Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson has been appointed to the advisory board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where he’ll serve alongside Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and seven other new members.
The new board was chosen last weekend at the organization’s annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, which was attended by Bass and Richardson, along with mayors from six other cities in Los Angeles County and Yorba Linda Mayor Eugene Hernandez.
“Mayors are on the front lines of the most pressing challenges facing our local communities today,” Richardson said in a statement. “I am honored to join the Advisory Board of this impactful organization, which represents the voice of more than 1,400 cities across America. By working together and learning from one another, we can overcome big challenges.”
Richardson previously served as president of the Southern California Association of Governments, the largest regional planning agency in the United States. He’ll help steer the USCM’s policy and advocacy efforts on issues such as housing affordability, climate resilience and racial justice, according to a statement from Richardson’s office.
At the USCM weekend meeting, Bass was also selected chair of the group’s task force on homelessness.
In addition to Bass and Richardson, the other new members of the advisory board are:
- Dearborn, Michigan, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud;
- Waterloo, Iowa, Mayor Quentin Hart;
- Fort Worth, Texas, Mayor Mattie Parker;
- Arlington, Texas, Mayor Jim Ross;
- Lansing, Michigan, Mayor Andy Schor;
- Providence, Rhode Island, Mayor Brett Smiley; and
- Allentown, Pennsylvania, Mayor Matt Tuerk.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the number of new members serving on the advisory board.