The Long Beach City Council will meet in conjunction with the Housing Authority Commission for a special meeeting Wednesday to discuss housing protections and a ballot initiative that would raise the tax on oil production.

Revenue collected through the tax would be used to fund racial equity initiatives. The ballot proposal comes on the heals nationwide protests denouncing police brutality against communities of color.

The city is hoping to place the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The city will also review the extension of certain housing protections for tenants impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

In March, the city directed the Housing Authority to temporarily suspend the termination of Housing Assistance Payments to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city is looking to extend that policy.

“Such a policy will continue to mitigate the threat of both homelessness for assistance recipients and of revenue loss to owners,” the city staff report read.

The council will also look at extending the prohibition of evictions due to COVID-19.

“Despite sustained efforts, COVID-19 remains a threat, and many residential and commercial tenants and housing providers continue to experience income loss resulting from COVID-19,” the proposed ordinance amendment states.

The public can click here to sign up for telephonic public comment. The meeting will take place at 3 p.m.