed that the number of LGBTQ+ folks increased from 10.7% to 11.2%
• In comparison to the 2022 Count, the number of females experiencing homelessness increased from 928 to 1,162
Homelessness in the Gateway Cities Region
• 8 Gateway Cities joined together to invest in reserving 40 shelter beds in Bell • Nearly 2,300 (or 85%) of all people experiencing homelessness in SPA 7 cities are unsheltered • There are several Gateway Cities that have underutilized the emergency housing vouchers through their Housing Authorities
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
Accomplishments
• Launched a data das hboard to improve transparency and information sharing about the City’s response efforts
• Opened a safe overnight parking lot and an RV sanitation and water filling site for people living in vehicles
• The City is working to acquire a permanent emergency shel ter with support from the County, which will provide roughly 100 beds and will no longer require emergency action each year • Deployed a Mobile Access Center in key areas of the City connecting nearly 500 people to services • Since the emergency declaration, w e have enrolled nearly 200 people in permanent housing program and nearly 1,000 people in interim housing programs • The City has expanded shelter capacity by more than 250 additional temporary shelter and interim units
o 85+ bed emergency shelter
o Project Homekey funding: 78 -unit Luxury Inn, 30+ modular units at the Multi -Service Center, 60 additional temporary overnight beds at the MSC, spaces at the overnight parking site
Prevention Policy Opportunities
Affordable Housing
• 5,700 affordable and special needs housing units built in the last five years, and $3.8B in housing investments and development
• Between 2017 and 2022, the City facilitated the construction of 593 new affordable units, preserved 96 units, and rehabilitated 66 units
• Provided $65M in Emergency Rental Assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic • Enhanced Density Bonus Ordinance and Inclusionary Housing Policy passed to expand access to affordable housing
• One in every two affordable units built in the Gateway Cities region has been built in Long Beach, while our City represents less than one-quarter of the region’s population
Long Beach Housing Promise
• Given the increase in students experiencing homelessness, the City is strengthening strategic partnerships with educational institutions to support housing production and add to Long Beach’s housing stock for students, families, and teachers and education staff —through the program known as the Long Beach Housing Promise
Interim Housing
• Atlantic Bridge Facility: In October 2020, the City u nveiled the Atlantic Farms Bridge Housing Community, a year -round supportive facility with room for 125 people experiencing homelessness, made possible by $8 million in State Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funding and over $3 million in Los Angeles County Measure H funding • Temporary Emergency Shelter: In April 2023, the City opened a temporary emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness, which holds more than 85 beds and offers a variety of onsite amenities and access to services
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
• Villages at Cabrillo: Century Villages at Cabrillo is a residential community whose mission is to break the cycle of homelessness and encourage self-sufficiency, dignity, and the highest human potential for residents. More than 1,600 people call Villages at Cabrill o home, including 696 veterans
HHAP Funding
• Long Beach has been a strong advocate for ongoing funding to address homelessness through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program • The FY 23-24 Budget proposal includes another $1 billion for HHAP • Long Beach is dedicated to utilizing HHAP funds to continue building out critically needed infrastructure to address unsheltered homelessness, such as expanding outreach, bridge housing and emergency shelter supports, and more
• Cities have collectively funded through HHAP, nearly 16,000 shelter and interim housing beds, served over 121,000 people and placed nearly 20,000 people into housing or shelter from the streets
• The big 13 cities have set a statewide goal to reduce unsheltered homelessness by 16% and increase exits to housing by 16% through accountability plans, with a target of housing over 34,000 people a year
• Funding in the HHAP large cities category is fundamentally inequitable to cities that have their own continuum of care—Long Beach and San Francisco
• Because Long Beach is both a large city and has its own CoC, we receive significantly less large city HHAP funding than others
• For the HHAP Round 4 large city category, some cities will receive well over $5,000 per person experiencing homelessness
o With the recent inclusion of Irvine in the large cities category, the City of Irvine receives $84,882.59 in funding per person experiencing homelessness, despite only having 60 people experiencing homelessness based on the 2022 point-in-time count • Long Beach only receives $2,672.06 in funding per person experiencing homelessness, while the median per city funding across the large cities is $4,125.74 per person experiencing homelessness
Asks
• Make distribution of state homeless funding more equitable for Long Beach through sources like the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program • Expand state efforts to incentivize and produce affordable housing and shelter in the Gateway Cities region
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
Background Info: Mental Health
Mental Health in Long Beach
• The 2023 point in time count revealed an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness with serious mental health conditions
• Of the 3,447 people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, 31.8 percent reported being affected by substance misuse, and 34.7 percent by a serious mental illness • Between 2018 and 2020, about 15.8 percent of Long Beach residents 18 years and over reported not having good mental health for 14 days or more, with ZIP Code 90813 having the highest rate of reporting this issue
• Currently, the administration and location of mental health and substance use services falls within Los Angeles County’s jurisdiction, rather than the City’s Health & Human Services Department (DHHS), creating disconnected systems of care for those needing mental health services • We have consistently asked the County to increase resources and access to mental health resources locally, but we have not seen significant movement in this direction
Localizing Mental Health Services
• Given the lack of local mental health resources, in 2021 the City began the process to research options to bring more localization of mental health resources • On November 9, 2021, the Long Beach City Council directed the City Manager to work with the Long Beach Health & Human Services Department (DHHS) and local mental health providers to explore the feasibility of establishing a more robust infrastructure for mental health services in collaboration with the County of Los Angeles
• In response to this directive, the DHHS began convening a Mental Health Advisory Group in May of 2022, and hosted meetings to obtain input regarding the strengths and challenges of the mental health system, focusing on the following populations of concern: children and youth in schools, adults living with depression and anxiety, people experiencing homelessness, and those in crisis
• Between May 2022 and February 2023, the DHHS convened and facilitated a planning process intended to develop recommendations for a more robust mental health system in Long Beach • One recommendation includes identifying and supporting legislation to provide funding for the coordination of local mental health system efforts
Mental Health Services Act
• Gov. Newsom is proposing a 2024 ballot initiative to improve how California treats mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness
• Gov. Newsom is interested in modernizing the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) to require at least $1 billion every year for behavioral health housing and care • Current MHSA rules don’t allow funds to be used to meet the housing needs for people with serious behavioral issues
• The MHSA funds 30% of the mental health system, but it’s never undergone reform in the 20 years since voters passed it
• Modernizing the MHSA presents a unique opportunity to re -envision how the state funds California’s behavioral health system
CITY OF LONG BEACH ADVOCACY TRIP
MEETING BRIEFING NOTES
June 21, 2023
• Current MHSA rules do not provide direct resources to local city health jurisdictions despite the overwhelming need for mental health services for large cities like Long Beach • The City of Long Beach is committed to working with the Governor to revise the MHSA to allow for the provision of direct resources to local city hea lth jurisdictions and large cities for mental health services
Long Beach’s Priorities for MHSA Funding
• Funding for a service coordination hub – staffing, technology, facility • Funding neighborhood based mental health clinicians – located in existing city or CBO facilities where people already go. Not based on insurance so not needing to bill. Direct funding of clinicians
• Funding technology supports for data sharing and system access, including virtual treatment • Funding people who can do the assessments in locations around the City to increase understanding of need and connection to services
• Funding for facilities to offer to residential/crisis service providers for treatment • Funding for crisis response teams
Asks
• Expand local mental and behavioral health resources in Long Beach, including access to funding and services
• Include a pathway for cities with their own health departments to access direct allocations of future MHSA funding