The City of Los Angeles’ Climate Action Plan calls for at least 15 percent tree canopy in every neighborhood, along with more shade structures ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. But with just two years to go, more than 40 percent of neighborhoods fall short of that goal.

To increase shade at scale, LA must modernize its policies, permitting, and implementation processes that currently limit progress. That’s where ShadeLA — co-organized by USC Dornsife Public Exchange and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, with 30+ community partners — is stepping up to the plate, with two new policy briefs to help the city do just that.

• Tree-permitting reform brief: This brief identifies key barriers to tree planting and permitting, such as funding shortages, staffing constraints, and restrictive rules that delay implementation. It recommends strategies such as self-permitting, so that the city can maintain accountability while allowing qualified partner organizations to avoid duplicative processes and plant trees more efficiently.
• Built shade implementation brief: This one examines challenges to built shade structures, such as bus shelters, shade sails, and canopies. It outlines opportunities to clarify permitting processes, develop new regulatory procedures, and accelerate the implementation of built shade.

The need for policy reforms comes at a critical moment. Extreme heat is already the deadliest weather-related hazard in LA, and climate change is making dangerous heat days more frequent. But shade can drop the “feels-like” temperature by up to 70°F. It’s a slam dunk: shade is a simple, smart solution for keeping communities cool against rising temperatures.

Learn more about ShadeLA.