Long Beach Co-Lab Turns Community Ideas into Action

The City of Long Beach is moving forward with the final phase of its 2 round of the Long Beach Collaboratory (LB Co-Lab) program, which brings residents and City staff together to develop innovative solutions to local challenges. Through this community-driven civic technology initiative, Long Beach is working to improve City services, enhance public spaces and strengthen commercial corridors while building a lasting legacy ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Run by the City’s Technology & Innovation Department (TID), the LB Co-Lab program combines residents’ lived experiences with City staff expertise and innovative technology to develop practical, accessible solutions that can make a meaningful difference in residents’ daily lives.

The 2 cohort of this program began in spring 2025, when twelve Long Beach community members were selected as Innovators in Residence to work alongside City staff and help co-design pilot solutions using their knowledge, experience and understanding of local needs. During the first phase of the program, the Innovators in Residence were tasked with identifying key, actionable issues in the City based on their own lived experiences and community engagement.

For one of the participants, an idea about how the City could make tangible change to residents’ lives came to him as he was going about his own.

“After traversing Long Beach and speaking with residents, I noticed that this city has the potential to transform small, overlooked parcels of land and plant seeds for a healthier, more connected green space ecosystem,” Art Smocks Jr. said. “I understand this because as a father of two children, and as the representative of the Daddy Stroller Social Club, we frequent the open spaces throughout Long Beach. Turning Long Beach’s vacant lots into vibrant public assets is an investment in the City’s future.”

Based on this idea, the cohort went out into the community to hear from other residents, business owners and local organizations.

“I personally spoke with groups near the most affected lots and quickly saw how neglected spaces led to problems like graffiti, illegal dumping and even crime,” Rocio Corona said. “This community engagement turned the problem from something only the City cared about into a shared priority for everyone. For all of us on the team, it made the challenge feel more urgent—and it pointed us toward real, workable solutions.”

Aside from maintaining public spaces, the cohort brainstormed and worked with the community to identify two other issues: improving access to City services and securing commercial corridors.

During the next phase, the City called on external partners and local organizations to submit proposed solutions to these key issues. The City received 57 proposals—a 200% increase from the previous cohort—which featured ideas ranging from artificial intelligence tools to neighborhood engagement platforms.

Of the 57 proposals, the City selected nine finalists, who presented their proposed solutions to the public at Demo Day last November.

“The hard part has never been getting people to care,” said Sean Mykael McMullen, an Innovator-in-Residence for the 2nd cohort said. “The challenging part is the pathway between caring and changing something. The City of Long Beach has been building those pathways, and last November I watched a pathway come to life with the support of residents and City staff.”

In January, the City of Long Beach selected three local organizations to lead 12-month pilot projects addressing the three issues. Each selected vendor worked closely with City departments, executive sponsors and Innovators-in-Residence to bring these ideas from concept to real-world impact. Each pilot received $75,000 in seed funding to support implementation, community engagement, performance monitoring and project management.

Improving Access to City Services: This project aims to make it easier for residents, especially those who may face language or technology barriers, to access City services. In July, Long Beach-based communications agency Embers and Oak Storyworks installed solar-powered kiosks in three locations with free charging ports and simple, bilingual content about City resources. These kiosks will help reduce the barriers vulnerable populations face in accessing essential online resources.

Securing Commercial Corridors: This project focuses on helping small business areas feel safer. In November Orion Labs will begin testing a system that uses sensors and smart lighting to help detect safety concerns and improve visibility along commercial corridors. The system will alert City staff and participating businesses when issues arise, helping them respond more quickly and create a safer, more welcoming environment for customers and pedestrians.

Maintaining Public Spaces: This project focuses on turning vacant or underused lots into more appealing community spaces. Over the summer, BeeSpace implemented a permaculture and community beehive model that turns neglected parcels into pollinator habitats, with residents as stewards and lot owners overseeing the property. These improvements will help clean up neglected spaces, support local wildlife and encourage neighbors to take part in caring for their community—without relying on enforcement or penalties.

These projects will continue through spring 2027, when TID and partnering departments will evaluate the pilot and determine next steps.

LB Co-Lab is part of the Long Beach Smart City Initiative, established in 2021 to promote equity, inclusion, resilience and community collaboration. The program is funded by the City’s Innovation Fund and a grant from the Long Beach Community Foundation’s Knight Foundation donor-advised fund.

As Long Beach prepares to welcome the world in 2028, LB Co-Lab is helping turn local knowledge and collaboration into practical improvements. By bringing residents and City staff together to test new ideas, the program aims to create solutions that serve neighborhoods today and help build a more connected, innovative and resilient city for the future.