Community Assessment of Long Beach City

Community Assessment Paper

Introduction

The city of Long Beach is made up of different cultures and racial backgrounds all living in one large area divided up into 9 districts. Long Beach city is recognized for its beautiful tourist attractions, like the Queen Mary, Museum of Latin American Art (MOLA), Downtown restaurants’ and hotels, plus other unique attractions. The city of Long Beach is recognized all over the world but the city of Long Beach is more than just the downtown area and beach communities. Long Beach also has other districts such as district 6 that have the potential to become beautiful areas that can attract business and bring even more tourism to the city. District 6 is looked as the run-down part of town, when you walk around you see homelessness, gang presence, and a lack of community engagement and lack of job opportunities.  This community has the potential to bring in business and becoming a booming area but it needs support in helping to address the underlying issues this community faces every day in order to bring positive change to the community. 

Mapping the Community

The major streets of district 6 or the 90806 community are Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, and Long Beach Blvd. When out in the community and exploring the main streets like Pacific Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway you notice that it is full of small business such as restaurants, auto repair shops, motels and smaller grocery stores. This can be considered a strength in the community because of its variety of business that bring in money and potentially jobs into the community, this can potentially create new jobs for the communities’ residents, and also provides necessary resources for the community. All local business owner expressed how even though this area does have a large number of small businesses they don’t stay open for long as things such as crime and homelessness in the area eventually drive people out as they cannot afford to stay. The community has the potential to be like downtown Long Beach but the streets are not tended to, there is trash all around the business area, homeless individuals camp out in the alleys behind the businesses and has caused for some community members to become very disgruntled.

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The 90806 community has access to transportation through two Metro Stations Willow and Pacific Coast Highway Station. These two stations allow for the community members to travel easily around the city of Long Beach. These stations have stops all throughout the community and also travel outside all the way to Lakewood and Signal Hill. Almost all transit routes run seven days a week and all buses are wheelchair accessible. This area also has several parks for the community to use but are not very safe during different times of the day. These community parks have a lot of crime, homeless individuals living there and has kept the community from fully utilizing theses resources.

This community has a lot of diversity and has a population of residents that have lived here for years. There is a sense of community when you walk around the neighborhoods are some people have lived there for over 20 years. When exploring the residential areas, it is noticed that a lot of the housing is apartments or smaller homes for rent. The community residents have their local spots that are considered popular such as Tierra Mia Coffee Shop. In this coffee shop alone when you go in you can observe the overall diversity of everyone that walks in through the door.

This community has access to social services agencies in the area such as Martin Luther King Jr. Park that provides the community with recreational activities for the children from the community through the Boys and Girls Club. This community also has access to a local swimming pool called Kings Park Pool. These services are open year-round and provide different programs for children to join to keep them engaged and away from potentially joining gangs. These programs are affordable for most parents to enroll their children in and have provided the community with a way to destress from their day to day activities.

This community also has around 14 faith-based institutions and is considered an asset as it helps the diversity of this community grow. These institutions provide culturally appropriate spaces for gathering for all members of the community. These faith-based institutions include Christian, Catholic, Baptist and Methodist churches that hold services in English and Spanish. There are also Buddhist temples, mosque, and synagogues. All of these places of worship offer the community access to a group of diverse individuals with different ages, ethnic, and socioeconomic status.  This also provides the community an opportunity to seek out leaders that provide insight about the community to outsiders to help the community grow and thrive.

Demographic and Secondary Data

Data presented was retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau (2012- 2016) to compare the North Long Beach 90806 zip code area with one of the neighboring zip code area that is 90805. The students focused in four areas: demographics, education, health and mental health and civic participation.

In comparing zip code 90806 population rate with zip code 90805, there is a significant difference between the population rate. According to the U.S. Census Bureau report the population rate in zip code 90806 is 42,312, compared to zip code 90805 with an estimated population of 95, 808. This is about  half of the population in the zip code 90806. The median age of the zip code 90806 is 33.2 and there is a relatively small elderly population with on 1.2% of the population who is over 60 years old (U.S Census Bureau, 2016).  In regards to different ethnicities, the U.S. Census shows the four top pronominal races are Hispanic, Caucasian, Asian and Blacks/African American. The dominant race is in the 90806 community is Hispanics or Latino with a 21, 824 of the population. Followed by Caucasian with a 17,991 of the population. In third place is the Asian community at 8,603 of the population and last black or African American  with 7, 363 of the population. The students took the four top prenominal race statistics to analyze the population of zip code 90806 (U.S Census Bureau, 2016).

