The Healthy Design Workgroup (HDW) is a collaboration between
County departments to develop policies and practices for
planning, designing, and building healthy community
environments with the goal of constantly improving
interdepartmental coordination.
The Healthy Design Workgroup was formed
as the result of a 2012 Board Motion stating that it was
the policy of the County to design public and private
facilities in a manner that encourages pedestrian
activity, bicycling, use of public transit and outdoor
physical activities and that an interdepartmental Work
Group should be convened to further these goals. The
Healthy Design Workgroup brings together
high-level representatives from the following
departments:
HDW Grants Committee
To support the County Strategic Plan, the Grants
Committee works to maximize effectiveness of grant
development and implementation across departments,
increase funding for healthy design plans and
projects, and address health and mobility issues in
high-need unincorporated County communities. Joint
applications have the potential to create greater
synergy for the County, reduce redundancy, increase
competitiveness and increase the amount of grant funds
awarded. The grants committee identifies potential grant
opportunities, brainstorms and selects high priority
projects, shares data across departments, and comments
on draft applications. This process has proved to be
highly effective, as joining forces allows multiple
departments to harness the strengths and resources of
each. Applications submitted further the goals of the
County's General Plan, Community Climate Action Plan,
Bicycle Master Plan, Community Park Master Plans, and
Transit Oriented District Access Studies.
This innovative inter-departmental initiative is a
commitment to teamwork, system-wide change, significant
process and workflow improvements, and enhanced fiscal
effectiveness. Since 2013, the committee has
submitted 23 grants requesting $37 million dollars for
the development and implementation of infrastructure
improvements and community plans that encourage outdoor
physical activities, such as walking and biking, as well
as parks- and transit-oriented developments. Of these,
14 grants have been awarded for $16.4 million, and
approximately $9 million remain outstanding.
Gold Eagle Award 2015
The HDW Grants Committee, including staff from
Public
Health with
Public Works,
Parks & Recreation,
Regional Planning,
Arts Commission,
and Internal Services,
was recognized with the "Gold Eagle Award" from the
County Quality and Productivity Commission for their
work.
The Gold Eagle Award is the highest
honor bestowed for departmental productivity and quality
improvement efforts deserving recognition by the Board
of Supervisors, Chief Executive Office, Quality and
Productivity Commission, and the public.
HDW Achievements
Bicycle Parking Guidelines for County Facilities and the
award of grant funds to purchase bicycle racks, which
will ensure that County visitors and employees alike
have appealing and safe places to park their bicycles.
Soil and Water Testing Considerations for Home and
Community Gardens were guidelines developed to help
county residents safely grow food for their own
consumption in community gardens or on their own
property
The inclusion of healthy design elements in the
Community Development Commission's Notice of Funding
Availability (NOFA) for affordable multi-family
rental housing funds, resulting in all applicants
proposing elements such as edible garden and landscapes,
designated exercise rooms, designs for increased
stairway use, and/or secure bike storage rooms.
2020 Work Plan
The following are projects HDW plans to work on in 2020. To view a key to the departmental abbreviations, click here.
Collaboration on Funding Opportunities
The HDW and its committees will continue to track and
identify opportunities for interdepartmental
collaboration on grant applications. Joint applications
have the potential to create greater synergy and
efficiency for the County, reduce redundancy, increase
competitiveness and increase the amount of awards.
MSRC Bicycle Parking Grant Implementation
DPH, DPR, ISD, CEO, and BH will collaborate to implement
bicycle parking and bicycle education programs at County
facilities and for County employees per a Mobile Source
Reduction Committee (MSRC) grant.
Climate Action Implementation
DPH, DRP, DPW, DPR, BH, FD, and ISD will help to
implement the County's Community Climate Action Plan by
convening departments to continue to work
collaboratively on developing an urban heat island
reduction plan.
Healthy Neighborhood Design Guidelines
DRP, DPW, FD, CDC, DPH, DPR, and BH will continue
refining the Healthy Design Guidelines and will present
to the Regional Planning Commission in 2016. The
guidelines will ensure that the design of public and
private facilities in unincorporated areas encourages
walking, bicycling, outdoor physical activity, public
transit, and access to healthy foods.
Interdepartmental Tree Coordination
DRP, DPW, DPR, BH, DPH, ISD, ACWM, and FD will develop
management set of holistic strategies for preserving,
maintaining, and expanding LA County's urban forest in
low income, tree-poor neighborhoods, working in
collaboration with community partners and youth
leadership groups. Trees are an essential part of the
urban environment and contribute positively to climate
control, storm water collection, air quality, and the
mental and physical health of the community.
Interdepartmental Project Coordination
All HDW departments will continue to collaborate on
healthy design projects including providing technical
advisory functions, coordinating joint outreach in
unincorporated communities, and engaging in new
collaborative healthy design projects. In 2016, the
committee will work to enhance cross departmental
collaboration in the community of Westmont-West Athens
as multiple departments have projects underway in this
community.
Prioritizing Projects for Grants
DPH, DPW, DRP, and DPR will develop an "equity
scorecard," a set of tools which will prioritize
projects for federal, state, and local grants, and help
evaluate and ensure that equity is addressed in the
implementation of the General Plan and distribution of
resources.
Project Initiation and Project Feasibility
DPW, DRP, DPH, and DPR will develop a project initiation
checklist to accompany a project feasibility document
which ensure multiple DPW divisions are involved in the
development of active transportation projects for
various grant opportunities.
Collaboration on Affordable Housing Sustainable
Communities Funding
CDC will work DPW, DRP, and DPH and outside partners to
develop opportunities for the Strategic Growth Council's
Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities (AHSC) annual
funding. Supported by cap-and-trade revenues, the AHSC
funds land-use, housing, transportation, and land
preservation projects to support infill and compact
development that reduces greenhouse gas ("GHG")
emissions by improving mobility options.
HDW History
On January 23, 2012, the Board of Supervisors reviewed
and approved in concept the
Healthy Design Ordinance (HDO), developed to
increase levels of physical activity and access to
healthy foods in Los Angeles County unincorporated
areas. In response to a motion on that date, the Board
1) declared that it is its intent and the policy of this
County to encourage design of public and private
facilities in a manner that encourages pedestrian
activity, bicycling, use of public transit and outdoor
physical activities, and 2) directed the Chief Executive
Office to coordinate an interdepartmental effort
consisting of Public Health, Public Works, Regional
Planning, Parks and Recreation, Chief Information
Office, Fire, and Beaches and Harbors to review the best
practices recommendations in two documents - the Healthy
Communities Report: Active Transportation Design
Guidance and Recommendations and the Model Design Manual
for Living Streets to determine which practices should
be mandated or encouraged by the County; appropriate
mechanisms for implementation; an implementation
program; and potential funding mechanisms.
On January 24, 2013, the CEO reported to
the Board of Supervisors on progress during 2012 of
"Healthy Design Phase II," the interdepartmental effort
mandated by the Board the previous year, now referred to
as the HDW. At that time, leadership of the HDW was
transferred from the CEO to the Department of Public
Health (DPH). Since 2013, several additional departments
have participated in the HDW, including the Arts
Commission, Community Development Commission,
Agricultural Commission/Weights and Measures, Sheriff's
Department, and Internal Services Department/Office of
Sustainability.
Initially, HDW staff were partially funded through the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CTG grant.
However, the CEO awarded PLACE with a new position to be
funded through the County budget for the sole purpose of
supporting the HDW and the new staff was hired in
October 2015.
HDW Board Reports
The Healthy Design Workgroup has reported progress to
the Board of Supervisors each year since its inception.
Access the past Board Reports below:
