Long
Beach addresses housing issues
By Gina Ponce
On-line Forty-Niner
Every
day people are discovering Long Beach, said
Mayor Beverly O’Neill when addressing one
of the many issues regarding density and
housing at a forum Wednesday night at Cesar
Chavez Park.
Jack Humphrey, former advanced planning
and building officer for the city of Long
Beach, gave a presentation on housing facts,
why houses are not being built and the future
of housing construction.
Construction lags well behind population
and job growth in Southern California, Humphrey
said. Evidence points to a worsening of
this situation over the next 30 to 40 years.
Housing prices rise because of low construction
rates and a growing demand. This also results
in a rising level of both overcrowding and
commuters.
“This has been an issue for awhile and now
it is a crisis because housing costs are
too high for business owners driving them
out of the city,” Humphrey said. “Universities
are losing students who can’t afford housing,”
Humphrey said.
Housing is not being built because state
tax law wants cities to use their land more
for businesses that will generate income
than for residential development, said Humphrey.
Long Beach also has a problem with scarce
vacant land that could be used. There is
a community fear of multi-family housing
and litigation problems with newly built
houses, he said.
Lack of affordable housing is a problem
in all of California. Renters are more dominant
than homeowners in Long Beach. Humphrey
showed in his presentation that renters
have a bedroom shortage and smaller facilities.
Thirteen to 14 percent of these facilities
do not have bedrooms, and approximately
60 percent are one or two bedrooms. There
have also been many cases of garages being
converted into rooms and rented out.
Humphrey said in the future, Long Beach
is going to see a steady increase in the
population and answers to this issue will
only be found if the community works together
to find solutions. He estimated that more
housing units will be needed than will be
produced by 2005.
The manager of housing services in Long
Beach, Beth Stochl, presented different
grants the city is receiving for housing
from the government. Two in particular are
aimed directly at low-income housing. These
include the Federal Home Funds, which is
$4.6 million a year and the Federal Community
Development Block Grants, which is $10 million
a year. Stochl said current programs and
projects that are being worked on are home
ownership, revitalization and rental assistance.
“What Long Beach is facing is pressing needs,”
O’Neill said. “We, as a city, need to face
the need for open space, affordable and
higher income housing and more parks. We
do not have an urban sprawl. Wherever you
live there is a growing problem in housing.
We are trying to revitalize our entire city.”
“I came to this meeting because I hate density,
but I am very concerned about the homeless
and people who can’t afford housing,” said
Ann Salas-Rock, a resident, homeowner and
landlord in Long Beach. “I don’t know what
the answer is. I think they have a great
challenge ahead of them. I’m very interested
in being involved.”
Humphrey said the university systems need
to build more dorms for students. Most students
in Long Beach have found housing around
the traffic circle area. He said fraternities
and sororities have an even more difficult
time finding houses in neighborhoods because
of complaining neighbors. He said he believes
housing is very expensive for students,
and there should be more of a market especially
made for students. Humphrey said Long Beach
is not as bad when it comes to student housing
compared to other areas he has observed.
“This series sets the tone for the rest
of the forums,” O’Neill said. The next meeting
will take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 to
discuss a variety of topics on neighborhoods.
Following meetings include transportation
and infrastructure, public safety, environment
and business friendly economic development.
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