The Latino-serving nonprofit Centro CHA will temporarily place roots at both the Jenny Oropeza Community Center at Cesar E. Chavez Park and the Long Beach Senior Center after unanimous approval by the Long Beach City Council Tuesday.
“This truly, really solidifies and advances—you know, what we’re all saying in our community—to promote and expand public benefits for our community members,” Centro CHA Executive Director Jessica Quintana said.
The move comes just one week after the council heard a presentation on the future Latino Cultural Center, of which Centro CHA will be the main partner.
Centro CHA will occupy Room 112 at the Jenny Oropeza Community Center, which was previously an “underutilized corner of that facility,” according to Parks, Recreation and Marine Director Brent Dennis. He noted that the nonprofit already uses the community center as a “home base” for many of its programs.
“Long term, the purpose of that is once the Latino Cultural Center [site] is identified, that a more permanent home would be located in that facility,” Dennis said.
The nonprofit will remain at the community center for five years with the option to renew for two additional five-year periods, at the discretion of the city manager.
Centro CHA is currently awaiting the completion of its headquarters on Atlantic Avenue, which Dennis projected will be completed within the next 12 to 18 months.
“For our residents, they really thrive off of being able to have Centro CHA so close to them,” said Councilmember Mary Zendejas.
The nonprofit will also occupy the Long Beach Senior Center (Suite 104A, B, D, C and E) after former tenant Partners of Parks relocated to the Parks, Recreation and Marine Administrative Building in El Dorado Park. They will remain in the Long Beach Senior Center for two years, with the option to renew for an additional one-year period.
“We have an infrastructure that has brought many, many much-needed services to the community and bringing millions of dollars to the City of Long Beach,” Quintana said.
She noted that the organization will provide immigration and legal services as well as business development and workforce training.
“I really thank Centro CHA, [for] all the amazing work that you do, and that you provide for communities,” Zendejas said. “Especially for our communities that are hard to reach, especially for those communities that are the most in need.”