 According to the 2016 U.S. Census Bureau, in the 90806 zip code foreigner born population is 14,607 compared to the 90805 zip code which demonstrated double of the population at 29,823 are foreign born population (2016). The primary language in most households in the 90806 zip code are other languages other than English. While the second language most frequently spoken at home is English with 38.6% and 27.4% of the population speaks English less than “very well” (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016). 

Also, data reveals that there is a 40.7% of the population is married and 22.8% are single females with no husbands present in the home. Perhaps this statistic reflects the level of poverty in the zip code 90806 with 24.6% individual below the poverty level. Although, the data collected shows that 68% of the population reaches a high school level of education. If this data was compared to the zip code 90805 there is no significant difference. The zip code 90806 had a 68.2% high school rate of gradation level as like zip code 90805 with a 68.9% high school graduate rate. Leading to an income rate of the 47, 037 per year in the zip code 90806 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016).

The percentages of occupied house owner through the 90806 zip code is significantly different. The data reveals that there is 12, 509 occupied housing units. In which only 4,201 are owner occupied leaving 8, 308 for rental occupy. This data demonstrates that although there is a significant number of homeowners only 33. 4% are occupied by the owners leaving more than half of the house units for rent (U.S Census Bureau, 2016).  

Educational Data

According to the Town Chart, indicated in figure 1 that in the zip code 90806’s education achievement has 68% of population between ages 25 years or older, have either graduated from high school or have completed the General Education Development (GED) (2016). Comparing to the zip code 90806 the data indicates in that there is only one percentage more differences than in the zip code 90805. However, there is a significant different between these two zip codes acquiring a bachelor’s degree or higher. Figure 2 demonstrates that in the zip code 90806 17% of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher. Comparing to the zip code 90805 12% of the population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. (Town Charts, 2016).

The data reveals that residents who have acquired a bachelor’s degree affect the zip code in the term regarding median household income. Residents in the  zip code 90806 have a median household income of $47,034 compared to zip code 90805 with a 12% of the resident with a bachelor’s degree and with median household income of 45,878. Presented data shows the zip code with higher education level earn higher income than the zip code 90805 with lowest percent of higher level of education. Furthermore, the data collected also reveals that there is no significant differences in dropout rates in both zip codes. The zip code 90806 has a 32% school dropout rate compared to the zip code 90805 which has a 31% school dropout rate (Town Chart, 2016).

According to the great school data reports Renaissance High school for the Arts located close to the corridor area. The data collected shows that this school is rated about average in school compared to other school in the state. The student perform about average on the state tests. In college readiness measures have about average. In compared to Jordan high school located in the zip code 90805 data demonstrated that this high school is rated below average in school quality compared to  other in the state, student perform below average on the state test. Jordan high school have a below average in college readiness measures. In analyzing and comparing both zip codes, the student find out the Renaissance High school for the Arts it is a great asset to the zip code 90806 (Great school, 2018).

Crime Data

  According to the Areavibes (2017) annual crime report of 2017 the zip code 90806 had an estimate of 4,131 crimes which higher than the neighboring zip code 90805 that had 2,875.he crimes of 90806 consist of 797 violent crimes and 3,334 being property crimes. In the other hand 90805 reported 538 violent crimes and 2,337 property crimes. Research has indicated that high rates of crimes lead to foreclosures in the community, properties values are more prone to declined, and eventually have a negative effect on the community making it a less desirable place to live or visit (Ghanem,2008). Therefore, 90806 law enforcement have done various attempts to decrease crime throughout time by providing awareness to the community and doing workshops  on arm robberies awareness, leadership forum, and getting to know your Long Beach police department in the west division workshop. (Neighborhood Link, 2018).  However, these attempts have been unsuccessful making 90806 an unsafe community.

“According to our research of California and other state lists there were 118 registered sex offenders living in zip code 90806 (Long Beach, CA) ” (Onboard Informatics, 2018).

Health

According to City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (2013) Community Health Assessment life expectancy for 90806 is 76.8 years old. This life expectancy may have been determined by various health factors such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. Some of the findings that were also found on this assessment were that 21.7% of residents in 90806 were diagnosed with diabetes, 13.8% with asthma . It was also highlighted that in 90806 the heart disease hospitalization rate was of 173.8 residents (per 10,000), diabetes hospitalization rate was of 29.8 residents (per 10,000),  and asthma hospitalization rate was 14.3 residents (per 10,000).

   In regards to the mental health component this assessment indicated the mental illness hospitalization rate for 90806 was of 273.6 residents (per 100,000), in comparison with 90805 that has 840.4 residents (per 100,000) 90806 has fewer reportable residents hospitalized for a mental health illness which indicates that this community is doing great work.Furthermore, AskCHIS Neighborhood Edition (2014) survey reports zip codes 90805 and 90806 share the same data of  10.3% residents reporting serious psychological distress in the past 12 months which means that there is no significant changes among the neighboring communities.

