Places, Spaces & People: How the Urban Environment Impacts Health in Boyle Heights and East LA

Places, Spaces & PeopleH o w t H e U r b a n e n v i r o n m e n t i m pac t s H e a lt Hi n b oy l e H e i g H t s a n D e a s t lo s a n g e l e s

a l l i a n c e F o r a b e t t e r c o m m U n i t y

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The health of a community isdirectly connected to its physicalconstructs, urban design and use ofpublic and private spaces. One’sability to access needed resources,purchase high quality, affordablefood and safely participate inphysical activity can determine yourability to live a vibrant, healthy life.

One way to ensure the design of anarea supports healthy living andmeets the needs of the communityis to include the community’sresidents in the planning process.Community members can bestidentify those measures that woulddecrease fear, improve healthoutcomes, and support healthybehaviors in their community.

The following report utilizes thisbest practice by engaging residentsand organizations in the evaluationand improvement of theircommunity.

Acknowledgement

this report was authored by:

Vanessa Rodriguez,Alliance for a Better Community

this report was made possible through the

generous support of the california endowment.

The author would like to thank the residents

of East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights for

their feedback and participation. In

addition, we would like to thank the many

organizations that supported this project including

the project’s Advisory Work Group:

• Bienvenidos

• Eastman Elementary School Healthy Start

• Garfield High School Healthy Start

• Garfield High School University Prep Program

• Lorena Elementary School Healthy Start

• Proyecto Pastoral

• Violence Intervention Program

Lastly, we would like to acknowledge the guidance

and support of Healthy City and USC’s Program for

Environmental and Regional Equity in the execution

of the Community Health Assessment.

p l a c e s , s pa c e s & p e o p l e

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Foreword

The nation is finally waking up to the critical connection between the builtenvironment and health. First Lady Michelle Obama, in her campaign to endchildhood obesity, specifically stresses the importance of improving the builtenvironment in communities by providing them with outlets for healthy food andplaces where youth can safely play. The federal government’s $400 millionNational Healthy Food Financing Initiative goes a step further by providingfunding to support the establishment and expansion of grocery stores in “fooddeserts” – under-resourced communities that often lack retail outlets, farmers’markets, and local gardens. Meanwhile, environmental justice groups in California andbeyond are highlighting the link between the health impacts of air pollution and climatechange on the one hand and communities’ truck traffic and land use patterns on the other.

Los Angeles caught this “place matters” wave early. Since its establishment in the early 1990s, the CommunityCoalition of South LA has mobilized residents to close down over 200 liquor stores that contributed to neighborhoodviolence. Since 2001, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice has prepared hundreds of communitymembers to speak up against the ravages of pollution from neighboring rail yards. Most recently in 2008, the L.A. CityCouncil passed a one year ban on new fast food outlets in a 32 square mile area, hoping to incentivize healthier foodopportunities for over half a million, low-income residents.

With this report, Alliance for a Better Community (ABC) is continuing this tradition of connecting place and health.It highlights the steps that are needed to alleviate the pressures of the built environment on the health of residents inBoyle Heights and East LA – communities ringed by polluting freeways, crisscrossed with hazardous industrialfacilities, and lacking basic amenities. The findings are both important and timely – and ABC makes a uniquecontribution because the community members themselves played a large role in informing the research; 230 residentsparticipated in interactive community mapping sessions, providing not only what they saw as problems, but also whatthey viewed as potential solutions. The resulting policy ideas are both significant and doable: they stress the importanceof schools as epicenters for healthy living and focus infrastructure improvements on creating buffer zones around bothschools and parks.

Decisions affecting public health and urban planning can last decades, if not centuries. With the shifting sands ofpolitics, the time for Boyle Heights and East LA to harness the national momentum that connects the builtenvironment with public health is now. Doing so could make a difference for generations to come.

- Manuel Pastor

Professor of American Studies & Ethnicity Director,USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity


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2) establish a Health and safety buffer around school campuses.

Infrastructure improvements shouldbe concentrated around campuses toensure safe routes to schools; theselling of unhealthy food is prohibited/limited while the sale of healthy foodoptions around school campus isencouraged and incentivized; andcommunity policing groups workwith law enforcement to increasepublic safety on and aroundcampuses.

1) create schools as centers for healthy eating and physical activity.

Transform local schools intoepicenters for healthy living inBoyle Heights and East LosAngeles by increasing physicalactivity on and around schoolcampuses during school and non-school hours. In addition, schoolsshould be a center for bothpromoting and providing healthy,affordable food.

