City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes
March 3, 2026 7:00 PM
Council Chambers
400 N. Douty St.
4:00 PM CALL TO ORDER STUDY SESSION AND CLOSED SESSION:
Mayor Kairis called the study session and closed session to order at 4:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK:
Present: Absent:
Council Member Mark Kairis
Council Member Travis Paden
Council Member Lou Martinez
Council Member Kimber Regan
Council Member Nancy Howze
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Study Sessions are considered Special Meetings under the Brown Act. Accordingly, comments from the public are limited to items listed on the agenda (GC 54954.3a). Public Comment will be accepted during each agenda item. A maximum of three minutes is allowed for each speaker. Please begin your comments by stating your name and providing your city of residence.
Before the first presentation, the Mayor thanked the city's staff for their efforts at the YAC field for a successful grand opening of the concession stand.
Judy Scott commented on the CDBG Action Plan and questioned the estimated allocation distribution and funding breakdown.
STUDY SESSION:
A. Review of the Draft Environmental Justice Element and Project Presentation with Mintier Harnish
Deputy City Manager Jason Waters introduced the Mintier Harnish team, Michael Gibbons (Project Manager) and Nikki Zanchetta (Planner). Mr. Gibbons presented the draft Environmental Justice Element and shared community input.
Council Member Paden asked about the scoring method and how disadvantaged areas in undeveloped locations were identified, as well as how affordable housing is addressed. The Council also raised concerns regarding water quality. The Mintier Harnish team responded to the Council’s questions and concerns. The City Attorney clarified that the presentation does not identify where affordable housing will be located. The presentation was informational only, and no action was taken.
B. Review and Comment on the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan
Housing Analyst Sandra Lerma presented the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan for the Council’s review and input. Following public comment, the Council reached a consensus to reallocate the funds originally designated for King Community Action Organization (KCAO) to the Commission on Aging and directed staff to make the adjustment. Next steps include opening the public comment period and bringing the item back to the Council for formal adoption at a future meeting.
Mayor Karis adjourned the Council meeting at 5:40 p.m.
CLOSED SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF THE FOLLOWING:
A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL-ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (GC 54956.9(d)(4)) Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: 6 Cases B. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL-PROPERTY NEGOTIATIONS (GC 54956.8) APNs: 012045001, 012045010, 012045004, 012045005, 012046019, 012046005, 012046006, 012046007, 012045001, 012045009, 012045008, 012045007, 012045006, 012045007
Negotiating Party: Solis Martin Vieyra & Araujo Fanny Castro, Miya Farms, PRE 4 LLC,
MCMASTER, WILLIAM T & KATHLEEN S H/W, EBERT JEANNINE, ALANIS, RICHARD &
LINDA TRUST,
Agency Negotiators: Chris Tavarez, Jason Waters, and Nick Matoian CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION:
Mayor Kairis called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Absent:
Council Member Mark Kairis
Council Member Travis Paden
Council Member Lou Martinez
Council Member Kimber Regan
Council Member Nancy Howze
INVOCATION:
The invocation was led by Pastor Bobby Guerra.
FLAG SALUTE:
The flag salute was led by Mayor Kairis.
CLOSED SESSION ACTION REPORT:
None.
RECOGNITION:
A. Badge Pinning Ceremony and Oath of Office for Officers Brandon Barrera, Efrain Nieto, Sean Snodgrass, Nancy Gallegos, and Francisco Segoviano Chief Huddleston introduced the new officers and City Clerk, Natalie Corral, administered the oath of office. Officer Gallegos was not present for the badge pinning ceremony.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
This is the time for citizens to comment on subject matters within the jurisdiction of the Hanford City Council. This is also the public’s opportunity to request an item from the Consent Calendar be pulled for discussion purposes or to comment on any item on the agenda. State law does not allow the Council to discuss or take action on issues not on the agenda, except that members of the Council or staff may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by persons exercising their public testimony rights (Gov. Code sec. 54954.2). A maximum of three minutes is allowed for each speaker. Please begin your comments by stating your name and providing your city of residence.
Pastor Vincent thanked the Council and city staff for their assistance with their upcoming event in Civic Park.
Nathan Butch talked about the Cameron family, his involvement with the Carnegie Museum and the Kings Art Festival, and provided suggestions for art displays in the City of Hanford.
Jack Schwartz talked about the new exhibition at the Carnegie Museum and shared the details. He also gave the Council a history quiz.
Bob Ramos commented on the oath of office wording. He also asked about the car show event process.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Consent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these matters unless a request is made and then the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar to be discussed and voted upon by a separate motion.
Motion to Approve.
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
Passed (UNANIMOUS)
Council Member Travis Paden
Council Member Nancy Howze
Mark Kairis, Travis Paden, Lou Martinez, Kimber Regan, Nancy Howze A. Waive reading in full of resolutions and ordinances and approval and adoption of same by reading the title only.
B. City Clerk: Approval of the Minutes of the February 3, 2026 Meeting C. Community Development: Authorization to Submit HOME Investment Partnership Program Income Application
D. Community Development: Adopt a Resolution Approving a Historic Resources Application for 325 N. Douty Street (APN 010-276-001) – Superior Dairy E. Police: Authorization to apply for the FY 26/27 Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program (CTFGP) through the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in the amount of $164,380.73 to be used for DUI enforcement overtime costs, purchase of a DUI checkpoint command trailer, a Ford F150 vehicle, and DUI checkpoint equipment.
F. Public Works: Authorization for the City Manager to execute a service contract for Annual Chemical Supply Services to Nutrien Ag Solutions, Inc., of Sacramento, CA, in the amount of $124,629.00 with an option to renew for two additional one-year terms G. Public Works: Approval of the purchase of two (2) 2026 Chevrolet EV trucks from Keller Chevrolet of Hanford, CA and required upfitting from Cooks Communication for a total cost of $166,765 and an appropriation of $36,765 from Measure H Capital Projects fund to fully cover the cost.
H. Utilities and Engineering: Award of a contract in the amount of $248,808.80 for the replacement of the Bayoxide Media Filter at Well 50 located at the corner of Hanford- Armona and 9th Avenue
I. Public Works: Authorization for the City Manager to award a construction contract for The Plunge Mechanical Repairs to Oasis Pool and Spa, of Visalia, CA, in the amount of $161,815.00.
PUBLIC HEARING:
A. Utilities and Engineering: Formation of Community Facilities District No. 2026-3 (Public Maintenance Services)
Mayor Kairis opened the public hearing at 7:38 p.m. and called for the staff report. Susanna Hernandez of Willdan Financial Services, and Steve Coodey, Assistant Engineer, discussed the Formation of Community Facilities District No. 2026-3 for the Council's review and approval. The public hearing was closed at 7:44 p.m.
Public Comment:
None.
Motion to Approve.
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
Passed (UNANIMOUS)
Council Member Nancy Howze
Council Member Travis Paden
Mark Kairis, Travis Paden, Lou Martinez, Kimber Regan, Nancy Howze GENERAL BUSINESS:
A. Administration: Presentation by Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP on past year in review and 2026 outlook for state legislative efforts Geoff Neill and Michelle Rubalcava of Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP presented the past year in review and 2026 outlook for state legislative efforts. This presentation was for informational purposes only; no action was required. Ms. Rubalcava and Mr. Neill addressed concerns and answered questions from the Council.
B. Administration: Approval of the Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement with Escrow Instructions and Authorization for the Mayor and City Manager to Execute Necessary Documents for the Purchase of Kings County Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 012-046-006, 012-046-007, 012-045-004, 012-045-005, and 012-045-010 from Miya Farms, Inc.
It was the Council's consensus to review this item before the consent calendar.
City Attorney Nick Matoian provided the details of the agreement for the Council review and approval.
Motion to Approve.
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
Passed (UNANIMOUS)
Council Member Travis Paden
Council Member Nancy Howze
Mark Kairis, Travis Paden, Kimber Regan, Nancy Howze
COUNCIL REPORTS/GENERAL REPORTS:
Brief information-only reports from City Council and/or Staff, including committee reports and reports by City Council related to meetings attended at City expenses (AB1234).
Council Member Martinez thanked staff for the hard work at the YAC field. City Manager Tavarez announced the appointment of the new Finance Director, Destiny Borba.
ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS:
At this time, any Council Member may ask a question for clarification or may request a matter, which is not otherwise scheduled on a City Council agenda, to be placed on a future agenda. The Council Member referring the item shall provide sufficient information as to the nature of the item. The City Council, by concurrence of a majority, may direct the City Manager to put the item on a future agenda. (GOV. CODE SEC. 54954.2)
A. Council Future Agenda Items
B. Upcoming Events and Important Dates:
March 17: Regular City Council Meeting
March 24: Special Meeting for Council Strategic Planning Workshop March 30–April 3: Kids Spring Camp Register Here
April 3: Easter Egg Hunt in Civic Park More Information April 7: Regular City Council Meeting
April 21: Regular City Council Meeting
ADJOURNMENT:
Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available to public inspection in the City Clerk’s Office located at 319 N. Douty Street, Hanford, California 93230, during normal business hours. Such agendas are also available at the city’s website, www.cityofhanfordca.com subject to staff’s ability to post the agenda before the meeting. If you need a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s office, 559-585-2515, 319 N. Douty Street, Hanford, California 93230, at least 2 days prior to the meeting {28 CFR 35.102.35.104 ADA Title II} Mayor Kairis adjourned the meeting at 8:17 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Natalie Corral
City Clerk
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT
CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION DRAFT
CITY OF HANFORD
Prepared for:
315 North Douty Street
Hanford, California 93230
Consultant:
1415 20th Street
Sacramento, California 95815
Contact: Michael Gibbons, Project Manager
Phone: (916) 446-0522
Table of Contents
General Plan Update ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Description Page No.
CHAPTER 9 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE .................................................. 1
9.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1
9.2 Background and Context ...................................................................................................... 10
9.3 Public Participation................................................................................................................ 18
9.4 Community Profile and Demographics ............................................................................ 21
9.5 Environmental Justice Concerns ........................................................................................ 28
9.6 Goals and Policies ................................................................................................................... 79
Table of Contents
General Plan Update iii
This page is intentionally left blank.
Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 1
CHAPTER 9
Environmental Justice
9.1 Introduction
9.1.1 What is Environmental Justice
The State of California defines Environmental Justice as “the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies” (California Government Code Section 65040.12). “Fair treatment” means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, and commercial operations, and policies.
While it is the hope that all people have convenient access to safe housing, clean environments, adequate community services, and healthy foods, the reality doesn’t always align. Today, and throughout California history, low-income residents, communities o f color, tribal nations, and immigrant communities , and other historically marginalized communities often bear a disproportionately large burden of exposure to environmental hazards and health risks. Conditions in these communities can be traced to a varie ty of factors such as underinvestment, inequitable land use and zoning policies, and lack of meaningful public engagement with community residents. Environmental justice seeks to remedy this imbalance based on the democratic values of fairness and equity. This Environmental Justice Element addresses public health risks and environmental justice concerns both citywide and for those residents living in Hanford’s Community of Focus.
9.1.2 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
The Planning for Healthy Communities Act of 2016 (Senate Bill 1000) was enacted to address environmental justice at both local and regional levels. This legislation requires cities and counties to incorporate policies that promote environmental justice in their general plans. The purpose of Hanford’s Environmental Justice Element is to promote equitable access to resources and reduce environmental risks for disadvantaged communities. As provided by State Government Code 65302(h), the Environmental Justice Element has the same weight as the other mandatory elements of the General Plan and shall be internally consistent with all other elements.
The goals and policies in this Environmental Justice Element align with and expand upon those found in other elements of the General Plan. Environmental justice is a crosscutting topic, and in most cases, jurisdictions already address many of its core conc erns—such as housing, public health, transportation, and access to services—within other General Plan elements. To clearly demonstrate this relationship and document the Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
2 City of Hanford
policies that support environmental justice outcomes, a list of relevant policies from other General Plan elements is included. Other Elements in the General Plan that include policies that closely relate to environmental justice include the following:
• Land Use & Community Design Element. Designates the type, intensity, and general distribution of land uses, including housing, business, industry, open space, education, public buildings and grounds, waste disposal facilities, and other categories of public and private uses.
This Element is found in Chapter 3 of both the General Plan Background Report and Policy Document. The City’s most recent Land Use & Community Design Element was adopted in 2017.
• Transportation & Circulation Element. Correlates with the Land Use & Community Design Element and identifies the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, and terminals for all modes of transportation. This Element is found in Chapter 4 of both the General Plan Background Report and Policy Document. The City’s most recent Transportation & Circulation Element was adopted in 2017. • Open Space, Conservation & Recreation Element. Addresses the conservation, development, and use of natural resources, including water and soils, as well as encourages the development and maintenance of parks and recreational spaces to enhance the physical health and well -being of residents. This Elemen t is found in Chapter 5 of both the General Plan Background Report and Policy Document. The City’s most recent Open Space, Conservation & Recreation Element was adopted in 2017.
• Public Facilities & Services. Identifies publicly owned facilities and service infrastructure. This Element sets policies to facilitate continued service to the community as it grows and develops, citywide school site planning, law enforcement and fire protection services, sewer and wa ter infrastructure, and other local public facilities and buildings. This Element is found in Chapter 6 of both the General Plan Background Report and the Policy Document. The City’s most recent Public Facilities & Services Element was adopted in 2017. • Health, Safety & Noise Element. Establishes policies and programs to protect the community from risks associated with seismic, geologic, flood, extreme heat, and fire hazards. Additionally, this Element identifies and appraises noise problems within the community and forms the basis for land use distribution. This Element is found in Chapter 7 of both the General Plan Background Report and Policy Document. The City’s most recent Health, Safety & Noise Element was adopted in 2017.
• 2016 – 2024 Joint Kings County Housing Element. Ensures that there is sufficient residential capacity available to meet the minimum resident needs established by the State for various income levels. This joint countywide Housing Element is a separate document that aims to address regional housing needs through a collaborative approach between all of the jurisdictions in Kings County. The Housing Element assesses current and future housing needs as well as opportunities and constraints on housing production. The goals, policies, and programs outlined in the Housing Element focus on conserving existing housing and neighborhoods, encouraging housing production, removing or mitigating governmental constraints to housing production, Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 3
providing housing assistance, and furthering equal housing opportunities. This joint Housing Element was adopted in 2016.
Many environmental justice -oriented policies are already present in other General Plan elements.
Table 9-1:, below, provides a list of these policies. The goals and policies in the Environmental Justice Element aim to fill the gaps in other General Plan elements and ensure the General Plan fully addresses the environmental justice needs of the community.
Table 9-1: Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Policy
Number Policy Page
Number
Land Use & Community Design Element
Policy L41 Location and Size of the High Density Residential Land Use Designation.
Locate High Density Residential land use designations in close proximity to Arterial streets, commercial centers, recreational facilities, and employment centers.
