With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
LA County is getting greener. Where you will find new parks and green space in the future
Elizabeth Castillo and her daughter Vianca, 9, work to get a kite off the ground at a park in Porter Ranch last year. Grants from a voter-approved parcel tax will mean even more park space in L.A. County.
(
Dania Maxwell
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
More parks. More green space.
Voters in L.A. County asked for this when they overwhelmingly passed a parcel tax in 2016.
Now, 13 projects across the county will be funded by $17 million in grants from that year's Measure A. This means 623 acres of new parkland, including small urban parks and hundreds of acres of preserved open space.
More than half the funding will be directed to high-need communities, including Baldwin Park and Carson, where historically there haven't been much green space or parks.
Support for LAist comes from
“Whether it’s for hundreds of acres of open space or small neighborhood parks, investments by the Regional Park and Open Space District directly serve residents in every part of the County,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “Acquiring this new parkland will help us create a greener, healthier and more connected Los Angeles County. I’m proud to support this historic funding to bring this incredible resource to our communities, especially during a time of recovery and rebuilding when our residents need spaces for rejuvenation and restoration the most.”
2024 Park Land Acquisition Competitive Grant Program
-
$17 million in grants, 13 projects —
- Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy (Altadena): $1.2 million
- City of Artesia: $585,000 (High Need Area)
- City of Baldwin Park: $2 million (Very High Need Area)
- City of Carson: $1.43 million (High Need Area)
- City of Covina: $840,146
- Coyotl + Machedualli (Elephant Hill): $1 million
- City of Los Angeles (Sylmar): $2 million (High Need Area)
- L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation (Walnut Park): $2 million (Very High Need Area)
- Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (South Central Los Angeles): $770,000 (Very High Need Area)
- Mountains Restoration Trust (Malibu): $1 million
- North East Trees Inc.: $508,012
- City of Palmdale: $2 million
- City of Santa Clarita: $1.43 million
(Source: Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District)
The Regional Park and Open Space District also announced the upcoming grants will help L.A. County in its wildfire recovery efforts — providing direct funding to support disaster recovery, reforestation and climate adaptation.
This is the largest parkland expansion effort in the Regional Park and Open Space District’s 31-year history.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist