By Dianne Anderson<\/p>\n
What was once an old eyesore of a nuisance motel, and a magnet for trouble at 5950 Long Beach Blvd, is now revamped with modern lighting and fixtures, microwaves, refrigerators, on-site laundry, and new bathrooms in every unit.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s turning heads.<\/p>\n
Beyond the fresh paint, interior upgrades, and landscaping, Mayor Rex Richardson said everyone can take pride in how one of the city\u2019s most dangerous properties, mired in blight, has transformed into a fully revitalized community asset.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a haven for human trafficking and violence and a number of things were at this site. But as I got out today and walked up and I\u2019m seeing dog runs and fresh paint and the units look incredible,\u201d said Mayor Richardson at last week\u2019s ribbon-cutting for the Homekey Interim housing site.<\/p>\n
Richardson said the renovation is a key step in Long Beach\u2019s broader homelessness strategy, and it\u2019s starting to see results.<\/p>\n
Just five years ago, the city had no municipal shelters. In the past year alone, including Homekey at 1725 Long Beach Blvd. he said the city opened a youth shelter navigation center, and its newest site adds more than 200 beds.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat this means is we know that there\u2019s no single solution to homelessness, but there are things we can do to deliver results. If we want to bring people inside off the streets, we have to have places for them to go,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Since declaring a local state of emergency, with the addition of Homekey 5950, the city has expanded shelter capacity by 84 percent and reduced street-level homelessness by 17 percent.<\/p>\n
Richardson thanked the state and the residents who helped launch the city\u2019s first shelter five years ago, and North Long Beach for doing their part to address the issue, even though tough times are ahead.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t give up on people. We have to have hope that we do our part and they will step up and do their part and get on the trajectory toward recovery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Located in Long Beach City Council District 8, Homekey 5950 offers 78 upgraded units, including 12 fully ADA-accessible rooms.<\/p>\n
Paul Duncan, Homeless Services Bureau Manager, Department of Health and Human Services, said the facility offers safe, private spaces for homeless adults and couples, and onsite support to transition residents into permanent housing. Priority goes to those who have been homeless for over a year or have health vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n
Eligibility is for adults and transition-age youth over 18 who meet federal homelessness definitions under HUD or the McKinney-Vento Act. Families are not served at the facility, but most residents come from unsheltered situations or are transferred from shelters.<\/p>\n
\u201cProgress toward housing goals is regularly reviewed. The program has no set stay length but aims to move people to permanent housing as quickly as possible. As residents exit, new participants fill openings, about five to ten monthly,\u201d Duncan said in an email.<\/p>\n
Participants access case management for employment and housing, three daily meals, onsite health and substance use care, 24-hour security, and housing referrals.<\/p>\n
Last year, the nonprofit First to Serve was selected through a city RFP to manage daily operations, case management, food, cleaning, security, and maintenance, while the city funds, oversees, and owns the property, he said. Funding comes from state Project Homekey and HHAP, with the city pursuing future grants for sustainability.<\/p>\n
At the ribbon-cutting, District 8 Councilmember Tunua Thrash-Ntuk called the project \u201ca moral imperative,\u201d and commended the city\u2019s Health and Human Services, Public Works, and City Manager\u2019s Office for their leadership and work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis won\u2019t just be a roof over someone\u2019s head. It\u2019ll be a first safe night of sleeping outside of the streets, maybe in months for some. And we hope that by being here with the nonprofits that we\u2019re partnering with, this will be a door to health care, to job training, and mental health services for those who come here,\u201d said Thrash-Ntuk, chair of the city\u2019s Housing and Public Health Committee.<\/p>\n
She said the renovated units mean new beginnings to help residents rebuild lives with access to health care, job training, and mental health services, and stands as an example of city and state collaboration.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are responding to the community\u2019s need for more housing and stability in this very same neighborhood here we call Coolidge on this side of Long Beach Boulevard. Today we reclaim this space as a transformative source of hope for all in this community. This building is not a problem. It is not a problem to be solved. It is now a solution that we can take pride in,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
City data from the 2025 Point-in-Time Count shows sharp racial disparities among Long Beach\u2019s homeless population, with 34.7 percent Black or African American\u2014the most impacted\u2014compared to 24.8 percent White, 24 percent Latinx or Hispanic, 11 percent identifying as multiple or other races, 3.8 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, and 1.6 percent Native American.<\/p>\n
Overall, the aging homeless population is also heavily impacted, with 44 percent over age 50.<\/p>\n
Researchers at UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative show broad statewide racial disparities, with Black Californians disproportionately affected.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlack people have experienced, and continue experiencing, systemic racism in the form of disproportionate levels of policing, housing segregation, employment discrimination, and ongoing disinvestment from Black communities, which have led to their significant overrepresentation in the population experiencing homelessness,\u201d the report said. \u201cPeople who are Black\/African American make up only 7.6 percent of L.A. County\u2019s population, yet account for 31.7 percent of the people experiencing homelessness in the county.\u201d<\/p>\n