HEALTHY PARKS, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES:

Green Access and Equity for Ventura County

ABOUT THIS REPORT

This policy report is a summary for Ventura County of The City Project’s 2011 report, Healthy Parks, Schools, and Communities: Mapping Green Access and Equity for Southern California, which maps and analyzes green access and equity in nine counties in Southern California—Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Kern, Santa Barbara and Imperial—using narrative and legal analyses, geographic information system (GIS) mapping tools, and demographic and economic data.

Unlike other studies, which plot either green space or population, the maps in this report plot green space in relation to population and other metrics that indicate accessibility, such as distance to the park. This report also provides multidisciplinary analyses of the vital benefits of parks and other green space to people and the environment. It describes the consequences of disparities in green access and the benefits that could be reaped in “park poor” and “income poor” communities if resources were fairly allocated. It concludes with recommendations for equitable investments in green space in Ventura County and throughout California and the nation.

The goal of this work is to combine research and analyses with effective outreach to provide concerned citizens, community groups, elected and other government officials, planners, funders and other stakeholders with the best available information upon which to prioritize actions and decisions that positively impact green access and quality of life for all.

Together we can help children be active, eat well, stay healthy and do their best in school and life.

For more information on green access and equity in Ventura County and Southern California, or to download a copy of this summary or the full nine county policy report, please visit www.cityprojectca.org/greenjustice.This report is available in English and Spanish.

ABOUT THE CITY PROJECT

The mission of The City Project is to achieve equal justice, democracy and livability for all.

The City Project carries out its mission by influencing the investment of public resources to achieve results that are equitable, enhance human health and the environment, and promote economic vitality for all communities. Focusing on parks and recreation, playgrounds, schools, health, and transit, we help bring people together to define the kind of community where they want to live and raise children. The City Project works with diverse coalitions in strategic campaigns to shape public policy and law, and to serve the needs of the community as defined by the community.

The City Project is a nonprofit legal and policy advocacy organization established in 2000 with a grant from the Ford Foundation. Over the past decade, The City Project has worked and published extensively on equal access to parks and green space, physical activity and physical education, transportation, and related issues at the intersection of social justice, sustainable regional planning and human health.

AUTHORS

Robert García, Executive Director, Counsel and Founder, The City ProjectMr. García is a nationally recognized leader in the urban parks, physical education and environmental justice movements and has received numerous awards, including the 2010 Presidential Citation from the American Public Health Association for his dedication and contribution to the field of public health. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from Stanford University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served on the Board of Editors of the Stanford Law Review.

Seth H. Strongin, Director of Policy and Research, The City ProjectMr. Strongin analyzes policy, data and social science research related to public health, the natural environment and civil rights. He writes policy reports on physical education, park access, human health and the built environment. Mr. Strongin received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from American University and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Anahid Brakke, Principal, Heed Nonprofit ConsultingMs. Brakke works to advance the social justice efforts of nonprofits and foundations. She specializes in creating publications that make technical information or complex issues accessible and relevant to the public.

Amanda Recinos, Associate Director of GreenInfo Network and a GIS specialist, prepared the maps and demographics analyses in this report and has worked with The City Project for over ten years.

Cover photo: The State of California has proposed closing McGrath State Beach to save money. See page 6. (Photo by The City Project.)

Photos by The City Project were taken by Robert García and are available at flickr.com/photos/cityprojectca. Photos by Aleta A. Rodriguez are available at flickr.com/photos/wanderingnome.

The City Project1055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1660 | Los Angeles, CA 90017 | (213) 977-1035 | www.cityprojectca.org

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Sandstone Peak, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area | Aleta A. Rodriguez

A MESSAGE FROM KAISER PERMANENTE

For nearly 65 years, our mission at Kaiser Permanente has been to improve the health of our health plan members and the communities we serve. Parks and green space play a vital role in the health and well-being of a community and its residents. That’s why we are proud to support the “green space” work that The City Project is doing with funding from our Healthy Eating Active Living program.

We’ve come together because we know that healthy communities and a healthy environment are critical to individual health and wellness. Over the long term, the work of The City Project and their community partners can spur new parks and recreation areas like walking paths and gardens in underserved neighborhoods, as well as joint-use agreements between schools and parks, and the recognition of green space access in local planning and policy documents.

We congratulate The City Project on this important effort, and applaud the American Public Health Association’s recent awarding of its prestigious Presidential Citation to City Project Founding Director Robert García.

Expanding the availability of open spaces and the access to them is one way we can contribute to a lasting solution to improve public health. It’s all part of our commitment to bring total health—including preventive care through healthier lifestyles—to our members and the communities we serve.

Sincerely,

Diana M. BontáVice President, Public Affairs Kaiser Permanente

This report was sponsored in part by a grant from Kaiser Permanente.

Kaiser Permanente is recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser’s mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of their members and the communities they serve. Kaiser Permanente’s Community Health Initiatives take a prevention-driven approach to health, focusing on policies and environmental changes that promote healthy eating and active living.

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FOREWORD BY THE KRESGE FOUNDATION

For many of us, living healthy means eating the right foods and getting enough exercise. Just watching our diets and keeping up our physical activity can be a struggle.

