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OVERVIEW
This chapter addresses the state-mandated requirements of the Planning for Healthy Communities Act (Senate Bill 1000). Senate Bill 1000 was established in 2016 to address the role of environmental justice in local and regional planning practice. California law 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 (Government Code Section 65040.12, subd. (e)).
The City of San Leandro is committed to promoting environmental justice.
The Environmental Justice Element contains a comprehensive set of goals, policies, and actions aimed at equitably improving the environmental health of the community and those most harmed by pollution burdens.
The Environmental Justice Element contains references to existing policies and actions as well as new policies and actions to advance Environmental Justice goals.
The State of California (California Government Code Section 65302(h)) requires environmental justice elements to include policies and objectives that promote community improvements across the following topics areas:
Pollution Exposure and Air Quality
Public Facilities
Safe and Sanitary Homes
Physical Activity and Public Health
Food Access
Civic and Community Engagement
JUSTICEENVIRONMENTAL
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The goals, policies, and actions of this Environmental Justice Element are organized along the six topic areas identified above. Policies and actions specific to Environmental Justice Communities are identified within all six topic areas. The Environmental Justice Element also summarizes the environmental justice context within San Leandro by providing an overview of existing conditions for Environmental Justice Communities in the city across the six topic areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES
Designating “Environmental Justice
Communities”
Disadvantaged Communities—herein referred to as “Environmental Justice Communities” — are areas identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) that are disproportionately affected by a combination of economic, health, and environmental burdens, including poverty, high unemployment, environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects such as asthma or cardiovascular disease.
The CalEPA identifies these communities throughout California using the CalEnviroScreen tool. Overall CalEnviroScreen scores are calculated from scores for Pollution Burden and Population Characteristics. The Pollution Burden score is a composite of 13 environmental indicators. The Population Characteristics score is a composite of eight physiological traits, health status, or community characteristics that can result in increased vulnerability to pollution. CalEnviroScreen also ranks census tracts based on 21 distinct pollution and population indicators1. Census tracts are ranked by their pollution burden and population vulnerabilities relative to all state census tracts. The higher the percentile, the more impacted a community is by pollution burdens and population vulnerabilities.
Designated Environmental Justice Communities are those communities that scored within the highest 25 percent of census tracts across California (CalEnviroScreen percentile scores of 75 or higher). Of the 18 census tracts 1 California Environmental Protection Agency (2022). CalEnviroScreen
4.0. Available at: https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40
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in San Leandro, three have been identified as Environmental Justice Communities by the CalEPA CalEnviroScreen tool.
Environmental Justice Communities in San Leandro
San Leandro’s three designated Environmental Justice Communities (within the highest 25 percent of census tracts across California) are depicted in orange in Figure EJ-1, as Census Tracts 6001432400, 6001432501, and 6001433200.2 The Environmental Justice Communities in San Leandro consist of the following neighborhoods in whole or in part:
Mulford Gardens, Davis West-Timothy Drive, Eastshore Davis Street, and Floresta Gardens.
Environmental air pollution impacts are often regional due to proximity to freeways, high volume roadways, railways, and airports. The northwestern and central portions of San Leandro have higher combined Pollution Burden and Population Characteristics scores than the remainder of the city. Figure EJ-2 depicts the CalEnviroScreen scores for all San Leandro census tracts.
2 Census tract numbers depicted in Figure EJ-1 have been truncated to the last 5 digits.
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Figure EJ-1
San Leandro Environmental Justice Communities
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Figure EJ-2
CalEnviroScreen Scores in San Leandro
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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONTEXT
Pollution Exposure and Air Quality
Pollution exposure is directly associated with public health outcomes.3 Understanding the distinct pollution context within a city serves as a foundation for formulating strategies necessary for improving community health, particularly in designated Environmental Justice Communities.
The federal and state governments have established ambient air quality standards for the protection of public health. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is the federal agency designated to administer air quality regulation, while the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the State equivalent in the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) provides local management of air quality in San Leandro. CARB has established air quality standards and is responsible for the control of mobile emission sources, while the BAAQMD is responsible for enforcing standards and regulating stationary sources. As the local air quality management agency, the BAAQMD is required to monitor air pollutant levels to ensure that state and federal air quality standards are met and, if they are not met, to develop strategies to meet the standards. The City of San Leandro supports BAAQMD efforts to improve air quality and protect its residents by publishing up-to-date air quality information on it’s webpage for community use.
Hazardous materials and wastes can pose an actual or potential hazard to human health and the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed. Many federal, State, and local programs that regulate the use, storage, and transportation of hazardous materials and hazardous waste are in place to prevent these unwanted consequences. These regulatory programs are designed to reduce the danger that hazardous substances may pose to people and businesses under normal daily circumstances and as a result of emergencies and disasters. United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) laws and regulations ensure the safe production, handling, disposal, and transportation of hazardous materials. The 3 World Health Organization (2020). WHO global strategy on health, environment, and climate change: the transformation needed to improve lives and wellbeing sustainably through healthy environments.
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversees the administration of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires specific training for hazardous materials handlers, provision of information to employees who may be exposed to hazardous materials, and acquisition of material safety data sheets (MSDS) from manufacturers that describe the risks and proper handling procedures related to particular hazardous materials. The California Health and Safety Code and California Code of Regulations set minimum requirements for business emergency plans and chemical inventory reporting, including requiring businesses to provide emergency response plans and procedures, training program information, and an on-site hazardous material chemical inventory. The State, through CalEPA, is authorized by the USEPA to enforce and implement certain federal hazardous materials laws and regulations. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), a department of the CalEPA, protects California and its residents from exposure to hazardous waste. DTSC requirements include the need for written programs and response plans, such as Hazardous Materials Business Plans (HMBPs).
San Leandro also has a number of programs in place to monitor and remediate ground-based pollution within the community. The City of San Leandro is a Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA). A CUPA is a local agency certified by CalEPA to implement and enforce six state hazardous waste and hazardous materials regulatory management programs. As a CUPA, the City's Environmental Services Section consolidates, coordinates, and brings local consistency to the following state-mandated programs:
Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP), Fire Code
Hazardous Materials Management Plan (HMMP) and Inventory reporting requirements.
Hazardous Waste Generator Program
California Accidental Release Program (CalARP) for large quantity toxics and flammables
Aboveground Petroleum Storage Tank Program (APSA)
Underground Storage Tank Program
Tiered Permitting for on-site hazardous waste treatment The Hazardous Materials Area Plan for coordinated responses to large-scale hazardous materials incidents.
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Air Pollution
San Leandro is located within the San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin. Many of the environmental pollutants that impact San Leandro are regional pollutant issues that permeate the San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin (“the Air Basin”), especially the East Bay subregion where San Leandro is located. Air quality in the Air Basin is affected by the region’s emission sources and by natural factors, including topography, wind speed and direction, and air temperature gradient. The Air Basin typically has high concentrations of pollutants due to its high population density.
Air pollution is generally produced by stationary sources and mobile sources that include emissions from on-road vehicles or off-road sources such as aircraft, ships, trains, and construction equipment.
Diesel Particulate Matter comes from mobiles sources such as trucks, buses, cars, ships and locomotive engines and stationary sources, such as standby generators. Per CalEnviroScreen, Diesel Particulate Matter is concentrated near ports, rail yards and freeways. Research on the Air Basin indicates that Diesel Particulate Matter is one of six toxic air pollutants that cumulatively account for more than 90 percent of toxic air contaminants in the Bay Area and is a primary driver of regional health risks.4 California regulations enacted since 1990 have led to a steady decline in diesel emissions that continues today.