The Boyle Heights/East Los Angeles (BHELA) Community Health Assessment explores the nexusbetween the built environment, public policy, and urban planning in an effort to determine theirimpact on the health and wellbeing of residents in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. Throughcommunity engagement efforts, four key findings were identified that inhibit residents’ ability to livehealthy, active lives: 1) inaccessibility to, and shortage of, quality food outlets offering affordable, healthyfood; 2) limited access to safe recreation space; 3) a need for greater public safety; and 4) much neededimprovements to and maintenance of community infrastructure.

Based on the aforementioned findings and the momentum garnered through local efforts, we propose thefollowing recommendations:

3) take back local parks.

Efforts should focus oncreating active, saferecreation space thataccommodates the activities andneeds of the community. Advocacyefforts must focus on infrastructureimprovements at local parks (i.e.improved lighting, permanentexercise equipment, clean parkfacilities, etc.) and changing theuse of the parks to supportcommunity programs for bothpassive and active recreation.

Executive Summary

By leveraging existing collaborative efforts, these recommendations can be realized and would ensure that youthand families are supported in living a safe and healthy lifestyle.


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Lush green space, bustling commercial corridors,centralized employment centers, and welcoming schoolsand parks create spaces that not only meet the needs of acommunity, but also act as the social and economiccohesion that supports healthy living. Inversely, whenthese elements are absent or removed from aneighborhood, an individual’s ability to thrive in theircommunity diminishes. In the communities of BoyleHeights and East Los Angeles, insufficient access tothese much needed amenities are key catalysts inperpetuating the difficulty residents’ face in livinghealthy, vibrant lives.

To better understand the correlation between thephysical constructs of a neighborhood and their impacton the health and wellbeing of local residents, theAlliance for a Better Community (ABC) set out toconduct a Community Health Assessment of the Boyle

Heights and East Los Angeles communities. ABC realizes that a healthy communitymust holistically support individuals andfamilies in their pursuit to excelphysically, emotionally, academically,economically and socially. is studyseeks to identify the elements of thebuilt environmenti, both positiveand negative, that affect healthyliving in these two communities,and to provide strategic policyresponses.

In what follows, we summarizethe methodology, key findings,and policy recommendations of our Community Health Assessment.

Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles are located in thearea generally known as East Los Angeles, nestledtightly between the growing Downtown LA skylineto the west and the sprawling San Gabriel Valley tothe East. The Los Angeles River, along with five majorfreeways (the I-10, State Route 60, US 101, I-710, andthe I-5) run through the communities, dissectingthem geographically and socially.ii The freewayconstruction, which occurred during the first half ofthe 20th century, displaced one-tenth of residents inthe East Los Angeles region and created a housingshortage, which ultimately led to overcrowding andpoor living conditions in the area.iii

During this same period, the city created a zoningordinance designating West Los Angeles as a strictlyresidential area, resulting in the development of eastand south Los Angeles as the site for industry andworking class families employed in the area.Furthermore, racially restrictive covenantsiv excludednon-white residents from living in western portionsof Los Angeles, making the eastside one of LA’s earlyethnic enclaves. These real estate restrictions

coupled with Boyle Heights’ and East Los Angeles’affordable housing costs, made these neighborhoods a port-of-entry for many newly-arrived, working poorimmigrants.

Despite the turbulent development of thesecommunities, residents have not sat idle in seeking toimprove their circumstances. Both communities haveextraordinary histories of strong civic engagement, asevidenced by the civil rights movements that haveroots in the area. Cultural pride has also acted as aunifying force throughout their history, beginning withthe early Japanese and Jewish settlers. This pride isvisible through the preservation of ornate culturalcenters, nostalgic murals and the spirited residentsthat understand that the richness of their communitygoes beyond their collective income.

Community Profiles

Introduction

Please see page 18 for map ofEast L.A./ Boyle Heights project area.


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The community of Boyle Heights is home toapproximately 110,000 residents, living in the mosteastern part of the City of Los Angeles.v From theearly 20th century to present day, Boyle Heights haslong been an entry portal for recently arrivedimmigrants who were often unwelcomed in otherparts of the city due to discriminatory real estatepractices and overt social prejudice.vi

In the 1940’s and 50’s Boyle Heights was a largelyJewish community with booming businesses andimmense civic pride. During those same years,Japanese-Americans and Latino immigrants beganto settle in the community, forever changing thelook and feel of this once isolated, hill-topcommunity. After the 1942 internment of hundredsof thousands of Japanese-Americans and the laterbanning of racially restrictive covenants, BoyleHeights was changed once again. Many of its Jewishresidents began migrating westward toward moreaffluent sections of the City and its Japanese-American residents were displaced and forced to find homes elsewhere after returning from theinternment camps.vii

