EVERYBODY. GOOD AFTERNOON. RIGHT
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
AND THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING AND
WE ARE BEING BROADCAST ON MINE.
I WANT TO. FIRST OF ALL, THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. IT IS
WONDERFUL TO SEE THE TURNOUT AND
IT IS REALLY GREAT FOR YOU ALL
TO BE PART OF THIS FIRST HEARING
OF THIS SELECT COMMITTEE THAT
WAS ESTABLISHED THIS YEAR AND
THE STATE ASSEMBLY. I AM PROUD
TO BE THE CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE. I'LL SHARE A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT MY HISTORY WITH
THE WORK AS IT RELATES TO THIS
COMMITTEE. AND WHY WHY I'M SO
EXCITED TO BE HERE AS I HAVE HAD
A CHANCE TO TALK TO SOME OF YOU
AND CERTAINLY THE FOLKS WHO YOU
WILL HEAR FROM HERE TODAY. THIS
IS REALLY THE I WOULD CALL THE
WHO'S WHO OF PEOPLE DOING THE
WORKAROUND RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES IN CERTAINLY IN
CALIFORNIA FROM AN ACADEMIC
RESEARCH STANDPOINT AND
IMPLEMENTATION STANDPOINT, UM
AND THEN ALSO FROM OTHER
EXPERIENCES IN OTHER PLACES THAT
WE'LL HEAR ABOUT TODAY. THIS IS
THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF
HEARINGS THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING
THE INTENT. MY INTENT WITH THIS
COMMITTEE HEARING IS TOO AT THE
END. WE DON'T JUST MEET TO MEET
WE MEET TO CREATE SOLUTIONS.
THAT'S WHAT OUR ROLE IS IN THE
LEGISLATURE AND I HOPE THAT AT
THE END OF OUR SERIES OF
COMMITTEES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE
OF MONTHS, WE WILL HAVE SOME
POLICY DECISIONS TO MAKE AND
SOME INTRODUCTION OF POLICY TO
MAKE TO THE LEGISLATURE AND GO
THROUGH THAT LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
WITH HEARINGS. AND WITH MORE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO MAKE THOSE
POLICIES HOPEFULLY INTO REALITY.
SO AGAIN, WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH SHOULD
HAVE INTRODUCED MYSELF. DAVID
ALVAREZ. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE FOR
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, AND I
WANT TO FIRST START OFF BY
THINKING OUR HOSTS. WE WOULD NOT
BE IN THIS FANTASTIC SPACE WHICH
I LOVE BECAUSE I GET TO SEE ALL
THE TIME AS I LIVE IN THIS
COMMUNITY AND REALLY DON'T MAKE
ENOUGH GOOD USE. I KNOW MYSELF
TO UTILIZE THIS WONDERFUL PUBLIC
SPACE, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT WE
ARE BEING HOSTED BY DR KINA KING
WHO HAS ALLOWED US TO BE IN THIS
SPACE AND I WANT TO GIVE DR KING
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW
WORDS IF YOU'RE THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THIS IS ONE OF SEVEN OF
OUR CAMP.
IN SOME WAYS TO REFORM.
REFUGEES. QUÊ ASYLUM. CAN YOU
HEAR ME NOW? YES ALRIGHT, SO WE
HAVE A STAR MANY PROGRAMS THAT
ARE 100% FREE, UM, TO FOCUS ON,
UM UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS,
REFUGEES AND THOSE THAT ARE
SEEKING ASYLUM, SO THERE'S NO
BETTER PLACE THAN TO HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION RIGHT HERE TODAY.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. OUR CHAIR OF
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I WAS TRYING
TO REMEMBER THIS VERY AMAZING
LONG TITLE ASSEMBLY SELECT
COMMITTEE ON RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES. JUST THANK YOU FOR
CONTINUING TO BE GROUNDED IN THE
COMMUNITY AND BEING RIGHT HERE
AT SAN DIEGO COLLEGE OF
CONTINUING EDUCATION. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DOCTOR KING
. YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN
FANTASTIC. I WANT TO THANK YOU,
ESPECIALLY FOR ANTHONY AND
JASMINE FOR HELPING US. MAKE
SURE THE LOGISTICS FOR TODAY
WORKED OUT AND AGAIN. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE, AND
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO RECONNECT
OUR COMMUNITY AND MUCH WORK THAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE IN MANY SPACES
AND EDUCATION IS CERTAINLY ONE
OF THEM. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. I
ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM THE
MEMBERS OF MY TEAM WHO WORKED ON
THIS MEYER, NANDO'S AND CHRIS
JOHNS MEYER. AND LISA SCHMIDT,
WHO IS OUR DISTRICT DIRECTOR.
WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE WORK.
AND SO WE WANT TO THANK THE
SUPPORT STAFF WHO IS HERE IN THE
BACK FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE
PUBLIC HAS FULL ACCESS TO THIS
CONVERSATION NOT JUST HERE TODAY
BUT WILL FOREVER LIVE ON THE NET
SOMEWHERE AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY.
UM I WANTED NOW GIVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO IF MY COLLEAGUE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S BURNER WHO'S
ALSO ONE OF OUR SAN DIEGO
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE STATE
CAPITAL. SHE IS QUICKLY BECOMING
ONE OF OUR SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE
STANDING O DELEGATION AND I HAVE
A TREMENDOUS HONOR OF BEING WITH
HER ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS,
OBVIOUSLY ON THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR
WHEN WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO
PASS LEGISLATION, BUT WE EVEN
GET TO ALMOST ALL THE TIME FLY
UP TOGETHER EVERY SINGLE
WEEKEND. HER DEDICATION TO THIS
COMMUNITY AND PARTNERSHIP THAT
SHE'S DEMONSTRATED TO ME AS I
HAVE ENTERED THE ASSEMBLY AND
GOT INTO WORK AND WITH THIS
COMMITTEE TODAY, WHICH SHE
ACTUALLY IS NOT OFFICIALLY A
MEMBER OF THAT SHE IS HERE TO
LISTEN TO THIS CONVERSATION
BECAUSE IT MATTERS TO HER.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DAVID. UM
I REALLY APPRECIATE BEING HERE.
I'M NOT ON THE SELECT COMMITTEE
AND I ACTUALLY SHARE THE SELECT
ME AND SEE LEVEL RISE IN THE
CALIFORNIA ECONOMY. SO MY TITLES
LONGER. UM BUT I KNOW HOW MUCH
EFFORT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SEE
HERE IS SEAMLESS FOR YOU GUYS.
UM BUT FINDING THE RIGHT PANEL
IS PUTTING TOGETHER RIGHT
PROGRAMMING. IT'S ACTUALLY A LOT
OF EFFORT. SO THANK YOU, DAVID
FOR CONVENING US TODAY. AND
EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN. UM MY NAME'S TASHA
BURNER. I REPRESENT KIND OF THE
SAN DIEGO COAST FROM CARLSBAD TO
DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING EAST VILLAGE
AND CORONADO. AND THEN THEY GAVE
ME HE HAS IMPERIAL BEACH AND
THEN THEY GAVE ME THE WATER OFF
IMPERIAL BEACH SO THAT WE COULD
SHARE THE TIJUANA RIVER SEWAGE
PROBLEM WITH YOUR ALSO HUGE
CHAMPION ON. UM AND SO MY FAMILY
HAS LIVED ON THE SAN DIEGO COAST
SINCE 1924. SO WE REMEMBER
BEFORE THE RAILROAD CAME IN
BEFORE THE F FIVE CAME THROUGH
AND DECIMATED OUR COMMUNITIES,
DIVIDED THEM IN A WAY THAT YOU
KNOW PREVIOUSLY HADN'T HAPPENED.
AND YOU SEE THAT MOST ACUTELY
HERE WITH LITTLE DILLONLIAM
BARRIO LOGAN AND GOLDEN HILL ARE
BEING DIVIDED. AND IT'S YOU KNOW
, A TESTAMENT TO THE COMMUNITY
HERE THAT YOU'VE CHANGED AND
YOU'VE TAKEN BACK. UM THAT
DIVISION WITH ART AND CULTURE
AND THE AMAZING CHICANO PARK AND
, UM, LAST YEAR I CHAIRED THE
ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS,
TOURISM AND INTERNET MEDIA
COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO
GIVE ME ANOTHER LONG TITLE. UM
AND WE CAME TO BORROW LOGAN
BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF OUR STATE.
UM DESIGNATED CULTURAL ARTS
DISTRICTS AND THAT INSPIRED ME
LARGELY THE WORK HERE TO
RECONNECT THESE COMMUNITIES. UM
INSPIRED ME TO WRITE A B 812,
WHICH WAS SIGNED BY THE
GOVERNOR, WHICH ALLOWS CITIES TO
DESIGNATE UP TO 10% OF THEIR
DEED. RESTRICTED HOUSING FOR
CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT WORKERS
BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY WE. WE
DON'T RECONNECT OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S NO WAY WE CONNECT OUR
COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ART AND
WITHOUT CULTURE, ACKNOWLEDGING
WHERE WE CAME FROM. SO UM, THAT
WAS VERY INSPIRATIONAL FOR ME
AND DAVE AND I WORKED CLOSELY ON
ALL OF THIS TOGETHER. UM I LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING THE
COMMITTEE. I HAVE TWO KIDS AND I
HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOST OF THIS
WEEK BECAUSE OF MY SCHEDULE, SO
I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT ABOUT AN
HOUR HOUR AND A HALF SO, BUT I
WILL APPRECIATE FINDING THE REST
OF THE HEARING ON THE INTERNET
SOMEWHERE. UM AND WATCH THAT AND
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO'S COME
OUT TODAY. WITH THE NUMBER.
THANK YOU, SAM. REMEMBER FOR
YOUR PRESENCE REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE.
I THINK IN THE FIRST HOUR AND A
HALF OUR INTENT IS TO CERTAINLY
GET THROUGH THE PANELS BECAUSE
THEY ARE PHENOMENAL. UH AND I AM
REALLY TRULY LOOKING FORWARD TO
WHAT THEY HAVE TO SHARE WITH US
TODAY, SO I WON'T GO TOO MUCH
INTO AN INTRODUCTION. TYPICALLY
UH, MEMBERS OF COMMITTEES AND
PARTICULARLY CHAIRS LIKE TO TALK
QUITE A BIT. UM I HAVE A LOT
THAT I COULD SAY ABOUT GROWING
UP IN THIS COMMUNITY DIVIDED BY
THE FIVE FREEWAY. MY ENTIRE LIFE
NOW HAPPENED TO LIVE ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE FIVE. BUT
GROWING UP ON THIS SIDE OF THE
FIVE AND I'VE SHARED IT WITH A
LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, MY CHURCH WAS ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. MY
MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE FREEWAY GROWING UP.
IF YOU KNOW, SAND LITTLE BIT OF
SAN DIEGO'S HISTORY. THERE ARE
SOME, UH, GANG TURFS THAT WERE
CREATED AS A RESULT OF THIS
FREEWAY DIVISION, A LOT OF
SOCIAL IMPACTS THAT GO BEYOND
CLEARLY THE HEALTH IMPACTS I
SUFFER FROM ASTHMA, AS DO THE
MAJORITY OF MANY KIDS. I SHOULD
SAY IN THIS COMMUNITY AS A
RESULT OF EMISSIONS AND
POLLUTION. LARGELY DUE TO THE
HIGHWAY SYSTEM AND SO SOCIAL
IMPACTS WELL BEYOND THE ONES I
JUST DESCRIBED THAT HAVE
IMPACTED THIS COMMUNITY LACK OF
GREEN SPACE THAT THINGS LIKE
FREEWAY LIDS AND CONNECTING
COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS
COULD HELP HEAL SOME OF THOSE
DIVISIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AS
A RESULT OF THIS MAJOR
INVESTMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN
IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF DRIVING
OUR ECONOMY. BUT HAS HAD SOME
REPERCUSSIONS. AND WE'RE NOW
COMING TO TERMS WITH THAT. AND
AGAIN. THIS COMMITTEE INTENDS TO
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THAT ASSESS ALL
THAT AND IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS
GOING FORWARD FOR THOSE THAT DO
THE WORK. UM PRIMARILY, YOU
KNOW, CERTAINLY THE MEN AND
WOMEN WHO DO THE LABOR AND THE
WORK AND THEN THE THOSE WHO DO
THE PLANNING AT THE PROFESSIONAL
LEVEL THROUGH THROUGH MAINLY
CALTRANS AND OUR PUBLIC
INSTITUTIONS. SO UM, SO WITH
THAT, THAT'S THAT'S ALL. I'LL
LEAVE IT AT I CAN TALK TO
ANYBODY ABOUT MUCH MORE ABOUT
THE HISTORY, UM AND CERTAINLY
THE IMPACT HERE, BUT I THINK WE
HAVE A SHORT VIDEO WE WANTED TO
SHARE WITH YOU OF SOMETHING THAT
WAS CAPTURED HERE IN THIS
PARTICULAR COMMITTEE COMMUNITY
AS A RESULT OF THE DIVISION
CAUSED BY HIGHWAY FIVE.
WE ARE STANDING AT THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY CHURCH AND AT THE
FOOTSTEPS OF THE CHURCH. WE HAVE
THE HIGHWAY FIVE FREEWAY. IT WAS
REALLY DEVASTATING FOR THE
PEOPLE THAT LIVED HERE IN THE 19
FORTIES AND FIFTIES WHO HAD TO
PICK UP AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE,
AND WE SAW THE IMPACTS OF THOSE
LONG TERM. IT DEVASTATED THE
BUSINESSES. WE HAVE A LOT OF MOM
AND POP STORES HERE ALL OF THAT.
WENT AWAY. IT WAS HARD. IT WAS
VERY HARD. AND WE THINK THAT BY
TALKING ABOUT RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES, EITHER WITH FREEWAY
LIDS OR CONNECTING COMMUNITIES
IN OTHER WAYS WE CAN START TO DO
RIGHT BY THESE INJUSTICES. WE'RE
HERE TODAY TALKING TO YOU FROM
TORONTO PARK, WHICH IS IN THE
COMMUNITY OF CITY HEIGHTS
ACTUALLY WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY
TWO THOUSANDS ACTUALLY RESULTED
IN A ONE BLOCK. COMMUNITY PARK
OVER INTERSTATE 15 THROUGH THE
COMMUNITY OF, UM CITY HEIGHTS.
ONE EXAMPLE IN HERE IN SAN DIEGO
IN OUR OWN BACKYARD IN CITY
HEIGHTS, WHERE THE COMMUNITY
FOUGHT AND FOUGHT AND FOUGHT FOR
MANY, MANY DECADES, SO THAT
THERE COULD BE SOME SPACE
CONNECTING THE TWO COMMUNITIES
AND THEY TOOK ABOUT A COUPLE OF
BLOCKS WORTH OF LAND, AND
THERE'S A PARK THERE AND IT'S
GREAT. SO THIS LED HERE IS NOW
RECONNECTING THESE TWO
COMMUNITIES AND BRINGING
EVERYONE TOGETHER HERE AT THIS
BEAUTIFUL PARK INSTEAD OF HAVING
UGLY SOUND WALLS. NOW WE HAVE
THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK THAT WE'RE
HERE TO BE ABLE TO COME. ENJOY
BRING OUR KIDS PLAY LOW CATCH
AND SOME BASKETBALL.
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES IS
ABOUT CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES
, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
LIDS CAPS, YOU CREATE NEW
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREEN SPACE
FOR PUBLIC SPACE AND POTENTIALLY
FOR HOUSING. THAT'S SO
IMPORTANT. HUNDREDS LIKE THIS
ONE. DANIELS. DANIEL POSSESSOR.
IRAQI IN TERMS OF EQUITY. OUR
KIDS DESERVE TO HAVE A CLEAN
SPACE TO PLAY IN PLAYGROUNDS, A
LOT MORE GRASS TO PLAY, AND I
BELIEVE THAT BORROW LOGAN
DESERVES THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. GET
A MOUTH PARKING. SOMEHOW. YOU
DON'T WANT TO DIE. PERFECT IN
THERE. PARK A C MUST. IN THIS
COMMUNITY IS ON ITS WAY BACK AND
YOU'LL SEE IT'S A VIBRANT AREA.
WHICH IT WASN'T YOU KNOW, 2025
YEARS AGO. AT ANY GIVEN DAY. YOU
CAN SEE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
USING THIS PART COMING TOGETHER,
EXERCISING PLAYING BASKETBALL
AND REALLY BRINGING A WARMTH TO
THIS COMMUNITY. BIG CORPORATE
BUSINESSES DON'T REALLY EXIST IN
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE A
COMMUNITY SPACE WITH ART SPACE
WITH A BREWERY COFFEE SHOP. AND
ALL OF THOSE SPACES FEEL REALLY
SAFE FOR ALL OF US. THEY FEEL
LIKE THOSE ARE PLACES WHERE WE
CAN REALLY BELONG TO MAKE A
COMMUNITY STRONG. WE NEED
SCHOOLS. WE NEED CHURCHES. WE
NEED LIBRARIES. WE NEED PARKS.
WE NEED SAFE PLACES WHERE THE
CHILDREN CAN PAY, AND ALL OF
THAT COMES TOGETHER AND FORMS
THE COMMUNITY THAT SERVES
EVERYONE. NOT ONLY JUST CHILDREN
SO REALLY IN CALIFORNIA, WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY RIDE
THIS NEXT WAVE, WHICH IS A WAVE
OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DOES TAKE
CHANGING THE MINDSET OF THE
PRIOR OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE
MENTALITY. HOW DO WE GET
CREATIVE WITH THAT? HIGHWAY LIDS
? FREEWAY CAPS, UNDERPASSES THE
PUBLIC SPACES THAT ARE SAFE FOR
EVERYBODY. THAT'S WHERE WE NEED
TO FOCUS ON IT. WE HAVE MANY
MEMBERS THAT LIVE HERE IN BARRIO
LOGAN IN THIS COMMUNITY, SO THIS
TYPE OF PROJECT IS GOING TO BE
SO BENEFICIAL FOR OUR MEMBERS
WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND
THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN
THE AREA. WHAT'S REALLY GREAT IS
THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT
LIVE HERE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THESE PARKS
. WE LIVE BY THE SLOW GAME. WE
LIVE HERE WE BUILD HERE. WE
CURRENTLY HAVE A PROPOSAL AND
THE NATURAL RESOURCES BOND FOR
HALF A BILLION DOLLARS FOR
RECONNECTING TYPES OF PROGRAMS
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
BUT CERTAINLY FREEWAY LIDS, THE
CAPTURING OF EMISSIONS AND THE
GREENING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PUBLIC SPACE. WITH PARKS IS
SOMETHING THAT IS INCLUDED IN
THIS BOND PROPOSAL THAT THE
LEGISLATURE'S CURRENTLY DRAFTED
ONE THAT BIZARRE. MOST. HONEST
WOULDN'T BE STUCK FOR THE HAND
FLOW. AND BOXES TO MOVE FROM
MOSUL. YOURSELF, CHÁVEZ.
PRESENCE HERE. YOU WANT TO MAKE
A PARTY? MEXICAN PEOPLE HAVE A
TENDENCY TO BE VERY CLOSE TO
THEIR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS,
EVEN WHEN THEY MOVE AWAY, AND
IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN
AGAIN. SO IT'S GONNA BE IT'S
GONNA HAPPEN WITHOUT A DOUBT
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. SO OUR
WHOLE POINT IS TO LET THE
COMMUNITIES TAKE THE LEAD. IT'S
JUST IMPORTANT THAT THE LOCAL
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES HAVE
THE SAY SO ON HOW IT DEVELOPS.
I'M A PROUD ADVOCATE FOR
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS
AMERICA. THAT'S WHY I WORKED
HARD TO HELP CREATE THE FIRST
PROGRAM TO RECONNECT COMMUNITIES
DIVIDED BY TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS INCLUDED
IN THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE
LAW. BUT THERE HAS TO BE THE
START AT THE END OF OUR EFFORTS
BECAUSE THE VIBRANCY OF OUR
COMMUNITIES WILL DEPEND ON OUR
ABILITY TO COME TOGETHER.
WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
PEOPLE LIKE CONNIE'S WHEN YOU
GOT WHO HAS REALLY GIVEN HER
LIFE TO THIS COMMUNITY OR OUR
BUSINESS PEOPLE LIKE HECTOR, WHO
WANT TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY MORE
SUCCESSFUL, OR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
LIKE ASHLEY AND OTHERS WHO ARE
ENVISIONING A MUCH BRIGHTER
FUTURE OR ABOUT OUR MEN AND
WOMEN WHO WORK IN THE TRADES WHO
BUILD THIS? WHO MAKE SURE THAT
WE BUILD SAFELY THAT WE BUILD?
PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE A
BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC. ALL OF
THESE. ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS,
ALL OF THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE IS
REALLY CRITICAL FOR US TO BE
SUCCESSFUL. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH THE MEMBER ALVAREZ
TO BRING HIS VISION TO FRUITION.
WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S DAVID ALVAREZ.
HE'S A CHAMPION FOR THE WORKING
CLASS COMMUNITIES, YOU CREATE
OPPORTUNITY. HOW WE CREATE
CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA IS OUR
COMMUNITY, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, THE
MEN AND WOMEN WHO POWER
CALIFORNIA WHO MADE CALIFORNIA
WORK. AND OBVIOUSLY LEGISLATIVE
LEADERS. POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP
CAN GET IT DONE. THANK YOU. FOR
REBUILD SOCHA WHO HELPED DO ALL
THE WORK REALLY TO INTERVIEW
INDIVIDUALS AS YOU SAW PEOPLE
FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE FROM THE
COMMUNITY WHO HAVE DONE A LOT OF
WORK HERE, SO THAT WILL BE IT
FOR THE INTRODUCTIONS. I HOPE IT
GETS YOU A LITTLE BIT EXCITED
ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO COME NEXT.
WITH THE PRESENTATIONS. THESE
INDIVIDUALS AGAIN ARE WORKING IN
THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND ARE
THE LEADING EXPERTS AND WE'RE
REALLY, REALLY PROUD TO HAVE
THEM HERE. SO OUR FIRST PANEL
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE
TO GET AN AGENDA, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE A COUPLE OF PANELS. COME
AND PRESENT, BUT OUR FIRST PANEL
HE'S ON THE IMPACTS OF FREEWAYS
ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND
ETHNIC MINORITIES. RESEARCH THAT
WAS DONE BY DR PAUL ON THE
DIRECTOR OF THE USE OF THE U. C
L. A CENTER FOR NEIGHBORHOOD
KNOWLEDGE WHO'S HERE TO PRESENT
AND SO I'LL ASK DR ONTO PLEASE
COME FORWARD, AND, UM. PANDORA
IS ALSO GOING TO BE PRESENTING.
I BELIEVE AH, CENTER UP PACK IS
THAT CORRECTION? ALRIGHT WHO WAS
ALSO FROM THE CENTER OF
NEIGHBORHOOD KNOWLEDGE, BUT I
JUST LEARNED HE IS ALSO FROM
CITY HEIGHTS. SO HE KNOWS THE
CITY HEIGHTS EXPERIENCE QUITE
WELL. SO TURN IT OVER TO BOTH OF
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I'M
NOT VERY TECHNOLOGICALLY. YES
THANK YOU FOR THE SUB SELECT
COMMITTEE FOR INVITING US. IT'S
OUR PRIVILEGE AND HOPEFULLY WE
COULD PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION
BACKGROUND ON THE HISTORY OF
FREEWAY DEVELOPMENT AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. CAN WE
HAVE OUR SLIDE? PLEASE COMING
RIGHT UP. WE HAVE THE OTHER
SLIDE, OKAY? WELCOME DOCTOR
WRONG. IF YOU WANT TO GET
STARTED, AND THEN WE'LL CATCH UP
WITH THE SLIDES. I WANT TO FIRST
ACKNOWLEDGE OUR MANY SPONSORS
WHO HELPED US IN TERMS OF
SUPPORTING THIS RESEARCH PROJECT
, INCLUDING OUR COLLEAGUES AT
CALTRANS. IT'S INSPIRING THAT
THEY ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE
EFFORT IN TERMS OF RETHINKING
WHAT HISTORY MEANS IN TERMS OF
OUR CURRENT OBLIGATION. AND SO.
THERE HAS BEEN IF WE COULD GO TO
THE THIRD SLIDE. I THINK THAT'S
THE LAST SLIDE. AH! KEEP GOING
BACKWARDS. OKAY IT'S ALL WHILE
THEY'RE CATCHING UP. WHY DON'T I
JUST CONTINUE ON? SO THERE'S
BEEN A FORTUNATELY, A LOCAL, UH,
RECKONING WITH OUR HISTORY. OUR
CONSTRUCTION OF THE FREEWAY
NETWORK THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
AND AS MENTIONED IT PRODUCED
MANY BENEFITS. YEAH IT DID HELP
COMMERCE. IT DID HELP IN TERMS
OF CONNECTING THE DEVELOPING
SUBURBS WITHOUT OLDER URBAN
CORE. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE
BENEFITS THAT HELPED US SOCIETY,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS DONE
IN A WAY THAT WAS EXTREMELY
SYSTEMATICALLY BIAS,
PARTICULARLY ITS IMPACT ON POOR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
OF COLOR, AND WE HAVE COME TO
BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND SO
WHAT YOU SEE IS ARTICLE RIGHT IN
THE L A TIMES, REFERRING TO THAT
HISTORY. SO CERTAINLY WE'RE
SEEING THAT HERE IN THIS REGION
AND IN THE STATE THAT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THAT NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. AND IT'S NOT JUST
A LOCAL UNDERSTANDING IT HAS
BECOME A NATIONALLY DISCUSSION
ABOUT BOTH THE HISTORY AND WHAT
DO WE DO IN TERMS OF BOTH
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HISTORY AND
AS WELL AS HOW DO WE BEGIN
RECTIFYING SOME OF THE DAMAGE IS
DONE IN THE PAST. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SO AS PART OF THAT
BROADER EFFORT, WE'VE BEEN
PRIVILEGED TO CONDUCT A SERIES
OF RESEARCH PROJECTS USING BOTH
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITY OF
METHODS TO BETTER AND SEND HOW
FREEWAY DEVELOPMENT AND ITS
IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES AND COLOR
AND IT'S THE DOCUMENT. FIRST OF
ALL THE LARGER SOCIAL ECONOMIC,
POLITICAL DYNAMICS BEHIND
FREEWAY DEVELOPMENT. IT'S NOT
JUST FREEWAY DEVELOPMENT. IT IS
A PERIOD PARTICULARLY AFTER
WORLD WAR TWO THE QUARTER
CENTURY, THE THREE DECADES AFTER
WORLD WAR TWO THAT WE
FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORMED OUR
CITIES ARE REGIONS, OUR NATION
AND SO FREEWAY IS VERY MUCH A
PART OF THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO A
PART OF A MUCH LARGER STRUGGLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT THAT WE SEE IN THE
FIFTIES ACCELERATING TO THE
SIXTIES THE DEMAND FOR FAIRNESS
AND JUSTICE ARE OURS IS ALSO TO
LOOK AT DEEPLY THE DOCUMENTATION
OF THE PLANNING OF DECISION
MAKING PROCESS. TO HAVE A
VIBRANT DEMOCRACY. WE MUST HAVE
A PROCESS A DECISION MAKING
PROCESS, A CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
PROCESS THAT'S DEMOCRATIC, AND
THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE
THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AT
THE TABLE. AND PART OF IT IS THE
QUESTION. DID WE SEE THAT DURING
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FREEWAY
SYSTEM? AH WE WANT TO QUANTIFY
AGAIN. DEEPLY DIGGER IS TWO CASE
STUDIES HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE
MADE. WHAT ARE TURNED IS FOR
POSSIBLE COULD THERE HAVE BEEN
WAYS OF AVOIDING THE DAMAGES AND
AFTER WE MAKE DECISIONS? WHAT
WERE THE DAMAGES AND WHAT WERE
THE DIRECT DAMAGES THE HOUSING
HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE DISPLACED
THE BUILDINGS THAT WERE
DESTROYED THE STORES THAT WERE
CLOSED? BUT ALSO THE INDIRECT
DAMAGES. IT'S NOT THAT YOU JUST
PUT A FREEWAY IN YOU TAKE OUT
HOUSING IS THAT YOU DISSEMBLE
COMMUNITIES DIVIDE COMMUNITIES.