Diesel Particulate Matter air pollution is one of the regional air quality issues that impacts the San Leandro community. Research on the Air Basin indicates that Diesel Particulate Matter is one of six toxic air pollutants that cumulatively account for more than 90 percent of toxic air contaminants in the Bay Area and is a primary driver of regional health risks.5 In the East Bay, the flow of goods through the Port of Oakland and associated regional transportation corridors are a major source of Diesel Particulate Matter.6 San Leandro is located in close-proximity to the Port of Oakland and is crossed by two major Interstates (I-880 and I-580) and two freight rail lines. These sources contribute to elevated Diesel Particulate Matter pollution in neighborhoods across San Leandro, with 4 Bay Area Air Quality Management District (2014). Improving Air Quality and Health in Bay Area Communities.
6 Bay Area Air Quality Management District (2014). Improving Air Quality and Health in Bay Area Communities.
6 Bay Area Air Quality Management District (2014). Improving Air Quality and Health in Bay Area Communities.
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several neighborhoods scoring within the 90th to 100th percentile for Diesel Particulate Matter levels relative to all California census tracts.
San Leandro is not significantly impacted by other forms of air pollution that impact the San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin, including Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and Ozone. The city has relatively low levels of these pollutants compared to adjacent communities.
Ground-Based Pollution
Communities can also be exposed to ground-based sources of pollution, including from industrial facilities. Exposure to ground-based pollution in San Leandro tends to be greatest for neighborhoods in the northwestern portion of the city. Ground-based pollution in San Leandro includes contaminated cleanup sites and handlers of hazardous materials. The City works closely with Alameda County Department of Environmental Health to monitor cleanup sites, including regular contact, joint inspections, and scheduled monthly meetings.
Solid Waste Sites. Solid waste facilities are places where household garbage and other types of waste are collected, processed, or stored.
Landfills, transfer stations, and composting facilities are considered solid waste sites. These facilities can release air pollutants and impact water quality if compounds present in waste leach into groundwater, surface water, or soil. The CalEnviroScreen tool indicates that there are disparities in the potential impacts that solid waste sites have in San Leandro, generally concentrated in the western portion of the city. Most solid waste sites in San Leandro identified in the CalEnviroScreen tool are located within designated Environmental Justice Communities.
Cleanup Sites. Cleanup sites are areas that are or were previously impacted with contamination. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control, State Water Resources Control Board/San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Alameda County Environmental Health Department Local Oversight Program are responsible for assessing exposure to cleanup sites.
People living near cleanup sites may be more exposed to hazardous chemicals from the sites than those living farther away.7 The CalEPA CalEnviroScreen tool aggregates information about cleanup sites from other environmental regulatory databases. Sites throughout San Leandro, 7 California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (2022).
Cleanup Sites. Available at:
https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/indicator/cleanup-sites
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including the western areas of the city and the central area between I-880 and East 14th St. have former and current impacts from cleanup sites. All three of the Environmental Justice Communities in San Leandro are in the 88th percentile or higher for impacts (relative to all California census tracts) from cleanup sites.
Hazardous Waste Sites. According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, wastes created by commercial, industrial, or household activity can contain chemicals that may be dangerous or harmful to human health. The transfer, handling, storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste are regulated activities. Hazardous waste includes a range of different types of waste, including household compounds, such as automotive products, and waste materials produced by factories, businesses, and institutions of all kinds. The CalEPA CalEnviroScreen tool aggregates information regarding hazardous waste impacts across California.8
Permitted facility data were obtained from the DTSC website. Facilities were scored on a weighted scale in consideration of the type, permit status, and compliance history for the facility.
Hazardous waste generators:
Generator data were obtained from DTSC from the Hazardous Waste Tracking System for 2018 to 2020.
Only large quantity generators (producing at least 1,000 kg of non-RCRA waste or at least 1 kg of RCRA waste for at least one month during the three years) were included.9
There are 34 Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators in San Leandro (see Figure EJ-3). These generators are located throughout the city, with concentrations in the industrial portions of Environmental Justice Communities. Figure EJ-3 shows the location of these Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators in San Leandro and the CalEnviroScreen 8 The CalEPA CalEnviroScreen hazardous waste measure identifies permitted hazardous waste facilities, chrome plating facilities, and large quantity hazardous waste generators from the Department of Toxic Substances Controls Hazardous Waste Tracking System and the California Air Resource Board. These sites were assessed for the years 2018-2020.
9 The threshold of large quantity generators is based on the following definition from DTSC: https://dtsc.ca.gov/large-quantity-generator-ofhazardouswaste-definition/
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percentile rankings across the city. Neighborhoods in San Leandro that are most proximal to Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators include Davis West-Timothy Drive, Eastshore-Davis Street, and Floresta Gardens.
Groundwater Threats. Hazardous chemicals are often stored in containers in aboveground or underground storage tanks. Leaks from these containers and tanks can contaminate soil, groundwater, and surface water.
Common pollutants of soil and groundwater include gasoline and diesel fuel from gas stations, as well as solvents, heavy metals, and pesticides.10 San Leandro is part of the East Bay Plain Subbasin. Historically, commercial and industrial activities in the Subbasin have resulted in releases of pollutants to the soil, groundwater, and surface water.11 Across San Leandro, many neighborhoods have elevated levels of groundwater impacts. Figure EJ-4 depicts the CalEnviroScreen percentile rankings for groundwater impacts and identifies the site locations that influence the ranking. Roughly 50 percent of the city has significant impacts. All three identified Environmental Justice Communities are included within impacted areas of the city.
Domestic use of water includes drinking, food preparation, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, flushing toilets, and watering lawns and gardens. Potable water in the city is provided by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and is almost entirely sourced from the Mokelumne River Watershed on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.9 According to CalEnviroScreen, drinking water across all San Leandro neighborhoods is among the top 5 percent for drinking water quality relative to all census tracts in the state. Deed restrictions prevent certain uses of groundwater at some properties that have been remediated, but are still too contaminated for residential use.
10 California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (2022).
Groundwater Threats. Available at:
https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/indicator/groundwater-threats. 11 Luhdroff & Scalmanini Consulting Engineers. East Bay Municipal Utility District GSA and the City of Hayward GSA (2022). East Bay Plain Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
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Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators
by Census Tract in San Leandro
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Figure EJ-4
CalEnviroScreen Groundwater Threats in San Leandro
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Safe and Sanitary Homes
The state of California has higher median housing costs than most other states in the country. Elevated housing costs can make it difficult for lower-income residents to afford adequate housing, leading to housinginduced poverty. 12 According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, housing-induced poverty can result in poor housing conditions such as inadequate ventilation, mold development, and asbestos exposure. The California Department of Public Health has linked poor housing conditions to health impacts such as cancer, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses.
In addition to toxic exposures, resource-based housing issues such as landlord neglect and overcrowding are more likely to impact lower income residents. These issues can result in health impacts associated with substandard housing conditions, including increased likelihood of injury and mental illnesses.12 The following housing demographics are indicators of the quality and safety of housing conditions in San Leandro.
Age of Housing Stock: Age of housing stock is a primary indicator of housing quality. Older housing is more likely to contain pollutants such as lead and asbestos as a result of outdated building materials and agerelated maintenance issues.13 While lead based paint was banned in 1978 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it is still a significant problem in cities where the housing stock is relatively old and built before the ban. In San Leandro, about 80 percent of the housing stock was built before 1979, with most housing built between 1940 and 1959. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that contractors be EPAlead certified prior to beginning work on structures built before 1978. The City’s Building & Safety Services Division requires contractors working on homes built prior to 1978 to demonstrate that they have satisfied the EPA law prior to issuance of City building permits. The Alameda County Healthy Homes Department is the childhood lead poisoning prevention 12 California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: Guidance for All Public Entities and for Housing Elements (April 2021). Available at:
https://abag.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2021- 05/Affirmatively_Furthering_Fair_Housing.pdf
13 Centers for Disease Prevention and Control and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2006). Healthy Housing Reference Manual.
Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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program for San Leandro and provides health education and carries out environmental investigations where medical case criteria are met.
