Thank you to the community members who attended my monthly coffee meetup on June 24, 2022:

1. Posting all public records on the website, as the city of RB does. Perhaps the new BCHD part-time staff member hired for public record requests can devote time to uploading records.

2. Having each board member provide background information during the BOD meetings about how they arrived at their decision prior to voting. Usually there is no to minimal discussion amongst the board members but a unanimous vote.

3. Advanced notice with the associated documentation, as early as feasible but optimally minimally one week, for the RB planning commission mtg dealing with the conditional use permit for the HLC.

4. Moving forward Dr Koo will not be holding monthly zoom meetings. She would like ideas regarding other formats that would draw more participation from the public. All ideas welcome.

On March 8th:

1. Residents emphasized that the BCHD mission is to serve the beach cities and expressed the opinion that any residential care facility built on the HLC should be planned with the purpose to serve beach cities residents, ie be financially feasible for the majority of residents and not filled with individuals outside of the beach cities.

On February, 8th:

1. Thank you to all who attended the February community hour on Tuesday. Residents discussed the importance of BCHD having a financial back up plan for the HLC project if partnerships are not successful, or there are construction delays, or for any unforeseen issues.

2. Residents emphasized the view that homelessness is an important health issue and expressed concern about board members during the Jan board meeting voicing opinions that homelessness should not be an issue addressed by BCHD.

3. We also discussed the current location for Board meetings on the BCHD campus and whether or not other options are feasible, ie locations with windows for more ventilation due to COVID or rotating locations in all three beach cities to draw more attendance.

On December, 14th:

1. Residents raised relevant questions regarding the reasons for the BCHD’s existence and encouraged the Board and Staff to consider, and prioritize, what is needed for the health of the beach cities’ residents.

2. There was a lively discussion regarding whether or not the Board members are currently providing the bureaucratic supervision that is essential, representing the public’s best interests, and monitoring the district’s finances responsibly.

On November 9th:

1. Residents discussed ideas of “best and highest use” for the Healthy Living Campys with differing opinions about how much maintaining revenues should be a priority, and having a “Plan B”, to ensure building safety, if the HLC construction does not begin on time.

On October 12th:

1. Residents expressed sentiments that the BCHD has displayed poor public policy, has become grandiose and is more focussed on money making than on preventative health care for the three beach cities. They urged the board to consider a ballot measure to obtain a public vote regarding the land use currently planned for the HLC.

On Thursday, August 19th.

1. There was an expressed desire, during the upcoming Strategic Planning Meeting, for the board to discuss/define the current role and how this role is fulfilled by the programs, services and partnerships BCHD offers. 

2. Suggestion that the BCHD reach out to the local city councils, school boards, parks and recreation department, hospitals, fire departments and police departments to gain more engagement and community feedback about what the community needs for health and wellness. 

3. Participants expressed gratitude that BCHD has committed to priority based budgeting and are hoping to be able to view, soon, the budget with specific program expenses/income. There was a request to have BCHD publish on the website all the recipients of grants and the amounts of these grants.

On Thursday, 7/15 we discussed:​

• A strong sentiment for BCHD participation in the health issue of homelessness was expressed. Although the current plan is for the pallet shelter to not be moved to the BCHD campus, the hope is that BCHD will take a strategic and prominent role in assisting the city of RB, and all the beach cities, with homelessness. 

On Thursday, June 17th. We discussed:

1. The BCHD annual budget and the importance of program based budgeting. Residents expressed the desire for BCHD staff to have the budget prepared earlier in the year, perhaps at least one month in advance, rather than just several days prior to the July 1 deadline so that the Board and residents would have a longer period for time to review and comment.

2. The lists of programs, partnerships and services that BCHD offers. Residents would appreciate clear definitions of “program”, “service” and “partnership” to better assess and understand the degree of involvement and oversight provided by BCHD staff and volunteers.

3. Residents again emphasized the importance of homelessness as a health issue. There was a strong desire for BCHD to partner with Redondo Beach City and assist in offering pallets (homeless transitional housing) on BCHD property. Residents offered additional ideas about how BCHD could help reduce homelessness, such as financial support for each city to have a Homeless Navigator.

4. The importance of direct communication from the BCHD Staff and Board Members.

On Thursday, May 20th, the main topics were:

1. Attendants discussed the importance of Beach Cities’ residents and the BCHD  building trust and improved collaboration.

2. A strong request was made for the BCHD to address homelessness by targeting root causes of mental illness and addiction.

3. A difficult but respectful discussion regarding the safety of the 514 building due to seismic issues occurred.

4. An emphasis was placed on the BCHD offering programs that are evidence-based and with trackable outcomes.

On Monday, April 26th, the main topics were:

1. Grant Funding- Applications have gone out for grant funding. Community members requested that BCHD release the names of the applicants as well as share their presentations with the public.

2. Youth Wellness Center State Grant- There were questions about the requirements associated with the state grant. Specifically, would BCHD serve any surrounding cities outside of the South Bay and are there MOUs?

3.  Residents perceive homelessness as an important and current issue. Community members questioned whether BCHD would be open to offering unoccupied buildings as temporary homeless shelters.

4. Draft EIR- There was a request for a more detailed no-project analysis in the EIR. There's still some confusion about options for retrofitting the building for seismic safety versus true demolition.

5. A strong encouragement was made for BHCD to truly stick in our lane as an organization for preventative health. There's a hope that board members will scrutinize consultant reports in terms of BCHD's true goals.

On Monday, March 22nd, the main topics were:

1. Participants expressed gratitude to BCHD particularly for the gym and grief support group.

2. There was some concern about the safety of the gym opening for in-person exercise in April and a strong request for continued zoom classes to be offered simultaneously.

3. There was excitement to hear that the former request to have a participation count on the zoom platform during the Board Meetings was going to be in place for the March meeting. Additionally, there was a request that BCHD consider only displaying video of the directors and the individual speaking during the meetings rather than all attendees.

4. There was continued sentiment that the BCHD is continuing to push the HLC development ahead without adequately returning to the people to inquire what community residents actually need and want. A public vote would be appreciated. There was a request that the BCHD meet with the council members in all three cities to gather information as these council members have a good pulse on their city. There was also a sense of disappointment that BCHD has become a large bureaucracy more interested in continuing its revenue and growing as a business than in fulfilling its mission of preventive health and offering services not already available in the community.

On Monday, Feb. 22nd, I heard:

1. Residents wanting to have forums for public input on the EIR and HLC beyond BCHD board and committee meetings. Ideas were having special meetings specifically on the EIR/HLC and forming another community working group.

2. Residents hoping for BCHD being able to administer vaccinations in the South Bay.

3. Residents wanting to understand how many participants are attending BCHD Zoom meetings. We discussed adding a counter to BCHD Zoom meetings and maybe adding a brief initial survey to identify participants as BCHD employees or residents and if residents, from which city.

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On Monday, Jan. 25th., the main topics were:

1. BCHD needs policies that define what "enhancing" the health of the community means, who the district is serving, and the proportion of those being served who are residents of HB, RB and MB.

2. BCHD needs to provide research-valid, evidence-based outcomes of their programs.

3. The public cannot hold BCHD accountable without these policies, definitions and outcomes.

4. The homeless population and indirectly, addiction and mental illness, needs to be a priority.

5. There should be a paradigm shift from providing so many free services and services already available and affordable within the community to services that generate revenue.

6. The BCHD needs program-based financial assessments that comprehensively include revenue sources and expenses. 

7. BCHD should consider extending their territory to include Torrance, especially as most of their programs allow Torrance residents to participate and/or impact residents of Torrance.

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