Today, Boyle Heights is home to an ever growingconcentration of Latino immigrants who make ittheir first, and sometimes only, stop in theirmigration into the United States. As an entry port,population growth in Boyle Heights has surpassedLos Angeles County rates.viii Between 2000-2008,Boyle Heights experienced a population growth of14% radically higher than the County rate. Althoughmany Boyle Heights residents are immigrants, a largesegment of the population has lived in the area for

Boyle Heights

generations, establishing strong roots in this dynamiccommunity. Boyle Heights is a largely poor, Latinocommunity with a median income of about $33,570,with 30% of families living below the poverty line anda homeownership rate that hovers just below 30%.ix

The figures on traditional health indicators are alsotroubling. Boyle Heights suffers from high rates ofobesity and overweight, with over 33% of localresidents deemed overweight and 23% obese.x

These findings are significant because rates of obesitycan be directly linked to other chronic diseases such asdiabetes, heart disease, cancer, hypertension and anoverall poor quality of life.xi In 2008, heart disease wasidentified as the leading cause of death amongresidents. Heart disease, among other ailments, hasbeen directly linked to an individual’s obesity andfitness levels.xii

Individuals with low-educational outcomes also tendto have poor health outcomes.xiii This is a concern inBoyle Heights where 68% of residents have less than ahigh school education and less than 17% have a highschool diploma.xiv At Roosevelt High School, BoyleHeights’ largest high school, only 45% of 9th graderswho were enrolled in 2005 graduated four years laterin 2009.xv

In addition, Boyle Heights also suffers from a deficiencyin park space with only 161 acres of open space, muchof which is actually cemeteries.xvi This is distressinggiven the County standard for the provision ofparkland is 4 acres of local parklands and 6 acres ofregional parkland per 1,000 residents; Boyle Heightsrates fall well below that standard.xvii

“Boyle Heights also suffers from adeficiency in park space with only161 acres of open space, much of

which is actually cemeteries.”


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East Los Angeles

As Boyle Heights’ eastern neighbor, East LosAngeles is home to approximately 123,000residents and is an unincorporated community thatis governed and supported by the County of LosAngeles.xviii As with Boyle Heights, East Los Angeleshas also been marked with a history of rapidgrowth, poor planning and deterioratinginfrastructure that has exacerbated the poor healthand social outcomes of the community.

High density rates have contributed to these issues.East Los Angeles has a density rate seven times that of Los Angeles County and double that ofneighboring cities. Between 2000-2008, the areahad a population growth of over 11% which issignificantly higher than the growth rate of the restof Los Angeles County.xix

The East Los Angeles community is fairly youngwith a median age of 32, five years younger thanthe Los Angeles County median. This dense, urbancommunity is largely young, Latino, transitdependent and poor.xx The median income in EastLos Angeles is $34,883, almost $20,000 less than theLos Angeles County rate, with 27% of families livingbelow the federal poverty line. Additionally, EastLos Angeles’ homeownership rate is just slightlyhigher than that of Boyle Heights at 34%, which is

significantly lower than the County rate at 50%. Inaddition to the low homeownership rates, East LosAngeles has been unable to meet its demand for itsaffordable housing units. According to the areasaffordable housing strategy, East Los Angeles failed tomeet its demand for 15,146 affordable housing unitsin 2008.xxi

Similar to Boyle Heights, the health outcomes of East Los Angeles can be directly linked to residents’economic and educational attainment.xxii The leadingcause of death in East Los Angeles’ in 2008 was heartdisease, with cancer second. Comparable to BoyleHeights, more than 65% of the population in East LosAngeles has less than a high school education andonly 17% has a high school diploma. At Garfield HighSchool, East Los Angeles’ largest high school, only 54%of 9th graders who were enrolled in 2005 went on tograduate four years later in 2009.xxiii

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In addition to these community challenges, availablepark space in East Los Angeles falls short in meetingthe demand of the area. East Los Angeles containsless than 60 acres of park space while cemeteries inthe community cover approximately 147 acres.xxiv

East Los Angeles falls far short of meeting the Countysuggested park provision, with a deficit of local parkspace of 145 acres and a deficit of regional park spaceof 195 acres.xxv

Despite its many impediments, East Los Angeles hassignificant potential to develop into a healthy androbust community. Its long history of activism

coupled with its many local and regional resourcescan be used to address the difficulties it faces due torapid population growth, sluggish economy andweakening infrastructure. One current effort thatcontinues the legacy of activism is the push forcityhood in East Los Angeles. A group of residentsare currently pursuing the prospects of incorporatingthe region into a city with the aim of enhancinglocalized civic participation, and public resourcesand services.