Housing Cost Burden: Cost burden is defined by Title 24 Housing and Urban Development Code of Federal Regulations Section 91.5 as “[t]he extent to which gross housing costs, including utility costs, exceed 30 percent of gross income, based on data available from the U.S. Census Bureau.” Households that are considered cost-burdened spend more than 30 percent of their gross income on housing costs, whereas those considered severely cost-burdened spend over 50 percent on housing costs.
CalEnviroScreen uses the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data to determine cost burden by estimating the number of households within each census tract earning less than 80% of HUD Area Median Family Income by county and paying greater than 50% of their income to housing costs. In San Leandro, 18.2 percent of households were cost burdened according to CHAS data calculated from the US Census Bureau’s 2013- 2017 American Community Survey (ACS).14 Figure EJ-5 depicts the CalEPA CalEnviroScreen housing cost burden percentiles for San Leandro. Most areas of the city have a moderate housing cost burden (40th to 60th percentiles) relative to all other California census tracts. Certain neighborhoods in the city have notably high housing cost burden (75th percentile or higher)relative to all other California census tracts, including Eastshore-Davis Street (an Environmental Justice Community), Washington Manor, and portions of the Downtown.
Overcrowding. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) defines an overcrowded unit as one occupied by 1.01 persons or more per room. According to the ACS Estimates for 2015-2019, approximately 8.2 percent of units in San Leandro are considered overcrowded. Overcrowding severity trends in San Leandro are similar to Alameda County as a whole, which is approximately 7.8%. Figure EJ-6 depicts the percent of overcrowded households across neighborhoods in San Leandro. Within the Eastshore-Davis Street neighborhood there are a larger percentage of overcrowded rooms than other areas of the city, with some areas of the neighborhood having greater than 20 percent of units with overcrowded conditions.
14 Department of Housing and Urban Development. Comprehensive Housing Affordability Study (CHAS). Measure year 2013-2017.
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Figure EJ-5
Housing Cost Burden in San Leandro
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Figure EJ-6
Overcrowded Households in San Leandro
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Physical Activity and Public Health
According to the California Department of Public Health, physical activity is a primary contributor to positive public health outcomes. Both physical activity and community health can be supported by the built-environment and public programs that support opportunities to exercise, access to healthcare, and improve health-related knowledge. Given the relationship between health and the built-environment and public programs, healthcare outcomes are often location-based.
San Leandro’s community health can be assessed through the analysis of key health demographics.
Obesity. Obesity is a chronic disease associated with lack of physical activity and reduced life span. According to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the obesity rate in San Leandro for the year 2015 was 28.2 percent. The city’s obesity rate was consistent with the state obesity rate, but notably higher than the obesity rate for Alameda County, which measured at 22.7 percent for the same measurement year. Cities in west central Alameda County, such as San Leandro, tend to have higher obesity rates than communities in the southern and northern portions of the County.
Physical Activity. According to the California Health Interview Survey, the percentage of adults (18 years and older) who met recommended guidelines for physical activity in San Leandro was 39.2. In Alameda County, the same measure of adults who met recommended guidelines was 41.2 percent. The city has a slightly lower percentage of adults meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines compared to the county average.
Coronary Heart Disease. According to the World Health Organization, lack of physical activity is associated with increased deaths related to cardiovascular disease. One measure of cardiovascular disease is the rate of coronary heart disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicates that the rate of adults who experienced coronary heart disease in San Leandro was 5 percent in 2019. Although lower than the national average, San Leandro has the highest rate of coronary heart disease of all cities in Alameda County.
Asthma. The California Air Resource Board (CARB) recognizes the association between traffic-related air pollution and asthma rates across California. CARB identified asthma as a potential health effect of Diesel Particulate Matter exposure.
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According to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 16.3 percent of children and teens in San Leandro were diagnosed with asthma between 2017 and 2018. This statistic is slightly lower than the children and teen asthma rate for Alameda County of 17.1 percent. Asthma rates (measured by asthma-related emergency room visits) across San Leandro vary significantly by neighborhood, with lower rates in neighborhoods in the southwestern portion of the city. Neighborhoods of the city with higher rates of asthma-related emergency room visits tend to have higher levels of Diesel Particulate Matter in the environment. Figure EJ-7 shows the asthma rates and Diesel Particulate Matter levels across neighborhoods in San Leandro. Local EJ Communities are among the areas of the city with the highest rates of asthma.
Food Access
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a healthy food environment as an indicator of health outcomes within a community.
Healthy food environments have healthy, nutritious, and affordable food available in food retail and food service settings. This allows for people to make healthier food choices and thereby improve their overall health and longevity. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), lack of healthy food access may disproportionately impact Environmental Justice communities, such as low-income communities.
Food access can be measured by distance to the nearest supermarket or grocery store. The California Department of Transportation considers a half-mile distance as an accessible distance for walking. Residents of San Leandro without a supermarket or grocery store within a half-mile radius are considered to have low food access.
There are no Food Deserts in San Leandro, meaning 67 percent or more of households in each census tract are located within one mile of a supercenter, supermarket, or large grocery store. Figure EJ-8 depicts areas in San Leandro with low food access (33 percent or more of households in census tract are located more than 0.5 mile from a supercenter, supermarket, or grocery store). Neighborhoods in the eastern and southern-most portion of the city tend to have adequate walking access to grocery stores or supermarkets. While there are a number of supermarkets and grocery stores in the western portion of the city, EJ Communities in San Leandro are among the neighborhoods most impacted by low food access.
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Figure EJ-7
Asthma Rates and Diesel Particulate Matter in San Leandro
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Figure EJ-8
Food Access in San Leandro
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Public Facilities
According to the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), access to public facilities is an environmental determinant of health outcomes. Under State law “public facilities” include, but are not limited to, public improvements, services, and community amenities (Government Code Section 65302(h)(1)(A)). These facilities include cultural centers, streets and roads, government buildings, schools, public transit, and public open space. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment recognizes that low-income and minority communities have historically had fewer public investments in their neighborhood and less access to critical public resources.
Parks, Schools, and Cultural Centers. Access to parks, schools, and cultural centers provide communities with opportunities for social interaction, physical activity, and educational attainment. There are 18 public schools in San Leandro that provide children and teens with free K-12 education and a platform to participate in recreational activities.
Public schools are dispersed across the city, with schools in each census tract. Parks and cultural centers in the city are operated by the City of San Leandro Department of Recreation and Human Services. There are a total of 28 parks and cultural centers within San Leandro, including youth centers and recreation facilities.
Adequate park access can provide community members with opportunities to exercise and interact with their peers. The City has established a Level of Service standard for its park system of at least 5.0 acres of improved parkland for every 1,000 residents and a park within a half mile of each resident. As of 2015, the city had a parkland ratio of 4.33 acres per 1,000 residents. Figure EJ-9 depicts areas of San Leandro within a half mile of a park. Areas of San Leandro in proximity to parks include the northeastern and northwestern portions of the city, such as the neighborhoods of Mulford Gardens, and Davis West-Timothy Drive (Environmental Justice Community), which have access to the Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline (a closed landfill) and Bay-O-Vista, which is in proximity to Lake Chabot Regional Park.
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Figure EJ-9
Park Access in San Leandro
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Bike Lanes. Bike lanes are public infrastructure that provides a relatively accessible mode of transportation, allowing for greater access for those who cannot operate or access a motor vehicle. According to the Healthy Places Index Tool, approximately 8 percent of San Leandro households do not have access to a vehicle.
The City of San Leandro encompasses a total area of 15.52 square miles.
According to the 2018 San Leandro Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan, there are a total of 43.4 miles of bicycle facilities within the city. These facilities include: 5.2 miles of Class I Shared-use Paths, 23.3 miles of Class II Bicycle Lanes, 1.3 miles of Class II Buffered Bicycle Lanes, and
13.7 miles of Class III Bicycle Routes. This is approximately double the 25 miles of facilities that existed in 2010.