YOU TAKE THE VIBRANT AWAY FROM
THAT COMMUNITY, AND WE ALSO WANT
TO EXPLORE SOME OF THE LONG TERM
CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE
INFRASTRUCTURES ARE THERE FOR
DECADES. IF NOT A CENTURY. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO TO UNDERSTAND
SOME OF THAT HISTORY WE'VE BEEN
CONDUCTING A SERIES OF DEEP CASE
STUDIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
AND WE HAVE SIX SITES THAT WE
HAVE EXAMINED AND IT THEY'RE
MIXTURE OF BOTH PART OF THE
INTERSTATE SYSTEM THAT WAS
DEVELOPED AS PART OF THE FEDERAL
EFFORT AS WELL AS THE STATE
FREEWAY SYSTEM. THAT WE STILL
DEVELOP IN COMPLEMENT TO THE
INTERSTATE SYSTEM AND YOU SEE ON
THE MAP THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR
SITES, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE
TO ALSO INCLUDE SAN DIEGO AS ONE
OF THE SITES NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE,
AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE LOOK
AT THE POPULATION IN PARTICULAR
THAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT ITS
VERY DIVERSE, DIVERSE, NOT ONLY
WITHIN EACH SITE IN SOME OF
THESE SITES BUT ACROSS OUR SIX
SITES, SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE
TO LOOK AT COMMUNITIES. THAT
WERE PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN
AMERICANS, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
PREDOMINATELY LATINOS.
COMMUNITIES THAT WERE
PREDOMINANTLY ASIAN AMERICANS,
BUT ALSO COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD
DIVERS HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE
REMARKABLE THING IS OUR TODAY
THIS MORNING BEFORE WE CAME HERE
, I HAD THE CHANCE. CHANCE UH,
GUIDANCE TO GO THROUGH CITY
HEIGHTS. IT'S INCOMPARABLY
DIVERSE COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE
MOST DIVERSE IN THE COUNTRY, AND
SO WE ALSO HAVE SITES THAT ARE
VERY DIVERSE. SO WE HAVE A
MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT REGIONS, AS
WELL AS DIFFERENT POPULATIONS
AFFECTED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS NOT
JUST TO LOOK AT THE FREEWAY, I
WAS CONSTRUCTED ONE HAS TO GO
BACK FARTHER. BECAUSE IN
DEVELOPING FREEWAYS AS WELL AS
DEVELOPING ANY INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECT, THERE'S A PLANNING
STAGE. THERE'S A DECISION MAKING
STAGE. AND IT'S THERE AT THAT
STAGE THAT WE LAY THE HISTORY
AND THE TRAJECTORY IN THE FUTURE
. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE
WANTED TO DO IS GO FURTHER BACK
BEFORE THE ACTUAL DECISION WAS
MADE. WHAT WERE THE ALTERNATIVES
? AND IN OUR CASE STUDIES? WHAT
WE SEE IS THAT THERE WERE ALWAYS
ALTERNATIVES. NOT ALL THE PLANS
RAN THROUGH THE COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR. AND A GOOD EXAMPLE. ONE
EXAMPLE IS TAKE STOCK TURN UP IN
THE CENTRAL VALERIE AND SO
DURING THE PLANNING STAGE, THERE
WERE ABOUT HALF A DOZEN OR MORE
ALTERNATIVES WE JUST SELECTED TO
LOOK AT AND COMPARED TO AND WHAT
YOU SEE UP. THERE ARE THE 21
REPRESENTED OF FURTHER LITTLE
BIT FARTHER NORTH OF DOWNTOWN
ONCE WE SLIGHTLY SELF IT
DOWNTOWN. AND WHAT YOU SEE IN
TERMS OF THE COLORS OF THE BLOCK
GROUP DATA. IT'S THE PERCENTAGE
PEOPLE OF COLOR. AND WHAT YOU
SEE REMARKABLY, THAT ALTERNATIVE
PATH WHAT YOU CHOOSE. MAKES A
DIFFERENCE. IT MAKES A
DIFFERENCE WHO BEARS THE COST,
WHO BENEFITS? AND UNFORTUNATELY,
STOCKTON. IT'S THAT BROWN GOLD
PATH THAT WAS CHOSEN, IN PART
BECAUSE THOSE COMMUNITIES DID
NOT HAVE THE EQUAL POLITICAL
VOICE IN THE PROCESS. AT THE
VERY BEGINNING, THEY DID NOT
HAVE THE CONNECTIONS THEY WERE
ECONOMICALLY MARGINALIZED. AND
SO THE CONSEQUENCES IS THAT THEY
RAN. THE CROSSTOWN FREEWAY
THROUGH ESSENTIALLY THREE OF THE
MOST VIBRANT ASIAN AMERICAN
ENCLAVES THAT WE HAD IN THE
STATE AS WELL AS FOR OTHER
COMMUNITIES TO THE EAST. THERE
WAS AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
AND THE LATINO COMMUNITY. AND SO
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
THAT'S WHY I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU
GUYS ARE STARTING THAT. AT THE
VERY BEGINNING AND MAKES A
DIFFERENCE HOW WE CAN SEVE HOW
WE PLAN HOW WE DECIDE.
DETERMINES WHO'S GOING TO
BENEFIT WHO IS COULD BE HURT. SO
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS JUST
A QUICK SUMMARY OF A OVERVIEW OF
OUR FINDINGS IN OUR SIX SITES
AND NUMBER OF THE SITES ARE WHAT
WE CALL CLASSICAL EXAMPLES OF
FREEWAYS, BOTH DOZING THROUGH
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. AND WE
AGAIN DOCUMENT THE ALTERNATIVE
CHOICES THAT WERE POSSIBLE THAT
AVOIDED THAT DAMAGE AS WELL AS
THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS OR
THE UNEQUAL DECISION MAKING
PROCESS THAT OCCURRED AND WE'RE
FORTUNATE AGAIN TO HAVE SAN
DIEGO SAN DIEGO SEA HEIGHT IS
UNIQUE AMONG OUR SIX STUDIES AS
UNIQUE BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT
HAPPENED, WHEREAS THE OTHER SIX
SITES WERE COMMUNITIES ALREADY
OF COLOR CITY HEIGHTS ACTUALLY
STARTED AFTER WORLD WAR TWO AS
BEING OVERWHELMINGLY NON
HISPANIC WHITE MATTER OF FACT,
IT HAD FEWER MINORITIES IN CITY
HEIGHTS THAN HAD THROUGHOUT SAN
DIEGO CITY OR SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
SO THIS IS A SITE WHERE WE
UNDERSTAND THE HOW FREE WASTE
TRANSFORM THE RACIAL COMPOSITION
OF A COMMUNITY AND WHAT NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO ONE OF IT IS
AGAIN CONTEXTUALIZING. WHY THIS
HAPPENED PARTLY IS BECAUSE SAN
DIEGO GREW IN A REMARKABLE
FASHION IN TERMS OF THE DECADES
AFTER WAR TO THIS WAS A TOWN
THAT ESSENTIALLY DOUBLE
QUADRUPLE ITS POPULATION OVER
DECADES. AND THAT POPULATION
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. MOVED FROM
THE CORE OF THE URBAN AREA,
WHICH YOU COULD SEE ON THE LEFT.
THAT'S 1950 YOU COULD SEE BY 19
2000 THAT IT'S SPREAD OUT.
MATTER OF FACT, THE FASTEST
GROWTH IS OCCURRING OUTSIDE THE
CITY. THE FASTEST GROWTH WAS
OCCURRING IN THE MORE DISTANT
AREA. AH! SOMETHING WE CALL
SUBURBANIZATION ARE SOMETHING WE
CALL URBAN SPRAWL. IT WAS
HAPPENING, AND IT'S IN MANY
WAYS. URBAN SPIRAL JUST LIKE
FREEWAYS ARE GOOD AND BAD. OFFER
OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSING FOR
PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO
SINGLE FAMILY HOME WITH THEIR
OWN YARD AND SO FORTH, BUT TO DO
THAT, WE ALSO HAD TO DEVELOP A
FREEWAY SYSTEM AND ROAD SYSTEM
TO FACILITATE THAT, SO THEY CAME
HAND IN HAND. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. AND IT WAS DURING THIS
PERIOD OF FREEWAY CONSTRUCTION
AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF SAN
DIEGO THAT WE SAW EVERY MARKABA
WALL RACIAL RE COMPOSITION OF
THIS AREA. SO ON THE LEFT AGAIN,
YOU SEE WHAT SAN DIEGO WAS LIKE.
AH, JUST AFTER WORLD WAR TWO.
OVERWHELMINGLY 97% NON HISPANIC
WHITE. BUT IN THE DECADES
AFTERWARDS, LIKE MANY PARTS OF
CALIFORNIA, IT BECAME
TRANSFORMED IN MANY WAYS, A VERY
POSITIVE THING. AH WE GOT LABOR.
WE GOT EXPERTISE. AH WE STOLE
FROM COUNTRIES THE BRIGHTEST AH
TO HELP US SO. BUT WITH IT IS
THIS REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION
OF THE POPULATION AND YOU COULD
SEE THAT AND THAT TRANSFORMATION
ALSO COURAGE GEOGRAPHICALLY, YOU
COULD SEE ON THE MAP ON THE
RIGHT THAT THE DARKER THE BLUE,
THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE KNOWN AS
SPANICH WHITE, AND YOU COULD
CLEARLY SEE THE PATTERNS ABOUT
HOW THE RATIO SETTLEMENTS ARE
VERY SYSTEMATIC HERE IN SAN
DIEGO. IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T
WANT TO POINT FINGERS SAN DIEGO,
BUT IT IS A PATTERN WE SEE
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO TO UNDERSTAND
THE INTERACTION BETWEEN FREEWAY
CONSTRUCTION AND WHAT HAPPENED
IN TERMS OF THIS TRANSFORMATION
AND ITS IMPACT ON THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'RE LOOKING AT
CITY HEIGHTS, SO THAT'S AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT MAP IS OUR CASE
STUDY AREA? AND ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING FOR SIZE, THAT
RACIAL TRANSFORMATION OF THIS
AREA IS ALSO HOW IT WAS BUILT.
IT TOOK NEARLY A HALF CENTURY TO
COMPLETE. IT WAS DONE IN TWO
PARTS. THEY'RE LOW PART. THAT'S
WHAT WE CALL THE SPUR. AND THAT
OCCURRED IN THE SIXTIES AND THEY
STOPPED. FOR A DECADE. DECADE IN
THE HALF, AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST
COMPLAINT IS THAT IT CREATED
TRAFFIC AND LEAD TO A
DETERIORATION OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT WASN'T
LATER UNTIL IN THE SEVENTIES
THAT CONSTRUCT LATE SEVENTIES
EARLY EIGHTIES THAT THEY
RESTARTED THE EFFORT. PART OF IT
IS FUNDING. IT'S NOT BY CHOICE
ITSELF IN THE 60 SEVENTIES.
CALIFORNIA HIT A FUNDING CRISIS
IN TERMS OF FREEWAY
CONSTRUCTION. BUT EVEN THE
SECOND STAGE TOOK A LONG PERIOD
OF TIME IN TERMS OF IT OCCURRING
AND YOU COULD HEAR FROM THE
COMMUNITY GROUPS ABOUT HOW
DAMAGING THAT WAS IN TERMS OF
ITS EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY. UH,
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND WHAT
HAPPENED IN CITY HEIGHTS IS YES.
OH, WE HAVE A TIME PERIOD. SORRY
I THANK YOU, CHAN. UH SO THIS IS
SORT OF THE MAJOR TIME PERIOD IN
TERMS OF CITY HEIGHTS IN TERMS
OF KEY LANDMARKS, SO WE THINK
ABOUT IT AS THE SPUR THAT COMES
OFF THE 805 AND DUMPS IT OFF
JUST BEFORE 40TH STREET. THE
SECOND ASSET COMMITMENTS LONG
40TH STREET AGAIN. THIS IS A
PROCESS OF BY THE HALF CENTURY.
IMAGINE WHAT IT IS TO LIVE IN A
COMMUNITY FOR HALF CENTURY WHERE
YOU HAVE VACANT LOTS AND SO
FORTH AGAIN. THEY'RE LARGER
STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT CREATED
IT, BUT NONETHELESS, THE PEOPLE
LIVED THERE HAD TO LIVE THROUGH
THAT IMPACT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO LIKE SAN DIEGO, UH, THERE
WAS A REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION
OF CITY HEIGHTS, BUT IT
TRANSFORM EVEN MORE RADICALLY
THAN THE REST OF THE SEA. AND
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE GRAPH.
IT STARTED OFF ACTUALLY LESS IN
TERMS OF HAVING PEOPLE OF COLOR
AT THE BEGINNING, AND IT TURNED
INTO A PLACE THAT OVERWHELMINGLY
AS PEOPLE OF COLOR. AND THAT'S
STILL TRUE TODAY. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. UM. AGAIN THIS GETS
PLAYED OUT GEOGRAPHIC AND
SPECIALLY WHEN THE FIRST THE
SPUR WAS FIRST DEVELOPED. IT WAS
AN AREA THAT WE STARTED
TRANSFORMING. IT WAS AN AREA AND
YOU CAN SEE DOWN THE LEFT THAT
ALREADY HAD MINORITIES MOVING IN
HISPANICS, AFRICAN AMERICANS,
MAINLY BUT BY THE END OF THIS
HALF CENTURY, THE WHOLE AREA
BECOMES TRANSFORMED. TO WHAT IT
IS TODAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
PART OF THIS UNDERSTAND THAT
HISTORICAL PROCESS THE DECISION
MAKING THE IMPACTS WHO WAS
IMPACTED BUT ALSO THE CURRENT
CONSEQUENCES OF THAT IMPACT AND
PART OF THE PROBLEM REALLY IS
AROUND HEALTH AND YOU COULD SEE
THE MULTIPLE WAYS THAT WE CREATE
POLLUTION THAT IMPACTS YOU KNOW,
THE HEALTH OF BABIES. YOUNG
CHILDREN, ADULTS AND ELDERLY. UH
THIS WORK IS REALLY WITH MY
COLLEAGUE DOUG HOUSING AT UC
IRVINE. I UNDERSTAND. HE WILL
ALSO BE PRESENTING LATER ON, BUT
WE'RE LIVING WITH THE
CONSEQUENCES OF FREEWAY IN TERMS
OF HEALTH, AS WELL AS OTHER SORT
OF IMPACTS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND. SO HERE'S IS A ANOTHER
ILLUSTRATION OF HOW FREEWAYS ARE
RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
. THIS IS FROM THE COW VIRUS
SCREEN DATA SET. THIS IS ANOTHER
ONE OF OUR STUDY AREA IN WEST
PASADENA AND THE 201. THE ONE
THAT GOES NORTH SOUTH IS THE ONE
WE STUDY AND THIS IS THE
CONSEQUENCES IN TERMS OF
POLLUTION TODAY. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. UH AND WE SEE SOMETHING
SIMILAR, AND WE LOOK AT CITY
HEIGHTS IN TERMS OF THE FREEWAY
CONSTRUCTION AGAIN. YEAH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HAVE REALLY
TALKED ABOUT IT. THIS REINFORCES
THE POINT BY UNDERSTANDING THE
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE FREEWAYS
AND TODAY'S PROBLEMS. UH, NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO I TALKED A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HEALTH
CONSEQUENCES, BUT THERE ARE
OTHER CONSEQUENCES THAT WE OUGHT
TO THINK ABOUT AS POTENTIAL
IMPACT. THERE IS AS MENTIONED
THE PHYSICAL DISRUPTION.
FRAGMENTATION OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. IMAGINE A WORLD
WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE
FREEWAY AND YOU WANT TO GET TO
YOUR NEIGHBOR TWO BLOCKS AWAY.
IMAGINE IF YOU PUT A FREEWAY
THERE, AND THE ONLY TUNNEL IS 34
BLOCKS DOWN. YOU HAVE TO ADD SIX
MORE BLOCKS TO YOUR TRAVEL
FRAGMENTS, COMMUNITIES. IT THIS
ASSEMBLES THE SOCIAL NETWORK OF
THAT COMMUNITY. AH CERTAINLY IT
DEVALUES HOME VALUES. AH
PARTICULARLY THOSE CLOSE BY
THAT'S EXPLOSIVE POLLUTION. AH!
WE ALSO KNOW IT WEAKENS THAT
COMMUNITY ECONOMIC BASE AND ITS
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES IN TERMS
OF WHAT IT CAN, HOW VIABLE IT IS
OR NOT VIABLE. AH! SO THOSE ARE
CONSEQUENCES WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND BEYOND YES, THE AIR
POLLUTION NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
AND I'M BEING LOW, REPETITIVE
DOUBTS. I APOLOGIZE. SO THERE IS
THIS NEW EFFORT TO INCENSE, UH,
IN THE SPIRIT OF RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE IN A SENSE THERE. HOW DO
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE DAMAGE? BUT
HOW DO WE ALSO REDRESS IT? AND
SO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THERE
IS A MASSIVE PROGRAM. AH ALSO
CALLED RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES.
AND NEXT I PLEASE. AND I AM VERY
PROUD THAT YOU KNOW OUR STATE.
HAS SOMETHING IN PARALLEL IN
TERMS OF EFFORTS TO THINK ABOUT.
HOW DO WE REDRESS THE HARMS THAT
WE DID HISTORICALLY? UH NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SAM GETTING CLOSE
TO FINALIZING. WHY DO WE STUDY
HISTORY? YEAH PARTLY IS BECAUSE,
WELL, PARTLY BECAUSE I'M MY
ACADEMIC AND I'M A RESEARCHER,
AND I'D LIKE TO DO THAT STUFF.
BUT THE REAL REASON IS THAT IT
REALLY GIVES US SOME PRECISION
ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE TYPES OF
IMPACTS THAT OCCURRED TYPES OF
DAMAGE THAT OCCURS. IT ALSO
ALLOWS US A GLANCE ABOUT HOW WE
DO BETTER, PROCEDURALLY WHEN WE
MAKE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH
INVESTMENTS THAT WE NEED TO
THINK ABOUT ALTERNATIVE THINKING
AHEAD. IT ALSO BY UNDERSTAND
THIS HISTORY, AND IN SOME WAYS
MORE PRECISELY. THE IMPACTS IN
THE TYPES OF IMPACTS, YOU KNOW.
HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT WHAT
ACTIONS WE TAKE? WHAT DO WE
PRIORITIZED IN TERMS OF WHICH
COMMUNITIES? WHAT DO WE THINK
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE
STRATEGIES AND SO FORTH? AND I
THINK HISTORY PROVIDES THAT I
HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL NOTE THAT I
CAME UP TO ME WHEN I WAS HERE IN
THIS ASSEMBLY MEMBER TO SPEAK
AFTER ARREST, SPEAK. THAT IT'S
FANTASTIC THAT THE SUB THAT
SELECT COMMITTEE IS FOCUSING ON
THAT, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE IT
ALSO TO THINK FORWARD. THAT PART
OF WHAT WE DO AS CITY PLANNERS,
URBAN PLANNERS IS THAT WE THINK
ABOUT THE FUTURE. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS IS THAT WE ALWAYS THINK
ABOUT ALL THE POSITIVE THINGS
GREAT THINGS, WHICH IS WHAT WE
OUGHT TO BE DOING, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE TO HAVE A WORD OF CAUTION.
THAT IS, WE HAVE DONE PROJECTS,
FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT MASSIVE
INVESTMENT IN TRANS MASS
TRANSIT. AND HOW THAT LED TO
GENTRIFICATION. AND SO IT'S NOT
ENOUGH JUST TO SAY THAT WE'RE
GONNA PUT FUNDS INTO
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. I'VE
BEEN IMPACTED. WE NEED TO BE
RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE IT COULD
TRIP OTHER ACTIONS THAT WE
DIDN'T ANTICIPATE. AND SO HOW DO
WE ESSENTIALLY IMPROVED
NEIGHBORHOODS? AND MAKE SURE
THAT THE BENEFIT FLOWS TO THOSE
WHO MOST NEEDED RATHER THAN
TRIPPING CHANGES THAT WE DON'T
WANT TO HAVE, AND I WOULD
ENCOURAGE THAT LEGISLATION THAT
WAS PASSED AFTER THE RESEARCH
THAT WAS DONE ON GENTRIFICATION
AND TRANSIT INVESTMENT IS A
GUIDELINE. IT'S LEGISLATION
ABOUT HOW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD
OCCUR. AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
ACCESS AND SO FORTH. THOSE ARE
THINGS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY THE
INVESTMENT. BUT THERE ARE
CONSEQUENCES OF INVESTMENTS JUST
SAME WAY HISTORICALLY, FREEWAYS
DIRECT INVESTMENT, BUT THERE
WERE CONSEQUENCES SO PART OF
WHAT WE DO IN SITTING URBAN
FINDING IS THINK FORWARD, BUT I
ENCOURAGE US TO THINK FORWARD TO
LOOK AT ALL THE POSSIBLE
OUTCOME, INCLUDING SOME OF THE
NEGATIVE ONES AS A WAY AVOIDING
THEM. SO THAT'S NEXT SLIDE. UH
YOU COULD IF YOU NEXT, UM
CURIOUS. YOU COULD LOOK AT SOME
OF OUR VERY REPORTS. MOST OF THE
PARTS I WROTE. I HAVE TO ADMIT
IT'S VERY DRY, AND I APOLOGIZE
FOR THAT. BUT THERE ARE LITTLE
GEMS WRITTEN BY MY COLLEAGUES.
AH! SO NEXT SLIDE. THAT
CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AGAIN.
IT'S BEEN OUR PRIVILEGE TO
PRESENT THAT. I JUST WANT TO ASK
CHAN SINCE HE'S A HOMEBOY IF HE
WANTS THE SAME THING. NO THANK
YOU, PAUL, AND ALSO THANK THE
EXCELLENT COMMITTEE TO FOR
INVITING US HERE. IT'S YOU KNOW,
GROWING UP IN CITY HEIGHTS. WE
DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT THESE
THINGS. YOU KNOW, OUR PARENTS
WORK HARD. THEY JUST TRYING TO
GET BY, BUT YOU KNOW, GOING TO
SCHOOL AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT
THESE. THAT'S WHEN WE START
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS THAT
ARE AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY AND
OUR PARENTS AND THE PEOPLE THAT
LIVE AROUND US. SO I REALLY
BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE IMPORTANT
WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS
OF LOOKING AT THE RESEARCH. SO
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US
THANK YOU BOTH REALLY TREMENDOUS
HONOR TO HAVE YOU, DOCTOR ON,
UH, TWO HERE. THE FACTUAL
ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE ON THIS
ISSUE THAT I HAVE LIVED WITH MY
ENTIRE LIFE LIVING IN THIS
COMMUNITY. PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN
CITY HEIGHTS. PEOPLE LIVED IN
SANUSI DROVE LITTLE ITALY AND
MANY OTHER PLACES IN SAN DIEGO,
CALIFORNIA. TO HEAR THAT THERE'S
EVIDENCE BASED LEARNING THAT WE
CAN TAKE AND I HOPEFULLY DO
SOMETHING WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S
NOT JUST ABOUT WANTING TO DO
SOMETHING TO BEAUTIFY IT WILL
BEAUTIFY NEIGHBORHOODS. IF WE
TALKED ABOUT RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES IN THE WAY THAT THIS
COMMITTEE HAS THOUGHT ABOUT
DOING, UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER
IMPLICATIONS THAT ARE REAL TO
PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND THAT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE
HAVE THE RESEARCH TO HAVE THE
ACADEMIC BACK BACKGROUND. UM,
THAT DEMONSTRATES WHAT THOSE
POSITIVE IMPACTS COULD BE AS A
RESULT OF THESE INVESTMENTS, SO
THANK YOU. I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I TAKE AWAY AND IF
YOU HAVE NOT READ THE REPORT, UM
IT IS LENGTHY FOR SURE. I'VE
READ IT. UM BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY
USEFUL AND IT'S BASED ON DATA
THAT WAS SO SIMPLY PRESENTED
HERE, WHICH IS THAT IN
COMMUNITIES WHERE, UM. DECISIONS
WERE MADE TO PUT HIGHWAYS IN,
UH, CLEARLY, DATA SHOWS THERE
WERE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES AND IT
WAS PRIMARILY LOWER INCOME
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. AND IN THE
CASE OF CITY HEIGHTS AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES, CLEARLY, UM THE
CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAY SYSTEMS
PERHAPS WEREN'T IN COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR, BUT IT LED CERTAINLY
TO OTHER RAMIFICATIONS PRIMARILY
THAN FURTHER AT THE OTHER END OF
IT, IMPACTING COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR THERE TODAY. SO, UM, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, AND UM
AGAIN. MY TAKEAWAY IS LOOKING
FORWARD AND LOOKING TO THE
FUTURE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO
HAVE AN INTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
SO I WROTE DOWN THE NOTE ON THE
IDENTIFICATION. CLIMATE
INVESTMENTS WILL DEFINITELY WANT
TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AS WE
PROVIDE INCENTIVES RIGHT
POLICIES THAT HELP RECONNECT
COMMUNITIES. HOW ARE WE NOT
CREATING OTHER IMPACTS AND THEN
ALSO FOR ALL OF US WHO ARE
INVOLVED IN DECISION MAKING, WHO
ATTEND YOUR LOCAL CITY COUNCIL
MEETINGS? TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPACTS OF THE DECISIONS IN THE
PLANNING PROCESS, AND WHAT THOSE
COULD BE ARE ALSO CRITICAL
TAKEAWAYS FROM ME, SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
WANT TO HAVE COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? NO I REALLY
APPRECIATE THIS AND GOING AND
LOOKING AT THE DATA. I WAS
TRAINED POLITICAL SCIENTISTS BUT
DISCOVERED AN UNTAPPED LEVEL OF
LAND USE OF 42 YEARS OLD. UM SO
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STUDIES
THAT YOU GIVE THAT GIVE THE
STARK CONTRAST OF HOW THIS
HAPPENED. AND MAYBE YOU COULD.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW
THIS HAPPENED. I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU'VE DONE STUDIES ON HOW WHAT
ARE THE BEST PRACTICES AND
CORRECTING THAT HISTORICAL
REDLINING AND RACIAL COVENANTS?
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE SOME
THOUGHTS ON THAT, OR THAT MIGHT
BE A FUTURE PANEL. BUT IF YOU
HAVE ANY THOUGHTS, I THINK THERE
ARE TWO THINGS I TAKE AWAY FROM
IT. ONE IS THE AS I MENTIONED.
