Engaging community voices and perspectives in projects
located on and around the LA General Medical Center campus
Community Priorities
The community around the LAC+USC Medical Center has a vested interest in development projects and priorities planned for the campus and in neighborhoods adjacent to the medical center.
The Health Innovation Community Partnership regularly forms committees and working groups of local residents and stakeholders to share their perspectives and feedback to help guide new projects and ensure that community needs are heard and community benefits result.
The publication of the General Hospital and West Campus Feasibility Study creates a new opportunity for community leaders to frame the community priorities that are most needed and valued in the consideration of future development for this site.
Committee Report Summary
The Community Priorities Advisory Committee, composed of community leaders and local residents, met in late 2022 to review publicly available community engagement documents related to the potential redevelopment of the historic General Hospital and West Campus. The Committee identified core community priorities for the site to ensure the project delivers on its promise to provide highly needed and valued benefits to the local community.
The following are the highest-priority community needs as identified by the Committee:
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Build housing that serves the needs of current community residents and addresses gaps in the available housing mix including ranges of affordability levels including extremely and deeply affordable housing
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Build housing that serves a range of family sizes through diverse unit sizes including multi-bedroom units
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Increase supportive housing services across the campus for our most vulnerable community members, including homeless housing
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Create commercial-space opportunities that nurture and support small, local and emerging businesses, such as business incubator and affordable retail-commercial spaces with preference for opportunities for local business expansion
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Establish preference for local retailers that offer culturally-responsive and affordable products and services to the current local resident population, including a highly-needed grocery store
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Create features and spaces that provide community services, are accessible by the local community, and enhance community well-being
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Respect the legacy of the campus and its important role in the history of the local community through preservation of historic features with potential repurpose as arts and culture and/or commemorative spaces
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Increase parking and improve transit and access to the campus to facilitate ease of use and limit spill-over congestion impacts on the local community
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Provide a complete plan to ensure workforce development specifically benefits the local resident population to mitigate displacement and gentrification concerns and provide pipeline programs to living-wage jobs in the near and long terms