Speaker 1: I'm sorry. What item was that?
Speaker 0: I believe it's item 18.
Speaker 1: Item 18 is a report from economic and property development. Recommendation to execute a First Amendment to lease between the City and Mental Health America of Los Angeles. To increase the amount of city participation in the cost of tenant improvements from 1.2 million to 3.4 and broaden the scope of allowed users uses. And to execute a lease agreement and option to purchase agreement with the County of Los Angeles and a sublease between the city and MHC, the property located at 1945 Palmer Court to be used for parking at a cost of 222,000 over ten years. District six.
Speaker 0: Q Thank you. We're going to start off with our staff report.
Speaker 8: Mayor council members to night. We're proud to present this effort, which caps off a ten year effort to find a new home for MH or Mental Health America. MH is one of the premier homeless service providers in Long Beach as well as our entire country. Tonight's action will move most of the services from its current location at Fifth and Elm to 1955 Long Beach Boulevard, where they will make more of an impact in our community. I can't say enough about Councilmember de Andrews and how much he has been working toward ending homelessness, providing service to homeless folks in his district and in Long Beach in general, and working with us to provide a facility there on Long Beach Boulevard in 1955. Last week, our point in time homeless count, our biennial homeless count, showed that homeless conditions, at least at a point in time, were down 21% in Long Beach. Chronic homelessness was down 26%. Along with our health department and its Homeless Homeless Services Bureau, Mental Health America, or MSA and our other providers have been key in this drop in homelessness. Tonight's action will help further reduce homelessness and provide services to homeless people throughout our community. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to our director of Economic Development and Property Services, John Keisler, as well as one of the deputy city attorneys, Richard Anthony. John.
Speaker 2: Good. Thank you, Pat. Good evening, Mayor, and members.
Speaker 9: Of the city council.
Speaker 2: I'm going to present a little bit of history about the base re-use and closure process associated with Schroeder Hall.
Speaker 9: And how.
Speaker 3: We got to the place that we are today.
Speaker 2: So in front of you, you should have a presentation.
Speaker 9: That that begins with some.
Speaker 3: Some familiar pictures. Back in.
Speaker 7: 2006.
Speaker 2: The federal government surplus, the the Schroeder.
Speaker 9: Hall facility, and through the base reuse and closure process.
Speaker 2: Required.
Speaker 9: A homeless services.
Speaker 2: Agreement to transfer transfer the property to the city. In 2008.
Speaker 9: The city signed an.
Speaker 2: Agreement with the major who was approved by the federal government to provide those services.
Speaker 0: Mr. KEISLER Yes, I know this is a large presentation. Most of us have have had to put the public presentation, I think laughs and this was up. So yeah, I just talked to Councilman Andrews. I just go through it, but expedited if possible.
Speaker 3: Excellent. Thank you. Yes, sir.
Speaker 2: Yeah. So fast forward in the week. In 2010, the federal government approved a swap so that we can move the East Division substation at Los Coyotes over to the Schroder Hall facility. And through that, the city purchased a property at 1955, 1965, Long Beach Boulevard. And so where we are today is to talk about a project for a consolidated MTA Health Administration facility, along with our new.
Speaker 9: Partners, Third.
Speaker 2: Wave Marketplace and the Children's Clinic. So that the unique aspect of this project is the public private partnership.
Speaker 7: That's involved.
Speaker 2: Between the public sector, private sector and nonprofit sectors. Additionally, what's innovative about this partnership is that the services provided by MHC will be also.
Speaker 7: Supplemented.
Speaker 2: By a street front retail.
Speaker 7: Center.
Speaker 2: And the integration of wraparound services from workforce development to medical, financial, job training and permanent supportive housing. Something interesting about this particular.
Speaker 9: Partnership with the city and MJ.
Speaker 2: Is that MJ represents the gateway to what the city has.
Speaker 9: Called the continuum of.
Speaker 2: Care. And this is a national model whereby homeless.
Speaker 9: Individuals or individuals seeking mental illness.
Speaker 2: Support can enter into the continuum of care and move from the homeless situation into housing. Over 80%.
Speaker 9: Of the clients of MHR are.
Speaker 2: Actually housed and they come to the Amaechi Support Center for services that range from financial management to life skills and jobs training so that we can help keep those formerly homeless.
Speaker 9: Individuals.
Speaker 2: In a permanent supportive housing.
Speaker 7: Situation. So the amendment or the.
Speaker 2: Amended agreement that you're being presented with tonight includes both the lease agreement with.
Speaker 9: MH as in the city, as well as some additional funds to.