Despite their tumultuous development, Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles have survived due to theiroverwhelmingly rich social capital, historic pride and steadfast community spirit. In addition to these intangible andunique assets, this region is also home to local resources that can, and should, be leveraged to enhance the builtenvironment and support and sustain a healthy lifestyle for all residents. Some of these physical assets include EastLos Angeles Community College, the California State University of Los Angeles, the newly constructed Metro Goldline, local and regional parks, the newly built LAC+USC County Hospital, White Memorial Hospital, three new areaschools and a large newly developed civic center, among other important social and physical assets. These areas arealso home to a large social service network that provides a foundation to build off of and improve.

Community Profiles Conclusion


“East Los Angeles falls far shortof meeting the County suggestedpark provision, with a deficit of

local park space of 145 acres and adeficit of regional park

space of 195 acres.”


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Study Design

In 2009-2010, the Alliance for a Better Community(ABC) conducted a Community Health Assessment ofthe Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles communitiesto determine the impact of the physical environmenton the overall health,xxvi wellbeing, and vitality of thecommunity. The area of study is the Greater East LosAngeles area which includes ZIP codes 90022, 90023,90033 and 90063, and encompasses theneighborhoods of Boyle Heights (City of LosAngeles), City Terrace (unincorporated LA County),Wellington Heights (unincorporated LA County), andBelvedere (unincorporated LA County), among otherunincorporated East LA communities.

The purpose of this study is to identify the urbanelements that contribute to health disparities withinthese communities, and the urban planningstrategies and public policy tools needed to mitigatethem. Although a wide array of environmental issueswere identified, ABC chose to narrow its focus toaccess to healthy food options at local grocery outletsand safe recreation space on and around schoolcampuses. This was due in part to our strong schoolnetworks, expertise in the field, success in mobilizingschool communities for change and the currentmomentum and capacities around these issues.Rather than providing a general overview on alltopics, our study sought to delve deeper on a selectfew in an effort to achieve immediate changes. As aresult of this narrowed focus, we were unable toelaborate on the many other importantenvironmental factors that were identified byresidents and stakeholders as significant, theseinclude: air quality and pollution, transportationhazards, water quality (specifically the high levels ofmanganese found in the local waterxxvii), healthhazards in the home, and environmental toxins. ABCfully understands the magnitude of these issues andstrongly encourages additional efforts to addressthese critical health concerns.

Building HealthyCommunities

BOYLE HEIGHTS

In mid 2009, the California Endowmentlaunched Building Healthy Communitiesas a 10-year initiative which focused onstrategic investments in 14 communitiesacross the state of California. The goal

of this initiative is to support thedevelopment of communities where kidsand youth are healthy, safe and readyto learn. Investment in the 14 selected

sites will concentrate efforts on systemicchanges that will meet the immediate

health needs of residents and addresslong term health issues.

As part of the Building HealthyCommunities Initiative, each selected

community underwent an extensive year-long planning effort where residents and

stakeholders were brought to the tableto identify community priorities and

develop a strategic plan to guideinvestment. Between June 2009 and

June 2010, Boyle Heights underwent thisplanning process and developed acomprehensive report that outlinescommunity priorities based on the

feedback of thousands of residentsand stakeholders.

For more information please visitwww.calendow.org/healthycommunities


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In executing the Community Health Assessment,ABC worked closely with project partners,community allies and local residents to gain a deeperunderstanding of the root causes of the localizedhealth disparities. This study differs from other moretraditional health assessments in that it was notformulated simply by the tabulation of quantitativehealth data and research, but more significantly, it isalso informed by the feedback and life experiencesof local residents. The gathering of this communitydata was done through a series of meetings withcommunity-based organizations, interactivecommunity mapping sessions with residents, andinformation gathered through communityengagement efforts as part of the CaliforniaEndowment’s Building Healthy CommunitiesInitiative in Boyle Heights.

During the interactive community mapping sessions,ABC, in partnership with Healthy City and localstakeholder groups, convened more than 230residents and youth. The goal of these meetings wasto identify and discuss the most pressing healthconcerns, caused by the physical makeup of theirneighborhood, what contributing factors causethem and possible remedies.

ABC’s efforts resulted in the following findings andstrategic recommendations.

Findings

In the community mapping sessions residents wereable to clearly identified destinations for recreationand grocery outlets. However, of approximately 11parks and green spaces identified, almost all weredeemed inaccessible by some participants due topoor infrastructure, distance, gang activity, perceivedthreats and fear of violence and crime.

In regards to recreation space Boyle Heights and EastLos Angeles have deceivingly large amounts of openspace. When looking at a map of the area, much ofthe large swaths of green space, are actuallycemeteries that would not be considered recreationspace. One exception is the Evergreen Cemetery


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19% POOR LIGHTING

11% STREET/SIDEWALK

19% GRAFFITI/VANDALISM

11% PROBLEM BUSINESS

15% INAPPROPRIATE POLICING

11% POORLY MAINTAINED PROPERTY

7% TRANSPORTATION

7% OTHER

STREET/SIDEWALK

1 GRAFFITI/VANDALISM

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Community residents were asked to identify the most common environmental design issues they encountered in theircommunity that act as a barrier to accessing resources.

Distribution of All Identified Environmental Design Issues

“I don’t feel safe. There aredrive-bys. The park has resources,

but people can’t access thembecause they feel unsafe.”

- RESIDEnT DESCRIBES A LOCAL PARk

Jogging Path which is a 1.5 mile rubberized joggingpath that circles the Evergreen Cemetery. Thiscreative use of space has actually been met withgreat success in activating underutilized publicspace for physical activity and should be a model fortransforming public spaces.

Similarly, of the eight major local grocery storesidentified by residents as food resources, most weredescribed negatively due to poor quality of food,unfavorable customer service, high prices,inaccessibility, and safety concerns at or aroundstore locations. Public safety was also a cross cuttingtheme among many of the discussions with residents.

In addition, because of their close proximity to largeresidential areas, school facilities are naturally themost accessible space to provide alternative, healthyfood options. Schools can provide the setting forinnovative programs such as school site farmer’smarkets, community gardens, farm-to-schoolprograms, food pantries, and a variety of other foodalternatives that can cater to the needs of thecommunity. With well over 80% of studentsparticipating in the area in Free and Reduced Mealprograms, the need for quality, healthy food onschool campuses is even more immediate.xxviii

Studies of programs in similar communities acrossCalifornia have shown huge successes in not onlyproviding additional healthy food sourcesfor low-income families, but also inproviding “hands on” educationalexperiences for youth and families tolearn the importance and ease ofhealthy eating.xxix xxx This “handson” learning has proven moreeffective than standard educationalmaterial and programs that promotehealthy eating. These programs can alsoprovide an opportunities for parents tobecome involved at their children’sschools, as many are led by local parents.


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1 Create schools as centers forhealthy eating and physicalactivity.

Transform local schools into epicenters for healthyliving in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles byincreasing physical activity on and around schoolcampuses during school and non-school hours. Inaddition, schools should be a center for bothpromoting and providing healthy, affordable food.

Schools are often the hub for communityengagement and advocacy efforts, and are a directconnection to families and youth in the community.This is especially true in Boyle Heights and East LosAngeles where schools are closely connected tolocal community-based organizations andadvocacy efforts. This entry point should bemaximized to promote healthy living in BoyleHeights and East Los Angeles.

In order to increase recreation space available tothe community joint use agreements should beutilized so that residents can have greater access toschool campuses during non-school hours. Jointuse agreements provide a safe, local space fororganized physical activities for youth, families andthe community at large.

Recommendations


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2 Establish a Health andSafety Buffer around schoolcampuses.

Infrastructure improvements should beconcentrated around campuses to ensure saferoutes to schools; the selling of unhealthy food areprohibited/limited while the sale of healthy foodoptions around school campus are encouraged andincentivized; and community policing groups workwith law enforcement to increase public safety onand around campuses.

School campuses, and the area immediatelysurrounding them, should be a space that youth andfamilies can occupy safely. By concentratinginfrastructure improvements (i.e. illuminated crosswalks, sidewalk repairs, extended curbs, bike lanes,tree shade, traffic calming measures, etc.) aroundschool campuses and coordinating communitypolicing programs, these spaces can once again bereclaimed by the community, providing safe anddirect paths to and from school campuses,improving resident’s mobility to encourage walkingand bicycling. Childhood obesity rates amongchildren and teens have tripled in the last 25 years.

