Belmont Heights Homeowner Guide: Permits, ADUs and Historic District

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Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Belmont Heights is one of the City of Long Beach’s designated historic districts, so any exterior change to a home in the district must be approved through a Certificate of Appropriateness. The City lists 18 historic districts, and Belmont Heights is the first on the list.

This guide explains how the approval works, which Long Beach guides cover permits, ADUs and code enforcement, and how a missing approval or open permit affects a sale of a Belmont Heights house.

Belmont Heights at a glance

Governing city	City of Long Beach
Historic status	Belmont Heights is a City-designated historic district
Approval needed	Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for any exterior change
Who decides	Minor items are handled by staff; major items go to the Cultural Heritage Commission
Contact	Zoning Information Office, 562.570.6194; historicpreservation@longbeach.gov
Design guidance	City publishes Historic District Design Guidelines and maintenance and repair guidelines

Which rules apply to a Belmont Heights house

Belmont Heights is inside Long Beach, so City departments handle permits, ADUs and code enforcement. Our dedicated guides:

The Belmont Heights historic district

Long Beach designates historic districts to preserve the visual qualities of older neighborhoods. Its current list of 18 districts includes Belmont Heights, along with neighborhoods such as Bluff Park, California Heights, Carroll Park and Rose Park. The City also lists more than 150 individual historic landmarks. For a homeowner, the key point is that the district designation travels with the property: a buyer inherits the same approval requirements you have.

The Certificate of Appropriateness

The City says any exterior change to a historic landmark or to a property in a historic district must be approved through a Certificate of Appropriateness.

Permits for exterior remodeling, additions and alterations require one from the Cultural Heritage Commission, while smaller changes use a staff-level minor application emailed to historicpreservation@longbeach.gov. The City also has a separate application for exterior painting.

The City’s forms state that work cannot begin until the certificate is issued. The Planning Bureau hotline at 562-570-6194 connects owners with a historic planner.

Design guidelines and the Mills Act

Long Beach publishes Historic District Design Guidelines, architectural style guides and maintenance and repair guidelines for owners. The City also runs a Mills Act property tax abatement program, a financial incentive for restoring, rehabilitating or maintaining a historic property.

Whether a particular home qualifies, and what the tax effect would be, is something to confirm with the City. Our Prop 13 reassessment guide and Los Angeles County property tax guide explain how a sale can change a property tax bill.

How to check a Belmont Heights house

Confirm the address is inside the Belmont Heights district using the City’s historic districts and landmarks map.
Ask the Planning Bureau whether past exterior work received a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Ask the City’s building bureau for the permit history.
Compare that history with the house: additions, replaced windows, new garages or rear units.
Collect any notice or citation you have received.

ADUs and unpermitted work

An ADU or garage conversion in the district needs a building permit, and exterior changes also need a Certificate of Appropriateness. A unit built without either can raise questions for a buyer or lender. See the Long Beach zoning and ADU guide and our statewide guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work.

Code enforcement

Open cases, unpaid fees and recorded liens can follow a property into a sale. Read the deadlines on any notice first, then see the Long Beach code enforcement guide.

Selling a Belmont Heights house with an open permit or missing approval

Historic homes often carry decades of changes by earlier owners. Selling as-is means you disclose what you know and the buyer handles any approvals or corrections. A short checklist:

Confirm the home is in the district.
Gather any Certificates of Appropriateness you have.
Pull the permit history and flag anything not finaled.
List exterior changes with no approval you can find.
Compare fix-first costs with an as-is cash offer.

How to sell a house in Belmont Heights

Gather permits, approvals and any notices.
List known open or missing permits.
Request a no-obligation cash offer for the home as it stands.
Choose your closing date.
Close without repairs, corrections or showings.

Our local pages cover related situations in Belmont Heights, including selling as-is, selling fast, facing foreclosure, selling during a divorce and selling an inherited house. See also our Belmont Heights page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Own a Belmont Heights home with an open permit or historic-district question? Sell as-is for cash.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Belmont Heights a historic district?

Yes. The City of Long Beach lists Belmont Heights among its designated historic districts.

What is a Certificate of Appropriateness?

It is the City’s approval for exterior changes to a landmark or a property in a historic district.

Who do I contact about historic review?

The Zoning Information Office at 562.570.6194 or historicpreservation@longbeach.gov.

Does the district affect a sale?

The designation stays with the property, so a buyer takes on the same approval requirements.

Do I have to disclose unpermitted work?

California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work.

Can I sell a Belmont Heights house as-is?

Yes. You can disclose open items and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer.

More guides

Sources

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.