Speaker 2: Help with the tenant improvements.
Speaker 9: Of the.
Speaker 2: Building itself, the design for the café and the retail space, third wave marketplace, some seismic retrofit.
Speaker 3: The reconfiguration.
Speaker 7: Of the floor plan.
Speaker 9: So that partners and supervisors and an.
Speaker 2: Estimated 80 staff members can, can, can work there as well as.
Speaker 9: Construction contingency and additional funds for.
Speaker 2: Parking. The amended proposal includes the new partners and.
Speaker 9: Investors in the project. The Good Neighbor Conditions.
Speaker 2: Program Supervisors Onsite establishes the regular business.
Speaker 9: Hours.
Speaker 2: That the community room will be available to.
Speaker 9: The public after 5 p.m. on a daily basis or by appointment as.
Speaker 2: Available. 100% Security Patrol during regular business hours.
Speaker 3: The Health Clinic by appointment.
Speaker 9: Only security cameras link to the L.B. Corp. system and a 24 hour hotline with a private.
Speaker 3: Security firm for the first two.
Speaker 9: Years, which will allow for us to also.
Speaker 3: Collect.
Speaker 9: Important data about MJ and the operations, as well as a secure waiting area.
Speaker 2: For member appointments in the rear area off the main street. So just going through real quick, the partners in this project.
Speaker 9: Are our Economic and Property Development Department who.
Speaker 7: Are looking for.
Speaker 2: Opportunities for workforce, property and business development.
Speaker 9: MH Which is one of our most well-established national nonprofits for mental health services and the Children's Clinic, one of our local providers. Founded in 1939 by physicians locally to provide some of the medical care at the facility.
Speaker 2: The other partner who will be operating the retail.
Speaker 9: Space is Charles Lu in Third Wave Marketplace. Charles Lu is an award winning entrepreneur who's been featured in the L.A. Times, L.A. Signature Magazine and other.
Speaker 2: Publications for his unique and.
Speaker 9: Innovative projects, including some.
Speaker 7: Of the most creative.
Speaker 2: New enterprises.
Speaker 9: In the L.A. Arts District in Warehouse District.
Speaker 2: And you may be familiar.
Speaker 9: With some of his other operations. So we're very excited to welcome.
Speaker 3: Charles Lou.
Speaker 2: To Long Beach Boulevard, where he will.
Speaker 9: Operate third wave marketplace. And with that.
Speaker 2: The next steps that we're looking.
Speaker 9: At after approval of.
Speaker 2: The lease agreement.
Speaker 9: Is an executed lease.
Speaker 7: Amendment.
Speaker 2: With the good neighbor.
Speaker 7: Conditions in in it.
Speaker 9: The submit the site plans and to secure the permits for construction.
Speaker 2: So this will just kick off the ability for the parties.
Speaker 7: To move forward with.
Speaker 2: The construction design and secure.
Speaker 9: Those site plan permits as well as construction with a grand opening estimated in 2018.
Speaker 3: So with that.
Speaker 9: I'm happy to answer any questions and.
Speaker 3: Thank you for your.
Speaker 7: Time.
Speaker 0: Thank you for that presentation. I'm going to turn this over to Councilman Andrews.
Speaker 2: Yes. Thank you, Mayor. And also Mr. Caruso. I think that everyone who realized that this has been a very tedious project here. But finally, we got it to the point that I think we're going to be able to make a motion tonight and move this on because first and foremost.
Speaker 3: I want to say that this is and has been a long journey for MHRA. I'm extremely disappointed with the delay in the project and.
Speaker 2: Reservations to move it forward. But I met with our city manager and the Department of Economic and Property Development and have ESA and ensure that this is the final attempt to bring this project to fruition. This is a much needed service to our community and I hope MHRA complete and, and comply, you know, with the, the agreement and become a good neighbor in the sixth district. Because like I said, this has been a long journey and I would only hope that these individuals, especially our association and the City Six District, have come along with me and made it possible for this thing to come fruition. So stay with us. Be with us. And we hope those individuals there will have a place to go to enjoy themselves and get the treatment.
Speaker 3: That they need. And thank you very much. And I move to group.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Motion to the motion in the second by Councilwoman Gonzalez. Councilman Gonzalez.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'd just like to say that I'm very excited to see the shift in that will have more opportunities to liven up along Beach Boulevard, more central in the city. And what's exciting to know as well as that, you know, although most of the services were in the first District, a lot of residents didn't even know the extent to which MH was, was, was providing. And so I will say that now moving to central Long Beach in an area that certainly also needs certainly more economic investment and many of these resources, I think it's it's upon all of us to really get to know these services. And I hope that each and every one of you can tour the area and really see what it's what it's all about in this city. It's fantastic. And there is a amazing group of individuals that work there as well, mostly all local Long Beach residents. So thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Councilman Price.