    This survey also reflected that in 90806 4.7% residents ages 0-17 and 23.5% residents ages 18-64 are currently uninsured, even though these percentages are not not as high as other communities this can to more bigger issues that can lead to more bigger issues that can put residents health at risk if not able to seek health services due to the lack of not having medical insurance.

Interview Data

The students comparative analysis was based among seven interviews conducted in the Long Beach community. The interviews conducted were on the vice mayor, an artists and museum owner, resident, captain of fire department, Lieutenant of Long Beach Police Department (LBPD), head of gang and violent crimes division, as well as members of the Wrigley Association. The interviewees were able to give their view on important topics, concerns as well as what they see as the strengths and challenges of the community.

Community Resident

The students first interview was with Maria (pseudonym provided) a 5 year resident and proud business owner of the 90806 area. She described her community as “not being the best but also not the worst” (Personal Communication, Maria, September 30, 2018). Maria reported she has not been aware of any gang violence in her community but is still cautious (Personal Communication, Maria, September 30, 2018). Maria described her community as being diverse and open to outsiders of all backgrounds (Personal Communication, Maria, September 30, 2018). Due to being hispanic and Spanish speaker she has noticed not enough community outreach in her language. In contrast to other interviewees Maria reported not feelings as if she has a say in her own community (Personal Communication, Maria, September 30, 2018).

Community Leaders

The second interview conducted was with three members of the Wrigley Association. The Wrigley Association has been helping offering residential support and neighborhood resources for over 30 years. During the meeting important topics that were discussed included improvements needed such as Pacific and Pacific Coast Highway improvements, assisting those struggling with slumlords and decreasing marijuana shops in the community. The association mentioned some services that they provide to the city include community advocacy as well as help with clean ups.

Service Providers

The students were able to conduct an interview with four service providers. The first was with Trace Fukuhara, artist and owner of Pacific Wind Arts Sculpture Garden. Trace discussed his community and what he does to stay connected (Personal Communication, T. Fukuhara, September 24, 2018). Yet he continues to strive and provide activities and projects to stay connected with the community. Trace offers his property for tours, school outings, community service opportunities, weddings, and other events. Trace did mention he was previously project with at risk youth in the community but does not have any current projects at this time                             (Personal Communication, T. Fukuhara, September 24, 2018).

The second service provider interviewed was with Captain Bowers who was working in Long Beach Fire station 7 for 18 years (Personal Communication, J. Bowers, September 24, 2018). In contrast to other interviewees Captain Bowers struggled to find strengths within the community. Captain Bowers saw the communities low socioeconomic status (SES) as a major problem in low wages, lack of housing, healthcare and employment (Personal Communication, J. Bowers, September 24, 2018).

The final service providers were RS and LT from the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) who provided a lot of positive aspects of the community as well as what needs to improve such as continue to decrease crime, gun violence and clean up (Personal Communication, RS and LT, October 9, 2018). RS and LT described LBPD as seen as a part of the community and continues to make positive relationships with community members (Personal Communication, RS and LT, October 9, 2018).

Political Representative

Lastly the students conducted an interview with Vice Mayor Dee Andrews whose focus is to make district 6 feel a part of Long Beach (Personal Communication, Dee Andrews, October 3, 2018). He expressed wanting the community work on cleaning up and taking responsibility for their neighborhoods (Personal Communication, Dee Andrews, October 3, 2018). Vice Mayor Dee Andrews also sees the need for jobs as a major need in the community (Personal Communication, Dee Andrews, October 3, 2018).

 Common themes of the interviews included diversity as being a strength in the community as pointed out by Maria the community resident, Vice Mayor, Dee Andrews, RS and the Wrigley Association. Maria shared that diversity made her community unique and welcoming of to individuals with different ethnic backgrounds (Personal Communication, Maria, September 30, 2018). Other strengths included being supportive of one another as well as having a sense of community pride. As Captain Bowers mentioned he has seen pride in the community through their attempts toward making improvements on their homes such as applying fresh paint to the exterior (Personal Communication, J. Bowers, September 24, 2018).  

Diversity in the community was also discussed by Trace Fukuhara. Trace has seen many changes in Long Beach due to having founded the non-profit organization in 1999 as a public art space for the community (Personal Communication, T. Fukuhara, September 24, 2018). For instance he pointed out that due to some of the community residents, legal status and the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), he has seen a lot of apprehension (Personal Communication, T. Fukuhara, September 24, 2018). Trace indicated this as being a challenge in the community because he has seen participation in community events decline such as in yearly community parades (Personal Communication, T. Fukuhara, September 24, 2018).

