Long Beach’s Office of Civic Innovation has selected five community project awardees for the Love Your Block mini-grant program. This community-driven initiative is meant to empower residents to take action and enhance their neighborhoods, with the focus for the inaugural year in West Long Beach, city officials said.
The five selected awardees will receive up to $2,500 in funding to support projects addressing air quality and transportation efficiency for residents, especially youth and older adults, in the 90810 ZIP code.
“The Love Your Block program put residents in the driver’s seat of neighborhood change,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “By investing in resident-led ideas, we’re building solutions that reflect the lived experience of West Long Beach and strengthening community connections in lasting, meaningful ways.”
In its first year, Love Your Block focuses on projects that support the city’s Westside Promise Initiative, a 10-year community investment plan to address current and historic challenges facing West Long Beach, through the alignment of existing city efforts, strategic partnership and investments.
Long Beach, in partnership with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, launched the city’s inaugural Love Your Block program in February. Following the application period, which ran from Aug. 27 to Sept. 26, the Office of Civic Innovation led the project selection process; that process included a panel comprising city staff, and candidates were scored on and selected for their proposed project, according to a press release.
The proposed project had to support reducing exposure to poor indoor and outdoor air quality; promote clean air education, behavior and tools; enhance pedestrian, bicycle and rolling safety; and/or build community capacity to advocate for street and environmental improvements.
Earlier this month, on Dec. 3, city staffers hosted the Love Your Block Mini-Grant Kickoff meeting, during which they welcomed and on-boarded this year’s five community grant awardees. The event marked the start of the 2025 Love Your Block project cycle and provided an opportunity for staffers and community partners to connect with the grantees, according to a press release.
“The impactful initiatives Westside residents are leading not only enhance their environment, but also foster community engagement and pride,” Lea Eriksen, director of the Technology and Innovation Department, said in a statement. “By promoting cleaner air and addressing safety and quality of life outcomes, we are paving the way for a brighter, healthier future for all residents.”
The Love Your Block team will work closely with each awardee to support project implementation, connect awardees with appropriate city departments and resources, and ensure alignment with city policies and community goals, officials said.
Each of the five selected resident-led initiatives will receive mini-grant funding and direct support for city staffers to plan and implement their initiatives by March.
The five selected initiatives and awarded projects include:
Legacy in Bloom: Community youth-led tree planting and clean-up initiative engaging local support from West Long Beach schools and residents to improve air quality and neighborhood pride.
Breath of Fresh Air: Promoting cleaner air and respiratory health through educational sessions regarding diesel awareness for West Long Beach residents and encouraging a vape trade-in for air purifiers.
Community Bee Apiary: A new community-led bee sanctuary located in West Long Beach that will focus on supporting plant health, contributing to cleaner air with urban beekeeping and educational resources.
Westside Clean & Green: West Long Beach community-led neighborhood clean-up to address urban decay and promote safer, walkable streets, and provide plant and air purifier giveaways for participation.
Community Garden: A new green space and community garden providing fresh produce and wellness programming to promote healthy eating, mindfulness and outdoor education for local residents of all ages in West Long Beach.
Residents interested in applying for future rounds of Love Your Block mini-grants are encouraged to follow updates on the Office of Civic Innovation webpage at longbeach.gov.