DESIGN (Develop the East Side Including Guidance from Neighbors)

DESIGN (Develop the East Side Including Guidance from Neighbors)

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The first known development in East Long Beach began around 500 AD. A 25-acre remnant of the Gabrielino tribe’s sacred village of Puvungna still remains on the CSULB campus adjacent to Bellflower Boulevard. In 1784 the Spanish government granted 300,000 acres of land (including Puvungna) to Manuel Nieto. This land was subdivided into five Ranchos upon his death and his oldest son, Juan Jose, settled in and latter sold Rancho Los Alamitos. Governor Jose Figueroa purchased this 28,500 acre Rancho in 1834 for $500. Don Abel Stearns bought the Rancho in 1842 for a summer retreat but lost this property after the drought of 1862/64 killed tens of thousands of his cattle. John Bixby acquired the property in 1881 where he, his family, and employees raised grain and tended 24,000 sheep and 1,500 cattle. The historic Los Alamitos Rancho house, its gardens, and stables are open to the public at 6400 Bixby Hill Road to the east of CSULB. Sugar beet processing, dairy farming, and oil drilling subsequently occurred in this area prior to later subdivision of land into housing tracts.

The City of Long Beach was incorporated in 1888. Following the 1902 introduction of the Pacific Electric trolley, an oil boom in the 1920s, and port then Navy base development, first tourists then residents were increasingly attracted to a rapidly growing city that was rebuilt following the disastrous 1933 earthquake. After World War II, Lloyd S. Whaley built and sold tens of thousands of "junior executive" single family homes built upon East Long Beach agricultural land. This massive housing boom coincided with the development of numerous churches, the Los Altos shopping center and California State College (now University), Long Beach.

Turn-of-the-millennium East Long Beach neighborhoods owe much to this area’s rich mix of residents. A noticeable increase in freshly planted landscaping corresponding with the growing number of school-aged children playing along our tree-lined streets illustrates the neighborhood pride and vitality being instilled by a recent influx of young families. Long Beach was once dubbed "Iowa by the Sea" because so many Iowa transplants settled in this area. Many of our senior residents help reflect a midwestern small town concern for neighbors. It is not uncommon for residents to warn each other to move their cars to avoid $31 street sweeping fines. East Long Beach neighborhood esprit de corps helps explain this area’s low crime rates and why local pubic schools have received national recognition for high academic standards.

DESIGN recognizes that good neighborhoods are this area’s greatest asset and is actively working with Long Beach City Hall and East Long Beach residents to ensure that development projects in the Los Altos area do not negatively impact the historically rich quality of life in our neighborhoods.

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About our association

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DESIGN is a neighborhood association that is proactively working with residents and City Hall to ensure that development in our area is not negatively impacting our quality of life.

DESIGN plants trees, sponsors neighborhood clean-ups, communicates with elected officials, conducts monthly meetings, and publishes monthly newsletters. These activities allow neighbors to take control of our neighborhoods by assessing our needs and providing types of improvements that residents need to implement. DESIGN also works with our representatives so they may become aware of problems that they need to address and helps inform neighbors about how well our public servants are providing us with the services that are funded with our taxes and fees.

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