NF O C U S G R O U P + S U R V E YFINDINGS TO INFORM 2ND TERM DISTRICT AGENDA

Dear Neighbors and Partners, As an elected leader and former community organizer, I’ve always placed value on certain principles that guide my approach to leadership. One principle is to follow the axiom, “plan your work, and work your plan.” The second, and most important principle, is to place the needs and input of the community at the forefront of every important decision.

In keeping with those important principles, as we enter our second term on the Long Beach City Council, we embarked on a process of self-evaluation and vi-sioning in partnership with Ninth District stakeholders and community members to determine our course for our second term of office.

We kicked off this process with a series of brainstorming sessions, accompanied with a resident and stakeholder survey, to identify where we should invest our attention and resources over the next four years.

The survey was structured to provide some data on where residents would like to prioritize our local resources, while also providing opportunities for participants to dream big in their solutions. The brainstorming sessions targeted various stakeholder groups, including nonprofit partners, small-businesses, urban agri-culturalists, and the faith-based community, among others, to discuss priorities and solutions in informal focus groups. The results from the surveys and brainstorming sessions were combined to form themes and priorities that are summarized in this report. Input, questions, and ideas were organized into common threads, while the results from the survey are presented as infographics.

This report includes a summary of this process and findings that we hope will help provide a roadmap for our office, City Departments, community partners, and residents on how we continue to revitalize and re-invigorate our community for years to come. Onward!

Councilmember Rex Richardson9th District, City of Long Beach

WHAT WE HEARD The community is talking! Between creative visioning as part of creating the Uptown Open Space Plan, frank conversations about honoring our Veterans, and the NextUp discussion, civic engagement has become part of our local DNA. The D9 Leadership Council and Urban Agricul-ture Council have been guiding voices for our community. There is interest in establishing ad-ditional collaborative spaces for ambassadors from faith-based institutions, nonprofit organi-zations, and business associations throughout North Long Beach to meet regularly to share information and resources, work together, and discuss/take action.

On the City side, there is collective interest in institutionalizing consistent and innovative en-gagement strategies with residents and youth for

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

WHAT WE HEARD There is a lot of excitement about the various public and private investments being made along Atlantic Avenue. Together, they will help provide a vibrant diversity of quality retail, restaurants, and cafés on Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Bou-levard. The community would like to see the new investments made along Atlantic Avenue create a critical mass of activity that focuses on responsible, community-oriented economic development.

With progress along Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard, participant responses feel that we can improve the business environment beyond the Uptown Business District by offering incentives and enforcing penalties, establishing new busi-ness improvement districts (BIDs), or organizing businesses. These strategies can also attract new work for residents with local businesses, associa-tions, and learning institutions to locate in Uptown and encourage local hire. Considering the large industrial base in North Long Beach, there is an opportunity to attract more manufacturing jobs, prioritizing industries of the future, as these will provide good jobs and foster a growing economy.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

plans, projects, and developments. This includes creating a central depository of available ser-vices/resources/organizations in the community to share to the public.

WHAT’S NEXTUP The D9 team will continue engaging residents on the newly redesigned online hub, www.in-sidedistrict9.com, and utilize various medias, interactive content, and languages that ensure the information and conversations are accessible to all residents.

In addition, we are excited to announce a new D9 event, UpTownHall, a community platform to share updates on projects and initiatives, directly engage in conversations with residents, city staff, and other local elected representatives.

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

WHAT WE HEARD There is an overwhelming level of concern among the community about the homeless crisis and the associated causations, including housing affordability. Having secure housing and employment creates greater financial mobility within the community. Not having stable hous-ing can impact educational attainment, public health, youth development, safety, and crime within the community.

Many feel that there is an opportunity for the City, agencies and nonprofit organizations to support the unseen needs in the community. This can include hosting regular workshops where the public can learn about services offered by government, nonprofit agencies, and faith-based organizations related to homelessness, afford-able housing, mental health, and employment.

WHAT’S NEXTUP The City is currently studying opportunities for new affordable housing through Measure H and other new resources, including the establishment of a Long Beach funding measure to address homelessness, identify a year-round shelter, and convert blighted nuisance motels into supportive housing. Councilmember Richardson will remain a leader in this effort and continue to engage the community in finding solutions.

