PRESS RELEASE

Updated on Thursday, April 6, at 4 p.m.: The below press release was updated to reflect the new opening date of Monday, April 10. The RV sanitation and water-filling station was originally expected to open the week of April 3-7, however the inclement weather Long Beach experienced over the last few weeks resulted in unforeseen delays in site preparation. 

Starting Monday, April 10, the City of Long Beach will open its sanitation and water filling site, for people experiencing homelessness and living in recreational vehicles (RVs). The site offers sanitation dump stations, allowing people living in RVs to properly dispose of sewage, and also provides water filling stations. 

“The sanitation and water filling stations will fill a critical gap in services for people living in RVs,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “Services that support people experiencing homelessness are not a one-size-fits-all solve. As we continue to address the issue of homelessness, we will work to identify, address and enhance services that support the diverse needs of our residents.” 

The site, located near Cherry Avenue and 32nd Street in a non-residential area, will be open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be available to people who have received a referral from the Multi-Service Center (MSC) and have been assigned a reservation time slot. The location also provides on-site staffing, consisting of an attendant who will assist visitors with services and a security guard. This site is not open to the general public. Participants are notified that overnight parking is not permitted at the site and are asked not to park on the surrounding streets when not using the service. If any issues arise, the City will address them and provide appropriate warnings. If a person continues to not follow rules, they will no longer be able to utilize the service. 

“People living in RVs need a safe, easily accessible place to properly dispose of waste and connect to water services,” said Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr. “District 5 is proud to do its part in supporting the citywide effort in connecting more people to essential resources and services.” 

Community outreach was conducted within close proximity of the site to ensure people were notified of the forthcoming operations. The Board of Utilities Commissioners approved a 6-month Revocable Facility Use Permit for the RV Sanitation and Water Filling site. The City first announced plans for this service in February. More information is available in an RV Sanitation and Water Filling Site FAQ sheet.

For more information on the City’s efforts to reduce homelessness in Long Beach, people may visit longbeach.gov/homelessness and follow @lbhealthdept and @longbeachcity on social media and follow the hashtag #EveryoneHomeLB.