As The City Project’s policy reports on Californians’ access to recreational areas and parks make clear, low-income people of color frequently reside in communities where the physical and built environments discourage and limit opportunities for active lifestyles.

The City Project’s dedication to addressing such disparities and increasing access to natural places for urban communities reflects The Kresge Foundation’s commitment to promoting healthy environments for vulnerable populations.

Although the report focuses on residents of Ventura County, its central policy recommendations could apply in communities throughout the country. For example, this report focuses on keeping McGrath State Beach in Ventura and California State Parks open for all. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has placed state parks across the country on its list of the most endangered historic places. This report can help keep parks open for all.

That’s why Kresge is pleased to support The City Project’s work to engage, educate and empower communities to alleviate disparities in access to park, school and health resources.

We hope this report invites many others to engage in a discussion not just about parks but about the underlying issues of justice and fairness.

David D. Fukuzawa Health Program Director The Kresge Foundation

The work of The City Project is made possible in part by a generous grant from The Kresge Foundation.

Headquartered just outside of Detroit, Michigan, The Kresge Foundation is a private, national foundation that seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations through its support of nonprofit organizations in six fields of interest: arts and culture, community development, education, the environment, health, and human services. For more information, please visit www.kresge.org.

Santa Susana Park, Simi Valley | Creative Commons – Robin Kanouse

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DEFINING GREEN SPACE AND ACCESSGreen Space: “Green space” refers to all parks, natural open spaces, beaches, school fields, trails and recreational facilities. This term is applied broadly even though some of these areas may not have much greenery. The National Recreation and Parks Association has recommended ten acres of park space per 1,000 residents.

Green Access: The presence of green space alone is not enough. In order to truly benefit from these resources, residents must have access to green space. Many factors determine the accessibility of green space:

Distance and time from green space to where people live, whether green space can be reached without a car, and obstacles such as highways.

Location of natural geographic features and walkability.

Whether a park is safe, or perceived as safe, by local residents.

Physical appearance, condition and recreational amenities.

Whether green space is open to the public, hours of operation and cost of admission.

Park Poor: Refers to any geographic area that provides less than three acres of green space per 1,000 residents, as defined by California law. Three acres is the size of approximately one and one half soccer or football fields.

Income Poor: Refers to a median household income of $47,331 per year or less, as defined by California law.

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Community Gardens Provide Green Space and Healthy Food Agriculture plays a significant role in Ventura County’s heritage and economy, yet many farmworkers and their families do not have access to fresh produce in the neighborhoods where they live. The Community Roots Garden at the North Oxnard United Methodist Church is a best practice example of how community gardens provide multiple benefits. Another organization creating community gardens is the Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC), which is an affiliate of Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation. VCCDC is working with low-income Latino residents in Oxnard and other parts of Ventura County to build community gardens in their neighborhoods or on school grounds. For more information, please visit www.communityrootsgarden.org or www.cabrilloedc.org/ventura-county-community- development-corporation. Community Garden | Creative Commons – On Being

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Sycamore Canyon in Point Mugu State Park | The City Project

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GREEN ACCESS IN VENTURA COUNTY TODAYDemographicsFather Junípero Serra founded Mission San Buenaventura in 1782, forming the basis of what would become the City of Ventura. The city was originally incorporated as “San Buenaventura,” seven years prior to the County of Ventura being officially recognized as a county in 1873. Today, there are ten incorporated cities.

Ventura County’s population is 823,318, as of the 2010 Census, which represents a 9% growth rate over the past decade. Since 2000, the county’s demographic profile has also changed, with Latinos accounting for a higher percentage of the population. As of 2010, 49% of the population is Non-Hispanic white; 40% are Latino; 7% are Asian and Pacific Islander; 2% are black/ African American; and 0.3% are Native American.

Racial and ethnic groups tend to be separated into a few areas of high concentration, with much smaller representations throughout the rest of the county. Latinos are the majority population in the cities of Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore and Port Hueneme. The Latino communities tend to be low-income. In 2000, more than 18% of the children in Oxnard and Santa Paula lived below the poverty line, compared to a county average of 9%. The six other incorporated cities all have majority non-Hispanic white populations, ranging from 57% to 77%. The county’s population of Asian and Pacific Islanders primarily live in Oxnard, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks.

Green AccessThe diverse geography of Ventura County includes a national forest and recreation area, state parks and beaches, county parks, and locally managed parks spread over an area of 1,873 square miles. Though there is a large amount of land dedicated to green space in Ventura County overall, many residents lack adequate green access.

The entire northern part of Ventura County is in Los Padres National Forest, which represents 46% of the county’s total land area. It is virtually impossible to visit the forest without a car. People of color and low-income people disproportionately lack access to a car, so their ability to visit the forest is limited, despite its proximity.

