During the fall of each year, the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Council develops its legislative priorities. These priorities serve as the foundation for tracking proposed legislation at all levels of government. It is with this foundation that the Chamber’s continuing effort to improve the Long Beach regional business climate is shaped. Below is a list of the Chamber’s recent priority accomplishments.

Chamber Protects Jobs with Aggressive Agenda. Each year, the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors approve the Chamber’s Policy Platform. The Policy Platform serves as a roadmap for action each year on legislative issues of importance to the Long Beach business community. The Platform also serves as the Chamber’s continuing commitment to improving the local economy by representing the interests of Long Beach businesses at all levels of government.

Award Winning Advocacy Program. The Chamber continues to be recognized by the California Chamber of Commerce by receiving the President’s Circle Award for holding elected state officials accountable by publishing how they voted with the Chamber. For an unprecedented fifth year in a row, and every year since its inception, the Chamber continues to receive high accolades for its advocacy program.

The Leader in Revolutionizing Advocacy. The Chamber believes in giving its members and the business community the tools to assist in fostering positive change for the business community. We urge you to take action and keep informed by visiting www.longbeachadvocacy.biz, in order to help fight legislation and measures that hurt business.

Taking Action. The Chamber took action on over 50 pieces of local, state and federal pieces of legislation – including several ballot measures – that aimed to impact the bottom line of business in one form or another. We communicate these positions to Long Beach area legislators ensuring our members and the Long Beach business community have a seat at the table in the public policy process.

Holding Our Legislators Accountable to the Business Community. The Chamber tracks the voting records of Long Beach area legislators as it relates to potential laws that may impact your business or your ability to create jobs. The Long Beach Area Chamber holds local politicians accountable to their votes by publishing their individual vote record each year. If they vote against business we actively recruit people to replace them in office.

Protecting the Future of Our Ports and Airport. The Long Beach Area Chamber is one of the most proactive supporters of trade and port growth. The Chamber continues to aggressively fight burdensome regulations and legislation that would limit port growth and prevent new job creation at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and our own Long Beach Airport.

Track Issues Here: www.longbeachadvocacy.biz www.lbchamber.com Facebook | Twitter

Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce PAC

The Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (PAC) is responsible for funding candidates and issues that seek to improve the economic vitality of the Long Beach business community. The PAC funding is raised separately from Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce membership dues. The PAC uses its direct contributions from donors to help fund candidate and issue campaigns.

Government

Long Beach’s present system of government was established in 1921 when the citizens adopted a new City Charter prescribing the Council-Manager form of government. The Charter sets the powers and duties of the City Council and its election procedures, establishes commissions and offices, details methods of initiative, referendum and recall procedures, and establishes the position and duties of the City Manager.

Under the Council-Manager system of government, the people elect a City Council of nine citizens, by district, who serve a term of four years. The Council in turn appoints a City Manager who manages the operation of the city.

In 1986, by affirmative vote of the electorate, the City Charter was amended to provide for a full-time mayor to be elected by all the voters of the city. In 1988, the city’s first full-time mayor was elected. The Mayor is the chief legislative officer of the city and presides at city council meetings. The mayor is the official head of city government for ceremonial purposes and acts as chief administrative officer for the legislative department, which consists of the mayor, city council and city clerk. The mayor has veto power over various actions of the city council and transmits to the city council, with recommendations, the City Manager’s recommended budget. The mayor also makes recommendations to the city council for appointments to charter boards and commissions. The mayor’s term of office is four years.

In addition to the mayor and city council, the city attorney, city auditor and city prosecutor are elected city-wide for four-year terms. Some 5,000 full and part-time employees carry out the functions of city government in the following areas: City Manager, Financial Management, Fire, Gas & Oil, Health and Human Services, Human Resources, Library Services, Parks Recreation and Marine, Planning and Building, Police, Public Works and Technology Services.

Public Safety

Police
The Long Beach Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jim McDonnell, provides 24-hour service and protection. The Department’s Emergency Communication Center is the central answering point for all emergency 911 calls in the city. Other requests for services are also routed through the Center’s 24-hour non-emergency phone number 562-435-6711. The Long Beach Police Department responds to priority one calls in an average of 3.7 minutes, the fastest among major cities in California.

