500 signatures reached
To: Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency Toks Omishakin, SD 35 Senator Steven Bradford, AD 61 Asm. Tina McKinnor
Reroute & Restore: Shipping containers OUT; Sustainable investments IN
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Our community is not without solutions to address these harms. We have clear, tangible, time-bound expectations for elected officials to step up and support us:
All demands are requested to take place within the next 12 months:
1. Funding for community engagement to consider multi-million-dollar, multi-year investment strategies like an Enhanced Infrastructure Finance District (EIFD) to fund the following potential infrastructure projects in our communities:
-- Community gardens, green spaces and tree canopy to mitigate the harmful environmental impact of the trucks
-- Repairing our streets and roads
-- Neighborhood beautification (LA Southwest College campus, storefront beautification, updated signs, drought-tolerant plants)
2. Multi-million-dollar, multi-year investments into entrepreneurship, workforce development, and training programs in the goods movement industry. Close the 120th Street and Western Ave. shipping container site (known as Calsite 15) and the site on Normandie Avenue and Laurel Avenue (known as Calsite 16), both owned by Caltrans
3. Termination of both leases as soon as possible without renewal
4. Completely decontaminate Calsite 15 and Calsite 16 from all contaminants
5. Provide air filters at no cost to businesses, schools and all residential property owners and renters
All demands are requested to take place within the next 12 months:
1. Funding for community engagement to consider multi-million-dollar, multi-year investment strategies like an Enhanced Infrastructure Finance District (EIFD) to fund the following potential infrastructure projects in our communities:
-- Community gardens, green spaces and tree canopy to mitigate the harmful environmental impact of the trucks
-- Repairing our streets and roads
-- Neighborhood beautification (LA Southwest College campus, storefront beautification, updated signs, drought-tolerant plants)
2. Multi-million-dollar, multi-year investments into entrepreneurship, workforce development, and training programs in the goods movement industry. Close the 120th Street and Western Ave. shipping container site (known as Calsite 15) and the site on Normandie Avenue and Laurel Avenue (known as Calsite 16), both owned by Caltrans
3. Termination of both leases as soon as possible without renewal
4. Completely decontaminate Calsite 15 and Calsite 16 from all contaminants
5. Provide air filters at no cost to businesses, schools and all residential property owners and renters
Why is this important?
Why this matters: Not unlike issues faced by Black communities nationally, our communities are facing life threatening environmental justice and public safety issues from all sides. Westmont and West Athens experience some of the worst health outcomes across LA County – and this is by design. Due to redlining which limited where Black and brown people could purchase homes, and the use of eminent domain allowing highways like the I-105 to bisect Black neighborhoods, these communities are especially susceptible to environmental pollution caused by trucks and cars. Additionally, Westmont and West Athens are unincorporated neighborhoods, meaning residents lack city level representation. These communities deserve meaningful investments that allow residents to thrive and not just survive. We must take action and stand up for the right to peace and quality of life for all.
The problem: As a result of the supply chain issues facing the country and ports in California, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-19-21, which allowed all state departments to lease unused land to alleviate the issues at ports like the Port of Los Angeles. At least 2 properties owned by Caltrans are in the West Athens/ Westmont neighborhoods and were leased to store an overflow of shipping containers. In 1994 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made Caltrans enter into deed restrictions prohibiting Calsite 15 and 16 from commercial and industrial uses to protect public health, however there was no community engagement before the properties were leased for this purpose.
The impact: This issue has decreased the overall quality of life of West Athens/ Westmont residents. The shipping containers can be stacked 3 and 4 containers high, causing an eye sore in the community and reducing property values. Residents experience increased pollution from the idling trucks, noise and shaking of homes from the stacking of shipping containers, and a lack of sleep as the stacking takes place in the middle of the night and early morning. Trucks often cause street safety issues when parked on residential streets blocking the sight of drivers trying to gauge oncoming traffic. While the contents of the containers are unknown, residents have sighted rats on and around the leased property, causing a serious health risk. Calsite 15 contains groundwater contamination and Calsite 16 contains soil contamination; all this activity is taking place on polluted land, which further exacerbates health risks to the community.
The problem: As a result of the supply chain issues facing the country and ports in California, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-19-21, which allowed all state departments to lease unused land to alleviate the issues at ports like the Port of Los Angeles. At least 2 properties owned by Caltrans are in the West Athens/ Westmont neighborhoods and were leased to store an overflow of shipping containers. In 1994 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made Caltrans enter into deed restrictions prohibiting Calsite 15 and 16 from commercial and industrial uses to protect public health, however there was no community engagement before the properties were leased for this purpose.
The impact: This issue has decreased the overall quality of life of West Athens/ Westmont residents. The shipping containers can be stacked 3 and 4 containers high, causing an eye sore in the community and reducing property values. Residents experience increased pollution from the idling trucks, noise and shaking of homes from the stacking of shipping containers, and a lack of sleep as the stacking takes place in the middle of the night and early morning. Trucks often cause street safety issues when parked on residential streets blocking the sight of drivers trying to gauge oncoming traffic. While the contents of the containers are unknown, residents have sighted rats on and around the leased property, causing a serious health risk. Calsite 15 contains groundwater contamination and Calsite 16 contains soil contamination; all this activity is taking place on polluted land, which further exacerbates health risks to the community.
How it will be delivered
In-person and email