Addressing Homelessness

Mayor Rex Richardson has approached homelessness as both a humanitarian crisis and a public policy priority, calling for an urgent, coordinated response across all levels of government. As Long Beach and the broader region have experienced significant increases in unsheltered homelessness in recent years, the Richardson administration has taken action to expand interim housing, streamline access to services, and strengthen pathways into permanent housing. 

Under his leadership, the City has accelerated new shelter and interim housing options, strengthened partnerships with service providers, and expanded prevention programs designed to keep residents housed. These efforts reflect a clear belief: every resident deserves safe, stable housing, and solving homelessness requires both immediate intervention and long-term solutions.  

Upstream LB: Homelessness Prevention & Housing Pathways Plan

Upstream LB is the City of Long Beach’s strategy to prevent homelessness before it occurs while strengthening pathways from homelessness into stable housing.

• Prevent homelessness before it starts
• Stabilize people in crisis
• Build real pathways to permanent housing

We're not just responding to this crisis anymore. We're building a future where it doesn't have to happen in the first place. 

As an early supporter of both the creation of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA) and Los Angeles County Measure A, and in his role as Chair of LACAHSA, Mayor Richardson helped secure nearly $16 million in new annual revenue for Long Beach to strengthen the city’s homelessness prevention and response systems. These investments support the City’s Upstream LB: Homelessness Prevention & Housing Pathways Plan, which focuses on: 

• Preventing homelessness through rental assistance and housing stabilization programs
• Expanding pathways from shelter into permanent housing 
• Accelerating efforts to end youth homelessness 
• Strengthening Long Beach’s homelessness response infrastructure 
• Providing supportive services that help residents maintain long-term housing stability 

Shelter Capacity Expansion

Under Mayor Richardson’s leadership, the City has expanded interim housing and shelter capacity by 84% to provide immediate pathways off the street while longer-term housing solutions are developed. Key projects include: 

• 702 W. Anaheim Street — A year-round congregate and non-congregate shelter providing emergency housing and services 
• Atlantic Bridge Community (ABC) — Bridge housing paired with supportive services designed to help residents transition into permanent housing 
• 5950 Long Beach Blvd Motel Conversion — A motel conversion project creating interim housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness
• Youth Navigation Center & Shelter — A specialized facility providing shelter, case management, and services tailored for unhoused youth 

These investments expand the city’s ability to provide safe temporary housing while connecting residents to health care, employment resources, and permanent housing opportunities. 

Ending Youth Homelessness in Long Beach

In 2024 Mayor Richardson announced a bold goal of reaching functional zero youth homelessness by 2030. This announcement was in collaboration with local service providers, Los Angeles County leaders, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness.  

Since this announcement the City has opened the Youth Navigation Center & Shelter, celebrated the Long Beach Rescue Mission’s new Timothy House Youth Shelter, and is launching outreach, engagement, and strategic planning efforts with philanthropic support in 2026.  

When we intervene early in the lives of young people facing housing instability, we can prevent a lifetime of homelessness.  

Homelessness Emergency Declaration and Crisis Response

By 2024, Long Beach reported its first year-over-year decrease in homelessness in nearly a decade — an early sign that expanded services, new shelter capacity, and targeted prevention efforts were beginning to make an impact. The emergency declaration remained in place during early implementation phases as the City continued reporting progress and investments. 

This progress followed Mayor Rex Richardson’s January 10, 2023 declaration of a local state of emergency on homelessness, unanimously approved by the City Council to accelerate services, expand shelter capacity, and pursue additional state and federal funding. The declaration streamlined city processes, mobilized resources across departments, and strengthened coordination with regional and nonprofit partners through the creation of the Homelessness Emergency Response Task Force. 

Key Accomplishments 

• 2 Mobile Access Centers 
• Consecutive years of declining street homelessness 
• Citywide Crisis Response Team