Long Beach Briefs: Port Awards Community Sponsorships and Vending Ordinance Update

Port Awards $630,000 in Community Sponsorships

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners Nov. 27 approved 167 sponsorships totaling $632,150, funding a diverse variety of community events and projects. The sponsorship program helps the Port of Long Beach engage with and inform local community members about port operations and initiatives.

Earlier this year, the Harbor Commission added a third call for the Port of Long Beach’s community sponsorship program, which funds community events and activities that help inform residents about the port. The events center on the environment, education, social justice, the arts and historic preservation.

For this fall 2023 call, the port received 9% more applications than in fall 2022. Of the applications, 38% were first-time applicants. To satisfy demand for community funding, the board approved a $2 million sponsorship budget for the 2024 fiscal year that began Oct. 1. A record $1.44 million was awarded to community groups in fiscal year 2023.

Among the events and programs sponsored in this week’s awards are Literary Women of Long Beach’s Festival of Authors, the Hmong Association of Long Beach’s Hmong New Year Festival, Casa Bella Foundation’s Holiday Toys and Meals program, the Historical Society of Long Beach’s Centro de La Raza exhibition and the March of Dimes Baby Showers.

A list of the approved sponsorships can be found here.

The Port accepts sponsorship applications three times a year, in January, May and September.

Details: www.polb.com/sponsorships.  

Sidewalk Vending Ordinance Update

LONG BEACH — A hearing to approve the sidewalk vendor ordinance was held at the Nov 14 city council meeting. This involves a two-step process of a “first reading” and a “final reading” at the next scheduled council meeting. However, changes introduced by council members will necessitate a second “first reading” that will likely take place Dec. 5. This was not a postponement. It’s part of the process to get all the changes into the document so they can be read and voted upon. The city will post a link to the draft ordinance in its newsletter prior to the council meeting when the next first reading occurs. View the staff presentation from last Tuesday’s meeting at this here, https://tinyurl.com/Sidewalk-vending-first-reading