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Liquor stores throughout the entire City of Long Beach will now be subject to stricter visual and performance standards after the Long Beach City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday evening aimed at improving blighted businesses.

The reforms are an expansion to a pilot program that has been in place in the Ninth District since early 2014 as a way to improve public safety, decrease blight, and improve public health, City Councilman Rex Richardson stated.

All 26 liquor stores in North Long Beach are reported to be in full compliance with the new regulations, which include providing exterior lighting, installing a security system, removing pay phones to reduce loitering and removing signage and coolers from 90 percent of exposed window space.

For more information on the program, visit the District 9 community website.