Thema Ponton

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Feb 18, 2025, 10:57 PM

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Updated

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The fate of the MLK Community Center in Long Beach hung in the balance, but a vote to grant the operator a new lease passed Tuesday night.

First, the lease agreement failed to pass.

Then council members returned to take up the measure again and it passed.

Community members tell News 12 they are breathing a sigh of relief.

"It's the hub of the community, it's like the mother hub," said former MLK Center chairperson Jacquetta Odom, about the MLK Community Center that's been a major part of the Long Beach community for 45 years.

Odom says she hopes it stays that way for years to come.

"I would like to see that agency up and running and serving the community of what it was put there for," said Odom.

The MLK Community Center was facing an uncertain future after the nonprofit that runs the facility found itself in eviction court.

"When I got here, the MLK Center was in eviction court with the city." said Long Beach City Manager Daniel Creighton.

Creighton says there hasn't a lease in place for about 30 years.

He tells News 12 that since the Center is a city-owned property, there should be a legal agreement in place to ensure the Center is serving the needs of the community.

Creighton said the lease agreement would change the legal landscape.

"With this agreement, we have the lease, we put the eviction aside, it goes away," said Creighton.

The MLK Community Center provides provides multiple services, including counseling, career training and educational classes.

Quan Streeter said the kids of Long Beach deserve to have a facility like the MLK Community Center.

Streeter says he grew up going to the center and is now a staff member.

"The passion I got from this now, it's like made me a better father, you know just being with the kids everyday," said Streeter.

Creighton says the lease agreement will allow the Community Center to get grants for programs that were in limbo because of the legal uncertainty.

The MLK Community Center is at 615 Riverside Blvd. in Long Beach.