TITLE
Recommendation to increase appropriations in the General Fund Group in the Economic Development Department in the amount of $250,000, offset by the Fourth Council District One-time District Priority Funds transferred from the General Fund Group in the Citywide Activities Department to support elevator repairs at Community Hospital of Long Beach; and
Decrease appropriations in the General Fund Group in the Citywide Activities Department by $250,000 to offset a transfer to the Economic Development Department.
DISCUSSION
Community Hospital Long Beach (Community Hospital) is a 158-bed, acute and psychiatric care hospital located at 1720 Termino Avenue in Long Beach. Although the 8.7 acre site is owned by the City of Long Beach, the City Council recently approved a long-term lease agreement with MWN Community Hospital, LLC (MWN) to (a) reopen the facility as an acute care hospital, and (b) complete construction repairs to comply with State seismic requirements. Since the execution of the long-term lease agreement, MWN has been making progress to achieve State approvals for licensing and seismic permitting.
On March 4, 2020, the City of Long Beach declared local health and city emergencies to strengthen the City’s preparedness and ability to respond to COVID-19, commonly known as novel coronavirus. City Council ratified the declarations on March 10, 2020.
In response to the emergency declarations, leadership at MWN has offered to make Community Hospital available for COVID-19 emergency support to the regional area via a contract with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), under the Emergency Services Act, Government Code section 8655 -8659, and Civil Code section 1714.5., which will allow Community Hospital to coordinate inpatient transfers during the emergency.
To prepare for patient transfers, MWN is required to expedite repairs and certifications at Community Hospital to handle the immediate workload anticipated for the COVID-19 respon...
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