Speaker 4: I just want to express my support for this project. This is it's really exciting and I'm very happy for the city, for Maté and for Councilman Andrews in terms of this development. A fantastic update by Mr. Keisler. I could not be more supportive. Congratulations on an exciting partnership.
Speaker 0: Vice Mayor Richardson.
Speaker 3: Just want to chime in. Say, this is this is an incredible project. I have followed it, you know, particularly proud of the way that we've been able to look at interesting financing mechanisms, including looking at some of the proceeds from the sale of redevelopment properties to reinvest in central Long Beach. That's sort of in the same spirit of how redevelopment was set up in the first place. I also want to say this is high quality and very well done. The plan was thought out and I want to say congratulations and thank you to the developer, Mr. Lew, for it looks like a very high quality establishment. And keep it up. There's plenty, plenty of opportunities, including here in North Lombard, to look at those. And the last thing I'll say is that, you know, I heard a really, really interesting rumor about this project. It's not a rumor. I've been sort of hassling B Andrews and his chief of staff about this for a while, but needed. You get Metta World Peace in on this project. I need not to say more. He will be on the project. Thank you very much. Once again, congratulations. This is an amazing project.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Councilmember Pearce.
Speaker 5: Yes. I, too, want to congratulate the team that worked on this. Councilmember Andrews, I know you've worked hard on this and your staff really made sure that you found the best project for your neighborhood. MHRA has been a great partner in educating me on so many resources and programs in our community, and so an opportunity for you to grow and really serve a broader community I think is important. And public private partnerships with with Mr. Lu is fantastic. I've been to a couple of his establishments and having business leaders like himself that put their heart in the same place that they're trying to grow is a great model for Long Beach. And to have people like that looking at Long Beach, that's I think the Long Beach way. And so I'm really excited to see this project develop. And thank you again to the staff that also worked really hard on this. Congrats, everyone.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Let me just add first to to MHRA and to all of the the great individuals are going to be working there and to all the folks that are going to be served. Just thank you for sticking with this project and thank you for making it a reality. I'm very been very involved in talking to Councilman Andrews and his his support for this project. I really appreciate his willingness to take on, which is for a lot of folks, a difficult issue. But we know it's also the right thing to do. And when you look at the location, particularly next to transit, it is a a home run opportunity for the city and for all the folks that are going to be served in this location to have access to transit, to have access to expanded service, to be able to what I love is to be able to not just get service to improve their own lives, but then possibly have access to a job and get the workforce training with and at these restaurants or establishments that are going to be established there on site. And so this whole idea of creating a pipeline into the workplace, into the workforce, taking care of someone's mental health and really providing an important service. I also want to add, I think this is important is one thing I've seen that this that I'm really proud of this council, particularly in the last couple of years, is everyone is is stepping up to help address this challenge. And whether it's the conversation around the the the year round shelter, whether it's a conversation around this facility and others in the future, I'm really proud that everyone has taken a holistic, city wide look as and how we address the big challenges ahead of us and how we support these people that really need, need our support. And I'm really proud of this project as well. And I want to thank Councilman Andrews and and MLK as well. And with that, I'll take any public comment, please. There's a motion to approve the recommendation.
Speaker 2: Very good do address on file. This is certainly a commendable project and certainly Councilman Andrews is to be congratulated, congratulated for championing this. The one item that I have a concern about is not the issue in chief, but rather, once again, we've got the mayor. Jerking the agenda around like Seinfeld's. Kramer enters and leaves the room. I've got to believe that in a project like this, there are some people whose schedules are set. They look at an agenda. They plan on being at a given time down here. And then we've got the pipsqueak jerking that around for reasons various. That practice has to stop not just on this, but any other item if it's listed following with abandon, that odious concept of trying to mimic Seinfeld's Kramer and follow it in the remaining few weeks or months that you have in office. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Next week or please.
