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Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE9IntroductionOverviewEquity – ensuring full inclusion of the entirecity’s residents in the economic, social, andpolitical life of the city, regardless ofrace/ethnicity, nativity, age, gender, sexualorientation, neighborhood of residence, orother characteristics – is an essential elementto achieving economic inclusion.Knowing how a city stands in terms of equityis a critical first step in achieving economicinclusion. To assist communities with thatprocess, PolicyLink and the Program forEnvironmental and Regional Equity (PERE)developed a framework to understand andtrack how cities perform on a series ofindicators of equitable growth.This profile was developed to help the cityof Long Beach and community partnersplan for equitable growth. In the course ofdrafting this profile, input was sought from across-section of Long Beach stakeholderswho reflected on the city’s challenges andopportunities for overcoming them.Community residents, activists, advocates,elected officials, and civic leaders all sharedtheir insights and ideas. We hope that it isbroadly used by advocacy groups, electedofficials, planners, business leaders, funders,and others working to build a stronger andmore equitable city.Long-Standing Barriers to Opportunity inLong BeachEnsuring that policies and systems serve toincrease inclusion and remove barriers isparticularly important given the history ofcity and regional development in the UnitedStates. Regions and cities are highlysegregated by race and income. According toa 2009 analysis, this is particularly true in theLos Angeles metro area, which includes LongBeach. Out of the 100 largest U.S. metroareas, the Los Angeles metro area ranked inthe top 15 on measures of segregationbetween Whites and Blacks and Whites andLatinx residents.1 Today’s cities arepatchworks of concentrated advantage anddisadvantage, with some neighborhoodshome to good schools, bustling commercialdistricts, services, parks, and other crucialingredients for economic success, while otherneighborhoods provide few of thoseelements.As a result of historical government policiesand practices, some neighborhoods havephysical conditions that promote positivehealth outcomes, while others may makeresidents sick. For example, exposure to toxicand environmental hazards is greater forpeople of color than their White counterparts.Long Beach has some of the worst airpollution in the nation, caused in large part bythe very industries and land uses that spurredthe city’s economy decades ago. Dieselexhaust from trucks, ships, and trains alsopose extreme health hazards, and oil refininghas compromised water quality. Exposure totoxins is compounded by the fact thathousing for low-income residents and peopleof color is typically adjacent to theseproblematic usage areas.These historic patterns of inequity andexclusion were often created and maintainedby public policies at the federal, state,

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE10IntroductionOverview(continued)regional, and local levels. From redlining toexclusionary zoning practices and more,government policies have fostered racialinequities in health, wealth, andopportunity. Reversing the trends andshifting to a more inclusive city requiresdismantling barriers and enacting proactivepolicies that expand opportunity. Equitycan be achieved through policy and systemschanges that remove barriers and buildopportunity. Equity addresses bothstructural drivers, like the inequitabledistribution of power and opportunity, andthe environments of everyday life – wherepeople are born, live, learn, work, play,worship, and age.2About the DataThe data presented here are drawn from aregional equity database that covers thelargest 100 cities and largest 150 regions inthe United States. This databaseincorporates hundreds of data points frompublic and private data sources includingthe U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureauof Labor Statistics, the Behavioral Risk FactorSurveillance System (BRFSS), and theIntegrated Public Use Microdata Series(IPUMS). See the “Data and methods” sectionfor a more detailed list of data sources.Note that while we disaggregate mostindicators by major racial/ethnic groups (i.e.,White, Black, Latinx, Asian or Pacific Islander,and Mixed/other), figures for the Asian orPacific Islander and Latinx populations as awhole often mask a wide variation ineducational and economic indicators. Pleasenote that we use Latinx as the gender-neutralalternative to Latino and Latina, and have useda similar approach for Filipino/a. There is oftentoo little data to break out indicators for theNative American population. Each of theracial/ethnic groups mentioned above ismutually exclusive (unless noted otherwise).Mixed/other refers to all people (not ofHispanic origin) who identity as two or moreraces (“Mixed race”) or who identify as a singlerace other than those listed above (“Other”).In some instances, we disaggregate the data byrace/ethnicity and gender (or another breakdownin addition to race/ethnicity). At times we reporton people of color (POC), which includes allracial/ethnic groups who do not identify as nonHispanic White. There is no perfect model forclassifying individuals by race/ethnicity. Race is asocial construct, not a biological one, and anequitable society would not have majordifferences across racial groups. See the “Dataand methods" section for more details onracial /ethnic origin.We recognize that inequities exist across manycharacteristics in addition to race/ethnicity andnativity, including income, gender, age, ability,sexual orientation, and neighborhood.Unfortunately, because we are working withsurvey data and seek to provide data for cities,we are limited in the extent to which we candisaggregate the data.1 Michigan Population Studies Center, Race Segregation for 100 Largest MetroAreas (2018), on.html.2Rachel Davis, Diana Rivera, and Lisa Fujie Parks, Moving fromUnderstanding to Action on Health Equity: Social Determinants of Health Frameworksand THRIVE (Oakland, CA: The Prevention Institute, y-social-determinants-healthframeworks-and.

