Partnership Models for Increasing Park Access in Underserved Communities

Parks provide spaces for people to be physically active, spend time with nature, and connect socially. Yet, over half of Los Angeles County’s population live in neighborhoods without access to parks and open space, with most high-need areas being concentrated in low-income communities of color. People also do not always feel welcome in parks because of physical accessibility concerns, unequal enforcement of rules, or feeling like the park was not designed for them. To increase park equity and access, there is a need to both increase the number of parks and open spaces and be more intentional about how park design and programming can increase a sense of belonging. LA County has an opportunity to address these decades-long issues through increased resources provided through the passage of Measure A. Join the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and a panel of vibrant speakers on Wednesday, January 19, to learn more about how LA can build strong partnership models to deeply engage with people to take every opportunity to increase public space and ensure these spaces are designed and programmed with people’s needs in mind.