Parks Needs Assessment
In March 2015, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to initiate the Countrywide Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment. This represented an unprecedented effort to document existing parks and recreation facilities in cities and unincorporated communities and to use these data to determine to scope, scale, and location of parks needs in Los Angeles County.
The Parks Needs Assessment will help local officials, parks agencies, and residents understand the future steps that need to be taken to ensure all communities have adequate access to thriving parks.
Parks projects in Los Angeles County are currently funded in part of Proposition A, the Safe Neighborhood Park Tax that is set to expire in 2019. Measure A was passed in November 2016, to provide continued dedicated, local funding for parks, recreation, beaches, open space, trails, cultural facilities, and related projects throughout Los Angeles County. The first Measure A tax will be placed on property tax bills in Fall 2017. Initial funding is anticipated to be available in July 2018. Read more facts about Measure A’s implementation and timeline.
A New Paradigm
The Parks Needs Assessment proposes a new way to understand and think about parks, recreation, and open space by:
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Considering parks as key infrastructure needed to maintain and improve the quality of life for all County residents
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Using a new series of metrics to determine park need
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Supporting a need-based allocation of funding for parks and recreation
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Emphasizing both community priorities and deferred maintenance projects