Long Beach
Office of the Mayor

LONG BEACH, CA — Today, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, California State University, Long Beach President Dr. Jane Close Conoley, Long Beach City College Superintendent-President Dr. Mike Muñoz, and Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Jill Baker officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing the Long Beach Housing Promise.

The Long Beach Housing Promise aims to make quality, affordable housing a reasonable expectation for all residents of the City of Long Beach, students attending school in Long Beach, and their families.

“Today we promised to address the defining local challenge for our students and families: housing affordability,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “Our city is blessed with fantastic leaders and institutions. By working more collaboratively, with common purpose, I know we will be able to live up to the promise we just made and get to a place where every student and family has a stable housing environment from which to learn, work, play, and thrive.”

The coalition of partners plans to achieve their goals through strategies that include:

1. Strategic collaborations and advocacy
2. Long-term planning
3. Joint use of spaces
4. Layered funding opportunities
5. Development of shared public private partnerships
6. Policy innovations
7. Technical assistance and streamlining of proposal reviews

"Cal State Long Beach welcomes this opportunity to join with Mayor Richardson and our education partners in the Long Beach community in this effort," said CSULB President Jane Close Conoley. "Regrettably, housing costs throughout the state and in our surrounding communities have proven to be a significant obstacle for many of our students, faculty and staff, casting a shadow over their pursuit of higher education and careers. We are committed to working with our partners and the community to find a solution to Long Beach's housing challenges."

“We fully appreciate the urgency of high quality, affordable education and housing for our students, and providing both is a critical part of our commitment to the communities we serve,” said Dr. Mike Muñoz, Superintendent-President of Long Beach City College.  “This dedication is reflected in the upcoming LBCC North Long Beach housing project, which will provide essential housing options for our students, as well as our Board of Trustees approval of the allocation of $100 million from our current bond funding for a future housing project.”

“The Long Beach Housing Promise is a shining example of our city’s unwavering commitment to innovation and creating an inclusive place for all,” Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent Jill A. Baker said. “I applaud Mayor Rex Richardson for bringing us together to collaborate on a solution to this urgent crisis.”

Eight officials signed the MOU, including Honorary Witnesses Councilwoman Megan Kerr, President of the LBUSD Board Member Dr. Juan Benitez, President of the LBCCD Board of Trustees Herlinda Chico, and CSULB Vice President of Administration and Finance Scott Apel. Also, in attendance was State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond giving his full support.

The full text of the MOU and a recording of the entire Long Beach Housing Promise Kickoff event will soon be available to view online at longbeach.gov/housingpromise.

# # #

Rex Richardson is a husband, father, and the 29th Mayor of Long Beach, California. Mayor Richardson’s history in Long Beach is grounded in empowering communities to have a seat at the table.

Mayor Richardson has a distinguished record of public service. He serves on the Advisory Board of the United States Conference of Mayors and, regionally, is Vice Chair of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency. Richardson has previously served as President of the Southern California Association of Governments.

Mayor Richardson and his wife, Dr. Nina Richardson, are proudly raising their two young daughters, Alina and Mila, in the North Long Beach community.