Pomona, California

Pomona, California is a city in Pomona Valley, a portion of Los Angeles County approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The City of Pomona was incorporated in 1888 and, as such, is among the ten oldest incorporated cities in Los Angeles County. Pomona has a population of over 150,000 residents and a land area of over 22 square miles. Pomona is the seventh most populous city in Los Angeles County and the seventh largest city in Los Angeles County by land area. Pomona is bounded on the north by La Verne, Claremont, and San Dimas; on the south by Chino and Diamond Bar; on the west by West Covina, Glendora, and La Puente; and on the east by Montclair, Ontario, and Chino.

Pomona has a vibrant and varied economy with over 2,000 businesses that employ individuals.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) is a state university established in 1938. An important feature of Cal Poly Pomona is Innovation Village, an approximately 64 acre parcel devoted to private development. The activities of the various tenants of Innovation Village support over 4,000 direct, associated indirect, and induced jobs. Cal Poly employs well over 2,000 faculty and staff, resulting in an average class size of 32 for undergraduate programs and 13 for graduate programs. Cal Poly Pomona has over 26,000 undergraduate and over 2,000 graduate students. More than 3,500 students live on campus.

Mt. San Antonio College is a large community college adjacent to Pomona on the west in the community of Walnut. The community college, which opened in 1946, offers over 370 degree and certificate programs. 2,210 associate degrees and 1,064 certificates were awarded in 2021. Mt. San Antonio College serves about 60,000 students annually and has around 2,900 employees on its 420-acre campus.

Pomona is home to Fairplex, a regional economic engine that boosts 487 acres of event space, exhibit halls, a hotel, an RV park, and the Fairplex Sports Complex. Much of the land was deeded by Los Angeles County Fair Association to the County of Los Angeles, which leased the land back to the Association. Fairplex hosts several major events including Oktoberfest, expos, the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, and the Los Angeles County Fair. Fairplex employs about 60 full-time employees and 70 part-time employees year-round, and up to 500 short-term employees during the annual Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County Fair is the largest county fair in the nation, attracting over one million guests annually. The fair is known for live entertainment, competitions, themed attractions, and rides. Fairplex also features a five-acre organic farm and the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

In 1899 a train derailed and crashed in Pomona, killing 30 passengers and injuring many more. Because the nearest hospitals were in Los Angeles, which was too far away to transport the injured by horse-drawn ambulances, the injured were cared for in local homes. Filling this void in access to medical care, Pomona Valley Hospital (now Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center) was established in 1903 in a two-and-a-half story house that could accommodate 12 patients. The present-day 412-bed facility features an emergency department, intensive care unit, cancer care center, heart and vascular center, women and children’s center, and trauma center. Over 600 Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center physicians and 3,200 professional associates deliver quality medical care. Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center also operates several satellite facilities in the region.

The Pomona campus of Western University of Health Sciences is a private medical school and health services school on a 22-acre campus.

Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare began as a rehabilitation center for children in 1938. The new Casa Colina Hospital opened in Pomona in 1961. Casa Colina has over 200 physicians.

Nearby Brackett Field airport dates from 1940 and facilitates well over 80,000 general aviation takeoffs and landings each year on its two runways. The airport, which is self-sufficient, is now owned by and operated by the County of Los Angeles. The airport is home to about 300 aircraft as well as a restaurant and several aviation-related businesses. Mount San Antonio College Aviation Department operates its aircraft maintenance and pilot certificate programs out of the airport. Small aircraft and larger jet aircraft can use the airport. An Air Traffic Control Tower operates daily. The airport directly and indirectly supports over 300 jobs and creates over $12 million in spending annually, thereby contributing greatly to the local economy.

Claremont Colleges are located in nearby City of Claremont. The conjoined campuses of Scripps College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont McKenna College, Keck Graduate Institute, and Pomona College (located originally in Pomona) are spread over 546 acres of land. Together, the colleges and approximately 3,600 faculty and staff provide 9,000 students with the combined benefit of the intimacy of smaller independent institutions of higher learning with the broad range of offerings provided by a large university campus.

City officials include a Mayor and six Councilmembers, each of whom represents a separate district. The chief administrative officer for the City of Pomona is the City Manager. The City Manager oversees City operations.

The City of Pomona contracts for fire services through the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The Los Angeles County Fire Department operates eight fire stations within the City as well as a fire station open seasonally for the Los Angeles County Fair.

The Pomona Police Department provides law enforcement services for the City.

Pomona is near five freeways. The first stage of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Phase 2B Project will connect Pomona to the extensive rail system operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Pomona will have a center platform station with light rail tracks on both sides of the platform. The Pomona Station will be near the existing Pomona North Metrolink Station. Metrolink is a commuter rail system connecting Pomona to routes serving Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties.

The valley in which Pomona is located was referred to as Rancho San Jose beginning in the 1700s. The valley was among the extensive landholdings of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. After Mexico gained independence from Spain and mission lands were secularized and broken up, Don Ignacio Palomares and Don Ricardo Vejar petitioned the governor and were granted rights to the land in 1837. The city is named after Pomona, the ancient Roman goddess of fruit, the winning entry in a contest to name the city in 1875. Interestingly, at the time, no fruit trees were planted in the area. With the coming of the railroad in the 1870s, Pomona became a prosperous agricultural community. Vineyards flourished but were soon replaced by extensive groves of citrus and olives. By the early 20th century, Pomona was touted as the “Queen of the Citrus Belt," due to its rich harvests of oranges, lemons, and limes.

Just northwest of Pomona is Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park. The park encompasses about 2,200 acres. Highlights include 1,233 acres of open space and natural areas, about 14 miles of hiking and riding trails, an RV Park, and the 250-acre Puddingstone Reservoir. The park is also home to Mountain Meadows Golf Course, an 18-hole golf course on rolling terrain with three lakes, and Raging Waters Los Angeles, California’s largest water park with waterslides and a raft ride.

The attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC practice employment law and represent workers throughout the City of Pomona and the State of California. We represent workers concerning a variety of Wrongful Termination claims, including Discrimination and Sexual Harassment claims. We also represent workers concerning both individual and class action 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.