The Environmental Justice Communities in San Leandro all have access to bicycle facilities. Class II Buffered Bicycle Lanes can be found on the southern edge of one Environmental Justice Community located in the northwestern corner of the city, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Mulford Gardens and Davis West-Timothy Drive. These Class II buffered bicycle lanes connect with Class I and Class III lanes to the west, which both provide access to Oyster Bay Regional Park, the San Francisco Bay Trail, and Marina Park. The Environmental Justice Community that encompasses the Eastshore-Davis Street
neighborhood is lined with Class II lanes along the southern and eastern borders. The third Environmental Justice Community, including the Floresta Gardens neighborhood, has both Class II and Class III lanes that run north to south centrally through the tract. Class II lanes may also be found on the southern edge of this Environmental Justice Community.
Public Transit. Public transit is an important service that allows for mobility access for community members who do not have access or the financial means to a personal vehicle. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 4.6 percent of San Leandro workers commute using public transit.
San Leandro is served by several different transit providers based on differing transit types such as bus, train, and paratransit shuttle services. The two main forms of public transportation around San Leandro are provided by AC Transit Regional Bus Service (AC Transit) and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). The City of San Leandro also provides its own transit services for seniors, disabled residents, and to all residents accessing certain employment centers. These services include:
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FLEX RIDES Paratransit Services: Provides transportation services for seniors over the age of 50 and people with disabilities. San Leandro LINKS: Provides free transportation links between employment centers and the Downtown San Leandro BART
Station.
There are existing AC Transit and LINKS bus stops in all three identified Environmental Justice Communities. The San Leandro BART station is located within the Environmental Justice Community that encompasses the neighborhood of Eastshore-Davis Street. Residents can connect to this station via AC Transit Routes 1, 10, 75, 85 and 89. At least two of these routes can be found either in or on the border of the Environmental Justice Communities in the city.
Civic Engagement
Equitable planning for a community involves a comprehensive approach to community engagement that enables all residents to participate in and influence the local decision-making process. Senate Bill 1000 affirms that public agencies should develop community engagement programs in a manner that strategically involves Environmental Justice Communities and other protected classes. By involving and engaging Environmental Justice Communities in decision-making processes, policymakers can effectively meet the needs of all residents within their jurisdiction
Environmental Justice Communities often have culturally or demographically specific needs that must be considered within local outreach strategy to ensure community success. These needs include, but are not limited to, language requirements, location requirements, and timing requirements. Public agencies are encouraged by the State of California to accommodate the needs of all subgroups within their local community as a strategy for creating an equitable and environmentally just planning outcome. The following local demographics are pertinent to facilitating equitable engagement in San Leandro.
Linguistic Isolation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, households that are linguistically isolated are those households where no person over the age of 14 speaks English proficiently. For these households, standard community engagement strategies may not be sufficient for gathering input. Jurisdictions that contain linguistically isolated
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communities must ensure that these isolated communities are included within the engagement process.
Across San Leandro, the top three languages spoken besides English are Spanish, Mandarin and Tagalog. Integrating the local language context into community engagement strategies may support equitable and comprehensive planning processes within San Leandro. The language isolation percentiles for neighborhoods across San Leandro relative to all California communities are shown in Figure EJ-10. As evident from the figure, there is a higher concentration of linguistically isolated households in the southern portion of the city. One of the three designated Environmental Justice Communities has a significant concentration of linguistically isolated residents.
Population Age. Age demographics in a community may shape the way residents respond to public outreach and community engagement strategies. Depending on the distribution of age across a population, different approaches to outreach and community interaction should be employed. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age in San Leandro in 2020 was 41.1 years. The San Leandro median age is higher than both the state and county medians of 36.7 years and 40.2 years, respectively. Within San Leandro, neighborhoods in the eastern portion of the city tended to have older populations than the remainder of the community. The Bay-O-Vista neighborhood has the oldest population demographics, with 26.3 percent of the population over 64 years of age.
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Figure EJ-10
Linguistic Isolation in San Leandro
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GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
Pollution Exposure and Air Quality
GOAL EJ-1 Reduce Pollution Exposure and Improve Air
Quality
Existing General Plan Policies
Existing General Plan policies and actions located in the Open Space and Conservation, Environmental Hazards, and Transportation Elements support Goal EJ-1 on the topics of land use development, control of aircraft emissions, zoning, transportation emissions, and the siting of new facilities. These include:
Policy EH-3.3 Land Use Compatibility. Discourage new uses with potential adverse air quality impacts, including the
emission of toxic air contaminants and fine particulates, near residential neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and other locations where public health could
potentially be affected
Policy EH-3.7 Aircraft Emissions. Advocate for greater local and regional control over air pollution caused by aircraft, including ground operations and flyovers from Oakland International Airport.
Policy EH-5.1 Regulatory Compliance. Work with the appropriate county, regional, state, and federal agencies to develop and implement programs for hazardous waste reduction,
hazardous material facility siting, hazardous waste handling and disposal, public education, and regulatory compliance.
Action EH-5.1.A CUPA Programs. Continue to implement State programs as required by the City’s Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) designation.
Action EH-5.1.B Implementation of County Hazardous Waste Management Plan Work with Alameda County on the
implementation and coordination of local hazardous
materials waste programs.
Policy EH-5.2 Clean-Up of Contaminated Sites. Ensure that the necessary steps are taken to clean up residual hazardous wastes on any contaminated sites proposed for redevelopment or
reuse. Require soil evaluations as needed to ensure that risks are assessed and appropriate remediation is provided.
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Policy EH-5.3 Design of Storage and Handling Areas. Require that all hazardous material storage and handling areas are
designed to minimize the possibility of environmental
contamination and adverse off-site impacts. Enforce and implement relevant state and federal codes regarding spill containment facilities around storage tanks.
Policy EH-5.4 Separation from Sensitive Use. Provide adequate and safe separation between areas where hazardous materials are
present and sensitive uses such as schools, residences, and public facilities. Zoning and other development regulations should include performance standards to avoid safety
hazard and achieve compatibility between uses.
Policy EH-5.5 Incident Response. Maintain the capacity to respond immediately and effectively to hazardous materials
incidents. Provide ongoing training for hazardous materials enforcement and response personnel.
Policy EH-5.8 Public Awareness. Increase public awareness of hazardous material use and storage in the City, the relative degree of potential health hazards, and the appropriate channels for reporting odor problems and other nuisances.
Action EH-5.8.A Disclosure to Property Owners Pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code, enforce community disclosure
laws (e.g., Right-to-Know laws) that inform property
owners of the presence of hazardous materials nearby.
Policy EH-5.9 Community Preparedness. Ensure that the City’s Emergency Preparedness programs include provisions for
hazardous materials incidents, as well as measures to
quickly alert the community and ensure the safety of
residents and employees following an incident.
Policy EH-6.9 Multi-Lingual Information. Ensure that emergency preparedness information, including printed material,
radio broadcasts, video, websites, and other media, is
available in non-English languages (e.g., Spanish, Chinese), in addition to English.
Policy EH-10 Downwind Impacts. Consider the direction of prevailing winds in the siting of facilities likely to generate smoke, dust, and odors. Ensure that such facilities are sited to minimize the impacts on downwind residential areas and
other sensitive uses.
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Policy OSC-8.4 Local Energy Resources. Local Energy Resources.
Accommodate the use of local alternative energy
resources, such as solar power, wind, methane gas, and
industrial waste heat (cogeneration). Ensure that
alternative energy infrastructure is compatible with
surrounding land uses and minimizes environmental
impacts on the community.
Policy T-1.9 Impacts of Transportation Facilities. Work with public and private agencies to reduce the negative impacts (noise, vibrations, fumes, etc.) of major transportation facilities and transit vehicles on adjacent land uses.
