Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) marked a significant milestone, 30 years of successful grantmaking. Cumulatively, the organization has awarded over $1.6 billion to parks, open spaces, beaches, trails, natural areas, and public parklands in Los Angeles County, benefiting nearly 10 million residents, according to the press release.
The inception of RPOSD was in 1992 when voters approved Proposition A. Subsequent support was received in 1996 with another Proposition A. Eventually, in 2016, voters greenlit Measure A, securing permanent funding for parklands protection and preservation.
In 30 years, the RPOSD has championed over 2,500 projects promoting fair access to parks and open spaces, enhancing recreational facilities, and backing parklands' development. Unsurprisingly, $33 million has been utilized for the maintenance of 19,600 acres of public parklands that were successfully acquired. As part of its mission, RPOSD collaborates with more than 220 park organizations to ensure accessible green spaces, predominantly for high and very high-need communities.
RPOSD awarded its first few programmatic grants this year, focusing on Recreation Access and Youth & Veteran Job Training and Placement, to unlock opportunities for youth and veterans with access to services like education and job placements.
LA County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis expresses the impact by saying, "The grant funding from RPOSD has led to numerous enhancements to parks that let our residents recreate, explore, and enjoy the outdoors."
Similar admiration for RPOSD comes from Supervisor Janice Hahn, who declares, "Due to the efforts of the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District over the last three decades, our 10 million residents have access to some of the best national park spaces."
