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The problems on Beach Boulevard, known all too well to anyone who lives in west Anaheim, are real: human trafficking and prostitution, illegal gambling, drug dealing and abuse, homelessness and blighted businesses.
From Lincoln Avenue to Ball Road, Anaheim’s stretch of Beach is a redevelopment and public safety priority.
The problems were years in the making and will take years to fully address. But the long-term answer ― redevelopment ― is underway. And we’re pairing that with a renewed effort to address day-to-day public safety and quality of life issues.
We call it Rebuild Beach.
Anaheim is looking to replace motels and other blighted businesses with new homes, stores, restaurants and other businesses, ultimately creating a walkable, inviting city street.
In all, Anaheim and our partners will lead the redevelopment of half a mile of Beach over the next few years. From there, we’re looking to see additional private investment and redevelopment.
We’re taking other steps to attract investment, such as undergrounding utility lines, taking control of the roadway from Caltrans, improving businesses, utilizing cameras, upping business and crime enforcement and more.
We know change can’t come fast enough. But it will come. Anaheim has a track record of successful redevelopment, with the Anaheim Resort in the 1990s and the Platinum Triangle and downtown Anaheim in the 2000s.
Now we’re looking to do the same with Beach, working together to create a street that makes west Anaheim and all of our city proud. Learn more below.
As we work on long-term solutions for Beach Boulevard, Anaheim Police and Code Enforcement are addressing issues on a daily basis.
Law enforcement is working to keep people and businesses safe and to minimize the impacts of drugs, human trafficking and prostitution, illegal gambling and other violations.
We respond to thousands of calls a year and proactively patrol Beach Boulevard.
Homelessness, housing instability and motels as housing of last resort are part of the challenge of Beach Boulevard.
Anaheim and our partner City Net have a comprehensive effort underway with daily outreach by social workers and case managers to get people connected with services and on a path toward a stable, housed life.
When it is a matter of public safety, Anaheim Police address issues on Beach that may also involve homelessness. But enforcement is only used when someone is clearly breaking the law.
The Community Care Response Team steps in when outreach, rather than enforcement, is best. The CCRT's social workers and case managers are out on Beach nearly every day, offering shelter and services to get people to a better place.
What
City initiative to partner with businesses and property owners to improve the condition and appearance of commercial buildings and shopping centers along Beach Boulevard
Why
To improve the look and feel of Beach Boulevard businesses and to encourage businesses to make improvements to better the quality and security of business centers by enhancing walkability, sense of place and security
How
Potential city funding of improvements with business matching funds
Funding
$1 million proposed in Community Development Block Grant funding
Next steps
Program is expected to be available to businesses by spring 2022
Undergrounding
We're making and planning improvements along Beach Boulevard. One that will have a big impact on the look of the street is the undergrounding of overhead power and other utility lines.
We're looking to invest $14.5 million to move lines from utility poles to underground trenches. Undergrounding results in enhanced reliability, reduced outages from weather and auto accidents and, particularly for Beach, a much improved visual streetscape.
We are working with Caltrans now on a review of undergrounding with potential construction in 2023.
Streetlights
As we work to underground utility lines, we also plan to upgrade streetlights to brighter, energy-efficient LEDs.
Some 80 LED streetlights are planned along Beach, adding to those already installed at the south end of the boulevard at Beach and Ball Road. The result is a brighter streetscape with better visibility as part of our larger efforts to address public safety and redevelopment.