Good morning and welcome to Monday Morning Coffee! Grab your cup and let’s get to your weekly briefing of what’s on the agenda for local government and business leaders. Get this in your inbox every Monday by signing up at lbpost.com/newsletters.

City meetings

It’s all about looking ahead this week. Regardless of political disposition, sweeping changes set for January will reverberate throughout the nation, including Long Beach. We’re here for the aftershock. 

Two months remain until Long Beach takes its annual survey on the local homeless population. The survey serves as a vital measure to judge whether policies and programs are having an effect and follows a historic year where the city saw, for the first time in seven years, a slight decrease in its homeless population. 

Ahead of January’s count, officials with the city’s homeless policy subcommittee will meet Monday at 2 p.m. to discuss goals in 2025 to increase shelter beds and for programs that target homeless seniors. A recommendation is also on the table to tour the Mental Health America of Los Angeles service center, to “gain further insight into the services offered.” 

Without further details provided, the city’s intergovernmental affairs committee will meet Tuesday afternoon to reflect on 2024 and in a separate presentation, discuss “federal priorities” ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s entrance on Jan. 20. 

Other matters taken up in the week: a presentation on preserving the historic Bembridge House set for Wednesday; a staff report on waste and climate policy on Thursday; and a health needs study on Long Beach’s Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders on Friday.

But matters of the public sit center on Tuesday, during the Long Beach City Council regular 5 p.m. convening inside the Civic Chambers. 

Council members are expected to enshrine Nov. 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance, give a final reading for a cannabis-delivery ordinance and consider another ordinance that would allow micro businesses to use home kitchens to make their food. 

The council will also request city leadership to come back with a plan on handling local floods ahead of winter rains and consider a bump in salary range for the Civil Service Executive Director Christina Winting. 

Business events and information

  • The Long Beach Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the season by hosting its annual mixer Wednesday, Dec. 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 1 World Trade Center Ste. 101. The event will offer networking with business and chamber members, refreshments, raffles and an evening of holiday merriment. Tickets start at $20 for members; $30 for “future members.” For further information or to RSVP, click here or email Natalie Leighton at [email protected]. 
  • The city’s Parks, Recreation and Marine will offer free Winter Fun Days to kids and teens starting Dec. 23. The event will run through Dec. 27 and offer youth some supervised fun, including sports, arts and crafts and other activities during the winter break. Pre-registration is required and available starting Monday, Dec. 9. For more information about the program, including hours, phone numbers and addresses of participating locations, visit the city website here.

ICYMI — California and national news

  • One colony is making a buzz at the 2nd & PCH mall in Long Beach. (LA Times)
  • AI can write your sentences, drive your taxi and detect a cold. It can also raise your rent, apparently, causing California cities to sound the alarm. (CalMatters)
  • The island community of Naples has a $125 million problem. And they might be stuck with the bill. (Long Beach Post)