There is a sense from the community that City Departments could do a better effort to work together more regularly, involving the public in meaningful ways to establish a comprehensive vi-sion for economic development. This includes uti-lizing the Uptown Planning, Land Use and Neigh-borhood Strategy (UPLAN) to support economic development through innovative strategies like Development Transfer Rights, green zones, and design standards. It also means getting back to basics and enhancing the perceived and actual safety concerns of business areas with visual crime deterrents such as additional community policing, graffiti removal, neighborhood trash clean-up, and cameras to monitor public spaces. WHAT’S NEXTUP Two of the major retail projects on Atlantic Av-enue, Uptown Commons and The Uptown, will break ground in the first half of 2019 with antic-ipated completion in 9-12 months. In addition, a third mixed use project by developer The LAB is expected to make progress in the planning process for multiple vacant lots on Atlantic Av-enue. These new developments will provide much needed community gathering spaces, neighborhood serving amenities, and updated design standards that will greatly benefit our residents.

Also in 2019, we will begin a multi-year imple-mentation of #EveryoneIn, our local economic inclusion initiative to expand economic oppor-tunity, and create a local economy that includes and benefits every Long Beach resident. Using recommendations from the first year of #Every-oneIn, Phase Two will identify and assess the feasibility of policy and program priorities in the areas of Housing & Homeownership, Diverse Entrepreneurship, Small Business & Procure-ment, Youth and Workforce Development, and Economic Resiliency.

UPNEXTSURVEY RESULTS

14.6% HOUGHTON PARK

.7% COLLINS

1.4% ST. FRANCIS

20.1% DEFOREST PARK

1.4% MCKINLEY

5.6% COOLIDGE TRIANGLE

10.4% RAMONA PARK

10.4% GRANT

11.8% N/A

10.4% HAMILTON

5.6% COLLINS

3.5%ANDY STREET

1.4% STARR KING

5.6

.73.5

5.6

1.411.8

1.4

2.8% LONGWOOD

WAT ARE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES?

Homelessness

Education

Environment

Human Trafficking

Affordable Housing

Inclusive Economy

Parks and Recreation

Food Access/ Security

Transportation

Displacement

37 24 37 18 18 383

11 15 12 11 10 183

12 12 11 12 5 170

9 17 9 10 7 167

12 18 3 7 5 160

8 5 11 11 12 127

6 4 10 14 9 113

3 6 11 10 9 101

0 2 5 4 11 24

1 2 3 3 5 33

ISSUE FIRST SECOND THIRD FOURTH FIFTH TOTAL

WHERE DO YOU CALL HOME?

VOTESWEIGHTED

VOTES

UPNEXTSURVEY RESULTS

14.6% HOUGHTON PARK

.7% COLLINS

1.4% ST. FRANCIS

20.1% DEFOREST PARK

1.4% MCKINLEY

5.6% COOLIDGE TRIANGLE

10.4% RAMONA PARK

10.4% GRANT

11.8% N/A

10.4% HAMILTON

5.6% COLLINS

3.5%ANDY STREET

1.4% STARR KING

.73.5

1.4

1.4

2.8% LONGWOOD

IMPORTANT ISSUES

Homelessness

Education

Environment

Human Trafficking

Affordable Housing

Inclusive Economy

Parks and Recreation

Food Access/ Security

Transportation

Displacement

37 24 37 18 18 383

11 15 12 11 10 183

12 12 11 12 5 170

9 17 9 10 7 167

12 18 3 7 5 160

8 5 11 11 12 127

6 4 10 14 9 113

3 6 11 10 9 101

0 2 5 4 11 24

1 2 3 3 5 33

ISSUE FIRST SECOND THIRD FOURTH FIFTH TOTAL

Los Angeles River Improvements

SR-91 Freeway Modernization

I-710 Freeway Modernization

WHAT ARE THE MOST EXCITING PROJECTS COMING TO UPTOWN?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST PRESSING PROJECTS?

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR UPTOWN?

Public Safety

Economic Development

Beautification

Streets/Sidewalks

Parks and Open Space

Education

Artesia Boulevard Complete Street

SR91 Embankment Trail Butler Avenue Neighborhood Connector

Paramount Boulevard Complete Street

Walnut Avenue Neighborhood ConnectorSouth Street Complete Street

102 VOTES

64 VOTES

15 VOTES

33 VOTES

27 VOTES

84 VOTES

VOTESVOTES

VOTES

5661

40

WHAT PLAYGROUNDSHOULD GET UPGRADES FIRST?

WHAT IS YOUR BIG IDEA CATEGORY?

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COMMUNITY EVENTS?