31 Policy L85 Location of Light Industrial Land Use Designation. Locate Light Industrial land use designations south of Houston Avenue to serve as a land use buffer between Residential and Heavy Industrial land use designations.
Locations north of Houston Avenue that are near rail lines or that have access to Arterial streets, are also allowed when they do not result in land use compatibility conflicts.
39 Policy L91 Incompatible Adjacent Land Uses. Prohibit the establishment of Residential and other sensitive land uses near Heavy Industrial land use designations.
40 Policy L108 Transit-Oriented Development. Support high-density transit oriented development within the city’s Downtown, Mixed Use Corridors, and at the intersections of major thoroughfares to improve transit ridership and to reduce automobile use, traffic congestion, and greenhouse gas emissions
45 Policy L109 Mixed-Use Neighborhoods. Encourage the integration of a variety of compatible land uses into new and established neighborhoods to provide residents with convenient access to goods, services, parks and recreation, and other community amenities.
45 Policy L111 Complete Neighborhoods. Promote efforts to make new and existing neighborhoods more complete by encouraging the development of a mix of complementary uses and amenities that meet the daily needs of residents. Such uses and amenities may include parks, community centers, religious institutions, daycare centers, libraries, schools, community gardens, and neighborhood commercial and mixed-use developments.
45 Policy L114 Services and Facilities. Include easily accessible services and facilities within each neighborhood to meet the daily needs of neighborhood 46 Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
4 City of Hanford
Table 9-1: Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Policy
Number Policy Page
Number
residents. Most residents should live within a ½ mile walking distance of schools, parks and retail services.
Policy L115 Housing Diversity. Encourage residential developments to have households with a diverse range of income levels.
46 Policy L120 Encroachment of Incompatible Land Uses. Protect residential neighborhoods from the encroachment of land uses that may have a negative impact on the residential living environment.
46 Policy L159 Eastside Neighborhood Park. Plan for a new neighborhood park site with a flexible location south of Grangeville Boulevard and within a five- to ten- minute walk of most residents in the East Side Planning Area. 55 Policy L164 Northwest Neighborhood Park. Plan for two new neighborhood park sites with flexible locations within a five- to ten- minute walk of most residents in the Northwest Side Planning Area
55 Policy L169 Learning Center Neighborhood Parks. Develop two neighborhood parks within the Learning Center Planning Area with flexible locations within a five to ten minute walk of most residents in the Learning Center Planning Area, one south of Lacey Boulevard and the other north of Grangeville Boulevard.
56 Policy L173 Southwest Neighborhood Parks. Support development of two new neighborhood park sites identified in existing approved tentative subdivision maps within the Southwest Planning Area.
57 Transportation & Circulation Element
Policy T26 Cul-de-sac Non-motorized Connectivity. Encourage sidewalks and breaks in perimeter walls to allow pedestrian, bicycle, and visual access from cul-de-sac streets to other nearby streets
65 Policy T37 Shade Trees in Planter Strips. Where adequate space permits, include street trees planted in planter strips between the curb and sidewalk to shade paved street surfaces.
66 Policy T39 Accommodating All Modes of Traffic. Plan, design, and construct new transportation improvement projects to safely accommodate the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists and persons of all abilities.
66 Policy T40 Pedestrian and Bicycle Placemaking. Promote pedestrian and bicycle improvements that improve connectivity between neighborhoods, provide opportunities for distinctive neighborhood features, and foster a greater sense of community.
66 Policy T43 Safe Routes to Schools Programs. Promote Safe Routes to Schools programs for all schools serving the city.
67 Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 5
Table 9-1: Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Policy
Number Policy Page
Number
Policy T54 KART Expansion. Pursue improvements and funding to increase transit ridership, increase transit frequencies on key corridors, and expand regular transit service in portions of Hanford that currently have no public transit.
69 Policy T56 Improve Access to Transit Stops. Remove physical barriers to improve access to transit facilities for the elderly, disabled, and other transit- dependent groups.
69 Policy T58 Vanpool Programs. Support the KART Vanpool program for the area’s farmworkers and other commuters.
69 Policy T64 Bicycle Network Master Planning. Maintain a Bicycle Master Plan to coordinate existing and planned infrastructure to support, encourage and promote bicycle transportation, with effective connections to downtown, major shopping areas, mixed use neighborhoods, community facilities, schools, parks, and employment areas
70 Policy T65 Bicycle Network. Prioritize the elimination of gaps in the bicycle network to connect destinations across Hanford.
70 Policy T70 Pedestrian Connections. Increase connectivity through direct and safe pedestrian connections to public amenities, neighborhoods, village centers and other destinations throughout the city.
71 Policy T71 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossings. Identify and enhance key pedestrian and bicycle crossings that cross physical barriers, such as highways or railroad tracks.
71 Policy T79 Multi-modal Connection to Amtrak. Support multi-modal access to and from the existing Amtrak station.
72 Policy T92 Amenities that Support Alternative Modes of Transportation.
Encourage new developments to include on-site amenities into that support alternative modes of transportation. Emphasize pedestrian and bicycle-friendly design, accessibility to transit, preferred rideshare parking, showers and lockers, on-site food service, and child care, where appropriate.
74 Open Space, Conservation & Recreation Element
Policy O37 Mature Trees. Promote the preservation of existing mature trees and encourage the planting of appropriate shade trees in new developments. 84 Policy O51 Provision of Parkland. Acquire and develop new parks consistent with the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan.
88 Policy O55 Mini-Parks. Allow mini-parks between 0.25 acres to 1.0 acre in size to be built at locations that are easily accessed by the residents of the neighborhood. Mini-parks do not contribute to the citywide park ratio 88 Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
6 City of Hanford
Table 9-1: Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Policy
Number Policy Page
Number
goal and are considered an optional addition, and not an alternative to neighborhood and community parks.
Policy O57 Neighborhood Parks. Establish neighborhood parks generally between 2 and 5 acres in size at locations easily accessed by residents of the neighborhood.
90 Policy O59 Neighborhood Parks and Schools. Whenever possible, new neighborhood parks shall be developed in conjunction with elementary schools.
90 Policy O60 Community Parks. Establish community parks generally between 10 and 20 acres in size.
90 Policy O63 Special Use Parks. Provide special use parks based on community needs. 90 Policy O67 Private Recreational Space. Adopt minimum standards for the development of private recreational space for new multi-family residential projects.
91 Policy O68 Variety of Recreational Programs. Provide a variety of recreational programs that accommodate all age groups and abilities. 91 Public Facilities & Services Element
Policy P34 Police Station. Provide for additional structures and acquire additional land as needed for an expanded police station with adequate police vehicle parking to maintain acceptable response times to meet new population growth.
99 Policy P53 Fire Protection Personnel. Provide adequate fire suppression personnel and staff at each fire station to meet increased demands from population growth.
102
Policy P75 Public Access to Technology. Encourage all residents have access to library services including access to computers and other technology. 105
Policy P81 Health Care Services. Support hospitals, clinics, shelters, and other medical services that meet the health care needs of Hanford’s residents. 106
Policy P82 Child and Adult Care Services. Support and encourage the provision of child and adult care services.
106
Health, Safety & Noise Element
Policy H7 Disaster Preparedness for Special Needs Populations. Identify and develop communication systems, evacuation methods, shelter locations and other services for special needs populations.
108
Policy H18 Extreme Heat Emergency Plan. Support the maintenance and implementation of the Kings County Extreme Heat Emergency Plan to support vulnerable populations during times of extreme heat. 110
Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 7
Table 9-1: Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Policy
Number Policy Page
Number
Policy H19 Cooling Centers. Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of existing cooling centers and determine the need for additional cooling centers as population increases.
110
Policy H24 Warming Centers. Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of warming center and determine the need for additional warming center as population increases.
111
Policy H31 Adequate Separation from Sensitive Uses. Require adequate separation between industrial areas where hazardous materials are present and sensitive uses such as schools, residential areas, parks, and public facilities.
113
Policy H38 Brownfield Site Inventory and Remediation Policies. Coordinate with property owners and the California Department of Toxic Substance Control to inventory brownfields and develop plans and policies to remediate contamination.
114
Policy H52 Access to Fresh Produce. Promote the availability of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods.
124
Policy H53 Land Use Zones that Encourage Healthy Food Sales. Designate land use zones that allow convenience stores, supermarkets, and neighborhood markets that stock nutritional food choices in every existing and planned neighborhood.
124
Policy H54 Farmers Markets. Encourage year-round operation of farmers’ markets with the Downtown as the locational preference.
124
Policy H55 Healthy Food Choices. Support schools and other organizations’ efforts to encourage students and their families to make healthy food choices. 124
Policy H56 Heath Programs, Grants, and Incentives. Consider programs and incentives to encourage small grocery or convenience stores to sell fresh foods in underserved areas. These programs could include grants or loans to purchase updated equipment (e.g. refrigeration), publicity or directories of healthy food outlets, or connecting stores to wholesale sources of healthy, local, or organic food.
124
Policy H57 Community Gardens. Where practical, dedicate and/or encourage space for community gardens in parks or other appropriate sites. 124
Policy H58 Local Foods for City Functions. Encourage the purchase of local foods for City functions, and encourage school districts to do the same. 125
Policy H59 Health Initiatives. Facilitate the involvement of community residents, businesses, and organizations in the development, adoption, and implementation of community health initiatives.
125
Policy H60 Health and Land Use Decisions. Consider environmental justice issues as they are related to potential health impacts associated with land use decisions, including enforcement actions, to reduce the adverse health 125
Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
8 City of Hanford
Table 9-1: Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Policy
Number Policy Page
Number
effects of hazardous materials, industrial activities, and other undesirable land uses on residents regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location.
Policy H61 Public Amenities. Consider environmental justice issues as they are related to the equitable provision of desirable public amenities such as parks, recreational facilities, and other beneficial uses that improve the quality of life.
125
Policy H62 Public Participation. Assure that all community residents have opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their environment and health, and make accommodations for them to be involved in the decision-making processes.
125
Policy H63 Use of Communication Tools, New Media, and Technology. Use traditional communication tools as well as new media and technology to provide clear and current information on City processes and decisions and to encourage public participation in City government. 125
Policy H64 Opportunities for Physical Activities. Improve health and mental well- being by offering convenient and safe opportunities for physical activity. 126
Policy H65 Comfortable Walking and Biking Environments. Provide comfortable environments and destinations for walking and bicycling to integrate physical activity into daily routines.
126
2016 – 2024 Joint Kings County Housing Element
Policy 1.4 Preserve assisted rental housing for long-term occupancy by low- and moderate-income households.
5-1
Policy 2.2 Work collaboratively with nonprofit and for-profit developers to seek state and federal grants to support the production of affordable housing. 5-2
Policy 4.1 Support the provision of rental assistance to provide affordable housing options for extremely-low-, very-low- and low-income households. 5-2
Policy 4.2 Participate in efforts to expand homeownership opportunities to lower- and moderate-income households through downpayment assistance and other homeownership programs.
5-2
Policy 4.3 Support the provision of housing suitable for special needs groups, including seniors, people with disabilities, homeless people, military personnel, large households, single-parent families, and farmworkers. 5-3
Policy 4.4 Develop and maintain collaborative efforts among nonprofits, for-profit developers, and public agencies to encourage the development, maintenance, and improvement of housing.
5-3
Policy 5.1 Support enforcement of fair housing laws prohibiting arbitrary discrimination in the development, financing, rental, or sale of housing. 5-3
Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 9
Table 9-1: Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Policy
Number Policy Page
Number
Policy 5.2 Periodically review City ordinances and development regulations and modify, as necessary, to accommodate housing for disabled persons. 5-3
9.1.3 Scope
This Element contains goals and policies designed to enhance the participation and empowerment of historically marginalized populations, referred to in this Element as the “Community of Focus." This Environmental Justice Element addresses public health risks and environmental justice con cerns citywide and for those residents living in Hanford’s Community of Focus. The goals and policies of this Element focus on the following areas:
• Reducing pollution exposure and improving air and water quality. • Promoting healthy food access.
• Promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
• Promoting “civic engagement” in the public decision-making process. • Promoting public and recreational facilities.
• Promoting safe and sanitary homes.
• Prioritizing improvements and programs that address the needs of Community of Focus.
9.1.4 Content of the Environmental Justice Element
To aid in the understanding of environmental justice and how the city will address environmental justice concepts, this Element is organized as follows:
• Introduction. This section provides a brief overview of environmental justice concepts and the statutory obligation for communities. A discussion on the content and scope of this Environmental Justice Element is also provided.
• Background. This section discusses environmental justice principles and the methodology for identifying a Community of Focus within the Hanford city limits. This section also identifies the location of the Hanford Community of Focus.
• Public Participation. A key principle of environmental justice is engaging communities most impacted by pollution burden and other environmental justice factors. This section summarizes the community outreach and publicity strategy employed for this effort . A full summary of comments received throughout the public participation process can be found in Appendix A.
Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
10 City of Hanford
• Community of Focus: Context and Demographics. This section identifies the Hanford Community of Focus and provides an evaluation of baseline (2023) demographic data for each census tract in the Community of Focus. Data analyzed in this section includes race and ethnicity, household income and poverty status, educational attainment, spok en language, English proficiency, and age.
• Environmental Justice Concerns. This section provides an evaluation of baseline (2023) environmental issues within the Hanford Community of Focus including pollution exposure, healthy food access, physical activity, public facilities, safe and sanitary housing, and civic engagement.
• Goals and Policies. The goals and policies described in this section establish how the City will incorporate environmental justice into decision making and support positive outcomes for affected residents.
9.2 Background and Context
9.2.1 Statutory Requirements
Senate Bill (SB) 1000 (California Government Code Section 65302(h)) requires local jurisdictions to incorporate environmental justice in their general plans by developing policies to reduce the disproportionate exposure to pollution in neighborhoods that also experience increased social and economic challenges. These requirements are organized into two subsections: Section 65302 (h)(1) through Section 65302 (h)(2), which are summarized below:
• 65302 (h)(1) adds to the required elements of the general plan an environmental justice element, or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, that identifies “disadvantaged communities.”
• 65302 (h)(1)(A) identifies objectives and policies to promote:
• Public facilities in disadvantaged communities;
• Food access in disadvantaged communities;
• Safe and sanitary homes in disadvantaged communities; • Physical activity in disadvantaged communities;
• Exposure to pollution, including improving air quality in disadvantaged communities; and • Any unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities. • 65302 (h)(1)(B) identifies objectives and policies to promote civic engagement in the public decision-making process in disadvantaged communities.
• 65302 (h)(1)(C) identifies objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities.
