The New York Times notes that racial and ethnic diversity in the United States undermines support for public investment in social welfare. For example, the share of municipal spending devoted to social good — education, roads, sewage, and trash clearance — is smaller in more racially diverse cities. For every four immigrants who arrived [...]

Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti emphasizes that every place in the city can find space for new parks to empower youth, give them places to play, and keep them out of gangs and out of trouble. “Thank you for your continuing great work on park equity and bringing up issues that cut [...]

Los Angeles-Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education members today adopted a resolution to rename Central Los Angeles High School #11 as the “Edward R. Roybal Learning Center.” The late Congressman Edward R. Roybal is recognized as one of the most prominent Latino civil rights leaders of the twentieth century and dedicated [...]

Councilman Jose Huizar discusses joint use of parks and schools to make optimal use of scarce land and resources. “In terms of the existing facilities, both on the city’s side and the school’s side, it’s just a matter of leadership and us working together to make that happen. The limited resources are there, we [...]

This is a story about health, but it’s not about doctors or drugs. It’s about why some of us get sicker more often and die sooner and what causes us to fall ill in the first place.
UNNATURAL CAUSES criss-crosses the country investigating the stories and findings that are shaking up conventional notions about what makes [...]

Councilman Ed Reyes addresses regional grassroots efforts to improve parks and recreation for all, and cites the history and pattern of discriminatory land use policies and racially restrictive housing covenants which contribute to disparities in access to parks, recreation, and housing. “These are problems that we have. The gang issue. We put [...]

Councilmember Janice Hahn discusses The City Project’s Policy Report to pinpoint where to invest in parks and recreation in each community, and the need for reforming park funding including Quiimby fees. “Thank you to Robert García of The City Project for giving us the presentation and really giving us a good picture of where [...]

The City Project’s Executive Director and Counsel Robert García presented the Policy Report Healthy Parks, Schools, and Communities: Mapping Green Access and Equity for the Los Angeles Region to the full Los Angeles City Council on March 18, 2008. Council members respond in a conversation about a fair system of park finance and fees; regional [...]

News Brief, Los Angeles Downtown News
The issue of park creation and the use of developer fees to fund park projects came before City Council again last week. On Tuesday, March 18, the Council heard a presentation on the city’s park status from Downtown-based nonprofit The City Project, which in 2006 released a report that mapped [...]

The City Project’s Executive Director and Counsel Robert Garcia presents the Policy Report Healthy Parks, Schools, and Communities: Mapping Green Access and Equity for the Los Angeles Region before the full Los Angeles City Council on March 18, 2008. Council members respond in a conversation about a fair system of park finance and fees; regional [...]