Creatively meet challenges of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has focused attention on the indispensable role of our leading Public Health agency, the BCHD in all of our lives. In March, 2020, BCHD established an Emergency Operations Center and created a seven-day-a-week Assistance, Information & Referral line for Beach Cities Residents. (310-374-3426 x 256.) BCHD has developed “Safe in the South Bay” to help local chambers of commerce and city governments support businesses and restaurants in meeting health requirements so we can re-build our economy. The future will bring many challenges. BCHD will have the opportunity to build a new fitness center after learning lessons from COVID-19, including additional outdoor recreation areas. 

 

Vanessa brought her neighbors together to help them cope with the pandemic. She walked door-to-door and introduced herself. This personal action became a model for BCHD to train volunteers to reach out to their own neighbors safely. 

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Empower Teens to Lead and Succeed! 

Under Vanessa's guidance, the BCHD created a Youth Advisory Council, some 80+ teens who tell us adults how to help them best. These youth have led school-wide mental health awareness campaigns and developed creative approaches to stop vaping and encourage their peers to wear masks. 

 

Her leadership earned a “Drug-Free Communities” federal grant for programs to reduce drug abuse - led by teens to support teens and a grant from the State of California to develop a Youth Wellness Center. Modeled on programs developed at Stanford University, the Center will provide comprehensive health and social services in an environment youth themselves help to create.

 

Revitalize BCHD’s campus

BCHD’s amazing and free-of-charge programs in our schools, communities, city governments, homes, restaurants and workplaces can only be supported by a strong financial foundation. The cost of District's beloved programs exceeds the money received from tax dollars, which provide less than 30% of the District’s budget and is less than .01% of your property taxes.

 

BCHD’s innovative and award-winning transparent budgeting combines lease revenue, partnership revenue, gym memberships, grants and donations to multiply your tax dollars to make REAL improvements in our lives.

 

Vanessa’s vision to rejuvenate the campus includes: 

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A GREENER CAMPUS

Let’s turn a parking lot into a park!  Asphalt covers the majority of our campus. Vanessa envisions an inviting campus with ample space for native plants, coastal butterflies, outdoor recreation, farmers' markets and Shakespeare in the park for all of us to enjoy. 

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A SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL FUTURE

Only a modernized facility can generate the revenues required to continue providing free, high-quality Public Health services.

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A SAFE CAMPUS

We must remedy dangers such as a structure that fails earthquake safety standards and chemical pollution beneath the soil to ensure a public safety.

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A RESPONSIVE CAMPUS

Extensive market research shows that the aging population of the Beach Cities are going to need safe, clean and supportive environments to live in when their own homes are no longer safe for them or they need more support than family members can give.  

 

Thanks to extensive community review and public participation, BCHD’s revised project description responds directly to community concerns.  In addition, CEQA requires the public to have only 30 days to review the Draft EIR, which will document the project's construction impact on neighbors and recommend alternatives and mitigation measures.  Vanessa will pledge to provide 60 days of public input on the DRAFT EIR.  

 

The revised project description reduces 

• RCFE (Residential Care for the Elderly) units from 420 to 220 (160 more than are currently on the campus)

• Total square footage of construction from 423,000 sq. ft. to 253,700 sq. ft.

• Construction time from nine years and three phases to four years and two phases

                                                                                                         

For more info on the project, please visit: www.bchdcampus.org. 

 

Additional info on the Healthy Living Campus Plan: https://tbrnews.com/news/beach-cities-health-district-to-cut-healthy-living-campus-revamp-nearly-in-half/article_d9ed5208-b00f-11ea-9f73-ff978ba1fa7a.html