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General Plan Update 11
• 65302 (h)(2) requires the adoption or revision of environmental justice element, or related goals, policies, and objectives, upon the revision of two or more elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018
California law refers to communities with high levels of environmental and socioeconomic vulnerability as “disadvantaged communities.” Identifying communities faced with social, economic, and environmental challenges as “disadvantaged” does not accurately capture the many strengths these communities also possess, such as a strong sense of community and local community -based organizations and residents working to improve their neighborhood. With this in mind, for the purposes of this Element, any area which qualifies as a “disadvantaged community” under State law will be referred to as a “Community of Focus.” “Disadvantaged Communities” are defined by California State Law as (1) “an area identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety code;” or (2) “a low-income area that is disproportiona tely affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation” pursuant to California Government Code Section 650302(h)(4)(A).
9.2.2 Identifying Environmental Justice Communities
This section explains the methodology used by the City to identify the Community of Focus for analysis.
Methodology and Analysis
The City used two geospatial screening tools that analyze socioeconomic, environmental, and health factors to identify if a Community of Focus exists within the city limits.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 is a screening tool developed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and is the primary screening tool used by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to identify disadvantaged communi ties in California. CalEnviroScreen uses 21 indicators to assess pollution burdens and population vulnerabilities for each census tract in California and assigns a score for each indicator. The higher the score, the more that census tract is impacted by th at indicator. Individual indicator scores are then summarized into two primary metrics: pollution burden and population characteristics, which are together calculated to determine an overall CalEnviroScreen score. Census tracts in the top 25 percent of ove rall CalEnviroScreen scores (percentile scores between 75 and 100) are identified as disadvantaged communities by the CalEPA. Figure 9-1: shows overall CalEnviroScreen 4.0 scores in Hanford.
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12 City of Hanford
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Cumulative Scores
The Pollution Burden score identifies census tracts that are disproportionately affected by pollution exposure and other adverse environmental conditions that pose negative health effects and environmental degradation.
The Population Characteristics score identifies census tracts with higher concentrations of people with physiological traits, health status, or community characteristics that can result in increased vulnerability to pollution.
The overall CalEnviroScreen score is a cumulative score that combines the Pollution Burden and Population Characteristics scores and represents the cumulative impact of environmental and socioeconomic effects on a community.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Data Dashboard
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Results Map
EJScreen
EJScreen was a screening tool developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that combined environmental and socioeconomic factors to calculate environmental justice index scores for each census block group in the United States. EJScreen provide d an environmental justice index score for 12 environmental indicators that then receive d a percentile score compared to both countrywide and statewide scores. For the purposes of this Environmental Justice Element, Hanford block groups were compared to statewide percentile scores and a 75th percentile filter was used as the threshold for identifying the Community of Focus.
On February 5 th, 2025, the EPA removed EJScreen from its website, including the mapping tool and all associated data products. The EJScreen data used in this Environmental Justice Element were downloaded prior to the removal of EJScreen from the EPA’s website.
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General Plan Update 13
SB 535 Communities
In 2012, Senate Bill (SB) 535 tasked the CalEPA with identifying disadvantaged communities. Disadvantaged communities in California are targeted for investments from State funding to improve public health, quality of life, and economic opportunity. In 2022 , the CalEPA updated its designation of disadvantaged communities based on the following four criteria:
1. Census tracts receiving the highest 25 percent of overall scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0
2. Census tracts lacking overall scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0 due to data gaps, but receiving the highest five percent of CalEnviroScreen 4.0 cumulative pollution burden scores
3. Census tracts identified in the 2017 Disadvantaged Community designation as “disadvantaged,” regardless of their scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0
4. Lands under the control of federally recognized Tribes Figure 9-2: shows census tracts in Hanford identified as disadvantaged communities under the 2022 SB 535 designation criteria by the CalEPA.
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14 City of Hanford
Figure 9-1: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Cumulative Scores, Hanford
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General Plan Update 15
Figure 9-2: SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities, Hanford
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16 City of Hanford
Hanford’s Community of Focus
Based on the established methodology, the Hanford Community of Focus encompasses approximately eight square miles on the southern portion of Hanford, along and south of State Route 198 . As shown in Figure 9-3, the Community of Focus includes the following census tracts:
• Tract 8 (603 100 0800)
• Tract 9.01 (603 100 0901)
• Tract 9.02 (603 100 0902)
• Tract 10.02 (603 100 1002)
• Tract 10.03 (603 100 1003)
• Tract 11 (603 100 1100)
• Tract 12 (603 100 1200)
Census tracts 1 (603 100 0100) and 12 (603 100 1200), both SB 535 designated disadvantage communities, are located in the northern and southern portions of the City of Hanford, respectively.
A very small portion of census tract 1 (about 149 acres) is located in the incorporated Hanford city limits and contains a couple residences and orchards. Most of the remainder of this census tract is in unincorporated Kings County. Given that so little of this census tract is located within city limits, this census tract has been excluded from this analysis.
Additionally, a portion of census tract 12 (about 1,413 acres) is located in the incorporated Hanford city limits and contains important services for the city, including the Hanford Fire Station 2 and Hanford wastewater treatment plant, as well as a variety of light and heavy industrial uses. The remainder of the census tract is in unincorporated Kings County. Based on a study of aerial imagery maps of this census tract, there are four to five residences located within the portion of census tract 12 that is within the Hanford city limits, and around 30 residences in a small subdivision just outside of the Hanford city limits along Iona Avenue and Houston Avenue. Although a majority of census tract 12 is outside of the city limits (96,913 acres), the City has opted to still include the census tract in its Community of Focus recognizing that the activities occurring in heavy industrial areas within the city impact the environmental health of surrounding residential properties and contribute significantly to the overall pollution and population burden scores of the census tract.
It should be noted that certain metrics analyzed in this Element indicate citywide environmental justice issues that are not exclusive to the Community of Focus. For these metrics, data points for all census tracts in the city have been included in the ana lysis to demonstrate disproportionate exposure or impacts that impact all residents.
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General Plan Update 17
Figure 9-3: Hanford’s Community of Focus
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18 City of Hanford
9.3 Public Participation
Starting in June 2025, the City facilitated a series of community engagement events to gather community input on environmental justice issues. This section provides an overview of the engagement strategy for this effort and a summary of feedback received.
The feedback received throughout the public participation process was used to develop the goals, policies, and programs included in this Element.
9.3.1 Publicity and Outreach Strategy
The City used a variety of methods to publicize engagement events and activities to reach a broad range of Hanford residents. Below is a summary of the City’s publicity strategy. See Appendix B for copies of publicity materials used throughout the public participation process.
Project Webpage
A dedicated project webpage on the City’s
website was created and updated with
information about the project and engagement
opportunities. Community outreach events were
posted one to two weeks before each event with
the information, time, and location of the event.
The environmental justice community survey was
also posted on the project website from June 5,
2025, through November 3, 2025.
Community Based Organization (CBO)
Outreach
The City coordinated with two local CBOs, Kings Community Action Organization (KCAO) and Kings Partnership (KPFP), that work with environmental justice communities in Hanford. CBOs are valuable partners in the engagement process since they have established relationships and trust among community members and have insight into existing health and equity issues within the local community. The City coordinated with these CBOs to host meetings and distribute information about the Environmental Justice Element and ways for community members to provide feedback and get involved.
Social Media
The City posted notifications of the environmental justice survey and outreach events on the City’s social media pages that included event information, the survey link, and a link to the project webpage. Between June and November 2025, the Project Team made 15 social media posts across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor, and Twitter (X).
9.3.2 Community Outreach Events
Between June 2025 and October 2025, the City facilitated a variety of in-person community outreach events.
All events featured similar content and activities to ensure consistency across responses received. See Appendix B for all materials used at these events.
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General Plan Update 19
Night Market Pop-Up Booths | June 5 and June 26, 2025
The city facilitated two “pop -up” booths at the Hanford Thursday Night Market on June 5 and June 26, 2025. The
purpose of these events was to provide community members with an understanding of environmental justice topics, identify issues within the community, and suggest preliminary ideas for potential improvements. In attendance were two City staff members and two members of the consultant team. The booth consisted of informational posters with an overview of
environmental justice. All booth materials and acti vities were available in both English and Spanish.
Monday Swap Meet/Flea Market | September 15, 2025
The Project Team attended the Hanford Swap Meet and Flea Market on September 15, 2025. The event draws a large and diverse crowd, providing an opportunity to meet residents where they are and engage the community in an informal
setting. Throughout the even t, Project Team members
walked the market and initiated conversations with attendees.
A Spanish -speaking member of City staff was present to engage attendees who preferred to communicate in Spanish.
All outreach materials distributed at the event were available in both English and Spanish.
During conversations with attendees, the team distributed hard copies of the Environmental Justice Survey and assisted interested participants in completing it on -site. They also handed out cards containing a link and QR code to the online version of the survey, along with additional project information.
Kings Community Action Organization Workshop |
September 24, 2025
The City facilitated a community workshop at the KCAO on September 24, 2025. The workshop was structured to include a presentation providing an overview of environmental justice followed by small break -out group discussions with a Project Team facilitator guiding participants through an interactive exercise designed to spark conversation.
Despite advertisement of the workshop through social media, the City website, press releases, and publicity with local CBOs, no community members attended the meeting. Following the meeting, the Project Team debriefed on how to best approach to community o utreach, resulting in the decision to hold
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20 City of Hanford
additional pop-up booths at local events and facilitate presentations at existing community group meetings described below.
Hanford Night Out Booth | October 7, 2025
The City facilitated a “pop-up” booth at the Hanford Night Out event on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, hosted by the Hanford Police Department. The booth consisted of informational posters with an overview of environmental justice and an interactive dot exercise.
In the exercise, participants were asked to prioritize the “Traits of a Healthy Community” by placing sticky dots on a large poster. Each participant received three dots and was instructed to place them on the traits they feel are most important for creating a healthy and thriving community. The three dots can be placed on one trait or spread across multiple traits, depending on personal priorities, allowing participants to expre ss both strong individual preferences and a range of values. All booth materials and activities were available in both English and Spanish.
KPFP Community Meeting Presentation | October 16, 2025
On October 16, 2025, the city attended the Kings Partnership for Prevention regular monthly meeting to provide a presentation about environmental justice and the Environmental Justice Element project and asked attendees to provide feedback and input.
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General Plan Update 21
9.3.3 Community Survey
The environmental justice community survey was
available online from June 5, 2025, through November
3, 2025, in both English and Spanish. The survey was
created using the Maptionnaire survey platform, which
allowed for interactive mapping questions within a
traditional online survey. The survey was divided into
six sections covering the six environmental justice topic areas (pollution exposure, public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary housing, physical activity, and civic engagement) with the goal of understanding lived
experiences of community members related to each topic
area. Each section had two to five questions that were either multiple choice or interactive mapping questions with a total of 18 questions and was available in both English and
Spanish.
A total of 42 survey responses with meaningful data were gathered throughout the outreach process, including physical survey responses received at outreach events. Although the survey was optimized for online participation, printed versions of the survey were available at in -person community outreach events and included the same questions in the online survey.
Survey responses are used in this Element to supplement the analysis of environmental justice issues in the Hanford Community of Focus. Participants were asked to identify where they lived in Hanford by selecting one of 13 census tracts within the city and indicate if they live and/or work in Hanford. This information allowed the Project Team to better understand where in Hanford responden ts live while also maintaining anonymity of individual respondents. The survey results were grouped and analyzed based on location within or outside of the Community of Focus identified in Section 9.1.6. About 36 percent of respondents live in the Community of Focus.
9.4 Community Profile and Demographics
Residents in the Community of Focus represent diverse cultures, incomes, and ages. This section summarizes the population and socioeconomic factors for each of the census tracts in the Community of Focus.
Table 9-2: Total Population
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Total
Population
5,038 3,904 3,253 4,024 7,144 6,818 2,371 59,389 152,83 0 *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S1701), 2023.
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22 City of Hanford
9.4.1 Race and Ethnicity
Analyzing the racial and ethnic makeup of communities helps to identify potential disparities related to pollution burdens, health impacts, and quality of community services. Race and ethnicity factors are often tied to a community’s overall health equity and the social determinants of health, along with income, educational attainment, employment status, and access to healthcare.
As shown in Table 9-3, the largest racial or ethnic group in the Community of Focus is Hispanic or Latino.
This is generally much higher than the city of Hanford and Kings County, although census tract 9.02 has a similar proportion of residents which identify as Hispanic or Latino compared to the city and county. Just over 77 percent of the population living in census tract 11 identify as Hispanic or Latino. Census tract 10.02 has the second highest Hispanic or Latino population ( 72 percent), followed by census tract 8 (71 percent). In most census tracts in the Community of Focus, the second largest racial or ethnic group was “white alone ,” ranging from 44 to 54 percent of residents; however, in census tract 11, the second largest groups were “some other race alone” and “white alone” at 32 and 31 percent of the population, respectively. Comparatively, the largest racial or ethnic group in city of Hanford was “white alone” followed by “Hispanic or Latino,” while the largest groups in Kings County were “Hispanic or Latino” followed by “white alone.” Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 23
Table 9-3: Race and Ethnicity
Race/
Ethnicity
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus Census Tracts Outside of the Community of Focus Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12* 6.02 6.03 6.04 7.01 7.02 10.01 White alone 42.1% 54.3% 54.1% 46.5% 43.9% 30.8% 62.9% 69.0% 53.9% 59.4% 65.9% 62.0% 54.3% 54.1% 46.0% Black or
African
American
alone
1.3% 1.8% 12.3% 3.2% 5.9% 11.6% 1.9% 14.1% 7.7% 3.8% 3.6% 0.0% 4.5% 5.9% 6.4% American
Indian and
Alaska Native
alone
1.3% 4.0% 3.1% 5.9% 0.9% 1.8% 1.9% 0.4% 1.9% 0.4% 0.9% 1.7% 1.1% 1.7% 1.9% Asian alone 1.4% 0.6% 0.3% 0.9% 2.7% 0.6% 0.0% 0.7% 10.4% 5.1% 3.5% 2.5% 11.9% 3.5% 3.5% Native
Hawaiian and
Other Pacific
Islander
alone
0.0% 0.0% 0.9% 0.0% 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.3% Some other
race alone
19.8% 25.0% 19.9% 19.2% 23.0% 32.0% 12.7% 5.4% 12.0% 8.3% 12.4% 22.7% 10.7% 17.0% 21.6% Two or more
races
34.2% 14.2% 9.4% 24.4% 23.2% 23.2% 20.6% 10.4% 14.1% 23.1% 13.7% 11.1% 17.5% 17.6% 20.3% Hispanic or
Latino
70.1% 67.3% 55.6% 71.5% 68.7% 77.3% 45.8% 28.6% 37.1% 39.8% 34.8% 45.1% 37.2% 51.3% 57.5% Total
Population
5,038 3,904 3,253 4,024 7,144 6,818 2,371 6,216 3,513 7,671 5,876 4,648 5,484 59,389 152,83 0 *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (B03002), 2023.
