Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/18929
NOVEMBER 2010 THE BEST OF LONG BEACH 78 THE REDEVELOPMENT WILL BE TELEVISED FACES & PLACES : LOCAL CELEBS WRITTEN BY EDGARD ZUNIGA Truth be told, the residents of this city are well-regarded in Southern California and have made Long Beach a pleasant surprise for visitors looking for something a little different than what Los Angeles has to offer. The city is constantly working on ways to raise its profile and is doing what it can to include its residents as the city plans for the future. "Inside Long Beach," which is a collaboration between the Redevelopment Agency (RDA), the Long Beach Housing Development Company (LBHDC) and Long Beach TV, takes viewers on a journey through the streets of the city, bringing awareness to the community about the many programs, projects and activities benefiting residents across the city. Some viewers might find it similar to Huell Howser's "California's Gold," since the show also sheds a light on many aspects of life in Long Beach that may not stand out right away and other stuff just waiting to be discovered. Leading this exploration of Long Beach as the show enters its third season are hosts Nautica de la Cruz and Faruq Tauheed, who approach each assignment with genuine enthusiasm and have developed a deep admiration for the city and its residents. "Long Beach is clean, the weather is beautiful. Every time I'm outside, you can feel at home, you feel safe," said Tauheed, who joined the show late last season. "Yeah, there are parts and areas like everywhere else, but, for the most part, Long Beach is a great city. The people are so nice." De la Cruz, who has been a DJ with several L.A.-area radio stations and currently does mid-days at KJLH (102.3 FM), has been privy to the many great programs and developments that Long Beach has made available to residents during her time hosting "Inside Long Beach" and it has all made quite an impression on her. "If I lived in Long Beach I would take advantage of [the opportunities]," she said. "I live out in the Valley and sometimes I just wanna move to Long Beach because Long Beach has so much to offer if you're a first-time buyer, if your credit's not great they can help you, if you need to pay a certain amount of rent or mortgage, they help you." De la Cruz noted she has made it point to shed light on numerous resources for local residents via the show. "Faruq and I go interview these big honchos from these companies that help other people and I've gotten emails and letters saying, 'Hey, Nautica, because of you I got my house and I didn't know that I could qualify for this program.' I love that because it makes me feel good. I like the fact that Long Beach does whatever they can to help their residents," she said. In a career which has taken him through commercials voiceovers, movies and TV shows, Tauheed now finds himself doing something completely different and some of the experiences have been thoroughly rewarding. "One of my favorite features has been the new playground community center that's opening up in one of the inner city neighborhoods," Tauheed said. "They have a skate park coming in, they're getting newer facilities HOSTS NAUTICA DE LA CRUZ AND FARUQ TAUHEED