The Department provides constant patrol of the city by uniformed officers in black and white computer-equipped patrol vehicles. It also provides a host of support units such as Community Policing teams, Police K-9, Air Support, SWAT team, Motor Officers, Bike Patrol, and assorted detective and undercover details. The Department’s Community Relations Division assists a great number of citizens through its crime prevention programs such as Neighborhood Watch, Apartment Watch and Business Watch.

Fire
The Long Beach Fire Department responds to both fire and medical emergencies. All Long Beach firefighters are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians. Long Beach was one of the first cities in California to provide paramedic service, and this program is well respected as a training model for the rest of the nation.

Transportation

Long Beach is fully serviced by air, ground and sea transportation. Long Beach Airport, on some 1,200 acres of land, is municipally owned and operated. Four commercial air carriers – Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and US Airways – fly directly from Long Beach to 13 nonstop destinations, including major hub cities. In addition to commercial air carriers, commuter/charter airlines and cargo carriers utilize Long Beach Airport. Greyhound offers long distance bus service. Extensive local service is provided by Long Beach Transit, Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and Torrance Transit. On downtown’s First Street, the Long Beach Transit Mall serves as the focal point for bus service to, from and within Long Beach. Long Beach Transit also operates the Passport Shuttle which travels through many business and shopping areas. The Passport provides free service in the downtown area and extended service to Belmont Shore for a small fee.

In 1990, the Metropolitan Transit Authority opened the Metro Blue Line, the first light rail service in Los Angeles County in nearly three decades. Rail commuters can travel completely by train or they may transfer to one of the many bus feeder lines to reach their destination.

Health Facilities

Long Beach has established its own Public Health Department with local health jurisdiction independent of county and state agencies. Local authority gives the city the opportunity to provide unique, individualized health care and community services including maternal and child health, environmental and hazardous waste monitoring services. In addition, the following full-service hospitals provide 24-hour emergency care.

• Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
• Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach
• Community Hospital Long Beach
• St. Mary Medical Center
• Pacific Hospital of Long Beach
• Veterans Administration Medical Center Long Beach

Media

Long Beach area is fortunate to have two major daily newspapers. The Press-Telegram newspaper reaches 497,057 total weekly audience; includes daily, Sunday, and online audience for Long Beach and 22 surrounding communities. The Long Beach Register newspaper was launched on August 19, 2013 and its coverage is 100% local. All LBR subscribers actually get two papers for the price of one – the LBR, with the Orange County Register inside. Other newspapers in the area include the Grunion and Downtown Gazettes, and the Long Beach Business Journal. The Long Beach Business Journal covers local business and industry.

Utilities

The major employers in communications and utilities are Southern California Edison and Verizon, which both have regional headquarters in Long Beach.

Southern California Edison, one of the nation’s largest electrical utilities, serves 4.3 million homes and businesses across 50,000 square miles in southern, central and coastal California. SCE manages many energy efficiency programs. Call 800-684-8123.

Verizon provides local, regional toll, voice, data and video telecommunications service to about 7.2 million access lines in 500 communities throughout California.

The City of Long Beach’s Gas and Oil Department operates the full-service natural gas utility in the greater Long Beach-Signal Hill area as the primary service provider to a population base of over 500,000 residents and businesses through 1,800 miles of pipeline.

The Long Beach Water Department is known for being one of the country’s leaders in water conservation and environmental stewardship. The Department operates a state-of-the-art groundwater treatment plant and water quality laboratory. While recycled water satisfies over 10 percent of the city’s demand for water, conservation is seen as another effective resource that saves millions of gallons of potable water each year. The Department’s Award Winning Lawn-to-Garden Program promotes the removal of grass lawns, replacing them with California Friendly plants that use significantly less water.

Waste Management

In order to manage the solid waste, Long Beach has developed an Integrated Solid Waste Management Program which includes source reduction, recycling, composting, household hazardous waste removal, landfill and public education. Waste-to-Energy is the process of turning waste materials, not recycled or composted, into energy that can be used as electricity. The Southeast Resources Recovery Facility (SERRF) in Long Beach processes one-half million tons of waste per year, producing the equivalent amount of electricity needed to service approximately 35,000 homes.