Speaker 2: Mr. Mayor, honorable members of the City Council. Good evening. My name is Dave Pilon. I'm the president and CEO of Mental Health America of Los Angeles. And I'm here tonight to thank you for taking action to provide my agency with the resources needed to build our new health care facility on Long Beach Boulevard. These funds will enable MHRA, along with our partner, the Children's Clinic, to provide both physical and behavioral health care to some of the most vulnerable people in the city of Long Beach, those who have a serious mental illness and are also at risk of homelessness or actually homeless. The funds will also provide a community room for the use of local resident neighborhood associations and other nonprofit community groups. It was Gandhi who said that a nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members. And I think that he would surely approve of the action that I hope and anticipate that you will take tonight . And while I'm grateful to all of you for your affirmative vote on this motion, I need to single out one member of the city council, this particular responsible for this positive outcome. When the city and Metro reached the impasse in our efforts to find a mutually acceptable site for our program, it was Mr. De Andrews who had the courage to step up and welcome us into the sixth District. Mr. Andrews, thank you for your support of MHR and more importantly, thank you for the support of the vulnerable population that we serve without the generous and tireless work of you and your staff. I do not believe that we could have made this a reality. MHRA looks forward to continuing work with you and your staff to ensure that our health care center will become a hub of activity and promise and the pride of the Sixth District in Long Beach. We will not let you down. I also want to thank city manager Pat West and City Staff John Keisler, who are Tyler's tireless in working out the details of the agreement between MHR and the city. I also want to thank our own director of real estate, Bob Emmerson, who served as our point person for all those negotiations , and Julia Scholesy MHRA, former chief development officer who raised more than $1,000,000 in support of this project. And finally, I hope you'll forgive me for giving a shout out to all the staff and board members. And friends of the MHRA are here tonight. You all rock, and I'm proud to be your CEO. Thank you. And I'll be happy to take any questions.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Next speaker, please. Thank you so much.
Speaker 3: Hello. Hi. My name is Matt Houston. I have autism and PTSD. And I just wanted to give you a little bit more perspective on or at least my perspective on this thing called mental health. In some cases, I believe that mental health is a perspective and one one example of that throughout history is a diagnosis that used to be called drop Beatlemania and Jupiter. Mania was a type of schizophrenia that they said that's escapes hat that escaped slaves had because the Bible said that slaves should submit to their masters. Now, that's a very extreme example, granted, but that's something in our history that that has been part of the state and part of the enforcement of of these mental health statuses. And I think we need to be really careful about making sure that someone's political affiliation or their personal risk or their stance on certain things doesn't get assessed by another person as being a sign of a mental illness. Whereas if you read some of the laws in the state, they say that if a person, a person is deemed by someone outside of the judicial process to be a danger to themselves or others, which is an opinion, first of all, I believe that any detention should be in line with the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure and requires that there be probable cause. A personal example of mine when sorry I'm shaking because that's how much it affects me. But in 2003, when we went to when the U.S. went to war with Iraq, I did a hunger fast for 48 hours and operated in in the civil rights space by hooking up my vehicle to a power inverter and running an extension cord underneath the railroad tracks in West Palm Beach, Florida, to a bus stop that was just right on the other side of what I consider to be a basically an apartheid area that was divided by railroad tracks, which is very common in the south. I went to a fresh French restaurant down Clematis Street, and I got water and ice and I went to the grocery store and I got Hershey's Kisses and I brought them to the 100% African-American group that was at the bus stop every day without without being taken care of, without having electricity there while right across the street . As I'm bringing. Getting the ice water. Donald Trump is standing there. You know, I don't know what the connection there is, but all I know is that. Shortly after that, I was attacked with by a group of white supremacists and an ice pick was put in through the back of my head and I was taken instead of to a hospital. I was taken to a mental health facility and told that it was my actions that caused the damage to myself and my. I was a programmer for Professional Golfers Association. I was there. I was supposed to go to CNN Center. My job was taken. My apartment was taken. So this idea that. So these facilities are a refuge for an alternative. Homelessness, in my experience, is not the case whatsoever. And I think if you're going to be assigning money to anyone, I think you, you know, put yourself in the places that of the person that are going in there.
Speaker 0: So time is all up. So I just need you to. Thank you very much, sir. Okay. Thank you very much. Next speaker.
Speaker 2: Good evening, Mayor and Council.
Speaker 3: My name is Mike Murchison. I'm here on behalf of IKO, one of the next door neighbors for MH here down the road. I do want to take one moment in something that has been bothering me for a very long time. I've been coming to council meetings for the better part of probably 20 plus years, more than most of you in this room. And when I hear folks come down on the.
Speaker 2: Microphone and they're disrespectful and they say unkind words to the elected officials that.
