LONG BEACH, CA — Long Beach is embarking on a multimillion-dollar effort to rebuild its storm-ravaged Peninsula, with emergency repairs to damaged coastal infrastructure scheduled to begin Tuesday and a major beach restoration project expected to get underway next week.
The work follows weeks of destructive surf culminating in the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, which battered the city's coastline over the weekend, severely damaged beachfront homes and washed away sections of the protective boardwalk and bulkhead along Seaside Walk.
According to FOX 11, crews were scheduled to begin repairs between 64th and 66th Places during Tuesday's low tide, reinforcing damaged structures and attempting to prevent further erosion. During an earlier emergency briefing, city officials reported eight red-tagged buildings encompassing 13 residential addresses, along with one yellow-tagged structure. Subsequent reports have differed on the number of buildings affected, although the extent of the damage remains substantial.
Red-tagged buildings are considered unsafe to enter, while yellow tags restrict occupancy until inspectors determine a structure can be safely used. Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for some homes along Seaside Walk, with additional properties under evacuation warnings. Access to the Peninsula has also been restricted to residents and emergency personnel.
"We're not out of the woods yet. But we are beginning the work toward recovery," Mayor Rex Richardson said, according to FOX 11, acknowledging the uncertainty facing displaced families.
The immediate priority is stabilizing the Peninsula's damaged coastal defenses, where successive storms have stripped away protective sand and exposed aging infrastructure to powerful waves.
City crews have been reinforcing the bulkhead and pedestrian boardwalk with lumber and thousands of sandbags, including oversized bags positioned by crane to absorb wave energy. Portable pumps and temporary sand berms have also been deployed to limit further flooding.
The estimated cost of repairing the damaged boardwalk and bulkhead has risen to between $1.5 million and $3.6 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. The work will be financed through the city's Tidelands Emergency Reserve, with permanent repairs expected to continue through the end of the year.
Meanwhile, a much larger restoration project is approaching. Beginning the week of Oct. 19, contractors are expected to start dredging the Alamitos Bay entrance channel, transferring approximately 415,000 cubic yards of sand to the Peninsula and potentially widening the beach by about 200 feet.
The $11.4 million project was approved before Rachel struck but has been accelerated to provide additional protection following the recent storms. According to the city's official project description, the operation will also improve navigation into Alamitos Bay by removing accumulated sediment from the entrance channel.
The city identifies Tidelands Capital Funds as the project's funding source. Construction staging is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Oct. 14, with dredging expected to begin around Oct. 20. The operation is anticipated to take approximately three months.
Separately, the city plans to transport another 50,000 to 100,000 cubic yards of sand onto the Peninsula to provide more immediate protection, at an initial estimated cost of $230,000.
The restoration work forms part of a seven-point coastal protection strategy outlined by City Manager Tom Modica, combining immediate repairs with longer-term measures intended to strengthen the Peninsula against future storms. Among the proposals is a low-profile rock revetment combined with coastal dunes, designed to provide another protective barrier if subsequent storms wash away the newly deposited sand.
The project carries an estimated construction cost of $6.8 million, although funding has not yet been secured. Preliminary design work is funded, and the city is coordinating with the California Coastal Commission on potential approvals. Long Beach is also exploring opportunities with the Port of Long Beach and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate future dredging projects that could potentially provide up to 1 million additional cubic yards of sand.
Officials intend to pursue state and federal financial assistance, including disaster reimbursements, coastal protection grants and funding for habitat restoration. During the earlier briefing, Modica explained that the city was documenting emergency expenditures, including personnel costs, overtime and materials, to support possible reimbursement requests through the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and federal agencies.
The Long Beach Post reported that the city had already spent more than $1 million on emergency response efforts, although the ultimate cost of repairs and recovery remains uncertain.
For residents whose homes have been damaged, the most pressing question is when they will be allowed to return. City inspectors have been assessing affected properties twice daily, with engineers reevaluating structural conditions after high tides. Those determinations remain subject to change as officials examine foundations and other damage caused by the erosion.
Community Development officials have said they are working directly with affected property owners to prioritize repairs, permits and inspections, while encouraging residents to contact their insurance providers as soon as possible. However, the responsibility for rebuilding damaged private properties generally rests with their owners.
During the city's emergency briefing, officials explained that crews could intervene to address immediate public safety hazards if a building collapsed, but long-term demolition and debris removal would ordinarily remain the property owner's responsibility. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has contacted County Assessor Jeff Prang to request property tax relief for homeowners whose properties were damaged or destroyed, according to FOX 11.
The extent of any assistance ultimately available to affected residents has not yet been established. Meanwhile, the city is urging residents to retain their sandbags as preparations continue for additional coastal storms during the developing El Niño season.
According to FOX 11, approximately 19,000 sandbags were distributed during the latest storm, bringing the total to roughly 26,000 across three recent storm events. Residents can register for emergency notifications through Alert Long Beach and monitor official information at longbeach.gov/emergency.
Although Rachel has passed, the city's recovery effort is expected to continue for months, with the larger challenge of protecting the Peninsula from future coastal storms still unresolved.
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