New State Grant to Fund Park Acquisition and Park Development

As you may already know, the City is working to identify eligible park acquisition and park development projects for a new $368M state grant program-- the Statewide Park Program. This exciting new grant program could be used to fund the acquisition of new parks in underserved communities across the City, including the proposed new park at 5401 La Mirada Avenue in Hollywood.

STATEWIDE PARK PROGRAM

Background

The Statewide Park Program is a new competitive grant program which will award a total of $368M in grants (in two funding rounds) towards the creation of new parks and new recreational opportunities in "critically underserved" communities. The funding for this program was made available as a part of Proposition 84, a $5.4B Safe Drinking Water Bond that was approved by voters in 2006.

Grant applications for the first competitive round are due to the State no later than March 1, 2010. A total of $184M has been made available for the first competitive round.

The maximum grant available to qualified park acquisition and development projects under the program is $5M. No matching funds are required.

Only Cities, Counties, Districts, Non-Profits, and Joint Powers Authorities are eligible to apply.

Identifying Eligible Project Sites

In order for a particular project to be eligible it must be located in "critically underserved" communities. According to the State's criteria (pdf) a critically underserved community is determined by analyzing the area 1/2 mile radius of the proposed project site to see if the area meets either of the following conditions:

1. It has less than 3 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents
2. It has a median household income lower than $47,331

The State has developed a web based tool, called the California State Parks Community Fact Finder, to help project applicants determine if their project location is eligible. The Community Fact Finder combines mapping and demographic data to calculate the population, median household income, number of families below poverty, and the parkland ratio within a half-mile radius of any site in California.

Types of Eligible Projects

A project must be either a park acquisition and development project or a just a park development project. The project may include, but is not limited to, the following types of recreational features and elements:

• Restroom building & parking lots
• Athletic fields & Courts
• Community centers
• Community gardens
• Gymnasiums
• Non-motorized neighborhood and regional recreational trails
• Open space and natural areas
• Performing arts venues
• Picnic areas
• Playgrounds
• Skate parks
• Swimming pools and aquatic features

It should be noted that the priority of this grant program is to develop new parks in areas where there is insufficient park space. Development projects at existing parks are eligible projects, but they are less competitive under the State's criteria (pdf) as the development of a completely new park.

Community Outreach and Participation

In order for the project to be competitive under the grant criteria the program requires that an extensive community based planning effort be undertaken for each project.

A project applicant is required to hold meetings in close proximity to the proposed project site (including weekend and evening meetings) and invite a broad representation of residents. The applicant will need to demonstrate how the community's input on the design and location of the recreational features, safety enhancements, and beautification elements was included in the final proposed park project.

HOW DO WE GET NEW PARKS FOR HOLLYWOOD?

If you are interested in this funding program the Statewide Park Program Application Guide (pdf) is available on the web. Again, grant applications for the first competitive round are due to the State no later than March 1, 2010. Given the extensive community outreach process necessary, and the complexity of the grant application, there is not a lot of time to identify projects for the first funding round.

Want to get involved? Here are a few suggestions:

• The City has already identified some potential projects and has started to do public outreach and hold community meetings. At least one of the City's proposed projects for the first funding round, 5401 La Mirada Avenue, is located in Hollywood. Contact Lisa Swartz (lisa.swartz@lacity.org) at the Department of Recreation and Parks for more information about this program or if you want to be notified of community meetings in your area.
• Identify sites that may be good locations for new parks. Use the California State Parks Community Fact Finder tool to check the eligibility of each site. I'd imagine that those portions of Hollywood close to existing parks (Griffith, Runyon, etc), those areas with low population density (Hollywood Hills, Franklin Hills, etc), and those areas of relatively high income (Los Feliz, Hollywood Hills, Hollywood Hills West) would not be very competitive locations for this program.
• Contact your local Hollywood Area Neighborhood Councils and/or Council Offices to let them know about any sites or projects you have identified. Also, there are a number of non-profit organizations, such as the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, who may be able to help you put together a grant application.

Remember, there will be a second funding round for this program so if you are unable to identify eligible projects in time to make the March 1, 2010 deadline there will be another opportunity in the near future.