Address to City Council on Winter Shelter

My Name is Jim Lewis; I am chief executive officer of the Long Beach Rescue Mission whose Admin Office is located at 1430 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach, 90813. We are also the contract agent for the LAHSA SPA8 Winter Shelter for the third year.

As most of you know, I am committed to limit the site of a seasonal shelter to one that has approval of the City and Law Enforcement, with a formal occupancy permit. In addition to researching Long Beach city-owned or leased properties for consideration as sites, I looked within surrounding cities and unincorporated county properties within the SPA 8 Area.

The process locating an appropriate site for this shelter program is a difficult one. While seeking access to any possible publicly owned property, one is left with privately owned sites; getting past brokers to an owner is just about impossible, and then getting an owner to consider a shelter use is mostly an insurmountable challenge. Getting subsequent approval of the councilperson of the related district is an even higher bar to overcome – especially when only a few of you are even willing to consider such a request in your district.

As no zoning now exists for shelters by right – or even an Administrative Use Permit, any site requires the process we address tonight, that of declaring a shelter emergency and waiving zoning. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify a recent PT article which misquoted me in saying the city needs a permanent year-round shelter – it already has several, and the Long Beach Rescue Mission is committed to providing a hand-up to those desiring a better life. Although additional beds are critically needed, what I stated to the reporter was that we need a permanent site for this winter shelter. If city agencies and the public work together, I believe a collaborative multi-use facility is feasible.

I am extending my commitment for the third year: . . . that of providing quality management for this program including strict mitigation of any negative issues surrounding the program. I will work hard to deserve your continued trust as we endeavor to provide a successful Winter Shelter program – thereby creating a safe environment for our city’s homeless to stay overnight, be fed, and offered a hand-up out of their situation and assist them in seeking a better quality of life.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to serve this city.