Long Beach Forward Inc

The social housing for long beach project aims to expand the supply of quality, permanently affordable housing in low-income neighborhoods within the city of long beach to improve housing stability, economic security, and community wellbeing among children and families. The project was funded by all children thrive and the first 5 early childhood advocacy community opportunities flexible fund. Over the first year, the project has focused on building the leadership skills of community members and gathering the research and data needed to build a case for social housing production.

The best start community projects are community-led projects that are designed by and carried out by members of the best start central long beach network through participatory budgeting and the best start central long beach leadership team. All the projects advance one of four goals in the collective community change agenda through policy and systems change. Projects included the leaders for change learning academy for housing and economic security, the childcare licensing incubator project for affordable and accessible childcare, and the home visitation collaborative for strengthening parenting knowledge and skills for low-income families.