FY26 Nominated Community Project Funding

Congressman Robert Garcia has submitted funding requests for important community projects in our district to the House Appropriations Committee.

Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee, each Representative may request funding for up to 15 projects in fiscal year 2026. Projects are restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities are permitted to receive funding. Eligible projects may be included in government funding legislation. If the projects are included in legislation passed by the House and Senate and signed by President Biden, federal funding will go directly to support CA-42 projects. Additional information on the reforms governing Community Project Funding is available here. 

In compliance with House Rules and Committee requirements, Congressman Robert Garcia has certified that he, his spouse, and his immediate family have no financial interest in any of the projects he has requested.

Listed below are the projects Congressman Garcia has submitted to the House Appropriations Committee.

DNA Lab

Recipient: City of Long Beach
Address: 355 E 1st St., Long Beach, CA 90802
Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Project Description: Federal support will help establish a locally hosted DNA analysis service within the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD). Funding will be used to purchase instrumentation, equipment and software that is needed to operate the LBPD DNA unit. The implementation of a dedicated DNA Unit within the LBPD is expected to enhance the department’s ability to resolve cases, particularly in relation to property crimes. Currently, delays in sample testing allow delayed investigations, apprehensions and prosecutions. Boosting the investigative capacity of the LBPD will make the community safer, allowing them to more accurately identify suspects and bring justice to victims of crime.
Signed Disclosure Letter

LPR Security Cameras

Recipient: City Of Lakewood
Address: 5050 Clark Avenue, Lakewood, California, 90712
Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Project Description: This project will fund LPR security cameras for the city of Lakewood. These technologies will be integrated into a unified, web-based platform, providing law enforcement with a centralized tool for criminal investigations and public safety monitoring. Federal funding for this initiative would enable Lakewood to sustain and expand these critical security measures, significantly enhancing public safety for residents and businesses.
Signed Disclosure Letter

Childcare Development Center Rehabilitation

Recipient: Long Beach Community College District
Address: 4910 E Carston St., Long beach, California, 90808
Amount Requested: $1,500,000
Project Description: This project will fund long-overdue upgrades to the Child Development Center (CDC) to better support the children of students, faculty, staff, and community members. The CDC offers half-day and full-day preschool programs for children ages 2–5 at both the Liberal Arts Campus and Pacific Coast Campus, operating year-round.

Funding will be used to enhance outdoor learning environments through the installation of new playground structures, including climbing equipment, replacement arbors/trellises, interactive chalk art spinners, outdoor musical instruments, and science learning panels. These improvements are essential to the CDC’s mission of delivering high-quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood education.

The new equipment will promote hands-on learning, helping children build critical socio-emotional and cognitive skills through play and exploration.
Signed Disclosure Letter

Long Beach Research Center and Special Collections Archives

Recipient: California State University Long Beach, Research Foundation (CSULB Research Foundation)
Address: 6300 East State University Drive, Suite 332, Long Beach, California, 90815
Amount Requested: $2,175,000
Project Description: The project will fund the construction of the Long Beach Research Center and Special Collections Archives will preserve and promote scholarly research by providing a dedicated space for the preservation, digitization, and accessibility of invaluable historical materials such as the political papers of Governor George Deukmejian and a 15th-century copy of the Nuremberg Chronicles.

The current facilities are inadequate to meet the growing demand for access, preservation, and digitization of these invaluable resources by and for the community. 

The new facility will serve as a dynamic learning environment, offering hands-on training in archival methods, digitization techniques, and historical research to the public. It will enrich the experience of students and the public and prepare them for careers in research, education, and cultural heritage.
Signed Disclosure Letter

Ford Park Gym and Community Building Renovation

Recipient: City Of Bell Gardens
Address: 7100 S. Garfield Ave., Bell Gardens, California, 90201
Amount Requested: $2,515,000
Project Description: This project will install a much-needed HVAC system at the Ford Park Gymnasium and Community Multi-purpose Room.  The building was built in the 1950s and has slowly been upgraded project by project, as funding has become available. Installing an HVAC system will not only provide a facility with year round climate control and thereby enhance the programming already offered at this facility, it will allow the City of Bell Gardens the ability to open a Resiliency Center during disasters and emergencies. A safe and comfortable public recreational facility will improve the quality of life for community residents, with clear public safety benefits. 
Signed Disclosure Letter

