Politics
Long Beach Council Approves New Apartments Along 2.5-Mile Atlantic Avenue Corridor
The July 7 vote directs new apartment construction along a 2.5-mile stretch of Atlantic Avenue while leaving single-family zoning untouched in adjacent blocks.
How we reported this
The Long Beach City Council voted 7-2 on July 7 to expand density bonuses for projects that include at least 15 percent affordable units along Atlantic Avenue between Willow Street and Pacific Coast Highway. The ordinance applies only to parcels currently zoned for mixed-use or multifamily development.
Why the change reached the agenda now
The vote follows the city's 2025 Housing Element update, which identified a shortfall of 4,800 affordable units needed by 2029. City staff presented data from the Long Beach Housing Division showing that 62 percent of renter households in the 90813 and 90805 zip codes pay more than 30 percent of income on rent.
Under the new rules, qualifying projects can add two extra stories and reduce required parking by 25 percent. Developers must record affordability covenants for 55 years. Parcels in single-family neighborhoods east of Cherry Avenue receive no changes.
Who receives new units and who does not
Renters seeking one- and two-bedroom apartments near the Atlantic Avenue corridor gain access to income-restricted units priced at 60 percent of area median income. The planning department projects 1,150 new units over five years, with 172 reserved as affordable. Property owners along the corridor can sell or redevelop at higher densities.
Residents in the adjacent Eastside neighborhoods see no immediate change in zoning or permitted building heights. City budget documents show that street and park maintenance allocations for those blocks remain at the 2025-26 level of $4.2 million.
Implementation begins September 1. The planning department will process the first applications under the revised standards, with the first certificates of occupancy expected no earlier than 2028.