WE NEED TO HAVE FAIR. UNBIASED
PROCESSES IN THE DECISION MAKING
PROCESS. THAT MEANS THAT ALL
STAKEHOLDERS HAVE AN EQUAL
CHANCE. TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
DISCUSSION. AND THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR NOT JUST THE
INFRASTRUCTURE. UH, PROJECT BUT
FOR OUR DEMOCRACY. AND SO I
THINK AND NOT SURPRISING. IN THE
FIFTIES AND SIXTIES, THERE WAS A
REAL IMBALANCE IN TERMS OF WHO
HAD POLITICAL VOICE. I THINK
WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION,
BUT WE'RE NOT PERFECT YET. AND
SO PART OF IT IS. HOW DO WE
ENSURE THAT EVERYONE WHO IS A
STAKEHOLDERS AT THE TABLE? THE
SECOND ONE IS THAT I THINK WE
NEED TO EXPAND THE WAY WE THINK
ABOUT HOW WE ANALYZE
ALTERNATIVES. AH BY AND LARGE
THE WAY WE ANALYZE OUR TURNIPS
IS IN A COST BENEFITS. NARROW
COST BENEFIT APPROACH. NOTHING
WRONG WITH THAT. I'M GONNA
ECONOMIST BY TRAINING, SO YOU
KNOW THAT'S A GO TO TWO. BUT
IT'S THOSE ONCE THAT WE DON'T
MEASURE THAT'S IMPORTANT.
MINORITY COMMUNITIES BY THE
MIRROR FACT THAT THE MINORITY
AND DISADVANTAGED TEND TO BE
MUCH MORE FRAGILE. SO THE IMPACT
ON ITS SOCIAL SYSTEM SOCIAL
NETWORK, IT'S COMMERCIAL
DISTRICTS. YEAH THAT MUCH WORSE
IN POSITION TO ABSORB ANY
CHANGES. HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND
THAT? HOW DO WE SURRENDER MERGER
THOSE SORT OF THINGS, AND I
THINK THE THIRD ONE IS THAT KEEP
PUSHING WAYS TO IMPROVE IF WE
HAVE TO PUT MASSIVE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN IT, YOU KNOW,
HOW DO WE IMPROVE OUR PRACTICES
TO MINIMIZE THOSE IMPACTS INTO
THE FUTURE? AND THEN FINALLY, I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
BREATHE. THINK ABOUT AFTER WE
MAKE THE INVESTMENT. HOW DO WE
SORT OF DIRECT THE FLOWS HAVE
BENEFITS TO THE POPULATION THAT
MOST NEEDED? UH THE U. S THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS THE
JUSTICE 40 PROCESS, WHICH ARGUES
THAT 40% OF THE BENEFITS OF ANY
MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ARE
TO GO TO DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES AND IF THEY'RE STILL
STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
DO THAT, AND THAT, BUT IT'S A
GOOD STARTING POINT. AND MAYBE
THAT'S ALSO A PRINCIPLE. THAT WE
OUGHT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HERE
, UH, IN CALIFORNIA AS WELL AS
LOCALLY. HOW DO WE AND IT'S
REALLY HARD TO FIGURE OUT? YOU
KNOW WHAT? HOW THINGS FLOW
BENEFITS FLOW. AND I GUESS THE
FINAL ONES THAT GENTRIFICATION
WARMING. AND THE OTHER THING WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT I
THINK SOMETIMES WE THINK OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE IS SET RIGHT AND
WE'RE NOT GONNA DO LARGE
INVESTMENTS BUT IN MY SELECT
COMMITTEE ON SEA LEVEL RISE IN
THE CALIFORNIA ECONOMY, WE
ACTUALLY LOOKED AND YOU KNOW, I
SEE LEVELS RISE. SEVENTH GRADE
SCIENCE GROUNDWATER RISES TO AND
WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE IMPACTS IN
THOSE COMMUNITIES AND HAVE TO
MOVE INFRASTRUCTURE. FROM THE
COAST FROM PLACES WITH EXTREME
HEAT, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A
MITIGATION THERE SO I WOULD
SUSPECT IN THE NEXT 50 TO 100
YEARS. THERE'LL BE ANOTHER ROUND
OF THIS AND WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE GET AHEAD OF IT AND THAT
WE DON'T REPLICATE THE MISTAKES
OF OUR PAST BECAUSE IT WILL BE
AT LEAST ONE THAT WE LOOKED AT
THE BAY AREA 90,000 PEOPLE WILL
BE DISPLACED AND LARGELY, THOSE
ARE COMMUNITIES, LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. UM FROM
SEA LEVEL RISE AROUND THE BASE.
SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KEEP
THAT IN MIND, TOO. THANK YOU
REMEMBER BURNER JUST HAVE MAYBE
TO FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. UM AND
IF YOU DO SEE THE REPORT, AND
YOU SAW SOME OF THE SLIDES,
ALTHOUGH I KNOW THEY WERE
DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT THE REPORT
HAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE AND I HOPE
AT SOME POINT, YOU'LL GET MORE
FUNDING AND YOU HELP US
UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY HERE IN
THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE'S
SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL
AROUND THAT REMEMBER SOME
FAMILIES THAT WERE DISPLACED,
BUT YOUR YOUR REPORT LIKE GETS
INTO REAL SPECIFIC DATA ANALYSIS
OF WHAT THE POPULATION LOOK LIKE
WHERE THESE HIGHWAYS WERE BEING
PLANNED OR ULTIMATELY BUILT. AND
I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT
INFORMATION FOR THIS COMMUNITY
SO HOPEFULLY JUST PUTTING A
PLUG. IN FOR US FOR YOUR NEXT
NEXT STUDY, BUT I'M WONDERING, I
DON'T RECALL THAT FROM READING A
REPORT WHETHER YOU TALKED ABOUT
A ESTIMATE OR A ROUGH NUMBER OF
DISPLACED INDIVIDUALS IN TERMS
OF HOUSING, MAYBE EVEN
COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AND THE
WHETHER THERE ARE RACIAL
DISPARITIES AND THOSE. CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT THAT? YES, UM I
SHOULD SAY THAT OUR ANALYSIS
VERY FROM SITE TO SITE,
DEPENDING ON WHAT DATA WE HAVE
AVAILABLE, BUT THE WAY WE
COMPLEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT
CALTRANS HAS ALREADY DOCUMENTED
THROUGH THE RIGHT AWAY DOCUMENTS
AND SO FORTH IS THAT WE ARE ABLE
TO LOOK AT AH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
RACIAL COMPOSITION OF THOSE WHO
WERE DISPLACED. AND SO WE DO
THAT THROUGH CENSUS BLOCK LEVEL
DATA. WE DO THAT ALSO BY LOOKING
AT INDIVIDUAL DOCUMENTS, FOR
EXAMPLE, UM REVERSE STREET
DIRECTORIES, SO WE ACTUALLY KNOW
WHO LIVED ON THOSE BLOCKS WHO
ARE DISPLACED FOR, PARTICULARLY
FOR HISPANICS AND ASIANS
DISEASED TO PICK THEM OUT.
BECAUSE OF THEIR SURNAMES. AH
AFRICAN AMERICANS A LITTLE BIT
MORE CHALLENGING, AND THAT'S
WHAT BLOCK DATA COMES IN TO
COMPLEMENT IT. SO WE COMPLEMENT
WHAT CALTRANS HAS PRODUCED
THROUGHOUT TIME IN TERMS OF THE
RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION OF
PROPERTIES WITH MORE DETAILED
LOOK AT THE EXACT POPULATION AND
LOOKING AT THE RACIAL
COMPOSITION, WHICH IS HAS NOT
BEEN DONE BEFORE. PRODUCING SOME
THE SAME, UH, THE SAME SOURCES
WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE
COMMERCIAL SIDE AND ALSO THE
INSTITUTIONAL SITE, WHICH
CHURCHES WERE THERE IN SELF
WORTH AND SO BY TRIANGULATING
FROM MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES, WE
THINK WE HAVE A DEEPER AND
RICHER PICTURE OF THOSE
IMPACTED. WE ALSO IN SOME SITES
LOOK AT THE SPILLOVER EFFECTS
BOTH IMMEDIATELY AND LATER ON. I
TALKED ABOUT LATER ON THE LEGACY
OF THAT. BUT DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD, THERE'S ALSO A SPILL
OVER EFFECT. I MEAN, JUST THINK
ABOUT EVEN IF CAROL TRASK DIDN'T
BUY YOUR PROPERTY BUTTS RIGHT UP
AGAINST THE FREEWAY. YOU HAVE TO
LIVE THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION
AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE TO LIVE
WITH THE FREEWAY, THE NOISES AND
SO FORTH. SO IN SOME SITES WHERE
WE HAD ENOUGH INFORMATION, WE
ALSO LOOKED AT THAT. SO IN SOME
WAYS, WE'RE TRYING TO DRILL DOWN
A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GET A
BETTER PICTURE. A WHOLE PICTURE
ABOUT WHO WAS AFFECTED AND BY
UNDERSTAND WHO IS AFFECTED. I
THINK WE COULD THINK ABOUT HOW
DO WE FOCUS ON THE TYPE OF
REMEDIES WE MAKE? I THINK THAT'S
A GREAT WAY TO SEGUE INTO OUR
NEXT CONVERSATION. I WANT TO
THANK YOU BOTH. AND I KNOW THAT
YOU FOR US FOR THIS COMMITTEE
YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE. I HOPE
YOU ARE MAKING YOURSELF
AVAILABLE AS A RESOURCE AS WE
MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON FUTURE
ACTIONS. BUT AS YOU SAID,
LOOKING FORWARD, AND BUT YOU
HELPED US ESTABLISH A FACTUAL
HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR THIS
CONVERSATION. THAT'S WHY I WAS
SO THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE AND
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH WITH THAT WILL
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PANEL. BUT
BEFORE WE DO THAT, HELP ME. GIVE
THEM A APPRECIATION, PLEASE.
BEFORE WE DO THAT. I'D LIKE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE SOME MEMBERS WHO ARE
HERE. THE PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE,
REPRESENTING OFFICES
REPRESENTING SENATOR BUTLER, US
FEDERAL SENATOR IS ALBERTO
SANCHEZ, REPRESENTING STATE
SENATOR PADILLA IS RTO LIMB
REPRESENTING ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
WEBER. OUR COLLEAGUE IN THE
ASSEMBLY IS SAM GONZALES.
REPRESENTING MAYOR GLORIA IS
KEITH COREY AND REPRESENTING
COUNCIL MEMBER WOODBURN IS MALIK
THORNTON. THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE AND WE ARE NOW
TRANSITIONING ONTO OUR NEXT, UH,
CONVERSATION, WHICH IS THE CO
CHAIR OF THE LID, THE I FIVE
CAMPAIGN FROM SEATTLE WHO'S
GOING TO BE SHARING SOME OF THE
EXPERIENCES THAT SEATTLE HAS AH
HAD AS IT RELATES TO A EFFORT
THAT IS WELL ON ITS WAY, AS
PERHAPS ONE OF THE LARGEST
EXAMPLES ON THE WEST COAST THAT
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY OF
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES IN THE
COMMUNITY IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. SO SCOTT IT'S GOT I WAS
WITH YOU FOR OVER AN HOUR, AND I
DIDN'T ASK YOU HOW TO PRONOUNCE
YOUR LAST NAME, SO I APOLOGIZE.
UM BUT SCOTT BOND IS A BOND
XUEQIAN. WOW OKAY IS HERE AND
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND HE IS
GOING TO SHARE THE SEATTLE
EXPERIENCE, WHICH I'VE ALSO
SPENT SOME TIME RESEARCHING AND
READING AND THEY HAVE A WEBSITE
FULL OF INFORMATION. UM, AND
IT'S ALSO INSPIRING AND HELP ME
INSPIRE DO SOME OF THIS WORK
HERE. SO, SCOTT, WELCOME AND
PLEASE PROCEED WITH YOUR
PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
AND EVERYONE WHO HELPED PUT ON
THE EVENT TODAY. I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO BE HERE. UM MY NAME
IS SCOTT AND JOKING. I'M SEATTLE
RESIDENTS, AND BY DAY I WORK AS
AN URBAN DESIGN CONSULTANT, UM,
AND WORK ON THIS PROJECT AS A
VOLUNTEER BASIS. I GOT INVOLVED
IN THE STUDY OF FREEWAY LIDS
THROUGH MY WORK AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOR MY
GRADUATE DEGREE IN URBAN
PLANNING. AND IT'S KIND OF, UM,
SURPRISINGLY HAD A LIFE BEYOND
THE CLASSROOM AND IS NOW A REAL
REAL EFFORT. WE'RE TRYING TO THE
CONTINUANCE. SEATTLE NEXT SLIDE.
SO AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE
VOLUNTEER GROUP OF VERY SCRAPPY.
WE'RE NOT EVEN A NONPROFIT, BUT
WE WORK UNDER THE WING OF THE
SEATTLE PARKS FOUNDATION. UM AND
WE HAVE A BROAD COALITION OF
INTEREST REPRESENTING THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE FREEWAY
BUSINESSES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROVIDERS, TRANSPORTATION AND
PARKS ADVOCATES AND AS YOU CAN
SEE, WE HAVE UH, SUPPORTERS AT
LOCAL AND STATE LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT. WHICH IS IMPORTANT
TO BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY
COMPLEX, MULTILAYERED TYPE OF
PROJECT. THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER
PEOPLE NOT LISTED HERE,
INCLUDING THE 30 FOLKS ON OUR
ADVISORY COUNCIL. NEXT. SO
SEATTLE RESIDENTS HAVE ADVOCATED
FOR FREEWAY LIDS SINCE
INTERSTATE FIVE WAS BUILT IN THE
19 SIXTIES AND A KEY SUCCESS OF
THAT WAS FREEWAY PARK BUILT IN
19 SEVENTIES, AND I'LL TOUCH
THEM MORE OF THAT IN A MOMENT.
UM SINCE THE 19 SEVENTIES, THERE
HAVE BEEN VARIOUS OTHER GROUPS
TRYING TO DO MORE, AND OUR
CURRENT GROUP REALLY STARTED
GAINING TRACTION AROUND 2015.
AND WE REALLY BEEN ACTING MOSTLY
AS A KIND OF, UH, SPURRING
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND
BEING A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR
INFORMATION. WE HAVEN'T BEEN TOO
SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THE EXACT
DESIGN WE WANT TO SEE IS UM AND
I THINK THROUGH THAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO BUILD UP CREDIBILITY AND
EXPERTISE. WE'VE MADE STRIDES IN
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. FOR
EXAMPLE. LAST YEAR, THE
WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE FUNDED A
STATEWIDE I FIVE MASTER PLAN
THAT WILL LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF
THE I. FIVE FREEWAY BETWEEN
OREGON AND CANADA. UM ALONG WITH
US FUNDING A SPECIFIC STUDY OF
THE VULNERABILITY OF INTERSTATE
FIVE IN SEATTLE CITY LIMITS TO
AN EARTHQUAKE. THIS YEAR. WE
ALSO SECURED ANOTHER HALF
MILLION DOLLARS IN THE
LEGISLATURE FOR THE SEATTLE
PLANNING OFFICE TO STUDY LIDS
AND TO DO A RAMP STUDY OF THE
FREEWAY RAMPS AND ON RAMPS AND
OFF RAMPS IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS A MAP OF
SEATTLE WITH PARK SPACE
HIGHLIGHTED ON THE LEFT WERE
REALLY FOCUSING RIGHT NOW ON THE
CENTRAL SEATTLE AREA IN THE GRAY
BLOB THERE THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT
3% OF THE CITY'S LAND AREA, BUT
IT'S ABOUT WHERE A THIRD OF OUR
POPULATION GROWTH IS GOING
WITHOUT A SIMILAR INCREASE IN
PARKS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
SCHOOLS AND OTHER CIVIC
INFRASTRUCTURE. THE CENTER CITY
IS PRETTY DIVERSE COMPARED TO
SEATTLE AS A HOLDS, UH, MORE
MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE MORE
RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE
IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE MEDIAN
INCOMES ARE ABOUT 25% LOWER IT
HAS MANY MORE RENTERS. THERE ARE
MANY OTHER AREAS THAT SEATTLE
COULD SEE LIVES IN MARKED IN RED
ON THE MAP. UM WHETHER OUR
CONDITIONS APPROPRIATE FOR LIDS
SHOWN IN THE DIAGRAM ON THE
RIGHT, BUT WE'RE STARTING THERE
BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHERE
MOST OF OUR TEAM LIVES, AND
THAT'S KIND OF THE HEART OF THE
CITY. THEY WERE INTERESTED IN
SEEING THE SUCCESSFUL NEXT LINE.
SO THE RATIFY FIVE WHEN IT WAS
PLANNED, WAS PARTLY CHOSEN
BECAUSE OF TOPOGRAPHY. SEATTLE
HAS A LOT OF HILLS AND WATER
WAYS TO DEAL WITH, UM, BUT IT'S
ALSO PROBABLY NOT A COINCIDENCE
THAT THE CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS
THERE WERE HIGHER NUMBERS OF
PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO DIDN'T HAVE
AS MUCH POLITICAL AGENCY AT THE
TIME I FIVE WAS BUILT. THE
CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS WERE ALSO
REDLINED BY BANKS AND LENDING
COMPANIES TO DENY LOANS. FOR
HOMES AND BUSINESSES, THE NATIVE
PEOPLE IN OTHER RACIAL
MINORITIES. AT THE TIME I FIGHT
WAS BUILT. IT ALSO REMOVED 11
ACRES OF THE YES FULLER
TERRORIST PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT
, WHICH WAS THE FIRST RACIALLY
INTEGRATED PUBLIC HOUSING
PROJECT IN THE COUNTRY. UM, BUT
HAS RECENTLY BEEN REDEVELOPED.
UM AND OVERALL, IT'S NOT
SURPRISING THAT OVER 80% OF THE
RENTERS IN THE CENTER CITY STUDY
WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR 80% OF
HOUSEHOLDS ARE RENTERS IN THE
STUDY WERE LOOKING AT TEXT. SO
WE DID HAVE SOME MITIGATIONS
THAT I MENTIONED WITH SOME OF
THE NATION'S EARLIEST FREEWAY
LIDS ON THE LEFT FREEWAY PARK
OPENED IN 1976 ABOUT 10 YEARS
AFTER 55 OPENED, UM AND THEN IN
19 EIGHTIES ON THE RIGHT, WE CAN
SEE SEATTLE'S CONVENTION CENTER
BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION JUST A
LITTLE BIT TO THE LEFT OF THE
PARK TO THE NORTH OF THE PARK.
THEY CHOSE THAT LOCATION FOR THE
VERY COMPLEX CONVENTION CENTER
PROJECT, BECAUSE, UM, EVEN
THOUGH IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE AND
MORE TECHNICALLY CHALLENGING, IT
WAS AN EFFORT TO BRING MORE
VISITORS AND BUSINESS ACTIVITY
DOWNTOWN. NEXT. SO EQUITY IS
ALSO A INTEREST IN CONCERN AT
THE REGIONAL LEVEL. UM HERE WE
CAN SEE SEATTLE CITY, CENTRAL
SEATTLE ON THE LEFT AND ON THE
RIGHT OR SOME OF SEATTLE'S
SUBURBS ACROSS ON THE EAST SIDE
OF LAKE WASHINGTON. THE BLUE
LINES ARE OTHER SUBURBAN FREEWAY
LIP PROJECTS THAT HAVE EITHER
BEEN BUILT OR ARE IN VARIOUS
STAGES OF PLANNING AND INDICATED
BY THE DARKER GREENS AND BLUE
COLORS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MAP.
THOSE ARE MUCH MORE AFFLUENT
COMMUNITIES, UM, SEEING THE
BENEFITS OF FREEWAY LIDS AND THE
RED LIONS IN SEATTLE OR WHERE WE
WANT TO STUDY, UM, BUILDING MORE
LEADS IN A MUCH MORE MIXED
INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS. ZOOM IN A
LITTLE BIT ON THE NEXT SLIDE. SO
WE'VE MADE PROGRESS ON STUDYING
THE IDEA. UM WHAT WE ALL GET A
LITTLE BIT ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
SO FAR, WE'VE STUDIED THIS AREA
IN YELLOW, WHICH IS IN THE CORE
OF DOWNTOWN. IT WAS ANALYZED IN
DEPTH BY A FEASIBILITY STUDY IN
THE AREA IN ORANGE IS WHERE YOU
WANT TO STUDY FURTHER USING A
NEW FEDERAL FUNDING. THE TOTAL
CORRIDOR IS ABOUT A MILE AND A
HALF LONG ABOUT 60,000 PEOPLE
LIVING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE
OF THE AREA. UM ALSO, YOU CAN
SEE IN THE LITTLE RED LINES ON
THE MAP. INTERSTATE FIVE SEVERED
MULTIPLE STREET CONNECTIONS. SO
THIS BURDENS ALL THE REMAINING
STREETS TO COVER ALL OF THE
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND THOSE
REMAINING STREETS ARE NOT
ADEQUATELY DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE
WALKING AND BIKING, WHICH WE
DEFINITELY WANT TO ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO DO MORE. UM THOSE ARE
PARTICULARLY ISSUES OF THE
AUSTRIAN BIKE SAFETY IS ALSO
PARTICULARLY ISSUED YOUR ALL
THEIR NUMEROUS ARMED RANSOM
FREEWAY OFF RAMPS IN THIS AREA.
THERE'S ABOUT A DOZEN OF THEM.
SO HERE'S WHAT I FIVE LOOKS LIKE
TODAY. THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT
IS A TYPICAL VIEW THIS TIME OF
YEAR IN SEATTLE, WHERE IT'S
RAINY AND DARK, AND THE FREEWAY
DOESN'T REALLY OFFER ANY SOLACE
TO PEOPLE WALKING. UM PEOPLE
HAVE REPORTED TO US THAT THEY
AVOID WALKING NEAR THE FREEWAY
BECAUSE IT'S A REAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIER BETWEEN
NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, IT HAS NO
WEATHER PROTECTION. IT HAS
ASTHMA, TRIGGERING POLLUTION.
AND OF COURSE, VERY UNPLEASANT
SOUNDS WHETHER YOU'RE WALKING OR
JUST LIVING NEAR IT. NOW FOR
SOME VIEWS OF WHAT THIS COULD
LOOK LIKE WITH. THE IDEA CAME TO
FRUITION ON THE NEXT LINE ON THE
LEFT IS A KIND OF BEFORE IMAGE
OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE IN THE RIGHT SIDE IS THE
NORTH SIDE OF DOWNTOWN. IF YOU
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE CAN SEE
SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW PARK SPACES
AND MIXES OF COMMERCIAL AND
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS COULD
POTENTIALLY BE PUT ON THE LID.
THESE RENDERINGS ARE UNOFFICIAL
IMAGES IN PUBLIC BEEN USING THEM
TO REALLY SPUR CONVERSATIONS AND
PROMOTE THE PROJECT SINCE 2018 A
LOT OF THESE IMAGES ARE THE
RESULT OF A YEAR LONG VOLUNTEER
DESIGN EFFORTS THAT WE HOSTED
AND THAT WAS FUNDED BY A SMALL
GRANT FROM THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT
OF NEIGHBORHOODS NEXT LINE. AS
PART OF OUR DESIGN PROGRAM. WE
RECRUITED DESIGN FIRMS AND LAND
YOU STAKEHOLDERS RANGING FROM
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILDERS TO
OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO
COME UP WITH SOME MORE REALISTIC
LID DESIGNS AND HAD BEEN DRAWN
UP TO THAT POINT. THIS IS
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT THE
REAL MIX OF LAND USES AND
ACTIVITIES HAPPENING RIGHT IN
THE MIDDLE OF OUR STUDY AREA.
INTERSTATE FIVE DOESN'T JUST
AFFECT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
BUT ALSO WORKERS AND VISITORS
WERE LOOKING. UM AT THE LEFT.
THERE IS THE PARAMOUNT THEATER
AND THEN ON THE KIND OF THE
UPPER LEFT IS OF THE CONVENTION
CENTER'S NEWEST BUILDING, BUILT
ON SOLID GROUND NEXT TO THE
FREEWAY. SO SOME IDEAS FOR PARK
SPACE. SOME OTHER VIEWS SHOWN
HERE OVER ALL THE SWEETER
RENDERINGS WE HAVE WITH THE
RESULT OF ILLUSTRATING EACH
DESIGN TEAM'S FINAL DESIGN TO
SHOW THE POSSIBILITIES FROM A
VARIETY OF VIEWPOINTS. NEXT. IN
THE PROGRAM. UH, WE LEAD FIVE
DESIGN SESSIONS AND HAD A FINAL
PRESENTATION OF THE WORK WAS
OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND
WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 1000.
PEOPLE PARTICIPATE OVER THE
COURSE OF THE YEAR. UM ALL THAT
WORK IS DOCUMENTED IN OUR BLUE
BOOK. IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN
TAKING A LOOK AT THAT AND KIND
OF AT THE SAME TIME, WE PAIRED
IT WITH A SECOND BOOK THAT
LOOKED AT ABOUT 10 OTHER FREEWAY
AND RAILROAD LID STUDIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. JUST TO KIND OF
HELP DEMONSTRATE THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT'S OUT THERE. UM SO FOR THIS
AND ALL OF OUR OTHER ENGAGEMENT,
WE RELY ON A MIX OF SOCIAL
MEDIA, EMAIL, NEWSLETTERS, MEDIA
COVERAGE AND SIMPLY WORD OF
MOUTH AND PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.
HELP ADVERTISE, AND IT REALLY
HELPED US TO START IN A PRETTY
SAVVY AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY,
WHICH WAS THE ARCHITECTURE AND
DESIGN PROFESSIONS, WHICH ARE
VERY BUSY BUT ALSO VERY
INTERESTED IN IN IN CIVIC
PROGRESS IN SEATTLE. AND FROM
THERE, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP
SPREAD A LOT OF THE MOMENTUM. SO
NEXT I MENTIONED, UM THE
FEASIBILITY SAID HE WOULD DID.
WE WERE INTERESTED IN DOING THIS
TO PROVE IT'S NOT JUST A GOOD
IDEA, BUT IT CAN BE DONE. SO
THAT SAME YEAR IN 2018. WE WERE
SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING FUNDING
FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY. UM, THAT
WAS LED BY SEATTLE'S PLANNING
OFFICE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION OR WASH. SHOT. IN
2020. THAT STUDY CAME OUT AND
CONFIRM THAT WE CAN AND SHOULD
LIVE THE FREEWAY IN CENTRAL
SEATTLE FOR THE MELLIE MANY
PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT COULD
CREATE THE NEXT SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS
A COUPLE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFITS SO AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT,
THE STUDY FOUND THAT LID COULD
REDUCE NOISE LEVELS AND AIR
POLLUTION WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS OF
THE FREEWAY. UM, ALSO VERY
RELEVANT TO THE RECENT HEATWAVE
SUPER BEEN EXPERIENCING IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST COULD HELP
LOWER AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURES
IN THE AREA. THE LEAD COULD ALSO
BE DESIGNED AS A TYPE OF SPONGE
TO ABSORB AND TREAT SOME OF THE
RAINWATER RUNOFF THAT SPILLS OFF
THE UPHILL NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE
EAST SIDE OF I FIVE BEFORE IT
REACHES OUR MARINE HABITAT. NEXT
LINE. THE STUDY ALSO LOOKED AT
THE KIND OF THREE MAIN SCENARIOS
OF HOW IT LIVED MIGHT BE
DESIGNED NOT AS ALTERNATIVE
DESIGNS, BUT JUST KIND OF
TESTING. WHAT ARE THE
IMPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENT UH,
PROGRAM DECISIONS? SO THE TEST
CASE ONE WAS ON THE SIMPLEST.
AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHAT CAN
YOU DO IF YOU JUST BUILD A
SIMPLE PARK AND THE EASIEST
AREAS TO LIVE TEST CASE TO IS ON
THE ENTIRELY OTHER END OF THE
SPECTRUM, WHERE YOUR PARTNER
HEAVILY WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS
AND BUILD HIGH RISES ON THE LID?
AND TEST CASE THREE IS KIND OF A
MIDDLE GROUND WHERE YOU HAVE
SOME PRIVATE INVOLVEMENT STILL,
BUT IT'S MORE OF A BALANCE OF
PARK SPACE AND SOME AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. AND SO YOU CAN JUST SEE
SOME OF THE NUMBERS HERE ON THE
QUICK STATS ON THE VARIOUS
DIFFERENT SIZES OF LID,
POTENTIAL NUMBERS OF NEW HOUSING
AND COMMERCIAL AND CIVIC SPACE
THAT COULD BE PROVIDED. IT'S
PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL. WE'RE
LOOKING AT A YOU KNOW, BETWEEN
11 AND 17 ACRES, WHICH COULD IS
THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT EIGHT
CITY BLOCKS ON THE MAXIMUM SIDE.
UM ON THE, UH, EVOLVING PRIVATE
INVOLVEMENTS WOULD POTENTIALLY
DRIVE SOME LARGER ECONOMIC
BENEFITS. DEPENDING ON THE
AMOUNT OF REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY.
YOU COULD HAVE, OF COURSE, A
NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTION AND
PERMANENT JOBS, NEW REVENUE
GENERATED TO THE CITY AND THE
STATE FROM INCREASED PROPERTY
VALUES IN THE AREA. AND BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS, POTENTIALLY IN
DIRECT AND INDIRECT ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF
THE PROJECTS. NEXT. AND LOOKING
AT PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IS ALSO
INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE
LOOK AT A LOT OF WHAT THE EAST
COAST IS DOING THERE. THERE TEND
TO BE MORE ADVANCED IN THIS
ARENA, ESPECIALLY IN BOSTON AND
WASHINGTON. D C. HAVE A LOT OF,
UM PRIVATE DEVELOPERS LOOKING AT
AIRSPACE WHERE AVAILABLE LAND
GETS TIGHT, AND IT BECOMES TO
MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE FOR THEM TO
GO THROUGH THE COMPLEX PROCESS
OF DEVELOPING BUILDINGS OVER THE
FREEWAY. UM SO SEATTLE STARTING
TO GET TO THAT POINT WHERE WE'RE
RUNNING OUT OF DEVELOPABLE LAND
DOWNTOWN. UM BUT, YOU KNOW, WE
WANT TO. WE'RE INTERESTED IN
DOING THAT, BUT WE WANT TO
MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
EQUITABLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO DO A
LOT OF THE VISIONING AND MASTER
PLANNING WORK UP FRONT BEFORE
ENGAGING IN OFFICIAL
PARTNERSHIPS. HMM SO THE NEXT
STEP SOURCE. SEATTLE ONE OF THE
HELPFUL THINGS THAT JUST HAPPEN
IS IN SEPTEMBER, OUR CITY
COUNCIL PASSED THE RESOLUTION
FORMALLY THROWING THE CITY'S
SUPPORT BEHIND THE PROJECT. UM
THAT'S ALSO HELPFUL SINCE WE
JUST HAD A PRETTY LARGE CITY
COUNCIL TURNOVER IN THE NOVEMBER
ELECTION. WE JUST APPLIED FOR
THE U. S. D O T RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS
PROGRAM SHOULD FIND OUT IN
NOVEMBER OR EXCUSE ME IN
FEBRUARY. IF THAT FUNDING COMES
THROUGH THE HELP DO ADDITIONAL
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND REASSESS
SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS POST
PANDEMIC. AND OUR WORK ALSO, AS
ADVOCATES IS TO CONTINUE BEING
IN THE DRUM AND RAISING PUBLIC
AWARENESS FOR THE PROJECTS,
WHICH HELPS BUILD POLITICAL
SUPPORT COMMITMENTS, AND THEY
GET THE PROJECT DONE, AND AS
PART OF THAT WORK IN 2020 FOR
SEATTLE, WILL BE UPDATING ITS
CITYWIDE LAND USE AND
TRANSPORTATION PLANS, AND WE
WANT TO GET THE LID MORE
FORMALLY ADOPTED INTO THOSE UM
AND SO THROUGH OUR WORK, AND
THROUGH MY EARLIER RESEARCH AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON,
JUST KIND OF DISCOVERED A COUPLE
OF BROAD STEPS IN DEVELOPMENT
THAT WE SEEM TO THINK MIGHT BE
COMMON ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NO
MATTER WHAT THE PROGRAM
ENVISIONED IS, UM, FIRST IS THE
LOCATION BEING IMPORTANT. YOU
WANT TO START WITH AN AREA?
THAT'S UM YOU KNOW, FLUIDS ARE
VERY PHYSICALLY DEPENDENT ON
BEING KIND OF THE FREEWAYS BELOW
GRADE. AND SO YOU CAN BRIDGE
OVER THAT, BASICALLY ANYWHERE
YOU HAVE OVERPASSES INSTEAD OF
STREETS PASSING BELOW THE
FREEWAY TENDS TO BE MORE VIABLE.
UM YOU ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT, UM
WHAT STAKEHOLDERS ARE GOING TO
BE INVOLVED AND WHO WILL BE ABLE
TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT? YOU
KNOW, IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO
PROBABLY BUILD A LID IN A
RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL AREA
THAN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA, FOR
EXAMPLE. UM NEXT WOULD BE TO
ASSESS THE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY
INTEREST IN THE PROJECT. UM
BEFORE PUTTING TOO MUCH TIME AND
ENERGY INTO IT, YOU KNOW, FIND
OUT WHO CARES ABOUT THE PROJECT
WHO WILL BENEFIT FIND OUT IF
IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT AND THE
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS TO DO IT.
ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH
THE ASSET OWNER AND SEE WHERE
THEY'RE AT WITH THE IDEA TO SEE
IF THEY HAVE ANY PLANS TO
UPGRADE THE FREEWAY OR MODIFY IT
THAT CAN BE WORKED INTO SOME
TYPE OF COMBINED PROJECT, SEE IF
THE FREEWAYS IN A POOR CONDITION
THAT CAN HELP JUSTIFY DOLLARS
GOING TO A LARGER PROJECT. LIKE
I MENTIONED EXPLORE PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IF
THERE'S AN INTEREST IN GOING
BEYOND JUST PUBLIC PARK SPACE,
UM THEN, FROM THERE DEVELOPING A
MASTER PLAN THAT DETERMINES WHAT
THE LATEST USED FOR AND THAT CAN
HELP DETERMINE WHO PAYS FOR IT,
OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE'S MORE
PUBLIC USES, LIKE PARKS AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT PROBABLY
IMPLIES MORE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
VERSUS PRIVATE REAL ESTATE
INVOLVES MORE PRIVATE FUNDING
EFFORTS. MINIMIZING CONSTRUCTION
DISRUPTION. THAT'S ALWAYS A
CONCERN THAT WILL PROBABLY
INEVITABLY BE DISRUPTIONS WITH
ANY TYPE OF PROJECT BECAUSE
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSE
SOME FREEWAY LINES TEMPORARILY.
BUT WE'VE SEEN WITH PROJECTS
LIKE CLYDE WARREN PARK IN DALLAS
. THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THEY
PLACED ALL THEIR GIRDERS AND
JUST 20 WEEKEND AND NIGHTTIME
CLOSURES SO IT CAN BE PRETTY
PRETTY EFFICIENT. HAVE IT DONE
IN PLANNED WELL. AND THEN
THINKING LONG TERM, CONCRETE AND
STEEL PROJECTS TEND THE LAST 50
TO 75 YEARS AND SO THINKING
ABOUT THE LONG TERM OPERATIONS
AND MAINTENANCE IN THE PROJECT,
TOO, IS IMPORTANT TICKET TO GET
BUY IN AND MAKE SURE THAT THE
SPACE IS WELL MAINTAINED. AND
THEN I'LL WRAP UP WITH A COUPLE
OF OTHER KIND OF NUGGETS OF
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE
DEVELOPED IN TERMS OF LID DESIGN
THAT WE DERIVE FROM THE
CONSULTANTS WHO WORKED ON OUR
FEASIBILITY STUDY. IN MY OWN
RESEARCH OF LIP ROCKS AROUND THE
COUNTRY. UM ONE IS THE WHIFF OF
THE FREEWAY REALLY MATTERS AND
HOW WHERE YOU CAN PLACE COLUMNS,
UM, LONGER SPANS REQUIRE DEEPER
GIRDERS SUPPORTING THE LID,
WHICH CAN AFFECT THE QUALITY OF
THE EDGES OF THE LID AND WHETHER
IT'S ACCESSIBLE, AND IT MAKES
THE ACTUAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
PROPERTY SURROUNDING THE LID. SO
IF YOU CAN FIND TWO OR THREE
PLACES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
FREEWAY, THEY PUT DOWN COLUMNS I
CAN REALLY HELP MAKE THE DESIGN
MORE EFFICIENT. HEAVIER LOADS,
TALLER BUILDINGS OR DEEPER SOIL
FOR TREES REQUIRE THICKER LIST
STRUCTURES. UM THINKING ABOUT
THE MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS.
TYPICALLY THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION WILL MAINTAIN
THE UNDER STRUCTURE UP TO THE
WATERPROOF MEMBRANE, AND THEN IT
WILL BE THE LOCAL AUTHORITY OR
PARTNERS. RESPONSIBILITY ABOVE
THAT. UM LIVES AT 800 FT OR
LONGER, ROUGHLY START TO BECOME
A TUNNEL, WHICH TRIGGERS
REQUIREMENTS FOR MECHANICAL
VENTILATION, FIRE SAFETY
SUPPRESSION AND EMERGENCY EXIT
STAIRWELLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT ADDS MORE TO THE COST.
BUT IT CAN BE WORTH IT IF YOU'RE
IN AN AREA THAT REALLY DESERVES,
OR NEEDS A LARGER INVESTMENTS.
USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT
THE REST OF THE SURROUNDING
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. UM OTHER
DUPLICATE RAMPS OR OFF RAMPS
THAT CAN BE REMOVED OR SHIFTED
TO HELP IMPROVE THE PEDESTRIAN
ENVIRONMENT, RECONNECT THE
STREET GRID AND IMPROVED
PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE MOBILITY.
THINKING ABOUT ECONOMIES OF
SCALE. LARGER AREAS COSTS LESS
PER SQUARE FOOT TO DO THAN A
SMALLER LID. PHASING UH,
NECESSARY NOT JUST FROM A COST
PERSPECTIVE, BUT USUALLY FROM A
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE
SO OFTENTIMES LOOKING AT BETWEEN
EXISTING STREET OVERPASSES AS
ONE CHUNK AND THEN GOING DOWN
FROM THERE CAN ALSO KIND OF BE A
NATURAL WAY TO PHASE UP
PROJECTS. AND THEN THERE'S A
NUMBER OF URBAN DESIGN
COMPONENTS THINKING ABOUT, UM
HOW THE LIVE CONNECTS INTO THE
EXISTING LAND ON THE EDGE OF THE
FREEWAY, WHETHER YOU HOW YOU
ACTIVATE ANY GROUND FLOOR USES
ON NEW BUILDINGS. AND THINKING
ABOUT LANDSCAPING AND OTHER
PUBLIC SPACES TO MAKE SURE THEY
REFLECT COMMUNITY NEEDS. SO THAT
, UM I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS AND HAPPY TO ALSO
POTENTIALLY TALK TO OUR STATE
LEGISLATURE ABOUT DOING A
SIMILAR COMMITTEE BECAUSE WE'RE
REALLY INTERESTED IN USING NEW
FEDERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY
AROUND RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES
IN SEATTLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SCOTT.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE
SHOWING THE SEATTLE STORY. I
THINK IT'S UM IT'S INSPIRING FOR
ANYONE WHO'S DONE. COMMUNITY
ORGANIZING ACTIVISM WORK TO SEE
A GROUP OF RESIDENTS REALLY
LEAVE THIS EFFORT THAT NOW SEEMS
TO HAVE BEEN, UM ALMOST ADOPTED
BY THE STAKEHOLDERS, SO I KNOW
OUR COLLEAGUE HAS TO GET GOING
SINCE I'LL GIVE HER A CHANCE.
MAYBE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS. I
DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS
PARTICULAR PANEL OR ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS THAT SOME REMEMBER
BERNARD LIKE TO THANK YOU
REMEMBER, I RATHER REALLY THANK
YOU FOR SELECTING SUCH A GREAT
PARALLEL TO WHAT WE HAVE IN SAN
DIEGO. BECAUSE YOU LOOKED AT THE
SOME OF YOUR SLIDES WERE ABOUT
THE SEISMIC ABOUT LIQUID
FICATION ABOUT SEA LEVEL RISE
ALL THOSE THINGS. AND WE'RE
GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT IN SAN
DIEGO AS WELL. SO I THINK IT'S A
REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE. AND YOU
KNOW, AND ENCINITAS WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT, UM, TUNNELING THE TRAIN
FROM OCEANSIDE TO THE MIDCOAST
TROLLEY FOR YEARS, AND THEY
ALWAYS COMES UP WHAT THE
OPPORTUNITIES ARE THAT YOU'VE
HIGHLIGHTED AND THEN IT COMES UP
ALL THE CHALLENGES AND IT SEEMS
NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. TO DO SO I
THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, THIS
IS A REALLY GREAT INVESTMENT AND
IT'S A REALLY GREAT PARALLEL SO
VERY WELL SELECTED, UM TO MY
COLLEAGUE FOR DOING THAT, AND
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. THANK
YOU. I THINK I'LL QUESTION I
HAVE FOR YOU. SCOTT AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. YOU KNOW, YOU
HAVE TO OTHER COMMITMENTS. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, UM THE IT SEEMS
LIKE YOU'VE GOTTEN YOUR LAST
LINE IN PARTICULAR IS REALLY
APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE, UM SOME
OF US HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
SOME OF THIS IDEA HERE LOCALLY,
THERE'S SOME PRETTY BASIC SORT
OF CHECK OFF LIST THAT HELPS US
CONTINUE TO DETERMINE FROM AT
LEAST A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT,
YOU KNOW? IS THIS A VIABLE?
PROJECT OR IDEA CONCEPT GOING
FORWARD, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR GETTING US TO THAT TO THAT
LEVEL OF DETAIL. UM, BUT CAN YOU
TELL US, UH, I HEARD YOU MENTION
THAT THIS YEAR YOU RECEIVED SOME
ADDITIONAL FUNDING. WHAT? WHAT
ARE THE WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF
SUPPORT THAT YOU RECEIVED TO
DATE BECAUSE DOING THIS WORK
ENVISIONING AND DOING THE
BEAUTIFUL RENDERINGS IS FUN, AND
ARCHITECTS CAN GET REALLY
CREATIVE ABOUT ALL THAT, BUT AT
SOME POINT YOU NEED TO HAVE
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS WHETHER YOU
CAN, AS YOU SAID EARLIER. THIS
GOES FROM AN IDEA TO AN ACTUAL
POTENTIAL PROJECTS. SO CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT UM, HOW THAT'S WHAT
THE EVOLUTION OR THE PROGRESS OF
THAT HAS BEEN JUST SO WE GET A
SENSE OF WHAT YOU HAD TO GO
THROUGH TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE
TODAY. YEAH SURE. UM SO THERE'S
KIND OF TWO COLUMNS OF FUNDING.
ONE IS US AS A VOLUNTEER GROUP.
UM, WE BASICALLY OPERATE ON A
SHOESTRING BUDGET FUNDED BY, UM
LOCAL CITIZENS. JUST DONATING
SMALL AMOUNTS. UM SO YOU KNOW,
WE PUT ON A COUPLE OF $1000 HERE
AND THERE FOR COMMUNITY
WORKSHOPS AND WHATNOT. SO IT'S
PRETTY SMALL, BUT, UM, WHAT
WE'VE REALLY FOUND, WE'VE
SURPRISINGLY FOUND, UM, TO GET
THE ACTUAL PROJECT FUNDING
GOING. THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF
SOURCES. HAVE I MENTIONED THAT
DESIGN PROGRAM? WE DID, UM, WAS
A YEARLONG EFFORT THAT WAS
FUNDED BY A $48,000 GRANT FROM
SEATTLE'S DEPARTMENT IN
NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M NOT SURE IF
SAN DIEGO HAS A SIMILAR FUN, BUT
BASICALLY THEY HELPED FUND UH
LOCAL EFFORTS TO HELP IMPROVE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO WE WERE
ABLE TO USE THAT FUNDING TO HELP
BOOK VENUES DO PUBLIC PRINTING,
GET FOOD AND DRINK TO EVENTS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT? UM AND WE HAD
THE MATCH UP WITH VOLUNTEER
HOURS. THE FEASIBILITY STUDY
THAT WE DID WAS FUNDED BY THE
CONVENTION CENTER AS PART OF
THEIR PUBLIC BENEFITS PACKAGE.
IT WAS, UM REALLY LUCKY TIMING.
ACTUALLY THEY HAD TO PROVIDE
PUBLIC BENEFITS BECAUSE THEY
WERE VACATING OR BUYING UP THE
LAND FOR A COUPLE OF STREETS AND
ALLEYWAYS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE
ARE NEW BUILDING AND WE WERE
ABLE TO GET A SMALL SLICE OF
THEIR $90 MILLION PUBLIC
BENEFITS PIE HELP FUND THAT
STUDY. SO THAT WAS KIND OF A ONE
TIME DEAL. I'M NOT SURE HOW IT
WOULD HAVE FUNDED IT. UM BUT AND
THEN ALSO, I MENTIONED
INTERRUPTED. THAT WAS ONE TIME
BUT REALLY CRITICAL FUNDING IF I
REMEMBER CORRECTLY, YEAH. YEAH
AND YOU KNOW A MILLION OR HOW
MUCH THE FEASIBILITY STUDY. THEY
PROVIDED A MILLION DOLLARS FOR
THAT? YEAH. AND SO, UM, AND WE
KIND OF BASE THAT ESTIMATE FOR
LEVEL OF NEED FOR THE
FEASIBILITY STUDY BASED ON SOME
OTHER LID PROJECTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY. UM I DON'T THINK THERE
WAS A DOLLARS PER ACRE RATIO OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT THAT
WAS KIND OF ROUGHLY THE SCALE.
WE LOOKED AT. UM AND THEN, AS I
MENTIONED, THE STATE LEGISLATURE
HAS ALSO RECENTLY STEPPED UP
WITH SOME KIND OF SEED FUNDING.
UM, BOTH KIND OF DIRECTLY FOR
THE LATE PROJECT. THEY PROVIDED
$200,000 TO OUR CITY PLANNING
DEPARTMENT RECENTLY. UM WE'RE
STILL TRYING TO SCOPE THAT WORK
AND ALSO KIND OF INDIRECTLY
THROUGH THEIR CORRIDOR MASTER
PLANNING FUNDING AS WELL. SO
THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL REALLY
HELPFUL. WE HAVE, UM FOLKS WHO
ARE IN ALL THOSE SPACES THAT
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE TAKING NOTE AND
WE COULD ALL COLLABORATE ON
REQUESTING SOME THAT FUNDING. UM
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. I THINK
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH OUR
OTHER PANELS. I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR COMING DOWN ALL THE WAY
FROM SEATTLE AND I AGAIN REALLY
ENCOURAGE YOU ALL ARE LED BY
FIVE .ORG. IF I REMEMBER THE
WEBSITE CORRECTLY, YES. YEAH. UH
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK IT OUT.
AND THERE'S ALSO SOME GOOD
INFORMATION IN YOUR BOOKS.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING SCOTT
FOR HIS PRESENTATION. UP NEXT
WE'LL HEAR FROM A VERY LOCALIZED
PERSPECTIVE. WE HAVE ROGER LEWIS
AND JOANNA MALL FROM SANTIAGO
COMMENTS. THEY WILL ALSO, UH.
TOUCH UPON SOME OF THE COMMUNITY
LED CONVERSATIONS ON
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES HERE IN
SAN DIEGO. I HAD THE HONOR OF
CONNECTING WITH WITH ROGER. UM A
FEW. MAYBE NOW A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO BEFORE ACTUALLY GETTING INTO
THE ASSEMBLY AND WAS INSPIRED BY
THE WORK HE WAS DOING, CERTAINLY
IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE
CONNECTED AT THAT POINT ABOUT
HOW WE COULD PUSH FORWARD
PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY THAT
DESPERATELY NEED THIS KIND OF
INVESTMENT. AND SO I WANT TO
THANK HIM FOR HIS ONGOING ALSO
VOLUNTARY GIVING BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY FOR THIS EFFORT AND
THANK YOU BOTH. AND JOANNA AND
ROGER AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
YOU NOW. 20 TO DO THAT AGAIN.
SORRY VERY PLEASURE TO BE HERE
IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY. WE
APPRECIATE IT. I'M ROGER LEWIS.
I'M THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF SAN
DIEGO COMMONS. WE'D LIKE TO
EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION TO THE
SELECT COMMITTEE. FOR
CONSIDERING IN MORE DEPTH, HOW
TO ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS
THAT URBAN FREEWAYS HAVE BROUGHT
UPON THOSE COMMUNITIES THEY PASS
THROUGH. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO THINK
THAT SELECT COMMUNITY CHARITY,
MR ALVAREZ FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT FOR YOU TODAY. GOOD
AFTERNOON. I'M JOHANNA MALL. I
AM ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF
CYNICAL COMMENTS, AND WE WOULD
LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE
TODAY. UH ABOUT OUR STRATEGY AND
LESSONS LEARNED IN DEVELOPING
SEND YOUR COMMENTS AND OUR
EXPERIENCES WITH COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND THE CHALLENGES, UM,
WITH ENGAGEMENT AS WELL. WE HOPE
THIS WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A
LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT ON OUR
EFFORTS AND CHALLENGES AS YOU
LOOK TO DEVELOP POLICIES TO
EFFECTIVELY RECONNECT OUR
COMMUNITIES GOING FORWARD. WE
WILL BEGIN WITH A NARRATIVE
OVERVIEW OF OUR PRESENTATION AND
OUR MISSION. WE ARE. SAN DIEGO
COMMENTS, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT
CORPORATION FORMED IN 2019 BY
CIVIC MINDED INDIVIDUALS WORKING
TO IMPROVE SANDY GOES URBAN
QUALITY OF LIFE. GREEN. THE CAP
EFFORT IS A CITIZEN BASED
INITIATIVE TO CREATE FREEWAY
COVERS THAT WILL RECONNECT
COMMUNITIES BY CREATING NEW
PUBLIC LAND WILL ALSO REDUCING
THE ADVERSE SOCIAL HEALTH AND
ECONOMIC EFFECTS CREATED BY
INTERSTATE FIVE AS IT PASSES
THROUGH SAN DIEGO'S URBAN CORE.
CAN IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY'S
FREEWAYS DIVIDE BY CREATING NEW
GREEN OPEN SPACE, WHICH COULD
THEN PROVIDE COMMUNITY AMENITIES
, HOUSING AND SERVICES WHILE
IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT WE
LIVE IN ADDRESSING GLOBAL
WARMING IS URGENT, AND THE
REASONS ARE PROFOUND. WE MUST
REDUCE THE TOXIC AIR POLLUTION
THAT FREEWAYS PRODUCE AND
MINIMIZE THE CONCRETE HEAT
ISLANDS THEY CREATE. THE COVERS
WILL CONSOLIDATE TRANSIT EXHAUST
AND CLEANSE IT BEFORE RELEASING
IT BACK INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THE
VISION FOR FREEWAYS LIVES IN SAN
DIEGO WAS NOT OUR OWN. THE
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY
PLAN CALLS FOR TWO FREEWAY
COVERS OVER I FIVE TO BE
IMPLEMENTED. THE PLAN
SPECIFICALLY DETAILS ONE COVER
RECONNECTING SHERMAN HEIGHTS
WITH THE EAST VILLAGE. AND THE
OTHER COVER WITH REESTABLISHED
BALBO PARKS FRONT PORCH, BUT
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. THE
SOUTHEASTERN SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY
PLAN. ALSO DETAILS THE SHERMAN
HEIGHTS EAST VILLAGE COVER AS
WELL AS TO OTHER COVERS A BIT
FURTHER SOUTH, WHICH ARE ALSO
PART OF THE BARRIO LOGAN PLAN
CONNECTING THE COMMUNITIES OF
BARRIO LOGAN AND LOGAN HEIGHTS.
THE GREEN. THE GAP EFFORTS
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES UPON
BUILDING THE SHERMAN HEIGHTS AND
BELL BALLPARK COVERS. THE
SHERMAN HEIGHTS LEAD AS A
STRAIGHTFORWARD CAP OVER THE
FREEWAY. ALTHOUGH BALBOA COVER
IS LARGER AND MORE COMPLEX, IT
WOULD ALSO GREATLY ENHANCING
MAJOR REGIONAL AMENITY. CREATING
THE SHERMAN HEIGHTS COVER WITH
FOSTER A LINEAR PARKWAY FROM THE
HEART OF SHERMAN HEIGHTS, ALL
THE WAY TO THE WATERFRONT. IN
DOING SO IT WOULD PASS THROUGH A
NUMBER OF URBAN AMENITIES,
INCLUDING THE UCSD DOWNTOWN
CAMPUS AND CENTRAL LIBRARY.
TRAVELING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. TODAY NOT
ONLY ARE THESE HISTORIC
COMMUNITY SEPARATED BUT
DANGEROUS POLLUTION WIFE'S UP
THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS,
CAUSING PERVASIVE HEALTH
PROBLEMS ACCOMPANIED BY
REFLECTING HEAT VISUAL AND NOISE
IMPACTS. MR SHERMAN HEIGHTS
COVERS LID READY, MEANING THAT
IT IS RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE TO
COMPLETE AS IT DOESN'T REQUIRE
MODIFICATIONS OR REENGINEERING
TWO THINGS SUCH AS ON AND OFF
RAMPS. THIS GREEN BLANK SLATE
RENDERING PROVIDES A SENSE OF
THE AREA THAT THE COMMUNITIES
WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH TO
DETERMINE WHAT AMENITIES AND
USES THEY DEEM APPROPRIATE. IT
SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH A
COMMUNITY DRIVEN PRODUCT DESIGN
PROCESS, WHICH SAN DIEGO
COMMENTS HAS THE ABILITY TO
ASSIST WITH THE TIME IS RIGHT.
OUR GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES THAT
THE SEVERE NUMEROUS IMPACTS THAT
BEGAN WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY
ADMINISTRATION'S PROGRAMS IN THE
LATE FIFTIES MUST BE ADDRESSED.