Long Beach State Athletics

The university fields teams in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s sand volleyball and men’s and women’s water polo. Athletic events at Long Beach State provide an excellent venue for client entertainment and corporate advertising, as well as delight for sports enthusiasts of all ages. Go Beach!

By Judy Seal

THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED School District (LBUSD), Long Beach City College (LBCC) and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) have a partnership to make higher education an attainable goal for every student. Launched in 1994 as Seamless Education, the work of the three institutions garnered state and national recognition for pioneering education reform through institutional and community collaboration and aligning instruction and assessment from kindergarten through master’s degree in Long Beach. In 2008, Seamless Education collaborations took a huge leap to improve a) College Preparation, b) College Access and c) College Success for our community’s students. The Long Beach College Promise was born and all three of the education institutions’ leaders signed a promise to our students, parents and community to increase the number of successful graduates.

To meet this challenge, The Long Beach College Promise commits to these goals:

1. Provide a world-class seamless education from preschool to graduate school that prepares Long Beach students for successful engagement in global knowledge and the economy
2. Increase the percentage of LBUSD students who are prepared for and attend college directly from high school
3. Increase the percentage of LBCC students who earn degrees and matriculate to universities
4. Increase the percentage of LBCC students who successfully transfer to CSULB or another four-year college or university
5. Increase the percentage of CSULB students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree or advanced degrees

The latest student achievement data (2012-2013) reveal a true breakthrough. The rate of student progress has increased much more dramatically than any previous years. This year’s data show a 500 percent increase in the number of LBUSD graduates completing college level (non-remedial) English at Long Beach City College. The number of LBUSD students completing college level math (non-remedial) at LBCC has jumped by 200 percent over the same period. Since the College Promise began in 2008, over 4,000 LBUSD students have received free semesters at LBCC.

The results of the College Promise have the potential to transform California’s public colleges and universities and save the state the costly price of remediation in college. Students save time and join the workforce sooner. The collaborations to improve student success continue. The overall success of Seamless Education and the Long Beach College Promise is largely due to community support.

In 1999, U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard Riley delivered his State of Education Address to the nation from the Pyramid of CSULB. He declared, “Seamless Education is the wave of the future [because] it is an example of all the parts of American education working together.” That statement is truer today than at any other time in Long Beach history.

Long Beach Unified School District has been recognized by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation as the 2003 Broad Prize winner: Best Urban School District in America. The district has been recognized several times by the Broad Foundation as being in the top five best performing school districts in the nation since 2002. In 2012-2013, the Battelle For Kids organization conducted the Global Education Study. The results put LBUSD as one of the five highest performing school systems in the world. The list included: Finland; Hong Kong; Long Beach, California; Ontario, Canada; and Singapore. These studies and others have detailed LBUSD’s ability to improve academic achievement and college-going rates for all students.

Long Beach City College has received numerous recognitions, including the 2013 Exemplary CEO/Board Award of Excellence from the American Association of Community Colleges the 2012 RP Group’s Excellence in College Research Award for development of a predictive (student) placement model, and recognition by the White House Initiative for Excellence in Hispanic Education in 2010.

California State University, Long Beach has consistently been ranked in the top five best public regional universities in the western United States by U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges Guide. CSULB consistently earns honors as one of the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” by the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and the Princeton Review/USA Today’s “Best Value Colleges” for 2013. On issues of successfully serving diverse populations, CSULB earned a top 10 national ranking from Diverse Issues in Higher Education in conferring bachelor’s degrees to minority students.

A Move into the Future

Long Beach is changing from an economy of the past to one focused on the future, led by the “three Ts and R”: Tourism, Trade, Technology and Retail. Few cities can boast that the following industries exist in any abundance within their borders: Tourism/Hospitality; International Trade; Aviation/Aerospace; Healthcare; Oil; and Retail along with a growing number of small businesses. The diversity of these industries in Long Beach – combined with the city’s location, easy access and climate – translates into an economic muscle which, in turn, points to a multitude of business opportunities.

Tourism/Hospitality

Long Beach has emerged as a first class visitor and convention destination complete with top quality accommodations, award-winning restaurants, unique shopping venues and “must see” attractions. Long Beach is California’s fifth largest city.

