This month’s spotlight is LAEDC Member and 2023 Most Business-Friendly City award winner: the City of Long Beach
Long Beach has an ideal location along the coast between LA and Orange County with connection to multiple major freeways, award-winning regional airport, and international trade through the Port Companies in Long Beach have access to talent located throughout the LA basin, and easy access to ship goods throughout the country and internationally.
Long Beach is all about talent. It has its own Workforce Development Bureau which can tailor programming to best suit the needs of Long Beach residents and companies. The Bureau works closely with CSULB,Long Beach Community College, and private sector partners to develop training courses and then next generation workforce.
Long Beach is a major international city with a small-town beach feel with a tapestry of diverse neighborhoods, a vibrant coastal downtown, and 11 business improvement districts showcasing a variety of independently owned local businesses. City and community efforts combine to highlight the unique experiences, services, and goods available for residents and visitors. Long Beach is a destination city for many major events including conferences, conventions, festivals, and an annual international Grand Prix.
The Long Beach Economic Development Department is also committed to supporting local businesses through programs and services, as well as local partnerships. The BizCare Program provides a one-stop-shop to provide assistance and information to ensure all businesses in Long Beach can access and take advantage of available resources. Business grant programs, small business loans, and business coaching/advising through Business Navigators are designed to help local entrepreneurs start, sustain, and grow their businesses. Programs are also designed with an equity lens in mind to ensure services and resources support disinvested and under-resourced areas of the City to create an inclusive economy where everyone can thrive.
Growing the Long Beach economy is also a priority set by Long Beach’s Mayor Rex Richardson in the Grow Long Beach Initiative. One of the major goals of the intitative is to grow and diversity the economy by focusing on local entrepreneurship and grow the Long Beach economy in 5 targeted industry sectors: aerospace, ports/logistics/supply chain, tourism and hospitality (creative economy), healthcare, and education.
Long Beach is committed to creating a sustainable and equitable economy that offers everyone an opportunity to thrive. Long Beach has boundless opportunities as a multi-modal hub in the region and state with assets like the Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, and access to the regional Metro and light rail transit system. The City’s robust business development and workforce development programs work to roll out the red carpet and not the red tape for local businesses and those yet to come. The city prides itself on assisting entrepreneurs start, sustain, or grow their businesses in Long Beach.
For more information, please visit https://www.longbeach.gov/economicdevelopment/.