Bits 'n' Pieces

Space Beach Teacher Externship Program

The City of Long Beach, in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), recently launched its Space Beach Teacher Externship Program (SBTEP), a professional development program for K-12 educators to create streamlined, easy-to-navigate career pathways for students interested in aerospace and related industries.

The SBTEP kicked off on Aug. 9 with a three-day workshop held across multiple employer sites in Long Beach including special visits to Boeing, Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, SpinLaunch and Virgin Orbit.

There were 16 LBUSD educators selected to collaborate with Pacific Gateway and Long Beach aerospace employers to participate in the program and raise awareness of aerospace industry knowledge and trends. This three-day opportunity provided teachers with extended exposure to aerospace manufacturing, rocket launch trends, work environments and types of careers their students may want to pursue in aerospace.

Teachers participated in workshops with industry leaders, engaged in discussions on workforce and existing needs, and had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience that will help educators contextualize the academic content they teach.

“The Space Beach Teacher Externship Program is an opportunity for high school teachers to connect with the aerospace industry,” said LBUSD Assistant Director of Career Pathway Development Renee Shipman. “Through this collaboration, teachers are able to see how skills taught in the classroom are applied in real-world settings.”

The SBTEP is part of a broader Space Beach workforce development initiative, led by the city’s workforce bureau, Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network, that engages youth, employers and educators in work-based learning activities such as speaker series, field trips, student competitions, mentorship, internships and long-term employment placements in the aerospace industry.

This program is the first step in creating a streamlined, easy-to-navigate career pathway in aerospace that engages youth, employers and educators through teacher externships, work-based learning activities, internships and, in the future, employment placements.

Through this initial investment, educators from LBUSD’s Cabrillo High School, California Academy of Math and Science (CAMS) and Sato Academy will collaborate with Pacific Gateway and employers to develop a multi-disciplinary, cross-career academy project-based learning activity aligned with STEM and college-based standards, leading to a youth STEM/aerospace conference to be coordinated in 2023.

By investing in new and existing networks of organizations that provide mentorship and jobs for youth, the Space Beach Program aligns with Goal 4 of the Racial Equity and Reconciliation Initiative, which prioritizes improved health and wellness in the city by eliminating social and economic disparities in communities most impacted by racism. The program also supports goals three and four of the Strategic Plan for Youth and Emerging Adults, which centers around academic and job training needs of youth, and commits to create inclusive and supportive spaces for young people, respectively.

14% Water Savings in July

Long Beach residents and businesses reduced their water use by 14 percent in July compared to 2020, heeding Long Beach Water’s call for increased conservation amid unprecedented drought.

With significant water savings in July, Long Beach Water customers continued a three-month trend of water use reductions this summer, saving 4 percent in May and 11 percent in June compared with the same months in 2020.

Long Beach’s numbers compare favorably to statewide water use, which saw a 3 percent reduction in May and an 8 percent reduction in June. California water use data for July has not yet been released.

“I’m proud to see that the Long Beach community continues to be a leader in conservation,” said Bob Shannon, president of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners. “Saving water is the Long Beach way of life. As we enter some of the hottest months, I encourage everyone to keep up the good work.”

Long Beach’s conservation efforts are on track with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call earlier this year for all Californians to reduce their water use by at least 15 percent.

The Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners took swift action following Newsom’s May 2022 conservation message by entering Stage 2 of the Water Conservation and Water Supply Shortage Plan, calling on residents to reduce outdoor watering to two days per week.

In addition, Long Beach Water continues to encourage the community to reduce water use in any way they can, big or small. This includes offering a wide array of programs to help reduce outdoor water use, install drought-friendly gardens, upgrade to efficient appliances and more.

And Long Beach Water continues to implement its Water Resources Plan, including enhancing groundwater well infrastructure to reduce dependence on imported water and maximize use of this more reliable, affordable water source.

For more information on available programs and tips to save water, visit Liveh2olb.com.

