ACCOMPLISHMENTS
With $35 million in funding through the TCC program and $24 million+ in leveraged/matching funds, South LA Eco-Lab partners are implementing 11 projects and three plans to realize the community’s vision for transforming South LA. The transformative plans are one of the defining elements of the TCC model, and ensure that investments meaningfully engage residents in the implementation process, provide opportunities for economic mobility, and minimize the risk of gentrification and displacement of existing residents and businesses.
This page documents the accomplishments of South LA Ecolab projects and plans. The UCLA evaluation team updates these numbers at least annually through 2029. Beyond direct results, the TCC process is fostering community leadership and collaboration in South LA. While not measured here, this capacity can help secure future funding and drive additional environmental, health, and economic benefits. Some of these narrative accomplishments are captured in our stories from the communities.
Projects
Western Slauson First-Last Mile
Lead Partner: Bureau of Street Services (Streets LA)
Description: Improve pedestrian safety and access within a 1/2-mile radius of the Western/Slauson Transit Station in South LA, focusing on upgrades to Western and Slauson Avenues.
Accomplishments:
- 85 community members engaged in project design and review*
- 3 presentations held to update community members on projects**
- 1 land survey conducted to prepare for construction design drawings**
- Consultant selected for final design**
South LA Stress-Free Connections
Lead Partner: Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT)
Description: To enhance 51st Street, 50th Place, Hoover Street, and Budlong Avenue for traffic calming and safer active transportation, aiming to reduce collisions and promote the City of Los Angeles’ Neighborhood Enhanced Network
Accomplishments:
- 51 total speed humps installed along 51st and Budlong Avenue**
Free Transit Pass Program
Lead Partner: METRO
Description: To enhance public transit access by distributing free Metro passes to K-12 students, low-income residents, seniors, and disabled individuals in the project area.
Accomplishments:
- 214, 718 total boardings recorded through the Free Transit Pass Program*
- 10,208 free annual GoPasses distributed to K-12 students via 15 schools*
- 921 Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) transit passes distributed to low-income, senior, and disabled residents*
Electric Vehicle Car Charging Stations
Lead Partner: People for Mobility Justice (PMJ) and Mobility Development Operations (MDO)
Description: This project aims to increase public access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure. LADOT will be constructing 16 new, publicly accessible, L2 EV car charging stations affixed to streetlights adjacent to 4 parks within the project area: South Park, Vermont Square, Harvard Recreation Center and South LA Wetlands Park.
Accomplishments:
- 12 streetlight charging stations installed**
Electric Vehicle Car Sharing Expansion
Lead Partner: Los Angeles Department of Transportation
Description: The Electric Vehicle Car Share Expansion project will expand car-sharing services in South LA by adding infrastructure to the existing Blue LA system, which targets disadvantaged communities.
Accomplishments:
- 13,454 community members engaged through Facebook*
- 3,219 community members engaged through Instagram*
E-Bike Library
Lead Partner: Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT)
Description: The project will grow LADOT’s E-Bike Library in South LA, offering residents long-term electric-bike rentals at reduced rates.
Accomplishments through:
- 3,219 community members engaged through Instagram*
- 13,454 community members engaged through Facebook*
- 1,015 community members engaged through in-person community events*
- 160 new E-bikes scheduled to be purchased by July 2026**
Single Family Home Solar Installations
Lead Partner: GRID Alternatives
Description: This project provides low-income households in owner-occupied, single-family homes with access to rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) power, all at no cost to the homeowner. The project also provides paid job training opportunities for residents to learn the basics of installing rooftop solar PV systems.
Accomplishments:
- 467 community members engaged over the phone*
- 14,780 community members engaged through social media outreach via Instagram*
- 16,452 community members engaged through social media outreach via Facebook *
- 513 digital flyers distributed to community members*
- 22 solar panel systems installed on single-family homes**
Cool Pavement
Lead Partner: Bureau of Street Services (Streets LA) and Climate Resolve
Description: The project reduces urban heat island effects by applying heat-reflective coatings to road surfaces, thereby lowering temperatures in surrounding areas.
Accomplishments:
- Cool pavement construction to begin June 23, 2026**
Cool Roof
Lead Partner: GRID Alternatives Los Angeles
Description: This project installs energy-efficient roofing to reduce indoor temperatures, lower energy costs, and mitigate heat.
Accomplishments:
- 59 site visits conducted to assess cool roof potential by building type*
- 17 cool roof applications approved for single-family homes*
- 12 cool roofs installed on homes** (totaling 48.015 solar photovoltaic KW in capacity, based on 9 roofs installed in FY24-25)
Community Canopy Expansion
Lead Partner: TreePeople
Description: This project reverses a decline in tree canopy by planting drought-tolerant trees. Plantings are occurring where trees were lost to natural events (many of which are in the City’s public parks), as well as new locations identified through community engagement. Additionally, the project will hire and train residents from the project area to assist with planting activities.
