Why some Long Beach officials are silent on homeless accountability

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]Long Beach voters head to the polls.

[00:00:01]NBC4 asked city leaders a simple accountability question. After months of scrutiny over the city's homeless response, do they still have confidence in the leadership running it? Malo Medina is live at Long Beach City Hall.

[00:00:14]He has some answers for us. Mac.

[00:00:18]>> Well, Kathy, we thought it was an important question to a ask considering the fact that Long Beach is still dealing with this homeless issue. And also, the city is dealing with a very controversial issue around a shelter provider and a multi-million dollar contract. Plus, voters are headed to the polls next week. A lot of them are asking whether or not they believe the city's strategy around homelessness is actually working. So, we spent weeks trying to get answers and comments from city council members. Some answered, some would not. one walked away.

[00:00:47]As an elected official, you're responsible, accountable to the voters.

[00:00:50]>> One week before the election, we asked Long Beach leaders a direct question about one of the city's biggest and most expensive challenges.

[00:00:57]>> Now, you have confidence in the leadership of the homeless bureau.

[00:00:59]Confidence in the leadership of the bureau.

[00:01:02]>> I do. Absolutely.

[00:01:02]>> Long Beach City Manager Tom Modica says, "Yes, >> with the resources we had, we were doing what we needed to do." that despite an audit exposing red flags with a $24 million contract with a homeless provider that the city ended up firing.

[00:01:14]Also, a failed tiny home project that cost taxpayers nearly $3 million and more than 60 reported deaths in city shelters between 2021 and 2024. And of course the number of homeless continuing to rise >> where there are things that if you know and this will get into the audit if there's things that you know didn't happen the way that you know management would expected that's where we put in correction um and and you move that and fix it and move on.

[00:01:39]>> Mayor Rex Richardson also defended city accountability system.

[00:01:42]>> I have utmost confidence that the city of Long Beach, our auditor, our entire team, our city management, we're going to hold every single contractor accountable. But he stopped short of directly endorsing bureau personnel, saying staffing decisions fall to the city manager. The city manager reports to the city council. So NBC4 asked every city council member from Long Beach the same question in emails for weeks. Do you still have confidence in the leadership overseeing the city's homeless response? Many did not respond to us at all. Let's hope you can get that on the record for this.

[00:02:12]>> We're doing Pride today. So, we found them at the city sponsored public event, the Pride Parade, where Christina Dugen did answer after we pressed her.

[00:02:21]>> I have confidence that we're moving to a good place. I have confidence in the homeless bureau. I have faith in um in our city management. I do think there's been some issues um with contracting and we're working through that. We're not always perfect.

[00:02:34]>> Answering directly to city council member Cindy Allen also expressed confidence but acknowledge oversight concerns. Council members in Dejas and Vice Mayor Roberto Roranga left the event before we could ask them. We emailed them repeatedly. Vice Mayor Oruranga's office said he was unavailable and referred questions to city staff. Zindas and two other city councilors never responded to repeated requests for comment. Council member Rick Zod's office referred us to the city manager or the health department for comment. Councilwoman Tanua Thrash Tuk's office pointed to the ongoing audit, saying she remains committed to accountability, but would not directly address the confidence in the current leadership. And when NBC4 asked district 5 council member Megan Kerr in person at the same Pride event to whether or not you have confidence in the leadership of the homeless bureau, >> you know what? We're here to celebrate Pride today, so I'm going to go hop on my float and we can talk about that another time.

[00:03:23]>> I've tried for two weeks to try to get a hold of you. She declined to answer and jumped into a golf course.

[00:03:28]>> Have a great Sunday. Enjoy. and drove away.

[00:03:35]>> We did reach out to Megan Kurr's office once again, giving her an opportunity to answer that statement. We have not heard back in Long Beach. I'm Mallo Medina, NBC4 News.

[00:03:44]>> Malo, thank you. You can count on NBC4 as your source for the primary. We have everything you need to know before you cast your ballot. Download our NBCLA app or head to NBCLA.com. Click on decision in the trending bar to learn more about the topics that are important to