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PEREIntroductionWhat is an equitable city?Cities are equitable when all residents – regardless ofrace/ethnicity, nativity, neighborhood, age, gender, sexualorientation, or other characteristics – can fully participate inthe city’s economic vitality, contribute to its readiness for thefuture, and connect to its assets and resources.Strong, equitable cities: Possess economic vitality, providing highquality jobs to their residents and producingnew ideas, products, businesses, andeconomic activity so the city remainssustainable and competitive. Are ready for the future, with a skilled,ready workforce, and a healthy population. Are places of connection, where residentscan access the essential ingredients to livehealthy and productive lives in their ownneighborhoods, reach opportunities locatedthroughout the city (and beyond) viatransportation or technology, participate inpolitical processes, and interact with otherdiverse residents.11

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE12IntroductionWhy equity matters nowThe face of America is changing.Our country’s population is rapidlydiversifying. Already, more than half of allbabies born in the United States are people ofcolor. By 2030, the majority of young workerswill be people of color. And by 2044, theUnited States will be a majority people-ofcolor nation.Yet racial and income inequality is high andpersistent.Over the past several decades, long-standinginequities in income, wealth, health, andopportunity have reached unprecedentedlevels. Wages have stagnated for the majorityof workers, inequality has skyrocketed, andmany people of color face racial andgeographic barriers to accessing economicopportunities.Racial and economic equity is necessary foreconomic growth and prosperity.Equity is an economic imperative as well as amoral one. Research shows that inclusion anddiversity are win-win propositions for nations,regions, communities, and firms.For example: More equitable regions experience stronger,more sustained growth.1 Regions with less segregation (by race andincome) and lower income inequality havemore upward mobility.2 The elimination of health disparities wouldlead to significant economic benefits fromreductions in health-care spending andincreased productivity.3 Companies with a diverse workforce achievea better bottom line.4 A diverse population more easily connectsto global markets.5 Less economic inequality results in betterhealth outcomes for everyone.6Cities play a critical role in shifting toinclusive growth.Local communities are where strategies arebeing incubated to foster equitable growth:growing good jobs and new businesses whileensuring that all – including low-incomepeople and people of color – can fullyparticipate as workers, consumers,entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders.1Manuel Pastor, “Cohesion and Competitiveness: Business Leadership forRegional Growth and Social Equity,” OECD Territorial Reviews, CompetitiveCities in the Global Economy, Organisation For Economic Co-Operation AndDevelopment (OECD), 2006; Manuel Pastor and Chris Benner, “Been Down SoLong: Weak-Market Cities and Regional Equity” in Retooling for Growth:Building a 21st Century Economy in America’s Older Industrial Areas (New York:American Assembly and Columbia University, 2008); Randall Eberts, GeorgeErickcek, and Jack Kleinhenz, “Dashboard Indicators for the Northeast OhioEconomy: Prepared for the Fund for Our Economic Future” (Cleveland, OH:Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, ors-for-the-northeast-ohio-economy.aspx.2 RajThe way forward is with an equity-drivengrowth model.To secure America’s health and prosperity, thenation must implement a new economicmodel based on equity, fairness, andopportunity. Leaders across all sectors mustremove barriers to full participation, connectmore people to opportunity, and invest inhuman potential.Chetty, Nathaniel Hendren, Patrick Kline, and Emmanuel Saez, “Where isthe Land of Economic Opportunity? The Geography of IntergenerationalMobility in the U.S.,” Quarterly Journal of Economics 129 (2014): ssets/documents/mobility geo.pdf.3Darrell Gaskin, Thomas LaVeist, and Patrick Richard, The State of UrbanHealth: Eliminating Health Disparities to Save Lives and Cut Costs (New York, NY:National Urban League Policy Institute, 2012).4Cedric Herring, “Does Diversity Pay? Race, Gender, and the Business Case forDiversity,” American Sociological Review 74 (2009): 208-22; Slater, Weigandand Zwirlein, “The Business Case for Commitment to Diversity,” BusinessHorizons 51 (2008): 201-209.5 U.S.Census Bureau, “Ownership Characteristics of Classifiable U.S. ExportingFirms: 2007,” Survey of Business Owners Special Report, June 2012.6Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, “Income Inequality and Health: A CausalReview,” Social Science & Medicine 128 (2015): 316-326.

