Recommendation to request City Manager to work with relevant departments and the Economic Development Commission to review the feasibility of the City of Long Beach implementing a vacant commercial property fee to address long-time vacant commercial properties, and report back to the City Council within 120 days on findings and recommendations.
Thank you. Others in motion in a second. Any public comments now? Please cast your votes. Thank you. Back to item. Sorry. Motion carries. Thank you. Back to item 29. Communication from Councilman Austin, Vice Mayor Andrews, Councilmember Younger Councilmember Richardson. Recommendation to request city manager to work with relevant departments to review the feasibility of implementing a vacant commercial property fee to address long time vacant commercial properties. Thank you. There's a motion and a second. Any public comment? Councilman Austin. So I think I just need to explain this. No, you do. Because I thought it was a Starfighter person. I'm sorry. Personally, I need to slow down. Councilman, I'll thank you. And I think we're going to get out of here at a decent hour tonight. So, first of all, Long Beach is retail economy is strong. Our as our sales tax revenues continue to exceed projections and overall commercial vacancy rates remain low in much of our city. However, there are some very clear retail properties along a commercial corridors that have remained vacant for four years. I've seen that, witnessed that in North Long Beach and in other areas of our city. Even other retail properties as other retail properties in other areas of the city are filled. This can result in blight conditions and send a negative message to adjacent neighborhoods as well as the business community. Cities throughout the country such as Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, Oakland and San Francisco have recently implemented or are considering adopting vacant property taxes to address chronically vacant storefronts. A fee on chronically vacant commercial properties can provide an additional tool for Long Beach to incentivize property owners to take more productive or proactive role in leasing their rental spaces or retail spaces, rather than being content to let them sit vacant for a very long time. Most vacancy fee policies allow for exemptions for properties that are undergoing renovations or are going through entitlement processes with the city and where the property owner is showing that progress toward leasing the space is being made. I believe this is an intriguing idea, one that is merits some some review and getting input from our Economic Development Commission . We're requesting that the city manager work with relevant, relevant departments and Economic Development Commission to review the feasibility of implementing a vacant commercial property fee policy in Long Beach and report back to the City Council with findings and recommendations and try to come back within 120 days. I ask for your support. Thank you, Vice managers. Yes. Thank you very much, Mayor. You know, in my district we have numerous commercial properties and vacant lots that have been seemingly abandoned by their owners. I'm not sure whether any owner would let this property fall into disrepair. It's a waste of valuable property and an insult to the surrounding communities. These are an eyesore and a magnet for good, greedy, homeless and other less savory activities. I'm hoping that it be would create an incentive for owners to re and re engage in the activities and the stewardship of their properties. So rent them, sell them, or otherwise use them for the purpose for which they were intended. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember Pearce. I think this is a fantastic idea. Councilmember Austin, what I've seen a lot of on Broadway over the last several years are small businesses having their rent increased excessively. Then they end up leaving and then the property stays vacant for two years. So I think it also incentivizes people to keep small businesses in in that location until they maybe have a plan. I know that we are working with economic development, hopefully in the next month to come back with some other small business retention ideas. But this is definitely one of the ones that I support. So thank you. Thank you. No public comment on this item. Some members, please cast your votes. Motion carries.