Long Beach accepts $11.05 million state grant to address LA Riverbed encampments

The Long Beach City Council on March 11 voted to accept $11,051,738 from the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Encampment Resolution Funding Program to target services for people living along the Los Angeles Riverbed.

Deputy City Manager Teresa Chandler and Paul Duncan, manager of the city’s Homeless Services Bureau, told the council the award is the city's third round of encampment resolution funding and is intended to quickly move people off the street and into short‑term shelter and housing supports. “This is the third time that we are receiving funding from the state to implement an encampment resolution program,” Chandler said, adding the award will fund outreach, non‑congregate shelter and rapid rehousing that staff expect to implement beginning this summer.

The city estimated about 246 people were counted on the riverbed during the 2024 point‑in‑time count and says about 325 unique people use the riverbed over a 12‑month period based on Homeless Management Information…