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24 City of Hanford
9.4.2 Household Income and Poverty Status
Low-income areas are often disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards (i.e., air and water pollution) as household income determines one’s living conditions, including housing, nutrition, occupation, and access to healthcare. Additionally, low -income communities are often located in areas with high levels of pollution from adjacent land uses, which can result in environmental injustices and disproportionate impacts on residents.
As shown in Table 9-4, the median annual income in the Community of Focus ranges from $33,750 to $83,167.
Although most tracts in the Community of Focus have lower median annual incomes that are lower than citywide ($73,744) and countywide (68,750), census tract 10.03 is an outlier with a median annual income of $83,167. Similarly, all census tracts in the Community of Focus have much higher poverty rates compared to the city and county, apart from census tract 10.03, which has a lower poverty rate than the city and county.
Table 9-4: Household Income and Poverty Status in the Community of Focus
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Median
Income
$67,009 $37,500 $53,319 $33,750 $83,167 $38,903 $74,970 $73,544 $68,750 Average
Income
(Mean)
$86,857 $48,803 $57,807 $53,121 $89,821 $49,828 $95,196 $90,490 $86,268 Population
in Poverty
26.9% 29.1% 20.0% 41.1% 11.8% 30.7% 8.5% 14.9% 16.8%
Total
Population
5,038 3,904 3,253 4,024 7,144 6,818 2,371 59,389 152,830 *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S1701, S1901), 2023.
9.4.3 Unemployment
The unemployment rate of residents directly influences the mental, physical, and financial health of those unemployed, their families, and the community at large. Gaps in employment can significantly reduce the amount of disposal income available to indivi duals and their families, which can impact the ability to pay for essential items such as housing, food, and other living expenses. This decreased spending caused by a temporary or long-term reduction in disposable income can have a direct impact on the to tal amount of money spent locally, which in turn can negatively impact the local economy of the region. Additionally, the many stressors associated with being unemployed can cause a number of physical health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.
As shown in Table 9-5, the Community of Focus has varying levels of unemployment that are generally higher than the city and county. Census tract 9.01 has the highest unemployment rate ( 22 percent), which is significantly higher than the city of Hanford (nine percent) and Kings County (nine percent). All other census tracts in the Community of Focus have an unemployment rate ranging from nine to 13 percent, apart from census tract 9.02, which has an unusually low unemployment rate of two percent.
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General Plan Update 25
Table 9-5: Unemployment
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Unemployment
Rate
10.5% 21.8% 2.8% 10.3% 9.3% 13.4% 10.2% 8.6% 8.9%
Total Population 5,038 3,904 3,253 4,024 7,144 6,818 2,371 59,389 152,830 *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S2301), 2023.
9.4.4 Educational Attainment
Educational attainment can influence several socioeconomic factors that can impact health outcomes. People with a higher level of educational attainment tend to have better access to higher paying jobs, gain knowledge to make healthy choices, and build important social and cognitive skills that can help increase civic engagement and participation in the public-decision making process.
As shown in Table 9 -6, the Community of Focus has slightly lower or comparable levels of educational attainment compared to the city and county in regard to residents who hold a high school degree or higher .
Census tract 11 has the lowest level of educational attainment, with approximately 61 percent of its residents holding a high school degree or higher and approximately four percent of its residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Census tract 10.03 has the highest number of college graduates out of all census trats in the Community of Focus (eight percent), although this is still lower than in the city and county. Other census tracts in the Community of Focus have a university attainment level between four to seven percent. Census tract 8 also has the highest number of high school graduates ( 84 percent), which is somewhat higher than in the city (82 percent) and much higher than the county (76 percent). All other census tracts within the Community of Focus have a high school attainment level of 61 percent to 76 percent, which is generally lower than that of the city and county.
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Table 9-6: Educational Attainment
Educational
Attainment
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus Census Tracts Outside of the Community of Focus Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12* 6.02 6.03 6.04 7.01 7.02 10.01 High School
or Higher
84.1% 75.5% 69.5% 68.7% 77.4% 60.8% 87.3% 97.7% 90.3% 89.1% 89.4% 84.1% 85.2% 81.9% 76.0% Bachelor's or
Higher
3.5% 6.7% 3.6% 3.7% 7.7% 4.0% 16.7% 28.7% 38.1% 27.2% 17.9% 10.9% 25.0% 16.0% 12.6% Total
Population
Aged 18 and
over
3,664 2,858 2,334 2,853 5,160 4,521 1,698 4,303 2,366 5,043 4,576 3,518 4,164 42,360 111,45 6 Total
Population
5,038 3,904 3,253 4,024 7,144 6,818 2,371 6,216 3,513 7,671 5,876 4,648 5,484 59,389 152,83 0 *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S1501), 2023.
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9.4.5 Language Spoken and English Proficiency
Over 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home, half of which do not speak English well or at all. Individuals who do not speak English well or at all are often at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving important information about social services, healthcare, and emergency notifications.
Limited English proficiency can also make it difficult for individuals to participate in traditional public decision- making processes (i.e., City Council or other public meetings) if translat ion services and materials are not provided for meetings. In the Community of Focus, English and Spanish are the primary languages spoken at home, similar to the city and county.
As shown in Table 9-7, all census tracts in the Community of Focus, except for 9.01, have a much higher percentage of Spanish -speaking households than the city. There is a much higher rate of Spanish -speaking households in c ensus tract s 11 and 10.02 (57 percent) than in the city and county (29 and 38 percent, respectively). Other languages spoken in the Community of Focus fall into two categories: “other Indo - European languages” and “Asian and Pacific Island languages;” however, households speak these languages at home at comparable rates to the city and county.
Table 9-7: Language Spoken at Home
Language
Spoken
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
English Only 48.4% 73.9% 69.7% 41.3% 46.1% 42.1% 63.0% 66.0% 57.9% Spanish 47.3% 23.9% 29.0% 56.7% 49.8% 57.2% 32.5% 29.2% 37.7% Other Indo-
European
Languages
2.9% 2.0% 0.1% 1.0% 1.5% 0.4% 4.5% 1.8% 1.5%
Asian and
Pacific Island
Languages
1.5% 0.2% 1.2% 1.0% 2.6% 0.4% 0.0% 2.6% 2.5%
Other
Languages
0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.4% 0.4%
Population 5
Years and
Over
4,890 3,634 2,984 3,676 6,584 6,275 2,225 55,059 141,762 Total
Population
5,038 3,904 3,253 4,024 7,144 6,818 2,371 59,389 152,830 *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S1601), 2023.
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28 City of Hanford
9.4.6 Age
Children and older populations are more vulnerable to the negative health impacts from environmental hazards such as air pollution and extreme heat. Children may also be more likely to spend time outdoors or at playgrounds, which can expose this age group to environmental hazards such as lead in soil or pesticide residue on grass. Considering age distribution in environmental justice efforts ensures the needs and concerns of different age groups are considered, resulting in more equitable and sustainable communities for all residents.
As shown in Table 9-8, the distribution of residents of different age groups varies by census tract. Although census tracts 8, 10.02, and 10.03 have comparable proportions of residents under 15 years old compared to the city and county, census tracts 11, 9.01, and 9.02 have a higher proportion of younger residents than the city and county. There is greater variation in the number of residents between the ages of 15 and 64 between the census tracts in the Community of Focus and the city and county , ranging from 57 to 71 percent of residents in the Community of Focus compared to 63 and 67 percent of residents in the city and county, respectively. Generally, census tracts in the Community of Focus ha ve fewer residents aged 65 and above than other census tracts in the city. However, notable outliers include census tracts 8 and 9.01, both of which have a higher proportion of senior residents than the city and county.
Table 9-8: Age
Age Group
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Children (<15) 21.0% 25.7% 26.5% 22.7% 21.0% 29.1% 20.8% 23.8% 22.7% General
Population (15-64)
63.6% 56.8% 64.4% 66.9% 71.3% 61.2% 67.4% 63.4% 66.7%
Older Population
(65+)
15.3% 17.6% 9.1% 10.4% 7.7% 9.7% 11.9% 12.8% 10.6%
Total Population 5,038 3,904 3,253 4,024 7,144 6,818 2,371 59,389 152,830 *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP05), 2023.
9.5 Environmental Justice Concerns
9.5.1 Community Health
The risk and severity of chronic health problems such as asthma, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes can be a direct or indirect result of someone’s environment. Residents of environmental justice communities tend to have higher rates of these chronic hea lth problems due to increased pollution exposure (at work and/or at home), lack of access to spaces where residents can be active, lack of access to healthy foods, unhealthy living conditions, or a combination of these factors. Lack of investment and incompatible land uses in residential areas can result in someone’s overall health being partially determined by their zip code. This section describes the presence of chronic health problems in Hanford.
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Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes individuals to have episodes of breathlessness, coughing, and chest tightness. Exposure to high levels of air pollutants such as traffic, particulate matter, smog, and diesel exhaust can trigger asthma attacks. People who live, work, or recreate near major roads, highways, and railways are at higher risk of frequent asthmatic episodes and more serious health complications from asthma.
Table 9 -9 shows the number of children and adults diagnosed with asthma in the Community of Focus compared to the city and county . Within the community of focus, census tract 10.03 has the highest rate of children who have been diagnosed with asthma (20 percent), while census tract 11 has the highest rate of adults who have ever been diagnosed with asthma (22 percent). However, it should be noted that all census tracts in the city, both within and outside of the community of focus, generally have similar rates of asthma diagnoses , with the exception of census tract 10.02, which has much lower rates of asthma diagnoses compared to the city and county.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 measures the Asthma Indicator by estimating the average number of asthma related ER visits per 10,000 people, measuring the most severe asthma attacks. As shown in Figure 9-4, almost the entirety of the city of Hanford is over the 95 th percentile for asthma, both within and outside of the Community of Focus. This equates to approximately 108 to 120 people per 10,000 residents in each census tract who visited the local emergency room for asthma between 2015 and 2017.
Table 9-9: Rate of Asthma
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Children (0-
17) ever
diagnosed
with asthma
17.5% 15.6% 14.5% 10.3% 20.2% 14.8% Data not
available
16.6% 16.5%
Adults (18+)
ever
diagnosed
with asthma
16.6% 19.7% 19.5% 11.6% 15.6% 22.0% 19.1% 18.3% 18.6%
*Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2022.
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30 City of Hanford
Figure 9-4: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Asthma-Related ER Visits
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General Plan Update 31
Obesity
Obesity is a health condition that is present when a person’s body mass index (BMI) is equal to 30 or more.
Individuals who are obese are at higher risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a nd liver disease. Obesity rates in a community are impacted by physical activity level as well as available food options. Several factors can contribute to higher obesity rates in environmental justice communities. Inequitable development patterns and poli cies in environmental justice communities often leads to a higher prevalence of unhealthy food options in these areas, such as fast food and liquor stores. These communities also tend to receive less investment in neighborhood infrastructure that promotes physical activity, such as sidewalks, trees, and bike lanes. Additionally, research shows that low - income households may lack the money, education, or tools to purchase and prepare healthy foods and often cope with food insecurity by consuming nutrient -poor but calorie-rich foods that can increase risk of obesity and/or malnutrition.
As shown in Table 9-10, adult obesity rates in the Community of Focus tend to be comparable or slightly higher than citywide and countywide rates. Census tract 10.02 has the highest rate of obesity at 48 percent of adults, compared to 42 percent of adults in both the city and county. Census tracts 8, 9.01, 9.02, and 10.03 all have comparable rates of obesity compared to the citywide rate. However, the obesity rate across the Community of Focus, city, and county are 11 to 19 percent higher than the statewide obesity rate (2 9 percent). This data suggests that Hanford residents, particularly those that live in the Community of Focus, may face greater challenges with access to healthy food options and opportunities for physical activity than in other parts of the state.
Table 9-10: Rate of Obesity
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Adults (18+)
with a BMI
of 30+
42.4% 42.4% 43.6% 47.7% 43.4% 39.8% 41.4% 42.4% 41.5%
*Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2022.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot use its insulin effectively. Over time, the symptoms of diabetes can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. There are two types of diabetes ; type 1 diabetes is not thought to be caused by environmental or lifestyle choices, whereas type 2 diabetes can be prevented through regular physical activity and healthy food choices. Regardless of the type, management of diabetes requires healthy lifestyle choices including healthy food choices, regular physical activity, controlling blood pressure, and controlling cholesterol, all of which can be more challenging for environmental justice communities.
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The rate of diabetes in the Community of Focus are comparable or slightly higher than those of the city and county. Census tracts 10.02 and 10.03 both have the highest rates of diabetes in the city at 13 percent, compared to 11 percent in both the city and county. All remaining census tracts in the Community of Focus have comparable rates of diabetes to the city and county. Although neighborhoods that reflect higher rates of diabetes may not be due to environmental conditions, it demonstrates the importance of providing an environment that promotes healthy lifestyle choices in these neighborhoods such as adequate sidewalks, parks, and recreational opportunities, as well as access to healthcare and healthy food.
Table 9-11: Rate of Diabetes
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Adults (18+)
ever diagnosed
with diabetes
11.9% 10.4% 10.7% 12.8% 12.7% 10.3% 9.3% 11.2% 10.5%
*Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2022.
Heart Disease
Heart disease encompasses various heart conditions and is the leading cause of death in the United States. The most common type of heart disease in the U.S. is coronary artery disease, which can cause heart attacks in individuals. Risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure and blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. Heart disease can be prevented through regular physical activity and a healthy diet, both of which tend to be less easily attainable in environmental justice communities due to a lack of neighborhood infrastructure that promotes physical activity (i.e. parks, sidewalks, proximity to high traffic roads) and lack of healthy food choices due to income, access to full -service grocery stores, or time or knowledge to prepare healthy f oods at home.
As shown in Table 9-12:, the rate of adults diagnosed with heart disease in the Community of Focus are similar (within one to two percent) to the citywide and countywide heart disease rates. These heart disease rates are all also comparable to the statewide rate of around seven percent.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 measures the Cardiovascular Disease Indicator by estimating the number of people per 10,000 who visited the ER for a heart attack. All census tracts in Hanford, both within and outside of the Community of Focus, have Cardiovascular Disease Indicator percentile scores between 98 and 99, meaning the rate of heart attack related ER visits is significantly higher when compared to other census tracts in California.
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Table 9-12: Rate of Heart Disease
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Adults (18+) ever
diagnosed with
heart disease
7.2% 7.8% 6.4% 5.9% 6.1% 8.4% 8.5% 7.4% 6.7%
*Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2022.
9.5.2 Pollution Exposure
Pollution exposure occurs when people come into direct contact with pollutants in the air, water, food, or soil.
Pollution can be the result of polluting land uses (e.g., industrial facilities, agriculture), heavy or high traffic transportation facilities (e.g., railroads, freeways), or household conditions (e.g ., lead paint, indoor air quality).
