Long Beach awards new Love Your Block mini grants to help West Long Beach residents improve their neighborhoods

Long Beach, California – The City of Long Beach Office of Civic Innovation has announced the recipients of the second round of its Love Your Block mini-grant program, providing three community-led projects with funding to help improve neighborhoods in West Long Beach. The initiative is supported through funding from the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University and continues its focus on helping residents create local solutions for issues affecting their own communities.

Each selected project will receive up to $2,500 to support ideas that improve air quality and transportation efficiency, with special attention given to the needs of young people and older adults living in the 90810 ZIP code.

City leaders say the program gives residents an opportunity to shape the future of their own neighborhoods by turning local ideas into real improvements that benefit everyone.

“The Love Your Block program equips residents with the tools to enhance their own neighborhoods,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “When we listen to and support ideas that come from the community, we create solutions that truly fit the needs of West Long Beach and help build strong, lasting connections among neighbors.”

Three community projects selected for funding

The second round of funding will support three different initiatives, each designed to improve the local environment while encouraging stronger community involvement.

One of the selected projects, Native Shadeways, will focus on planting native trees and shrubs along pedestrian routes and near public transit stops. Organizers hope the additional greenery will create more shade, make walking more comfortable during hot weather, lower heat exposure, and encourage more residents to use public transportation instead of driving.

Another winning project, Moving at the Speed of Community, combines public art with healthier ways of getting around. Community members will work together to design reflective artwork placed throughout the neighborhood while promoting walking, cycling, and public transportation. The goal is to encourage cleaner travel options while bringing neighbors together through creative activities.

The third project, Native Seeds, places a strong focus on environmental education for young people. Local youth and residents will prepare and distribute native wildflower seed kits to elementary school students. The project is intended to help families create more green spaces, support pollinators, and encourage long-term care for the local environment.

All three projects will receive direct assistance from City staff, who will help recipients plan and complete their work by September 2026.

Building on earlier success

City officials officially launched the new project cycle during the Love Your Block Mini-Grant Kickoff meeting held on June 23, 2026. During the event, staff welcomed this year’s grant recipients, introduced them to available resources, and discussed the next steps needed to move their projects forward.

Throughout the coming months, the Love Your Block team will continue working closely with each awardee. Staff members will help connect project leaders with City departments, provide technical guidance, and ensure every project follows City policies while meeting community goals.

The latest grants build on the success of the program’s first funding round, which was announced in December 2025. Those projects were completed in May 2026 and produced measurable results across West Long Beach.

During the first round, five grant recipients shared $12,500 in funding and completed four neighborhood projects. More than 100 volunteers participated in those efforts, helping plant 50 trees, remove over 31,000 pounds of trash, collect 27 vaping devices from high school students, and create a new educational garden for the community.

City leaders say those accomplishments demonstrate how small grants can produce meaningful improvements when residents work together with local government and community organizations.

Vice Mayor and Seventh District Councilmember Roberto Uranga praised the continued effort to place community members at the center of neighborhood improvements.

“Love Your Block mini-grants empower West Long Beach residents to shape their community, inspire positive change, and foster neighborhood pride. This initiative unites us, advances environmental justice, and supports our vision for a healthier, more vibrant community,” Uranga said.

The Love Your Block program has now supported neighborhood projects for the past two years as part of the City’s broader Westside Promise Initiative, a 10-year investment plan designed to address both current and long-standing challenges facing West Long Beach. Through partnerships, targeted investments, and cooperation between residents and City departments, the initiative seeks to improve quality of life while giving local communities a stronger voice in shaping future projects.

City officials encourage residents interested in future opportunities to follow updates from the Office of Civic Innovation and learn more about the Love Your Block program and the broader Westside Promise Initiative as additional community projects continue to move forward.