As the City of Long Beach looks towards Phase 2 of the Westside Promise (WSP) Initiative, it has outlined the conquered milestones and future goals of its 10-year community plan for West Long Beach.
On Oct. 23, the City released a progress report for the WSP Initiative, which outlined Phase 1 achievements, community activities for the fall and tangible efforts for Phase 2. This initiative was adopted in 2023 to confront the current and systemic challenges facing West Long Beach.
“We are committed to investing in and growing our city’s assets on the Westside, a concerted effort that takes time and dedication,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “The Westside Promise, in so many ways, will help improve the livability of the area and promote the overall wellbeing of the community. We encourage our community members to get involved and join us at one of our upcoming events.”
The WSP Initiative involves multiple City departments, led by the Long Beach Community Development Department, including Public Works, Health and Human Services and oversight from the City Manager’s Office. Areas of focus and improvement include housing supply, climate resiliency, youth and young adults, tourism and capital improvements to city facilities.
Another goal is to boost economic development in the area through small business assistance and workforce training, as the City looks to invest in West Long Beach through entrepreneurship, grant funding and external partnerships.
For the WSP, the City worked to expand the scope of existing programs in West Long Beach, through the City’s full-time Westside Promise Coordinator, and increase neighborhood outreach and engagement. The outreach coordinator worked to promote programs like first-time-homebuyer, roof grants, neighborhood clean-ups, investments in parks and Community Development Block Grants.
According to a press release from the City, achievements from Phase 1 of the WSP include:
- Hosting the Neighborhood Leadership Program summer workshop series for West Long Beach residents, covering topics such as digital inclusion and resources, financial education and navigating the City planning process.
- Planting 30 trees in empty public tree wells, including 16 trees on Harbor Avenue and 14 trees on West Willow Street, planted within the last six months through the City’s Tree Planting Program.
- Supporting two small businesses in West Long Beach over the past year with $198,000 in loans through the Economic Development Department’s Microenterprise Loan Program.
- Helping six West Long Beach businesses recover from impacts of crime and vandalism through the Economic Development Department’s Visual Improvement Program.
- Enhancing recreational opportunities and improved ADA accessibility for Admiral Kidd Park patrons by completing new playground equipment and complementary enhancements, completed in August 2023.
- Awarding grants to eight West Long Beach property owners under the Home Improvement Roof Grant Program in the Fiscal Year 2023-24, which offers residents up to $20,000 in grant funding for replacing their home roofs. (A total of 56 grants have been awarded citywide.)
- Providing one small business in West Long Beach with a $10,000 grant to help grow their business through the Economic Development Department’s Level Up LB: Extreme Small Business Makeover and Grant Program.
The City is planning for a handful of community engagement activities in West Long Beach over the ensuing months to get more residents involved in the initiative. Past events have included tabling at neighborhood parks, businesses and schools and hosting a housing resource fair.
The next WSP event will be the Westside Promise Day of Activation, on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at Silverado Park (1545 W. 31st St.). The intention of the Day of Activation is to bring together various community businesses, philanthropic partners and City departments with West Long Beach residents to discuss local resources, chances for resident feedback on WSP and volunteer opportunities.
“The Westside Promise is a commitment to our West Long Beach community. It is a journey towards creating impactful change that will last for generations. Engaging with our community and keeping our community informed of our progress is an invaluable part of that success,” said Seventh District Councilmember Roberto Uranga in a public statement.
To learn more about the Westside Promise Initiative, visit longbeach.gov/wsp or call the Housing and Neighborhood Services Bureau at 562-570-6949. The WSP Initiative website will stay up-to-date with various pieces of community information, milestone updates and impact statuses related to the 10-year project.