Long Beach Officials Launch New Citywide Spring Cleaning Initiative

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PRESS RELEASE

Above: City of Long Beach officials and community leaders, including speakers Mayor Rex Richardson,
First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, Public Works Director Eric Lopez, Parks and Recreation
Director Brent Dennis, Housing and Neighborhood Services Bureau Manager Meggan Sorensen, and Conservation Corps of Long Beach Executive Director Dan Knapp, stand alongside Public Works staff
and community volunteers as they celebrate the kickoff of Long Beach Citywide Spring Cleaning at
Alamitos Beach on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

Long Beach, CA - Today, City of Long Beach officials announced Long Beach Citywide Spring Cleaning, a new, month-long initiative that will beautify beaches, parks and public spaces through a series of hosted community cleanup events. Long Beach Citywide Spring Cleaning will activate and uplift neighborhoods throughout the city by encouraging community members to participate in and/or host a cleanup.

"This spring, after a historic rain season, Long Beach is taking action to clean our beaches, parks, streets, waterways, and fix potholes in preparation for summer," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "Everyone can help by joining hands with the city, neighborhood leaders, and community partners to volunteer and pitch in."

The initiative was announced at a kickoff event with City officials earlier today, followed by the first cleanup in the Spring Cleaning series at Alamitos Beach where volunteers from the Long Beach Conservation Corps, alongside City staff, conducted a beach cleanup.

A joint effort led by the Mayor's Office and City Manager's Office, with leading operational support from the Departments of Public Works, Parks, Recreation and Marine, and Community Development, the initiative will partner with City Council Offices, neighborhood associations, community organizations and small businesses to host cleanup events throughout May as an enhanced effort to engage the community and improve neighborhoods throughout the city. Volunteers will assist in a variety of activities such as general cleanup and beautification in neighborhoods, parks and beaches, among other efforts. Additional volunteer recruitment and staffing support will be provided by the Conservation Corps of Long Beach.

"The Public Works Department, alongside our colleagues in Community Development, Parks, Recreation and Marine, and across City teams, looks forward to engaging with our community through this series of cleanup events," said Public Works Department Director Eric Lopez. "By working together, we can make a positive impact in neighborhoods throughout Long Beach."

"The Conservation Corps of Long Beach is the City's Corps - working alongside staff of Public Works, Parks and Recreation, the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability, and other similar departments," said Dan Knapp, Executive Director and CEO for Conservation Corps of Long Beach. "The work our young adults do every single day in Long Beach helps to ensure that, long-term, our communities are healthier and sustainable for years to come."

Groups interested in cohosting a cleanup event with the City can register at longbeach.gov/springcleaning. The comprehensive calendar of cleanup events is available on the Spring Cleaning Calendar where community members can sign up to volunteer.

In addition to the above Spring Cleaning community engagement opportunities, the City also announced enhanced operations within the Public Works Department. Throughout May, the Clean Team will perform major corridor cleanups every Thursday, starting with the Santa Fe Corridor on May 2 with more corridors forthcoming. During the corridor cleanups, the Clean Team will work in partnership with other City crews, including street sweeping, landscape maintenance and graffiti abatement crews, to perform a deep clean of specific areas throughout Long Beach.

The Public Works Department is also kicking off a campaign with the goal to fill approximately 5,000 potholes a month through the end of 2024 in an effort to reduce the backlog that has been created as a result of the record-breaking rainfall Long Beach has experienced over the past year. Six crews will fill potholes citywide six days a week, doubling its standard operations.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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