Monday, October 12th, 2026 — Long Beach, California, is confronting mounting property and infrastructure damage after three storm systems struck the coastline in roughly six weeks, leaving homes unsafe and adding to the deterioration of the city’s historic beachfront boardwalk.
Heavy surf during the latest storm breached the boardwalk’s protective timber bulkhead and pushed mud and sand onto the Long Beach Peninsula. City inspectors red-tagged eight buildings containing 13 residences, meaning they were considered unsafe to enter. Another building received a yellow tag restricting its use.
The damage did not begin with the latest round of surf. Long Beach Fire Department spokesperson Melanie Miller said the boardwalk initially began collapsing when Hurricane Marie affected the area in early September. Hurricane Polo and Tropical Storm Rachel then added further damage. Crews have used 3,000-pound sandbags, lumber and reconstructed berms to limit water intrusion and reduce wave impacts, but officials said work can often be performed only during limited low-tide windows.
For claims professionals, the succession of storms creates a difficult loss environment. Damage that accumulates across several events can complicate inspections and efforts to determine when specific structural deterioration occurred. Homes have also been exposed to wave action, sand and water intrusion while surrounding public infrastructure continues to sustain damage.
Long Beach has responded with a seven-point coastal recovery plan covering emergency repairs, additional beach sand, new protective measures and longer-term resilience projects. The city also accelerated the Alamitos Bay Entrance Channel Dredging Project, which is expected to relocate sand and widen the beach by about 200 feet.
Permanent repairs to the bulkhead and boardwalk are currently estimated at $1.5 million to $3.6 million. The city plans to use its Tidelands Emergency Reserves for the work and expects repairs to be completed by the end of 2026, although officials acknowledged that additional storms could affect the schedule.
Mayor Rex Richardson said the repeated damage demonstrates the need for more climate-resilient coastal infrastructure. With officials expecting additional storms during El Niño conditions, Long Beach is moving from emergency protection toward longer-term efforts intended to protect both public infrastructure and the homes immediately behind it.