MONEY HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED
SPECIFICALLY FOR COMMUNITIES THE
HARDEST. FORMAL CRITERIA BEEN
ESTABLISHED FOR GRANTS AT THE
FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS. AT
THIS TIME. THE GREATEST
POSSIBILITY TO DEVELOP FREEWAY
COVERS IS IN AREAS WHERE THE
RESULTING FREEWAY IMPACTS
CREATED COMMUNITIES FACING
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGES. SHERMAN
HEIGHTS NEEDS TO COLLEGE ARE
CONSIDERED HISTORICALLY
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AND
THAT'S FULLY QUALIFIED FOR
AVAILABLE FUNDING AT BOTH THE
FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL. CURRENT
MAJOR FUNDING PROGRAMS FAVOR THE
SHERMAN HEIGHTS COVER OUR OTHER
GREEN. THE GAP EFFORT IS UPON
THE BELL BOW PARK COVER TO
DOWNTOWN. PRIOR TO THE 19
SIXTIES, SAN DIEGO IS A SEAMLESS
COLLECTION OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND
BELT BALLPARK WAS SITUATED IN
THE HEART OF THEM. THE IMAGE ON
THE LOWER RIGHT SHOWS THE
SOUTHWESTERN SIDE OF THE PARK
WITH THE FORMAL GATEWAY, THE
ELLIPSE, WHERE THE FREEWAY WAS
BUILT. THIS RESULTED IN THE
FAMILIAR SCENE IN THE UPPER
RIGHT HAND CORNER WITH THE
ELLIPSE ELIMINATED AND THE
FREEWAY. ISOLATED COMMUNITIES
HAVE BANKERS HILL, GOLDEN HILL,
SHERMAN HEIGHTS AND LOGAN
HEIGHTS FROM DOWNTOWN. THE
BALLPARK COVERS UNIQUE UNTO
ITSELF. NOT ONLY THE BANKERS
HILL IN CORTEZ COMMUNITIES
RECONNECTED BUT IT WOULD ALSO
REINTEGRATE THE SOUTHERN FACE OF
BELL BALLPARK WITH THE DOWNTOWN
CORE. BALBOA PARK WOULD
LITERALLY BE THE CENTER OF THE
CITY ACCESSIBLE DIRECTLY TO
WALKING AND BIKING FROM ALL THE
SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS
IS I FIVE TODAY AGAIN BUILDING
POLLUTED AIR, EXCESSIVE NOISE
AND REFLECTING HEAT INTO THE
PARK AND ADJACENT COMMUNITIES.
HERE AGAIN IS A SIMPLE GREEN
SLATE RENDERING THAT PROVIDES AN
IDEA OF THE ADDITIONAL AREA
PUBLIC SPACE. THE COVER WOULD
HAD OVER 14 ACRES OF PUBLIC
LAND. THE USES OF WHICH WOULD BE
DETERMINED THROUGH A VIBRANT
PUBLIC PROCESS. WELL THE GREEN.
THE GAP EFFORT IS GRAND AND
AMBITIOUS CITIES ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY, AND, IN FACT, ALL
AROUND THE WORLD HAVE AND ARE
BUILDING FREEWAY COVERS. SAN
DIEGO HAS OUR OWN LOCAL EXAMPLES
WITH ONE BEING TERRELL TO PARK.
LONG, LONG COVER OVER INTERSTATE
15 IN CITY HEIGHTS, THE FIRST
DEVELOPED IN CALIFORNIA. THIS IS
OUR MISSION TO GREEN THE GAP
OVER THE I FIVE CORRIDOR IN THE
URBAN CORE OF SAN DIEGO. WE
WELCOME YOUR INTEREST AND
COMMENTS BECOME A PART OF THE
MOVEMENT TO ADDRESS CRITICAL
CLIMATE WARMING IMPACTS AND
RELAX. SANDY GOES HISTORIC
COMMUNITIES. SAN DIEGO COMMONS
WAS FORMED IN 2018, A SMALL
GROUP OF ENGAGED COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. AWARE THAT OUR URBAN
COMMUNITY PLANS CALLED FOR
SEVERAL FREEWAY COVERS. I
BELIEVE THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO DO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT OF
AN IMPACTFUL SCALE FOR SAN
DIEGANS. WE SOON BECAME AWARE OF
THE FRIENDS OF HOLLYWOOD CENTRAL
PARK IN LOS ANGELES AND THEIR
WORK FOR 15 YEARS AND
RECONNECTING EASTERN AND CENTRAL
UM PARKS AND CENTRAL HOLLYWOOD
PARKING, UM, OVER THE 101
FREEWAY IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO GARNER THE
PARTICIPATION OF TWO FOUNDING
MEMBERS OF THAT BOARD WHO HELPED
US TO INITIALLY FORM ARE NON
PROFIT STRUCTURE. THEIR
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE FURTHER
AFFIRMED OUR BELIEF IN THE
ABSOLUTE IMPERATIVE THAT FOR
SUCCESS, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE
ACHIEVED THROUGH A COMMUNITY
DRIVEN EFFORT. OUR BOARD
DIRECTORS AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE
SCREEN HERE. OUR FIRST AND
FOREMOST CIVIC ORIENTED MEMBERS
OF THESE CORE COMMUNITIES. THE
COLLECTIVE BODY OF OUR
DIRECTORS, ALONG WITH THE
ACCOMPLISHED MEMBERS OF OUR
ADVISORY COUNCIL REPRESENT MANY
OF THE MOST RECOGNIZED PEOPLE.
REGIONALLY WORKING ACROSS THE
REALM OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS,
URBAN DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE,
PUBLIC POLICY AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. SAN DIEGO COMMENTS
WAS SELF CONSTRUCTED AS A
RESOURCE FOR COMMUNITIES TO
UTILIZE. WE ARE IN ALL VOLUNTEER
ORGANIZATION, HOWEVER, AND WITH
THAT COMES THE CHALLENGE OF
MEETING THE DEMANDS OF
CONSTANTLY DEVELOPING AND
MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE
OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE. EXCUSE
ME. THIS IS IMMENSELY AIDED WITH
FINANCIAL RESOURCES WERE
PURSUING A STRATEGY WHEREBY WE
ARE WORKING TO CULTIVATE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL PRIVATE
PHILANTHROPIC RESOURCES FOR
POTENTIAL GRANTS TO PROVIDE
STAFFING AND GRANT WRITING. WE
COULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM
RESOURCES TO ASSIST ORGANIZATION
AS WE'RE JUST ONE OF SO MANY
VOLUNTEER GROUPS LOOKING TO
COMPETE FOR LARGE SCALE FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES TO PREPARE FIRST
PURSUE THE MISSIONS WE WORK FOR.
WHILE WE HAVE FOCUSED OUR
EFFORTS UPON PURSUING LARGE
PROGRAM FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES,
SUCH AS THE JBS RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES WE UNDERSTAND
CLEARLY TO THE BE EFFECTIVE.
THERE'S REQUIRES AN ACTIVE
SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIP WITH
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. FOR US,
DESPITE MEETING WITH ALL THE
LOCAL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES IN
THE CITY TO FEDERAL HIERARCHY.
AS WELL AS LOCAL COMMUNITY
GROUPS. THE QUESTION HAS BECOME,
HOW DO WE GET THAT FIRST FOOT IN
THE DOOR? PERHAPS THE CREATION
OF A STATE POLICY FOCUSED UPON
ALLOWING FOR THE DIRECT
INTERACTION OF HISTORICALLY
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WITH
STATE PROGRAMS. TO ADVANCE
TARGETED COMMUNITY SUPPORTED
INITIATIVES JUST MIGHT BE
EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL AND GETTING
PROJECTS OFF THE GROUND. I CAN
RELATE THIS IDEA TO THE WORKING
STRUCTURE OF CALIFORNIA
REDEVELOPMENT. BEFORE ITS DEMISE
IN THE 2011. LOCAL PROJECT AREA
COMMITTEES COMPRISED OF ELECTED
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ADVISED AND
ADVOCATED FOR COMMUNITIES SCALE
PROJECTS WITH THEIR RELATED
CITIES, REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES.
ULTIMATELY FOR FUNDING
TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS IN
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
CALTRANS OR THE STATE'S ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS COULD
PROVIDE AN AVENUE FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL CITIZEN
COMPRISED BOARDS ORGANIZATIONS.
ELECTED OR APPOINTED. GIVEN THE
ABILITY TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH
STATE RESOURCES AND UTILIZE
FUNDS TO START FORMING THE
FOUNDATION OF WAYS TO RECONNECT
COMMUNITIES ADVERSELY AFFECTED
BY THE FREEWAY SYSTEM. NEXT
COULD GIVE WELL CONCEIVED AND
SUPPORTED IDEAS A STEP FORWARD,
ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN CITY
DEPARTMENTS ARE OFTEN
PREDISPOSED TO DEALING WITH
SERVICES, HEALTH AND SAFETY
ISSUES FOR MOST. WHEN CINDY GO
COMMONS ENGAGES WITH LOCAL
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WE ARE
MINDFUL THAT WE BRING A VERY
FOCUSED PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
BEFORE THEM. THE SOCIAL CULTURE
ON ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS
DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF A
COMMUNITY'S AWARENESS OF
OPPORTUNITIES, THEIR INTEREST
AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEIR
TRUST. THIS POSES A CHALLENGE,
ENGAGED AND ENGAGING AND
COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY IN OUR
OUTREACH EFFORTS, SINCE EVERY
COMMUNITY HAS A DIFFERENT
DYNAMIC AND A DIFFERENT SET OF
NEEDS. WE OFTEN HEAR THAT WE
SHOULD PRESENT A GRAPHIC
RENDERING OF WHAT A FREEWAY LID
COULD LOOK LIKE IN ORDER TO
INSPIRE AND GIVE THE COMMUNITIES
A VISUAL IDEA. HOWEVER WE ARE
AWARE AND CONCERNED OF THE RISK
THAT THIS MAY BE PERCEIVED AS US
IN YOUR COMMENTS, PRESENTING OUR
IDEA OF WHAT THE LID SHOULD BE,
OR US DECIDING WHAT IS BEST FOR
THE COMMUNITY. OUR PURPOSE IS TO
DISCUSS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND
OPPORTUNITY THAT IS ALREADY
APPROVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY PLAN
TO CREATE NEW PUBLIC OPEN SPACE.
WE EMPHASIZE THAT IT IS FOR THEM
TO DECIDE WHAT PROGRAMS AND
AMENITIES WOULD BEST AT THE
NEEDS AND WANTS OF THE
COMMUNITY. WE ASK AND LISTEN FOR
THEIR IDEAS WHILE MAKING IT
CLEAR TO THEM THAT WE ARE
RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN BUILDING
COMMUNITY SUPPORT, ENGAGE IN
GOVERNMENT INTERACTION,
FACILITATE A COMMUNITY DRIVEN
DESIGN PROCESS AND THEN EXPLORE
AND PURSUE FUNDING OPTIONS.
DESPITE THAT, HOW OUR APPROACH
IS ACCEPTED VERY STRONG
COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY AND CAN
STILL BE VIEWED WITH SKEPTICISM,
DISTRUST AND A PREDISPOSITION
THAT THEIR COMMUNITY WILL NOT
GET THE AMENITIES PROMISED IN
THE APPROVED COMMUNITY PLAN.
THESE FEELINGS ARE
UNDERSTANDABLY PREVALENT IN
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN HURT THE
MOST BY TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE AND HISTORICALLY
ECONOMICALLY DISCRIMINATING
POLICIES. GAINING THE TRUST OF
THESE COMMUNITIES HAS BEEN THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE'VE HAD TO
WORK THROUGH SO FAR IN OUR
EFFORTS TO ENGAGE AND ENLIST THE
INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY OF
SHERMAN HEIGHTS, A HISTORICALLY
AND CULTURALLY LATINO WORKING
COMMUNITY. SHERMAN HEIGHTS HAD
ITS CONNECTION WITH THE EAST
VILLAGE IN DOWNTOWN SEVERED JUST
AS LOGAN HIDES AND BARRIO LOGAN
WERE DIVIDED BY THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE INTERSTATE FIVE IN THE
FIFTIES. OUR VERY FIRST
EXPLORATORY MEETING WAS A GROUP
OF 11 RESPECTED LOCAL COMMUNITY
LEADERS REFERRED TO US BY THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE SHERMAN
HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CENTER.
ALTHOUGH THE EVENTUALLY OPENED
UP TO DIALOGUE, THEIR
APPREHENSION WAS VERY CLEAR FROM
THE INTRODUCTIONS. WHAT MADE
WHAT HAS MADE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS
ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT IS A VERY
PREVALENT FEELING AMONGST THE
COMMUNITY THAT IT WAS ABANDONED
AFTER A FAIR AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATION AND NEGOTIATIONS
WITH CALTRANS TO FACILITATE THE
ADDITION OF A FREEWAY LID IN
ADDITION TO THE NEW HIV LANES
THAT WE'RE GOING IN THE STATE
ROUTE, 94 AFTER ABOUT SIX YEARS
OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND
WORKSHOPS THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE
SHERMAN HEIGHTS AND GOLDEN HILL
BELIEVED THEY HAD A THREE BLOCK
FREEWAY COVER, UM GOING OVER THE
HIGHWAY 94 CREATING PUBLIC OPEN
SPACE THAT WOULD RECONNECT THEIR
COMMUNITIES AS A PART OF THE
FREEWAY WIDENING PROJECT.
UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS DECIDED
VERY LATE IN THE PLANNING
PROCESS TO DROP THE FREEWAY LID
IN THE PROJECT. THIS AUCTION
LEFT THE COMMUNITY DISHEARTENED
AS THE PROMISE OF RECONNECTING
THEIR COMMUNITIES WAS TAKEN
AWAY. UM AND SO THIS IS WHAT
LEADS TO THE DISTRUST THAT WE
ARE ENCOUNTERING IN OUR
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
ON A POSITIVE NOTE ARE
PERSISTENT EFFORTS TO ENGAGE THE
COMMUNITY LED TO TWO SHERMAN
HEIGHTS LEADERS TO JOIN OUR
ADVISORY COUNCIL. MORE
SIGNIFICANTLY. WE ALSO RECEIVED
THE FULL ENDORSEMENT OF THE
SOUTHEASTERN SIN DIEGO PLANNING
COMMITTEE TO PURSUE THE FEDERAL
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES. GRANT
OF 2022. OUR NEXT STEP IS TO
SECURE FUNDING TO DEVELOP A
COMMUNITY DRIVEN DESIGN PROCESS
FOR THE PEOPLE OF SHERMAN
HEIGHTS AND THE EAST VILLAGE.
EARLY ON IN OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS
WITH PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS IN
SHERMAN HEIGHTS, WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THREE
REPRESENTATIVES, THE LOCAL
CARPENTERS UNION. WE WERE
LOOKING FORWARD TO INFORM THEM
OF OUR EFFORTS ASKED THEM FOR
THEIR INSIGHTS, HOPEFULLY
GETTING THEIR SUPPORT. THERE WAS
ONE COMMENT FROM THAT MEETING. I
CAN STILL RECOLLECT CLEARLY
TODAY AND I THINK WE SAW THAT IN
PRESENTATIONS EARLIER TODAY. AND
THAT WAS THERE ARE SO MANY
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DRIVE UP TO L
A EVERY DAY TO WORK ON THE
FREEWAYS. WHAT IF THEY WERE
GOING TO WORK IDEALLY ON A LOCAL
PROJECT RIGHT HERE, ONE THAT
DIRECTLY BENEFITED THEIR
COMMUNITY. FOR HISTORICALLY
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. THIS
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOSTER
LOCAL CIVIC INVESTMENT IN PRIDE.
MY SENSE IS THAT IN GOOD
GOVERNANCE? THIS IS WHAT WE ALL
ULTIMATELY ARE WANTING TO
ACHIEVE. THE ENORMOUS ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL BENEFITS TO EVERYONE
IN THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED.
WOULD BEGIN. THE VERY FIRST DAY
OF THE GROUND WAS TURNED ON
CONSTRUCTION AND EXTENDING
GROWTH THROUGH YEARS OF BEIT
PROVIDING DAILY SERVICES.
HOUSING SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
AMENITIES, ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES. AS WELL AS SAFER
QUALITY NEIGHBORHOODS AND
CLEANER AIR. THESE ARE BUT THREE
SPECIFIC THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCE
. WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WITH
YOU TODAY DURING THE GENEROUS
TIME AFFORDED TO US. WE'VE
PROVIDED YOU WITH A FEW MORE IN
THE SAMPLE. BULLET POINT OUTLINE
CONTAINED THE PRESENTATION
PACKETS. FOR THE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S TODAY. WE THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND WE ARE
HERE TO ASSIST YOU IN YOUR
EFFORTS AS YOU CONSIDER POLICIES
AND PROGRAMS. WHICH WOULD ASSIST
THOSE COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE
CARRIED THE BURDEN OF PERSISTENT
NEGATIVE IMPACTS FROM OUR VAST
AND CERTAIN CERTAINLY CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT URBAN HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
THANKS VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
ROGER. THANK YOU, JOANNA.
APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AS
A. MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY,
LIFELONG MEMBER OF THIS
COMMUNITY AND SOMEONE WHO GOT
INVOLVED IN CIVIC ACTIVITY AS AN
ORGANIZER, AS SOME PEOPLE CALL
ACTIVISTS UM, I JUST WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE
INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO BRING
THE COMMUNITY IN A PARTICIPATORY
WAY TO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE
LOOKING AND HOPING TO DO IN SAN
DIEGO. UM AND I COMPLETELY
UNDERSTAND THE SENTIMENT OF THE
MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY OF THE
COMMUNITY OF SHERMAN HEIGHTS,
WHO CAME WITH YOU WITH THE SORT
OF APPREHENSION AS SOMEONE AGAIN
WHO'S LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE
IN THAT SCENE. RENDERINGS OF
MANY THINGS, UM, WITH VERY
LITTLE TO SHOW OVER THE COURSE
OF NOW, FOUR DECADES LIVING HERE
, UM, CAN SOMETIMES FEEL THAT
WAY AND SO THE WORK THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DO THROUGH THIS
COMMITTEE IS TO ACTUALLY DELIVER
SOMETHING THAT'S TANGIBLE TO
COMMUNITY WITH SOME RESULTS. UM
WHICH WE ALL KNOW WILL TAKE A
LONG TIME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
PROJECTS LIKE THESE, BUT WE NEED
TO START TO DEMONSTRATE. UM THAT
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WORDS BUT
ACTIONS AND THAT MEANS FORWARD
PROGRESS MOVEMENT ON THESE AND
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE
LOOKING AT THIS WAY AND THINKING
ABOUT IT THIS WAY, AND, UM AND I
HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO BE, UH
, DOING THIS WORK BECAUSE WHAT'S
INTERESTING? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
ALL SORT OF CAUGHT THIS, BUT WE
ARE LITERALLY TALKING TO
PROBABLY THE NORTHERNMOST. UM UH
, ACTIVITY ON THE FIRE FREEWAY
WITH SEATTLE AND WE'RE NOT
TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE END OF
THE SERVICE SOUTHERNMOST.
SECTION OF THE INTERSTATE FIVE
FREEWAY SO AND YOU APPEAR TO BE
YOU KNOW, IN THE EARLY STAGES OF
WHERE LIVED. THE FIVE WERE JUST
A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT WE'VE SEEN
HOW WITH REAL COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATION AND OBVIOUSLY
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. THERE CAN BE
PROGRESS MADE SO THAT WE
ACTUALLY HAVE TANGIBLE RESULTS
TO SHOW TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I
THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM I THINK
YOU'VE YOU'VE OUTLINED THE
CHALLENGES QUITE WELL, BUT I'LL
GIVE YOU ONE OTHER CHANCE IF YOU
WANT TO SHARE SORT OF THE NEXT
STEPS IF HE WAS YOU LOOK AT
THESE PROJECTS IN SAN DIEGO.
WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE
AND WHAT SOME OF THE POTENTIAL
OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE FOR
YOU TO CONTINUE THIS WORK. WELL
I THINK OUR NEXT THING IS TO
READ IS TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE
WITH THE COMMUNITY. AS JOHANNA
SAID WE'VE HAD WE'VE MADE SOME
INROADS AND THERE'S DIFFERENCES
THAT WE MENTIONED TO BETWEEN ALL
THE ALL THE DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.
WE'VE CERTAINLY HAD VERY
POSITIVE SUPPORT INITIALLY FROM
THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE
BALBOA PARK AREA, BUT GIVEN THE
PARTICULARS, FUNDING
CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF BEING ABLE TO RECONNECT
COMMUNITIES AND DEAL WITH ALL
THE ADVERSE EFFECTS WE STILL
FOCUS EXTREMELY, YOU KNOW MUCH
ON ON THE SHERMAN HEIGHTS EAST
VILLAGE AREA. AND WE WOULD LIKE
TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY NOW TO ENGAGE THEM IN
THE TYPE OF EARLY DESIGN PROCESS
THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE
TO COME FORWARD AND SAY,
CONSIDER THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS
WHICH ARE THERE. AND I THINK, AS
I MENTIONED, MANY PEOPLE AND
ORGANIZATIONS ARE VERY WELL
SUITED TO DO THIS, AND IT'S THE
KIND OF THING THAT YOU OFTEN
LOOK FOR FUNDING TO DO COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AND SO FORTH. AND THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO.
WE KIND OF LOOK AT OURSELVES
ALMOST AS A WAGON OR ARC OR
SOMETHING THAT WE WERE. WE WERE
DESIGNED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY, SO
WE COULD DO THAT WE COULD BRING
THAT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND I
THINK THE MAJOR THING WE NEED TO
DO IT WOULD BE SOME KIND OF A
LEVEL OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
JUST TO AND I KNOW WE HEARD THE
FEASIBILITY STAND FOR STUDY FOR
HIGH FIVE WAS EXTENSIVE AND THEY
CAN GET PRETTY COSTLY. BUT IN
OUR CERTAIN SECURITY SITUATION
WOULD JUST BE GOOD, TOO. START
OFF JUST TO FIND OUT WITH
INITIAL IDEAS, SCALE AND SCOPE.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S PRACTICAL AND
THEN GO TO THE COMMUNITY, UH,
WITH WITH FURTHER IDEAS. DO YOU
WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO JUST
WANT TO ADD? UM AND PROVIDING
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS DESIGNED
WORKSHOPS FOR COMMUNITIES SUCH
AS SHERMAN HEIGHTS. UH,
CHALLENGES TO YOU KNOW, MOST OF
THESE FAMILIES ARE WORKING
FAMILIES IN SHERMAN HEIGHTS,
RIGHT, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO DRAW
THEM OUT OF THEIR BUSY LIVES.
THEY HAVE CHILDREN AND SO
SOMETHING YOU KNOW TO ENCOURAGE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME OUT TO
PARTICIPATE IS HAVING AMENITIES
AVAILABLE. THIS COMMUNITY
WORKSHOPS SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE,
HAVING CHILDCARE AVAILABLE, YOU
KNOW WHERE THEY CAN. THEY DON'T
FEEL A BURDEN. THEY CAN'T
PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO
TAKE CARE OF THINGS AT HOME AND
CHILDREN AT HOME. SO THAT'S
SOMETHING. UM, WHERE FUNDING
WOULD BE LIKE AGAIN? WE ARE
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION AND JUST,
UM, LIKE THE SEATTLE GROUP, SO
FUNDING LIKE THAT COULD GO A
LONG WAYS AND HELPING THE
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATE IN THESE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS.
THANK YOU. I'M TAKING SOMETHING
AWAY FROM EVERY SINGLE PANEL AND
JUST SO THAT YOU ALL KNOW AGAIN.
WE'RE NOT JUST MEANING TO MEET.
WE'LL HAVE A REPORT AT THE END
OF TODAY AT THE END OF THE
SERIES OF HEARINGS WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ONE OF THE
ONES ROGER. THANK YOU FOR
REMINDING ME. UM WE QUICKLY
FORGET REDEVELOPMENT AND
IMPORTANT TOOL THAT WE HAD. BUT
ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF
THAT. WAS THE PACKS WHERE WE HAD
THE COMMUNITY PROJECT AREA
COMMITTEES COME IN AND PROVIDE
AND SO AS I'M THINKING, OKAY, IF
WE WANT TO DO SOME SORT OF
LARGER SCALE PLANNING, MAYBE,
LIKE SEATTLE APPEARS, OR
WASHINGTON APPEARS TO BE DOING
WITH THE WHOLE FIVE. THAT IS A
COMPONENT THAT WE CANNOT FORGET
ABOUT. SO THANK YOU FOR POINTING
. JUST MENTION IT INTERESTING
THING OUT OF THAT FIRST
MENTIONED MEETING THE JOHANNA
MENTIONED. THERE WAS RETICENCE
WHEN WE'RE AT THE TABLE, BUT WE
HAD PHONE CALLS AND WHAT WE
WALKED AWAY FROM THERE THAT DAY,
A LITTLE BIT DISILLUSIONED, BUT
THEN BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A
NATURAL CONCERNS ABOUT
HOMELESSNESS AND THINGS THAT DO
WE REALLY WANT TO BE CONNECTED
TO DOWNTOWN, AND IT WAS JUST
PLANTING THAT SEED. I REMEMBER
GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM A FEW
OF THE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THAT
DAY. LATER ON A WEEK LATER
TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT USES.
WELL, COULD WE DO HOUSING ON ONE
PORTION OF IT MAY BE TO SOUTH SO
I THINK THE COMMUNITIES ARE
THERE, THEY'RE ENGAGED, AND IT'S
JUST A WAY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE
THEM YOU KNOW THE ABILITY TO BE
ABLE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK.
AND AS YOU SAID, THERE'S
CERTAINLY IMPEDIMENTS TO DOING
THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT
THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST TO
THINK, THINK ABOUT. SO WE
APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU AGAIN
. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THE
PANEL. JOANNA AND ROGER. UM I
WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE A
COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT I SAW WALK
IN THE ROOM. WE HAVE CALIFORNIA
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER
CLARESSA FALCON, WHO IS HERE
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
SORRY. THE SANTIAGO AIR QUALITY
CONTROL DISTRICT. ALINA MESA WAS
HERE AND THE REASON WHY I
REMEMBER OR THINK ABOUT THOSE
TWO IS BECAUSE AS YOU JUST HEARD
FROM THE LAST COUPLE PANELS,
THIS WORK IS GOING TO TAKE SOME
RESOURCES. SO UM, CLARISSA, YOU
COME RIGHT AT THE RIGHT TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW WE CAN
IDENTIFY SOME RESOURCES FROM
DIFFERENT PARTNERS TO START TO
SOME OF THIS WORK AND CLEARLY
THE NEXT PANEL AS THEY WALK UP,
UM, ALSO IS CRITICAL TO UH,
IDENTIFYING A PATHWAY FORWARD
FOR THESE CONVERSATIONS ON,
PARTICULARLY TODAY FOCUSED ON
LIDS, BUT RECONNECTING IN
MULTIPLE WAYS, AND MAYBE WE'LL
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN
A SECOND, BUT I WANT TO THANK
MARLON, FLORIDA FROM THE
DIVISION OF TRANSPORTATION AND
PLANNING. HE IS THE CHIEF OF
THAT DIVISION FROM THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION. WHO IS HERE.
THANK YOU, MARLON AND WE HAVE
GUSTAVO DALARNA. WHO STILL IS
THE DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT 11 FOR
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION, AS WE KNOW
CALTRANS AND WANT TO THANK BOTH
OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE TODAY,
WE HAVE HAD SOME INITIAL
DISCUSSIONS AND I THANK YOU FOR
THAT AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE WORK THAT YOU MAY BE DOING
HERE IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION OR
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AS
WELL. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
YOU BOTH. AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. GREAT THANK YOU. SO
MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
TALK TO YOU AND PRESENT IN FRONT
OF THIS COMMITTEE AND WE
ESPECIALLY THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ALVAREZ. UH,
YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANNA
APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS TOPIC, AND WE
KNOW THAT REMOVING BARRIERS
ENHANCING ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.
