In January we gathered at Yas' Market in Gardena to celebrate a major milestone for our local community. More than 20 local businesses received no-cost energy efficiency upgrades through the our partner SoCalREN's Commercial Programs. Yas Market, a participating business themselves, opened their doors to bring together local business owners, elected officials, and the dedicated partners who made it all possible.
The California Association of Councils of Governments (CALCOG) presented the South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ (SBCCOG) Local Travel Network (LTN) with a Eureka Award for Regional Excellence in Innovative Leadership at its Regional Leadership Forum on Monday, March 9.
We recently showed our 2025/2026 Year in Review video at the 2026 General Assembly. Please take a few minutes to watch and see what we have been up to lately.
The South Bay has always been the home of great beaches, fine art and culture. But over the last decade, it has also transformed into a hub of state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venues and will soon serve as an axis for major events such as the FIFA World Cup 2026, Super Bowl LXI and the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. On March 26, 2026, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) explores this topic at its 26th General Assembly titled, “Let the Games Begin: How Sports and Entertainment are Shaping the South Bay.”
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.
