April 27, 2012
Communities for a Better Environment has been working with residents of Huntington Park to create a greener and a more prosperous hometown. One of the central elements of this work during the past year has been creating a plan to revitalize an industrial-area “brownfield” in the northwest part of the City. Brownfields are contaminated or abandoned properties, which face significant challenges for redevelopment because of contamination of the land. This is one of serious issues that many environmental justice communities face.
Community members in collaboration with CBE staff have been participating in various capacity building training sessions and visioning workshops. Community members have identified cultural centers, community gardens, clinics, affordable housing, job training centers, and food co-ops as some of the projects they’d like to see in this brownfield area. Additionally, community members have been learning about different stages of brownfield clean-up and revitalization and the key role they can play in this process. CBE staff has been working with residents, technical consultants, City of Huntington Park, US EPA and other allies towards gathering a wide range of data and creating a strategic plan for realizing the vision of a healthy community.
Community members are very passionate about his project, they have great ideas and beautiful visions for transforming their neighborhoods and their city into a more livable and sustainable community. A successful Brown-to-Green development shaped by the community’s vision will not only benefit the great people of Huntington Park, but it could also set the stage as a development model for other brownfield sites in the Los Angeles County.