The city of Long Beach missed out on tens of millions of dollars for infrastructure upgrades because it failed to raise fees charged to builders of new homes and businesses for decades, according to a new audit.
City Auditor Laura Doud found Long Beach lost at least $22 million in fees charged to developers because city departments never updated rates for inflation — something she called an “inexcusable” oversight. City management disputed the scope of this finding, saying they believe the true number is closer to between $2 million and $6 million.
The audit, released Wednesday, examined how the city collected development impact fees — a standardized, per-unit or square-footage charge placed on new construction — between fiscal years 2019 and 2024 in four service areas: police, fire, parks and transportation, which is operated by the Public Works Department…