Nicknamed the “Gold Coast,” southern Ventura County’s beaches along the Pacific Ocean are popular destinations for children, adults and surfers. Unfortunately, only 7.5 of the 43 miles of coastline are accessible for public recreation. The rest of the oceanfront land is occupied by U.S. Naval Base Ventura County or used for commercial purposes such as the deep-water port at Port Hueneme. The publicly accessible beaches in Ventura County are primarily found in the cities of Ventura and Oxnard, with small beach areas in Port Hueneme. The beach communities are disproportionately non-Hispanic white. Though Oxnard is disproportionately Latino, the Latino community tends to be clustered in communities that are inland, with less access to the ocean. Off the coast of Oxnard, Channel Islands National Park is a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Transportation to the island, however, can be prohibitively expensive, as discussed on page 11.

There is a wide disparity in acres of parks per thousand residents that tends to follow demographic trends. The four cities in Ventura County that are disproportionately Latino have the least acres of parks per thousand residents, and three of the four are park poor. None of the cities that are disproportionately non-Hispanic white are park poor. Simi Valley has an astounding 50.3 acres of green space per thousand residents, while Santa Paula provides only 1.25 acres per thousand residents.

Ventura Pier | Creative Commons – Ken Lund

The hatched red “hot spots” indicate the park poor, income poor communities of color in Ventura County.

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The state plans to close McGrath State Beach in Oxnard indefinitely as of September 2011. This is not because of polluted water, nor is it due to a lack of visitors. Quite to the contrary, with 650,000 visitors per year, two miles of coastline, and a campground with 188 campsites, McGrath State Beach is very popular. This state park will be closed because a sewer line that services the park needs repair, and the state will not invest the $500,000 necessary to fix it. This marks the first time that an entire California state park will be closed for years because of a basic infrastructure issue.

California proposes to close 25% of the state park system. State parks across the United States face serious threats as a result of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. In fact, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has put the nation’s state parks on its list of most endangered historic places in the United States.

Ironically, closing state parks will actually hurt the economy. People who would normally visit state parks, beaches and campgrounds will no longer visit local restaurants and stores. Revenue from parking and campsite rentals will cease. Seasonal jobs, both inside parks and in the surrounding communities, will be cut.

Instead of closing this state park, the state could use this as an opportunity to get people back to work by providing jobs to local workers to fix the sewer line. A Civilian Conservation Corp-type program for state parks generally would get people back to work, allowing them to contribute to the overall economy, and would address the maintenance backlog in state parks. According to Sacramento State University, California state parks generate $4.32 billion dollars in economic benefits each year, far more than they cost. Investing in people and parks now can provide benefits for years to come.

KEEP STATE PARKS OPEN FOR ALL!

McGrath State Beach | The City Project

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WHY PARKS MATTER: PHYSICAL HEALTHChildren of color living in poverty without access to a car suffer from the worst access to parks and schools fields in Ventura County. Children and adults who live in communities with parks, school fields, pools and other recreational facilities are more physically active than those who lack access to these resources. One study found that in low-income areas, people who live within one mile of a park exercised 38% more than people who lived farther away.

There are profound health disparities for communities that lack opportunities for physical activity in parks and schools and access to nutritious food. The rates of child obesity and overweight are intolerably high in Ventura County, even for children in the best neighborhoods. In total, more than 26% of children in Ventura are overweight. Cities with the highest proportion of Latino children, such as Santa Paula and Oxnard, have the highest rates of overweight in Ventura County, while cities with the highest proportion of non-Hispanic white children, such as Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, and Simi Valley, have the lowest rates in the county.

Seventy percent of overweight adolescents go on to become overweight adults, so it is not surprising that a significant portion of adults in Ventura County are also overweight or obese. The Ventura County Public Health Status Report 2008 indicates that 51% of all adults and 58% of total residents are either overweight or obese. Moreover, 37% of deaths in Ventura County are directly related to diseases that have strong correlations with being over-weight or obese, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Health problems associated with people being overweight or obese, in combination with general lack of physical activity, are estimated to cost California $41.2 billion annually.

Parks, schools and physical activity are integral parts of a comprehensive approach to healthcare and the built environment. As the nation struggles to come to grips with spiraling costs of medical care, improving green access and increasing physical education in schools should be embraced as forms of preventive medicine.

Photos by Tim Wagner for Partnership for the Public’s Health (twagnerimages.com)

Children Need Safe Places to Play Children of color disproportionately live in communities of concentrated

poverty without enough safe places to play in parks and schools, and

without access to cars or an adequate transit system to reach parks and

schools fields in other neighborhoods. Children with the worst access to

parks and open space tend to suffer from the highest levels of obesity. It

is critical that green space is accessible to all Ventura County residents,

regardless of race and ethnicity or economic standing.

Photo by Tim Wagner for Partnership for the Public’s Health (twagnerimages.com). 7

3 WAYS to INCREASE Children’s Physical Activity

Evidence shows lifelong benefits of physical activity. Physically fit students tend to do better academically. Students who regularly take part in physical activity, including team sports, tend to stay in school longer and are less likely to get involved with gangs, drugs, crime and violence. Increasing physical education and activity in school can improve academic achievement and graduation rates.

Good schools, a good education and the full development of the child includes making physical education a part of the core curriculum. California public schools are required by state law to provide an average of 20 minutes of physical education per day in elementary school and 40 minutes per day in middle and high school. In addition, civil rights laws require equal access to physical education in public schools to alleviate unfair health and activity disparities based on race, color or national origin.

