overview | LA: starved for green | inequitable distribution of green | existing measures are ineffectual | environmental reasons for LANLT | opportunistic strategy

Smiling children, family pachangas, access to fresh vegetables, and improved aesthetics are a few of the obvious benefits created by parks and community gardens. More complex psychological and economic benefits have been documented by numerous studies, which have proven a positive correlation between green spaces and improved mental health, lower crime rates, and stronger communities. As an example, parks can be a vehicle in steering at-risk youth into positive activities. Providing the place is the first step; creating programming at these places to serve and meet the needs of the surrounding neighborhoods is an equally important second step.

Angelenos understand the benefits of parks as registered by the repeated support for bond measures for the creation of parks. Los Angeles, however, ranks last among major cities in per capita open space. The National Recreation and Parks Association recommend 10 acres of park space per 1,000 residents. Los Angeles barely reached 10% of this national standard with a mere 1.107 acres per 1,000 residents. In a recent study, the Trust for Public Land found that only 34% of children in Los Angeles were within one-quarter of a mile of a park. This compares with Boston where 78% of children are within one-quarter of a park; New York with 59% and Atlanta with 43%.

The Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (LANLT) works with communities to create neighborhood parks and community gardens as a way to strengthen and empower the residents in underserved areas. LANLT utilizes a community-based planning model to empower community residents to create, program and sustain these neighborhood parks and gardens, while providing resources to ensure the success of projects. These projects will assist in neighborhood revitalization and economic development for the existing residents of the community.

The realization of the vision of a park in every neighborhood would mean that the simple joy of walking to the park would be available to every resident of Los Angeles. The LANLT is harnessing the resources, creativity, diversity and expertise available in the City of Los Angeles to ensure this vision.