Long Beach, Compton Unite to Combat Prostitution Along Regional Trafficking Hotspot

A persistent prostitution market along Long Beach Boulevard that extends through Compton, Long Beach, and Lynwood has prompted the Long Beach City Council to unanimously approve a plan for a new cross-jurisdictional approach to addressing the problem.

The boulevard, which intersects the 710 Freeway before running through multiple cities including Compton, is “one of the largest hotspots” regionally for human trafficking and prostitution, second only to Figueroa Street in Los Angeles, according to District 9 Councilmember Joni Ricks-Oddie.

At Tuesday’s meeting, more than two dozen North Long Beach residents, including school principals and business owners, shared concerns about how the entrenched sex trade is disrupting community life. The principal of Starr King Elementary School reported that parents lining up to pick up their children recently witnessed a violent altercation between a pimp and a sex worker, while young students have observed “women half-naked and performing acts that they don’t understand.”

The proposal, introduced by Councilmembers Ricks-Oddie and Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, directs the city manager to report back on current anti-prostitution efforts and look at establishing partnerships with neighboring cities, including Compton, along with Los Angeles County to develop a strategy for “cross-jurisdictional enforcement and intervention.”

For Compton residents, the initiative could potentially lead to improved coordination between law enforcement agencies across city boundaries to address the problem that doesn’t respect municipal lines. The area known as “The Blade” has long been recognized as a regional issue affecting multiple communities.

The proposal also seeks to expand public nuisance laws targeting motels that enable prostitution, establish survivor-centered approaches to help people escape the sex trade, and enhance tools to crack down on motel owners who knowingly rent rooms to sex workers.

Long Beach Assistant City Manager April Walker said the city manager’s office will report back within 120 days with suggestions for achieving “short, medium and long-term goals” in addressing the problem.

Complicating enforcement efforts, a state senate bill passed in 2022 decriminalized loitering for the purpose of prostitution, according to the proposal. This has limited some traditional policing strategies previously used to address visible solicitation.

The issue has had significant impacts on local businesses and residents. According to Councilmember Thrash-Ntuk, the near-constant presence of sex work in the area has led to fatigued business owners leaving and limited the ability to attract new businesses to affected corridors.

The regional approach being developed could potentially serve as a model for other communities facing similar challenges across municipal boundaries. In February, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to study the possibility of establishing a human trafficking prevention body, which could further support these local efforts.