Carson City officials gathered in the council chambers during the city council meeting on April 7 at Carson City Hall.

Carson, CA — On Tuesday, the Carson City Council received updates on the city’s preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games, commercial revitalization efforts and several major development projects, while also recognizing community organizations and local leaders during a lengthy meeting marked by proclamations and presentations.

One of the evening’s central presentations focused on the city’s recently launched “Carson Experience” website, a digital platform officials say will help residents and visitors prepare for Carson’s role as a host city during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Deputy City Manager Arminé Chaparyan said the website will serve as a hub for Olympic-related information, volunteer opportunities and community programming as the city prepares for the international event.

Chaparyan said residents interested in volunteering as ambassadors for the city during the Games can now sign up through the website, which also includes information about Carson’s Olympic venues and future updates on local programming.

“As we’ve been discussing in the last few months, the City of Carson is getting ready for the world events that will be taking place in our community in the summer of 2028,” Chaparyan told council members. “We wanted to share with you the website that will be going live, which encompasses all things related to the Carson experience.”

City Manager David Roberts noted the city pushed to ensure Carson receives full branding recognition in Olympic venue naming, emphasizing that venue labels now include the Carson name rather than generic regional titles.

“Carson is known around the world as hosting the LA28 Olympic Games with five Olympic events and three Paralympic events,” Roberts said.

Council members also discussed plans to temporarily ease Carson’s Airbnb restrictions during the Olympics to allow residents to rent out their homes and potentially benefit financially from the influx of visitors.

“We want everybody to not only play a part in the Games, but we also want everybody to have some financial gain during this time,” Councilmember Jawane Hilton said.

Later in the meeting, the council received an update on the city’s Commercial Façade Improvement Program, which provides financial support for business owners to upgrade storefronts and shopping centers.

James Nguyen, a city official overseeing the program, said Carson has received three new applications under its citywide grant initiative and is preparing funding agreements for those projects to return to council at the next meeting.

He also said the city is moving forward with its East Carson Corridor improvement initiative, a $1.2 million effort that will fully fund facade upgrades for businesses in that area without requiring matching funds from owners.

“There are about 20 businesses along that corridor,” Nguyen said. “We are in the middle of drafting over a dozen funding agreements to get these projects funded.”

Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes and Councilwoman Arleen Rojas announced plans to form an ad hoc committee to review facade renderings before final approval, saying they want more council input into the appearance of redevelopment projects.

“We want to make sure that there’s something that this council buys into,” Davis-Holmes said.

The council also received a general development report from Community and Economic Development Director Nathan Freeman, who provided updates on several housing and commercial projects moving through the pipeline.

Freeman said Sprouts Farmers Market, part of the Carson Plaza development at Avalon Boulevard and University Drive, is expected to open in July, though he noted the opening could come sooner depending on final inspections.

He also highlighted three housing developments currently underway or in review: the Avalon West condominium project, a proposed 157-unit development with affordable housing components; a mixed-use project at 404 E. Carson St. with residential units above retail; and the Perry Street Residences, a 62-townhome condominium project in District 3.

Council members praised staff for the pace of progress on development activity throughout the city.

“You guys are doing a phenomenal job in moving these projects,” Davis-Holmes said. “I’m just so impressed.”