Bits 'n' Pieces

Concourse Enhancement

Long Beach Airport (LGB) broke ground on a $37 million project to modernize its passenger concourse, upgrade critical infrastructure and enhance the post-security travel experience ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“This project represents an important investment in Long Beach’s future and the millions of travelers who choose our award-winning Airport each year,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “As we prepare to welcome the world for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are ensuring LGB continues to deliver a modern, comfortable and uniquely Southern California travel experience.”

The Passenger Concourse Enhancement Project is designed to further elevate Long Beach Airport’s existing reputation as a relaxed, Southern California travel experience while making necessary updates to infrastructure that has served millions of passengers since the concourse first opened in 2012. Planned enhancements include:

• Improved passenger circulation, including updated queuing and seating configurations
• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades, including replacement of air-conditioning components and updated restrooms
• Upgraded seating with electrical charging options
• Creation of an open-air garden area outside the north concourse
• Expanded wayfinding signage and flight information displays
• New flooring, gate podiums and a Service Animal Relief Area
• Sustainability upgrades, including a new back-up generator and energy-efficient LED lighting

The project’s completion is anticipated in the summer of 2027. No impacts to commercial flights are expected, and gate access will be accommodated during construction.

“This refresh is not just aesthetic – it’s about expanding LGB’s reputation as a premier airport that offers travelers an experience that is distinctly Long Beach,” said Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr. “After more than a century of service, this project ensures LGB keeps soaring as one of Southern California’s most welcoming gateways.”

“Bold investments are being made to continue to ensure every visitor’s first impression reflects the hospitality of Long Beach,” said Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw. “For the 2028 Games and beyond, these improvements highlight the city’s commitment to Long Beach Airport’s future, ensuring it remains a modern, welcoming place for generations of travelers to come.”

The Passenger Concourse Enhancements Project has an estimated total cost of $37 million, with $24 million funded through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Infrastructure Grant program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, advocated for by U.S. Congressman Robert Garcia. The remaining cost will be covered by Airport revenue, with no local tax dollars utilized.

“As the former Mayor of Long Beach, I know firsthand how important our airport is to the city and our local economy. This federal investment is going to make our world-class airport even better,” said Congressman Robert Garcia. “These funds will deliver critical upgrades, support local jobs, and create a better experience for every traveler passing through. Long Beach Airport is one of the best in the country, and we’re making sure it stays that way.”

The Passenger Concourse Enhancement Project is estimated to generate 190 construction jobs. The work builds upon the impact of the Long Beach Airport Complex, which already generates an estimated $9 billion in annual economic output and supports 42,000 jobs as a key asset for the city and region at large.

Following a competitive recruitment process, PCL Construction Services, Inc. was awarded the construction contract valued at $28 million. The Long Beach City Council approved the construction contract on Oct. 14, 2025.

“This is about preparing Long Beach Airport for the future while enhancing the experience travelers know and love today,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. “From upgraded seating and improved passenger flow to modernized infrastructure behind the scenes, these improvements will help ensure LGB remains one of the most comfortable and convenient airports in the country.”

LGB provides a distinctively stress-free travel experience and first-class service, conveniently located between Los Angeles and Orange counties. Ranked second in the nation by The Washington Post, LGB is a favorite among travelers for its easygoing atmosphere. The Airport currently offers nonstop service to 20 destinations and one-stop connections to more than 400 cities worldwide via Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines. Learn more at lgb.org.

Backyard Builders Loans

The City of Long Beach announced the second round of the Backyard Builders loan program, which will help lower-income residents finance, design, permit and build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on their property. Applications will open in Summer 2026.

The second round of Backyard Builders will provide income-qualified Long Beach homeowners financing of up to $250,000 to build an ADU. These 30-year loans will be offered with a below-market interest rate of 2%. Payments will be deferred for the life of the loan, meaning most borrowers will not have to make any payments until the 30-year term is over or until the property is sold or transferred to another owner.

The program will finance the construction of at least 16 ADUs, up from 10 in the first round of funding, and provide project management assistance at no cost to homeowners, guiding them through the ADU design, permitting, construction and lease-up processes.

To be eligible for the program, applicants must own and occupy a single-family home in the designated program area and meet the State’s definition of lower income. The 2026 income limits that will apply to second round of Backyard Builders have not yet been released. Other eligibility factors that will be considered include applicants’ debt, payment of mortgage and property tax, and maintenance of a homeowners insurance policy.

When the application period opens in Summer 2026, full program requirements, guidelines and loan details will be available on the program webpage. The Long Beach Community Development Department also host online and in-person information sessions to provide details about the program and answer questions. The application period and information session dates will be announced in the coming months.

This new round of funding comes from a $4.8 million award from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) through its CalHome Program. The recipient of the funding is the Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), the nonprofit arm of the city formed to help address housing availability and affordability in Long Beach. Backyard Builders loans will be administered by the LBCIC.

If the number of qualified applicants for the second round of Backyard Builders exceeds the number of loans available, the city will conduct a randomized lottery to determine loan recipients.

“Long Beach has been a statewide leader in per-capita development of ADUs,” said Christopher Koontz, director of the city’s Community Development Department. “This new round of Backyard Builders will help ADUs remain a crucial way for Long Beach to expand residents’ housing options.”

Round two builds on the success of the city’s Backyard Builders Pilot Program, which launched in September 2024 and was open to homeowners without income restrictions. Homeowners in that first round were required to rent their ADU at an affordable rate to low-income households. The second round is specifically designed to support lower-income homeowners, who will be encouraged, but not required, to rent their ADUs to tenants using housing vouchers from the city’s Housing Authority.