Policy T-6.5 Truck Routes. Designate appropriate San Leandro streets as truck routes so that industrial traffic is channeled away from residential areas. The selection of truck routes should consider neighborhood impacts, equity, freeway access,
truck parking needs, turning radii requirements, and the locations of businesses generating the largest volumes of truck traffic.
Action T-6.5.A Truck Route Modifications Following adoption of the General Plan, evaluate potential changes to the City’s truck route map to further protect residential areas from truck traffic, particularly in Environmental Justice communities, the Washington Manor area, and in Northeast San
Leandro. Where appropriate, undertake roadway and
intersection improvements to designated truck routes to ensure the safe transportation of goods through the city.
Policy T-6.6 Truck Traffic on Residential Streets. Consider road design improvements, changes to truck route designations,
signage, and other tools to discourage truck traffic from using residential streets.
Action T-6.6.A West San Leandro Road Improvements As part of an update to the West San Leandro Plan, consider additional measures to minimize truck traffic on residential streets, including the installation of a traffic signal at Polvorosa Street and Doolittle Drive.
Action T-6.6.B Enforcement of Truck Regulations Enforce truck traffic restrictions on non-designated truck routes, and
regulations for truck parking on City streets. Identify locations where signs prohibiting truck parking and truck traffic may be required.
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Action T-6.6.C Truck Route Signage and Information Update citywide truck route signage and provide information on truck
routes to local businesses, drivers, and business
organizations.
Policy T-6.7 Siting of Businesses with Truck Traffic. To the extent feasible, locate businesses projected to generate large amounts of truck traffic away from residential areas.
Ingress and egress for such businesses should be designed to minimize the possibility of truck traffic impacting
residential streets.
New Policies
In addition to the existing policies identified above, the following new policies and actions support Goal EJ-1. New policies supplement existing ones by seeking to address additional equity considerations and reduce the impacts of additional forms of pollution, particularly those affecting designated Environmental Justice Communities.
Policy EJ-1.1 Solid Waste Facilities. Continue to coordinate with Alameda County Department of Environmental
Health to monitor solid waste sites in the City and
facilitate the remediation of environmental concerns.
Action EJ-1.2.A: Solid Waste Database
Provide a link to CalRecycle’s publicly-accessible and
current database of local solid waste facilities, which contains site information, inspections reports, violations, and enforcement to enhance transparency and public
awareness.
Action EJ-1.2.B: Coordination with County
Continue to work closely with Alameda County
Department of Environmental Health, including regular
contact, joint inspections, and scheduled monthly meetings.
Policy EJ-1.2 Monitor and Reduce Tailpipe Emissions. Seek to monitor and reduce impacts of tailpipe emissions on
residential uses, other sensitive receptors, and
Environmental Justice communities located adjacent
to freeways and major regional routes.
Action EJ-1.2A: Air Quality Monitor Installation
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In conjunction with the BAAQMD, participate in the Air
Resources Board’s Community Air Protection Program
selection process to monitor air quality, and develop a community air monitoring plan, and/or an emissions
reduction program.
Action EJ-1.3B: Air Quality Monitor Loan Program
Work with the Library to purchase portable air quality
sensors in the Library of Things for community members to monitor air quality.
Policy EJ-1.4: Urban Greening. Develop local urban greening initiatives focused on areas where roadways interface
with sensitive land uses (parks, residential, schools) to limit exposure to tailpipe emissions.
Action EJ-1.4A: Tree Master Plan.
Integrate urban greening initiatives into the Tree Master Plan.
Policy EJ-1.5 Cleanup Sites. Continue to work closely with jurisdictionally-approved cleanup oversight agencies
and collaborate on past, current, and emerging
cleanup cases.
Action EJ-1.5.A: Cleanup Site Database
Promote existing platforms within the City webpage to
databases maintained by jurisdictional oversight agencies that are coordinated and provide public access to current cleanup site disposition information, such as GeoTracker and Envirostor.
Policy EJ-1.6 Hazardous Waste Facilities. The City’s Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) regulates all
hazardous waste facilities in San Leandro, maintains
data that is readily available to the public, and
maintains a public website that provides information
on hazardous waste regulation in San Leandro and a
link to request information regarding any hazardous
waste facility in San Leandro.
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Action EJ-1.6.B: Coordination
Proactively engage with local solid waste and hazardous waste operators to advocate for the use of site-specific upgrades that reduce pollution exposure beyond the
minimum regulatory standards required through CalEPA.
Action EJ-1.6.C: Business Plan Requirement
Continue to implement the Hazardous Materials Business
Plan Requirements for any facility that handles regulated quantities of hazardous materials or hazardous waste.
Policy EJ-1.7 At-Home Pollution Remediation. Continue to offer the Owner-Occupied housing rehabilitation program
focused on funding housing rehabilitation/repair
efforts for low-income homeowners in San Leandro.
Evaluate feasibility of including at-home pollution
remediation retrofits, including household air
purification devices and asbestos remediation.
Action EH-1.7.A: Indoor Air Conditioning and Air
Filtration
Evaluate feasibility of requiring new multi-family
residential and mixed-use developments to provide air
conditioning and filtration, especially in Environmental Justice communities or in close proximity to freeways,
freight rail lines, and regional routes.
Policy EJ-1.9 Air Quality Information Dissemination. Continue to provide multi-lingual public education and
information sharing initiatives regarding air quality
hazards and the options for increasing personal safety.
Action EJ-1.9.A: Air Quality Platform
Continue to promote existing platforms within the City
webpage to share weekly/daily air quality updates and
notifications based on the Air Quality Index (AQI).
Action EJ-1.9.B: Air Pollution Informational
Meetings
Partner with the Bay Area Air Quality Management
District to host an air pollution informational meeting in each of the Designated Environmental Justice
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Communities, focused on air quality hazard adaptation
where residents can receive information in multiple
languages on the local air quality context, associated asthma risks, available public resources, and at-home strategies for adaptation.
Policy EJ-1.10 Groundwater Threats. Continue working in tandem with the State Water Resources Control Board to have all underground storage tank (UST) systems in San Leandro
with single-walled components permanently closed by
December 31, 2025 to ensure that no UST systems remain
that do not have supplemental containment systems.
PolicyEH-3.9 Alternative Fuel Vehicles. Promote the development of infrastructure that supports the use of alternative
fuel (i.e., electric) vehicles in Environmental Justice Communities by requiring electric vehicle
infrastructure be incorporated into new residential
development. (See Environmental Hazards Element
Policy EH-3.9 for additional guidance on alternative
fuel vehicles)
Action EJ-1.11A: Encourage EV Adoption
Conduct education and outreach to inform members of the public about the availability of EVs, and the economic
incentives available to encourage EV adoption.
Physical Activity and Public Facilities
GOAL EJ-2 Promote physical activity and adequate and
equitable access to public facilities
Existing General Plan Policies
Existing General Plan policies located in the Land Use, Community Services and Facilities, Transportation, and Open Space and Conservation Elements support Goal EJ-2 on the topics of improved, safer, and more equitable access to park facilities, green space, open space, public transit options, active transit options, and other public facilities. These include:
Policy LU-2.1 Complete Neighborhoods. Strive for “complete neighborhoods” that provide an array of housing choices; easy access to retail stores, commercial services, and
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medical care; quality public schools; great parks and open spaces; affordable transportation options; and civic
amenities.
Policy LU-2.4 Neighborhood Schools and Parks. Recognize local schools and parks as key aspects of what makes a neighborhood
desirable and unique. Promote activities at schools and parks that build community pride and create a sense of
neighborhood ownership.
Policy LU-4.3 Public Facility Development. Promote collaborative, creative solutions between the public and private sectors to develop additional schools, parks, and other public
facilities in the city.
Policy LU-4.4 Park and School Site Acquisition. Consider acquiring vacant or underutilized sites for park or school
development in addition to facilitating private
development on those sites.
