Huntington Beach, California

Huntington Beach, California is located in Orange County southeast of Los Angeles. Huntington Beach contains an 8.5 mile stretch of Pacific coastline. With a population of over 198,000, Huntington Beach is the fourth most populous city in Orange County. Due to its geographical location in relation to nearby Catalina Island and other factors, Huntington Beach generally has higher surf than other area beaches. This is one reason Huntington Beach has come to be known as “Surf City.”

According to the City of Huntington Beach, tourism and technology are among the largest industries in the city. Huntington Beach also has an off-shore oil terminus for tankers bringing oil from the Alaska Pipeline. Huntington Beach is a magnet for small businesses. Huntington Beach has around 10,000 businesses, of which roughly 70% have 1-4 employees.

The healthcare industry within Huntington Beach provides over 8,200 jobs at a multitude of medical-related establishments, including Huntington Beach Hospital, which was established in 1967 and has over 400 employees.

Huntington Beach has two main industrial zones, one along the Gothard Corridor (the north-south running Gothard Street), and the other in the northwest area of the city.

Business Improvement Districts are special assessment districts that groups of local businesses establish as a revitalization tool. Business Improvement Districts are nonprofit business organizations. Huntington Beach has two Business Improvement Districts, the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District and the Huntington Beach Tourism Business Improvement District.

The Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District has a membership of over 250 businesses. Businesses are assessed in an amount based on the size, location, and type of business. The services provided by the district include special events, extra measures to maintain the cleanliness of the district, security, ambassadors, and special beautification projects.

The Huntington Beach Tourism Business Improvement District finances sales promotions and marketing aimed at increasing overnight tourism in the city. The assessment rate is 4% of the gross room revenue for short-term lodging.

In 2015, nearly 4 million out-of-county visitors generated about $700 million in business sales, $15.7 million in tax revenue, and supported about 6,000 jobs. Tourism is boosted by the city’s proximity to the Disneyland Resort and Knotts Berry Farm.

Golden West College is a community college in Huntington Beach. Golden West College has about 18,000 students and a faculty of over 450.

An annual event, the Pacific Airshow^® in Huntington Beach provides a large boost to the local economy. The Pacific Airshow^® is one of the largest airshows in the United States, with an attendance estimate of around 230,000. It is estimated that eight-in-ten attendees reside outside of Huntington Beach and over 17% of attendees were first-time visitors to Huntington Beach. In 2019, the event generated an estimated $68.1 million in direct spending, $3.4 million in taxes, and supported nearly 1,200 jobs.

The City of Huntington Beach has an 'AAA' Issuer Default Rating based on a low long-term liability burden, moderate fixed costs, and abundant reserves.

The 50-million gallon per day Huntington Beach Desalination Plant is slated to be operational in 2023. The plant, which will use reverse osmosis technology, will create over 2,000 jobs during construction and more than 300 direct and indirect jobs once it is operational. During construction, the project developer is projected to pay nearly $2.5 million in property taxes to the city’s general fund and over $11 million to local school districts.

The original inhabitants of this portion of coastal southern California were the Tongva (which roughly translates to “people of the earth”) or Gabrielinos people, who had lived in the area for thousands of years. In 1784, a soldier named Manuel Nieto received a Spanish land grant totaling around 300,000 acres for his military service. The land grant, which Manuel Nieto named Rancho Los Nietos, included the land occupied by the present-day city of Huntington Beach. By 1889, a small settlement called Shell Beach had been established in the area. In 1901, Shell Beach was renamed Pacific City and, in 1904, Pacific City was renamed Huntington Beach in honor of businessman Henry Edwards Huntington, whose Pacific Electric Railway line (Red Car) had a stop for the small, primarily agricultural town. Huntington Beach was incorporated as a city in 1909. Huntington Beach was a small town until an oil boom began in the area in 1920. At the time it was the largest oil deposit known in California. The town quickly grew from 1,500 to 5,000 people. The town earned the nickname “Oil City.” Oil production faded in the 1950s. From the late 1950s through the 1970s, the area was a magnet for residential development. During the same period, Douglas Aircraft (which later became McDonnell Douglas which in turn became Boeing) became the largest employer in the area.

Huntington Beach Has Over 750 Acres of Park Land. the Centerpiece, at Over 340 Acres, is Huntington Central Park, Which is the Largest City Park in Orange County. Huntington Central Park Contains Two Lakes, Talbert Lake and Huntington Lake, and an Urban Forest. the Fenced 18-acre Shipley Nature Center, Divided Into Separate Areas Featuring Different Habitats, is Located in Huntington Central Park. Huntington Central Park Also Contains a 25-acre Equestrian Center.

The Huntington Beach Pier, at 1,850 Feet, is One of the Longest Recreational Piers in California.

Adjacent to Huntington Beach is the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. the Habitats Within the Reserve Include Freshwater and Saltwater Marshes.

The Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum, as the Name Suggests, Features the Sport of Surfing.

The Huntington Dog Beach in Huntington Beach is an “Off-leash Optional” Beach for Dogs.

The attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC practice employment law and represent workers throughout the City of Huntington Beach and neighboring cities such as Seal Beach and Fountain Valley. We represent workers concerning a variety of Wrongful Termination claims, including Discrimination claims. We also represent workers concerning Wage and Hour claims. If your employer or former employer has violated your rights, call the experienced employment attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC or Contact Us via our online form.