Goal Setting Workshop Public Comment
Kelsey Genesi – National City Policy Advocate at EHC
3/24/23
Hello, my name is Kelsey and I am the National City Policy Advocate for Environmental Health Coalition.
As the city prepares to set its goals and discuss the budget, I want to urge the city to prioritize the health of their residents by addressing environmental justice issues that predominantly burden the Westside. It should be one of the city’s top goals to restart the amortization program. The Westside of National City is burdened with 97% more pollution than California because of the mixed land use. I work firsthand with community members who suffer personally or know someone who has suffered from asthma, respiratory issues, and/or pregnancy complications. It is unacceptable that families and children are exposed to such harmful levels of pollution because they live next door to auto body shops or go to school next to one. City council needs to take it upon themselves to learn more about the amortization program and city staff needs to hire a consultant to begin the process.
In addition to restarting the amortization program, we urge the city to do everything in its power to move the Pepper Park expansion forward. National City residents deserve equitable access to their Bayfront and open green spaces that afford them the opportunity to breathe cleaner air.
Finally, we encourage the city council and city staff to prioritize the brownfields throughout National City and keep community needs at the forefront when remediation plans are discussed. This could include more affordable housing or more green spaces.
As the city sets its goals, the physical and social health of residents should be the guiding factor in all the work that will be done moving forward. We thank the city for this opportunity to share our vision for the city, and ask that nonprofits remain a central part of guiding important work that needs to be done regarding health and environmental justice.
National City is a growing city with great opportunity. It is vibrant and full of so much potential and we urge the city to maintain its vibrancy by doing right by their residents.
Thank you for your time.