Policy CSF-5.1 Equitable and Affordable Access. Work with appropriate agencies to provide equal and affordable access to
recreation and human services. Programs should be
flexible and responsive to the community’s changing needs Policy CSF-5.13 Multi-Lingual Information and Cultural Competency.
Encourage public agencies to provide services, classes, outreach materials and information to San Leandro
residents in multiple formats and languages. Cultural
competency is equally important as language access.
Action OSC-1.1.A Parks Action Strategy Develop and implement a San Leandro Parks Master Plan, including a current assessment of community needs, principles for park use, capital
improvement projects, recommendations for operations
and maintenance, and a funding and implementation
program. The Plan should be developed with input from
park users and from neighborhood and community groups
that reflect the cultural diversity of San Leandro.
Policy OSC-1.6 Community Engagement. Ensure that programs and facilities in parks reflect the priorities of residents in the surrounding neighborhoods. Conduct regular community
outreach, workshops, and ongoing liaison with
neighborhoods, including multi-lingual outreach, to solicit public input on park issues.
Policy OSC-1.7 Park Safety. Maintain a high level of personal safety and security in the City’s parks by encouraging broad
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community use, diversifying park activities, promoting
neighborhood watch and stewardship programs, enforcing
park ordinances and codes, maintaining effective graffiti abatement and litter removal programs, and undertaking
design changes that improve visibility and access.
Policy OSC-1.8 Parks and Public Health. Recognize the link between parks and public health, particularly the potential to increase physical activity, reduce obesity, and improve general
health. The City will continue to promote physical fitness through its recreational programs, and by making parks
available and accessible to residents.
Action OSC-1.8.A Health Metrics and Recreation Monitor statistics on the health and well-being of San Leandro's children and youth, and evaluate the correlation between health indicators
and access to parks and recreational facilities. Use health data to guide investment in new park and recreational
facilities, and to shape new recreational programs.
Policy OSC-2.2 No Net Loss. Allow no net loss of open space within San Leandro’s parks and recreational facility system. In the event that land currently included in the City’s park
inventory (Table 5-1) is to be converted to a non-park
related purpose, an area of equivalent or larger acreage shall be set aside as parkland. Replacement open space
should be comparable in value and function to the space that is lost.
Policy OSC-2.3 Park Dedication. Require new residential development to pay an impact fee and/or to dedicate parkland to offset the increase in park needs resulting from new residents.
Where on-site parkland is dedicated, it should be
improved, maintained, and accessible to the general
public.
Policy OSC-2.4 New Parks. Pursue opportunities for new parks that augment those dedicated within private development.
When planning for such parks, place a priority on sites and/or facilities that:
(a) Would benefit neighborhoods or user groups that are currently underserved by park and recreational
facilities;
(b) Meet a recreational facility need that has been
identified by the community as a top priority;
(c) Have a funding source identified;
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(d) Have strong community support and advocacy;
(e) Would protect a special resource such as a historic building or sensitive natural area;
(f) Have a willing seller or site donor; and
(g) Are located in areas where substantial residential
growth is planned.
Policy OSC-2.5 Non-Traditional Open Space. Take a creative approach to identifying new prospective parks and open spaces,
including such features as rooftops and urban plazas.
Street themselves should be recognized as an important
potential component of the open space system, with
opportunities for additional greening, planting, parklets, food production, public act, trails, stormwater treatment, and recreational activities within public rights of way.
Policy OSC-2.6 Pocket Parks. Work with neighborhood groups to develop mini-parks, medians and landscaped traffic islands,
community gardens, and similar areas that beautify
neighborhoods, build community spirit, and provide places of enjoyment within residential areas.
Policy OSC-2.11 Open Space Easements. Explore the use of easements, long-term leases, cooperative agreements and other costeffective means of acquiring or sharing open space with other owners.
Policy OSC-2.12 Open Spaces in New Development. Promote the inclusion of plazas, courtyards, landscaped commons, rooftop
gardens/green space, and other publicly accessible open spaces within new commercial, industrial, and public
facility development.
Policy OSC-4.1 Joint Use Agreements. Promote joint use agreements between the City and the San Leandro and San Lorenzo
Unified School Districts to maximize public access to school recreational facilities and grounds during non-school
hours. Emphasize agreements which:
(a) Provide access to facilities which are currently lacking in existing City parks, such as swimming pools,
gymnasiums and sport fields; and
(b) Benefit areas that currently lack neighborhood or
community parks.
Policy T-1.6 Siting of Housing and Public Facilities. Consider access to public transportation to be a major factor in the location
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and siting of future housing and public facilities.
Conversely, ensure that community facilities such as
libraries, parks, schools, and community, civic, and
recreation centers, are served by public transit.
Policy T-2.1 Complete Streets Serving All Users and Modes. Create and maintain “complete” streets that provide safe,
comfortable, and convenient travel through a
comprehensive, integrated transportation network that
serves all users.
Policy T-3.1 Citywide Bikeway System. Develop and maintain a bikeway system that meets the needs of both utilitarian and recreational users, reduces vehicle trips, and connects residential neighborhoods to employment and shopping
areas, BART stations, schools, recreational facilities and other destinations throughout San Leandro and nearby
communities.
Action T-3.1.A Bikeway Plan Implementation Maintain a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and update that Plan every five
years to identify existing and future needs and provide specific recommendations for facility and program
improvements and phasing. The Plan Map should be
formatted for broad public distribution and should show key bicycle facilities, destinations, connections to nearby communities, and safety information. Any changes to the Plan should maintain consistency with city, county,
regional, state, and federal policy documents.
Action T-3.4.B Crosstown Bicycle Access Improve cross-town bicycle routes, with particular attention on routes across
Interstate 880, railroads, and other barriers between
Downtown and the Shoreline. Prioritization of crosstown access improvements should be included in the next
update of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
Policy T-3.6 Pedestrian Environment. Improve the walkability of all streets in San Leandro through the planning,
implementing, and maintaining of pedestrian supportive
infrastructure.
Policy T-3.7 Removing Barriers to Active Transportation. Reduce barriers to walking and other forms of active
transportation such as incomplete or uneven sidewalks,
lack of wheelchair ramps and curb cuts, sidewalk
obstructions including cars parked on sidewalks, trail gaps,
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wide intersections, and poor sidewalk connections to
transit stops.
Policy T-4.1 Coordination with Service Providers. Work collaboratively with AC Transit and BART to ensure that public transit
service remains safe, reliable, and affordable, and to
improve service frequency and coverage within San
Leandro neighborhoods and employment centers.
Action T-4.1.A AC Transit Improvements On an ongoing basis, work with AC Transit to pursue the following:
(a) Route improvements providing greater cross-town
access, improved access to public facilities, and additional links to BART from San Leandro neighborhoods and
employment centers;
(b) Technological changes that improve the on-time
performance of public transit vehicles and provide greater capacity and service frequency;
(c) Improvements that eliminate barriers to public transit use for persons with disabilities;
(d) Alternative ways to extend Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
service from the San Leandro BART station to the Bay Fair BART station;
(e) Locating bus stops in a manner which minimizes the
disruption of traffic and the development of bicycle lanes; (f) Representation by San Leandro residents, businesses, and officials on committees and task forces studying AC Transit service improvements in Central Alameda County. (g) Regular updates from the City’s transit district
representatives to the City Council on service issues.
Policy T-4.3 Shuttle Buses. Continue existing shuttle services and ensure they remain as a viable alternative to driving.
Shuttles should connect the City's BART stations with major employment centers, residential areas, schools, shopping, health and other activity centers.
Policy T-6.1 Traffic Calming Strategies. Use a variety of approaches to slow down or “calm” traffic on San Leandro streets, based on the specific conditions on each street. Emphasize
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approaches that improve conditions for pedestrians and
bicyclists and enhance neighborhood aesthetics.