Increased pressure to meet academic standards, as measured by standardized tests, has led in part to a decline in physical education classes. Half of the California school districts audited from 2005-2009 failed to provide the required minutes of physical education.

Physical education quality and quantity are particularly deficient for less affluent students and those in racial and ethnic groups most at risk for overweight and obesity.Many of these students do not have enough safe places to play in their neighborhoods, so physical education may be their best opportunity for physical activity. In Ventura County, during the 2007-2008 school year, 32% of fifth graders met all six California physical fitness standards, compared to 29% statewide. The fitness rates varied widely by community, however, from a high of 46% in Ojai (disproportionately non-Hispanic white) to a low of 15% in Oxnard (disproportionately Latino).

1. ENFORCE PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Photo by Tim Wagner for Partnership for the Public’s Health (twagnerimages.com)

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3. SHARED USE AGREEMENTS

Joint use agreements between schools and parks can help alleviate the lack of places to play and recreate, while making optimal use of scarce land and public resources. Keeping schools, pools and parks open to the public after school, on weekends and during breaks provides places for physical activity.

2. IMPROVE PARK SAFETY - REAL AND PERCEIVED

Access to safe parks and other places for physical activity has an important effect on whether children meet recommendations for physical activity — and whether they get any activity at all. Fear of crime is a major deterrent to the use of parks. In a nationwide study of urban areas, 48% of Latino children and 39% of African American children were kept inside as much as possible because of parents’ perception there were no safe places to play in their neighborhoods, compared to 25% of non-Hispanic white children and 24% of Asian children.

Parks and recreation programs can play an important role in reducing crime and violence and making neighborhood parks safer. Programs that are designed to engage high risk youth or that provide recreational activities and support services during extended park hours can have a positive impact on local communities. One good example, Summer Night Lights in Los Angeles County, has been shown to reduce gang-related homicide by 40% in targeted neighborhoods.

In densely populated urban areas that may lack space for creating new parks, making existing parks safer and seem safer may be one of the best ways to improve green access.

Children are kept inside when parents feel neighborhood parks are unsafe.

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Foster County Park | The City Project

Parks provide important places to celebrate diverse culture, heritage and art. People of color and women have been vital to the creation and history of Ventura County, and this should be reflected with its cultural, historical and artistic monu-ments. Without adequate maintenance and security, Native American cultural resources may be vandalized or destroyed, erasing an important historic link with indigenous California and the natural environment.

The Chumash tribe of Native Americans inhabited much of what is now Ventura County for more than 10,000 years prior to European contact. Recent archeological discoveries on the Channel Islands indicate the Chumash lived on the islands as many as 12,000 years ago. The Chumash of the North Channel Islands occupied Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands. The southernmost park island, Santa Barbara Island, was associated with the Tongva people, also called Gabrieleno, although the Chumash also visited the island. Cultural artifacts can still be found on the islands, and the Channel Islands National Park visitor center offers exhibits and information on the cultural resources and history of each island.

The Chumash Interpretative Center in Thousand Oaks hosts the Chumash Indian Museum, a historical site and living history museum dedicated to restoring and preserving an awareness of the Chumash people and their historical, cultural, material and present-day influence. The museum houses various Chumash artifacts and historical information, and hosts nature walks and tours of the local Oakbrook Regional Park area.

The history of farmworkers is another important part of Ventura County’s cultural heritage. The Farmworker Monument in Santa Paula is a fine example of how parks can acknowledge and reflect the contributions of a diverse community.

WHY PARKS MATTER: CULTURAL HERITAGE

Dedicated in August 2010, the Santa Paula Farmworker Monument in Railroad Plaza Park honors the nation’s farmworkers. The memorial plaque reads, “This monument is dedicated to present and past farmworkers and other agricultural workers from all ethnicities and diverse nationalities who continue to give of their labor to plant, tend, harvest and distribute fruits and vegetables to our global human community.”

Santa Paula Farmworker Monument | Creative Commons – Glenn Franco Simmons

Monuments, Diversity and Democracy

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Satwiwa Native American Indian Natural Area, National Park Service, Santa Monica National Recreation Area | The City Project

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TRANSIT TO TRAILS: THE CHANNEL ISLANDS AND LOS PADRES

Ventura County boasts a wide variety of opportunities for recreation and enjoying the natural environment. Although they may live within an hour or two of these natural wonders, many low-income children have never experienced them, because their parents often work two or more jobs and do not have access to cars or to information to plan trips. Transit to Trails programs take children and families on fun and educational nature trips. Successfully piloted in Los Angeles County by The City Project and partners, Transit to Trails would be a good fit for Ventura County as well.

Channel Islands National Park is an important part of green space in Ventura County, providing unique places for hiking, camping, swimming, diving, kayaking and Native American cultural and historical resources. The park consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California — Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara — preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animal, plant, and archeological resources found nowhere else on earth and has helped preserve a place where visitors may experience coastal southern California as it once was. Park headquarters and the Visitor Center are located in the City of Ventura, and Anacapa Island is in Ventura County.