Accomplishments:
- 900 trees distributed to date**
- 600 trees planted to date**
- 19 community events hosted to distribute, plant, or care for trees*
School Greening
Lead Partner: Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust
Description: This project will design and construct new multi-benefit elements at 52nd Street Elementary School. The project will increase the canopy and green space.
Accomplishments:
- 344 survey responses collected from the school community (students, parents, staff, teachers) on concept design*
- 62 community members engaged at community meetings to provide project feedback*
Plans
Community Engagement Plan
Lead Partner: TRUST South LA
Additional Partners: CicLAvia and SCOPE LA
Description: The Community Engagement Plan creates opportunities for South LA residents to participate in local climate action planning, governance, advocacy, and communications. The plan does so through a resident-inclusive grant governance model, leadership development programs, and multiple platforms for residents to dialogue with TCC project partners.
Accomplishments:
- 1,469 stakeholders engaged through Facebook*
- 7,727 community members engaged over the telephone through phone-banking*
- 5,000 mailers distributed to community members*
- 2,100 printed materials distributed to community members*
- 2,233 residents engaged through door-to-door outreach at single-family homes and apartments*
- 3,6541 stakeholders engaged through Instagram*
- 322 community members engaged at quarterly meetings*
- 7 meetings of the various grant governance bodies within South LA’s collaborative stakeholder structure held* (including 2 virtual meetings)
- 1 Seeds of Unity Festival held**
- 1 CicLAvia annual event held*
Displacement Avoidance Plan
Lead Partner: Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
Description: The Displacement Avoidance Plan identifies several city policies that can be leveraged to accomplish the following goals: 1) grow and preserve the supply of affordable housing, 2) preserve existing affordable housing stock, and 3) protect the tenure of current residents and small businesses. Together, these efforts are addressing the indirect effects of TCC investment that could potentially lead to displacement by raising the value of residential and commercial land.
Accomplishments:
- 2,293 residential tenants engaged through canvassing and outreach efforts*
- 8 tenants’ rights education workshops held**
- 8 legal clinics for residential tenants held**
- 75 commercial tenants engaged through canvassing and outreach efforts*
- 71 commercial tenant needs assessment surveys collected*
- 75 commercial tenants provided technical assistance*
Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plan
Lead Partner: Coalition for Responsible Community Development
Additional Partners: GRID Alternatives and LA Trade Tech
Description: Provides comprehensive workforce development and economic opportunities for up to 75 individuals. Through collaboration with key partners, the initiative will offer specialized training, certifications, and job placement services in sectors such as solar installation and construction. The plan delivers job training opportunities to South LA residents, including: 1) GRID Alternatives’ Solar Installation Basics Training program; and 2) the Los Angeles Building Trades Council’s Multi-Craft Curriculum pre-apprenticeship program that prepares individuals for jobs in construction.
Accomplishments:
- 23 individuals completed the solar installation training program**
- 19 individuals completed the construction training program**
Harder to quantify but equally critical is the leadership and collaboration capacity that will be created in South LA during the TCC implementation process. This capacity could lay the foundation for many other funding and action-oriented opportunities that leverage the TCC projects and plans to bring additional environmental, health, and economic benefits to South LA. In addition, lessons learned and best practices from South LA’s TCC grant could inform local climate action and investments at much broader scales.
Key Accomplishments
*= as of June 2025, **= as of June 2026
Public Transportation Access
- 10,208 free, one-year Metro transit passes distributed to K-12 students*
- 823 free Metro transit passes distributed to low-income residents*
- 98 free Metro transit passes distributed to senior and disabled residents*
Renewable Energy Access
- 17 single-family homes approved for solar panel installations*
- 10 solar contracts signed on properties occupied by low-income households*
- 22 solar systems installed on a property occupied by low-income households**
Urban Greening
- 600 trees planted**
- 6 individuals trained on tree establishment and maintenance*
Community Engagement
- 2,233 individuals engaged through door-to-door project education and outreach*
- 5 collaborative stakeholder meetings about project activities held*
Displacement Avoidance
- 2,368 individuals engaged through canvassing and outreach efforts*
- 119 individuals engaged in tenant rights education workshops about housing and commercial property policies*
- 102 residential tenants engaged at legal clinics*
Workforce Development
- 275 hours of training completed by each participant of the solar installation training program*
- 200 hours of training completed by each participant of the construction training program*
- 23 solar installation graduates**
- 19 construction graduates**
- 12 individuals employed through workforce placement opportunities*
- 10 individuals received job readiness supports such as resume building, mock interview, etc.*
- 20 individuals who earned an industry recognized credential across both training programs*
Top page photo:
Eco-Lab E-bikes on display at an Earth Day Kick-Off event 2024
Credit: Irina Beffa