Request for Proposals for Health Programs

The City of Long Beach is seeking to partner with community organizations to expand existing or launch new Promotora/Community Health Champion (P/CHC) programs that promote education and wellness opportunities across Long Beach communities.

P/CHC are community navigators, care coordinators and community engagement champions who focus on increasing community access and connection to health screenings, health education, and mental health and well-being resources. Eligible organizations are encouraged to submit proposals through the city’s procurement platform, Long Beach Buys by 11 a.m. (PST) on Sept. 20.

This funding opportunity is intended to bring together local community-serving organizations that want to build and expand the presence of P/CHC to specifically reach and connect Long Beach residents who have been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to provide accurate and culturally responsive health information and resources. Multiple organizations will be awarded, and priority will be given to ensure representation of Long Beach’s diverse communities are reflected in the awards made.

Awarded contractors will be connected to each other through learning communities and a unified Training and Technical Assistance Provider, who will support the awarded contractors in a variety of ways, including core curriculum delivery, materials development, program evaluation and one-on-one organizational development.

Specific details related to this Request for Proposal (RFP), including project scope, eligibility requirements, and submission instructions are available through Long Beach Buys.

The city previously launched a RFP seeking an organization to partner with to provide training and technical assistance for a cohort of community-based organizations engaged in Promotora/Community Health Champion programs. The P/CHC Training and Technical Assistance Provider has been chosen and is anticipated to start late summer 2022.

New Chief Strategy Officer

Laurie Sicaeros has been named chief strategy officer and leadership academy dean for MemorialCare.

Since 2018, Sicaeros has served as chief operating officer for MemorialCare Medical Foundation, one of the country’s fastest growing physician organizations and acknowledged national innovator in value-based care, serving hundreds of thousands of patients.

With more than 2,000 employed and affiliated physicians that are part of MemorialCare Medical Group and Greater Newport Physicians, the Medical Foundation – which she was instrumental in establishing in 2010 – also includes 225 outpatient surgery, imaging, urgent care, breast health, kidney dialysis, physical therapy and other health centers throughout Southern California.

Sicaeros also served as MemorialCare senior vice president of physician integration.

“Laurie’s significant contributions, deep commitment to MemorialCare and excellence in operational and business strategy and cultivating innovative partnerships, uniquely qualifies her as Chief Strategy Officer,” says MemorialCare president & CEO Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D. “Over the last 25 years, Laurie has achieved exceptional success with a ‘can-do’ style and extraordinary leadership in pivotal initiatives that transformed MemorialCare from a hospital system to an integrated health network.”

Sicaeros’ past MemorialCare management roles include business development, mergers and acquisitions and physician practice alignment. Her work in clinical informatics and electronic health record integration link physicians and outpatient centers to MemorialCare hospitals in Orange and Los Angeles counties – providing seamless continuity of care for millions of patients served by nearly 3,000 affiliated physicians. She helped expand MemorialCare’s footprint into an ambulatory network of primary and specialty care medical groups, Independent Practice Association (IPA) for physicians and outpatient center partnerships.

She played a major role expanding MemorialCare Physician Society, dedicated to clinical and customer service best practices that drive superior clinical outcomes and performance that often rank above national and regional benchmarks.

“I’m honored to be named MemorialCare’s Chief Strategy Officer and continue my work with our remarkable physicians, employees and communities,” says Sicaeros. “MemorialCare has been a big part of my life and career, and it’s exciting to help advance our vision of continuing excellence.”

Sicaeros holds a master’s degree in health care administration from Chapman University and bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach.

$13.1M Loan for Rental Assistance Program

The City of Long Beach has been awarded a $13.1 million California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Cashflow Loan to provide additional funding for the Long Beach Emergency Rental Assistance Program (LB-ERAP). The funds will be used to continue to provide rent and utility assistance to tenants and landlords who submitted complete applications on or before March 31, 2022.