UM AND PROVIDING HEALTHY AND
EQUITABLE OUTCOMES. IT'S A
PRIORITY FOR YOU IN THIS
COMMITTEE AND WE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THESE PRIORITIES AND HOW
IT'S A PARTY FOR US AS WELL. SO
NEXT SLIDE. ALL RIGHT. UM SO AND
OUR PRESENTATION TODAY WE'RE
GOING TO COVER SOME OF THE
HISTORICAL HARMS AND I KNOW SOME
OF THE PRIOR SPEAKERS THAT
TOUCHED ON THIS. WE'RE ALSO
GOING TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF
THE FEDERAL AND STATE
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES
PROGRAMS WAYS THAT CALTRANS IS
ADVANCING CONNECTIVITY WITHIN
AND OUTSIDE OF THE RECONNECTING
PROGRAMS AND HOLISTIC LOOK AT
MANY OF THE DIFFERENT STATE
PROPERTY STATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
COMMUNITIES TO PURSUE. NEXT
SLIDE. ALRIGHT SO COLLECTIVELY,
AMERICA SET OUT TO CREATE A
CONNECTED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
TO COMBAT CONGESTION AND TO
SUPPORT CONTINUED EXPANSION OF
THE ECONOMY. UM, AND EXPECTED
POPULATION GROWTH. WORKING WITH
THE COMMITTEE OF GOVERNORS,
PRESIDENT EISENHOWER AND THE
CONGRESS PASSED THE FEDERAL AID
HIGHWAY ACT OF 1956, CREATING
THE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR INTERSTATE
HIGHWAYS AND THAT WAS MENTIONED
EARLIER TODAY. WITH THESE FUNDS
WE WERE COLLECTIVELY TASKED WITH
, UM, CONSTRUCTING A NATIONAL
HIGHWAY NETWORK. UH AND WE WERE
VERY SUCCESSFUL AT IT. WE BUILT
A NATIONAL NETWORK TO GROW AND
CONNECT THE ECONOMY. BUT THE
REALITY IS THAT WE'VE DIVIDED
COMMUNITIES IN THAT PROCESS. THE
U. S DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION ESTIMATES THAT
MORE THAN 475 100,000 HOUSEHOLDS
AND MORE THAN 1 MILLION PEOPLE
WERE DISPLACED NATIONWIDE
BECAUSE OF THIS FEDERAL, UM
ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION. AND
HIGHWAYS HAVE DISRUPTED
PEDESTRIAN LANDSCAPE. WORST AIR
QUALITY DEPLETED PROPERTY VALUES
OF AREAS LOST CHURCHES,
GATHERING PLACES. LOCAL
BUSINESSES, GREEN SPACE AND A
SENSE OF COMMUNITY. THE
CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS HAVE
ALSO LED TO DECLINE IN THE
MIDDLE CLASS FOOTHOLDS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS ALREADY STRUGGLING
FROM REDLINING ZONING POLICIES
AS WELL AS DISINVESTMENT. NEXT
ONE. RECOGNIZING THE HISTORICAL
HARM FREEWAYS AND HIGHWAYS HAVE
CAUSED AN UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO
ADDRESS THESE HARMS AND IN 2021,
THE SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL AND
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE,
INCLUDING CALIFORNIA'S U. S
SENATOR ALEX VIDEO, PROPOSED THE
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACT TO
CREATE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES. UNDER
THE BIPARTISAN LAW, ALSO KNOWN
AS BILL AND THE, UH, INVESTMENT.
UH EXCUSE ME, THE INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT. THE
FEDERAL RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES
PILOT WAS CREATED UNDER THE U.
S. D O T WITH ABOUT $1 BILLION
OF FUNDING OVER FIVE YEARS. THE
REASON KICK RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES PROGRAMS OFFERS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES TO
REPAIR REBUILD. AND RECONNECT TO
THEIR SURROUNDING RESOURCES.
REMOVE RETROFIT AND MITIGATE
HIGHWAY AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION
FACILITIES THAT CREATE BARRIERS,
INCREASED COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY
, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACCESS TO
FOOD. HEALTH CARE. RECREATION,
JOBS AND EDUCATION. IT ALSO
PRIORITIZES EQUITY OUTCOMES AND
RESTORATION AND HISTORICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. NEXT
SLIDE. SO IN CYCLE, ONE OF THE
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
THAT WAS AWARDED IN 2023,
CALIFORNIA RECEIVED ABOUT FIVE
AWARDS RECEIVING ABOUT 19% OR
ROUGHLY $35 MILLION OUT OF THE
105, 8100 AND $85 MILLION
AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FIRST
ROUND OF THIS PROGRAM. THERE
WERE FOUR PLANNING GRANTS THAT
WERE AWARDED AND THEN THERE'S
ALSO A CONSTRUCTION GRANT THAT
WAS AWARDED. THIS WAS THE
SHORELINE DRIVE GATEWAY PROJECT
IN LONG BEACH. AND THIS WAS ONE
OF SIX NATIONWIDE CONSTRUCTION
GRANTS THAT WERE AWARDED VISION
980 PLANNING GRANT WAS AWARDED
TO CALTRANS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE CITY OF OAKLAND AND
CALTRANS, ALSO PARTNER WITH THE
CITY OF SAN JOSE ON THE MONTEREY
ROAD STUDY, AND ALSO CITY OF
PASADENA ON THE STATE ROUTE, 17
STUDY. NEXT SLIDE. CONGRESS
ENACTED THE INFLATION REDUCTION
ACT OF 2022, WHICH CREATED THE
NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY
GRANT PROGRAM IN 2023, THE
FEDERAL NOTICE OF FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY COMBINED TWO
PROGRAMS, THE RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES PILOT AS WELL AS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY.
THE PROGRAM IS NOW CALLED THE
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS, OR RCN, WHICH IS
WORTH ABOUT $3.3 BILLION THIS
YEAR. THREE TYPES OF GRANTS ARE
AVAILABLE, SO THERE'S CAPITAL
CONSTRUCTION. THERE'S COMMUNITY
PLANNING AND THERE'S REGIONAL
PARTNERSHIP CHALLENGE GRANTS.
PLANNING GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE TO
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AND NON GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND ALSO CBOS AND
NGOS. THEY CAN ALSO CO APPLY FOR
REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. THE
NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY
PROGRAM ALSO ALLOWS ELIGIBLE
AGENCIES TO APPLY FOR FUNDING
WITH NO FUNDING MATCH. AWARDS
FOR THIS GRANT CYCLE. UM COMBINE
RCN ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE
ANNOUNCED IN SPRING OF 2024. SO
TO DISCUSS CALTRANS. HOW WE'RE
BASICALLY USING THIS STATE, UH,
RECONNECTING PROGRAM AND
STRATEGIES. I WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE DISTRICT DIRECTOR
GUSTAVO DE LA RODA, WHO OVERSEES
THE DEPARTMENT IN THE SAN DIEGO
AND IMPERIAL COUNTIES. THANK
YOU, MARLON AND GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR ALVAREZ AND DISTINGUISHED
MEMBERS AND GUESTS. UM, NEXT
SLIDE. I'M NOT. I'M SORRY BACK
TO THE PREVIOUS LIFE. I WOULD
LIKE TO START BY RECOGNIZING THE
CHANGE WITH WITHIN CULTURE ENDS
OVER THE DECADES WE HAVE
TRANSITIONED FROM A HIGHWAY
AGENCY. TO A MULTI MODEL
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. OUR
MISSION VISION. VALUES AND GOALS
ARE REFLECTED IN GUIDING
DOCUMENTS LIKE OUR STRATEGIC
PLAN. OR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
AND THE STATE TRANSPORTATION
PLAN. EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT.
SAFETY CLIMATE ACTION AND A
MULTI MODEL. APPROACH ARE NOW AT
THE CORE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE
DO. WE AIM TO PUT PEOPLE PLANET
AND PROSPERITY FIRST. NEXT
SLIDE. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
ALSO RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR A
SPECIFIC PROGRAM TO ADDRESS
HISTORICAL HARMS. BECAUSE TWO
COMMUNITIES BY TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE. 149 MILLION IN
STATE GENERAL FUNDS WAS APPROVED
IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 2023
BUDGET. FOR PLANNING OR
IMPLEMENTING THE CONVERSION OR
TRANSFORMATION. OFTEN THEY'RE
UTILIZED STATE HIGHWAYS INTO
MULTIMODAL CORRIDORS THAT SERVES
RESIDENTS OF UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. ORIGINALLY CALLED
FOREIGN CAPITAL, RECKON,
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES I WISH
TO BOULEVARDS PILOT PROGRAM WAS
CREATED IN STREETS AND HIGHWAYS
CODE SECTION ONE OF 4.3. DESPITE
WHAT PROGRAM 62 UP AND THE
TRADITIONAL TRANSPORTATION
FUNDING MODEL. BY IN PART,
BASING THIS ELECTION OF
COMMUNITIES ON ON HISTORICAL
HARM, NEED AN ABILITY TO
DEVELOP. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
RIGHT UP RATHER THAN A SPECIFIC
PROJECT IDEA. IN ADDITION TO
ALIGNING WITH THE FEDERAL
PROGRAM, THE HIGHWAYS TO
BOULEVARD PILOT WILL PROVIDE
MATCHING FUNDS FOR POTENTIAL
FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS,
PHILANTHROPIC AND PLAY SPACE
FUNDING. WILL ALSO PROVIDE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND
SUPPORT. TO ADVANCE COMMUNITY
BASED AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING. WILL
ALSO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
IMPLEMENTATION OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND FURTHERING THE
ADVANCEMENT OF FAIR HOUSING. AND
FINALLY WILL PREVENT OR MINIMIZE
AND DIRECT AND INDIRECT
DISPLACEMENT EFFECTS FROM
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION. NEXT
SLIDE. USING THE 149 MILLION AS
APPROVED IN THE IN THE 2022 2023
BUDGET, THIS PILOT PROGRAM WILL
SELECT THREE COMMUNITIES ONE IN
EACH OF THE FOLLOWING GRAND
CATEGORIES. THE FIRST ONE IS
URBAN. THIS INCLUDES COMMUNITIES
WITH POPULATIONS OF 50,000 OR
MORE. URBAN CLUSTERS WILL ALSO
FIT IN THIS CATEGORY. SECOND CAR
CATEGORIES. RURAL THESE ARE
AREAS WITH LESS THAN 50,000
PEOPLE. AND THE LAST CATEGORY IS
CORRIDOR. THIS IS A LINEAR
GEOGRAPHIC FACILITY THAT SUPPORT
THE NEEDS OF MULTIPLE
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. AND CAN
CONSIST OF MULTIPLE FOCUS
IMPROVEMENT AREAS. THE CORRIDOR
DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO BE
THE ELIGIBLE TRANSPORTATION
BARRIER. BUT MUST AT A MINIMUM
BE IMPACTED BY THE ALLEGED
FACILITY. CORRIDOR CAN BE THERE
IN A RURAL OR URBAN AREA.
COMBINED WITH SUPPORT AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE LARGER
AWARD INVESTMENTS WILL PROVIDE
THE NECESSARY RESOURCES. TO
TRULY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND
PARTNERS IN AN INCLUSIVE
PLANNING PROCESS, BEGINNING WITH
A COMMUNITY READINESS FACE. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. BUT EVEN BEFORE
THIS FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS
COMMUNITY CONNECTING WORK HAS
BEEN A CORE COMPONENT OF OUR
PROJECTS. WE'VE ALREADY HEARD IN
THE INTRODUCTION EVERY VIDEO AND
ALSO BY THE PRESENTATIONS BY DR
WRONG AND ALSO SAN DIEGO
COMMENTS. THAT THE CREATION OF A
NEW PROJECT TO COMPLETE THE
MISSING SEGMENT OF STATE ROUTE
15 PROVIDED A LOT OF LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES. THEY'RE ALL TO
PARK, CALIFORNIA'S FIRST FOR YOU
, A PARK LID OR CAP WAS A
COMMUNITY LETTER EFFORT AS PART
OF THE S R 15 PROJECT. THE
COMMUNITY ORGANIZED AND LED THE
CHANGE. AND THE CHARGE TO ENSURE
THE PROJECT INCLUDED. ALL THE
ELEMENTS THEY DESIRED AND NEEDED
. THE PEOPLE DROVE PLANNING AND
ENGAGEMENT TO FIGHT FOR A
VARIETY OF TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS AND COMMUNITY ELEMENTS.
THE CORRIDOR NOW INCLUDES
CENTRAL AND CENTER LINE BUS
RAPID TRANSIT STATIONS. BUS ON
THE LANES COMMITTED COMMUTER
BIKE WAYS. ART. HOUSING
GATHERING AND GREEN SPACES AND
SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. IT
IS A MODEL OF A HOLISTIC
TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. BUILDING STRONG
COMMUNITIES STARTS WITH AN
INCLUSIVE, COMMUNITY DRIVEN
PROCESS TO EQUITABLY INVOLVED
PEOPLE IN THINGS THAT IMPACTS
THEM. FOR CULTURAL DOT COMMITTED
COMMITMENT IS NOW REFLECTED IN
OUR PEOPLE AND PROCESSES.
STATEWIDE AND DISTRICT LEVEL
ENGAGEMENT. PLAYBOOKS WILL GUIDE
STAFF CONDUCTING EQUITABLE
ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE PLANNING
AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
PROCESSES. THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
PLAN, TEMPLATE AND GUIDE WILL BE
A RESOURCE FOR STAFF TO DESIGN
EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT PLAN. FOR
EACH PROJECT BASED BASED ON THE
SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY
AND PROJECT. IN ADDITION TO
TRAINING ALL STAFF AND HAVING A
PROCESS DOCUMENT, WE'RE ALSO
EXPANDING STAFF DEDICATED TO
ENGAGEMENT. WE WANT TO EXPAND
OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, NOT
JUST GATHER INPUT. AND THAT ALSO
STARTS BY HAVING STAFF FROM THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. HERE ARE A FEW
EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'RE DOING THAT
IN SAN DIEGO. WE HAVE BROUGHT
PEOPLE INTO OUR HOUSE LIKE
HOSTING AND ENGAGEMENT PANEL BY
COMMUNITY LEADERS FOR OVER 120
OF OUR SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS.
THIS INCLUDED HEARING FROM
MEMBERS OF THE STATE
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. WE HAVE ALSO TAKEN
STAFF OFFICIALS AND LEADERS INTO
THE COMMUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE
WHERE THEY ARE. YOU CAN SEE
MARLON AND I UH, IN CHICANO PARK
AND ALSO IN CITY HEIGHTS IN ONE
OF THOSE PICTURES. AND FINALLY
THE GOVERNOR'S CLEAN CALIFORNIA
PROGRAM HAS ALSO ALLOWED US TO
GO AND MEET PEOPLE LISTEN AND
INSTITUTE COMMUNITY BASED
PROJECTS BIG AND SMALL. FROM ART
INSTALLATIONS AT SCHOOLS TO
CLOSE IN THE FREEWAY FOR A
CITYWIDE BIKE RIGHT, AS YOU CAN
SEE IN THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THERE ARE
MANY ADDITIONAL WAYS TO
RECONNECT COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE OF
THE DESIGNATED PROGRAMS. SO I'M
GONNA GO. THROUGH THE PICTURES
ON THE COUNTER CLOCKWISE FROM
THE BOTTOM LEFT. AND THEIR
CLINICAL. IF ORANJE, WE
COLLABORATED WITH COMMUNITIES TO
BEAUTIFY A PUBLIC SPACES LIKE
THIS SUSTAINABILITY CENTER AT
SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT
BUILD A COMMUNITY GARDEN NEXT TO
A LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT STOP. AND
REGIONAL BANK WAY PROJECT.
PROJECTS AND GRANTS ARE
IMPROVING SPACES ON AROUND AND
AWAY FROM THE HIGHWAY WITH ART
AND GREENERY. WE HAVE ALSO USED
THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO CONNECT
AND ENHANCE ACCESS TO MEDICAL
FACILITIES AND EDUCATIONAL
CENTERS LIKE THE GILMAN BRIDGE
OVER INTERSTATE FIVE. THIS
PROJECT. INCORPORATED AS PART OF
THE MIDCOAST TROLLEY BLUE LINE
EXTENSION FACILITATES MOBILITY
NEXT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA. UH NEXT TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN
DIEGO CAMPUS. WE HAVE ALSO
CREATED MULTIFACETED PROJECTS BY
COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL AND
REGIONAL PARTNERS LIKE THEY
BUILD NORTH COAST CORRIDOR
PROJECT. THAT INCLUDES CARPOOL
LANES, RAIL TRAILS AND ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION. TO IMPROVE
CONNECTIVITY IN THE COASTAL
ZONES. IN ADDITION TO LOGAN
RESTORATIONS THROUGH OUR AGAIN
GRANTS AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE. WE
ARE INCREASING CONNECTIVITY WITH
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
LIKE THE BORDER TO BE SURE, BACK
WAY. THE STATE FUNDED LOCAL
PROJECT CROSSES THREE FREEWAYS
AND TRAIN AND TROLLEY TRACKS IN
OUR BORDER COMMUNITIES. ONE OF
TWO DESIGNATED ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE AREAS IN SAN DIEGO,
DESIGNATED BY BY THE CALIFORNIA
AIR RESOURCES BOARD IN ASSEMBLY,
BILL 617. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS HAPPENING NOT JUST THAT
CULTURE ENDS BUT ACROSS STATE
AGENCIES. THE STRATEGIC GROWTH
COUNCIL, A CABINET LEVEL
COLLABORATIVE OF STATE AGENCIES
WAS DESIGNATED BY SENATE BILL
732 IN 2008 TO COORDINATE STATE
ACTIVITIES AROUND AIR AND WATER
QUALITY. PROTECTING NATURAL
LANDS. INCREASING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. PUBLIC HEALTH AND
EQUITY, TRANSPORTATION AND
INFILL DEVELOPMENT. ECONOMY
CONSERVATION, REVITALIZING
COMMUNITIES AND SUSTAINABLE AND
CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING. ON
OCTOBER 2023 BARRIO LOGAN VISIT
INCLUDED CHICANO PARK AND MUSEUM
AND CULTURAL CENTER. THE CESAR
CHAVEZ CONTINUING EDUCATION
CAMPUS. GATEWAY AND LAND TRAVEL
FAMILY APARTMENTS, HARBOR DRIVE,
2.0. THE BLUE LINE TROLLEY
BAYSHORE BACK WAY AND MERCADO
DEL BARRIO. MIXED MIXED USE.
PLAZA. THE TOUR WAS AWAY FOR
STATE LEADERS TO SEE HOW
COLLABORATING VARIOUS STATE
PROGRAMS LOOK LIKE ON THE
GROUND. BARRIO LOGAN PROJECTS
INCLUDED GRANTS FROM AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES. TRANSFORMATIVE
CLIMATE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
TRADE CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT
PROGRAM. CLINT CALIFORNIA ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM AND
SUSTAINABLE PLANNING GRANT. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. STRONG HEALTHY
AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES NEED
AND RELY ON MORE THAN JUST
TRANSPORTATION. TO GIVE A
HOLISTIC LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES
FOR COMMUNITIES. I WOULD LIKE TO
GIVE THE FLOOR BACK TO MARYLAND
TO TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT. THANK YOU, GUSTAVO.
SO WHILE DIVISIVE TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE MAY BE THE MOST
EVIDENT BASED ON THE SHEER
AMOUNT OF HIGHWAY MILES, THE
SOLUTION TO RESTORING DIVIDED
COMMUNITIES WILL NOT BE DONE
SOLELY THROUGH TRANSPORTATION.
THESE AREAS HAVE SUFFERED FROM
DISINVESTMENT. LACK OF HOUSING.
AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AND IT
WILL TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT
THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROJECTS,
FUNDING SOURCES AND AGENCIES.
THE SLIGHT LISTED NUMBER OF
STATE FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT CAN
BE LEVERAGED WE ESTABLISH JUST
TALKED ABOUT THE STRATEGIC
GROWTH COUNCIL WHO ADMINISTERS
THREE PROGRAMS, SO THE
TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE
COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AS WELL AS
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM,
AS WELL AS WELL AS THE
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, LANDS
AND CONSERVATION PROGRAM, WHICH
FIGHTS CLIMATE CHANGE BY, UM BY
ENCOURAGING COMPACT, TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. UM AND
PROTECTING OUR FARMLANDS. WE
ALSO HAVE THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY
DEVELOP THAT. MINISTERS THREE
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AS WELL. SO
THERE'S THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLACK GRANT PROGRAM,
WHICH PROVIDES ECONOMIC AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
DISASTER RECOVERY TO CREATE A
SUITABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENTS BY
EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
AND PROVIDING DECENT HOUSING AND
LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. UH
THERE'S ALSO THE INFILL
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT
ARE INTEGRAL PART OR NECESSARY
TO FACILITATE NEW INFILL HOUSING
AND MIXED USE. UM AND THE LIST
GOES ON AND ON. UM THERE'S ALSO
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
RESEARCH. THE CALIFORNIA AIR
RESOURCES BOARD, AS WELL AS THE
TRANSPORTATION CALIFORNIA
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, WHO
ADMINISTERS THE ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM. AND I
DID WANT TO JUST TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE PLANNING
OPPORTUNITIES. UM THAT EXIST
WITHIN CALTRANS. AND SO, UH, WE
HAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
AND COMMUNITY BASED
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING GRANT
PROGRAM. IT IS NOW CALLED THE
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION PLANT
, A PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM AND
WE HAVE ABOUT $30 MILLION IN
THAT ANNUALLY. UH WE ALSO
ADMINISTER THE CLIMATE
ADAPTATION PLANNING GRANT
PROGRAM THAT CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT
$32 MILLION, AS WELL AS THE
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP. AND
STRATEGIC TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP
GRANTS. IN FACT, SANDBAG
RECEIVED A FISCAL YEAR 2324
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING GRANT THIS FALL FOR THE
SAN DIEGO REGIONAL STUDY ON
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES. MANY
COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING GROUPS
HERE TODAY, HAVE IDEAS AND NEEDS
FOR RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND
FUNDING THIS GRANT. WE FELT THAT
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO STUDY
OPPORTUNITIES AT THE REGIONAL
LEVEL TO BE INCLUSIVE OF THOSE
IDEAS AND NEEDS AND SANDACK NEXT
PRESENTER. THEY'RE GOING TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS. UM
AND I DID JUST WANT TO OFFER A
LITTLE PLUG RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE
OUR CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR 2425
CYCLE FOR OUR SUSTAINABLE
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING GRANTS,
SO WE HAVE ABOUT A TOTAL OF $53
MILLION. AVAILABLE STATEWIDE.
AND APPLICATIONS ARE DUE JANUARY
18TH 2024 UM, ADDITIONAL THIS
INFORMATION CAN ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON OUR
ON OUR WEBSITE. UM SO I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT
WAS AVAILABLE TO YOU, UM SO TO
CLOSE. JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU AGAIN. CALTRANS IS COMMITTED
TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND WE
RECOGNIZE THAT RECONNECTED.
CALIFORNIA STARTS WITH US ALL
AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE US ALL SO
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
YOU HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
DIVISION CHIEF AND DIRECTOR.
APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU HAVE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS BEFORE I GET TO THAT.
I'D LIKE TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW
WE ARE GONNA HEAR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
ACTUALLY PUBLIC TESTIMONY, AND
THERE'S A SIGN UP SHEET OVER
THERE ON MY RECKON YOU JUST TELL
US WHERE IT'S AT PEOPLE KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE THEY CAN GO AND
SIGN UP SO WE CAN CALL YOU UP TO
PROVIDE SOME TESTIMONY ON MAYBE,
LIKE HE LIKE ME. YOU'VE HEARD
SOME IDEAS THAT HAVE SPARKED, UM
SPECIFIC INTEREST OR OR WAYS
THAT PERHAPS WE CAN CONTINUE TO
DO THIS WORK AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE CAPTURE THAT FOR OUR
REPORT BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE
AND FOR FUTURE LEGISLATIVE
ACTION. UM SO I THINK I WANT TO
START OFF. MARLENE WITH SORT OF
WHERE YOU ENDED BECAUSE, AS A
FORMER COMMUNITY INVOLVED
INDIVIDUAL AND I HEARD FROM SOME
COMMUNITY INVOLVED, FOLKS.
SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY HARD TO
CAPTURE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT
OPPORTUNITIES EXIST, AND YOU
JUST OUTLINED A COUPLE OF THEM,
BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS AND
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE FULL
RESPONSE TO THAT NOW, BUT IS
THERE A WAY TO MORE EASILY
IDENTIFY FOR THE PUBLIC, GIVEN
ALL OF THESE INVESTMENTS THAT
WE'RE MAKING IN THE STATE WHAT
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE YOU
HEARD SPECIFICALLY HERE FROM OUR
SAN DIEGO FOLKS. THERE'S SOME
WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
SORT OF MOVE. SOME OF THESE
RECONNECTING PROJECTS AT THE
COMMUNITY HAS SOME INTEREST IN.
UM AND I KNOW WE'LL HEAR FROM
SAN DIEGO ON SORT OF WHAT
THEY'RE DOING, AND I'M GOING TO
ASK THEM OBVIOUSLY FOLLOW UP
QUESTIONS TO SEE HOW THAT ALL
CONNECTS. WITH SOME OF THE
COMMUNITY WORK, BUT, UM IS THERE
A WAY TO SOMEWHERE? JUST CAPTURE
WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE FOR
SPECIFICALLY COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEN I THINK
YOU'VE HEARD THIS FROM ME
BEFORE. CERTAINLY DIRECTOR THE
LORD OF THE HOUSE HAS HEARD THIS
WHICH IS SOMETIMES OUR COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS AREN'T UM, DON'T
HAVE THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE FOR
SOME OF THESE GRANTS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE AND THEREFORE IT MAKES
IT CHALLENGING TO APPLY AND BE
COMPETITIVE AND RECEIVED FUNDING
TO DO SOME OF THIS COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT WORK, SO I WOULD JUST
ASK, AS YOU HAVE CLEARLY CHANGED
THE FOCUS IN THE RIGHT WAY
TOWARDS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. UM
WHAT OTHER THINGS CAN WE DO TO
JUST MAKE IT? EASIER FOR THE
PUBLIC TO ACCESS. UM INFORMATION
ON FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT
THIS WORK CAN CONTINUE. I REALLY
DO APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION. AND
UM AND I DO EMPATHIZE WITH, YOU
KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT FOLKS
THAT AREN'T EXPERTS IN THIS AREA
. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING
ABOUT, UM, JUST WITHIN MY AREA
ALONE IS ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES
WE HAVE WITHIN CALTRANS, BUT NOT
ONLY STATE GOVERNMENT. AND HOW
TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
INFORMATION CAN BE MORE
ACCESSIBLE. UM AND JUST WITH ANY
LARGE ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, UM
MAYBE NOT. THE RIGHT HAND IS
ALWAYS TALKING TO THE LEFT HAND,
AND IT'S IMPORTANT AS A AS AN
ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW? THAT'S
NOT THE COMMUNITY'S PROBLEM.
THAT'S OUR PROBLEM THAT WE NEED
TO THAT WE NEED TO SOLVE AND SO
WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING SOME WORK
TO KIND OF LAY THAT GROUNDWORK.