Policy T-7.2 Capital Improvements. Identify capital improvements and other measure which improve the safety of bicyclists,
pedestrians, and motor vehicles on San Leandro streets.
Policy T-7.3 Street Lighting. Improve street lighting in a way that addresses public safety and security concerns and provides adequate night-time visibility while still achieving energy conservation goals and protecting the privacy of adjacent properties. A priority should be placed on improvements in higher density housing areas and in areas where growth is expected under this General Plan, such as Downtown San
Leandro. Street light improvements also should be
required as new infill development takes place.
Policy T-8.1 Coordination with Regional Agencies. Work closely with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the
Alameda County Transportation Commission, AC Transit,
BART, and other agencies to address regional
transportation issues affecting San Leandro.
New Policies
In addition to the existing policies identified above, the following new policies and actions support Goal EJ-2. New policies supplement existing ones by seeking to address additional equity considerations and improve additional health outcomes, and promote increased physical activity, safe access to parks, public transit, active transit, and other public facilities, particularly for designated Environmental Justice Communities.
Policy EJ-2.1 Traffic Calming. Promote the safety of public facilities by prioritizing traffic calming initiatives in areas with high traffic impacts within Environmental Justice
Communities.
Action EJ-2.1.A: Traffic Assessment
Perform an assessment of traffic impacts around schools, parks/open space, and major residential areas within
Environmental Justice Communities. Identify focus areas and develop a Traffic Calming Program to reduce vehicle speeds within traffic hotspots.
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Policy EJ-2.2 Park Access. As part of San Leandro Parks Master Plan, evaluate park access, including Environmental
Justice Communities.
Action EJ-2.2.A: Facility Review
Coordinate with Alameda Contra Costa County Transit
District (AC Transit) to perform a biennial review of bus stops and shelters to access the quality and adequacy of facilities.
Policy EJ-2.3 Barriers to Transit Access. Coordinate with AlamedaContra Costa County Transit District (AC Transit) to support the expansion of the discounted fare program
to include low-income residents.
Policy EJ-2.4 Open Space in New Development. Support the availability of open space by continuing to require
new multi-family and mixed-use development to
incorporate open space as part of the development
review process.
Policy EJ-2.5 Non-Traditional Open Space. Prioritize
Environmental Justice Communities when identifying
opportunities for additional greening, new
prospective parks, open spaces, and right-of-way
transformations into interactive public spaces.
Policy EJ-2.6 Health Resources. Promote community awareness about existing health resources in San Leandro by
proactively advertising available Alameda County
programs and services, including mental health
services, in multiple languages.
Policy EJ-2.7 Active Commuting. Collaborate with local schools to disseminate informational materials in multiple
languages that encourage the use of active
transportation in school commutes.
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Food Access
GOAL EJ-3 Promote food access so all people in San Leandro can access nutritionally adequate, culturally
appropriate, and affordable food
Existing General Plan Policies
Existing General Plan policies located in the Land Use, and Open Space Elements support Goal EJ-3. These include:
Policy LU-8.4 Neighborhood Shopping Centers. Promote reinvestment in the City’s neighborhood shopping centers, with an
emphasis on new retail uses that serve the adjacent
neighborhoods and contribute to the overall vitality of the centers.
Policy LU-2.3 Healthy Food Access. Maintain access to fresh healthy produce in all parts of the city and encourage supermarkets and corner stores that provide healthier food choices for residents.
Policy OSC-2.7 Community Gardens. Support the development of additional community gardens in the city with a priority on underused utility-owned and School District-owned
properties.
New Policies
In addition to the existing policies identified above, the following new policies and actions support Goal EJ-3. New policies supplement existing ones by seeking to address additional equity considerations, and further improve food access and nutritional food consumption habits, particularly for designated Environmental Justice Communities.
Policy EJ-3.1 Farmer's Markets and Community Gardens.
Prioritize healthy food affordability and accessibility for residents through maintaining and expanding
farmers markets and community gardens in the city.
Action EJ-3.1.A: Healthy Food Access
Encourage the continued use of CalFresh and WIC at all
Farmer's Markets in the city.
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Policy EJ-3.2 Targeted Food Access Areas. Continue partnering with local non-profits and food banks to increase food
accessibility for low-income residents across the City
and prioritize the placement of future city-sponsored
food programs in Environmental Justice
Communities.
Policy EJ-3.3 Edible School Yards. Coordinate with the San Leandro and San Lorenzo Unified School Districts to
support gardens and an “Edible School Yards”
program focused on establishing community-gardens
and nutritional education at local schools.
Civic Engagement and Investment Prioritization
GOAL EJ-6 Prioritize engagement of people from
all backgrounds and direct resources
to Environmental Justice communities
Existing General Plan Policies
Existing General Plan policies located in the Land-Use and Housing Elements support Goal EJ-5 on the topics of equitable public participation in the planning process, partnerships, and financial empowerment. These include:
Policy CSF-4.5 Language and Media Diversity. Ensure access to information among those persons without easy access to
electronic media, and those persons whose primary
language is not English. Information on City facilities and activities, including sports, events, resources, and
programs, should be provided in a variety of mediums and languages.
Policy CSF-4.6 Neighborhood-Based Communication. Support and encourage the development of neighborhood newsletters,
websites, social media, and other forms of electronic and print media to inform residents of current issues and
facilitate resident feedback to City officials and staff.
Action CSF-4.6.A Outreach Materials. Prepare and update printed and webbased materials that summarize City processes and procedures on a wide variety of topics, such as planning and building requirements, tree care, and emergency
preparedness.
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Policy CSF-5.13 Multi-Lingual Information and Cultural Competency.
Encourage public agencies to provide services, classes, outreach materials and information to San Leandro
residents in multiple formats and languages. Cultural
competency is equally important as language access.
Policy LU-5.3 Individual Participation. Encourage the participation of individuals as well as organizations in the planning process since organizations may not always reflect individual needs and opinions.
Policy P-4.6 Support Regional Partnerships. The City shall partner with local and regional organizations to identify joint strategies and funding opportunities to help stabilize neighborhoods and protect vulnerable residents.
Policy P-5.9 Engage Underrepresented Residents. The City shall prioritize engagement of underrepresented residents and people of all racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds in the City’s Community Development and Human Services
Departments’ programs to achieve equitable outcomes.
New Policies
In addition to the existing policies identified above, the following new policies and actions support Goal EJ-6. New policies supplement existing ones by seeking to address additional equity considerations, foster increased investments in underserved neighborhoods, and increase engagement in city planning and programs, particularly for designated Priority Communities.
Policy EJ-6.1 Implement Equity Work Plan. Implement the City of San Leandro Equity Work Plan prepared with input
from the San Leandro Equity Work Group, Race
Equity Team, and the Community Equity Committee.
Action EJ-6.1.A: Vision and Mission Statement
Incorporate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) in vision and mission statements and core values.
Action EJ-6.1.B: Training, Evaluation, and Oversight
Develop training, evaluation, and oversight protocols that advance DEIB initiatives and provide training as needed.
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Action EJ-6.1.C: Principles and Core Values
Establish principles and core values that support equitable community engagement and procedures, practices,
structures, and protocols that advance integrity, trust, inclusiveness, open/transparent dialogue, co-creation, and belonging.
Policy EJ-6.2 Equitable Investment. Conduct GIS mapping analysis of distribution and access to City resources
and services and ensure equitable access and
allocation of City resources and services.
Action EJ-6.2.A: Environmental Justice Community
Investment
Invest in improvements and programs in designated
Environmental Justice Communities in San Leandro,
including Census Tracts 6001432400, 6001432501,
6001433200.