The Pike at Rainbow Harbor is an oceanside complex with new restaurants, retail shops, movie theatres and a fun-filled entertainment center, all within steps of the Long Beach Convention Center. Long Beach hotels include some of the biggest names in the industry including Hyatt, Hilton, Westin and Marriott, and the city has more than 2,500 rooms within walking distance of the Convention Center and downtown attractions. The city also offers free and frequent shuttle service in downtown between hotels, attractions and restaurants. Some of Long Beach’s main attractions are:

Catalina Island

Catalina Island is located just 22 miles off the coast of Long Beach and can be reached in less than one hour aboard Catalina Express. Whether you need a few days to relax and escape the stresses of the mainland or are looking for a quick getaway packed with adventure and fun, Catalina Island is the ideal place to visit.

Discover Catalina’s adventures at your own pace. You can snorkel in some of California’s cleanest waters, or experience the Eco Zip Line Tour. Discover the wild side of Catalina’s interior on an island motor tour. Or if it’s relaxation that you’re looking for, grab a good book, a beach chair and a beverage, and pick a peaceful spot on the beach to get away from it all. Catalina Express fast catamarans depart daily from Long Beach. For more information, please visit www.catalinaexpress.com or call 800-315-3967.

The Convention & Entertainment Center

The newly renovated Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center hosts various conventions, trade shows, meetings, concerts, theater and sporting events. The SMG-managed facility includes three Exhibit Halls, three Ballrooms, the Long Beach Arena and the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, including Terrace and Center Theaters – home to the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and the International City Theater.

Aquarium of the Pacific

Home to over 11,000 ocean animals representing nearly 500 species, the Aquarium of the Pacific features numerous exhibits that explore the waters of Southern California/Baja, the Northern Pacific and Tropical Pacific. The Aquarium also offers up close and personal interaction opportunities at their Shark Lagoon and Lorikeet Forest. As a nonprofit institution, the Aquarium provides a fun and educational experience for families of all ages and is committed to the conservation of the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants and ecosystems. Visit www.aquariumofpacific.org

The Queen Mary

Transport yourself back in time aboard the legendary Queen Mary. Once the grandest ocean liner in the world, she is now a full-service hotel, historical landmark, attraction and entertainment venue. With 85,000 square feet of meeting space, a variety of restaurants, bars and shopping options, the Queen Mary has something for everybody. Currently aboard is Diana: Legacy of a Princess, a priceless collection of authentic evening gowns and cherished memorabilia associated with Princess Diana, Kate Middleton and the Royal Family. The Queen Mary hosts two annual events including CHILL and Dark Harbor. For information, call 800-437-2934 or visit www.QueenMary.com

Carnival Cruise Lines

The world’s most popular Cruise Line consisting of the newest and largest fleet in the world. Carnival offers 3-12 day cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and the Bahamas. Seasonal cruises offered to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Bermuda and Europe. Award winning cuisine, state-of-the-art accommodations, lavish entertainment and FUN activities for all ages.

Toyota Grand Prix

In April, many of the world’s finest drivers will take center stage as the 40th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach takes to the downtown streets surrounding the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center. The race menu will be headlined by the IZOD IndyCar Series starring such drivers as Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dario Franchitti, Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal and 2013 race winner Takuma Sato. But that’s just a part of all the action during the weekend which will also feature sports car racing, concerts, the return of the Food Truck Experience, Mother’s exotic car show, and night time racing featuring the best of the Formula Drift machines and drivers. As always, the Lifestyle Expo in the Convention Center will be a major attraction and will also include the Kid’s Fun Zone as well as interactive games for all ages. For up to date information about the race or to purchase tickets go to www.gplb.com

Oil Industry

The City’s oil industry remains a strong contributor to the local and State’s economy. Thousands of barrels of “Long Beach crude” are pumped each day from more than 5,000 wells beneath the City. These wells feed thousands of miles of underground pipeline that transport the crude to nearby refineries in Carson, Wilmington, San Pedro and Downey for processing.