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PEREIntroductionEquity indicators frameworkThe indicators in this profile are presented in five sections. The first section describes the city’sdemographics. The next three sections present indicators of the city’s economic vitality,readiness, and connectedness. The final section explores the economic benefits of equity. Beloware the questions answered within each of the five sections.Demographics:Who lives in the city, and how is thischanging? Is the population growing? Which groups are driving growth? How diverse is the population? How does the racial/ethnic compositionvary by age?Economic vitality:How is the city doing on measures ofeconomic growth and well-being? Is the region producing good jobs? Can all residents access good jobs? Is growth widely shared? Do all residents have enough income tosustain their families? Are race/ethnicity and nativity barriers toeconomic success? What are the strongest industries andoccupations?Readiness:How prepared are the city’s residents for the21st century economy? Does the workforce have the skills for thejobs of the future? Are all youth ready to enter the workforce? Are residents healthy? Do they live inhealth-promoting environments? Are health disparities decreasing? Are racial gaps in education decreasing?Connectedness:Are the city’s residents and neighborhoodsconnected to one another and to the region’sassets and opportunities? Do residents have transportation choices? Can residents access jobs and opportunitieslocated throughout the region? Can all residents access affordable, quality,convenient housing? Do neighborhoods reflect the city’sdiversity? Is segregation decreasing?Economic benefits of equity:What are the benefits of racial economicinclusion to the broader economy? What are the projected economic gains ofracial equity? Do these gains come from closing racialwage or employment gaps?13

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachIntroductionGeographyThis profile describes demographic, economic,and health conditions in the city of LongBeach, California, portrayed in black on theadjacent map. Long Beach is located in thesouthern part of Los Angeles County, adjacentto Orange County. Long Beach is also situatedin the Los Angeles metropolitan statisticalarea, which includes Los Angeles and Orangecounties.Unless otherwise noted, all data follow thecity geography. Some exceptions, due to lackof data availability, will be noted. Informationon data sources and methodology can befound in the “Data and methods” section.PolicyLink and PERE14

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachDemographicsPolicyLink and PERE15

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE16DemographicsSummaryWho lives in the city and how is this changing?The city of Long Beach is diverse, with nearly threequarters of the city’s residents people of color. TheLatinx population is driving growth, followed by Asiansor Pacific Islanders, and those of Mixed race. Immigrantscomprise about one-quarter of the city's population.Youth are largely people of color (86 percent) while onlyabout half of seniors are people of color (47 percent).This difference in the proportion of youth and seniors ofcolor is important, as a large gap (racial generation gap)corresponds with lower investments in educationalsystems and infrastructure to support youth.1 This 39percentage-point racial generation gap has improvedhowever, declining 5 percentage points since 2000.1JulienLafortune, Jesse Rothstein, and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, “School Finance Reform and the Distribution ofStudent Achievement,” IRLE Working Paper No. 100-16 (Berkeley, CA: Institute for Research on Labor and Employment,2016), Share of the populationmade up of people of color:72%Growth in the Latinxpopulation since 2000:21%Racial generation gap:39percentagepoints