The Channel Islands and their encircling waters are home to over 2,000 plants and animals, of which 145 are found nowhere else in the world. Like the Galapagos Islands of South America, isolation has allowed evolution to proceed independently on the islands. Three mammals are endemic to the islands, the deer mouse, spotted skunk and Channel Islands Fox, as well as the island fence lizard.

Access to the Channel Islands can be prohibitively expensive. Free or subsidized Transit to Trails trips can maximize public access to these invaluable public lands for all. The National Park Service has previously encountered access issues to Ellis Island in New York. Enabling low-income residents to visit the islands could change their sense of environmental stewardship and entitlement. Understanding cultural values opens up many avenues and solutions to local problems in ways that can resolve even the toughest of problems facing park planners and administrators, as emphasized in the book Rethinking Urban Parks by Setha Lowe and others.

Similarly, Los Padres National Forest and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area provide vast green space in Ventura County, but the lands are not accessible without a car. The Southern California Agency of Governments (SCAG) has recommended a multiagency effort to provide transit to green space in Ventura County and Southern California.

The National Park Service and National Forest Service should work with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and community leaders to provide Transit to Trails for all!

Haddock Peak viewed from Reyes Peak, Los Padres National Forest | Creative Commons – Pete Davis

Anacapa Island | The City Project

Children have the right to the simple joys of playing in safe parks and school fields. Fun is not frivolous. The United Nations recognizes a child’s right to play as a fundamental human right.

Spending time in parks can reduce irritability and impulsivity. Parks promote intellectual and physical development in children and teenagers by providing a safe and engaging environment to interact and develop social skills, language and reasoning abilities, and muscle strength and coordination.

Green space provides needed reprieve from the everyday pressures that lead to mental fatigue. This improves the health of adults and children by reducing stress and depression and improving focus, attention span, productivity and recovery from illness.

Researchers have also found associations between contact with the natural environment and improvements in the functioning of children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Parks provide a place for social support and an opportunity for self-determination, both important factors in reducing stress, lowering anxiety, and improving a person’s overall mood. This is true for children and adults, though it is particularly significant for older adults. Social support is derived from the friendship or companionship that comes from the shared experience of participating in activities in a park with other people. Research has also shown that people living in public housing who have contact with natural environments, such as trees, are more likely to make changes that will improve their lives.

WHY PARKS MATTER: PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH

Recreation Builds CharacterYouth recreational programs, including active recreation and team sports, promote positive choices and help reduce youth violence, crime, drug abuse, and teen pregnancy. Sports and recreation provide life-long lessons in teamwork and help build character.

Photo by The City Project

Transit to Trails | The City Project

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Recreation Builds Character

Parks satisfy our need for social interaction by enticing residents into public spaces with trees, greenery, and venues for sports and active recreation. People from different racial and ethnic groups use parks differently, constructing meanings for natural space based on their own values, cultures, histories and traditions. According to a UCLA study of cultural differences in the use of urban parks, parks are primarily social gathering places for Latinos. African Americans, more than any other racial group, tend to engage in team sports in parks. Non-Hispanic whites tend to value a park for its passive qualities — its greenness, landscaping and natural elements — and tend to engage in solitary, self-oriented uses. Asian American (specifically, Chinese) families were rare in parks studied. This does not mean that Asians do not value parks; it may reflect the failure of the parks to meet the needs of the Asian American community.

Park and recreation plans, programs, and funding should provide a balanced park and recreation system that offers active recreation with soccer fields, baseball parks, basketball and tennis courts, running tracks or bike paths, as well as passive recreation with wilderness areas, walking trails or picnic areas.

Parks and recreation programs that serve the diverse needs of diverse users bring people together in the public commons for the public good. Social interaction and neighborhood spaces have been identified as key facets of healthy communities. These factors promote social networks, social support systems, and social integration, all of which contribute to a sense of belonging and community.

Neighborhood workdays for green space maintenance and improvement foster common purpose and sense of ownership and pride among residents. Parks become a source of community building, pride, and inspiration for further neighborhood improvements and revitalization.

Park poor neighborhoods miss out on the many opportunities green space provides to increase civic engagement and enhance community well-being.

WHY PARKS MATTER: COMMUNITY PRIDE

Conejo Community Park, Thousand Oaks | Creative Commons – Randy Robertson

SOAR Protects Open Space and Farmland The County of Ventura, as well as eight of the ten incorporated cities, have enacted Save Open-Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) initiatives to give citizens the right to choose between preserving green space or allowing development. To date, close to 20,000 acres of open space and agricultural land has been protected directly as a result of SOAR while untold thousands of acres more have been protected simply because would-be developers know that Ventura residents have been empowered to decide on the future of their own community. For more information, please visit www.soarusa.org.

