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How We’re Planning for Equity
Initiatives in Progress
Ongoing Work
Recent Initiatives Approved by City CouncilThe City Planning Department is committed to advancing social equity as a foundational principle in the way that we plan our City and engage community members in our many diverse neighborhoods. We acknowledge the effect of historical planning decisions on traditionally underserved communities and community members who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), and we are dedicated to developing equitable and anti-racist policies that provide access to opportunity and investments in the communities where the needs are the greatest.
Learn more below about our planning initiatives that prioritize resources, access and protections for traditionally underserved communities in San Diego.
Equity Forward
Equity Forward is a comprehensive approach to creating a more equitable, healthy and enjoyable place for all San Diegans. The evolving policies, plans and processes under Equity Forward will create more equitable opportunities and investments in San Diego. By acknowledging the effects of policy decisions that have resulted in inequitable outcomes, Equity Forward will leverage the diversity of voices in our city to benefit all San Diegans.
Equity Forward: Environmental Justice Element
Environmental Justice means ensuring people of all races, cultures and incomes are equally and equitably valued, protected and served by laws, regulations and policies that impact the environment around us, including those about buildings and uses of land, transportation, parks and natural spaces, the urban landscape and City services. The Planning Department is working with community members to identify neighborhoods disproportionately affected by environmental justice concerns and to develop Environmental Justice goals, policies and objectives. Once drafted, the Environmental Justice goals, policies and objectives will be incorporated into the City of San Diego General Plan.
Annual Climate Resilience Reporting
Climate Resilient SD is a plan to prepare our communities for the impacts of climate change, including extreme heat, wildfires, flooding, drought and sea level rise. This plan lays the foundation for a greener, healthier, and enjoyable city, with a focus on frontline communities that will bear the largest burden of extreme weather in San Diego.
City Planning Translation and Interpretation Services
Public engagement is a key component of all the work in process by the Planning Department, and the Planning Department is taking active steps to broaden outreach efforts by raising awareness of citywide and community plans among community members who have historically faced barriers to participating in the planning process. To increase the reach and availability of materials and meetings for the City’s diverse residents and communities, the Planning Department provides translation and interpretation services for requests related to the Department's work program, and to Community Planning Groups upon request.
Build Better SD
Build Better SD is a citywide initiative to support the City of San Diego’s equity, access, conservation and sustainability goals. This initiative sets clear policies intended to create more opportunities for innovative, culturally relevant and interactive public spaces. Investments are prioritized in areas where the needs are greatest, which will result in delivering infrastructure faster across the City.
Parks Master Plan
The Parks Master Plan identifies policies, actions and partnerships for planning parks, recreation facilities and programs that reflect the vision of a world-class Citywide network of recreational experiences to engage, inspire and connect all San Diegans. Equity is a central value of the City’s Parks Master Plan. Park planning and investments should address long-standing inequities in the City’s parks system experienced by people that live in traditionally underserved communities and areas with the greatest park deficiencies – areas of the City where we know that the greatest needs exist – by ensuring equal access to meaningful recreational opportunities.-
Prioritizing Infrastructure Projects – Council Policy Updates
New council policy updates will guide equitable infrastructure project prioritization and improve engagement with communities to gather information about infrastructure needs in the City. Council Policy 000-32 is being updated to ensure the public has multiple opportunities to share their input regarding infrastructure needs. Council Policy 800-14 will be updated to better determine infrastructure project prioritization based on where the infrastructure is most needed and can serve the most people.