As part of the Housing Element Update team, The Robert Group (TRG) led the public engagement efforts of community workshops and stakeholder focus group discussions to ensure the update reflects the interests and aspirations of residents, stakeholders, advocates and developers. TRG kicked off the project by preparing and incorporating a Public Engagement Plan (PEP) that strategically targets the unique demographics and communities within Long Beach and utilizes methods to include the many organizations and businesses involved in housing.

In light of COVID-19 restrictions, TRG coordinated and facilitated virtual community workshops that allowed the project team to engage with the community safely through interactive Zoom webinars and online Storyboards. These virtual events and online engagement mediums allowed community members to learn about the project, participate one-on-one with project team members and share their housing stories.

Additionally, TRG coordinated with local housing advocates, developers, youth groups and other stakeholder groups separately to facilitate small focus-group discussions. The focus-group discussions were designed to gain valuable input from key stakeholders regarding the City’s housing needs.

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