Photo by Aleta A. Rodriguez 13

If you want parks, work for jobs — and justice. Green space is an economic stimulus that creates jobs, boosts local businesses and raises property values. Improving green space and green access can benefit local, state and national economies in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

The New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) is a best practice example for government agencies today to get the nation back to work, while improving green access and quality of life for all. The CCC created 3 million new jobs, established 8,000 new parks including 800 state parks, and planted 2 billion trees. Visits to national parks increased 600 percent from 3.5 million people in 1933, to 21 million by 1941. Other public work projects built 40,000 new schools. Parks and recreation programs and green infrastructure projects — such as developing and enhancing parks or park accessibility via public transit, walkways and bike paths — can be sources of green collar jobs and job training for local workers. Giving priority in contract selection to local small businesses and apprenticeship programs can help ensure benefits are fairly distributed.

Parks are essential to community development and revitalization efforts, drawing new visitors to existing businesses and new businesses to the area. Parks and recreation also help strengthen and stimulate the economy through the tourism and hospitality industries and recreation-related sales of clothing, equipment, fees and services. Studies from around the country have shown that parks can generate as much as $5 in revenue for every $1 in costs.

A Southern California study found that being located near green space adds five to ten percent to the total value of a home, in both high-income and low-income communities. Higher home prices can also result in higher property tax revenues.

WHY PARKS MATTER: ECONOMIC VITALITY

Ormond Beach Wetlands There is an effort underway to restore the Ormond Beach wetlands, which are located in the mostly Latino, park poor and income poor community of south Oxnard. These wetlands are home to hundreds of bird species and one of the few areas in southern California with an intact dune-transition zone/marsh system. Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified the area as a Superfund site because it is dangerously contaminated by hazardous waste from decades of industrial metals recycling at a nearby smelting plant. The California State Coastal Conservancy is playing a large part in the clean-up and wetlands restoration process. The Ormond Beach wetlands are a unique habitat and ecological resource that could provide much needed access to nature for the communities of south Oxnard, as well as opportunities for eco-tourism and environmental education.

Ormond Beach Wetlands | Creative Commons - …-Wink-…

Ojai Valley Trail | The City Project

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Parks and green space provide many important environmental benefits. The ground in parks and school fields acts as a natural filter that absorbs rainwater directly or from runoff, preventing pollutants from entering our rivers or ocean and helping reduce flooding after heavy rainfall. Clean water compliance and flood control projects should be combined with efforts to improve green access through multipurpose projects. The Santa Clara and Ventura Rivers are ideal for multi-benefit preservation and restoration projects that meet the needs of the people as well as the environment. The Santa Clara River flows 116 miles through Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. The Ventura River includes 89 miles of wilderness areas.

Parks can help promote climate justice, including offsetting global warming and dirtier air. Low-income communities of color already experience more heat-related deaths during heat waves, and higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses associated with air pollution. A canopy of trees provides shade and cooler temperatures that moderate the effect of asphalt, concrete, and other man-made building materials that trap heat. Trees and other vegetation also filter out harmful pollutants, improving the air we breathe.

Green access can often be improved by providing alternative transportation options, such as public transit, complete streets and bicycle paths. Transportation resources are generally spent in a way that encourages people to drive more. Currently, more than 80% of gas taxes go to highways and bridges, while less than 20% goes to transit. Developing sustainable infrastructure that people can use to get to parks and school fields without a car can also reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and improve local air quality.

Another important ecosystem benefit of green space is habitat for plants and animals. For many individuals, particularly in low-income urban areas, parks represent their only opportunity to escape from concrete, play on grass and experience a diversity of wildlife. Green space promotes environmental conservation values including the protection of clean air, water and land, and climate justice.

WHY PARKS MATTER: ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Complete Streets Improve Green Access“Complete streets” ensure safe and convenient access to public transit and promote active transportation, both of which can help people get to parks, schools and pools without a personal vehicle. Gas tax and public transit funding can improve green access when invested in new buses, extended transit services, and active transportation resources such as bicycle racks, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and trails. Programs such as Safe Routes to School can make bicycling and walking to school safer, thus encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age.

Photo by Tim Wagner for Partnership for the Public’s Health (twagnerimages.com)

Ventura River | The City Project

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The history of Ventura County is relevant to understand how the region came to be the way it is, and how it could be better.

The Chumash tribe of Native Americans were the first inhabitants Ventura County. Though the first European explorers arrived in the 1500s, it was not until 1769 that Spaniards began settling on the land. Father Junípero Serra founded Mission San Buenaventura in 1782, forming the basis of what would become the City of Ventura.

By the 1860s, cities were being incorporated and European settlers began buying parcels of land based on the land’s capability for agricultural production and, to a lesser extent, petroleum extraction. Within a short period of time, a small number of landowners controlled large areas of land throughout Ventura County. The need for laborers brought an influx of immigrants, particularly from Mexico.

A series of discriminatory laws were passed preventing Mexicans and Native Americans from owning land, voting, or sending their children to the same schools that white children attended. The same laws applied to the Chinese and Japanese immigrants, as well as the few African Americans who had migrated to the area. These ethnic groups were only allowed to live in designated areas of cities or in villages of farm worker housing.

In the 1940s a new wave of migration came to Ventura County when two military bases were built along the coast to support the U.S. Navy during World War II. This wave of migration brought many U.S. citizens from other parts of the country, including a significant number of African Americans, to Ventura County in search of employment.

