[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6651801,"mediaKeyId","2497471-3cbeb509a35b65a242cfefd960ff8e35","parentId",2497471,"title","Long Beach seeks La Casa partnership to target Measure A funds at senior subsidies and first‑time homebuyer aid","audioSeconds",1474,"startMs",10220000,"endMs",11694000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2497471-3cbeb509a35b65a242cfefd960ff8e35&start=10220&end=11694","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2497471-3cbeb509a35b65a242cfefd960ff8e35/thumbnail_10220000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6651801/Long-Beach/Los-Angeles-County/California/Long-Beach-seeks-La-Casa-partnership-to-target-Measure-A-funds-at-senior-subsidies-and-firsttime-homebuyer-aid","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6651801-926bc53e52a2f6357860968bf6723b1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443062&Signature=k-Yh0gedIUXKC9NjOdn0-0dOjTogdx-IAkSo0JN4SACGaLhS-5Xg6IXPn8RRkWUoirdThDbqZdxfSUtKZnHZq9Q4DNdggnkOHfgMS4WiyhrNCia6A5l2RXChZiK957VI0uWoqEljmWDlwUapNHnlGczaLPvgwAOBWqr7-xKX2yDLthl2j7W2KPs7r4cPEkU~VUqoEREH94n0SQt4nWZXo67vWrhe-c4mREbyBAYJY2bKDnZ3-XFWU6AQNgiAxvrE-iOgh-KOSQWvJ~Ho1~uDj08Oo9KxlkBFcse2gYc-hrevid-1ajj53bOeq4LT~lYHPc-YINNEyxigVP-XVhdQqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Long Beach, CA","date","2025-03-05T06:32:00.587Z","article","The Long Beach City Council voted Tuesday to ask the city manager and relevant departments to partner with the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (La Casa) on the county Measure A funding program and to evaluate using the city’s share of Measure A production, preservation and prevention dollars on a targeted senior shallow‑subsidy program and on expanded first‑time homebuyer assistance.

Why it matters: Measure A, approved by Los Angeles County voters, creates a multi‑year funding stream aimed at expanding affordable housing, preserving existing affordable units and preventing homelessness. City leaders said the city will receive an estimated baseline of about $17 million a year under the program and that a local plan should include both prevention (shallow subsidies for at‑risk renters) and pathways to ownership.

Council action: Chair of the Housing and Public Health Committee Councilmember Tasha M. Thrash‑Ntuk presented the item and said the request would start a planning process to identify how Long Beach should channel its allocation from Measure A’s production/preservation/prevention pool. The council adopted the request and referred it to the Housing and Public Health Committee for further discussion.

What staff and advocates said: Mayor Rex Richardson and Councilmember Thrash‑Ntuk said Measure A provides a new revenue stream for the city that can be paired with local policies and programs. City staff and community groups urged early prioritization of tenant protections, tenant legal assistance, community land trusts and direct rental subsidies alongside production and homeownership strategies.

Public comment: Supporters included housing advocates and neighborhood organizers who urged the council to invest in tenant protections (including a right‑to‑counsel program and community land trusts) and to target funds to prevent displacement. Several speakers opposed using Measure A funds for the city’s first‑time homebuyer down‑payment program, saying the program favors households already able to accumulate savings and that Measure A prevention dollars should instead go to rental subsidies and tenant protections. Advocate Maya said the city’s down‑payment program had assisted “almost 50 families since 2017” but argued the program did not address the households most threatened with homelessness.

Staff clarification: Mayor Richardson clarified that Measure A’s countywide allocation splits funding across homelessness services and the production/preservation/prevention (PPO) bucket administered by La Casa; he said the county will distribute multiple fund streams, and the item before council concerns the PPO funds administered locally through La Casa. Richardson said the mayor’s office and La Casa will discuss priorities and that the council can supplement county investments with local policy.