Environmental justice communities, especially low -income communities, are more likely to live or work near one or more polluting sources due to underinvestment and land use decisions that concentrated polluting land uses near low -income communities. Living or working near polluting land uses can result in a higher risk of serious health issues such as respiratory infections, cancer, or heart disease due to consistent pollution exposure.
This section discusses the major pollution burdens in Hanford based on data from CalEnviroScreen 4.0 and EJScreen.
Diesel Particulate Matter
Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) is a type of air pollution that derives from diesel engine emissions. Major sources of DPM include on- and off- road mobile sources such as trucks, buses, cars, ships, trains, and heavy machinery (e.g., tractors). For this reason, DPM is concentrated near ports, rail yards, and freeways where there are high traffic volumes.
DPM is made up of extremely small particles of dirt and soot that come out of the exhaust pipes of vehicles.
With consistent exposure, these particles are easily inhaled and cause irritation to the eyes, trouble breathing, heart disease, and lung cancer. Children, the elderly, and people with existing respiratory diseases such as asthma are more vulnerable to the negative health effects of DPM.
Hanford is bisected by California State Route 198 (SR 198), a four -lane highway for passenger vehicles and trucks, as well as a railway that is located just north of SR 198. Both SR 198 and the railway are sources of DPM that impact Hanford residents. Figure 9-5 shows concentrations of DPM emitted into the air within and census tracts in the city as reported in CalEnviroScreen 4.0. Census tracts in the Hanford Community of Focus have a higher concentration of DPM emissions compared to other areas of the cit y. Similarly, in the community survey, respondents in the Community of Focus reported air pollution from cars and trucks as a source of pollution experienced in their neighborhood at a higher rate (60 percent of respondents) compared to respondents outside of the Community of Focus (26 percent).
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Figure 9-5: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Diesel Particulate Matter
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Ozone
Ozone is a gas formed when oxygen -containing compounds react with other air pollutants (e.g., carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide) in the presence of sunlight and can be either good or bad depending on where it is found. Ozone found in the ea rth’s upper atmosphere provides protection from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays at the earth’s surface. In contrast, ozone found at the ground level is the primary component of smog and can cause adverse health impacts such as respiratory irritation, lung disease, asthma, and cancer. Common air pollut ers that create ozone at the ground level include cars, trucks, power plants, chemical plants, and farms.
To monitor ozone levels across California, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) maintains a network of air monitoring stations, one of which is in Hanford on South Irwin Street . Ozone levels are typically their highest in the afternoons and summer months when the days are longer and hotter, therefore, the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Ozone Indicator score is determined based on the daily maximum ozone concentration in summer months (May – October).
As shown in Figure 9-6, all census tracts in Hanford have an Ozone Indicator percentile score of 82, meaning the ozone concentrations in Hanford is 82 percent higher than all other census tracts in California. This demonstrates that ozone pollution exposure affects not only Hanford’s Community of Focus, but also the citywide population.
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
PM2.5 is a form of air pollution that that is made up of very small particles (less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) and can include a variety of particles, including organic chemicals, dust, soot, and metals. Particulate matter can come from any activiti es involving combustion, such as transportation, agriculture, industry, and construction.
The small size of PM2.5 particles can cause serious health effects on the heart and lungs, as these fine particles can more easily penetrate into the lungs and even into the bloodstream. Exposure to PM2.5 can result in lung irritation, exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory diseases, lung disease, heart disease, and increased risk of strokes.
PM2.5 levels are monitored by CARB’s air monitoring stations, which is used by CalEnviroScreen 4.0 to measure the PM2.5 Indicator percentile scores based on annual average concentrations of PM2.5. Similar to the Ozone Indicator percentile score, the PM2.5 Indicator percentile scores for all census tracts in Hanford are between 98 and 99 (see Figure 9-7), meaning the PM2.5 concentrations in Hanford are 98 to 99 percent higher than all other census tracts in California.
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Figure 9-6: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Ozone Concentration
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General Plan Update 37
Figure 9-7: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 PM2.5 Concentration
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38 City of Hanford
Pesticide Use
Pesticides are chemicals used to control insects, plant diseases, and other pests that threaten crops. Pesticides applied in agricultural areas can become airborne , drift to neighboring communities, and become a significant source of pollution exposure to residents. Chronic exposure to harmful pesticides can cause serious health issues such as respiratory illnesses, birth defects, cancer, and neurological impacts.
Although over 1,000 pesticides are registered for use in California, CalEnviroScreen 4.0’s pesticide use indicator assesses 132 of the most toxic and volatile active pesticide ingredients residents may be exposed to. The indicator adds the total pounds per square mile of these selected pesticide ingredients for the years 2017 to 2019 for each census tract. Selected pesticides with highest use in and around Hanford assessed as part of the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 indicator include:
• 1,3-dichloropropene. Typically used in soil that can cause short -term and long-term health impacts to humans if exposed, such as nose and throat irritation, chest pain, difficulty breathing, skin sensitivity, and chronic respiratory issues.
• Dimethoate. A widely used organophosphate insecticide and acaricide that can cause cancer, endocrine disruption, and reproductive toxicity, even with low levels of exposure. • 2,4-d, dimethylamine salt. An herbicide that kills broadleaf weeds that can cause eye irritation and is possibly carcinogenic in humans.
• Buprofezin. An insecticide used for control of insect pests that is toxic to aquatic organisms and may cause damage to liver and kidneys in humans.
• Flumioxazin. A herbicide that is applied by spraying and can cause eye and skin irritation • Chlorothalonil. An organic compound used primarily as a fungicide and mildewicide, as well as a bactericide, microbiocide, algaecide, insecticide, and acaricide. It can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing cough, phlegm and/or tightness in the chest. • Paraquat dichloride. A widely used herbicide that is highly fatal to humans when ingested and is corrosive to the skin and eyes. Since June 2021, the use of paraquat dichloride requires mitigation measures to reduce risks to human health due to use of this herbicide. • Mancozeb. A broad -spectrum contact fungicide. Ethylene thiourea, a breakdown product of Mancozeb, is known to cause goiter and may cause birth defects. • Simazine. A herbicide that can cause short -term and long-term health impacts to humans, such as changes to weight and blood, tremors, damage to kidneys, liver, and thyroid, and potential cancer.
• Diuron. A residual herbicide that controls grasses and broadleaf weeds in areas not intended to bear vegetation, such as rights -of-way, highways, and railways that can cause birth defects, damage lungs, impact liver function, and irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.
As shown in Figure 9 -8, the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 pesticide use indicator scores are high in most areas of Hanford, except for the center most census tract . This is consistent with the community survey results where Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 39
air pollution from pesticides or dust was one of the most frequently reported source of pollution in both the Community of Focus (60 percent) and outside of the Community of Focus (52 percent).
Hanford is surrounded by farmland with some areas of the city having little to no buffer between residential and agricultural uses, making these areas more susceptible to pesticide drift. For many Central California residents, the hazards of living in close proximity to farmland is a commonly accepted risk ; however, it is important to address ways to mitigate the negative effects of pesticide use while minimizing impacts on the agricultural industry.
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40 City of Hanford
Figure 9-8: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Pesticide Use
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General Plan Update 41
Drinking Water Contaminants
Public water systems in California generally have a high rate of compliance with drinking water standards set by the State. However, contaminants may still be introduced into the water system by a variety of sources including natural occurrence, accidental discharge, industrial release, and agricultu ral runoff. Exposure to contaminants in drinking water, even in small amounts, can have adverse health effects over time such as cancer and pulmonary issues.
CalEnviroScreen’s Drinking Water Contaminants Indicator is a measure of a combination of contaminant data that takes into account the average concentrations of 16 contaminants and violations compared to other census tracts. No census tracts in Hanford, including within the Community of Focus, have a drinking water contaminants indicator score above 75. Most census tracts in the city are between the 43 rd and 68th percentile, with census tract 11 having the highest percentile score in the city at 70. Table 9-13 shows percentile scores for each contaminant and violation above 0.0 for all census tracts in Hanford . The following drinking water contaminants have the highest percentile scores in Hanford out of the 16 contaminants and violations CalEnviroScreen 4.0 measures for in its Drinking Water Contaminants Indicator:
• Arsenic: A naturally occurring component of many rocks and sediments that can be released into groundwater following mining and other human activities. Arsenic is toxic at low levels and is a known carcinogen.
• Gross alpha: Gross alpha contamination arises from energy released from the breakdown or decay of radioactive elements. Gross alpha radiation is naturally found in the Earth's crust and can contaminate local drinking water systems if wells are drilled into or near natural rock formations that contain radioactive elements. When inhaled or ingested, gross alpha contamination can increase risk of bone cancer and kidney damage.
• Total coliforms: Coliforms are bacteria found in the digestive tracts and waste of animals. Their presence in water systems indicates fecal contamination and can cause serious illness if ingested, depending on the specific strain(s) of coliforms present. • Total trihalomethanes: Trihalomethanes are a group of disinfection byproducts that form when water disinfectants, such as chlorine or ozone, react with other naturally occurring chemicals in the water. These byproducts may be carcinogenic to humans.
However, it should be noted that census tracts 10.01 and 11 have unusually high percentile score s for maximum contaminant level violations for lead and copper as well as for gross alpha contamination compared to other census tracts in the city and state. Th e high percentile score for lead and copper contaminants is likely due to lead and copper entering the drinking water system through plumbing materials such as pipes, faucets, fixtures, and water mains, particularly those built prior to 1986.
Additionally, census tracts 7.01 and 7.02 have unusually high percentile scores for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane contamination/violation compared to other census tracts in the city and state . 1,2,3-Trichloropropane is used as a paint or varnish remover, cleaning and degreasing agent , and solvent, and can cause eye and throat irritation, liver and kidney damage, reduced body weight, and may be carcinogenic. Exposure to this compound usually occurs from industrial settings or hazardous waste sites.
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42 City of Hanford
Table 9-13: Drinking Water Contaminants Contaminant and Violation Scores Contaminant or
Violation
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus Census Tracts Outside of the Community of Focus 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12* 6.02 6.03 6.04 7.01 7.02 10.01 1,2,3-
Trichloropropane
(TCP)
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 92.91 0.00 0.00 0.00 94.87 99.04 0.00 Arsenic 99.77 96.36 96.36 96.67 99.19 99.50 99.92 96.82 96.72 96.72 97.24 99.44 99.91 Gross Alpha 84.12 52.93 52.93 53.94 76.08 90.02 99.94 53.34 72.90 72.90 63.23 44.40 81.07 Haloacetic Acids 32.10 42.87 42.87 42.87 42.87 46.50 22.76 42.87 42.87 42.87 42.59 37.72 43.57 Lead and Copper
Rule (lead only)
71.29 69.64 69.64 70.89 72.37 70.87 82.95 68.73 49.46 49.46 71.06 78.78 57.29 Maximum
Contaminant Level
(MCL) Violations &
Lead and Copper
Rule, Lead Action
Level Exceedances
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 92.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 90.98 Nitrate as N 38.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.28 27.95 98.55 0.00 0.00 0.00 27.17 0.00 0.00 Total Coliform Rule
(TCR) Violations
99.90 99.90 99.90 99.90 99.90 99.69 99.9 99.90 99.90 99.90 99.90 99.90 99.79 Total
Trihalomethanes
(THM)
59.36 98.12 98.12 97.89 94.06 92.66 18.67 97.19 32.18 32.18 97.29 81.85 43.25 Note: This table only contains percentiles for contaminants and violations with a percentile above 0.0. * *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: CalEnviroScreen 4.0, 2025.
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General Plan Update 43
Figure 9-9: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Drinking Water Contaminants
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44 City of Hanford
Groundwater Threats
Groundwater, which is water stored beneath the Earth’s surface in underground aquifers, can face various threats that can impact water quality and availability. Several commercial, industrial, and agricultural sites store and dispose of hazardous materials on land or in underground storage tanks, which can leak and contaminate soil and groundwater. Common contaminants from these sites include gasoline, heavy metals, and pesticides.
Other groundwater threats include produced water ponds, industrial sites, ai rports, dairies, dry cleaners, and publicly owned sewage treatment plants. Although these are potential groundwater threats, a leak could contaminate soil or groundwater that could expose residents to chemicals and contaminants that can have short-term or long-term health impacts such as irritation, headaches, dizziness, cancer, or reproductive harm.
In addition to the threat to water quality, the presence of these contaminants can limit future development or repurposing of these sites due to cleanup costs and liability concerns.
The CalEnviroScreen 4.0 groundwater threat indicator identifies cleanup sites that could potentially impact groundwater based on type of site and proximity to residentially populated areas based on information from the State Water Resources Control Board ( SWRCB). The SWRCB's GeoTracker Database identifies 14 groundwater threat sites in Hanford, 11 of which are in the Hanford Community of Focus (see Table 9-14).
Figure 9-10 shows groundwater threat sites and CalEnviroScreen 4.0 census tract groundwater threat scores in Hanford. Five of the six census tracts in the Hanford Community of Focus have a groundwater threat percentile score of 82 or higher compared to other census tracts in California.
Table 9-14: Groundwater Threat Sites in the Community of Focus Site Cleanup Status Site Name Potential Contaminant of Concern Open - Site Assessment Southern California Gas
Company, Hanford
• Metals/heavy metals: Metallic elements
with high densities that can be toxic and
can cause cancer, organ damage, nervous
system damage, and stunted development.
• Petroleum/fuels/oils: A product high in
hydrocarbons that can cause respiratory
illness, irritate skin, cause neurological
issues, and increase the risk of certain
cancers.
Open - Remediation Safeway Store 1988 Ust
Release
• Diesel from Underground Storage Tank
(UST): A light, refined petroleum product
that, when stored in leaking USTs, can
contaminate soil, pollute groundwater, and
increase cancer risks.
Open - Remediation 5th & Williams
Commingled Plume
• Diesel from Underground Storage Tank
(UST): A light, refined petroleum product
that, when stored in leaking USTs, can
contaminate soil, pollute groundwater, and
increase cancer risks.
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Table 9-14: Groundwater Threat Sites in the Community of Focus Site Cleanup Status Site Name Potential Contaminant of Concern Open - Verification
Monitoring
Silvas Oil Company • Diesel from Underground Storage Tank (UST): A light, refined petroleum product
that, when stored in leaking USTs, can
contaminate soil, pollute groundwater, and
increase cancer risks.
Open Matls Recovery Facility • None specified
Open Kings County Land
Disposal Site - Hanford
Facility
• None specified
Open - Inactive Sanchez & Sanchez
Grain
• None specified
Open - Remediation Liquid Chemical Corp. • Cadmium, lead, metals/heavy metals, other metal: Metallic elements with high
densities that can be toxic and can cause
cancer, organ damage, nervous system
damage, and stunted development.
Open - Closed/with
Monitoring
Houston Ave Landfill • None specified
Open - Site Assessment Sanchez Property
(Former Houston Ave
Landfill)
• Diesel and jet fuel range petroleum
hydrocarbons: Products high in
hydrocarbons that can cause respiratory
illness, irritate skin, cause cardiovascular
issues, and increase the risk of certain
cancers.
• Semi-volatile organic compounds: Gases
emitted from certain solids or liquids that
can harm reproductive systems, increase
risk of asthma, and increase risk of lower
birth weight.
Open - Site Assessment Blair Field • Pesticides/herbicides: A group of chemicals used to control insects and weeds in
agricultural crops that can cause illness,
birth defects, and various cancers.
Open - Site Assessment Simplot – Hanford • Nitrate: A chemical present in agricultural fertilizers, animal waste, and septic systems
that can contaminate groundwater that can
impact how blood carries oxygen and
potentially cause methemoglobinemia.
• Pentachloronitrobenzene: An agricultural
fungicide that may cause liver cancer and
skin irritation.
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46 City of Hanford
Table 9-14: Groundwater Threat Sites in the Community of Focus Site Cleanup Status Site Name Potential Contaminant of Concern • Other insecticides/pesticide/
fumigants/herbicides: A group of chemicals
used to control insects, weeds and plant
diseases in agricultural crops that can cause
illness, birth defects, and various cancers.
Open - Remediation Viking Ready Mix • None specified
Open - Inactive Britz Hanford • None specified
Source: State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) GeoTracker Database , 2025.
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General Plan Update 47
Figure 9-10: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Groundwater Threats
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48 City of Hanford
Hazardous and Solid Waste
Certain facilities, such as factories, manufacturers, and other businesses use chemicals that generate hazardous waste that can be harmful to health and the environment. Hazardous waste can be liquids, solids, or gases and can range from automobile oil to highly toxic chemicals used at heavy industrial sites. Negative effects of living near a hazardous waste site include possible air, water, or soil contamination, decreased property values, and economic disinvestment.
Solid waste refers to household garbage and similar kinds of waste. Solid waste facilities, such as landfills, where waste is processed and stored, can increase heavy truck traffic, odors, pests, and potential exposure to hazardous substances. These effects can make surrounding neighborhoods less desirable for development leading to lower property values or lack of economic investment.
Both hazardous waste generators and solid waste facilities are typically located in industrial zoned areas that can affect nearby residential communities.
According to CalEnviroScreen 4.0, there are 13 hazardous waste generators and two solid waste facilities in the Hanford Community of Focus (see Figure 9-11 and Figure 9-12). Some hazardous waste generators in this area include medical uses, such as the Adventist Health Medical Center and various pharmacies; however, others are industrial uses such as auto repair shops and other general industrial facilities. All hazardous waste generators are located near or immediately adjacent to residential areas. Solid waste facilities include the Houston Avenue Landfill and the E & B Bulk Transportation facility; neither of these facilities are immediately adjacent to residential neighborhoods.
In addition to waste facilities, in the community survey , a majority respondents in the Community of Focus (60 percent) reported “trash and illegal dumping” as a source of pollution in their neighborhood, compared to only 19 percent of respondents outside of the Community of Focus. Trash and illegal dumping not only present a health risk to residents but also impact the comfort and aesthetics of a community.
Toxic Releases
Some industrial facilities can release toxic chemicals into the air that present potential health risks to surrounding communities. Environmental justice communities tend to be at higher risk of exposure to toxic chemicals, because low-income neighborhoods tend to be located in closer proximity to industrial areas.
The U.S. EPA maintains a Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) to track the release of toxic chemicals from industrial facilities. According to the TRI, there is one facility in Hanford that releases toxic chemicals in Census Tract 12, located south of the Community of Focus in a primarily industrial area (see Figure 9-11). Ammonia is the only noted chemical released by this facility in Hanford . Exposure to ammonia can cause burning of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory tract, as well as blindness and lung damage.
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Figure 9-11: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Hazardous Waste Generators
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Figure 9-12: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Solid Waste Generators
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General Plan Update 51
Cleanup Sites
Cleanup sites are properties that are contaminated with hazardous materials and require cleanup actions from the property owners before new development or operations can happen on that site. Cleanup sites not only present an increased risk of exposure to hazardous materials but can also increase the amount of underutilized land in a community due to high cleanup costs and risk of liability, limiting the benefit of that land to the surrounding community.
As shown in Figure 9-13, there are five cleanup sites in Hanford, four of which are in a Community of Focus.
Census tract 8 has the highest cleanup sites indicator percentile score of all census tracts in the city at 83. Census tracts in the Community of Focus generally have a higher percentile score for this metric than other areas of the city, ranging from 51 t o 63; however, census tracts 10.02 and 10.03 have a percentile score of 0 for this metric.
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Figure 9-13: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Cleanup Sites
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General Plan Update 53
9.5.3 Healthy Food Access
Adequate access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food is key to high quality of life in any community. Food access is determined not only by physical proximity to grocery stores and other food providers, but also the affordability and availability of healthy foods. Environmental justice communities often have a more difficult time achieving food security than other areas since residents in these communities tend to be lower income, are less likely to have regular access to a vehicle.
Food Environment
The food environment represents the quantity and type of food providers in a community, such as grocery stores, farmer’s markets, food banks, and community gardens. The food environment also represents the presence of unhealthy food options in a community, such as liquor stores and fast food.
Grocery Store Access
As of 2025, there are a total of 12 grocery stores within the Hanford city limits. Of those 12 grocery stores, six are located within the Community of Focus, and six are located just outside of the Community of Focus but within half a mile walking distance. Figure 9-14 and Table 9 -15 show the locations of grocery stores within Hanford as well as residential areas that are within half a mile walking distance of each store. Approximately 54 percent of residential parcels in the Community of Focus are within half a mile of a grocery store, which is higher than other residential parcels in the city.
While it is essential for jurisdictions to strive for increased grocery store access in their communities, the current access to grocery stores appears to be sufficient in meeting the needs of the residents in the Hanford Community of Focus . Grocery stores within half a mile walking distance to Community of Focus residents include:
• Best Buy Market IGA: 1798 N 10th Ave, Hanford, CA, 93230 • Save Mart: 715 W Grangeville Blvd, Hanford, CA, 93230 • United Market: 426 E 7th St, Hanford, CA, 93230
• Harrods Market: 110 E 6th St, Hanford, CA, 93230
• Smart & Final: 552 N 11th Ave, Hanford, CA, 93230
• Cost Less Food Company: 102 S 11th Ave, Hanford, CA, 93230 • El Rey Supermercado: 10833 Hanford Armona Rd, Hanford, CA, 93230 • ALDI: 1789 W Lacey Blvd, Hanford, CA, 93230
• Foods Co.: 1850 W Lacey Blvd, Hanford, CA, 93230
• Walmart Supercenter: 250 S 12th Ave, Hanford, CA, 93230 • Mercado & Carniceria Del Valle: 1120 N 10th Ave #7201, Hanford, CA, 93230 • Target Grocery: 140 12th Ave, Hanford, CA, 93230
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54 City of Hanford
Table 9-15: Percentage of Residential Areas within ½ mile of a Grocery Store Hanford Community of
Focus
Non-Community of
Focus Hanford, CA
Number of Residential
Parcels
6,115 9,138 15,253
Number of Residential
Parcels within ½ mile
of a grocery store
3,140 3,466 6,606
Percentage of
Residential Parcels
within ½ mile of a
grocery store
51.4% 37.9% 43.3%
Source: City of Hanford, Mintier Harnish, 2025.
Two of the six grocery stores within the Community of Focus are cultural grocery stores, which carry products specific to certain cultures that are not necessarily carried by mainstream supermarkets. Research has shown that culturally specific grocery stores are importan t not only to increasing food availability, but also in maintaining cultural traditions and affirming group identity and community. All cultural grocery stores in Hanford are located within the Community of Focus.
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Figure 9-14: Food Environment and Grocery Store Accessibility
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56 City of Hanford
Farmers’ Market and Alternative Food Sources
In addition to grocery stores, farmers markets, fruit stands, and community or personal gardens are alternative ways for residents to access fresh fruits and vegetables. Hanford has the following alternative markets:
• The Hanford Thursday Night Market Place is held
on Thursday evenings in the Civic Park in central
Hanford from May through October. The Market has
a program that allows CalFresh participants to
purchase EBT tokens that can be used in place of cash
at vendor stalls. Only 14 percent of community survey
respondents reported the Thursday Night Market as a
place where they regularly purchase fresh fruits and
vegetables, suggesting the Market is used more as a
source of entertainment rather than a source for
groceries.
• Alma's Flea Market and the Marketa El
Swapmeet, both of which are held at 8967 Lacey
Boulevard in Hanford, within the Community of
Focus. Alma’s Flea Market is held every Monday from
6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. year-round. The Marketa El
Swapmeet is held Wednesday through Sunday from
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. year -round. These markets are
an additional source of fresh produce that expands
residents’ access to fresh food and groceries.
• Community and personal gardens are another way for residents to access fresh fruits and vegetables; however, this requires space, upfront costs, and specialized knowledge that many residents may not have access to due to income, space, or education. Hanford has three community gardens in or near the Community of Focus.
• Food banks and similar programs help low-income households obtain fresh, canned, and frozen food and meals necessary to fill gaps in food assistance programs such as CalFresh. Food banks are often operated by non-profit or religious organizations and provide boxes of ingredients and/or fresh meals to low-income households on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. There are eight food banks/free meal programs in Hanford, six of which are located in the Community of Focus.
CalFresh Benefits
CalFresh, known federally as SNAP
(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program), is a public program that
provides assistance to low -income
individuals and families to purchase
food. Eligible participants receive a
monthly Electronic Benefit Transfer
(EBT) c ard, similar to a debit card,
loaded with funds to buy groceries at
approved retailers. The amount a
household receives is based on factors
like income, expenses, and family size.
Although city -specific data is not
available for CalFresh participation,
about 20 percent of Kings County
residents participate in CalFresh.
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Food Insecurity
While there are several grocery stores both within and immediately adjacent to the Community of Focus, other factors such as household income can impact an individual's ability to purchase healthy foods on a regular basis.
The median income of most census tracts within the Community of Focus ranges from $ 33,750 to $67,009, which is lower than the citywide and countywide median incomes ($73,544 and 68,750, respectively ). Census tract 10.03 is the only census tract in the Community of Focus with a median income higher than those of the city and county ($83,167).
Barriers to Healthy Food Access
Households that do not have access to a vehicle or dependable public transportation may have a harder time getting to and from a grocery store. As shown in Table 9 -16, four census tracts in the Community of Focus have a much higher percentage of housing units with no access to a vehicle compared to the city and county, however, no respondents in the community survey indicated transportation to and from grocery stores as a major barrier to eating healthy foods. The most commonly reported barrier to healthy food access, according to community survey responses, is healthy food being too expensive.
Table 9-16: Household Access to Vehicles
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12
Percent Occupied
Housing Units with
No Vehicle
Available
8.1% 30.3% 12.0% 23.6% 0.5% 11.4% 0.0% 8.0% 5.8%
Note: This table only contains percentiles for contaminants and violations with a percentile above 0.0.
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023), Table S2504.
9.5.4 Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is important in maintaining good physical and mental health. The built environment, including, but not limited to, the availability and quality of parks, open spaces, pedestrian infrastructure, and bicycle infrastructure, can sign ificantly impact the accessibility of recreational and active transportation opportunities. Environmental justice communities often have reduced access to these opportunities within their neighborhoods due to a variety of factors including the lack of phys ical infrastructure that promote physical activity (i.e., parks, sidewalks), safety concerns (i.e., crime, vehicle traffic, street -lighting), or incompatible land uses that make it uncomfortable to be outside due to noise, air quality, or heat (i.e., proxi mity to freeways, industrial uses, lack of shade and trees).
Active Transportation
Biking and walking, whether for transportation or recreation, is a low -cost way for many people to get daily physical activity if the proper infrastructure is available. Providing and maintaining safe pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure can improve access to these modes of transportation for all residents.
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58 City of Hanford
The city’s existing bicycle network has approximately six miles of Class II bicycle lanes and 25 miles of Class III bicycle routes .
As shown in Figure 9-15:, a majority of these bicycle lanes and routes are located outside of the Community of Focus . As of 2025, many Class II bicycle lanes are not continuous and often end before intersection s, creating gaps in the overall bicycle network. Additionally, many Class III bicycle routes run along major arterials, creating safety concerns for bicyclists who are not comfortable riding with vehicle traffic . Hanford has no Class I shared-use paths that would provide off -road recreation and travel routes for bicyclists.
Bicycle infrastructure and safety was one of the most commonly reported barriers to respondents riding a bike, or similar forms of transportation, both within the Community of Focus and citywide. Other major barriers to riding a bike and similar forms of transportation included feeling uncomfortable riding close or alongside traffic and it being unpleasant to ride due to pollution, noise, or lack of shade.
Bicycle Infrastructure Classifications
Class II bicycle lanes are separated
bicycle lanes that are located on a
roadway used by motor vehicles, and
Class III bicycle routes, also known as
“sharrows,” are roadways where
bicyclists and motor vehicles share the
road, with no separated lanes for
bicyclists.
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Figure 9-15: Existing Bicycle Network
Source: Hanford Active Transportation Plan, 2025.
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60 City of Hanford
Park Accessibility
The parkland discussed in this section represents only publicly accessible park and recreation spaces that are owned, operated, and maintained by the City of Hanford. While public and private schools often provide open recreational areas and park -like spaces that are available to the general public, these properties are not under City jurisdiction and are therefore not included in this inventory or analysis. Nonetheless, school -based recreational spaces remain an important community resource and contribute meaningfully to park access and recreational opportunities. Continued coordination between the city, school districts, and private landowners is encouraged to help preserve, maintain, and maximize shared community benefits from these spaces.
Access to quality parks and other recreational areas promote physical activity and provide green spaces that help reduce the effects of air pollution and extreme heat. There are 31 parks and five sports fields in Hanford, eight of which are located within the Community of Focus:
• Civic Center Park is located at 401 N Irwin Street. The park is approximately 6.1 acres and includes green space, a plaza, and a fountain.
• Lacey Park is located at 112 Florinda Street. The park is approximately 2.5 acres and includes a playground, green space, splash pad, basketball courts, and picnic shelter. • Johnson Park is located at 1502 N Brown Street. The park is approximately 4.1 acres and includes a playground and green space.
• Coe Park is located at 543 S Douty Street. The park is approximately 4.1 acres and includes a playground, green space, splash pad, and picnic shelter. • Brown Street BMX Park is located at 501 S Brown Street. The park is approximately 4.6 acres and includes a BMX track.