Beach Streets

Youth Focused

Pop-UpTown

Movies in the Park

SeniorProgramming

VOTES VOTESV OTES VOTES VOTESV OTES32 46 28 23 41 22

Ramona Park Deforest Park Houghton Park56.8 % 23.6 % 19.6 %

100 1109080706050403020100

# OF VOTES

Beautification Safe Streets EducationNeighborhoodSaftey

Economic Development

Improving/Expanding Park Space

THE ULTIMATE QUESTION:MARVEL VS. DC?

Sit-down Restaurants

OtherFull Service

Grocery StoreCoffee Shop/

CaféBank/Financial

InstitutionMedical Services

Post Office Institution

WHICH ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS SHOULD GET DONE FIRST?

Atlantic Avenue Development

Jordan High School Modernization

Myrtle Avenue Neighborhood Connector

Artesia Boulevard Complete Street

Houghton Park Community Center

68 VOTES

19 VOTES

5 VOTES

22 VOTES

31 VOTES

WHAT AMENITIES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?

110

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

# O

F V

OT

ES

70% Marvel 30% DC

WHAT WE HEARD 2018 saw the grand re-opening of the new DeForest Park Wetlands. The restoration of our DeForest Park Wetlands has been a priority for the North Long Beach community for a decade. This 34-acre natural open space habitat will allow our neighborhoods the opportunity to connect to the LA River, experience our envi-ronment, and learn more about conservation.

With extensive community engagement throughout the planning process of develop-ing the Uptown Open Space Plan, there is now significant interest towards implementation, es-pecially priority projects identified by the com-munity like the 91 Freeway Embankment Trail in the Hamilton neighborhood and a Los Angeles River Park. Residents want to continue think-ing outside the box, including utilizing streets/sidewalks as open space, creating temporary parks on vacant land, forming more joint-use opportunities, collaborating with commercial, faith-based, and nonprofit partners to expand the amount of publicly accessible facilities and programming.

At the same time, residents do not want to lose sight of maintaining, programming, and improving Uptown’s existing park assets. This includes replacing and upgrading all of the existing playgrounds. Residents also want to see an expansion of community events and programming – like movies and concerts in the park – by cohosting them with nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, neighbor-hood associations, and corporate partners. The enhanced park activities, programming, and shared ownership will improve perceived and actual safety, further increasing their use.

WHAT’S NEXTUP There are many great things happening in our Uptown parks in the coming years. The Hough-ton Park Community Center is currently under construction, with Phase 1 to be completed in the summer of 2019. The Health Department’s Center for Families and Youth (CFY) located at

PARKS, RECREATION AND AMENITIES

Houghton Park is also in a multi-million dollar renovation and is scheduled to be complet-ed in 2020. By working more collaboratively during the redesign of these facilities with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, the Health Department, and Pacific Gateway Work-force Investment Network (PGWIN), we have the opportunity to think more holistically about the services that are offered to our community, and explore the establishment of a modernized teen center and a “City Hall North” concept.

In addition, a “District 9 Kids Playground Com-mittee” will be launched in early 2019. This committee will work with us to design, plan and replace the last three District 9 playgrounds in need of improvement- Ramona Park, Houghton Park, and DeForest Park.

SAFE STREETS AND PUBLIC REALM

WHAT WE HEARD It was expressed several times throughout Nex-tUp outreach that “all streets should be safe streets.” This can be done through small im-provements like well-maintained, landscaped medians, traffic calming measures, and en-hanced pedestrian crossings, all of which make a big difference, especially calming traffic speeds. By focusing on Safe Routes to School and to Parks, parents can begin to feel safe enough to let their kids to navigate their neighborhood on their own.

As major Uptown corridors experience signif-icant public and private investment, the com-munity feels it is important to make Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard into “complete streets” with streetscape enhancements, more frequent traffic control/calming, landscaping, and pedestrian crossings. We can also consider introducing placemaking enhancements like public/interactive art, light pole banners, col-orful art crosswalks, improved walking/biking accessibility, pedestrian plazas, street trees, landscaping, and other streetscape improve-ments.

There is also growing awareness and interest among the community toward active trans-portation and public transit. Suggestions from residents include expanding transportation op-tions for local residents by improving connec-tions around major infrastructure barriers like the freeways, Los Angeles River and industrial areas, expand-ing bike share into North Long Beach, and enhancing local and regional transit service in the area.

WHAT’S NEXTUPBeginning in 2019, major infrastructure enhance-ments and investments in Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard will begin, both of which will be “complete streets” and are funded by MTA grants. In addition, the new developments along Atlantic and Artesia which are break-ing ground in 2019 will provide much needed street enhancements and walkability to our neighborhoods.

As in previous years, we will be working to add traffic signals and calming measures to increase the safety of residents, including at Atlantic Ave. and 61st St., Atlantic Ave. and 68th St., Atlantic Ave. and Atlantic Place, and Artesia Blvd. and Muriel Ave. The City’s Bike Share program will also expand into District 9 in 2019, and we will continue to find innovative ways to enhance our first/last mile strategies throughout the district.

FOOD ACCESS/ SECURITY

WHAT WE HEARDThere is a lot of interest among residents and community partners to make our neighborhoods more environmentally and economically sustainable by expanding urban agriculture. This can include grassroots efforts to expand knowledge by teaching urban agriculture in accessible ways through community convenings, campus gardens/farms, master gardener classes, and crop swap events. It also includes instituting more policies that support utilizing public assets to support urban agriculture, including street trees bearing fruit, school farms, and community gardens on public property.

WHAT’S NEXTUP In the coming years, the District 9 office will continue to support the District 9 Urban Agri-culture Council, find a permanent home for the North Long Beach Farmers Market, and actively search out opportunities for community gar-dens and urban farms, including the promotion of the City’s Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone (UAIZ) Program.

EDUCATION/ YOUTHDEVELOPMENT

WHAT WE HEARD It takes a village to raise a child. The consen-sus among community members is that there are opportunities for collaboration among lo-cal schools, government agencies, faith-based institutions, and community organizations to promote youth leadership through civic lessons, mentoring, community engagement, and ser-vices. Addressing our teens’ idle hands could also include expanding recreational program-ming by supporting local youth sports and fa-cilities, developing specific programming at our parks and libraries, and developing teen-orient-ed events like a Teenfest.

WHAT’S NEXTUP The District 9 team actively engages Up-town youth and promotes their participation in events, initiatives, and policy. Moreover, Councilmember Richardson will continue to lead the conversation with Long Beach City College (LBCC) to establish a North Long Beach Higher Education Center in Uptown. As stated previously in the Parks, Recreation, and Ame-

nities section, we also have the opportunity in 2019 to work collaboratively on a modernized Houghton Park teen center which could be the first in the city to integrate youth workforce development and health services into their current programming model.

BEAUTIFICATION

WHAT WE HEARD The community expressed that beautification for Uptown should start with a back-to-basics approach by addressing blighting factors on our streets, freeways, private properties, and public parks by managing maintenance, graffiti, and litter. It can also include improving the aesthetic character of vacant buildings and temporarily activating those empty storefronts to attract new businesses.

While there is a lot of interest toward improving our primary corridors, the belief was that the beautification effort should extend into the residential neighborhoods with the City working with community partners and neighborhood associations, residents and property owners to enhance private properties, local parks, and the public realm. This can include augmenting community identity through signage, markers, and wayfinding in neighborhoods, commercial districts, and parks.

Community members can also participate by rolling up their sleeves and participating in neighborhood cleanups, graffiti paint-outs, tree plantings and ‘Go Long Beach’ outings. ‘Go Long Beach’ is an app designed to provide Long Beach residents, businesses, and visitors the opportunity quickly submit service requests for issues such as graffiti, potholes and sign damage.

WHAT’S NEXTUP In 2019 and beyond, the District 9 office will support efforts on the “back to basics” approach as voiced by residents. We will expand the City’s Clean Team services within the Uptown Business District, advocate for them to be more aggressive on dumping, and increase refuse collection by our Public Works Department.

In addition, we will remain a resource for training and encouraging resident leaders to conduct their own neighborhood cleanups, and will continue to beautify commonly blighted walls through artwork and murals with our Creative Corridor Challenge and Pow! Wow! Long Beach.

We would like to thank all of the stakeholders and our partners who contributed to this report:

City Fabrick, District 9 Clergy Council, District 9 Leadership Council, District 9 Urban Agriculture Council, Harbor Area Farmers

Market, Long Beach City Manager's Office, Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, Long Beach Department of

Parks, Recreation and Marine, Long Beach Department of Public Works, Long Beach Development Services Department, Long

Beach Economic Development Department, Long Beach Library Services Department, Long Beach Opera, Long Beach Public

Library Foundation, We are the Next, YMCA of Greater Long Beach, Finally, we continue to thank the District 9 residents for

their valuable input and vision for creating a better Uptown.