LB Plan To Recover

LONG BEACH — On March 8, the City of Long Beach presented its $207 million Long Beach Recovery Act – a plan to bolster the economy, keep the community healthy and safe – and to secure the city’s future. If you missed it, please check it out on YouTube here.

A year ago this week, Long Beach experienced our first three cases of COVID-19 and just days later, business, education, events and peoples entire way of life came to a halt. Mayor Garcia noted the last 12 months have been difficult, but with the city’s vaccination program going well, its challenge now is to build back better than ever before.

Thanks to the support of the White House and state and county partners, Long Beach has developed a bold and aggressive recovery plan. You can view a digital version of Mayor Garcia’s presentation here, but below highlights some key areas.

Economic Recovery: $51 million will go immediately into the hardest-hit areas of our community.

$13 million for testing and contact tracing for businesses and workers

$5 million to restaurants, breweries and bars

$5 million for personal services and fitness centers

$4 million to nonprofits and arts organizations

$3.5 million for fee waivers for business and nonprofits

$2 million to business improvement districts

$1.25 million for tourism

$8 million to digital and economic inclusion

$2.5 million for economic empowerment zones

$2.5 million in small business development

$2 million towards closing the digital divide

$1 million for youth workforce development

$5 million for our Clean Long Beach Initiative, which will include significant investments in corridor cleanups, business and neighborhood association cleanups, and finally trash and graffiti collection and abatement programs

Healthy and Safe Community: $72.8 million in investments that will improve and develop Long Beach neighborhoods during this recovery.

$13 million for testing and contact tracing

$5 million for health equity and health outreach programs

$1 million for mental health programs

$7.4 million for food security and basic needs support

$2.1 million for early childhood education and childcare support

$29 million for tenant assistance

$12 million to assist people experiencing homelessness by investing in new modular temporary shelters, additional housing options, mobile outreach programs, accessible restrooms and showers, and further investments in workforce and social enterprise programs

$4 million for violence prevention and safe cities, which will include bringing back the safe park and midnight basketball programs, and the development of a reentry pilot program and other community development programs

Securing our City’s Future: $83.2 million not just for the Long Beach of today, but for generations to come.

$48 million to replenish city reserves, which have been nearly depleted due to pandemic related expenses 

$30 million to eliminate the FY 2022 budget deficit so that we do not impact any critical services as we recover

$5.2 million to end city employee furloughs so we can get back to full operations

Details: If you missed it, please check it out on YouTube here.