Discriminatory policies and political and economic power imbalances persisted in Ventura County through the 1950s

and into the 1960s. People of color faced discrimination in housing, schools, retail stores, movie theaters, transportation services, parks, pools, and beaches.

Racially restrictive housing covenants were used in Ventura County until the late 1960s. Non-white farmers, including Chinese, Japanese, and Mexicans, were not allowed to own the land they farmed. Moreover, Latino, black, and Asian residents were only permitted to live in certain sections of town, sometimes referred to as “set asides.” This led to the creation of ghettos, such as La Colonia in Oxnard and Santa Paula’s east side, often called “Mexican Town.”

The fact that low-income people of color disproportionately lack equal access to parks, school fields, beaches, trails and forests is not an accident of unplanned growth or the outcome of an efficient free market distribution of land, housing, transit and jobs. Funding resources must be distributed with the goal of eliminating park, school and health disparities that are the result of a history and continuing legacy of discriminatory land use, housing, school, and economic policies and practices.

Recipients of federal and state funds, including cities in Ventura County and their park and recreation agencies, are prohibited from engaging in practices that have the intent or the effect of discrimination based on race, color or national origin. As a matter of simple justice, parks, school fields and other green space are a public resource, and the benefits must be distributed equally.

Investing in park poor and income poor communities not only provides economic stimulus and the additional benefits of green space to underserved communities, it helps achieve compliance with civil rights laws and principles mandating equal access to public resources.

GREEN ACCESS AND EQUAL JUSTICE

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Pitts Ranch Park, Camarillo | Creative Commons – Jason de Leon

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Children of color disproportionately live in communities of concentrated poverty without enough places to play in parks and schools, and without access to cars or an adequate transit system to reach parks and school fields in other neighborhoods.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES

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Parks and green space are not a luxury. Access to parks and recreation should not depend on where you live, the color of your skin, or how much money you have.

Prioritizing existing public resources for creating and improving access to green space in low-income communities and communities of color offers an exceptional opportunity to improve public health, environmental quality, economic vitality, and quality of life for all.

The following strategies are based on The City Project’s research and analyses.

1. Implement standards to measure equity and progress and hold public officials accountable.

• Park poverty and income poverty criteria under California law are best practice examples for standards to measure green access and equity.

• Identify community-specific standards based on community need, such as the number of existing after-school recreation programs or parks with areas for physical activity.

• Publish a community needs assessment every five years to document progress and ensure public officials meet the needs of the community, as defined by the community.

2. Develop and implement a strategic plan to improve access to parks and recreation programs in every neighborhood.

• Prioritize communities that are “park poor” and “income poor” to eliminate unfair disparities.

• Increase joint use of parks, schools, pools and other recreational facilities to make optimal use of scarce land, money and public resources.

• Improve real and perceived park safety through better lighting, maintenance and upkeep, the visible presence of security officers, and targeted programs to meet the needs of at-risk youth.

• Keep public lands public for all. Reverse the privatization of public green space and beaches.

• Meet the diverse needs of diverse users by creating “balanced” parks that offer active recreation with soccer fields, baseball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts, running tracks, and bike paths, as well as passive recreation with natural open space, walking trails, and picnic areas.

3. Create a fair system of park financing and fees that ensures equitable development and access to parks and recreation.

• Invest Quimby park development fees based on need, not based on artificial geographic limitations.

• Hold public agencies responsible for allocating funds in compliance with civil rights laws guaranteeing equal access to public resources.

• Publish reports analyzing investments by park agencies and allocation of resource bonds to get a more complete picture of which communities benefit from the investment of public funds and which do not, in order to help prioritize investments.

Lake Casitas Recreation Area | Aleta A. Rodriguez

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4. Frame green access as a multi-benefit solution to a range of issues, including public health, obesity and diabetes, the full development of the child and community, gangs and crime, economic vitality, and environmental degradation.

Combine efforts to improve green access with efforts to prevent obesity and related diseases and improve individual and community well-being. Apply physical, psychological and social health criteria to public infrastructure investments.

Enforce physical education requirements in public schools.

Physical activity and healthy eating go hand in hand to promote human health, and there are unfair disparities in access to both. Parks and schools should promote both.

Implement a Civilian Conservation Corps for the 21st century. Ensure that infrastructure projects create green collar jobs for local workers, small and disadvantaged business enterprises, and youth. To ensure benefits are fairly distributed, contracts should be awarded to local small businesses and should hire workers and apprentices from the community where the project is located.

Align green access goals with other environmental initiatives to improve water quality, reduce the effects of climate change, promote climate justice, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and preserve plant and animal habitat.

Create complete green streets and safe routes to school. Utilize public transportation resources for infrastructure projects that enable green access without a car, such as Transit to Trails, walking paths and pedestrian bridges.

Prioritize cultural, historical and public art projects that reflect the diversity of a place and its people to build community pride and civic engagement, including Native American sacred sites.

Keep state parks open for all. Support the National Park Service Healthy Parks Healthy People initiative, and Centennial Steering Committee by the National Parks Conservation Association and National Parks Foundation. Diversify the America’s Great Outdoors initiative to address disparities based on race, ethnicity and income.

San Buenaventura Mission and Ortega Adobe | The City Project

Strategies for SuccessThe City Project works with diverse allies to implement strategies to improve

green access for all through: (1) community organizing and coalition building;

(2) translating research into policy, law and systemic change; (3) strategic

media campaigns, including new social media; and (4) policy and legal

advocacy outside the courts. (5) When necessary, we also seek access to

justice through the courts.

Transit to Trails | The City Project

WHY DO PARKS MATTER?

Parks and school fields promote the simple joys of playing; bringing people together;

improved physical, psychological, and social health; youth development and improved academics;

positive alternatives to gangs, crime, and drugs; economic justice including local green jobs;

conservation values of climate justice, clean air, water, and land, and habitat protection;

art, culture and historic preservation; spiritual values in protecting the earth and its people;

and sustainable regional planning. Equal justice and democracy underlie these values.

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Corner of Ventura Avenue and Kellogg Street, City of Ventura | The City Project

At the corner of Ventura Avenue and Kellogg Street, in the heart of the park poor Westside of the City of Ventura, a 2.5-acre plot of land sits vacant. Neighbors of this land along The Avenue and local community members see a vision of families gathered in a park at this site, of children playing, and of proud community members celebrating the vibrancy of their multiethnic neighborhood.

With the help of the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), a dedicated group of community volunteers is working to secure funding and develop support for the creation of a new park to make this vision a reality. The major obstacle at this point is the private landowner, who has been unwilling to sell the land or work with the community.

The City Council has recognized the need for healthy outdoor recreation on the Westside and has indicated their support for the project. They are considering options such as rezoning and brokering a land swap.

The park is still only a dream and the land continues to lie vacant and unused. Show your support by letting the Ventura City Council and other decision makers know that you want to see a park at this site. Contact The City Project or CAUSE (www.coastalalliance.com) to find out what else you can do to help make this dream into a reality.

A NEW PARK ON THE AVENUE IN VENTURA?

CREDITS

The work of The City Project is made possible in part by the generous support of:

Active Living Research, a national program office of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Baldwin Hills ConservancyThe California EndowmentCalifornia State Parks FoundationMarguerite Casey Foundation Convergence PartnershipFord FoundationThe Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert FoundationJohn Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes FoundationImpact FundThe James Irvine FoundationJiJi FoundationKaiser PermanenteThe Kresge FoundationLevi Strauss FoundationLiberty Hill FoundationMountains Recreation and Conservation AuthorityNike, Inc.PolicyLink Resources Legacy Fund FoundationThe San Diego FoundationSan Gabriel Mountains Forever CampaignSanta Monica Mountains ConservancySouthern California EdisonSurdna Foundation Surfrider FoundationUnion Bank of California FoundationWildlands ConservancyWilliam C. Kenney Watershed Protection FoundationWhole Systems Foundation and individual donors.

Contributors:

Gabino Aguirre, California State Redistricting Commission Andrea Misako Azuma, Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region Rajiv Bhatia, University of California, San Francisco Priscila Cisneros, Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation Benny Diaz, California League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Leo Estrada, University of California, Los Angeles David Fukuzawa, The Kresge Foundation Beatriz Garcia, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) Tomas Gonzalez, California League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Stephen Koletty, University of Southern California Ruben Lizardo, PolicyLink J. Eric Lomeli, University of California, Los Angeles Anne McEnany, International Community Foundation Maricela Morales, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) Marty Martinez Jackie Pearce John Procter, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Marisa Aurora Quiroz, The San Diego Foundation Amanda Recinos, GreenInfo Network Miguel Rodriguez, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) Karen Schmidt, Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR)

Copy and Design:

Produced by Anahid Brakke (heedconsulting.org) and designed by Black Sheep Ink (blksheep.com).

Invest in justice with a donation to The City Project. Your generous donation to The City Project ensures that we can continue our work to achieve equal justice,

democracy, and livability for all. The City Project is a project of Community Partners, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Please visit our website to make a secure online donation:

www.cityprojectca.org/greenjustice. © The City Project 2011

“It is very important that our children grow up healthy. The more they run, the happier

they are. The more they play together with other children, the better people they will

be in the future. Parks and school yards are a place for peace, a place where life-long

values are built. Community activism to build parks and schools is a way of saying no

to violence, no to war. Peace and hope are part of our children’s education and culture.”

Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, speaking about the work of The City Project and

Anahuak Youth Soccer Association to bring parks, school fields, and green space to the children

of Southern California.

This report and the underlying nine county Southern California report is made possible in part by the generous support of the following foundations:

The California Endowment | Marguerite Casey Foundation | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation | JiJi Foundation | Kaiser Permanente | Kresge Foundation

The San Diego Foundation | Union Bank of California Foundation William C. Kenney Watershed Protection Foundation | Whole Systems Foundation

For more information on green access and equity in Ventura County and Southern California, and to download a copy of this summary and the full policy report, please visit www.cityprojectca.org/greenjustice.

This report is available in English and Spanish.

The City ProjectEqual Justice, Democracy, and Livability for All

1055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1660 | Los Angeles, CA 90017 | (213) 977-1035 | www.cityprojectca.org