• Harris Street Ball Park is located just south of the intersection of South Harris Street and East Ball Park Alley. The park is approximately 4.6 acres and includes a baseball field. • Centennial Park is located at 1355 Hanford Armona Road. The park is approximately 14.1 acres and includes a playground, green space, barbeque grills, picnic tables, a volleyball court, several basketball courts, and a dog park.
• Longfield Center is located at 560 S Douty Street. The park is approximately 2.2 acres and includes green space and a recreation center which facilitates periodic community meetings.
Figure 9-16 shows the locations of parks and recreation sites within Hanford as well as a half mile buffer area around each park. As shown in Table 9-17:, about 64 percent of residential parcels in the Community of Focus are within a half mile walking distance of a park or recreational site, which is about 21 percent lower than other residential areas in the city.
In addition to its existing parks spaces, the City of Hanford is developing a new park in the eastern portion of the city named Heroes Park approximately a half mile from the Community of Focus . Heroes Park will be a 40-acre regional park located near the intersection of Grangeville Boulevard and 9 1/4 Avenue. The property is not currently within City limits but will be annexed in the future . The parks amenities, chosen by the community, will include: three multi-use athletic fields, two play structures with shade, a dog park, an outdoor Chapter 9 – Environmental Justice
General Plan Update 61
amphitheater, 16 pickleball courts, 18-hole frisbee disc golf course, a skatepark, two basketball courts, a workout area, water feature, open space area, community garden/learning garden, three shade areas, parking area with charging stations, and two restrooms.
In the community survey, Respondents outside of the Community of Focus more frequently identified public parks (37 percent) as needing improvement, whereas only about 13 percent of respondents in the Community of Focus reported parks as needing improvement . Respondents in the Community of Focus more frequently reported recreational facilities (e.g., swimming pools, sports fields) needing improvement (27 percent of respondents).
Table 9-17: Percentage of Residential Areas within ½ mile of a Park Hanford Community of
Focus
Non-Community of
Focus City of Hanford
Number of Residential
Parcels
6,115 9,138 15,253
Number of Residential
Parcels within ½ mile
of a park
3,896 7,733 11,629
Percentage of
Residential Parcels
within ½ mile of a park
63.7% 84.6% 76.2%
Source: City of Hanford, Mintier Harnish, 2025.
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62 City of Hanford
Figure 9-16: Park Accessibility
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9.5.5 Public Facilities
Public facilities include public service and amenities such as community centers, libraries, public transit, parks and recreation facilities, water and sewer services, streets and sidewalks, and health care services. Environmental justice communities often lack access to some or many of these public facilities, or the facilities that do exist are in poor condition, due to lack of transportation, underinvestment, or lack of engagement between public agencies and these communities when decisions on public fac ilities are being made. A lack of access to public facilities can negatively impact health care access, educational opportunities, physical and mental health, and overall quality of life.
Educational Facilities
Educational attainment can be a predictor of income, socioeconomic status, and health. People with higher educational attainment not only tend to have higher incomes than people with lower educational attainment, but also tend to be at lower risk of seriou s health conditions and pollution exposure. Access to educational institutions such as primary and secondary schools; continuing education; and community colleges and universities are important in providing educational opportunities to environmental justice communities.
Primary and Secondary Schools
Primary and secondary schools include schools that
serve kindergarten through 12th grade. Hanford has
seven school districts, four of which serve the
Community of Focus, including the Hanford
Elementary School District, Kit Carson Union
Elementary School District, Armona Union
Elementary School District, and Hanford Joint
Union High School District . These districts serve
residents living in the Hanford Community of Focus
as well as surrounding unincorporated areas,
including Armona and Home Garde n. As shown in
Figure 9-17, out of 21 public schools in the city, ten are located within the Community of Focus ,
including five elementary schools, two junior high
schools, two high schools, and one special education
school for students aged three to 23 years. In addition to the city’s public schools, there are five
private/charter schools in Hanford, three of which are located in the Community of Focus: Learn4Life - Kings Valley Academy II, Crossroads Charter Academy, and St. Rose-McCarthy Catholic School, both charter schools offer elementary through high school and St. Rose-McCarthy offers preschool through 8 th grade. All schools within the Community of Focus have adequate sidewalks immediately adjacent to school campuses; however, students may face difficulties safely walking home, as sidewalks are not present along all streets in the city.
Community Survey – Public Facilities
Citywide, the public facility in most need of
improvement is roadway maintenance with 50
percent of respondents selecting it in the
community survey.
Of the answer options, streetlights (24 percent)
and access to high -speed internet (26 percent)
were also top responses citywide. Although the
response rate for high-speed internet access was
similar within the Community of Focus and
outside the Community of Focus, respondents
in the Community of Focus selected streetlights
as a facility needing improvement (40 percent)
than respondents outside the Community of
Focus (15 percent).
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64 City of Hanford
Figure 9-17: Educational Institutions in Hanford
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General Plan Update 65
Continuing and Higher Education
Hanford Joint Union High School District offers continuing education programs for adults to earn their high school diplomas or GED, complete English language courses, and complete career technical programs (including nursing assistant, welding, and pottery courses) . These courses are provided at the Hanford Adult School, located at 905 Campus Drive in Hanford. Although this school is located just outside of the Community of Focus, courses offered through the school are free to residents.
There are thr ee higher education facilities in Hanford, including the one community college (College of the Sequoias Hanford Campus), and two cosmetology schools (each operated by Lawrence & Company College of Cosmetology). Only the College of the Sequoias Hanford Campus is located outside of the Community of Focus.
Public Libraries
Libraries are an important public service that ensure that books, literary resources, media, databases, and services are accessible to the public. Hanford has one public library, located at 401 N Douty Street in Hanford.
The library is a branch of the Kings County Library system and offers access to books, eBooks, digital media loans, research databases, and computers, as well as printing services, and meeting room spaces. The library also provides access to the Kings County Career Online High School, which offers adult residents with the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma and a career certificate. The Hanford Public Library is located within the Community of Focus.
Public Transportation
Public transportation can serve as an important public service, especially for households and individuals who do not have regular access to a personal vehicle or are unable to walk or bike. Hanford is served by two transit providers, Amtrak and Kings Area Rural Transit (KART), that offer route connections to local and regional destinations. KART offers eight local bus routes that extend out from the downtown, connecting to medical centers, schools, and shopping areas. Regionally, the Hanford Amtrak station is located downtown and provides connections to Bakersfield, Fresno, Stockton, and the Bay Area. Low -income residents, residents without vehicle access, and youth depend on transit for their daily transportation needs.
As shown in Figure 9-18, KART operates eight fixed bus routes which operate year-round. Bus routes through Hanford operate from Monday through Saturday. All of these routes run through the Community of Focus, including Route 1 (Green Line), Route 2 (Orange Line), Route 3 (Purple Line, Route 4 (Brown Line), Route 5 (Pink Line), Route 6 (Blue Line), Route 7 (Red Line), and Route 9 (Yellow Line). KART also operates bus routes through other nearby communities, including Lemoore, Avenal, Corcoran , Laton, Visalia, and Fresno.
In addition to its fixed-route services, KART offers “flex routes” that are available on reservation and pick up and drop off residents at designated KART bus stops, as well as on -demand services that offer affordable rideshare services. KART Paratransit is available to eligible certified ADA passengers.
The main KART transit center for the City is located within the Community of Focus , bounded by Eight h Street, Harris Strret, Seventh Street , and Brown Steet. One-way fares are $1. 25 for local routes and $1.75 for “out-of-town routes.” KART provides discounted fares for seniors and free ridership to children six years old and younger.
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66 City of Hanford
Figure 9-18: Public Transit System in Hanford
Route 4 (Brown Line)
Route 5 (Pink Line)
Route 1(Green Line)
Route 2 (Orange Line)
Route 3 (Purple Line)
Route 6 (Blue Line)
Route 9 (Yellow Line)
Route 7 (Red Line)
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Medical and Emergency Services
Hospitals
Living close to a range of nearby medical facilities greatly improves access to necessary healthcare. According to the California Department of Public Health, there are 25 medical facilities in Hanford. Of these facilities, there are 13 community/health clinics, three end stage renal dialysis/chronic dialysis clinics, three skilled nursing facilities, one home health agency, one hospice center, three ambulatory surgical centers, and one general acute care hospital that provides emergency services.
Emergency Facilities
In times of emergency, it is important for citizens to have nearby emergency services to ensure prompt, safe handling of a variety of urgent situations. Close proximity to emergency services such as fire and police stations increases the response time to emergency situations that can affect the life and safety of residents. This section discusses the emergency facilities available in Hanford.
Police station
Police departments are an important community service that maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and investigate criminal activity. The Hanford Police Department is the only police station in the city and is located at 425 N Irwin Street in Hanford . The department consists of seven units, including the Patrol Operations, Traffic Unit, Homeless Assistance Resource Team, SWAT team, Detective Bureau, School Resource Officers, and Communication Center. The Hanford police station is located within the Community of Focus.
Fire stations
The Hanford Fire Department responds to all types of fires, rescues, emergency medial responses, traffic accidents, hazardous conditions, explo sions, and public service requests. The Department has ten firefighters on duty daily. The Department has set a dispatch processing and travel time goal of four minutes or less for 90 percent of incidents; in 2023, the Department met this goal for 60 to 68 percent of incidents, depending on the month. The Hanford Fire Department has three stations throughout the city which are staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are located at the following addresses:
• Hanford Fire Department Station 1: 350 W Grangeville Blvd • Hanford Fire Department Station 2: 10553 Houston Ave
• Hanford Fire Department Station 3: 1070 S 12th Ave
Hanford Fire Department Station 3 is located within the Community of Focus; however, firefighters from other stations may respond to calls originating from within the Community of Focus, depending on type of incident, location, existing or potential emergencies, and resources available.
A future City fire station is set to be located at Heroes Park, which will be located within half a mile east of the Community of Focus. For more information on Heroes Park, please refer to the “Parks Accessibility” section above.
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68 City of Hanford
Community Centers
Community centers are important community assets that help provide programs and resources that support physical activity, educational opportunities, social services, youth services, and community involvement.
Community centers can also serve as important community partners for government agencies since they often have established trust in the community and are already implementing programs in line with environmental justice goals. Effective environmental justice policies can help support services offered by community centers in environmental justice communities and encourage continued partnerships with these centers to increase transparency and connection with community. The following community centers and resource centers are in the Community of Focus:
• Hanford Civic Auditorium (400 N Douty Street) provides a space for social and business events.
The west wing seats 50 and the Main Hall seats 500. Costs of booking the space varies between rooms and types of functions.
• Veterans/Senior Center ( 401 N Irwin Street ) offers a variety of room sizes from the Veterans Hall, which seats 100, to the Meeting Room , which seats 50 . Rates vary based on the room .
Kitchen and equipment may also be rented from the Center. • Children’s Storybook Garden & Museum (175 E 10th St) is a not-for-profit educational garden and museum with activities and programs that cover horticulture, literacy, CA farm history, healthy eating, fitness, art, music, drama, and life sciences. The Garden and Museum aim to be affordable for all members of the community.
9.5.6 Safe and Sanitary Housing
Housing conditions contribute to the overall health and safety of residents. Household income heavily determines the type, location, and quality of housing someone lives in since newer housing in neighborhoods with more community amenities (i.e., good schools, parks, safe streets) tend to be more expensive. Occupants of housing built before the widespread adoption of building standards and regulations are at higher risk of pollution exposure in their homes, particularly asbestos and lead. Additionally, olde r housing may have poor ventilation that can lead to mold, uncomfortable indoor temperatures, and increased exposure to indoor and outdoor pollutants.
Household overcrowding can also have serious health impacts on occupants. Overcrowding occurs when the number of occupants in a household exceeds the capacity of a dwelling unit, typically measured by the number of rooms and the age and relationship of the occupants. Overcrowding can lead to a variety of adverse health outcomes, such as exposure to infectious disease, increased stress, and sleep disorders. High rent and home prices increase risks of overcrowding and homelessness and leave households with le ss income to spend on home improvement/repairs, healthy food, healthcare, and other goods and services. The following sections describe the existing housing conditions in Hanford.
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Lead Exposure
Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can enter the bloodstream and cause serious neurological or behavioral health problems, especially in young children due to their developing brains and increased risk of exposure.
Historically, lead was used as an additive in house paint, plumbing materials, and gasoline. Although the use of lead in common household items and building materials is now regulated, house paint is still a significant source of lead exposure in older, unrenovated homes.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0’s Children’s Lead Risk from Housing indicator calculates lead exposure risk by combining the percentage of homes with a higher likelihood of having lead-based paint (LBP) hazards and the percentage of low-income households with children. CalEnviroScreen 4.0 calculates the likelihood of LBP hazards based on the age of housing. Generally, older homes tend to have a higher risk of LBP hazards.
As shown in Figure 9-19, census tracts in the Community of Focus have much higher children’s lead risk from housing scores than other areas of the city. Census tracts 9.01 and 9.02 have the highest score for this indicator out of all census tracts in the city at 97, meaning that these census tracts have a higher potential risk for lead exposure in children living in low-income communities with older housing than 97 percent of census tracts in California. Other census tracts in the Community of Focus range from the 35th to the 78th percentile for this indicator.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), homes built prior to 1978 are at a much higher risk of LBP exposure if proper measures have not been taken to test for and mitigate the presence of LBT in the home. As shown in Table 9-18:, census tracts 9.01 and 9.02 have a much higher percentage of homes built prior to 1980 (74 percent and 85 percent, respectively) compared to other census tracts, the city, and the county. This indicates that housing units in these census tracts are at a higher risk of LBP exposure.
Additionally, renters in these areas may not have the knowledge of the home’s history and renovations or may not be aware of the presence of LBP in their residence.
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70 City of Hanford
Figure 9-19: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Children’s Lead Risk from Housing
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General Plan Update 71
Housing Conditions
The conditions of the existing housing stock can be an indicator of the living standards of residents. Although the data on housing conditions is limited, the U.S. Census provides information on the availability of plumbing and kitchen facilities as well as the age of the housing stock (year the structure was built), which can provide a starting point for assessing the conditions of the existing housing stock. Housing units typically require more repairs and renovations as they get older to maintain a good condition, therefore knowing the year a housing unit/structure was built can be an initial indicator of substandard conditions. Homes typically start needing major repairs (i.e., roofing, major appliances, heating and air conditioning systems) after 20 to 25 years.
As shown in Table 9-18, a majority of housing units in the Community of Focus, with the exception of census tract 10.03, were built prior to 2000, suggesting that many housing units have already undergone major improvements or repairs, or will be in need of these improvements in t he near future. Census tracts 9.01 and
9.02 have the highest percentage of homes built prior to 1980, indicating that a higher percentage of homes in these census tracts may need major repairs. Census tracts in the Community of Foc us generally have much higher proportions of older houses than other census tracts in the city, indicating that many homeowners in the Community of Focus may face higher financial strain than other areas in the city due to the need for costly repairs to older homes. Lower-income residents who are unable to afford any needed repairs to older homes and cannot afford to move may be at a higher risk of living in a home that is not comfortable or safe.
