City News

Long Beach’s Summer of Opportunity was developed by an interdepartmental team consisting of the offices of the City Manager, Equity and Civic Innovation and the following departments: Health and Human Services; Police; Fire; Library, Arts and Culture; Parks, Recreation and Marine; and Economic Development. It encompasses a coordinated collective approach to youth safety to provide engagement opportunities for youth during the summer months by leveraging existing resources that support youth engagement, connectedness, and collaborating with community organizations and stakeholders.

Details for the Summer of Opportunity initiative were first presented during the June 4, 2024, City Council meeting. Highlights of the initiative are below with additional information available here.

S.T.R.O.N.G. Beach (Standing Together to Reach Our Next Generation)

S.T.R.O.N.G. Beach unites existing citywide programs and community partnerships by actively engaging opportunity youth – people from 13 to 26 years old who are neither enrolled in school nor working – during the summer months. The goals of S.T.R.O.N.G. Beach include:

• decreasing violent incidents in city neighborhoods most impacted by violence;
• building bridges to lasting, meaningful opportunities for local youth;
• creating safe spaces and transformative opportunities for youth through interdepartmental collaboration and community partnerships;
• offering hope, resilience and connectedness for youth, families and neighborhoods most impacted by violence.

These goals are aligned with the City’s violence prevention strategies to go beyond incident reduction by also focusing on uplifting and empowering young people.

Crime Suppression and Violence Prevention

To achieve optimal health outcomes and safe communities for all, addressing violence in Long Beach requires a comprehensive, multifaceted approach. The City created its  Long Beach Advancing Peace Initiative to collectively address the systemic issues that perpetuate harm, which directly link to violence in homes and on the streets. Led by the Health Department, this robust public health strategy works with residents and organizations to delve into the root causes of violence while also addressing generational trauma. Alongside a collaborative, community-focused approach, the model emphasizes upstream prevention, intervention/violence interruption, and accountability and healing strategies that work simultaneously to create sustainable, lasting change.

The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) remains committed to supporting crime prevention programs that enhance the safety and wellbeing of residents throughout the community. The department continues to offer many community policing models and neighborhood collaboration programs year-round, such as the Neighborhood Safety Bike Team, Divisional Commander's Forums, Coffee with a Cop and participation at neighborhood meetings. The LBPD continues to prioritize youth-focused programs like Police Explorers, Search and Rescue and Youth Leadership Academy, all of which foster youth leadership development and positive relationships with law enforcement. The Youth Leadership Academy will take place beginning Monday, June 16 through Friday, June 20, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Jordan High School.

Community Engagement and Activating Community

Uplifting youth and reducing crime requires a united approach, which includes hearing from youth themselves and incorporating their feedback into action. This year, the Office of Youth Development in collaboration with The Nonprofit Partnership, Invest in Youth Coalition anchored by Khmer Girls in Action, and California State University Long Beach’s Department of Geography will award $550,000 for youth summer projects. The organizations were selected through a youth-led participatory budgeting process where over 1,700+ youth voted.

Under the Summer of Opportunity initiative, the Long Beach Advancing Peace Initiative, which includes a steering committee and collaborative network of nonprofit leaders, neighborhood associations, resident leaders and City staff, will work to address these key themes. The City’s Youth Advisory Council, which informs much of the work undertaken by the Health Department's Office of Youth Development, will continue guiding youth efforts for the Summer of Opportunity. By incorporating the perspectives of these young individuals, who have a keen understanding of their peers' preferences and needs, the City can implement more effective approaches to connect with local youth and further enhance the coordination and visibility of youth-focused resources.

Current or Upcoming Summer of Opportunity Activations

Highlights of Summer of Opportunity efforts currently underway are included below:

• Youth Week: Department of Health and Human Services Office of Youth Development launched Youth Week 2025, a new three-day event on May 15, 16 and 17 dedicated to empowering young people ages 13-26. Youth Week consisted of career and educational workshops, a resource fair, health and wellness activities, and the Mayor's Town Hall for Youth Day in the LBC.
• Safe Passage Program: In effort to promote safety and increase community social connectedness, summer programming will take place in current Safe Passage sites in Central and North Long Beach.
• Funded Local Community Summer Events and Programs: The Department of Health and Human Services, through the Community Impact Division’s Advancing Peace Initiative, is partnering with the Non-Profit Partnership to fund and support local community summer events and programs through September 15, 2025. This initiative’s focus is to empower and engage residents of Long Beach by enabling them to host or cohost summer activities that promote safety, social connectedness, economic development, and healthy neighborhoods with the overall goal of reducing violence.  All funded events must be free of charge and open to the public. Funding will be provided as reimbursement for the purchase of supplies, refreshments, food, facilitators, speakers, event permits, entertainment, and other event-related expenses. Maximum awards will be $2,500.  Applications have closed and events will  take place between June 1, 2025 and September 15, 2025.
• Be S.A.F.E. (Summer Activities in a Friendly Environment): Offers families and residents of all ages free recreation activities, including arts and crafts, games, sports, science activities, and special events, at 13 City parks weekdays June 16 through August 22, from 5 to 8 p.m. More information, available here.
• 42nd Annual National Night Out: The LBPD invites neighbors, community groups and businesses to host block parties, parades, cookouts and other community events as part of this year’s National Night Out. This annual event promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live and work. Details about this year’s NNO, taking place Tuesday, Aug. 5, will be shared at a later date.
• Futures First: The City’s Opportunity Youth initiative, Futures First, is led by the Office of Youth Development in partnership with The April Parker Foundation and Long Beach Workforce Innovation Network, which supports the social-emotional wellness, self-discovery and leadership development of opportunity youth through personalized case management, life coaching, professional career counseling, and hands-on employment and training opportunities. More information available at futuresfirstlb.com.
• Waiving of Block Party Permit & Barricade Rental Fees: In an effort to support neighborhood activation and community, the City is waiving the $100 application fee for permitted block parties as well as barricade rental fees, which can be anywhere from $200 to $500. Available on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. For more information and to apply, residents may visit www.filmlongbeach.com.