Four offshore, man-made oil islands, operated by OXY/THUMS Long Beach Company, service the nation’s fourth largest oil field – known as Wilmington Field. These unique islands have been carefully designed so as to minimize visual and environmental impacts. Oil drilling rigs on the islands are disguised as high-rise buildings that provide noise reduction as well as improved esthetics. Other oil production equipment and facilities on the islands are either placed below ground level or are masked by concrete sculptures, waterfalls and palm trees.

Small Business

Small businesses compromise the largest sector of jobs in Long Beach. The majority of these companies offer a wide variety of services, especially in business, health and social areas. A large and growing percentage of small businesses in Long Beach are minority- and women-owned.

Long Beach Airport

The Long Beach Airport (LGB) is the gateway into the City of Long Beach. It is a landmark of aviation and architectural history with its historic terminal, contrasted by the new amenities in its spacious new passenger concourse. LGB has been recognized for the 8th consecutive quarter in a row, for having the most affordable air fares in California by the Department of Transportation. A long history of reliable customer service for travelers at a reasonable cost is nothing new at LGB. This year the Airport will mark 90 years of public service to travelers in Southern California and the City of Long Beach.

Long Beach Airport has transformed itself into a resort-like area mirroring the local assets of Long Beach. The Airport is centrally located just a few minutes drive from almost everything in the city. Long Beach Airport is the busiest general aviation airport in the world with nearly 300,000 annual general aviation operations, including award-winning FBOs, flight schools, law enforcement, and search and rescue flights. Additionally, it is a center for air cargo carriers that transport more than 41,000 tons of goods each year.

LGB’s economic output has grown by 50 percent since 2003. The Long Beach Airport Area Complex is directly responsible for supporting nearly 18,000 jobs, or nine percent of all jobs in Long Beach. The value of the output directly associated with the enterprises on site at the complex is $6.2 billion. Regionally, LGB supports 43,000 jobs with $11 billion in economic output making the airport area a strong employer in the regional economy.

Health Care

Approximately 15,000 people are employed locally in the health care industry. Within the city are more than 1,700 physicians, 250 dentists and scores of other medical specialists. Long Beach has three major full-service hospitals in addition to a Veteran’s Administration Medical Center: Long Beach Memorial Medical Center (recognized as one of the leading health care facilities in the nation), St. Mary Medical Center and Long Beach Community Hospital. The city also has its own Public Health Department that employs over 350 professional staff.

Retail

The city of Long Beach offers a number of powerful attractions to companies in the retail industry. The city government, with the help of the Chamber, is committed to making Long Beach a regional retail powerhouse.

Premier Shopping Centers
• CityPlace
• Los Altos Market Center
• Marina Pacifica Mall
• Long Beach Towne Center

Long Beach Business Improvement Districts
• Belmont Shore Business Association
• Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association
• Downtown Long Beach Associates
• East Anaheim Business Association
• 4th Street (Retro Row)
• Uptown Property & Community Association

Long Beach-generated trade supports 1.4 million jobs throughout the United States and generates about $14.5 billion in annual trade-related wages.

International Trade is one of the major economic engines for the Southern California region and the Long Beach economy. Long Beach serves as the Gateway to the Pacific and no one is better positioned to take advantage of the growing Pacific Rim trade than our city. Our Port of Long Beach is the second-busiest seaport in the United States.

The Port of Long Beach supports about 316,000 jobs in a five-county area and about 1.4 million jobs throughout the country. Containerized trade at the port has grown nearly five-fold since 1990, and despite the current recession the long term view is that global trade will continue to grow. That’s why the Port of Long Beach plans to invest $4 billion over the next decade to modernize and expand its facilities.

Economic Impacts

The Port of Long Beach’s impact on the local, regional and national economies is substantial. More than $140 billion worth of cargo moves through the Port every year, creating jobs, supporting retail and manufacturing businesses, and generating tax revenues.

The Port measures its economic impacts in five overlapping regions: The City of Long Beach, Los Angeles County, the five-county Southern California region, the state of California and the entire United States.

In Long Beach:

• Port operations support nearly 30,000 jobs, about one out of every eight jobs in the city.
• Nearly $1.9 billion a year is spent in the city for Port industry services (services purchased primarily by foreign and domestic shippers and steamship companies).
• More than $800 million a year is spent on wholesale distribution services in the city for goods imported through the Port.

In L.A. County:

• Port operations support more than 230,000 jobs, about one out of every 24 jobs in the county.
• Nearly $3.3 billion a year is spent in the county for port industry services.
• Foreign consumers purchase about $5.1 billion annually in goods manufactured in the county before being exported through the Port.
• More than $9.3 billion a year is spent on wholesale distribution services in the county for goods imported through the Port.
• Retailers in the county spend about $4.1 billion a year selling household goods and other finished products imported through the Port.
• In the five-county region (Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties):
• The Port supports more than 315,000 jobs, about one of every 29 jobs.
• The $14.3 billion in wages and salaries supported by port activity represents slightly more than four percent of all salaries and wages paid within the region.
• More than $10 billion a year is spent on wholesale distribution services for goods imported though the Port.
• Retailers spend about $7 billion a year selling household goods and other finished products imported through the Port.

In California:

• Port operations support about 371,000 jobs.
• Port operations generate about $4.9 billion a year in state and local tax revenues.

In the United States:

• Port operations support about 1.4 million jobs.
• About $4 billion a year is spent in the U.S. for port industry services.
• Foreign consumers purchase about $18 billion a year worth of American goods exported through the Port.
• More than $32 billion a year is spent on wholesale distribution services in the U.S. for goods imported through the Port.
• Retailers in the country spend more than $25 billion each year selling household goods and other finished products imported through the Port.

(Source: Port of Long Beach)

Green Business Council

The Green Business Council’s vision is to encourage and facilitate environmental, social and economic business practices in Long Beach through education, outreach, networking and advocacy. The GBC will strive to support existing green sector companies in our community to develop an environment that will draw new companies to the Long Beach area and to help raise the level of sustainable businesses.

International Business Association

The International Business Association’s role is to increase the community’s understanding of industry issues, to promote business opportunities for its members and to support student involvement in international trade. Monthly events will provide timely updates on environmental, traffic, security and legislative issues. Our signature events include The State of Trade and Transportation and the World Trade Week luncheons.

Women’s Business Council

The Women’s Business Council mission is to provide a supportive environment for business professionals to network, achieve personal growth and to contribute to the betterment of our community. WBC is proud to support small business by awarding a small business grant each year. The WBC holds monthly luncheons and mixers several times a year. Our signature event is an annual “Experience Speaks” program featuring a panel of accomplished professionals discussing current issues and concerns facing our community in business today.

History of Long Beach CA

Long Beach, California’s history stretches back to the 1500s; however, it was not until hundreds of years later that this city was incorporated. In its earliest days, Native Americans inhabited the area. These initial residents were proficient users of smoke signals as a way to communicate with their fellow tribes people. As a result of their intuitive form of messaging, an explorer thought it clever to name this land he discovered Bay of the Smokes. He noticed the smoke signals ascending from a hill, which today happens to be Signal Hill.

Spain had control over the land for some time, and in the late 1700s divided it between two landowners, forming Rancho Los Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos, which remain standing and in operation today. The land was further divided after it was sold in the 1880s. The population began to grow, a school was built and on February 10, 1888 the city of Long Beach was incorporated. Years later, on July 24, 1896, Long Beach was unincorporated, however, only one year later, it was reincorporated on December 13, 1897.

Following its reincorporation, Long Beach soon became a prime destination for tourists. Amusement rides and other attractions brought travelers to vacation in the city. At this time, Long Beach also gained clout as an important port location. The boom of business continued to be felt into the early 1930s until a substantial earthquake rocked the area in 1933. Much damage was sustained and paved the way for improved building codes in an effort to prevent such disastrous destruction in the future.

Standing as the fifth largest city in California, Long Beach is home to over 490,000 residents. This bustling city is afforded with all of the big-city amenities while maintaining a beach- town type of atmosphere. Scrumptious restaurants, top-quality education, friendly and diverse neighborhoods, countless attractions, first-class shopping, booming tourism, deep- rooted culture, exceptional healthcare and so much more make up the distinct personality of Long Beach.

The city can only improve with the Long Beach Strategic Plan 2010. This plan looks toward creating a safer environment in all areas, from emergency services to promoting citizen involvement. Establishing a superior business environment and incorporating and utilizing green initiatives are both major goals of the plan.