Long Beach, CA Building Safety: Lead Paint (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- LBMC § 8.27, Ord. C-7367 (1995)
- Trigger
- child under 6 with elevated blood lead level
- Elevated level
- 20 µg/dL, or 15 µg/dL twice within 3 months
- Scope
- dwellings, hotels, child care facilities, yards, soil
- Paint threshold
- unlawful over 0.06% lead by weight
- Abatement workers
- must hold State lead certification, § 8.27.080
- Appeal window
- 10 days to Dept. of Health & Human Services
Summary
Long Beach's own Community Lead Hazard Control chapter, LBMC § 8.27, requires removal of lead hazards once the City Health Officer confirms a child under six has an elevated blood lead level, reaching any dwelling, hotel, child care facility, yard or soil where children live or gather. It's also unlawful citywide to apply or sell paint exceeding 0.06% lead by weight on any child-accessible surface.
The purpose of this Chapter is to require the removal of lead hazards when the Health Officer has found that a child under six (6) years of age has an elevated blood lead level as a result of such a hazard. [...] This Chapter shall apply to any dwelling, dwelling unit, hotel, motel, guest room, child care facility, institution, yard, soil, or any premises or areas inhabited or frequented by children. The property owner or responsible party shall be responsible for the removal or the control of any lead hazard. [...] D. To sell, offer for sale, display for sale, hold for sale, give away, apply, maintain on any surface accessible to children, or cause to be applied any paint in excess of 0.06% lead by weight for use on interior or exterior surfaces, fixtures or appurtenances of any dwelling,
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 8.27, adopted by Ord. C-7367 in 1995, exists to require lead-hazard removal once the Health Officer has found a child under six with an elevated blood lead level (§ 8.27.010). Its scope reaches any dwelling, dwelling unit, hotel, motel, guest room, child care facility, institution, yard, soil, or premises frequented by children, and places responsibility for removal or control squarely on the property owner or responsible party (§ 8.27.020). "Elevated blood level for lead" is defined as a confirmed reading of 20 micrograms per deciliter, or two consecutive confirmed readings of 15 micrograms per deciliter within three months (§ 8.27.030(D)); "lead-based paint" is defined at 1.0 mg/cm² by XRF or 0.5% by weight (§ 8.27.030(H)).
The Health Officer may enter a premises inhabited by an affected child to inspect and sample (§ 8.27.040), then issues an order to eliminate the hazard or imposes interim controls (§ 8.27.060); owners must submit an abatement work plan for approval before starting work (§ 8.27.070), and only individuals with a State of California Interim or Health Services Permanent Certification may perform the abatement (§ 8.27.080). Section 8.27.050 separately makes it unlawful, regardless of any pending order, to sell, apply or maintain paint exceeding 0.06% lead by weight on any child-accessible surface, toy, furniture, or eating or drinking utensil.
An affected owner has ten days to appeal a Health Officer order to the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services (§ 8.27.090).
Violations & Fines
Refusing to abate an ordered lead hazard, disturbing installed abatement or interim controls, letting dangerous lead levels stay accessible to children, or selling, applying or maintaining paint over 0.06% lead on a child-accessible surface is "unlawful and a misdemeanor" under LBMC § 8.27.050; only State-certified workers may lawfully perform the abatement or removal, per § 8.27.080.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply to landlords or only homeowners?
What blood lead level triggers a City abatement order?
Who is allowed to do the abatement work?
Can I appeal a Health Officer's lead-hazard order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California building safety overview
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