Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson shared his plans on how he aims to tackle the city’s soaring crime rates and growing homelessness.
City officials, business owners, community leaders and residents gathered to hear Richardson’s State of the City address Tuesday night following his first year in office.
“I believe the state of our city is strong, resilient and more capable of taking on our challenges in the future,” Richardson said.
Long Beach is the seventh largest city in California but the city faces many challenges.
After declaring a state of emergency over homelessness in January 2023, Richardson aims to prioritize the issue along with the growing need for more affordable housing.
“The priority for me and for many of us is addressing homelessness and the rising cost of housing in our region,” he said.
A series of violent crimes targeting Long Beach workers and residents in 2023. 
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson spoke with residents and community members during a State of the City address on Jan. 9. 2024. (KTLA) 
Surveillance video shows the victim walking alone when her attacker, who was sitting on the sidewalk, stands up, exposes himself, and grabs the woman from behind. Oct. 20, 2023. 
Miguel Avila, 30, is seen on video sexually assaulting a woman in Long Beach. 
Surveillance video captured masked thieves storming into the Los Bros Tacos truck on Dec. 16, 2023 in Long Beach. (Los Bros Taco) 
Surveillance video captured masked thieves storming into the Los Bros Tacos truck on Dec. 16, 2023 in Long Beach. (Los Bros Taco) 
The Los Bros Taco Truck in Long Beach. (KTLA) 
Long Beach police are seeking the public’s help identifying a man believed to be responsible for two assaults on Jan. 4, 2024. (LBPD) 
A city street in Long Beach, California. (KTLA) 
Miguel Avila, 30, is seen on video assaulting a woman in Long Beach. 
Rebekah Pedersen spoke with KTLA about the homeless man who sexually assaulted her in an incident captured on video. Oct. 23, 2023.
Since the emergency declaration, the city has placed 582 families into permanent housing, created 123 new shelter beds, expanded street and crisis response teams along with creating an office for strategic outreach on homelessness.
Richardson said he wants to end youth homelessness in the city within the next three to five years.
“We are building housing for all different types to meet the needs of our diverse community,” he explained.
Public safety has increasingly become a concern following several violent incidents that were caught on camera including a man sexually assaulting a woman as she left a downtown salon in October 2023.
Richardson also announced the addition of 100 new officers to the local police force following an ambitious recruitment incentive program.
“What you see from the city of Long Beach is an expansion on hiring, hiring faster,” Richardson said. “Boosting the staffing that we have, deploying more innovative strategies to support local businesses that may have dealt with vandalism.”
Economically, the mayor said the port of Long Beach has moved more cargo than any other port in the U.S. in 2023.
Residents can expect the creation of 500 new jobs from the expansion of Long Beach-based aerospace company, Jet Zero, as the company expands the number of campuses across the city.
Locals who attended the address told KTLA they were generally happy with Richardson’s plans and progress so far.
“What he has done to reach out to the business community, and particularly to the small business community, just resonated with me,” said Barbra Sullivan George, a Long Beach resident.
“We’re seeing the mayor actually put his words into action,” said Dan Salas, a Long Beach business owner. “With the homeless, with the investment, the infrastructure and the policing.”
“These labor workforce agreements matter,” said Gregory Sanders, a pastor at The Rock Christian Fellowship Church in Long Beach. “When a business comes to a city, it should include the prosperity of the city, making sure the community members are eligible for jobs eligible to participate, be at the table. I think it’s critical.”
Richardson noted that violent crime levels have lowered in the city since he took office as he continues to prioritize crime, housing, homelessness and economic development in the coming year.
The mayor’s full State of the City address can be found here.