Lugo Park Teen Center Rehabilitation Project

Recipient: City Of Cudahy
Address: 5220 Santa Ana St., Cudahy, California, 90201
Amount Requested: $2,400,000
Project Description: This project will fund comprehensive interior renovations at the Lugo Park Teen Center to improve safety, functionality, and community access. Investments will support improved public safety infrastructure, lighting and public facilities, including restrooms. These improvements will revitalize the Lugo Park Teen Center, a vital community resource that serves as a hub for youth programs, social services, and emergency response. Investing in this renovation will strengthen the physical, social, and economic infrastructure of the neighborhood. By upgrading a space that fosters community engagement and provides essential services, the project will contribute to improved well-being, stronger community ties, and increased pride among residents.
Signed Disclosure Letter

Downey Downtown Renovation

Recipient: City Of Downey
Address: 11111 Brookshire Ave., Downey, California, 90241
Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Project Description: The City of Downey proposes to transform an underutilized, city-owned parking lot at the southeast corner of La Reina Avenue and 2nd Street into a new public recreational space. The project will remove existing asphalt and construct a vibrant public space featuring walkways, trees, landscaping, seating areas, and recreational activities for families and children. Located in a built-out and park-deficient community, this project will provide critical public space, support downtown businesses by increasing pedestrian activity, and improve the overall quality of life for residents and visitors. 
Signed Disclosure Letter

Rio San Gabriel Park Public Upgrades

Recipient: City Of Downey
Address: 11111 Brookshire Ave., Downey, California, 90241
Amount Requested: $500,000
Project Description: This projects will fund deferred facilities public restroom facility upgrades to Rio San Gabriel Park. The existing facilities have reached the end of service life and no longer meets the demands of the growing community and visitors at Rio San Gabriel Park. This project will ensure the health, safety, and comfort of park users while aligning with modern standards of accessibility and sanitation. The new facility will provide upgrades in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Acts requirements. 
Signed Disclosure Letter

Maywood Teen Center

Recipient: City Of Maywood
Address: 4319 E Slauson Avenue, Maywood, California, 90270
Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Project Description: The City of Maywood will use FY26 Community Project Funds to design and construct an 8,188-square-foot Teen Center that will serve as the City’s first dedicated facility for youth, young adults, and their families. Located on City-owned property, the Center will operate daily and offer a wide range of educational, recreational, cultural, health, wellness, and tech-based programs in partnership with community organizations. It will help address a critical gap in services in Maywood—a densely populated, working-class community with high poverty rates, low educational attainment, and limited access to youth-focused spaces and digital resources. Designed with sustainability in mind, the Center will include community rooms, a kitchen, modern technology, and drought-tolerant landscaping. The facility is expected to attract 20 to 50 youth daily, providing a safe, supportive space for after-school engagement, leadership development, mentoring, and workforce training. As a regional resource, it will also serve youth from neighboring communities such as Bell, Cudahy, and surrounding unincorporated areas, fostering cross-community collaboration and empowering the next generation of leaders. The project is a cornerstone of the City’s broader efforts to strengthen socio-economic infrastructure, improve public health outcomes, and promote equity and opportunity through youth investment.
Signed Disclosure Letter

Walnut Bluff Workforce Affordable Housing Community Construction

Recipient: City Of Signal Hill
Address: 2175 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill, California, 90755
Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Project Description: Walnut Bluff is a new, attainable housing community for working families. This project will support the new construction of an 83-unit affordable housing complex. This new community is perfectly situated in the City of Signal Hill in a walkable community. This project will enable the City of Signal Hill to build Walnut Bluff’s 27 one-bedroom units, 34 two-bedroom units, and 22 three-bedroom units. In addition to the 83 housing units, the facility will include a 4,675 square foot Boys & Girls Club, a 1,000 square foot community room, an outdoor playground, courtyards, and a dog park. The housing community will be operated by National Core and the Hope Through Housing Foundation. These groups will assist the City of Signal Hill in providing the housing community with outcome-based educational, health, and social programs such as youth development, senior wellness, and economic mobility. The community will also provide on-site services and care coordinators to connect residents with a variety of community resources. Walnut Bluff will be 100% affordable to households earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income. The Walnut Bluff apartment homes will complement the existing architecture in Signal Hill and provide workforce housing for families. 
Signed Disclosure Letter

