Long Beach council approves Latino Cultural Center at Jenny Oropeza Community Center

The Long Beach City Council on May 12 voted to amend a facility-use permit to authorize Centro Cha to operate a new Latino Cultural Center at the Jenny Oropeza Community Center.

The permit amendment, which passed by voice vote, creates a shared-use arrangement that preserves space for Parks, Recreation & Marine programming while giving Centro Cha authority to run arts, cultural exhibits, community programming and civic activations at the site. Tyler Curley, deputy city manager, told the council the amendment creates clear reporting requirements and accounting procedures so earned revenue from the center will be reinvested in programming.

The approval followed a lengthy presentation from staff and more than an hour of public testimony, much of it from residents and Centro Cha leaders pressing the council to move forward after decades of local organizing. “This is a big historic moment many years in the making,” said a council member during the item’s introduction. Jessica Katana, identified in the record as executive director of Centro Cha, thanked council members and said, “We are making history today.”

Staff told the council the arrangement is intended to be a multi-year partnership; Curley said the city has set aside about $4.5 million for infrastructure investments at the community center, including signage and restroom and structural improvements, once the permit is in place. The mayor and several council members said they expect the center to become a regional hub for Latino arts and cultural education, and staff indicated planning and investment work will move forward now that the permit amendment was approved.

Supporters — including Centro Cha staff, local educators and students — described the center as a place to preserve language and cultural traditions, provide small-business and legal resources, and host youth and senior programming. “Latinos make up 44% of our population here in Long Beach,” said one public commenter, arguing the city needs a dedicated cultural hub to strengthen community resilience.

Opposition at the meeting was limited; council discussion focused on logistics for shared space, oversight and ensuring the city’s parks programs could continue to operate alongside the cultural center. Councilmembers asked staff to return with details on implementation timelines and steps for the planned infrastructure work.

What happens next: Staff will execute the amendments authorized by council, finalize the accounting and oversight framework described at the hearing, and proceed with the planning for the identified infrastructure investments. Council members and staff repeatedly referenced a multi-year implementation timeline with the goal of the center being fully activated and highlighted as a city cultural destination in the coming years.

The permit was considered alongside a full council agenda that included presentations on public works and public safety initiatives, an entertainment permit for a Broadway venue, a comprehensive staff briefing on ebike safety and a broad discussion about implementing Senate Bill 707 (remote public comment).