Ending: The council’s vote starts a months‑long planning and budget process. Staff will bring recommended program designs and budget proposals to committee and the council as funding allocations and implementation plans are developed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Long Beach City Council Meeting 3/4/25","oneSentenceSummary","Council authorized staff to work with LA County’s housing agency (La Casa) to prioritize production, preservation and prevention dollars toward shallow subsidies for vulnerable seniors and to expand the city’s first‑time homebuyer assistance program.","taxTitle","Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",4676,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6651806,"Long Beach honors procurement team’s awards, highlights local outreach and new inclusive‑procurement coordinator",338,791000,1129000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2497471-3cbeb509a35b65a242cfefd960ff8e35&start=791&end=1129","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2497471-3cbeb509a35b65a242cfefd960ff8e35/thumbnail_791000.jpg","/articles/6651806/Long-Beach/Los-Angeles-County/California/Long-Beach-honors-procurement-teams-awards-highlights-local-outreach-and-new-inclusiveprocurement-coordinator","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6651806-69d34adacbf3a1f57eb853c900777355/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443062&Signature=ScY2gCLNrokNUcGYngtU0~ZDJ33abOBPpLbNn-3hki9tds3QUOkBLPcRUBDS5xLzRtjvQOqpunGJjNAX-ViLWgmYZPajtYv14v49TNeprXzVRzRB1mIw5VWFRUwTW3YCbVo9db1F5XOKq1xE2E3jvCGL6eQ7nOPFAeE7cmUe6w6DRbpF4ZdfU~FlQheyR3ypMh33c~5ChupchgO-hX0hBTs7pl~qwWFFysSBuouan9V67kDQcadSgL~2A2mjSrHeVGRWqc~InHd65JUE9h-1JfULUESJT8K-9EC-Qh5Zmo6HQb1ZwnD763k29QUN~7ibbQZzlV3FnREMkwhNSPj~TQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Long Beach City Council received a presentation Tuesday recognizing the city’s procurement team for national awards and for steps to increase local and equitable access to city contracts. The presentation coincided with National Procurement Month.

Why it matters: City staff said improvements to procurement processes aim to make it faster and easier for local and small businesses to compete for city contracts, and that these changes help the city spend local tax dollars in the community.

What presenters said: Michelle Wilson, the city’s purchasing agent, described an “extreme procurement makeover” implemented over the past four years to streamline procurement, remove barriers for small and local firms and roll out a local‑preference program. Wilson said the procurement division conducted 115 formal solicitations this past year that supported roughly $880 million in goods and services to Long Beach residents over the period she described.

Wilson and Tara Mortensen, business services bureau manager, noted the addition of a full‑time Inclusive Procurement Outreach Coordinator in the FY24 adopted budget. According to staff, the coordinator’s outreach resulted in 38 Long Beach businesses registering in the city’s procurement platform, a necessary first step for many vendors to pursue contracts.

National recognition: The procurement team highlighted three recent awards: the Achievement in Excellence in Procurement (National Procurement Institute), recognition from the Government Finance Officers Association for program innovation and an ‘Above and Beyond’ national award received by procurement professional Alisa Landeros.

Council response: Mayor Rex Richardson and other council members praised the procurement team’s national recognition and urged continued outreach to make city procurement more accessible for local businesses. The mayor said the council supports procurement reforms that improve “ease, speed, and predictability when doing business with the city.”

Ending: Mayor Richardson invited staff to return to the dais for a photo; procurement staff and the procurement team’s awards will appear in future city outreach and vendor engagement efforts.

","City staff marked National Procurement Month by presenting results from the department’s ‘Extreme Procurement Makeover,’ national awards and a new local‑preference registration effort that registered 38 Long Beach businesses in the city procurement platform.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6651810,"Long Beach council presses to fund Rescue 2 after firefighters and chiefs warn EMS system is strained",6926,3263000,10189000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2497471-3cbeb509a35b65a242cfefd960ff8e35&start=3263&end=10189","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2497471-3cbeb509a35b65a242cfefd960ff8e35/thumbnail_3263000.jpg","/articles/6651810/Long-Beach/Los-Angeles-County/California/Long-Beach-council-presses-to-fund-Rescue-2-after-firefighters-and-chiefs-warn-EMS-system-is-strained","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6651810-ea208b47a99434ee23bac7a4715f3954/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443062&Signature=BjwWG0LmSgCoompTXoAtQk1oyuiFZI8zgSuBLuWjFZllRpgZj6L3blT9U2B6QHmcm4hTvyaJw6R-krLgySA08NbUI5lQUJHryp~6nO4RugVuNzXynQP2FJv~FpmU5F4UfjqDmuCZBoUiozFikby5jdm8-8ttdEZpfQ3ulqK1UbodQnaC4UIw7f9~iF-L2wcQxGPKGa9eGedMHVk0EfXl0Ydj8Nt746jeFOJLj32GQcT7yvH9N367bjD~qCTcbxuQetpOz33bYcWFb2Se0nLo9AS9h9Xe1mou~g~swtA9u2KJsyjKttxQaAW55rVBOawku587-cyIzsDZ8uzx-T8L-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday asked the city manager to seek uncommitted funds and return within two weeks with options to restore Rescue 2 to full service and asked the Budget Oversight Committee to consider structural funding for the unit in the FY 2026 budget.