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72 City of Hanford
Table 9-18: Age of Housing Stock
Year Structure
Built
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus Census Tracts Outside of the Community of Focus Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12* 6.02 6.03 6.04 7.01 7.02 10.01 Built 2020 or later 0 0 0 0 0 22 0 0 126 0 7 0 98 221 502 Built 2010 to 2019 0 0 59 0 369 72 19 25 221 459 8 41 392 1,631 3,875 Built 2000 to 2009 32 0 0 56 566 102 74 324 606 1085 126 168 592 3,599 8,396 Built 1990 to 1999 338 97 0 63 323 302 71 669 41 436 523 293 257 3,156 7,910 Built 1980 to 1989 317 338 111 322 208 402 89 447 0 286 409 645 193 3,542 6,584 Built 1970 to 1979 154 257 270 248 296 461 186 197 10 105 346 429 338 2,910 6,956 Built 1960 to 1969 330 63 123 218 136 222 42 152 8 83 389 61 59 1,630 4,525 Built 1950 to 1959 264 354 148 125 17 193 96 218 0 0 216 27 78 1,398 3,294 Built 1940 to 1949 87 89 110 70 60 202 77 181 0 0 94 0 17 840 2,100 Total Housing
Units
1,535 1,655 1,166 1,143 1,975 2,014 754 2279 1012 2492 2127 1664 2038 19,912 46,695 Percentage of
occupied housing
units built prior to
1980
55.2% 73.7% 85.4% 61.4% 25.8% 55.3% 66.4% 35.7% 1.8% 9.1% 49.6% 31.1% 24.8% 39.0% 41.6% *Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (B03002), 2023.
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Housing Cost Burden
A household is considered cost burdened when more than
30 percent of the household income is spent on housing ( e.g., rent, mortgage payment, utilities) and severely cost burdened when more than 50 percent of the household income is spent on housing. Housing cost burden can have several negative effects on health and quality of life by limiting a household’s ability to p ay for other goods and services (e.g., food, transportation, recreation), increasing risk of overcrowding or homelessness, and limiting a household’s ability to contribute to a savings or retirement fund.
Although any household, regardless of income, can experience housing cost burden, low -income households are at higher risk of being cost burdened and severely cost burdened. As shown in Figure 9-20, census tracts
9.01 and 9.02 have higher Housing Cost Burden percentile scores than other areas of the city. As documented in the previous section, these areas also have a higher rate of older housing units that may have costly repairs or renovations that can result in higher housing maintenance costs for homeowners or increased rental costs, which can cause financial hardship for those already cost burdened.
Overcrowding
A housing unit is considered overcrowded when there is more than one person per room. Overcrowding can occur when a household either cannot find or afford housing with enough rooms to accommodate all members of the household. Table 9-19 shows that the rate of overcrowding in the Community of Focus is generally higher than in the city and county, with the exception of census tract 9.01. Census tracts 10.02 and 11 have the highest rate of overcrowded renters, while census tracts 9.02 and 10.02 have the highes t rate of overcrowded homeowners. Overcrowding is generally more prevalent amongst renters in the Community of Focus, the city, and the county.
Table 9-19: Overcrowding by Tenure
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Overcrowded
Renter
Households
21.1% 7.5% 7.2% 21.6% 20.5% 26.9% 10.5% 15.2% 12.2%
Overcrowded
Owner
Households
8.6% 1.5% 23.6% 16.5% 9.3% 11.2% 0.0% 4.8% 5.8%
*Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023), Table B25014.
Community Survey Results
Costs associated with housing were the
most commonly selected responses
citywide. This includes both overall
cost of housing (29 percent of survey
respondents) and the cost of make
necessary repairs (17 percent).
Policy Document
74 City of Hanford
Figure 9-20: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Housing Cost Burden
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9.5.7 Civic Engagement
Meaningful community engagement is key to creating equitable policies and programs that meet the needs of all residents. Unfortunately, many environmental justice communities have historically been excluded from these conversations, resulting in inequitable planning practices. Factors such as language barriers, time and location of public meetings, and knowledge of topics influence if and how p eople participate in the public decision-making process. Innovative engagement strategies and partnering with commu nity-based organizations (CBOs) can make community workshops and meetings more accessible to environmental justice communities. Traditional methods of community engagement, such as community meetings held at government buildings can be difficult for people to attend due to scheduling conflicts, language barriers, lack of transportation, and lack of overall trust in government agencies.
Internet Access
It is increasingly common for government agencies to post notices, documents, and informational materials online, and host virtual community meetings. Although online format s for community meetings can improve public engagement and make attending meetings more convenient for many individuals, it also requires households to have access to a computing device, such as a computer or smartphone , as well as high-speed internet, including broadband internet.
As shown in Table 9-20, the percentage of residents in census tracts 8, 9.01, 9.02, and 11 with access to at least one computer or smartphone is less than that of the city and county percentages. The percentage of residents in the Community of Focus with a broadband internet subscription is lower than the city and county percentages. This suggests that residents in the Community of Focus may have a more difficult time accessing online information or virtual meetings than other areas of the city due to a lack of dependable, high -speed internet as well as a device with which to access the internet.
Table 9-20: Access to Internet
Census Tracts in the Community of Focus
Hanford,
CA
Kings
County 8 9.01 9.02 10.02 10.03 11 12*
Percent of Households
with One or More
Computing Devices
89.1% 85.0% 73.1% 95.1% 96.3% 86.2% 93.3% 93.3% 94.3%
Percent of Households
with Broadband
Internet
83.3% 78.7% 63.3% 80.2% 86.0% 76.0% 88.0% 88.0% 87.8%
*Note: This data reflects that of the full census tract 12, which extends significantly beyond the Hanford city limits.
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023), Table S2801.
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Barriers to Community Involvement and Linguistic Isolation There are several reasons that prevent people from participating in community meetings and outreach events such as scheduling, comfort level with the subject matter or speaking in front of other people, distrust in government, or lack of knowledge about how to get involved. To get more people involved in the public decision-making process, it is important to understand why people aren’t participating and find ways to overcome those barriers.
More than 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home , approximately half of which do not speak English well or at all. These households face
disadvantages when seeking information about meetings and engagement opportunities, particularly if the information and materials are solely available in English and no language interpretation/translation is available . Linguistically isolated households may also not hear or understand important
information in times of emergency.
Figure 9-21 shows that the Community of Focus has far higher rates of linguistic isolation compared to other areas of the city. Census tract 11 has the highest linguistic isolation indicator percentile score in the city at 98, meaning the percent of linguistically isolated households is higher than 98 percent of the census tracts in California. Approximately 35 percent of households in this census tract do not speak English well.
Census tract 10.02 also has a higher number of households that are linguistically isolated ; approximately 31 percent of households in this census tract do not speak English well. All other census tracts in the Community of Focus have between 13 and 17 percent of households that do not speak English well and are linguistically isolated. The top languages spoken in the Community of Focus besides English include Spanish, Tagalog (incl uding Filipino), and languages that fall into the “other Asian and Pacific Island languages” and “other Indo-European languages” categories.
Community Survey Responses
Citywide, the most common ways
people receive information about city
events and issues are through social
media (50 percent of respondents),
word of mouth (31 percent), and the
City’s website (31 percent).
The biggest barriers for respondents
participating in local meetings and
decision-making processes include not
knowing when or where meetings are
happening (21 percent), and not
feeling like their opinions will be taken
seriously by decision-makers or result
in real change (29 percent).
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Figure 9-21: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Linguistic Isolation
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Ensuring meaningful and effective participation from individuals with limited English proficiency requires the commitment to providing meeting notices, and informational materials in languages other than English. This can bridge barriers to participation and enable individuals with limited English proficiency to access crucial information about community meetings and engagement opportunities. Additionally, offering language interpretation services at these meetings is vital to facilitate active involvement from individuals with limited English proficiency, allowing them to fully understand discussions, express concerns, and contribute to decision-making processes.
Apart from English proficiency, many people who are proficient or native English speakers can have a difficult time understanding the terminology and subject matter related to planning documents and processes. Many planning documents can also be long, dens e, and data heavy, which can be difficult for the public to read, understand, and provide meaningful feedback on. Creating engagement and information materials in a way that is easy to understand can make the subject and processes of planning more accessible to a wider audience.
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9.6 Goals and Policies
Goal EJ1 Integrate environmental justice, equity, transparency, and accountability in relevant decision-making processes. [Source: New Goal]
Policy EJ1 Environmental Justice Assessment in Decision-Making Acknowledge historical and ongoing environmental justice concerns and require analysis of potential environmental justice impacts as part of the City’s decision-making process. [Source: New policy] Policy EJ2 Environmental Justice Land Use Integration
Incorporate environmental justice principles into zoning, the General Plan, and related land use strategies , as applicable. [Source: New policy]
Policy EJ3 Community of Focus Boundary Review
Using the methodology established in this Element, periodically review the Community of Focus boundary to determine whether adjustments are needed based on new findings and environmental justice concerns. [Source:
New policy]
Policy EJ4 Partnership with Community of Focus Residents Work with Community of Focus residents to identify and implement appropriate remedies and actively implement the Environmental Justice Element in partnership with these communities. [Source: New policy] Policy EJ5 Minimizing the Urban Heat Island Effect and Climate-Responsive Design Strive to reduce the urban heat island effect by expanding Hanford’s tree canopy and incorporating climate - responsive site design practices (e.g., permeable surfaces, green infrastructure ) that increase shade, retain soil moisture, and lower surface temperatures, with a focus on heat -vulnerable neighborhoods, public spaces, and high-activity areas such as schools, parks, and transit corridors. [Source: New policy] Goal EJ2 Reduce and mitigate the negative health impacts of pollution exposure on residents of Hanford. [Source: New Goal]
Policy EJ6 Transportation Infrastructure Mitigation
Continue working with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to determine any mitigation measures that can be implemented to reduce air pollution impacts to the Community of Focus and residential areas adjacent to State Route 198. [Source: New Policy] Policy EJ7 Improve Air Quality
Encourage the retrofitting and installation of appropriate air filtration at existing schools, residences, and other sensitive receptor uses adversely affected by air pollution. [Source: New Policy] Policy EJ8 Pollution Exposure Reduction through Urban Design Identify areas of the city where additional setbacks, barriers, landscaping, or other design and development standards can be incorporated to minimize pollution exposure to sensitive land uses. [Source: New policy] Policy Document
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Policy EJ9 Pesticide Exposure Public Information
Coordinate with the Kings County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to provide pesticide use education to residents and raise awareness about the potential health impacts from pesticide use and process to report pesticide violations. [Source: New policy]
Policy EJ10 Litter and Illegal Dumping Prevention
Support prevention and cleanup of litter and illegal dumping in the Community of Focus by pursuing partnerships and programmatic solutions, including collaboration with relevant regional enforcement efforts and organizations. [Source: New policy]
Policy EJ11 Environmental Pollution Resources
Refer new and established businesses to the appropriate regulating entity such as the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to inform businesses of regulations associated with environmental pollution. [Source: New policy]
Policy EJ12 Minimizing Pollution from Truck Traffic
Minimize heavy truck traffic by designating truck routes away from residential areas and sensitive land uses in and around the Community of Focus. [Source: New policy] Goal EJ3 Empower all community members to participate meaningfully in the City’s decision-making processes. [Source: New Goal]
Policy EJ13 Community Partnerships
Coordinate with local organizations that serve underserved populations (e.g., Kings Community Action Organization (KCAO) and Kings Partnership (KPFP) ) to conduct community outreach for planning projects and environmental justice concerns. [Source: New policy] Policy EJ14 Translation and Interpretation
Offer translation and interpretation services and materials at public meetings and community outreach events to ensure those not proficient in English can still meaningfully participate in the public decision-making process. [Source: New policy]
Policy EJ15 Meeting People Where They Are
Implement a “meeting people where they are” approach to community engagement efforts to gather input and feedback from a broader range of community members. This outreach approach may include, but is not limited to:
• Attending events already planned in the community to gather input and provide information. • Setting up information stations or pop -up booths near local businesses or organizations, especially within the Community of Focus.
• Providing online information and engagement opportunities for community members to access from home. [Source: New policy]
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Policy EJ16 Transparency
Strive to make it clear that community feedback is received and how it is being incorporated into policies and programs in Hanford. [Source: New policy]
Goal EJ4 Ensure residents of all ages and abilities have access to recreational opportunities and public resources and services. [Source: New Goal] Policy EJ17 Graffiti Abatement
Implement proactive graffiti prevention and cleanup programs to enhance community aesthetics and reduce visual blight. Programs shall include coordination with community-based organizations and volunteer groups to support timely removal and reporting systems. [Source: New policy] Policy EJ18 Support for Disabled Veterans
Coordinate with local, State, and Federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and service providers to improve access to services, programs, and facilities for disabled veterans that promote health, mobility, and social inclusion. [Source: New policy]
Policy EJ19 Safe and Complete Streets
Create and maintain a safe, comfortable, and continuous pedestrian network for all users, especially disabled individuals, seniors, and children, by closing sidewalk gaps, improving crosswalks, and implementing traffic calming and streetscape enhancements. [Source: New policy] Policy EJ20 Streetscape Amenities
Identify State, Federal, and other funding sources to improve streetscapes, prioritizing Hanford’s Community of Focus, by incorporating streetscape amenities that enhance comfort and safety, such as street trees, streetlights, and landscape buffers. [Source: New policy] Policy EJ21 Youth Recreation and Entertainment Opportunities Encourage the development and maintenance of accessible, affordable, and well -distributed youth entertainment and recreational facilities, including skateparks, sports fields, and community centers, to support healthy lifestyles, physical activity, and social engagement for youth of all ages and backgrounds. [Source: New policy]
Policy EJ22 High Speed Internet Access
Promote equitable access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet for all residents, businesses, and community institutions by supporting broadband infrastructure expansion, prioritizing underserved areas, and encouraging the integration of internet access into new development and public buildings. [Source: New policy]
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Goal EJ5 Ensure all residents have access to safe and healthy living conditions. [Source:
New Goal]
Policy EJ23 Enforcement of City Regulations
Enforce City regulations to improve unsafe and unsanitary living conditions, focusing on illegal dumping, maintenance of older homes, graffiti, and building and yard maintenance. [Source: New policy] Policy EJ24 Housing Maintenance Assistance
Prepare an internal study of the potential of a program that assists low -income households with information, resources, and financing for home repairs and maintenance necessary to improve health, safety, and energy efficiency of homes (e.g., air filtration, windows, lead paint abatement) . This study shall identify funding opportunities the City can pursue to support the program. [Source: New policy]