This flexibility means the ADU can enable multigenerational living, reduce overcrowding or provide an additional income stream. However, if the ADU is rented, it must be leased for a minimum of 30 days; short-term rentals are not allowed. Cash-out refinancing against the loan is prohibited.

Homeowners who have already begun the ADU design/construction process may apply for the program at any point prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. The city, however, will not reimburse homeowners for costs incurred before the Backyard Builders loan is executed.

For more information on the second round of Backyard Builders funding, visit longbeach.gov/aduloan. Community members can sign up to receive program updates, including the dates of community information sessions, the application period and the notification period.

Port Busiest in March

The Port of Long Beach moved the most cargo in North America in March and through the first quarter of 2026, Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba announced Wednesday during his monthly Supply Chain Insight media briefing.

Long Beach dockworkers and terminal operators handled 774,935 TEUs of cargo last month, 5.2% fewer containers than the same time in 2025, which was a record year of cargo movement for the Port.

Imports last month declined 1.6% to 374,412 TEUs, while exports showed a 0.5% uptick to 104,554 TEUs when compared to March 2025. Empty containers moving through the Port dropped 11.1% to 295,970 TEUs.

Through the first quarter of this year, the Port of Long Beach processed 2,390,225 TEUs, more than any seaport in the nation. Cargo volumes for the first quarter of 2026 were down 5.7% from the first quarter of the port’s record year of 2025.

“Thanks to the efforts of our ILWU workforce and terminal operators, the Port of Long Beach led the nation as the busiest container port for the month of March,” Hacegaba told reporters at his virtual media briefing. “While not our strongest month on record, we handled nearly 775,000 TEUs, making us the busiest gateway in North America.”

Hacegaba’s guest was Jonathan Gold, vice president of Supply Chain and Customs Policy for the National Retail Federation. Gold commented on how retailers large and small are faring given recent pressures on the supply chain.

Impacts from hostilities in the Middle East, including blocked vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, have not manifested in Long Beach, Hacegaba said.

“Despite these global pressures, the conflict has not yet reduced cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach,” he said.

“What we’re seeing instead is the impact of tariffs and timing and the comparison to a strong baseline the year before,” he said.

Hacegaba warned that war in the Middle East is creating uncertainty for global supply chains, even with a ceasefire in place.

“When ships are being rerouted to avoid conflict zones, it sets off a chain reaction,” Hacegaba said. “Cargo has to move differently. Routes get longer. Costs go up. And ultimately, consumers pay more.”

The supply chain is already reacting to rising fuel costs by implementing new surcharges and other cost-saving measures, Hacegaba said.

“Here’s the bottom line – what happens in the supply chain doesn’t stay in the supply chain,” Hacegaba said. “It shows up in the prices people pay every day. Not just higher price tags – but fewer discounts, higher free-shipping thresholds and slower delivery times.”

Meanwhile, rising fuel costs are accelerating the case for renewable energy and domestic energy independence, Hacegaba said, two major issues in the Port’s outlook.

“This is a pivotal moment for energy,” Hacegaba said, adding, “At the Port of Long Beach, we’re not waiting.”

At the media briefing, Hacegaba highlighted the four-year anniversary of the Clean Truck Fund Rate, which was created to fund zero-emissions trucks and infrastructure with container fees collected from cargo owners. Since its inception in 2022, more than $62 million has been reinvested toward transitioning trucks serving the port into a zero-emissions fleet.

“This is how we turn policy into progress,” Hacegaba said.

“The Clean Truck Fund Rate is one example of how the Port of Long Beach continues to be a longstanding leader in environmental stewardship,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “The Port is committed to seaport sustainability and eliminating pollution from port operations.”

The port is also investing in zero-emissions equipment, clean shipping corridors and offshore wind infrastructure such as the port’s proposed Pier Wind terminal, Hacegaba said.

“We’re not just adapting to the future,” he said. “We’re building the Port of the Future today.”

For complete cargo numbers, visit www.polb.com/stats.

New Star Tracker

Rocket Lab Corporation announced its next-generation High-Performance Star Tracker (ST-HP), designed to improve key performance metrics for longer duration spacecraft missions in low Earth orbit and beyond.

The High-Performance Star Tracker combines enhanced resilience with a targeted pointing accuracy of better than 1 arcsecond, ideal for missions where radiation tolerance is critical. The ST-HP’s greater than 50 kRad, board-level Total Irradiation Dose ensures sustained attitude determination performance, maintaining precise spacecraft pointing and payload stability over long-duration missions.

Building on Rocket Lab’s proven star tracker heritage, with more than 185 units launched to date, the High-Performance Star Tracker combines flight-proven, in-house expertise with advanced radiation hardening. The result is a low-cost, scalable solution that can be produced rapidly without sacrificing performance or reliability.

“Rocket Lab continues to evolve our end-to-end offerings by introducing state-of-the-art solutions to meet the changing needs of commercial and government missions,” said Brad Clevenger, president of Rocket Lab USA. “By building on decades of experience, we’re delivering a more resilient product that gives customers the high accuracy and performance they need without added cost, lead time, or manufacturing risk.”

The new High-Performance Star Tracker expands Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated component suite, which also includes reaction wheels, separation systems, radios, flight software, ground software, solar power solutions, optical payloads, and more. All components are designed and manufactured in-house across Rocket Lab’s facilities in the United States, Canada, Germany and New Zealand. Rocket Lab’s Toronto facility, home to the Company’s star tracker production, features state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities including thermal chambers, vibration rigs, X-ray machines, optical inspections and calibrations, and clean-room environments supporting every stage of the star tracker development and qualification.