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WITHDRAWN
Recommendation to request City Manager to provide a comprehensive update on the City’s efforts on providing temporary supportive housing for households experiencing homelessness and on the maintenance and conditions of existing sites.
DISCUSSION
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the need for temporary supportive or transitional housing throughout Long Beach and the Greater L.A. region. As the world faced this public health emergency, the need for social distancing and isolation also contributed to the augmentation of unemployment and domestic violence incidents, both of which have been identified as leading factors to homelessness.1
To address these housing emergency needs the State of California established Project Roomkey in March of 2020. Through Project Roomkey allocations and other sources, the City of Long Beach was able to secure additional funding that activated multiple shelters and on-site supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.
These efforts were also made possible due the adoption of the Interim Motel Conversion Ordinance that allowed for the voluntary and non-permanent conversion of motel to supportive or transitional housing.2 This ordinance eliminated barriers that hindered such transitions and created a pathway for temporary stability and the means to quarantine for households in need of housing during the pandemic.
On May 3, 2022, City Council expanded these high need resources by awarding contracts to the Inn Motel, Colonial Motel, and Coast Motel to provide temporary shelters for households experiencing homelessness and/or program participants who are homeless and in need of temporary motel lodging within the City of Long Beach.3
The 2022 Point-In-Time (PIT) Count found 3, 296 people in Long Beach experiencing homelessness, of which 2, 287 (69%) were unsheltered and living on the streets.4 Thus, it is a critical responsibility of City Council to receive and review a comprehensive update on the City's te...
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