Long Beach wants to build housing — and fast.
So the state has included the coastal city in its Housing Designation Program, making it easier to get state money to build more homes, According to the Long Beach Telegraph
California wants to build 2.5 million new homes by 2030, with Long Beach planning to find space for 26,500 of those homes.
Officially “pro-housing” cities like Long Beach are eligible for a variety of benefits, including money from a $26 million state grant fund, if they accelerate housing production to help meet statewide goals. When states choose to allocate additional funding, their score can also be boosted.
Such grants include up to $50 million in funding from the state’s affordable housing and sustainable communities programs.
Distributed through the Climate Change Community Fund, these grants can help pay for development and infrastructure projects that provide health and environmental benefits to disadvantaged communities.
“This recognition demonstrates that our city is doing the right thing in meeting the challenge of increasing housing production, especially affordable housing,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement.
Long Beach was particularly recognized for its “Zone In” initiative, which modified zoning rules across the city to shape neighborhoods according to their needs.
In 2020, two corridors in North Long Beach being repartitioned as part of the plan. A new master plan Development plans for Southeast Long Beach are also in effect.
The City Council also recently approved new zoning codes Two major commercial corridors in West Long Beachsimilar work is currently underway in Central Long Beach, Downtown and Waterfrontand Bixby Knowles.
Additionally, the state applauds Long Beach’s efforts to simplify construction of accessory dwelling units, or granny flats. In May, the City Development Service Bureau Launch of pre-approved ADU designs To shorten construction time and reduce costs.
A pending ordinance in Long Beach will further simplify the city’s rules for ADU construction.another will Aligning Urban Single-Family Residential Lot Development Rules with State Senate Bill 9A new law allows single-family homeowners to subdivide their land into duplexes.
— Dana Bartholomew
