LA County to Make ‘Historic’ $78M Investment in Parks

The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) has announced a historic investment of more than $78 million in grants to support 72 park and open space projects across 48 organizations countywide. Funded through Measure A, the voter-approved parcel tax established in 2016, this marks the largest competitive grant allocation in the program’s history. The funding will support a wide range of projects focused on planning, building, and improving parks, trails, beaches, rivers, and open spaces, while also generating jobs and delivering environmental and public health benefits.

A central focus of this investment is equity. Nearly two-thirds of the funding will go to high-need communities identified in the County’s 2016 Parks Needs Assessment—areas that often face disproportionate impacts from heat, pollution, and limited access to green space. County leaders emphasized that parks are essential infrastructure that improve air quality, support physical and mental health, enhance public safety, and strengthen community connections. The increased funding amount—raised from an initial $58 million to over $78 million—reflects both the high demand for park investments and the strong pipeline of ready-to-implement projects.

Of the total funding, more than $23 million will support planning and design efforts to help communities prepare future projects, while over $55 million will fund construction projects expected to break ground and be completed within the next four years. Demand for funding far exceeded available resources, with applications requesting more than double the available amount, underscoring the ongoing need for park investment.