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE17DemographicsWho lives in the city and how is it changing?The city of Long Beach is diverse, with nearly three-quartersof the city’s residents people of color. The Latinx population isthe largest racial/ethnic group (42 percent of the city’spopulation) followed by Whites (28 percent). Immigrants, largelyLatinx and Asian or Pacific Islander, are about one-quarter of thecity’s population.Race/Ethnicity and Nativity,20168%0.4% 3%26%6%2%16%12%Source: Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.Note: Data represents a 2012 through 2016 average.0.4%27%

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE18DemographicsWho lives in the city and how is it changing?Most neighborhoods in Long Beach are majority people ofcolor. This is a change since 1990, when there were far moreneighborhoods where only about one in 10 residents werepeople of color.People of Color by CensusTract, 1990 and 20161990Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, GeoLytics, Inc.Note: Data for 2016 represents a 2012 through 2016 average. The gray area in the center of the map corresponds to the cityof Signal Hill and is excluded from this analysis.2016

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE19DemographicsWho lives in the city and how is it changing?The Latinx population, Asians or Pacific Islanders, and thosewho identify as Mixed race had the fastest populationgrowth since 2000. Whites, Blacks, and Native Americans andAlaska Natives experienced population decline between 2000and 2016.Growth Rates of MajorRacial/Ethnic Groups,2000 to 2016All2%White-15%-12%BlackLatinx21%Asian or Pacific IslanderNative American and Alaska Native-12%Mixed/otherSource: U.S. Census Bureau.Note: Data for 2016 represents a 2012 through 2016 average.7%7%

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE20DemographicsWho lives in the city and how is it changing?The Latinx population grew by 34,000 since 2000, while theAsian or Pacific Islander and Mixed-race populations grew by3,900 and 970, respectively. The White populationexperienced the largest decline, decreasing by 22,700 since2000.Change in Population forMajor Racial/Ethnic Groups,2000 to ce: U.S. Census Bureau.Note: Data for 2016 represents a 2012 through 2016 average.LatinxAsian orPacificIslander966Native Mixed/otherAmerican-213

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE21DemographicsWho lives in the city and how is it changing?Long Beach became a majority people-of-color city severaldecades ago. While Whites declined as a share of the populationsince 1980, the Black population share remained relativelystable. The Latinx and Asian or Pacific Islander share grewsubstantially since 1980.Racial/Ethnic Composition,1980 to 28%20002010201624%36%13%14%68%50%1980Source: U.S. Census Bureau.Note: Data for 2016 represents a 2012 through 2016 average.1990

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE22DemographicsWho lives in the city and how is it changing?People of color have fueled population growth over the lastfew decades. There are higher concentrations of the Latinxpopulation in the north and southwest parts of the citycompared to 1990.Race/Ethnicity Dot Map byCensus Tract, 1990 and 20161990Source: U.S. Census Bureau, GeoLytics, Inc.Note: Data for 2016 represents a 2012 through 2016 average. The gray area in the center of the map corresponds to the cityof Signal Hill and is excluded from this analysis.2016

Equitable Growth Profile of the City of Long BeachPolicyLink and PERE23DemographicsWho lives in the city and how is it changing?The racial generation gap in the city is shrinking. Today, 86percent of the city’s youth are people of color, comparedwith 47 percent of seniors. The

immigrants in Long Beach reveals deep and persistent racial and economic inequities in employment, wages, education, health, housing, and transportation. The city's prosperity hinges upon the well-being of this growing, diverse population, and it will take deliberate and intentional action to expand opportunities in Long Beach.