July 7, 2026

Climate communities are healthy communities

Transformative Climate Community investments are boosting residents’ well-being

Left to right: Alma Palomares, Pacoima; Erika Yates, South LA; Alicia Valle, Pomona; Glenabel Toreno and Venecia Johnson, Stockton; Members of LAmConservation Corps Young Adult Corps, Pacoima; Nora Rosette, Pacoima

Pacoima resident Alma Palomares used to feel like a prisoner in her home, as the uneven ground and a rocky road made it difficult to get around with a walker in her community in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. After falling once, she was afraid to leave her house.

But that’s all changed thanks to new pedestrian-friendly infrastructure funded by California’s Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program. New sidewalks, crossings, and ADA -compliant ramps have helped Palomares feel safe walking in her neighborhood again, improving her mobility, independence, and quality of life. The road upgrades have also reduced dust entering her home, easing her asthma symptoms. She is not the only one to benefit. It is now easier for other community members to be active outside and reap the mental and physical health benefits of doing so.

“My dreams came true … the street improvements were realized in my lifetime,” Palomares said. “All the neighbors who know me were happy that I was finally able to feel comfortable leaving my front door because I finally had a proper sidewalk.”

Palomares’ story is just one example of how TCC is supporting healthier neighborhoods while empowering communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution.

The success of TCC is measured not just in projects completed, but by lives improved. Californians breathe cleaner air, safer neighborhood streets, access to healthier food, new job opportunities, and much more thanks to projects that community members prioritized. TCC has become a national model for the types of community-driven investments that make California healthier, more equitable, and more resilient.

The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation serves as an evaluator for the implementation of TCC grants in several communities across California. Researchers at UCLA are documenting progress and uplifting stories of how TCC investments impact people’s lives.

Another story comes from the City of Pomona, a community in eastern LA County that has limited access to fresh food. Here, TCC recently funded Lopez Urban Farm to help residents experience the health benefits of affordable access to a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, including reduced risks of heart disease and certain cancers. Community gardens have also been linked with increased physical activity and improved mental well-being.

And in Pacoima, a fleet of new electric buses is cleaning up the air. Traditional buses burn diesel, and breathing in their toxic exhaust fumes can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory issues, as well as contribute to cancer. The new electric buses eliminate this pollution, leaving nothing behind but clean air.

South LA and Pacoima also got new street trees, which help clean the air and keep communities cooler and safer as temperatures rise. Spending time around trees can also reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improve mood. Meanwhile, Stockton’s Green Paths program is training the next generation of urban foresters who are planting more health-boosting trees in the communities that need them the most.

“Even though I may not reap the benefits of a mature tree, I know that generations after me will,” said Glenabel Toreno, who received the special training through the program and is now a full-time forestry technician through Little Manila Rising. “So it’s very inspiring and fulfilling work.”

More Accomplishments

Other recent accomplishments from TCC-funded projects include:

    • 431,776 square feet of active recreational space added in Stockton, including: a swimming pool, soccer fields, softball diamonds, and basketball, futsal, and pickleball courts
    • 800 trees were planted in the Pomona project area as of June 2026
    • 73 Pacoima residents took part in the Clean Air Ambassador Program to support air quality data collection
    • 51 speed humps added along 51st and Budlong Avenue in South LA for traffic calming and safer active transportation, like walking and biking

Learn more about our work with Transformative Climate Communities.

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