TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with the Economic Development Department, the Development Services Department, and Long Beach Heritage to develop an official City of Long Beach Legacy Business registry, a designation certification process, and an associated system of supports for qualifying Legacy Businesses, and refer to the Arts, Culture, and Tourism Committee, and the Economic Development and Opportunity Committee for input and discussion.
Such supports may include, but are not limited to, technical assistance, commercial lease renewal and acquisition assistance, public education and commendation initiatives, marketing and promotional assistance, specialized grants for preservation, renovation and beatification, conflict resolution, and commercial eviction defense, contingent on the availability of funding to support such initiatives.
DISCUSSION
Long Beach is home to a number of iconic small and family-owned businesses that help weave together the fabric of the communities they serve, many of them operating continuously for generations. However, rising commercial rents, increased costs of business financing and operating costs, and the debts and financial hardships endured during the COVID-19 pandemic have put many of Long Beach’s cherished historic businesses at risk of closure. Legacy businesses are valuable cultural assets and longstanding pillars in the community that promote a sense of neighborhood identity and pride, foster civic engagement, and create meaningful employment opportunities for local residents. They are the bedrock of local neighborhoods and help catalyze our city’s tourist economy by drawing in visitors from around the region, state, and world. Faced with the potential loss of such critical institutions, the City of Long Beach can play an important role in maintaining the unique character and cultural identity of Long Beach by helping preserve legacy establishments that mean so much to our residents and neighborhoo...
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