Long Beach officials presented the proposed fiscal year budget for 2024 on Tuesday, Aug. 1 and broke down how the City is planning to spend the $16 million general fund.
The City has a $3.2 billion budget overall, and most of this has been allocated across the 24 various departments such as police, fire and health. The remaining funds are slated for the City’s main priorities, which include staffing, economic development, environmental efforts, housing and homelessness needs, youth development and more.
Residents still have time to advocate for how they want City funds to be spent through four in-person and two virtual meetings.
In-person meetings will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the following dates and locations:
- Wednesday, Aug. 9 at Recreation Park Community Center (4900 E. 7th St.)
- Monday, Aug. 14 at Cabrillo High School, Small Gymnasium (2198 Monitor Ave.)
- Thursday, Aug. 17 at Mark Twain Library Community Room (1401 E. Anaheim St.)
- Monday, Aug. 21 at Jordan High School, Community Room #2101 (6500 Atlantic Ave.)
Virtual meetings will be held on Aug. 24 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Residents must complete the online registration in order to receive the Zoom link. Interpretation services are available in Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog by calling (562) 570-6465 at least 72 hours ahead of meetings.
Housing and homelessness
Mayor Rex Richardson’s first move after beginning his term in January was declaring a local state of emergency due to the rapidly rising number of people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach.
Since then, the City Council has voted to extend the state of emergency bi-weekly and has approved a slew of measures, programs and housing developments. The 2024 proposed budget will continue this trajectory, with $60 million going toward interim housing and $12 million going toward services and programs.
Richardson said the funding is meant to help the City “prepare for a gradual transition out of the local state of emergency.”
Funding towards housing and homelessness include:
- $550,000 in one-time funds for site costs and upkeep of the recently acquired year-round homeless shelter on 702 W. Anaheim St.
- $1 million for the Tenant’s Right to Counsel program which provides free legal representation for low-income residents.
- $300,000 to clean up homeless encampments
- $750,000 for a new Resident Protection Fund
- $200,000 for an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) pilot program that will offer pre-fabricated ADUs to homeowners willing to rent to people with housing vouchers.
- $150,000 for a van for shuttle services for the Homeless Services Bureau.
- $60,000 for operating costs of a shower/restroom trailer for people experiencing homelessness for a portion of the year.
Public Safety
Long Beach plans to invest in more services for the police and fire departments, as well as ambulances and areas in the city prone to speeding.
The City is also renewing the $1 million Justice Fund that residents advocated for last year, which provides legal representation to immigrants in order to protect themselves from deportation.
- $1.3 million for a Safety Response Unit to study trends in crime
- $300,000 for Vision Zero speeding reduction pilot program
- $164,973 in Measure A funds to hire a jail clinician
- $500,000 for a Fire Department staffing reserve fund
- $900,000 in Measure A funds for Fire Engine 17
- $244,179 in Measure A funds to hire two additional police dispatchers
- $500,000 to reenvision the Community Police Academy and new Public Safety Youth Leadership Academy.
- $400,000 to add security cameras to “high priority parks”
Environmental efforts & transitioning away from oil
Long Beach has a goal to reach zero-net carbon dioxide emissions by 2045, as laid out in its Climate Action Plan. The City has also touted its Grow Long Beach initiative, which is meant to find funding sources that will help the city move away from its reliance on oil.
The City Council has considered cannabis revenue as a feasible funding replacement since the sector contributed more to Long Beach’s economy than oil in 2022, but more on that later.
Long Beach’s environmental plans include:
- $250,000 toward the Grow Long Beach initiative
- $100,000 for a transition to renewable energy for all City accounts
- $7.5 million in tree planting and maintenance, stormwater capture and watershed improvements
- $17 million in park and open space improvements.
Economic Development & Tourism
In order to increase tourism and revenue, Long Beach is planning to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Downtown area as well as invest in local businesses.
The city is also preparing to host events during the 2028 Olympics, furthering the City Council’s desire to beautify neighborhoods and business corridors.
- $1.98 million to decrease taxes for cannabis businesses by 1-3%, depending on the business’ employment practices and community benefits.
- $200,000 for a downtown advertising district
- $300,000 for revenue generation and a consultant to study the city’s revenues
- $500,000 for the Visit Long Beach campaign
- $125,000 for parades such as the Cambodia Town parade, Martin Luther King Jr. parade, Veterans Day parade, Daisy Lane parade and more.
- $265,227 for community program specialist for the Cannabis Equity program
Staffing
City Manager Tom Modica said the largest challenge Long Beach faces “from an organizational perspective is recruitment and retention.” The city employee vacancy rate is at 22%, and the City plans to spend millions on recruitment and retention incentives.
Areas of focus for staffing include police, firefighters, ambulance workers and library workers.
- $1 million for a police recruitment program that covers childcare and housing expenses during the first two years of employment.
- Over $1 million for 12.5 positions in the library services department in order to increase library hours across the city.
- $200,619 for staff for the sidewalk vendor program
