Don't punt away our health: Use of rapid health impact assessment to improve a proposed football stadium in low-income los angeles

In 2012, Los Angeles Community Action Network, an advocacy organization for low-income residents, Physicians for Social Responsibility-LA, and other partners completed a rapid health impact assessment (HIA) on a $1.2 billion football stadium and convention center renovation proposed in downtown Los Angeles. In an area with poorer health than in the city or county, residents were concerned about impacts of the development on gentrification and displacement already underway from downtown development pressures. Residents were also concerned about the development's impacts on access to an existing park – a common convening place in the neighborhood. Access was already limited by police presence five times higher than neighboring areas. A panel of impacted residents, convened for the HIA, determined that without mitigations, the development would decrease access to open space and green space acreage, increase displacement and poverty, and decrease housing affordability. The resulting impacts could impair mental health, increase chronic diseases, weaken social cohesion, and trigger additional income- and education-related negative health outcomes. HIA findings were included in a campaign targeting decision-makers and highlighted ways to improve the development. The outcome included a settlement with the developer for almost $20 million dollars towards affordable housing, additional funds for park space, transit and air quality improvements, and other health programs. However, HIA recommendations to prohibit “quality of life” policing remained unaddressed. This presentation will discuss the process and outcomes of the HIA, with a specific focus on the use of HIA in a broader campaign to protect low-income residents of Los Angeles.