Long Beach, California is a very large population center in Los Angeles and it’s economic climate and population has directly affected the amount of bankruptcys filed in the Long Beach area.

Long Beach Population

Long Beach currently has the second largest population of any incorporated city in Los Angeles County, second only to Los Angeles City.  Los Angeles City has over 4 million residents and Long Beach has nearly 500,000 residents.  It is the 5th largest city in California.  The City of Long Beach is unique in that it boasts one of the world’s largest shipping ports in the country. The City of Long Beach also has a large oil industry; oil is found both underground and offshore. Manufacturers include aircraft, automobile parts, electronic and audiovisual equipment, and home furnishings. It is also home to headquarters for corporations such as Epson America, Molina Healthcare, and SCAN Health Plan. Long Beach has grown with the development of high-technology and aerospace industries in the area.

Effect of Recession on Long Beach

However, the residents and business owners of Long Beach has been negatively affected by one of the longest, most severe recessions since the Great Depression.  Residents encounter numerous indications of a city that has been dramatically affected by this recession: “Bank Owned” signs on homes, “Going Out of Business”, “Store Closing”, “Liquidation” signs on storefronts and other retail businesses.

As of June 2010, there were 4,170 foreclosures of single family homes in Long Beach alone.  The City of Los Angeles had 19,450 for the same time period.  Long Beach had nearly double the amount of foreclosures per capita than the City of Los Angeles.

Along with the increase in foreclosures, there has been an increase in unscrupulous individuals and companies that have preyed on the desperation of foreclosed homeowners by falsely promising to do loan modifications or stop foreclosure or otherwise resolve their accompanying credit card debts.

Choosing the Right Attorney for Long Beach Bankruptcy

How will a Long Beach resident choose the right professional bankruptcy attorney to help them with foreclosure or other debt related issues ?  After all, there are nearly 170,000 active bankruptcy lawyers in California.  Fortunately, there are a limited number of “Certified Specialists”.  The State Bar of California, has an independent committee that verifies the experience, expertise and qualifications of certain attorneys and after an extensive exam and obtaining proof of experience and references from other bankruptcy lawyers and judges, certifies a limited number of attorneys as Specialists in a particular field who can operate as a bankruptcy lawyer. As of August 11, 2010, there were only 32 Certified Specialists Los Angeles Bankruptcy Lawyers in the field of Bankruptcy Law in all of Los Angeles County, including Long Beach.