UM YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH,
PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR DIVISION OF
LOCAL ASSISTANCE, WHO OPERATES
THE CLEAN CALIFORNIA PROGRAM. WE
OPERATE THE PLANNING GRANT
PROGRAMS WE OFFER PROGRAMS
RELATED TO TRANSIT. UM YOU KNOW,
AND SO WHAT? WE'RE WHAT WE'RE
WANTING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE INFORMATION IS MORE
ACCESSIBLE RATHER THAN PEOPLE
HAVING TO GO TO DIFFERENT
WEBSITES, A ONE STOP SHOP WHERE
THEY CAN ACTUALLY GO AND GET THE
INFORMATION. UM AND BE ABLE TO
APPLY FOR THOSE FUNDS. UM AND
FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE,
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE THINKING THROUGH AS WELL.
UM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS
SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE. A LOT OF
TIMES FILLING OUT THESE
DIFFERENT PROPOSALS CAN BE VERY
CHALLENGING. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING
THROUGH IS YOU KNOW HOW DO WE
LEVERAGE? COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS YOU KNOW TO MAYBE
HELP GET THE WORD OUT ACTUALLY
PAYING THEM, UH, YOU KNOW,
FUNDING TO HELP ASSIST IN
BRIDGING SOME OF THOSE GAPS. SO
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
BRAINSTORMING THAT WE'RE DOING
INTERNALLY. DR ONG'S RESEARCH,
UM. SOLIDIFIED SORT OF THE
BELIEF WITH THOSE OF US ENGAGE
IN PUBLIC WORK THAT UM, SOME OF
THE MOST CHALLENGED INDIVIDUALS
IN TERMS OF MAKING IT TO UM
EFFECTUATE CHANGE OR PARTICIPATE
IN THE PROCESS. UM ARE ARE THE
ONES WHO SHOULD BE REACHED OUT
THE MOST, AND THEY DON'T BECAUSE
THE VARIETY OF BARRIERS THAT
AREN'T NECESSARILY OF YOU'RE
MAKING OR OF YOUR ABILITY TO FIX
BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IS
IMPORTANT. AND I THINK 11 OF MY
TAKEAWAYS FOR OUR REPORT IS
CERTAINLY FOLLOWING UP WITH THE
DEPARTMENT. UM, I'M CAN WE? I
WAS THINKING THE SAME THING
RIGHT BEFORE HE SAID IT THE ONE
STOP SHOP SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF
PROGRAMS AND IT'S LIKE WHICH ONE
DO I FIT UNDER? AND SO THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO.
DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP ON
POTENTIALLY AT FURTHER HEARINGS.
ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS IN THAT
REGARD? WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM
THE LEGISLATURE IN ORDER TO BE
ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DO THAT? UM
BUT AGAIN, I WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU KNOW,
THERE'S BEEN A SHIFT. THIS USED
TO BE THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS
AND IT'S YOU KNOW, SLOWLY AND
JUSTIFIABLY SO AND WITH GOOD. UM
REASONING, BECOMING A DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION METHOD,
MULTIPLE METHODS OF
TRANSPORTATION AND SO CONTINUING
TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION. IT'S
GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. THE ONLY
OTHER QUESTION I WANT TO ASK YOU
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE TIME
FOR FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IS, UM,
THE JUSTICE 40 PROGRAM. IT WAS
MENTIONED BY DOCTOR ON AND I HAD
I HAD HONESTLY FORGOTTEN, SO I'M
GLAD HE MENTIONED IT. IS
CALIFORNIA. DO WE HAVE A VERSION
OF THAT? ARE WE TRYING TO
IMPLEMENT THAT? UM, WHAT CAN YOU
SHARE ABOUT THAT? IF ANYTHING
YES. SO UH, JUSTICE 40. YOU KNOW
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT
WE'RE DOING SOME WORK ON. UM BUT
WE ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE. YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE I THINK OTHER
METHODS FOR HELPING IDENTIFY AND
PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIES. UM YOU
KNOW, I KNOW UNDER FEDERAL LEVEL
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY DO HAVE A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CRITERIA
THAT THEY'RE USING AS PART OF
THEIR RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES
PROGRAM, BUT BUT ALSO FOR OUR
STATE PROGRAM. WE ALSO WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE
LEVERAGING TOOLS. YOU KNOW THAT,
UM YOU KNOW THAT THAT CAN
IDENTIFY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
UM BECAUSE IT'S NOT YOU KNOW, AS
MUCH AS DATA IS AN IMPORTANT YOU
KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT,
UM, THERE ARE JUST A VARIETY OF
TOOLS. YOU KNOW, CALIFORNIA IS A
VERY BIG STATE. UM AND, YOU
KNOW, SOMETIMES THESE TOOLS MAY
NOT NECESSARILY HIT ALL THE
AREAS AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE USING A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT TOOLS. UM WHERE WE
CAN SORT OF APPROPRIATELY
IDENTIFY ISSUES AND BE ABLE TO
UTILIZE DATA, THE PRIORITIZED
COMMUNITIES AND SO WE'RE USING
ABOUT I THINK FOUR DIFFERENT
DEFINITIONS AND WE'RE ALSO
WORKING ON OUR EQUITY INDEX TOOL
THAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT TO HAVE
MORE OF A TRANSPORTATION LENS AS
RELATES TO IDENTIFYING
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. I'M
TRYING TO MOVE THE HERE AND
ALONG BUT THEN YOU CAUSED ME TO
THINK OF OTHER QUESTIONS, WHICH
I REALLY WANT TO HEAR YOUR INPUT
ON ON THE FRONT END AS
CALIFORNIA YOUR DEPARTMENT. I
SHOULD SAY, TAKES ON NEW
PROJECTS OF WHATEVER KIND THEY
ARE, AND EVERY PART OF THE STATE
HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS. UM ARE YOU
IS VERY. A LENS ARY TOOL THAT'S
BEING APPLIED ON BECAUSE WE WANT
TO BE FORWARD THINKING ON NOT
CONTINUING. THE UM DIVISION OF
COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE DON'T
HAVE TO TALK ABOUT RECONNECTING
THOSE COMMUNITIES. 3040 YEARS
FROM NOW. IS THERE A SPECIFIC
TOOL? THAT'S PART OF THE
ASSESSMENT OF THE PLANNING
PROCESS. YEAH, I'M GLAD YOU
MENTIONED THAT SO A HUGE
PRIORITY FOR US IS UM, WORKING
WITH THE COMMUNITY. DAY ONE. WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT
BRINGING A SOLUTION TO THEM, BUT
WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING THEM
DRIVE. UH DID THE SOLUTIONS AND
THE NEEDS AND THE COMMUNITY AND
WHAT THAT REALLY CONSISTS OF IS
WORKING WITH THEM AS EARLY AS
POSSIBLE. EVEN BEFORE WE START
THE PLANNING STAGE HAVING THAT
DIALOGUE BECAUSE IT REALLY IS
ABOUT THE TRUST BUILDING, UM AND
THAT WILL BE THE STARTING POINT
AND THE TOOL THAT YOU'RE, UM
THAT YOU'RE THAT YOU HAD
MENTIONED ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE
HAD AND GUSTAVO HAD MENTIONED
THIS IN HIS COMMENTS. WE HAVE
OUR COMMUNITY. UM OUR PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION PLAN TEMPLATE AND
WE HAVE GUIDANCE TO OUR
DISTRICTS, WHICH PROVIDES THE
NEEDED TOOLS ON A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND PLANS TO
BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WORKING
WITH THE COMMUNITY AND HAVING
THEM REALLY DRIVE THE DECISION
MAKING AS IT RELATES TO THIS
PROJECTS. IT HAS TO BE
CONTINUOUS. SO YOU KNOW, IT
CAN'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO A
GREAT JOB ON THE FRONT END. AND
YOU KNOW HOW BIG THE DEPARTMENT
IS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE DEPARTMENT THAT THAT THAT
ADVANCED THESE PROJECTS FORWARD.
UM AND SO AS GOOD AS THE JOB AS
WE DO IN THE BEGINNING, IT HAS
TO BE CONTINUOUS ALL THE WAY
THROUGH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
CONSTRUCTION, AND WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT DIALOGUE AND
COMMUNICATION IS CONTINUOUS.
WELL UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU. I
THINK FOR OUR REPORTS PURPOSES,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON TWO THINGS
AND SPECIFIC I DON'T WANT TO
FORGET, IN ONE IS JUST YOU
LISTED A LOT OF FUNDING.
POTENTIAL OR OPPORTUNITIES THAT
EXIST AND MAYBE JUST GETTING A
TOTAL SUM OF WHAT THAT IS, WOULD
BE ONE THING. WE ALREADY TALKED
ABOUT A ONE STOP SHOP, BUT I
ALSO TO THIS LAST POINT WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN PREPARING IN THE
REPORT. WHAT EXACTLY THAT
ASSESSMENT TOOL IS FOR CALTRANS
ON ON THIS, UM ON PROJECTS.
WHATEVER PROJECTS YOU'RE ENGAGED
WITH, BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW,
RATHER THAN UM, HAVING TO AGAIN
30 40 50 YEARS FROM NOW ASK A
RESEARCHER TO GO AND DO ALL THAT
BACKGROUND RESEARCH AND TRY TO
PIECE THINGS TOGETHER. I THINK
IMPACTS TO COMMUNITIES AND WHO
THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE IS
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE VERY
MUCH PART OF THE PLANNING
PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC DOCUMENT
AVAILABLE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD
WITH PROJECTS. I THINK WE'LL
FOLLOW UP WITH THAT. DID YOU
WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? YEAH, I
DID WANT TO ADD THAT I'M ON ARE
MORE MORE COMPLEX AND LARGER
PROJECTS DURING THE SEQUA AND
NEARBY CLEARANCE. WE DO THAT
THAT THAT IS THE KIND OF STUFF
THAT WE LOOK AT ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE AND SOCIO ECONOMIC
IMPACTS TO COMMUNITIES AS PART
OF THOSE COMPLEX PROJECTS. THANK
YOU APPRECIATE THAT. PLEASE JOIN
ME IN THANKING DIRECTOR A LARGE
DIVISION CHIEF. AND NOW EVEN
GETTING MORE LOCAL ON THE
PUBLIC. AND THIS IS OUR LAST
PANEL. UM, I'M HOPING WE CAN GET
THIS DONE IN, UH, THE
PRESENTATION ANYWAY. DONE IN
ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND I WILL
KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT. SO THAT THEN
YOU ALL CAN SPEAK. I THINK SHE
CAN DO IT IN FIVE MINUTES. I
WANT TO THANK FROM SAN TENDING
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
SANDBAG MORBIDITY PLANNING
MANAGER JENNIFER WILLIAMSON,
WHO'S HERE TO PRESENT FROM
SANDBAGS. PERSPECTIVE SO,
JENNIFER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND PLEASE GO RIGHT AHEAD. THAT
STANDARD. WE'RE USED TO SPEEDING
THINGS ALONG, SO I THINK I CAN
DO THIS. I AM JENNIFER
WILLIAMSON. I AM THE MOBILITY
PLANNING MANAGER AT SAND EGG.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO JUST
QUICKLY TO NOTE WHAT SANDBAG
DOES. EVERYBODY KNOWS? WE DO A
REGIONAL PLAN BECAUSE WE BEAT
THE BUSHES TO GET YOUR INPUT ON
IT. WE ALSO DO A LOT MORE. WE
PLAN AND DESIGN OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. WE
PRESERVE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES
THROUGH MITIGATION EFFORTS, AND
WE PROVIDE RESOURCES AND
PROGRAMS YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF
OUR YOUTH OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE SANDBAG PROGRAM. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WHY ARE WE
HERE TODAY? WHAT IS? WHAT IS
SANDACK HAVE TO DO WITH THIS?
WELL, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF
NEEDS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO
NOTE IN THIS SLIDE HERE IS THAT
WE DON'T THINK THIS IS JUST A
FREEWAY ISSUE. WE THINK THAT WE
CONNECTING CORRIDORS, UM, KIND
OF DEVELOPS THROUGH A WIDE
VARIETY OF INFRASTRUCTURE. AND
YOU'LL EVEN SEE OUR BELOVED
TROLLEY AND TRANSIT SYSTEM ON
HERE. WE THINK THAT WE COULD DO
BETTER TO CONNECT CORRIDORS BY
DEVELOPING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
PEOPLE TO CROSS THROUGH THOSE
CORRIDORS A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO SOCIAL
EQUITY SAND DIAGNOSED SOCIAL
EQUITY. WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT
SOCIAL EQUITY, I WOULD SAY, AND
WE'VE GOT MUCH BETTER OVER THE
LAST FIVE YEARS. SO WE KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO ENSURE THAT
EVERY TIME WE DEVELOPED A
PROJECT THAT WE HAVE OUR
PARTNERS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS
WALKING HAND IN HAND WITH US, WE
DO THIS THROUGH OUR SOCIAL
EQUITY PROGRAM. WE HAVE A
NETWORK OF PARTNER NETWORK OF
SOCIAL EQUITY PROVIDERS. WE HAVE
A SOCIAL EQUITY WORKING GROUP
THAT REPRESENTS ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT AGENCIES. SOCIAL
AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION,
AND THEN WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE
NETWORK OF COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AT
SENDING THAT IS PRETTY UNIQUE. I
THINK TO A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE US IS THAT WE ARE PAYING
OUR SOCIAL ARE COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO BE PART OF OUR
PROJECTS. WE DON'T WANT THEM TO
HAVE TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO
COME TO OUR MEETINGS. WE WANT
THEM TO BE AT THE BEGINNING,
MIDDLE AND OF OUR PROJECTS, AND
TOWARDS THAT END WE, UM,
CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH THEM TO
SUPPORT OUR PROJECTS. ONE OF OUR
TOP PRIORITIES IN PLANNING IS
EQUITY AND WE USE ARE THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENT AND VIRUS
SCREEN DATA TOOL TO ENSURE THAT
WE'RE MAKING STRIDES IN
COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THE
SERVICES AND THE PROGRAMS THE
MOST AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT OUR BARRIO LOGAN LOGAN
HEIGHTS CAP PROJECT, AND THAT'S
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT KELLEN
WIRE SCREEN HAS POPPED. IT IS
ONE OF THE NEEDIEST AREAS IN
TERMS OF, UM OVERCOMING BARRIERS
TO TRANSPORTATION IN THIS
REGION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
SANDY IS ALREADY DOING THIS. WE
HAVE A REGIONAL RECONNECTING
COMMUNITY STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE
UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW. THE
OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY OR
THROUGH STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCED DATA
TECHNIQUES, METHODOLOGIES WE ARE
DEFINING AND PRIORITIZING
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. AND
REALLY, WHAT THIS IS, LET'S
DEVELOP A LIST. SEE WHERE THE
NEEDS ARE AND SEE HOW WE CAN
HELP THESE COMMUNITIES. THE MOST
WERE EXPLORING SOLUTIONS THROUGH
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEST
PRACTICES. ANALYSIS WE'RE
WORKING TO PROVIDE BETTER
AMENITIES TO BRIDGE ECONOMIC,
SOCIAL EMPLOYMENT AND
EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS. WE'RE
PROVIDING SAND EGG AND REMEMBER,
WE HAVE THOSE 18 CITIES ON THE
COUNTY. WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM
TO PROVIDE THEM ALSO WITH SHORT
TERM AND LONG TERM. PROJECTS
THAT ARE INFORMED BY THESE
STUDIES AND STRATEGIES. AND
FINALLY, WE'RE DEVELOPING A
GUIDELINE FOR WHERE THE MONEY
IS. HOW DO WE GO AFTER THE MONEY
WHERE THE FUNDING THAT'S GOING
TO SUPPORT THESE PROJECTS IN THE
FUTURE, SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME
FOR THEM TO GO OUT AND FIND ONE
OF THESE GRANTS ARE
OPPORTUNITIES THEY CAN COME TO
SANDBAG AND THEY CAN GET THAT
INFORMATION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO MEN THE GAP. THIS IS OUR CAP
STUDY THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AT
SAND EGG AND WE HAVE SUBMITTED A
GRANT APPLICATION TO THE
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES GRANT
PROGRAM. UH, THAT'S NO SURPRISE
TO ANYBODY THAT BORROW LOGAN AND
LOGAN HEIGHTS ARE HAVE BEEN
BISECTED BY A VARIETY OF
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
FIRST, IT WAS THE I FIVE ABOUT
60 YEARS AGO, AND THEN ALONG
CAME THE CORONADO BRIDGE. AND SO
NOT ONLY WAS IT HIT FIRST BY A
FREEWAY, BUT THEN A MAJOR BRIDGE
STRUCTURE AS WELL. THESE
COMMUNITIES WERE ONE VIBRANT
COMMUNITY OF LOGAN HEIGHTS WHEN
THE BRIDGE AND THE FREEWAY WE'RE
COMMITTED. THEY WERE BASICALLY
BISECTED AND TODAY COMMUNITY
MEMBERS THAT ONCE COULD JUST
WALK DOWN THE STREET NOW HAVE TO
GO MILES OUT OF DIRECTION TO GET
TO THEIR NEIGHBORS. AND SO HERE
THIS IS WHAT WE THINK IS A IS A
VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT. AND WE
ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF SAN
DIEGO, CALTRANS AND OUR PARTNERS
ARE CBO PARTNERS IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO HERE'S
ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE HAVE
APPLIED FOR A GRANT THE
RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES,
HIGHWAYS TO BOULEVARD GRANT AND
HERE. WE'RE LOOKING TO DO A
PROJECT THAT WOULD LOOK AT
MITIGATING SOME OF THE IMPACTS
RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENTS THAT OCCURRED THAT
BISECTED COMMUNITIES IN THE
SOUTHEAST. COMMUNITY OF SAN
DIEGO. THE FIRST THING WE'RE
LOOKING TO DO IS TO MITIGATE AND
RETROFIT THE 43RD STREET
CONNECTORS ON THE 805 WHICH WERE
FORMALLY BUILT FOR S R 252. DOES
ANYBODY KNOW WHAT S R 252 IS?
EXCEPT FOR CALTRANS? NO UM,
ESSENTIALLY, THIS WAS A
CONTENTIOUS HIGHWAY THAT WAS
NEVER BUILT. SO THIS
INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTS TODAY. AND
WE THINK IT COULD BE BETTER
UTILIZED AND BETTER SUITED FOR
SOMETHING ELSE WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY. THE SECOND THING WE
WANT TO DO UNDER THIS STUDY IS
TO BUILD FORMAL CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN CHARLES CREEK THROUGH
SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO. AND THEN
FINALLY, WHEN I WENT TO A
FASTER, TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT WE'RE WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH OUR STRUCTURAL
PARTNERS CITY OF SAN DIEGO CITY
OF NATIONAL CITY AND CALTRANS,
OF COURSE, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE
A WIDE VARIETY OF COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE SUPPORTING
THIS PROJECT AS WELL. AND THAT
INCLUDES OUR URBAN CORE
COLLABORATIVE, BROWN WORKS AND
MUNDO'S GARDENS. SO THIS IS ONE
THAT WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT,
AND HOPE TO HEAR GOOD NEWS ABOUT
SOON. AND I THINK I DID IT
QUICKLY, SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT
ANYBODY HAS. GREAT JOB, JENNIFER
. THANK YOU DID THANK YOU. I
JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR
PERSPECTIVE AND OTHERS MENTIONED
IT. I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION DID AND OTHERS
DID. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE
FREEWAYS. IT'S RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES IN OTHER WAY. AND
OBVIOUSLY THE LAST PROJECT THAT
TO 52 DEFINITELY CAPTURES THAT
ONE IDEA THAT I THINK WILL
FURTHER DISCUSS AT OUR NEXT
HEARING IS HOW DO WE? HOW DO WE
VALUE THE LAND THAT CURRENTLY
HAS A ZERO BASICALLY ZERO TAX
DOLLAR VALUE TO THE TO THE
PROPERTY TAX BASE IN ORDER TO
RECAPTURE SOME OF THE THAT
POTENTIAL. YOU MENTIONED
POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, WHICH
COULD HAPPEN AT AT THIS
PARTICULAR PROJECT TO 52, BUT IT
COULD HAPPEN ALSO OVER LIDS AND
CAPS. AND HOW DO WE CAPTURE THAT
TAX? THOSE TAX DOLLARS TO HELP?
UM TO HELP FUND THE INVESTMENT,
THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
THAT NEED TO OCCUR, SO I JUST
WANTED TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD
BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE I
REMEMBER TO CAPTURE THAT
CONVERSATION FOR OUR FUTURE HAVE
ONLY ON ONE SLIDE. SLIDE NUMBER
FIVE IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO BRING
UP THE SLIDE, BUT WHEN YOU WERE
TALKING ON THAT SLIDE YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING ALREADY, AND I JUST
WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THIS IS THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S
FUNDING THAT WAS MENTIONED
EARLIER. IS THIS. WHAT'S FUNDING
THIS THIS STUDY AND CAN YOU TALK
JUST A TINY BIT MORE, HE SAID IN
THE 18 CITIES, BUT JUST TALK
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE. ABOUT
HOW WHY THAT NET THAT'S BEEN
CAST ON THE WORK THAT YOU'RE
DOING AS IT RELATES TO THAT
FUNDING. AND THEN WHEN DO WE
EXPECT TO HAVE A REPORT?
WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE GOING
TO BE PRODUCING AS A RESULT OF
THE STUDIES. YES SO WE AS I
MENTIONED BEFORE WE USED COAL
AND VIRUS SCREEN AS A WAY TO
REALLY IDENTIFY THESE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST IN
NEED, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS STUDY
IS LOOKING TO DO IS TO LET'S
FIGURE OUT WHERE THE GREATEST
NEED IS. AND THEN LET'S
PRIORITIZE THAT NEEDS SO SAND
EGG GETS A LOT OF MONEY THROUGH
THE REGION, AND AS WE PRIORITIZE
THESE NEEDS IT CAN HELP US.
DEVELOPED PROJECTS THAT GO FIRST
FOR THOSE THOSE AREAS AND SO OUR
STUDY. I'LL HAVE TO ASK LIZZIE
OVER HERE. 20 MONTHS. SO JUST SO
WE CAPTURE YOU FOR THE FEED. YOU
CAN REPEAT. YES SO I ASKED MY
COLLEAGUE LIZZIE HARVEY, WHO IS
ACTUALLY THE PM FOR THAT PROJECT
. THE PROJECT WILL BE DONE IN 20
MONTHS. SO GIVE US A LITTLE
LEEWAY. I WOULD SAY TWO YEARS
AND WE'LL HAVE THE STUDY OUT FOR
YOU GUYS TO REVIEW AND THEN IF I
COULD MENTION ABOUT LAND VALUES,
AND IT IS UNDERTAKING A
COMPREHENSIVE LAND VALUES STUDY
RIGHT NOW. THAT WILL ALSO LOOK
AT THINGS LIKE YOU JUST
MENTIONED THAT WE DID DO CAPS OR
, YOU KNOW, LINEAR, UH, LINEAR
CORRIDORS THAT SUPPORT, BIKING
OR PEDS ADJACENT TO
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
HOW DO WE RECRUIT AROUND LAND
VALUE FOR THAT? THAT'S GOING TO
BE VERY USEFUL INFORMATION. THE
ONLY OTHER THING THAT I'LL SAY
AND YOU MENTIONED ABOUT
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT BECAUSE
THE DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION AS
THEY'RE LOOKING TO UM, GROW
THEIR COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.
UM THEY HEARD THEM MENTION THAT
PERHAPS COMPENSATION FOR
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS
SOMETHING THAT SANDBAG ALREADY
ENGAGES WITH, UM MAYBE IT'S JUST
A COMMENT WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP
WITH YOU ON HOW THAT IS ALLOWED,
IF YOU WILL, BY THE RULES THAT
HAVE OFTEN GOVERNMENT IS PLACING
ON AGENCIES BUT CERTAINLY WANT
TO LOOK AT THAT AND HOW WE CAN
HELP CALTRANS SORT OF BE AT
THAT. SAME SO THAT WE CAN GET
SOME. THANK YOU. JENNIFER.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING HER
AND STAY CONNECTED WITH SANDBAG.
UM ESPECIALLY OVER THE NEXT 20
MONTHS OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO DO SO NOW WE WILL TAKE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD
LIKE TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS, SO
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
WHOEVER SIGNED IN FIRST AND GO
IN THAT ORDER, AND I KNOW THAT
WE'VE LOST SOME FOLKS BECAUSE OF
TIME, BUT HOPEFULLY SOME ARE
STILL HERE. UH, CHRIS. DIDN'T
CANNOT READ THE LAST NAME FROM
THE LOCAL 619. MAYBE IT'S ALAN
KRIS ALLEN. COME ON FORWARD. WE
ASK YOU TO PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME, YOU'LL BE CAPTURED ALSO BY
THE AUDIO FEED AND THE VIDEO
FEED, AND WE THANK YOU FOR
STICKING AROUND. AND WE'LL GIVE
YOU A COUPLE OF MINUTES. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
CHRISTOPHER ALAN I'M A
REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE WESTERN
STATES REGIONAL COUNCIL
CARPENTERS AND WE JUST WANT TO
GO ON RECORD, SAYING WE'RE IN
FULL SUPPORT OF THIS GOOD PAYING
JOBS AND AN ABILITY TO CONNECT
THE COMMUNITIES IS SOMETHING
THAT IS TRANSFORMATIONAL IN OUR
COMMUNITIES RIGHT WITH THESE
FREEWAYS THAT OFTENTIMES BREAKS
APART SECTIONS AND WE JUST WANT
TO CONNECT IT. RIGHT WE WORK
TOGETHER. WE LIVE HERE. WE WANT
TO BUILD HER AS WELL. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. RICARDO SANCHEZ,
RICARDO. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
YOUR PROMPT COMMENTS. SEE WHEN I
START RICARDO SANCHEZ SO
REPRESENTING. YES LOSS,
CARPENTER ESTAMOS PERCENT
PROJECTORS, REACTORS, NO
SOLAMENTE CONNECTOR BORRADOR.
TRAVÉS. RESIDENT CASE AND. HE
AREAS GRANDES LIBERALS, BUT I
DON'T KNOW THE FAMILY ARREST.
SERVICES LETTERS OR THOUGHT
PEOPLE, OKAY? MARIO YOUR
RESIDENT MONEY THAT. THE S EVERY
ELEMENT OF KOOPA PROJECTOR.
WHICH GRACIAS, CARDOSO. UM,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT. WE
HAVE JASON M B WELLS. YEAH GOOD
AFTERNOON, JASON WELLS IN THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SENATE
CEDAR IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION.
