In this issue of South Bay Watch, with major events coming to the South Bay, General Assembly panelist and BeachLife Festival cofounder Allen Sanford wants South Bay cities to take a seat on the main stage. No cost energy upgrades save Gardena businesses $102,000. And what does the future look like for the South Bay's iconic Ports O' Call? Read these stories and more.
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments has received council approval from 10 cities—El Segundo, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach and Torrance—to form a Joint Powers Authority to create a South Bay Regional Housing Trust.
As the South Bay prepares to welcome visitors for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Super Bowl LXI and the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are entering a once-in-a-generation period for our region. Major venues, infrastructure upgrades and transportation improvements are changing how our community and visitors move through and experience Los Angeles. Along the San Pedro waterfront, West Harbor is part of that shift—not just as a new dining, shopping and entertainment destination but as a continuation of this community’s relationship with the water.
Twenty-six small businesses (24 in Gardena and two in neighboring unincorporated areas) are celebrating significant energy savings and enhanced community service thanks to no-cost, comprehensive energy efficiency assessments and upgrades made possible through the SoCalREN Commercial Energy Efficiency Programs, conducted in partnership with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG).
On March 26, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) will host its 26th annual conference, bringing together South Bay communities to address emerging issues facing the subregion. This year's event will explore the South Bay’s transformation into a hub for sports and entertainment and the impact this evolution is having on the economy and environment. Allen Sanford, a South Bay native and entrepreneur who created BeachLife Festival and recently opened California Surf Club in The Waterfront, Redondo Beach will be a speaker at the event. He shares his insights about how sports and entertainment are shaping the South Bay.
At the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG), we support programs that address homelessness through targeted solutions like the Client Aid Program. This initiative provided critical financial assistance to 80-year-old Tatsuya Kataoka, who was experiencing homelessness in Gardena, and connected him with local housing partners that led him to find permanent senior housing SagePoint in Wilmington.
**WATCH: NEW VIDEO** The South Bay Cities Council of Governments and Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) teamed up to award 19 South Bay classrooms grants of $1,000 each ($19,000 total) for taking energy-saving actions at home. Classrooms representing Hawthorne School District and Los Angeles Unified School District earned the rewards through SoCalREN’s Kits for Kids program for third and fourth grade students. Watch this video highlighting the celebration event at Ramona Elementary School in Hawthorne.
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) and Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) teamed up to award 19 South Bay classrooms grants of $1,000 each ($19,000 total) for taking energy-saving actions at home. Classrooms representing Hawthorne School District and Los Angeles Unified School District earned the rewards through SoCalREN’s Kits for Kids program for third and fourth grade students. The program provides hands-on education about the benefits of energy efficiency.
Twenty-six small businesses (24 in Gardena and two in neighboring unincorporated areas) are celebrating significant energy savings and enhanced community service thanks to no-cost, comprehensive energy efficiency assessments and upgrades made possible through the SoCalREN Commercial Energy Efficiency Programs, conducted in partnership with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG).
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) in partnership with the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), recognized South Bay cities for their efforts in pursuing energy-efficiency initiatives and sustainability-related tasks over the past year as part of the third annual “South Bay Energy and Climate Recognition Program.”
