562.570.5282
Bo.Martinez@longbeach.gov
Director
Department of Economic Development
Long Beach, CA – On Nov. 15, 2022, the Long Beach City Council approved the City’s Draft Blueprint 2.0 for Economic Development (Blueprint 2.0), a comprehensive plan that will guide the City's overall economic development work over the next 10 years to create equitable economic opportunities for workers, investors and entrepreneurs in Long Beach.
"The Blueprint 2.0 will serve as a roadmap for our economic development and will ensure a responsible, equitable growth in our economy, workforce development and entrepreneurship opportunities,” said Mayor Robert Garcia.
The policy recommendations embraced in the Blueprint 2.0 lay out the broad focus areas that will drive economic growth over the next ten years, including the following key objectives:
- Grow and strengthen established industry clusters and emerging sectors in Long Beach.
- Increase access to economic opportunities in low-income communities to advance economic equity.
- Ensure workforce preparedness and business competitiveness through alignment of economic development, training, education and community partners.
- Make long-term investments in quality-of-life strategies to grow businesses, jobs and investment that support a thriving local economy.
"This plan will support our continued economic recovery and growth post-pandemic and will ensure Long Beach continues to be a city of opportunity for workers, investors and entrepreneurs,” said Director of Economic Development Bo Martinez. “The Blueprint 2.0 was developed by local economic stakeholders for local economic stakeholders.”
The City's initial Blueprint for Economic Development was created by the Economic Development Commission (Commission) and adopted by the City Council in April 2017 and served as the Department of Economic Development’s framework for five years. As a result of the economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic across Long Beach, the Commission began planning to advance the Blueprint 2.0 and began working with various City and community stakeholders to guide the development process. The Blueprint 2.0 was developed through a collaborative process that included a detailed economic analysis by California State University Long Beach's Office of Economic Research, and over 40 Public Economic Recovery Roundtables, public meetings and study sessions conducted over a two-year period.
“The Blueprint 2.0 is a collaborative guiding document, used by the City of Long Beach to drive economic development, inclusion and advancement opportunities for all. It offers specific strategies, recommendations and policies that will address current challenges and maximize future opportunities.” said Walter Larkins, Chairman of the Economic Development Commission.
Upon adoption of the Blueprint 2.0 by the City Council, City staff will work with the Commission and community partners to develop a work plan, including specific activities, estimated costs and identification of resources. Staff will distribute the Blueprint 2.0 to key stakeholders, create an online reporting platform for key objectives, and provide regular updates to the Commission, community and City Council.
About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services, Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, 2 historic ranchos, 5 hospitals, 12 libraries, 5 golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program.
For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Economic Development
The mission of the City’s Economic Development Department is to create economic opportunities for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs. This includes making it easier to start and grow a business, streamline the process for property development, and provide businesses with a skilled workforce. The Department includes Property Development, Business Development, and the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network. For more information on the Economic & Property Development Department, please visit longbeach.gov/economicdevelopment/ or follow us on Twitter @LBEconDev and Facebook.