The action followed a detailed presentation by the Long Beach Fire Department on Rescue 2, the department’s so‑called peak‑load ambulance pilot, and a public comment period in which more than a dozen firefighters and paramedics described frequent periods when no Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances were available in the city.

Why it matters: Firefighters and department leaders told the council that shortages of ALS ambulances have become routine as emergency medical demand has steadily risen. The Rescue 2 pilot was created to relieve the busiest units in the downtown and port areas; council members and the fire chief said the unit reduced the number of times the city was “out of units” but funding constraints have forced the pilot to operate fewer days than initially planned.

Chief Dennis Buchanan told the council the Rescue 2 peak‑load unit “respond[ed] to close to nearly 3,000 total calls,” and said the department recorded 67 incidents in 2023 when the city was without an ALS ambulance for more than five minutes; after the Rescue 2 pilot that figure fell to 42 in 2024. At one point during questioning, Buchanan said flatly, “No. You should never be out of rescues.”

Council discussion and motion: Councilmember Cindy Allen, who brought the item forward for further funding consideration, described repeated occasions when residents called 911 and paramedic ambulances were not immediately available. Allen moved to have the city manager “look into any funds, that aren't obligated or any funding sources to fully, restore Rescue 2 ... till the end of the year” and to pursue structural funding in FY 2026; the vice mayor seconded the motion. Council later incorporated Rescue 2 as a priority within the year‑end budget review and voted to have staff return within two weeks with specific recommendations for funding the pilot through the end of the fiscal year and pathways for longer‑term support.

Costs and options presented: The fire department estimated personnel costs to operate Rescue 2 on a 12‑hour, seven‑day schedule at roughly $419,840 for the remainder of FY 2025; running the same 12‑hour, seven‑day schedule for a full year was presented at about $1.2 million for FY 2026. Chief Buchanan also presented a far larger estimate for a traditional 24‑hour, seven‑day, full‑staff ALS ambulance operation; the number cited in the meeting transcript was an approximate figure presented by the chief as the 24/7 personnel cost for a replacement unit.

Officials’ budget context: City Manager Tom Modica and budget staff cautioned that Long Beach faces structural budget challenges and described limited one‑time funds available for the current year. Modica said the city would explore options—including reprioritizing unspent one‑time items and other available balances—but also emphasized fiscal constraints and the need to weigh priorities citywide.

Public testimony: More than a dozen Long Beach Fire Department personnel and other residents spoke during public comment. Firefighter Philip Hanlon recounted a call in which his unit arrived to find a patient with life‑threatening chest pain but no ALS ambulance available; he said, “After about 15 minutes, she stopped breathing then went into cardiac arrest ... Despite our efforts ... she didn't survive.” Several other sworn personnel described long shifts, rising call volumes, and recruitment and retention challenges.

Council response and next steps: Mayor Rex Richardson and other councilmembers said the testimony underscored a need to invest in public safety and to consider longer‑term funding strategies. The council approved the request to have staff return quickly with funding options to continue Rescue 2 through the end of the year and directed that structural funding for a permanent solution be considered in the FY 2026 budget and by the Budget Oversight Committee.

Ending: The council framed the request as an interim step: staff will present specific funding sources and options to extend Rescue 2 in the near term while the council and budget committee consider structural approaches during the next budget cycle.","After firefighters and city officials described persistent shortages of paramedic ambulances and heavy workloads, the City Council directed staff to identify funding to extend the Rescue 2 peak‑load ambulance pilot and referred structural funding questions to the Budget Oversight Committee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Long Beach seeks La Casa partnership to target Measure A funds at senior subsidies and first‑time homebuyer aid

Long Beach honors procurement team’s awards, highlights local outreach and new inclusive‑procurement coordinator

Long Beach council presses to fund Rescue 2 after firefighters and chiefs warn EMS system is strained