THAT'S OUR LOCAL CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE AND BID VISIT
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN IN IN
TENNESSEE DRAWL. UM YOU KNOW,
THE SENATE LEADER COMMUNITY JUST
FOR THE RECORD. YOU OBVIOUSLY
KNOW THIS IS SOME WOMEN. BUT THE
SENATOR COMMUNITY WAS FIRST
BISECTED BY THE FIVE THEN
DISSECTED BY THE 905. AND I'M
SORRY, BUT THE 805 AND THEN TRY
SECTOR BY THE 905. SO WHAT'S
THAT? WHAT'S THAT CREATED WAS A
CHOKE ON AN UNDERREPRESENTED, UH
, HISTORICALLY POOR COMMUNITY,
YOU KNOW, LIMITING ANY ANY
ABILITY OR OPPORTUNITY THEY
WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW TO GROW,
UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT NOW,
THERE'S BEEN SOME, UM, HIGHER
END HOUSING THAT'S BETTER PLACED
AROUND AROUND THAT COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK YOU KNOW YOUR
INITIATIVE THIS CONNECTING
COMMUNITIES. IS THE PERFECT
TIMING AND THE PERFECT NEED IN
SANTA SPEEDO, TOO, TO START
BRINGING PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY
TOGETHER AT THE CENTER CENTER
IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION. WE
THOUGHT WE WERE IN A SILO, BUT I
LOVE HEARING NOW FROM COMMONS
AND THE OTHER THE SEATTLE
PROJECT. WE ACTUALLY HAD AN IDEA
OF JOINING FOR THOSE THAT KNOW
THE AREA. THE BASICALLY DO KEEP
DOING THE CAP FROM THE COMMUNITY
PLAZA. UH VEHICLE BRIDGE OVER
THE FIVE. TO THE NEW EAST WEST
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE THAT RUNS
ALMOST PARALLEL TO THAT, UM,
CREATING SOME GREEN
OPPORTUNITIES. SOME RESPITE FOR
THOSE THAT HAVE CROSSED THE
BORDER HAVE BEEN HOURS ON FOOT
CROSSING THE BORDER AND JOINING
THE TWO COMMERCIAL PARTS OF OUR
COMMUNITY, THE OUTLETS ON THE ON
THE WEST LARGE CHAINS AND THE
MOMENT POPS ON SENATOR
BOULEVARD. THE ONE THING I WOULD
ASK OR HOPE THAT WOULD COME OUT
OF THIS. UM YOU KNOW, I WAS IN
WASHINGTON, D. C AND THERE WAS
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALTRANS IN
FROM THE L. A OFFICE CAME INTO
THIS BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION
ABOUT BILL AND IRA AND ALL OF
THESE FUNDS THAT THEY WANTED TO
GET TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
UM AND THEN AT THE END, I SAID,
THAT'S AWESOME. I SAID. SO HOW
DO GROUPS LIKE MINE? THOSE IN
THE COMMUNITY GET ACCESS TO
THOSE FUNDS? HE SAYS. OH, WE
JUST NEED TO GET TO THE TOP OF
THE MAYOR'S LIST AND OF SENDAK'S
LIST, AND THEY SAID, WELL,
THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE UNDER
SERVED AS NOT BEING ABLE TO GET
TO THE LAPTOP OF THOSE LISTS. SO
IT THIS. IF THE COMMITTEE THERE
THIS THAT'S MOVEMENT CONNECTING
COMMUNITIES COULD HELP NOT ONLY
ACCESS TO FUNDS BUT ACCESS TO
THE ACCESS TO FUNDS, CERTAINLY
IN PLANNING FUNDS, BECAUSE ONCE
WE CAN ACTUALLY GET
ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS,
RENDERINGS AND COST ESTIMATES,
THEN YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE ABLE TO
GET UP THOSE LISTS. BUT JUST
GETTING TO THAT POINT FOR
SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS
IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. WE HAVE CLARESSA
FALCON AND I INTRODUCED HER
EARLIER. SHE IS A CALIFORNIA
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER. SO
WE ARE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE HER.
HERE WITH US TODAY. AND AFTER
MISS FALCON, WE WILL HAVE ROG
ROB QUIGLEY. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND THANK YOU
FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING. UM
CLARA SERIOUS FALCON, NON, THE
CALIFORNIA TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSION AND VERY PROUD TO
REPRESENT THIS AREA. UM I JUST
WANTED TO ENHANCE. UM AH. MARLON
AND GUSTAVO'S, UM, EXPLANATION
TO THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAD
ASKED IN IN REGARDS TO HOW HOW
TO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
HISTORICALLY IMPACTED BY OUR
TRANSPORTATION. UM THEIR VOICES
TO, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A PLACE AT
THE TABLE AS WE MOVE FORWARD
WITH HOW WE HOW WE MAKE
DECISIONS ON OUR FUNDING. AND SO
THERE IS A MECHANISM THAT WAS
NEWLY CREATED, UM, THAT IS
MEMORIALIZED IN THE CLIMATE
ACTION PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE, CAPTAIN, UM, AND
IT'S A NEWLY FORMED MECHANISM
CALLED THE INTERAGENCY EQUITY
ADVISORY. UM COMMITTEE AND WE
HEAR I THEY'RE FRESH IN MY MIND
BECAUSE WE HEAR UM, UH, UPDATES
FROM THEM. AT EVERY HEARING. ONE
OF THE MEMBERS IS RANDY VAN
VLECK, WHO IS LOCALLY HERE FROM
SAN DIEGO. THERE IT'S A CONSISTS
OF 15 MEMBERS IN THAT COMMITTEE
THAT REPRESENT MANY COMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED
HISTORICALLY, UM FROM OUR TRIBES
TO RURAL TO SOME OF OUR IMPACTED
URBAN AND SO THAT COMMITTEE IS
GOING TO HELP. UM ADVISE US
GOING FORWARD AND AS WE GO
THROUGH EACH CYCLE OF OUR
FUNDING ON OUR GUIDELINES, AND
SO THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM
AND YOU KNOW TO HELP INFORM, YOU
KNOW THE WAY WE, UH, WE FUND
PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD WITH ALL
OF OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT CTC
L. KATE THAT CALISTA AND
CALTRANS UM UH, UM, IMPLEMENT,
SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT
AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE. UM
UM, WITH WITH THOSE THAT FUND
THIS PROJECT, SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY.
BEFORE THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE
READY TO LEAVE. SINCE WE SAID 1
TO 4. I'M GOING TO KEEP US ON
TIME. I'M GONNA TAKE A PICTURE.
PROBABLY A SELFIE. THIS IS A
HISTORIC OCCASION. WE HAVEN'T
HAD A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS IN
OUR STATE'S HISTORY TO CAPTURE
THE MOMENT AND IF YOU WANT TO BE
PART OF THAT, PLEASE STICK
AROUND. WE WILL BE DONE BY FOUR.
WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE OTHER PUBLIC
SPEAKERS. SO, MR QUIGLEY, THANK
YOU. VERY MUCH, JANICE LUNAR,
RIGHT? NO, CIVIL FOLLOW MR
QUICKLY. THANK YOU. I'M WITH THE
SAN DIEGO COMMONS. I'VE BEEN
INTERESTED IN THIS RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES IN THE ASSOCIATION,
THE URBAN AREAS EVER SINCE THEY
WORKED ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY
PLAN ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO. I WANT
TO SAY, I THINK THAT'S THE
FORMATION OF YOUR COMMITTEE IS
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS
I'VE SEEN HAPPEN SO FAR, BECAUSE
THERE'S A CHANCE TO REALLY
RESOLVE SOME ISSUES THAT HAVE
NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I'D LIKE TO
TALK ABOUT FOUR OF THEM. THAT
WERE WEREN'T REALLY, UH
MENTIONED MUCH TODAY OR FUN AT
ALL. BUT ONE IS CONTINUITY. IT'S
BEEN MY OBSERVATION THAT ONE OF
THE REASONS THESE PROJECTS DON'T
PROCEED OR GET ACCOMPLISHED. IS
THAT THEIR LONG TERM AND
ELECTION CYCLES ARE SHORT TERM.
AND SO I THINK YOU'LL BE
WONDERFUL IF YOUR COMMITTEE
COULD CREATIVELY THINK OF SOME
WAYS TO BRIDGE THAT GAP AND
EXAMPLE IS SUSTAINABILITY. 20
YEARS AGO OR SO WE WERE
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THE POLITICAL
ENTITIES ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS
WEREN'T REALLY BEHIND
SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS IN THE
BUILDING TRADES AND THE GREEN
BUILDING COUNCIL CAME UP WITH A
BRILLIANT IDEA CALLED LEAD. AND
THE ESSENCE OF LEADERS NOT ONLY
A CHECKLIST TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE
DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, BUT A
PLAQUE YOU CAN PUT ON THE
MAYOR'S WALL. AND THAT CHANGED
EVERYTHING. SO MAYBE THERE'S
SIMILAR KINDS OF CREATIVE IDEAS
THAT COULD, UH, BE IMPLEMENTED
HERE. THE NEXT POINT I'D LIKE TO
MAKE IS SMALL GRANTS. REALLY
MAKE A DIFFERENCE? JUST GROUPS
LIKE OURS. $5000. WERE GIVEN.
GIVE US THE ABILITY TO HOLD THE
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP. AND YET THE
GRANTS ALL ORIENTED TOWARDS MUCH
BIGGER SEGMENTS, WHICH WE
WOULDN'T TURN DOWN. BUT THERE
OUGHT TO BE A YOU KNOW, A SYSTEM
OF SMALL SEED MONEY ABILITIES TO
GET THESE INSTITUTIONS STARTED.
THIRDLY MANAGEMENT FACILITIES
SPECIFICALLY FACILITY MANAGEMENT
ON THESE FREEWAY COVERS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE
COMMUNITY. THERE IS FEAR OF THEM
BECOMING HOMELESS PARKS, FOR
INSTANCE, THAT'S HAPPENED IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD IN EAST VILLAGE.
UM, THERE IS CONCERNED THAT THE
RESTAURANTS WON'T BE OPEN. WHICH
I UNDERSTAND HAPPENS AT TORONTO
PARK. SO THERE NEEDS TO BE MONEY
ALLOCATED WHEN YOU BUILD THESE.
THESE COVERS FOR ONGOING AND
PERMANENT FACILITY MANAGEMENT
SECURITY MANAGEMENT, OTHERWISE
THEY'LL FAIL ULTIMATELY. AND
LASTLY, BUILDINGS THEMSELVES. I
MEAN, TO MAKE THESE THINGS
AFFORDABLE IF WE COULD BUILD ON
TOP OF THE FREEWAY, A LIBRARY,
COMMUNITY HOUSING OR PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE COULD PUT BUILDINGS
ON TOP OF THE FREEWAY. THAT
WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO HELPING
PAY FOR THEM. THIS IS DONE IN
OTHER STATES. MY UNDERSTANDING
IS THAT CAL TRANS STILL DOES NOT
ALLOW THAT CONSTRUCTION ON THE
FREEWAYS, BUT THAT THEY'RE
WORKING ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
YOUR COMMITTEE MAY BE ABLE TO
HELP THAT HAPPEN MORE QUICKLY,
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY A
KEY TO MAKING THESE THINGS.
REALITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
JANICE LUNA, RIGHT? NO, SO
FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY AVALOS. THAT
AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO REYNOSA
WITH MONDO GARDENS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR HOLDING THIS CONVENING.
EXCELLENT WE'VE ALL LEARNED SO
MUCH. I HOPE THAT WE CAN
ENCOURAGE YOU AND HOST YOU IN
NATIONAL CITY AS WELL. THIS HAS
BEEN WONDERFUL. UM AND WE SERVE
VARIOUS COMMUNITIES RIGHT AND
SOME OF US HERE AS A WHOLE
COMMUNITY. WHETHER LIKE MONDO
GARDENS THAT SERVES IN NATIONAL
CITY, SOUTHEAST AND LOGAN. WE
CHEER EACH OTHER, AND WE FEEL
LIKE WE HAVE CRACKED THE CODE AS
FAR AS LIKE THE COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER WE
USE ARE SUPPORTIVE. WE'VE
LEARNED THAT COMPETING AGAINST
EACH OTHER IS NOT WHAT WORKS.
THAT'S THE OLD WAY AND SO, LIKE
SEEING THIS HAPPENING, THE
HIGHLIGHTING OF THE FIVE FREEWAY
WE HAVE THE FIVE FREEWAY IN
NATIONAL CITY AS WELL. RIGHT AND
THE 805 FREEWAY. WE HEARD UM,
FOR OUR BROTHER HERE AND
SUNNYSIDE ROW, ALL OF THE
DIVISIVE AREAS AND WE'RE LIKE,
YES, YES, YES. THEY NEED THAT.
UM SO HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO CONTINUE TO WORK
COLLABORATIVELY SO THAT THE
BENEFITS THAT ARE COMING TO THE
DIFFERENT FREEWAYS, THE
DIFFERENT DISADVANTAGED AREAS.
ARE NOT IN COMPETITION WITH EACH
OTHER. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A
BILL IF IT'S ASKING FOR MORE
FUNDS, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY
ENCOURAGING THE COLLABORATION
THE COALITION BUILDING AND WE
WERE ABLE TO DO GREAT THINGS
WITH THE APPLICATION WE
SUBMITTED WITH SANDBAGGED THE
CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, THE CITY
OF SAN DIEGO LEADERS FROM SOUTH
SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO AND NATIONAL
CITY. JUST WONDERFUL WORK THAT
WE HOPE IT DOESN'T BECOME
SOMETHING THAT IS. THAT IS
NUANCE. THAT IS NOT THE NORM.
HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR
THINGS AS A LARGER COMMUNITY? A
LOT OF US SEE OURSELVES AS
SISTER COMMUNITIES. HOW DO WE
ENHANCE THAT? I AGAIN? YOU KNOW
I'M LOOKING TO YOU. IS THAT A
BILL? IS IT REALLY STATING IT
THAT WE'RE NOT COMPETING AGAINST
EACH OTHER. WE ARE COMMUNITIES
THAT SOMETIMES ARE LOOKED AT AS
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE
BEEN SUBDIVIDED, RIGHT? UM THE
OTHER THING IS THAT IT HAS BEEN
EXTREMELY INSTRUMENTAL, UM, THE
SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED
FROM SOME OF THE CALTRANS STAFF
AND ANY TIME THAT WE GET A
CHANCE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM
WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE, THEIR
HELPFUL THEY'RE SENSITIVE TO THE
COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. REALLY JUST
WANTING THEM TO AMP. UP THAT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT
WITH THEIR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
STAFF WITH THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AND LEGISLATIVE
AFFAIRS STAFF, MORE COMMUNITY,
UM ORIENTED OUTREACH BECAUSE IT
WORKS. THEY LISTEN TO US. THEY
VISIT US. THEY KNOW THE HISTORY
THERE. THEY'RE LEARNING ALONG
WITH US, UM, AND ALSO PROVIDING
GREAT ADVICE. SO REALLY, JUST
CALTRANS. KEEP KEEP THAT GOOD,
GOOD WORK GOING AND REALLY MORE
OF THAT. SO THAT WAY THE STATUS
AND SPREAD THEN AND THEIR
RELEASE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING
A GREAT JOB AND SO REALLY, UM,
ALLOWING FOR MORE PARTICIPATION,
MORE CONVERSATION, AND IT IS ALL
ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. SO THANK
YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR
TESTIMONY. ANTHONY AVALOS HAS
FOLLOWED BY CHRIS REECE. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ANTHONY
AVALOS. I'M THE CO FOUNDER OF
THE COUNCIL OF EQUITY ADVOCACY
SAN DIEGO AND ALSO WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH MONDO GARDENS AND
THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
EFFORTS. SO JUST WANTED TO KIND
OF BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE TAKE AWAYS THAT THAT I HAD
FROM THIS PHENOMENAL MEETING.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
ALVAREZ AND ALL THE
ORGANIZATIONS FOR PUTTING THIS
PHENOMENAL PRESENTATION
TOGETHER. FUNDING IS OBVIOUSLY A
CRITICAL ISSUE I CAN SEE BASED
ON SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS THAT
YOU'RE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THAT
SPACE. UM I WILL SAY THAT IT IS.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO
SEE A SUSTAINABILITY PATHWAY
WITHOUT FUNDING THAT'S COMING
FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES TO TURN A
LOT OF THESE VOLUNTEER
ORGANIZATIONS INTO PERMANENT
STRUCTURES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SECOND WITH THE IDEA OF TRUST
BUILDING, WHICH I THINK IS
ANOTHER HUGE COMPONENT OF THIS
PROCESS AND IT'S GOING TO BE
SOMETHING THAT WERE JUDGED BY IN
IN YEARS TO COME. THERE THERE
NEEDS TO BE OUTCOMES THAT
REFLECT THE COMMUNITY IS
ORIGINAL DEMANDS. AND SO WHEN
YOU HAVE SIX YEARS OF
PHENOMENAL, UM. CONNECTIVITY TO
THE COMMUNITY. BUT THEN YOU HAVE
THE OUTCOMES, WHICH NEGATE THAT
SIX YEARS OF WORK. IT'S GOING TO
BE VERY DIFFICULT TO BUILD TRUST
WITH COMMUNITIES. SO I DO THINK
THAT WHILE WE HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT FUNDING AND
MAKING SURE THAT THE
ORGANIZATION'S DOING THE WORK
ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT WORK,
WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
ANALYSIS OF SOME OF THE OUTCOMES
OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. AS
WELL AS SOME OF THIS OTHER
FREEWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
TO SEE WHICH OF THESE EXISTING
PROJECTS ACTUALLY IMPACTED THE
COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT IMPACTING RIGHT NOW. AND
SO WITHOUT THAT ADDITIONAL
ANALYSIS, I THINK THAT WE WILL
FALL INTO WHAT'S COMFORTABLE
WHICH IS GOING WITH WHAT WE KNOW
GOING WITH WHAT HAS BEEN DONE,
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT REALLY QUICKLY AND AGAIN.
SAY THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THIS
HISTORIC MOMENT. THANK YOU,
ANTHONY APPRECIATE YOUR
TESTIMONY. CHRIS REECE FILED BY
RYAN MILLER. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I HAVE ENJOYED THIS. I'VE
LEARNED SO MUCH. IT'S TREMENDOUS
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PUT IT
ON. SO FOLLOWING ON THAT
GENTLEMAN'S COMMENTS. I'M A BIG
ADVOCATE OF DATA. I'M HERE
REPRESENTING THE UNITED NATIONS
ASSOCIATIONS, LOCAL GROUPS THAT
ARE WORKING TO IMPLEMENT THE
UNITED NATIONS TENANTS, UM AND A
AND MY PASSION IS CLIMATE SO YOU
KNOW, SITTING HERE AND I'M
LISTENING TO US REFLECTING BACK
ON THE MISTAKES WE MADE 30 OR 40
YEARS AGO. AND HOW ARE WE GOING
TO ACTUALLY MEASURE WHAT. WE
WANT TO ACCOMPLISH SO. THINKING
ABOUT CLIMATE. FOR EXAMPLE, CAN
WE BAKE INTO THE PLANS THAT COME
OUT OF YOUR COMMITTEE? A
STRUCTURED PROCESS TO MEASURE
THE CLIMATE. DATA. GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN
CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS. CAN WE
TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER AND TIE
THAT INTO HEALTH OUTCOMES,
IDENTIFY RESPIRATORY DISEASES
AND OTHER DISEASES THAT ARE
DIRECTLY RELATED TO CLIMATE,
PARTICULARLY EMISSIONS FROM CARS
RIGHT BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT
PIE CHARTS THAT SHOW WHAT ARE
WHAT ARE THE GREATEST IMPACTS IN
TERMS OF CLIMATE? TRANSPORTATION
IS USUALLY BETWEEN 45 AND 55% SO
THAT'S IMPACTING GLOBAL WARMING.
IT'S IMPACTING LOCAL PEOPLE'S
HEALTH. IT'S IMPACTING QUALITY
OF LIFE. SO THERE ARE
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
MEASUREMENTS THAT WE CAN START
TO DO WHEN WE ENACT THESE
PROJECTS AND THEN TRACK THEM
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. 5 1015
YEARS TURNING TO DETERMINE
WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE HAVING THE
IMPACT WE HOPE FOR. ANOTHER
EXAMPLE IS CANOPY. SO THE CAPS
THE LIDS CREATE SOME KIND OF A
TREE CANOPY THAT HAS A MARGINAL
IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE. IT'S
AN IMPORTANT STEP, BUT
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO TO REDUCE
THE EMISSIONS FROM VEHICLES,
TRUCKS GOING UP AND DOWN THE
ROAD. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO
HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON BOTH
THE CLIMATE AND INDIVIDUALS HELP
SO AGAIN TO MEASURE
EFFECTIVENESS. LET'S GET SOME
DATA AND LET'S THINK ABOUT THE
METRICS THAT ARE BOTH
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE.
AND I I'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK.
WHERE IT FEELS GOOD TO DO THINGS
LIKE IT FEELS IT WOULD FEEL GOOD
TO CREATE. THIS FREEWAY CAP. BUT
IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL
IMPACT IS ON PEOPLE'S HEALTH, IF
WE AREN'T MEASURING WITH THE
IMPACT IS ON THE LOCAL BUSINESS
AND THE ECONOMY AND THE LOCAL
BUSINESS. WE ARE IMPACTING WHAT
IT'S DOING TO CLIMATE. WE
ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
SUCCESSFUL. IT MIGHT HAVE FELT
GOOD, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
ACTUALLY SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. RYAN, UH MILLER AND
THEN OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE
BILL ANDERSON AFTER RYAN. HI
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
FIRST WANT TO THANK THE PANEL
FOR GETTING A LOT OF EXCELLENT
INFORMATION. UM, I'M ACTUALLY
GRADUATE STUDENT AT UC DAVIS.
I'M FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
JUST VISITING TODAY, AND I ALSO
TEACH URBAN PLANNING AND
GEOGRAPHY CLASSES AT CHICO STATE
AND SACRAMENTO STATE, SO I JUST
WANTED TO ADD A COUPLE OF
THOUGHTS FROM A NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA PERSPECTIVE. UM ONE
THING THAT I WANT TO MENTION WAS
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT CALTRANS, AND
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY THIS
IN A WAY THAT IS RESPECTFUL TO
GUSTAVO AND MARLON. I THINK IT'S
AMAZING TO SEE THAT THERE IS
GREAT WORK HAPPENING FROM
CALTRANS HERE. BUT ONE OF THE
THINGS I CONTINUE TO BE WORRIED
ABOUT IS OTHER CALTRANS
DISTRICTS. THAT MIGHT BE A
LITTLE BIT LESS PROGRESSIVE AND
KIND OF MINDSETS AT THE HIGHEST
LEVELS OF CALTRANS. AND JUST TO
MAKE PEOPLE AWARE. IF THEY
WEREN'T WE'RE FACING A SITUATION
RIGHT NOW IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
IN MY HOME COUNTY, WHERE
INTERSTATE 80 IS ESSENTIALLY
BEING EXPANDED ITS UNDERGOING
ELAINE EXPANSION KIND OF UNDER
THE GUISE OF A BRIDGE
MAINTENANCE PROJECT. THERE WAS A
REALLY GOOD ARTICLE ON OCTOBER
13TH IN THE L A TIMES ABOUT A
WHISTLEBLOWER AT CALTRANS, WHO
WAS FIRED FOR BRINGING UP THAT
WE SHOULD NOT BE UNDERGOING THIS
EXPANSION. THAT WAS JEANNIE WARD
WALLER UP IN THE NORTHERN
DISTRICTS OF CALTRANS, SO I
WORRY. PART OF ME REALLY WORRIES
THAT IN SOME SENSE THERE'S
AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING AT
CALTRANS, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY
TO SEE THAT CHANGE. BUT I THINK
THERE'S A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL
CHANGE THAT STILL NEEDS TO
HAPPEN. AND THE CYNICAL PART OF
ME WORRIES THAT SOME OF THESE
PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE
AMAZING MIGHT IN A SENSE BE USED
AS KIND OF GREENWASHING OR AS
KIND OF COVER. FOR CALTRANS TO
CONTINUE TO DOUBLE DOWN WITH
THEIR CAR DEPENDENCE, EXPANSION,
MAYBE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE
STATE, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT
INSTITUTIONAL REFORM
CONTINUALLY, AND WE'RE ALSO
THINKING ABOUT OTHER DISTRICTS
THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE KIND OF
ENLIGHTENED AND APPROACHES THAT
I WAS LEARNING ABOUT TODAY,
WHICH WERE AMAZING. UM AND THEN,
SECONDLY, I JUST ALSO WANTED TO
ADD OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID THIS
BUT REALLY ANY OPPORTUNITY IN
ANY INCENTIVE PROGRAMS OR STATE
FUNDING TO ALSO INCENTIVIZE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION
AS PART OF THESE LIDS, I THINK
IT'S JUST AN AMAZING
OPPORTUNITY. I THINK PROBABLY
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS WE
HAVE A DECADES LONG HISTORY OF
RACIST AND EXCLUSIONARY ZONING
THAT HAVE LED TO A DEEP DEEP
DEFICIT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
UNITS ACROSS THE STATE. AND SO I
THINK ANY TIME STATE POLICY CAN
BE USED TO KIND OF NUDGE US AND
NOT DIRECTION WE SHOULD BE
TAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING
NORCAL. WE WILL GIVE THEM SOME
LOVE WILL HAVE A HEARING THEIR,
UH IN A MONTH AND A HALF OR SO
AND PERHAPS A 3RD AND 4TH HERE
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE WE
WANT TO HEAR FROM THE ENTIRE
STATE. THIS COMMITTEE IS NOT
JUST THE SAN DIEGO COMMITTEE.
IT'S A STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COMMITTEE. OUR FINAL SPEAKER
BILL ANDERSON, MR ANDERSON,
WELCOME VERY MUCH.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ALVAREZ. FOR
HOLDING THIS AND FOR THE
PANELISTS TO PROVIDE THE
INFORMATION. I'M HERE WITH THE
SAN DIEGO COMMONS GROUP AND, UM,
DIDN'T WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE AH
AS WE AND YOU CONSIDER FUNDING
AND STRATEGIES FOR THE
RECONNECTING THE COMMUNITIES
THAT WE ARE CAREFUL NOT TO
COMPARTMENTALIZE THE COMPONENTS
THAT WE DON'T HAVE BOUNDARIES.
THAT IT'S NOT JUST TO COVER
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE THE
COVER THAT CONNECTS TO THE COVER
THAT CONNECTS TO THE STREETS
THAT CONNECTS TO THE PARKS THAT
CONNECTS THE COMMUNITY. AND SO
ENSURING THAT OUR, UH, SCOPES
ARE NO FAS NOTICES OF FUNDING
AVAILABILITY. THE GRANTS TO
ORGANIZATIONS REALLY ENCOURAGED
THINKING. ABOUT THOSE
INTERCONNECTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN IN TROUBLE IN
THE PAST IS BY
COMPARTMENTALIZING EACH OF THESE
COMPONENTS AND THEN FINDING GAPS
. SOME FUTURE GENERATION HAS TO
TRY TO FILL, SO JUST WANTED TO
END ON THAT. AS AN ASIDE I WAS
THE ECONOMIST ON THE I 15
FREEWAY COVER STRATEGY IN THE
LATE 19 EIGHTIES. SO IF YOU HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE
VALUED LAND BACK THEN, UM FEEL
FREE TO CALL ME. THANK YOU AND.
GUESS WHAT? EVERYBODY IF YOU
TURN AROUND, IT'S FOUR O'CLOCK.
OH, IT'S 401 NOW, SO MAN, THAT
WAS ALMOST PERFECTLY TIME. UM IT
HAS BEEN A REAL TREMENDOUS HONOR
AND PLEASURE TO HEAR FROM OUR
PANELISTS TO HEAR FROM THE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I'M
EXCITED ABOUT THIS CONTINUED
CONVERSATION, WE WILL BE HAVING
A SERIES OF THESE HEARINGS AS I
MENTIONED AND WILL BE PUTTING
OUT. A REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE
STAFF WILL PUT A REPORT OUT ON
RECOMMENDATIONS ON POLICIES. AND
ON LEGISLATION AND CERTAINLY ALL
THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED
HERE WILL BE, UM, WILL BE MORE
REALIZED IN THAT REPORT. SO I
WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I DO WANT TO
DO THIS. LITTLE THING. TAKE A
LITTLE PICTURE HERE AND SO WE
CAN SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY. SO
YOU CAN JUST STAY STILL FOR A
SECOND. SEE IF I CAN DO THIS.
THANK YOU. EVERYBODY ARE HEARING
IS ADJOURNED. I DON'T HAVE A
GAVEL. BUT ADJOURNED.