In April 2021, the city launched LB-ERAP as part of the Long Beach Recovery Act to assist landlords and income-eligible tenants who have experienced financial loss or hardship due to COVID-19. As the city received additional federal funding through the year, the duration and scope of the $64 million program was extended multiple times to enable the city to seek more eligible applicants.

To date, the city has received nearly 12,285 completed LB-ERAP applications and provided or approved over 7,250 rent and utility payments totaling $58.8 million. Roughly 97% of these payments were made on behalf of residents earning less than 50% of the area median income.

The Cashflow Loan funds will enable the city to provide assistance to approximately 1,300 additional applicants that have already applied, and have been reviewed and approved by the city, with a continued focus on assisting the lowest income residents. The funding, however, is restricted to rental and utility assistance payments for eligible applicants, and payments are limited to rent and utility bills that were due on or before March 31, 2022.

The city stopped accepting new LB-ERAP applications on March 31, 2022.

Existing LB-ERAP applicants with questions about the status of their application may contact the LB-ERAP support line at 833.358.5372 for assistance weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Long Beach Development Services Department is continuing to host in-person pop-ups to provide assistance to existing applicants by appointment at various locations throughout the city.

The City Council last month adopted a resolution to request and accept HCD Cashflow Loan funds. The funding provides support, in the form of a forgivable loan, to cities and counties throughout the state to continue offering rental relief for eligible households impacted by the pandemic. Established by a State budget act known as Senate Bill 115, cities are able to request Cashflow Loans to be repaid using future federal funding.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently voted to extend the COVID-19 Tenant Protections Resolution, previously known as the Los Angeles County Eviction Moratorium, through December 31, 2022. The resolution extends certain protections to residential tenants affected by the COVID-10 pandemic. To learn more, visit lacounty.gov/noevictions.

New Affordable Housing Community for Veterans

The City of Long Beach joined with nonprofit developer Century Affordable Development, Inc. (Century) and other partner organizations to celebrate the groundbreaking of The Cove, a new affordable housing development located at the 27-acre Century Villages at Cabrillo community in West Long Beach. The development will offer 89 affordable studios for veterans who have very low-income, earning 30-60% of area median income, and veterans who are experiencing homelessness.

The Aug. 17 event, attended by city and Century officials as well as representatives from local and federal partner agencies, including The Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC) and the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB), featured a ceremonial groundbreaking for the four-story apartment complex to be located at 2121 W. Williams St.

The Cove will feature a common space area, consisting of a visitor’s lobby, computer room, study area, classroom, community room and bicycle storage as well as a courtyard. The project will also include one unrestricted manager’s unit. Residents will have access to a variety of supportive services through Century Villages at Cabrillo and a network of 30 service providers, including U.S. VETS and the local Veterans Administration.

The project is slated for completion in late 2023 with anticipated occupancy in spring 2024. For eligibility and leasing information, individuals may visit centuryvillages.org.

Since 2020, more than 880 affordable units have been completed or are currently under construction or proposed throughout the city. In April, the city’s comprehensive Housing Element update, which guides the city’s policies and programs related to housing through 2029, was certified by the State.

Earlier this year in Midtown, the city celebrated the groundbreaking of Long Beach Senior, a 67-unit affordable housing development for older individuals and veterans who have experienced homelessness; and commemorated the grand opening of nearby Vistas del Puerto, a new 47-unit affordable housing project.

In February 2022, The LBCIC approved a $4 million loan to provide gap financing for The Cove. Additionally, HACLB awarded the project 60 project-based Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers for prospective residents.

Century is an award-winning affordable housing organization participating in the development, preservation, management and/or financing of affordable, program-enriched housing with a long history of investing in Long Beach. In 2017, the city and Century celebrated the grand opening of Anchor Place at Century Villages at Cabrillo, a 120-unit supportive housing project for extremely low-income households and veterans experiencing homelessness; and in 2015, Cabrillo Gateway was completed, providing 80 affordable homes for families and individuals with mental health disabilities.

For more information on the city’s affordable housing efforts, visit the Long Beach Development Services Department webpage.