Award Winner: The Growing Experience

摘要

The Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (Calif.) developed an innovative community garden to provide access to affordable and fresh food as well as skills training and job opportunities. Nominated from among the NAHRO Award of Merit winners each year, the Awards of Excellence winners are chosen by national juries and honored at the annual National Conference and Exhibition in October. They represent the very best in innovative programs in assisted housing and community development. This agency received an award in the Community Revitalization category, which includes programs that have a positive economic impact on a neighborhood or city, i.e. balanced growth, economic development, job creation; creative financing, public/private partnerships, mixed-use developments or neighborhood preservation. The Carmelitos Public Housing Development (Carmelitos) has over 700 households, including youth/young adults, seniors, and disabled individuals — the majority of whom are low-income and underserved. Carmelitos residents face challenges such as lack of access major grocery stores with affordable healthy food options, rendering the community a “food desert"; limited access for youth and young adults to skills training and meaningful employment opportunities; lack of knowledge about environmental education in a community facing drought. Located on seven acres of formerly vacant and blighted land within Carmelitos, The Growing Experience Environmental Resource (TGE-ERC) was developed by The Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA) to provide access to fresh, healthy produce, especially for seniors and disabled residents with limited mobility; skills training and development in new urban agricultural technologies; and programs that inform residents to make environmentally conscious decisions. The TGE-ERC program is a timely solution to advance and promote social and environmental sustainability in unique ways that benefit and engage the community.