What Does It Take to Go From an Empty Lot to a Park or Garden?

So Many Lots. Why Not More Parks or Gardens?

Here at the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, we are asked regularly to help turn vacant lots into a neighborhood park or garden. Recently the LA Times was asked the same question by a reader who wondered why more lots don’t become parks. The answer to this question is complicated. Many lots are owned by a private entity and a nonprofit, the city or county may not be able to pay what they would like for the property. Some properties are contaminated and require expensive clean-up, some sites are located on a busy road or are hidden behind buildings and the location isn’t a good fit for a park or garden.

As a nonprofit and a land trust that develops parks and gardens from vacant lots, we can be very flexible. We are able to acquire and own property, and even lease a park back to the city or county, as will be the case for our upcoming Wishing Tree Park.

Read the full LA Times article and learn more about our work and other partners efforts to transform vacant lots.

Community Led Artwork Memorializing Residents' Fight

For decades community residents along with our partners, the Del Amo Action Committee, have advocated to see an 8.5 acre piece of land transformed from a brownfield site to a park. The community saw this fight to the finish with the completion of Wishing Tree Park in unincorporated West Carson. The park includes a large playground, picnic areas, basketball and futsol courts, a baseball diamond, exercise equipment, walking paths, a community room and a memorial plaza to recognize the community trauma and displacement of residents from the toxic site. 

Residents reviewed the final designs of the artwork that honor the community's history and the championing of the park. The design by Kim Emerson Mosaics is an homage representing the community and the new vibrant life that the park brings.

Read more about the development of the design as well as the artist.