PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach has received a prestigious 2023 Preservation Award from the Los Angeles Conservancy for the City’s first-ever Suburbanization and Race Historic Context Statement. The Statement aims to help fill historical gaps by guiding future planning land use decisions that are rooted in a deeper understanding of the city’s history and evolution and further support and uplift historically underrepresented communities.

“Long Beach has a rich and distinctive history, which is reflected through its diverse neighborhoods, iconic landmarks and unique architecture,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “It is an honor to be recognized as we continue building a dynamic city that embraces the future while continuing the important work of being more inclusive as to how we honor our past.”

The City is one of eight award recipients and is the only municipal agency to be recognized by the Los Angeles Conservancy this year. The First Congregational Church of Long Beach is also among those awarded for remarkable efforts to preserve and maintain Los Angeles’ architectural and cultural heritage. The iconic Hollywood Sign and Downtown LA Proper Hotel also received awards. Award winners will be honored at the 2023 Preservation Awards ceremony in July.

“The Suburbanization and Race Historic Statement provides a vital opportunity for us to tell a more inclusive story about the city’s rich history,” said Planning Bureau Manager Alison Spindler-Ruiz. “As Long Beach continues to transform before our eyes, we remain dedicated to recognizing, preserving and protecting local community histories that contribute to the fabric of the city’s unique past and culture.”

Approved by the Cultural Heritage Commission in August 2022 and the Long Beach City Council in November 2022, the document was developed with extensive input from residents and stakeholders. An update to Long Beach’s citywide Historic Context Statement is now underway and will include incorporation of the Suburbanization & Race Context Statement. 

The Context Statement is a study of how discriminatory practices and the fight for fair housing in Long Beach intersects with development patterns in the post-World War II era. It incorporates largely overlooked residents and histories of Long Beach communities of color and the development patterns, including exclusionary practices, which played a significant role in settlement in Long Beach. The Context Statement is intended to foster a greater understanding of the influence of race and discriminatory practices on the built environment, provide background information on subsequent waves of immigration in Long Beach, and document an important layer of the City's history.

The Suburbanization and Race Historic Statement was developed as part of the larger Citywide Racial Equity and Reconciliation Initiative, in recognition of the history of racism within the nation and Long Beach and its impact on residents. The Development Services Department, as part of supporting the City’s commitment to connecting the past and the present, continues to lead the way with thoughtful policies and initiatives dedicated to recognizing and preserving the unique fabric of Long Beach. These Department efforts seek to expand consideration of what makes for a historic asset beyond architectural style and integrity, and to expand the focus on cultural history.  

The Los Angeles Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to work through education and advocacy to recognize, preserve and revitalize the historic architectural and cultural resources of Los Angeles County.

For more information about the Suburbanization and Race Historic Context Statement and historic preservation in Long Beach, visit History Matters LB.

About the City of Long Beach 
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health and Human Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Development Services; Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program. 

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.