Safety and crime were also a common theme among the interviewees Captain Bowers, Maria community resident as well as RS and LT. This was also evident when the students were eating at a local restaurant where a security guard gave a warning of walking in the nearby alley after hours. Resident Maria discussed how she has been cautious and aware of her safety due to recent purse snatching in the area (Personal Communication, Maria, September 30, 2018). Cautious attempts by the overall community are seen through bar on windows and fences around homes. Captain Bowers further discussed specific safety concerns with violence against firefighters because they are being mistaken for police officers (Personal Communication, J. Bowers, September 24, 2018). The Captain described their relationship with the community as “a work in progress” but does admit that many are appreciative of help provided by the fire department (Personal Communication, J. Bowers, September 24, 2018). RS and LT also mentioned crime rates and focusing on decreasing the numbers (Personal Communication, RS and LT, October 9, 2018).

Trash and dumping were also brought up as a concerns by Maria community resident as well as RS and Dee Andrews. Maria expressed her concerns for trash and dirty the appearance of her community (Personal Communication, Maria, September 30, 2018). On that same note, RS described the dumping situation in the community as “unfortunate” (Personal Communication, RS October 9, 2018). RS pointed out that many times the residents are not aware of resources available in the city such as two large pickups a year (Personal Communication, RS, October 9, 2018). Dee Andrews sees the dumping problems as a task that the community needs to hold each other accountable and do their part (Personal Communication, Dee Andrews, October 3, 2018).

 Common themes for improvements and needs in the corridor includes an increase in jobs, accessible resources for undocumented residents, construction to roads, as well as housing for homeless population. As Dee Andrews stated, new jobs in the community could stop children from getting into gangs (Personal Communication, Dee Andrews, October 3, 2018) . Captain Bowers would like to provide more opportunities to educate the community of resources available (Personal Communication, J. Bowers, September 24, 2018). All of these aspects play a part in what is needed in the community and can improve various aspects for residents. Evidently, although Long Beach has its pros and cons from the responses of the interviewees, it’s clear to see that the residents seem to be content with the unity and friendliness, and efforts the city is making to improve the community.

Conclusion

Overall the 90806 community is a very diverse population full of different cultures and ethnicities. This community has many beneficial assets such as parks, schools, and major metro lines along with stops all over the city. Even though the community does have a lot of positive protective factors there are still some social problems that need to be address. Some social problems we identified were unemployment, homelessness, lack of financial resources, and lack of healthy food resources for this community. The community members also expressed safety concerns in regards to crime in the community and not feeling safe after hours.

References

• Areavibes Inc. (2018). https://www.areavibes.com/long+beach-ca/wrigley/crime/
• Areavibes Inc. (2018). https://www.areavibes.com/long+beach-ca/north+long+beach/crime/
• AskCHIS Neighborhood Edition. (2014). California Health Interview Survey Retrieved from http://askchisne.ucla.edu/ask/_layouts/ne/dashboard.aspx#/
• City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, (2013). Community Health Assessment Retrieved from http://www.longbeach.gov/globalassets/health/media-library/documents/planning-and-research/reports/community-health-assessment/community-health-assessment
• Neighborhood Link. (2018) www.neighborhoodlink.com/Wrigley/pages
• Onboard Informatics. (2018). 90806 Zip code detailed profile. Retrieved from http://www.city-data.com/soz/soz-90806.html
• Great school (2018). Long Beach Unified School District [Data file] Retrieved from https://www.greatschools.org/california/long-beach/11956-Renaissance-High-School-For-The-Arts/
• Town Charts (2016). United States data powerfully illustrated and interactive. Retrieved from http://www.towncharts.com/California/Education/90806-Zipcode-CA-Education-data.html
• U.S Census Bureau. (2016). 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Years Estimates: Selected ACS demographic and housing estimates [Data file] Retrieved from https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF
• U.S Census Bureau. (2016). 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Years Estimates:
  • Selected ACS Age and Sex [Data file] Retrieved from https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF
  • U.S Census Bureau. (2016). 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Years Estimates: Selected ACS foreign born population [Data file] Retrieved from https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF
• U.S Census Bureau. (2016). 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Years Estimates: Selected ACS general housing characteristics [Data file] Retrieved from https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF

Appendix A – Day in the Life Activity Checklist

Instructions: Please indicate the activity along with the group member(s) and the date(s) in which each activity was completed.  As a reminder, groups must complete at least 20 different activities and each group member should complete at least 12 different activities.  In addition, groups must complete at least 6 interviews total with each group member taking the lead on at least 1 of the interviews.

Appendix B: Geographical Map of 90806

Appendix C: Community Asset Map