COVID-19 is affecting city service operations in Long Beach, here’s what will be impacted

The City is issuing the following updates and temporary modifications to City service operations, and are effective immediately:

• The 34th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade and Celebration scheduled for Jan. 15 has been postponed with no alternative date determined yet.
• The 2022 Homeless Point in Time Count originally scheduled for January is being postponed to late February. More information on the new date will be provided once it becomes available, the City said.
• In-person programming at all Long Beach Public Library locations has been suspended temporarily. Drop-in services and access to libraries continue. Library patrons are encouraged to utilize the Library’s vast collection of digital resources, including the Library catalog, downloads, and databases, available 24/7.
• City outreach meetings will go virtual. Upcoming community budget meetings for the fiscal year 2023 City budget, which were originally slated to take place in-person on multiple dates in January, will be postponed and rescheduled for virtual sessions. More information will be available soon, the City said.
• Long Beach City Council and City Commission meetings will go virtual starting on Jan. 18.
• The Permit Center, on the 2nd Floor of City Hall, will continue to admit permit applicants by appointment only. According to the City, The Center is assessing the impact of the COVID-19 surge and will adjust its operations as needed over the next several weeks.
• Long Beach Animal Care Services is open by appointment only Wednesday through Sunday. To make an appointment to adopt or foster a pet, people can email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or call (562) 570-4925.
  
• City Hall and major facilities will continue serving most customers virtually or by appointment only.

Impact on City services

The City said in a statement that during this surge additional City services may also be affected, noting that the City is experiencing high cases among City workers in some of its departments including fire, police and library services.

The City said staffing impacts as a result of isolation or quarantine protocols may result in modified operations or potential delays in service times. 

Departments that are expected to see impacts in the next few weeks include Holiday Tree Recycling pickup, street sweeping and enforcement, gas meter turn on, homeless service response, code enforcement, building inspection, delays in trash pickup and other high-demand services given the number of affected staff and the possibility of additional positive cases.

More details regarding further impacts to City operations that can result in substantial public-facing impacts will be issued as they become available, the City said.

Despite significant staffing challenges, emergency response times for police and fire have not seen delays, the City said, noting there is fewer available daily staffing and high levels of both isolated and quarantined staff. Staffing will continue to be monitored and managed.

City Hall continues to remain closed to the public, but the community is encouraged to use online resources available on the City’s website at longbeach.gov, and bill payment options available through the Financial Services website.