Speaker 3: Take up the time to serve our community. Whether you agree or disagree on the issue is not the point, is the point that you show respect to the elected officials. I think there's a very sensitive issue here when you talk about mental health. So I believe that MH will be a very credible, very credible business in the sixth District. I think that the councilmember leading the sixth District has done a very credible job in bringing them there to that community. I would like to point out just one thing on behalf of IKO, who's been there for 30 years and the county leased from them the parking lot. I think it's very important.
Speaker 2: That we try to work out a mutual relationship between Iko MH.
Speaker 3: And the city of Long Beach. So just respectfully, Mayor and council, I asked that Mr. Geisler, who's been very upfront with me all the way through.
Speaker 2: Continue the negotiations to allow IKO to be able to.
Speaker 3: Park for any development that they've lost a tenant either guarantee that they have the opportunity.
Speaker 2: To build a new.
Speaker 3: Development which will be important to the.
Speaker 2: Sixth District.
Speaker 3: They're going to need parking and they don't park up to code currently.
Speaker 2: So I just asked for you to.
Speaker 3: Be helpful as best you can, mayor and council, as they move forward with a prospective development. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Next speaker.
Speaker 3: Mr. Mayor. Honorary Council members. My name is Charles Lu. I'm here representing third wave. I just wanted to say collectively to everybody, thank you. As has been mentioned a couple of times, this has been somewhat of a long process. And I just want to thank everybody for working with us and continuing to stick with us. This is a project that we've really poured our hearts into. When we first met with Councilmember.
Speaker 2: Andrews about it, he basically said, Get us jobs.
Speaker 3: And make us jobs. So we're very happy to say that we're going to come and hopefully exceed any expectation that you might have. Thank you to Mr. John Kiser for his tireless work, and thank you in general to the city of Long Beach for their support. And we look forward to being a member of this city on multiple projects for a long time. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you very much. Thank you. Next speaker, please.
Speaker 9: Hi.
Speaker 7: I guess we're the third partners. I'm Gina Lerner with the Children's Clinic. And on behalf of Dr. Nicklaus, our CEO and our board members, I wanted to thank the councilmen, the Council and Mental Health America for inviting us to participate in this new endeavor. TCC has been in the city of Long Beach since 1939 and we serve over 40,000 patients. And as throughout the year we we've noticed the need for more services for the homeless and for those with suffered from mental illness. And I think this is going to be an interesting and exciting program as we model the integration between behavioral health.
Speaker 9: And primary care.
Speaker 7: So I just wanted to thank everybody and David Pilon and Mary and and also again, I think it could be a national model on how primary care and mental health can work together and taking care of our mutual patients. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Next speaker, please.
Speaker 7: Good evening, marion city Council. Diana La Jean's as a former chair of the Disabilities Commission here in Long Beach. I'm very happy to see this project going forward, especially happy that the council is recognizing the need that mental health has for this facility, and I absolutely support it. MHRA is a great organization and I know they'll do well and rather than I know a lot of people have complained about the homeless and the there are some problems, but I think what mental health America is doing is going to help resolve those. So I do very much support the project and thank you for your empathy and and your support in the in this type of disability, because mental health issues are a disability. So thank you very much.
Speaker 0: Thank you very much. With that seeing no other see no other public comment, there is a motion and a second. Members, please cast your votes.
Speaker 1: Motion carries.
Speaker 0: Great. MHRA, congratulations. So the city. We're we're really looking forward. This is going to be a very exciting partnership. And I'm very excited about just the potential for for this site and the service. So thank you all very much. We're going to be now moving on to.
Speaker 3: Our.
Speaker 0: Next item, which is the recommendations from staff on the study session that we had around housing. So we're going to do that next. Madam Quirk, if I can have you read the update, actually, I'm sorry. Let me do consent calendar.
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a First Amendment to Lease Number 34078 (Lease) between the City of Long Beach (City) and Mental Health America of Los Angeles (MHA), to increase the amount of City participation in the cost of tenant improvements at the City-owned premises located at 1955-1965 Long Beach Boulevard (Premises) from $1,200,000 to $3,450,000, and broaden the scope of allowed uses to include seismic renovation, improvements to the remainder of the building and additional parking;

Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a Lease Agreement and Option to Purchase Agreement with the County of Los Angeles, and a Sub-Lease between the City and MHA, for property located at 1945 Palmer Court to be used for parking at a cost of $222,200 over ten years;

Increase appropriations in the General Fund (GF) in the Citywide Activities Department (XC) by $2,422,200, offset by City funds received from the sale of City-owned property at 227 Elm Avenue and from sale of former Redevelopment Agency-owned parcels for transfer to the Capital Projects Fund