Current Environmental and Climate Inequity
Historical redlining and unfair zoning rules made it more likely for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color) and low-income communities in LA County to live near places like oil refineries, oil and gas wells and landfills. Even though these discriminatory policies are no longer in place, they still contribute to unequal impacts today. Many areas that were redlined in the past have more industrial pollution and less green space.
These unfair planning decisions also caused transportation challenges and disparities. Many of LA’s freeways were built through redlined communities, leading to displacement, economic challenges and health and environmental harm. These inequities persist, as BIPOC and low-income Angelenos today are more likely to live near freeways than white or wealthy residents.
In LA County, 13 percent of non-Hispanic white people live within a quarter mile of a freeway, compared to 15 percent of Black and Asian people, and 17 percent of Latino people.
There are more than 500 miles of freeway in Los Angeles County with a total of roughly 235 million miles driven daily, negatively impacting air quality and the health of communities close to freeways. Living near traffic pollution is often associated with significant health impacts and issues like asthma. These associations decrease with increased distance from freeways.
Similarly, communities impacted by historical exclusionary zoning and close to industrial areas are unequally affected by negative climate impacts. One example is the urban heat island effect, which intensifies high temperatures in urban areas without much green space or tree canopy. For heat-sensitive groups like youth and the elderly, infrastructure challenges such as limited shade at bus stops create barriers to mobility. Formerly redlined communities are also more likely to be in flood zones and flood more easily during heavy rain and severe storms.
These inequities require ongoing efforts to address them. Metro is committed to repairing trust with communities and working to amend these issues now and into the future.