Admiral Kidd Park Improvements

Recipient: City Of Long Beach
Address: 411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 4th Floor, Long Beach, California, 90802
Amount Requested: $750,000
Project Description: Located in historically underserved west Long Beach, Admiral Kidd Park is in need of critical investments. Federal support will upgrade the fire alarm security system, including full panel system, emergency lighting, roof exhaust, and acoustic ceiling tiles. Without these investments, the park’s community building, which hosts youth recreation programs and restroom facilities, will be unsafe and unusable. The project is a good use of taxpayer funding as investments in the viability of the park will promote community cohesion, public health and wellness, and public safety through increased activity. 
Signed Disclosure Letter

Colorado Lagoon and Marina Vista Park

Recipient: City Of Long Beach
Address: 411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 4th Floor, Long Beach, California, 90802
Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Project Description: This project proposes investments in open space and placemaking at the Colorado Lagoon and Marina Vista Park. Funding would support the creation of gathering areas and recreational amenities that complement the City’s ongoing lagoon restoration efforts and increase access to outdoor activity spaces.

A key component of the project includes replacing aging recycled water lines, which are critical for providing sustainable irrigation to nearby parks and schools. Restoring these lines would reconnect essential recycled water infrastructure, supporting the City’s broader goals around sustainability and resource conservation.

Additionally, while Marina Vista Park currently has sports courts, there is strong community interest in expanding access to pickleball—the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. The City has completed a feasibility study to expand pickleball courts citywide, and this project would help bring much-needed dedicated courts to an area that currently lacks them.
Signed Disclosure Letter

Broadway Improvements

Recipient: City Of Long Beach
Address: 411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 4th Floor, Long Beach, California, 90802
Amount Requested: $1,000,000
Project Description: This project would invest in much-needed improvements to public rights of way and placemaking along the Broadway Corridor, reviving a neighborhood full of small businesses, restaurants, specialty stores and more. The project includes landscaping, wayfinding, public art, lighting and street furniture, and other public improvements to create a cohesive district celebrating the diverse history of the neighborhood. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer resources as it will promote accessability, public safety, and economic activity along a critical corridor in downtown Long Beach, in preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Signed Disclosure Letter

Simms Park Community Center Renovation Project

Recipient: City Of Bellflower
Address: 16600 Civic Center Drive, Bellflower, California, 90706
Amount Requested: $5,500,000
Project Description: This project involves a comprehensive renovation and modernization of the Simms Park Community Center, a key facility in Bellflower that supports a wide range of recreational programs and community services. It houses essential operations such as the Volunteer Center, City Store, BRIM (Bellflower Recreation in Motion), Park Patrol, and various special events. A major component of the renovation is the transformation of the existing auditorium into a versatile, multi-purpose room with a 300-person capacity, designed to host large gatherings, special events, and diverse community programming.

The project also includes several critical upgrades to enhance the center’s functionality and community impact. These improvements include new and reconfigured recreation rooms to support a variety of classes and activities, a central courtyard to encourage indoor-outdoor interaction, and a redesigned lobby with secure, controlled access. Additional enhancements feature a modernized kitchen, upgraded restrooms, expanded storage, improved staff workspaces, durable and visually appealing finishes, energy-efficient lighting, and full ADA compliance. Safety and security improvements, particularly in the lobby and access control systems, are a core part of the plan.

Exterior upgrades will align the Community Center’s design with the adjacent Oak Center, creating a cohesive visual identity across the civic campus. The overall design emphasizes functionality, safety, sustainability, and inclusivity—key goals that reflect the City of Bellflower’s commitment to providing high-quality recreational facilities and creating welcoming, accessible spaces for all residents.
Signed Disclosure Letter

Washington Neighborhood Youth Center

Recipient: City Of Long Beach
Address: 411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 4th Floor, Long Beach, California, 90802
Amount Requested: $2,000,000
Project Description: Long Beach proposes development of a Youth Center that would serve as a central hub for programming focused on prevention, intervention, education, recreation, and mental health support. This facility would provide a safe and welcoming environment where young people can access positive activities, mentorship, and essential services designed to reduce risk factors associated with violence and improve long-term outcomes for youth and their families.

The proposed Youth Center will be an integral component of the City’s broader public safety and youth development strategy. Once completed, the center will offer a wide range of programs including after-school activities, job readiness training, counseling services, tutoring, leadership development, and recreation opportunities. By investing in a permanent Youth Center, the City aims to create a long-term, sustainable resource that fosters resilience, strengthens community connections, and provides young people with the tools and support they need to thrive.
Signed Disclosure Letter