Residents are invited to give feedback on the proposed plan for Long Beach’s new LGBTQ+ Cultural District at an in-person workshop on Sept. 25 at Bixby Park.
The district is intended to honor the city’s LGBTQ+ community in the area along East Broadway Avenue between Alamitos and Temple Avenues, commonly referred to as the “gayborhood.”
The corridor has long been a hub for LGBTQ+ businesses to flourish and for residents to feel safe while creating community.
The City’s Development Services Department has crafted a vision and feasibility plan for the district based on previous feedback. Community members are encouraged to learn more about the current plan and comment on the suggested improvements.
The goal of the district is to highlight the cultural and historical significance of Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ community, support LGBTQ+-owned businesses and institutions and invest in upgrades to make certain the city’s LGBTQ+ residents are able to thrive.
The City of Long Beach released a preliminary report in June which details the city’s LGBTQ+ history and outlines the district’s next steps which include community engagement opportunities for local businesses and participating neighborhoods.
The preliminary report will be presented to Long Beach City Council this fall. Following this step, the city can start developing designs, identifying funds and applying for grants.
There has already been $1 million allocated for the district in the 2024 City budget.
Within a year after the council receives the plans, small improvements like tree planting, street furniture, signage and murals are anticipated within a year, with larger improvements such as lighting upgrades and construction expected in the following years.
Along with the meeting on Sept. 25, business owners and community stakeholders along the corridor and within the city’s LGBTQ+ community will be invited to give their feedback at a meeting on Oct. 9. A postcard invitation will be sent via mail to those whose presence is requested at the meeting.
The in-person community workshop for the LGBTQ+ workshop will take place Monday, Sept. 25 at the Bixby Park community center, located at 130 Cherry Ave., from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Anyone interested in attending the event is encouraged to RSVP online.
Interpretation services will be available in Spanish, and other language interpretations can be provided if requested through the RSVP link at least 72 hours in advance.
For residents who are unable to attend the meeting on Sept. 25 but are interested in learning more about the proposed district, a survey with the concepts discussed at the workshop will be released later this month.
To learn more about the plans in place for the city’s LGBTQ+ District, residents can visit longbeach.gov/LGBTQDistrict or sign up here to receive updates on the project. For more pertinent information regarding the upcoming community outreach events, residents can email lgbtqvisioning@longbeach.gov.
