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KPBS Midday Edition

City Of San Diego Wants Community Input For Plan To Address Environmental Inequities

Sewage flows through canal from Mexico near San Ysidro, March 28, 2019.
Matt Hoffman
Sewage flows through canal from Mexico near San Ysidro, March 28, 2019.
The plan will be laid out in the environmental justice section of the city’s general plan and include which communities within the city will be prioritized.

There are some neighborhoods in San Diego with beautiful tree-lined streets, parks and walking trails, farmers markets and an abundance of options for fresh foods, all underneath sunny skies and clean air from an ocean breeze.

Then there are other neighborhoods within the same city with sidewalks so uneven, it’s a hazard to walk. Fresh food is scarce, available homes have lead paint and mold. The sky is hazy from pollution and children who live there are more likely to be hospitalized from asthma.

After years of studies and decades into this growing problem, the city of San Diego is now working on a plan to address these inequities. The plan will be laid out in the environmental justice section of the city’s general plan and include which communities within the city will be prioritized.

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RELATED: New Tool Measures Climate Inequality In San Diego Neighborhoods

One of the first steps in making this plan a reality is to gather input from community members, including through a survey on community conditions. The survey can be found here.

Vickie White, senior planner with the city of San Diego, joined Midday Edition on Wednesday to discuss the reasons for this plan and how it will come to fruition.