From Lot to Spot

Once again, as part of the Spaces of Blight project, students were assigned to identify 3 spaces of blight , or SOBs, in their communities. Needless to say, they were not hard to find and some students went beyond the minimum requirements. Inner city-students often traverse these types of spaces while on their way to school or home. This is not an environment that is conducive to learning, to growing or even a healthy quality of life. We teach students that in order to change this reality, they must be part of the solution.

The following map documents the students SOBs in their communities for the Spring 2009 class. Students documented SOB's from neighborhoods in Athens, Hawthorne, to Gardena and Inglewood.

Click on placemarks to read descriptions of SOBs in their communities. (Note: you may need to zoom out to view all placemarks)

Based on criteria they have identified , students will vote on one space to revitalize and create a space of light or "SOL".

Stayed tuned for voting results in early June!

View Spaces of Blight - Digital Tracking Spring 2009 in a larger map

Just wanted to share the slideshow of how we converted a Space of Blight (SOB) into a Space of Light (SOL) in the City of Lawndale over the last 7 months!
The progression in the images is amazing – I invite you to check them out.

It is a small space, but will make a tremendous change in this neighborhood.
Now instead of a gray and bleak city block (the space measures at 289 ft in length!), the community can enjoy this green space that will promote walkability, alleviate the urban island heat affect and encourage neighborhood consciousness.
But most importantly, this project was a direct result of the Spaces of Blight project, a high school level course that teaches youth the importance of their role in community economic development. This was a student led project – design, budget, construction and maintenance plans were created entirely by the students of the Spaces of Blight Project at Environmental Charter High School – big props to them!

We could not have accomplished this small feat without the help and support of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps (thanks Teague and Leslie!), International Gardens, the Munger, Tolles & Olson Associate Fund, and City of Lawndale Councilman Jim Osborne. Thank you for your efforts in greening urban neighborhoods while creating positive opportunities for youth.

Thank you all and stay tuned for the Spring 2009 SOB Project’s next development coming to you summer ’09!

Saturday, March 28th, 2009.
We will be transforming our first Space of Blight (SOB) into a Space of Light - or a SOL!
See flyer!

We couldn't agree more. Now, to facilitate this thinking and create policy in small, sometimes "backward" thinking cities throughout the state.

From The City Project (http://www.cityprojectca.org) :

A diverse and growing alliance supports the distribution of park funds to achieve healthy, livable communties for all the people of California. We look forward to working with the California Department of Parks and Recreation to ensure that park funds reach the most park poor and economically poor communities through the proposed guidelines, the implementation of AB 31, and compliance with equal justice laws. This will fulfill the intent of the legislation and meet the needs of the voters who have passed park resource bonds for the past ten years.

Park funds should be allocated based on need not greed. Under a standard that targets communities with the greatest need first, park projects should receive top priority based on park poverty and economic poverty combined. Park poverty is less than three acres of parks per thousand residents, under the draft guidelines. Economic poverty is under $47,959 median household income. Prioritizing park poverty and economic poverty combined will help achieve equal justice in access to public resources for the most underserved communities, based on race, ethnicity, and income under civil rights and environmental justice laws. People of color and low income people throughout California disproportionately suffer from unfair disparities in access to park, school, and health resources, and suffer disproportionately from child obesity and other diseases related to the lack of places for physical activity and healthy eating. Investments in parks and schools in the most underserved communities are an important part of any green economic stimulus, public works and infrastructure program. Map 2001 shows the communities that are park poor and economically poor, and are disproportionately populated by people of color, in the hatched red hot spots. Using park poverty alone without economic poverty will not accomplish these important public policy goals of improving the quality of life, health, and environment for the most underserved communities.

For the rest of this story and a link to an awesome map click on http://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/archives/1332.

FREE Foreclosure Prevention Fair
Saturday March 7th, 2009
El Camino College, Compton Center
9am-1pm

Open attachment below to see details on event.