City of Long Beach Explores Opportunity to House Students Experiencing Homelessness Through Tiny Homes

City of Long Beach
Public Information Office
411 W. Ocean Blvd,
Long Beach, CA 90802

The City of Long Beach announced today that it is shifting the focus of its Tiny Homes project toward housing students experiencing homelessness. The City and Long Beach City College (LBCC) are discussing possible collaborative efforts that could provide needed shelter for some LBCC students.

"It's absolutely critical that we continue to support young people in our city, as they will be the ones that shape the future of Long Beach," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "We are having meaningful conversations with our partners at LBCC, to see how collectively we can provide some housing security for students experiencing homelessness, so that they can better focus on their education and career paths. In the long run, this helps support our entire community."

Discussions with LBCC are in the early stages and a location for the Tiny Homes has yet to be finalized. The potential innovative partnership would help the City locate a viable space for Tiny Homes, assist LBCC in providing an additional pathway to housing stability for students and make a direct positive impact on the lives of LBCC students who are experiencing homelessness.

For the past several months the City had been considering the City property at the corner of California Avenue and E Springs Street, a parcel (Parcel B) connected to Willow Springs Park, as a possible location for a Tiny Homes campus. However, due to high costs related to installing utilities at the site as well as costs related to clean up due to previous uses of the site, the City is no longer considering this as a feasible option.

Instead, City staff is making a recommendation to City Council that the 46.24-acre Parcel A of Willow Springs Park be officially dedicated as park space in perpetuity. Related, the City is also recommending the future dedication of the 1.8-acre northwest corner of the park (Parcel B) as park space as soon as the City establishes a land bank for park space pursuant to the City Charter. Further, the FY25 Proposed Budget being considered by City Council proposes $1 million to support a transformative restoration project, called the Willow Springs Trailhead Project.

"It was important that we explored the different possible uses for Parcel B in support of our community," said Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr. "As we all know, when one door closes, another opens. As the Tiny Homes project takes a new direction, I am excited at the prospect of Willow Springs Park's long-awaited dedication as official park space in perpetuity, as well as the potential for some well-deserved upgrades that the entire community can enjoy."

The City's Tiny Homes, which would be deployed to a new agreed-upon location if an agreement is considered and reached between the City and LBCC, will be single occupancy modular units that are approximately 100 square feet, each containing a bed, personal bathroom and shower, lighting, electrical outlets, personal HVAC and storage. They will also include a fire suppression system. Both standard and ADA-accessible units will be available. The City and LBCC will collaborate to ensure appropriate amenities, supervision and supportive services are provided to students experiencing homelessness, including transition into permanent housing opportunities.

Funding for this effort stems from the Homekey Program Round 2 Grant, which was awarded to the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) by The State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in August 2022.

If any official decisions are being contemplated by the City and LBCC, they would be heard by the Long Beach City Council and Long Beach City College Board of Trustees respectively during open session, allowing for public participation.

Tiny Homes are just one small part of the overall strategy to increase shelter space in Long Beach. In the past four years, 457 new emergency shelter or interim housing beds have either been completed or under construction just by the City alone, not to mention partnerships with the County and non-profits. All told, Long Beach has over 1,200 shelter beds in our system through the City's Continuum of Care partnerships.

For more information on the City's efforts to reduce homelessness in Long Beach, people may visit longbeach.gov/homelessness and follow @lbhealthdept and @longbeachcity on social media and follow the hashtag #EveryoneHomeLB.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.