Action EJ-6.2.B: Environmental Justice Community
Workshops
Perform an Environmental Justice Communities Workshop
Series in conjunction with the Resilience Hubs Initiative, which involves workshops in multiple languages across
communities in San Leandro. The Environmental Justice
Communities Workshop Series is to be focused on
identifying the community priorities of residents within priority census tracts in San Leandro.
Action EJ-6.2.C: Frontline Neighborhood Plans
Using the Frontline Communities Workshop Series and
Resilience Hubs Initiative, develop Frontline Neighborhood Plans that serve to outline small-scale projects, such as specific sidewalk improvements or community gardens, that can support the unique needs of each frontline community in San Leandro.
Policy EJ-6.3 Equitable Outreach. Coordinate and monitor Citywide outreach policies, ensure department level coordination of communication and outreach, and
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provide language access services that promote
communication accessibility for all groups.
Action EJ-6.3.A: Language Access Program
Increase the availability of translated and interpreted materials, resources, and services and establish formal policy and best practices for language access that are
communicated to departments and regularly updated.
Action EJ-6.3.B: Engagement Material Dissemination
Continue to partner with local schools to disseminate
engagement materials in multiple languages and foster
engagement for city meetings and programs through
student flyers.
Action EJ-6.3.C: Interpretation Services.
Continue to offer interpretation services for City-led
community workshops and meetings, including Chinese
and Spanish to decrease impacts from linguistic isolation.
Action EJ-6.3.D: Notification Translation.
Support informed participation for all residents by
publishing all City Council and Planning Commission
meeting notifications in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
Action EJ-6.3.E: Meeting Timing.
Conduct community meetings at accessible times of day for community members.
Action EJ-6.3.F: Workshop Advertising.
Establish broad and comprehensive advertising protocols in multiple languages for the City to promote equitable
engagement. Advertising channels will consist of print
media and digital media.
Policy EJ-6.4 Capacity Building. Implement actions and policies to increase participation by low-income, people of color,
non-English speaking persons, residents with
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children, and those without cars in City meetings and
on City boards, commissions, and committees.
Action EJ-6.4.A: Representation
Encourage diverse representation on City boards,
Commissions, and committees through expanded outreach
and updated application materials. Review feasibility of providing stipends, childcare, and alternative meeting
locations.
Policy EJ-6.5 Strategic Partnerships. Foster strategic partnerships with trusted community leaders from historically
marginalized communities in San Leandro.
Policy EJ-6.6 Employment Services. Partner with local workforce and employment resource centers (such as Alameda
County Workforce Development Board) and evaluate
ways to improve outreach for workforce and
unemployment programs in the western portion of the
City, including targeted job fairs.
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Safe and Sanitary Homes
GOAL EJ-4 Promote safe, healthy, and affordable homes.
Existing General Plan Policies
Existing General Plan policies located in the Land Use and Housing Elements support Goal EJ-4 on the topics of affordability, participation in plan and program development, safe housing conditions, tenant protections, support for the unhoused, and home maintenance and improvements. These include:
Policy LU-3.2 Mix of Price Ranges. Encourage a mix of price ranges to provide housing choices for San Leandro residents of all incomes and ages. Opportunities to include affordable
units and market rate units within the same development projects should be pursued.
Policy LU-3.6 Housing by Non-Profit Developers. Promote the participation of non-profit housing organizations in the construction of new affordable housing in San Leandro,
with particular emphasis on housing for working families.
Policy LU-5.1 Coordination and Outreach. Coordinate housing plans and programs with organizations that are broadly
representative off people in the community, including
homeowners, renters, housing advocates, businesses and
institutions. Collaborative, productive relationships should be promoted between City staff, elected and appointed
officials, and local neighborhood groups.
New Policies
In addition to the existing policies identified above, the following new policies and actions support Goal EJ-4. New policies supplement existing ones by seeking to address additional equity considerations and further improve housing conditions, particularly for Environmental Justice Communities. These include:
Policy P-2.5 Support Housing Production for All Needs. The City shall encourage the production of housing that is
physically and financially suitable for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, residents with
special needs, including but not limited to large
households, seniors, extremely low-income residents,
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and persons with physical and developmental
disabilities.
Policy P-2.7 Promote Universal Design. The City shall promote universal accessibility in design and the inclusion of
units that are set aside for persons with developmental and physical disabilities.
Policy P-3.2 Safe and Livable Housing. The City shall enforce building, safety, and housing codes to ensure safe and
sanitary housing conditions.
Policy P-3.4 Preserve Existing Affordable Housing. The City shall facilitate the renewal of existing affordable housing
covenants and promote opportunities for acquisition
of units with expiring covenants to preserve
affordability. The City will explore opportunities to
preserve “Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing”
under the auspices of AB 787 (2021, Gabriel).
Policy P-4.1 Minimize Displacement of Vulnerable Residents.
The City shall make all neighborhoods places of
opportunity while minimizing the involuntary
displacement of vulnerable populations, such as lowincome households, seniors on fixed incomes, and people with disabilities, due to increased housing
costs.
Policy P-4.2 Strengthen Tenant Protections. The City shall explore options to strengthen measures for eviction
prevention, limits on sudden or annual rent increases,
and tenant relocation assistance.
Policy P-4.3 Support Households Impacted by Foreclosure. The City shall work to identify funding to establish
counseling and other resources to assist households at
risk of foreclosure.
Policy P-5.10 Reduce Barriers. Evaluate and reduce barriers to housing that disproportionately affect populations in
protected classes, lower income households, and
special needs populations by rescinding or mitigating
development standards that are exclusionary,
discriminatory, or otherwise impede the development
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of housing that is affordable to lower income
households, including prohibitions on multi-family
housing, limitations on density, and other standards
that increase the cost of constructing housing.
Policy P-6.2 Support Existing and New Transitional and
Emergency Shelters. The City shall remove barriers to
interim and emergency shelter access and continue to
prioritize the use of available funds to support
emergency shelters and transitional and supportive
housing programs for people experiencing
homelessness and those who are at risk of becoming
homeless.
Policy P-6.3 Fund Construction of New Permanent Supportive Housing. The City shall facilitate and provide
permanent supportive housing options that offer
appropriate services for people experiencing chronic
homelessness.
Policy P-2.1 Promote Housing Development Affordable to
Residents at All Economic Levels. The City shall
support the production of rental and for-sale housing
for people of all income levels.
Policy P-3.1 Rehabilitation and Preservation. The City shall support existing homeowners with affording and
maintaining their home, with a focus on vulnerable
populations such as low-income, owner-occupied
households, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Policy P-4.4 Support Alternative Ownership Models. The City shall support resident-driven alternative ownership
models to help low-income residents remain in their
communities and build equity (e.g.: land trusts, tenant opportunity to purchase programs, etc.).
Policy P-5.1 Fair Housing Services and Education. The City shall support effective programs that work toward
eliminating housing discrimination of protected
classes under State and federal law.
Policy P-5.7 Leverage Resources for Housing Assistance and Education. The City shall pursue and administer,
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where feasible, all available federal, State, and local resources to provide financial assistance, housing
rights and financial education, and other services
related to homeownership, housing stability, and
housing mobility.
Policy P-5.8 Focus Housing Opportunity Programs for
Vulnerable and Underrepresented Residents. The
City shall focus outreach for homeownership and
affordable housing opportunity programs to residents
in areas vulnerable to displacement and to
populations that are underrepresented in the housing
market.
Policy P-6.1 Support Residents at Risk of Homelessness. The City shall utilize data-supported strategies to create
impactful, long-term solutions to reduce the risk of
homelessness for vulnerable households and
individuals, with a focus on affordable housing
production, financial and supportive services and
resources, and workforce training.
Policy P-6.4 Actively Engage in the Regional Response to End Homelessness. The City shall participate with the
Alameda County Office of Homeless Care and
Coordination, Continuum of Care, and partner
agencies to develop and implement strategies that
address homelessness through a shared vision,
coordinated programs, and joint funding
opportunities.