TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to investigate the feasibility of utilizing Long Beach Recovery Act funds to support upcoming significant cultural events in the City of Long Beach and report back to the City Council in 30 days.
BACKGROUND
The City of Long Beach (City) is one of the most culturally diverse large cities in the United States, with substantial portions of the population made up of Latinos, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and African Americans. Due to the many heritages present, the City is host to a plethora of annual cultural festivities, including, but not limited to, the Cambodian New Year, Juneteenth, Long Beach Filipino Festival, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Día De Los Muertos. Such events allow people to overtly celebrate their traditions and open their communities to fellow City residents that may be interested in learning more about other cultures. Additionally, these celebrations provide local businesses and vendors opportunities to support their cultural communities while potentially expanding their clientele to new populations. Significant cultural events have continued being celebrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, however, state and local guidelines have impacted overall participation.
On March 16, 2021, the City Council voted to adopt the Long Beach Recovery Act (LBRA), aimed at funding economic, public health, and fiscal initiatives for residents, business owners, and workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing that the pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities faced by historically disenfranchised communities, City staff allocated $7.9 million of the $64.5 million LBRA economic recovery funds toward economic inclusivity efforts specifically. Per the adopted LBRA, these funds can be used to create economic opportunities for underrepresented business owners, conduct community outreach, and uplift diverse small businesses.
As COVID-19 infection rates decline citywide, upcoming cultural celebrations will likely be held in-person with less restrictive safety measures in place than the last two years. By allowing LBRA funds to be spent toward these significant events, the City can directly impact minority-owned business’s inclusion in the local economy, jumpstart this sector’s economic return from the pandemic, and honor the multiculturalism that makes Long Beach the great city that it is. For these reasons, we would like to request the feasibility of utilizing LBRA funds to support upcoming significant cultural festivities in the City.
This matter has been reviewed by Budget Manager Grace H. Yoon on March 17, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation requests the City Manager to investigate the feasibility of utilizing Long Beach Recovery Act (LBRA) funds to support upcoming significant cultural events in the City of Long Beach. The requested action is anticipated to have a moderate impact on staff hours beyond the budgeted scope of duties and is expected to have a moderate impact on existing City Council priorities. Actual implementation of supporting the cultural events may impact previously approved LBRA programs through the reprioritizing of funding and will be discussed in the feasibility report.
STATEMENT OF URGENCY:
Due to the City’s ongoing economic recovery from the pandemic and forthcoming local significant cultural events, this item is urgent in nature.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
AL AUSTIN COUNCILMAN,
EIGHTH DISTRICT
SUELY SARO COUNCILWOMAN,
SIXTH DISTRICT
ROBERTO URANGA COUNCILMEMBER,
SEVENTH DISTRICT