June 26, 2020 – SAN DIEGO, CA – The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) has awarded Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) a $200,000 planning grant for community-led development and infrastructure projects in Barrio Logan. SGC’s Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant funds projects that achieve major environmental, health, and economic benefits in California’s most disadvantaged communities. The EHC project, Tierra, Cultura y Salud: A Plan to Protect and Preserve Our Barrio Logan, is supported by funds from California Climate Investments – Cap-and-Trade Dollars at Work.
“The Environmental Health Coalition built the Tierra, Cultura y Salud planning project on the type of robust community collaboration that we know brings success,” said California Strategic Growth Council Executive Director, Louise Bedsworth. “We’re proud to award this Transformative Climate Communities planning grant to EHC and look forward to supporting this community-driven planning process as it comes to life in San Diego.”
Since 2019, EHC has convened a community-driven process with Barrio Logan stakeholders and local community partners to become more resilient in the face of gentrification, displacement, pollution, poor air quality, and resulting health problems like asthma. The TCC planning grant will address these issues through a thoughtful community engagement process on issues such as affordable housing, increasing urban green spaces, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving public health.
“We are honored to receive the TCC planning grant from SGC and eager to get to work with our partners in Barrio Logan to start implementing the program,” said Barrio Logan resident and EHC Policy Advocate, Julie Corrales. “Community leadership development is a core EHC value and the TCC program is a perfect fit because it empowers local communities most impacted by toxic pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects.”
EHC will work with project partners including the Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center, Chicano Federation, Logan Avenue Consortium, Barrio Logan Association, Urban Corps of San Diego, and the City of San Diego to achieve the following TCC program objectives:
- Achieving Significant Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Improving Public Health and Environmental Benefits
- Expanding Economic Opportunity and Shared Prosperity
“I am pleased that the California Strategic Growth Council has chosen the community of Barrio Logan to receive its Transformative Climate Communities Planning Grant,” noted San Diego City Councilmember, Vivian Moreno. “I look forward to a healthy collaboration between all community partners, including the Environmental Health Coalition, to determine how best to maximize the funding from this grant and help transform our community for future generations.”
The Tierra, Cultura y Salud project will launch in Fall 2020 and includes planning two affordable housing initiatives, conducting a study for a Community Land Trust, developing an urban greening plan including a public park on Boston Avenue, and funding an environmental justice exhibit at the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center.
EHC extends a special thanks to the Greenlining Institute for their invaluable technical support and strategic analysis in developing our grant application.
For more information, please contact Bari Samad at 619-343-6509 or baris@environmentalhealth.org.
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ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COALITION
Founded in 1980, Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) builds grassroots campaigns to confront the unjust consequences of toxic pollution, discriminatory land use, and climate change. Visit online at http://www.environmentalhealth.org.