Rates within our low-income communities of colorhave grown at an even more alarming rate.xxxi Manyadvocates suggest that easy access to unhealthy, lownutritious food around school campuses can be adirect link to rising obesity rates in our low-incomecommunities.xxxii By creating an ordinance aroundcampuses to promote the sale of healthy food, onecan directly impact the over-saturation of unhealthyfood outlets around school campuses. Part of thismight include supporting the federal government’sproposed $400 million Healthy Food FinancingInitiative which could eventually lead to morehealthy grocery stores in these neighborhoods.xxxiii

In Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles mobile foodvendors selling unhealthy, high-calorie food to youthand families greatly contribute to the healthproblems in the area. Suppression and enforcementare nOT recommended in dealing with this issue,since this informal economy is engrained into thecultural and social practices of the community, andaccounts for a large portion of the local economy.Instead, a more collaborative approach isrecommended by working with mobile vendors andneighborhood stores we can inform them on theirimpact to the local public health and developmutually beneficial agreements that outline when,where and what they can sell near school campuses.


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The increased use of parks and open space will helpimprove the fitness of local residents, and serve as anintervention strategy for youth getting involved ingangs and crime. Studies have shown that youthwho participate in physical activity and organizedsports are less likely to have low self-esteem and areless at risk for engaging in criminal behavior thantheir sedentary counterparts.xxxv

By taking back local parks with alterations to thedesign, maintenance and use of those spaces, localparks can once again become comfortable and safedestinations for families and children to engage inrecreational activities.

3 Take back local parks.

Efforts should focus on creating active, saferecreation space that accommodates the activitiesand needs of the community. Advocacy effortsmust focus on infrastructure improvements at localparks (i.e. improved lighting, permanent exerciseequipment, clean park facilities, etc.) and changingthe use of the parks to support communityprograms for both passive and active recreation.

The threat of violence and crime, be it actual orperceived, is often a key determinant in whetherthe community will use local parks and greenspaces. This fear can create a significant barrier tousing local open space for recreation. A study bythe U.S. Center for Disease Control and Preventionfound that individuals who perceived theirneighborhood as unsafe were more likely to bephysically inactive.xxxiv The same study also foundthat neighborhood safety was one of five keydeterminants identified by parents as importantfactors in allowing their children to participate inphysical activity.


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From Recommendations to ActionAll the recommendations presented address the need for more opportunities for physical activity andincreased access to more nutritious food options. These improvements can be made through betteruse and design of public and private spaces, strategic public policy and the enhanced and deliberateuse of resources.

Although it may be possible to achieve these wins in isolation from thecommunity, we fully understand that the sustainability, buy-in andultimate success will come through the participation and leadershipof residents, local businesses, and community groups.

Our recommendations have placed schools as theleading vehicle in driving the healthy livingmovement in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles.This is due to ABC’s long history working withschools and our success in mobilizing parents,families and communities to advocate for changeson their campuses. For this reason we propose theestablishment of a Parent and Student HealthTaskforce at school sites or cluster of schools. Thisgroup of parents and youth would partner with localcommunity-based organizations and school

In the Schools

administration to lead community engagement andadvocacy efforts on campuses.

Each Taskforce would address the immediate andunique health needs of their students and familieson and around their campus and would addressissues of health and safety, specifically those calledout in this report. The Taskforce would act as apermanent vehicle for organized advocacy efforts toensure that school sites are not only the place forobtaining a high quality education, but also a spacethat supports and promotes healthy living for allstudents and their families.

“...parents and youthwould partner with local

community-based organizationsand school administration to lead

community engagement andadvocacy efforts on campuses.”


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Department of City Planning and the LA CountyDepartment of Planning, will impact the physical,social and economic landscape of Boyle Heights andEast Los Angeles for decades to come. Communityparticipation is imperative to creating a successfulplan that supports the long term needs of thecommunity.

Boyle Heights will also be a pilot site for the LACounty Department of Public Health’s REnEW (RenewEnvironments for nutrition, Exercise, and Wellness)Initiative aimed at expanding additional joint useopportunities in the community in an effort toincrease access to safe recreation space.

Other local efforts to be leveraged include theselection of East Los Angeles as one of First 5 LA’s BestStart communities, the Gold Line Metro extension,future infrastructure improvement projects of LosAngeles’s Community Redevelopment Agency, thesubmission of a federal grant application for thePromise neighborhoods Initiative in Boyle Heightsand the long history of a strong and active network ofcommunity-based organizations. Through theseongoing efforts, ABC will promote the proposedrecommendations by building long termsustainability and broad based support.

All of these concentrated investments andcollaborative efforts provide an opportunity totransform Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles intohealthy, safe and active communities.

In the Community

Although our recommendations are focusedprimarily on the power and potential of school-based networks and resources, we are aware thatother important opportunities are also developingoutside school walls. In each of the followinginitiatives, we plan to build partnerships to drivethese recommendations forward.

Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles are in a criticalstate in their history, with tremendous investmentand collaboration currently taking place. In 2009,Boyle Heights was identified as one of the CaliforniaEndowment’s 14 sites selected to receiveconcentrated funding and support, over the next 10years, through their Building Healthy CommunitiesInitiative. This initiative has created an opportunityfor local organizations, policy makers and residentsto work collectively to transform Boyle Heights intoa healthy, prosperous community. This collaborativeprovides an additional vehicle to advance theproposed policy recommendations from this reportand improve the health and wellbeing of BoyleHeights residents.

In addition to the Building Healthy Communitieswork, Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles are alsothe setting for additional investment anddevelopment that should be leveraged. Bothcommunities are at an important moment in theirdevelopment, as they are both updating theirCommunity Plans. These efforts, led by the LA City


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Conclusion

ed avilaABC President

PresidentProject Restore

arturo vargasABC Secretary

Executive DirectorNational Association ofLatino Elected Officials

Frank QuevedoABC Treasurer

maría casillasPresident

Families in Schools

Hector Flores, m.D.Co-Director

Family MedicineResident Program

White Memorial Hospital

mónica lozanoPublisher & CEO

La Opinión

ref rodriguezFounder

Partnership to UpliftCommunities (PUC)

raul F. salinasManaging Shareholder

of L.A. OfficeAdorno, Yoss,

Alvarado & Smith

angela sanbranoPresident

National Alliance ofLatino American and

Caribbean Communities(NALACC)

michelle siqueirosExecutive Director

Campaign for CollegeOpportunity

Fernando torres-gil,ph.D.

Associate DeanUCLA School of

Public Policy & SocialResearch

peter villegasFirst VP & National

ManagerCommunity & External

Affairs DivisionJ.P. Morgan Chase

Mission StatementThe Alliance for a Better Community

(ABC) promotes equity forLatinos in education, health,

economic development and civicengagement for the betterment

of the Los Angeles region.

Board of DirectorsIt has become well-known that a poor diet and asedentary lifestyle can increase one’s risk for manychronic diseases. However, participating in socialactivities and having easy access to basic amenitiesthat support a healthy and active lifestyle are oftenhindered by physical and social uses of spaces and theurban design of one’s community.

It is important to recognize that many of the barrierslow-income communities face in living a healthy lifeare a result of crime, violence, fear, inadequate foodsecurity, education, unsafe housing, poorly maintainedsidewalks and streets, crumbling infrastructure, and alack of economic opportunities. Healthy choices andbehaviors must be nurtured throughout one’s lifetime,but without a supportive environment, bothphysically and socially, those healthy behaviorsbecome difficult to maintain.

Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles are at a pivotalmoment where traditional norms, communitydevelopment practices and flawed public policy canbe transformed through the collective efforts of acommunity poised for action. Through comprehensivecommunity planning, improved urban design,supportive public policy and strategic coordination ofresources, healthy behaviors can become the social,political and cultural norm of these communities thatwill support a safe and healthy, life for all residents ofBoyle Heights and East Los Angeles for generationsto come.


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i Gold, Eva; Simon, Elaine; Brown, Chris. Successful Community Organizing for School Reform. Strong Neighborhoods, Strong Schools. The Indicators Project on Education Organizing. Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, Chicago, IL. (2002).

ii Greater East Los Angeles Community Profile. Los Angeles: Healthy City, 2007. Print.

ii Spalding, Sophie. “The Myth of the Classic Slum: Contradictory Perceptions of Boyle Heights Flats: 1900- 1991.” Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture 45.2 (1992): 107-119. Print.

iv Racially restrictive covenants were contractual agreements among property owners that prohibit thepurchase, lease, or occupation of their premises by a particular group of people, usually African Americans,Mexicans, Jews and other “undesirable” groups. Avila, Eric. “Popular Culture in the Age of White Flight: Fear and Fantasy in suburban Los Angeles.” University of California Press (2006).

v Healthy City: Information + Action for Social Change.“Zip Codes: 90033, 90063: Quick Stats.” www.healthycity.org. Nielson Claritas, 2009. Web. 19July 2010. For the purpose of this study Boyle Heights is defined by the zip codes of 90033 and 90063.

vi Sanchez, George. “What's Good for Boyle Heights is Good for the Jews: Creating Multiracialism on the Eastside during the 1950s.” American Quarterly 56.3(2004): 633-661. Print.

vii Ibid.

viii City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning- Boyle Heights Community Area, Local Population andHousing Profile. https://planning.lacity.org/. Web. Accessed August, 2010.

ix Healthy City: Information + Action for Social Change.“Zip Codes: 90033, 90063: Quick Stats.” www.healthycity.org. Nielson Claritas, 2009. Web. 19July 2010. For the purpose of this study Boyle Heights is defined by the zip codes of 90033 and 90063.

x Ibid.

xi Ebbeling, C. and Pawlak, D. “Childhood Obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure.” The Lancet,360.1 (2002): 473-482.

xii Ibid.

xii Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology- “Preventing childhood obesity: the need to create healthy places- A cities Communities Health Report.” October 2007: 4. Print.

References

xiv Healthy City: Information + Action for Social Change. “Zip Codes: 90033, 90063: Quick Stats.” www.healthycity.org. Nielson Claritas, 2009. Web. 19 July 2010. For the purpose of this study Boyle Heights is defined by the zip codes of 90033 and 90063.

xv School Report Card 08-09: Roosevelt Senior High School. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Unified School District, 2009. Web.

xvi City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning- Boyle Heights Summary of Land Use.https://planning.lacity.org/. Web. Accessed August, 2010.

xvii Los Angeles County Department of Planning. “3rd St. Corridor Specific Plan”. June, 2010.

xviii Healthy City: Information + Action for Social Change. “Zip Codes: 90022, 90023: Quick Stats.” www.healthycity.org. Nielson Claritas, 2009. Web. 19 July 2010. For the purpose of data collection East Los Angeles is defined by the zip codes of 90022 and 90023.

xix Los Angeles County Department of Planning. “3rd St. Corridor Specific Plan”. June, 2010.

xx Ibid.

xxi Ibid.

xxii Ibid.

xxiii School Report Card 08-09: Garfield High School. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Unified SchoolDistrict, 2009. Web.

xxiv Los Angeles County Department of Planning. “3rd St. Corridor Specific Plan”. June, 2010.

xxv Ibid.

xxvi For the purpose of this report, the term “health” will be used in its broadest sense to include not only the physical condition of an individual, but also their social, mental, and economic wellbeing that holistically comprise an individual’s ability to thrive. This comprehensive approach to health is key to identifying the root causes of disease and chronic ailments and to developing successful solutions to the health disparities in our most vulnerable populations.

xxvii Salgado, C.J. “Open Letter: Manganese In East L.A. Groundwater Unhealthful” Eastern Group Publications, Eastside Sun, June 19, 2008.

xxviii Dataquest:rates For Free And Reduced Meals For The Year 2007-08.” http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, California Departmentof Education, 2010. Accessed July, 2010

xxix “Success Story: Oakland Schools and Healthy Food Access Oakland Schools Become Neighborhood Produce Markets, Expanding Residents’ Access To Healthy, Affordable Food.” tcenews.calendow.org/pr/tce/document/TCE_SuccessStories_final.pdf. The California Endowment, n.d.Web. Accessed July, 2010

xxx “Success Story: Modesto’s Healthy Afterschool Programs Modesto Models An Integrated Approach To Community Health, Including Dynamic Afterschool Programs And A Gardening Project For At-Risk Youth Planting “Seeds For The Future.” tcenews.calendow.org/pr/tce/document/TCE_SuccessStories_final.pdf. The California Endowment, n.d.Web. Accessed July, 2010

xxxi Goetz Katherine and Joelle Wolstein. “Street Vendors in Los Angeles: Promoting Healthy Eating in L.A. Communities.” Department of Public Policy, UCLA School of Public Affairs. Funded by The Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, UCLA. Los Angeles, CA, March 2007. http://lewis.spa.ucla.edu

xxxi Creating a Healthy Food Zone around Schools: A Fact Sheet for Advocates. National Policy and Legal Anaylsis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity, 2008. Web.

xxxiii A Healthy Food Financing Initiative: An Innovative Approach to Improve Health and Spark Economic Development www.trfund.com/financing/realestate/HealthyFoodFinancing_2_17_10.pdf. Web. Accessed August, 2010

xxxiv Duke, J. “Physical Activity Levels Among Children Aged 9-13 Years—Selected States, 1996.”Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 48.7 (1999): 143-146

xxxv Nelson, M.C. and Gordon-Larsen, P. “Physical Activity Sedentary Behavior Patterns are Associatedwith Selected Adolescent Health Risk Behaviors.” Pediatrics. 117.4 (2006): 1281-1290.


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Places, Spaces & People: How the Urban Environment Impacts Health in Boyle Heights and East LA

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