LA County Equity

Year: 2020

This project in partnership with the County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning (County DRP) proposes that planning must actively "build justice" through anti-racist projects that work to undo decades of harm while reimagining the future of the just city. The proposed pilot project, Demonstration Depots upon the Metro A (Blue) line, leverages plots of vacant land, county owned-park space, and nodes of libraries and service providers to create neighborhood hubs. Through active "demonstrations" of new County programs and policies, neighborhood reinvestment, and test projects, the Demonstration Depots introduce resource-rich and welcoming space. Initial programs were based on the needs of two of Florence-Firestone's most vulnerable groups: unhoused individuals, particularly the rapidly growing population of RV dwellers, and people of all ages struggling to bridge the digital divide in a time of remote school, work, and service provision.

A pilot Demonstration Depot at Roosevelt Park / Florence Station would include the following elements, highlighting the potential to enhance existing infrastructure to transform a sliver of land:

• Safe Parking with associated continuum of care, housing, and health services

• Enhancements to the Roosevelt Park restrooms, picnic, and waste areas to serve both Safe Parking and park visitors

• WiFi and charging station for Roosevelt Park, bridging the digital divide in communal space

• Light Infrastructure / space for pop up programming