<h1>Social Equity in Planning</h1> <h1>Social Equity in Planning</h1>

Social Equity in Planning

As we plan San Diego’s future regional transportation system, we believe it must meet the needs of every single person in our community. Everyone must receive the benefits of a more efficient transportation system, regardless of age, race, color, national origin, income, or physical ability. That’s why social equity is one of the most important principles guiding SANDAG in creating the 2021 Regional Plan, the critical blueprint for transportation and regional planning through 2050.

Equity Action Plan

How do we make sure no one is left behind in the Regional Plan? It starts with SANDAG’s deep commitment to social equity as outlined in our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement. We believe every individual—including those from historically underserved and marginalized groups—has a right to be treated with fairness, respect, and acceptance to ensure their safety and opportunity for growth.

As a further step into our commitment to equity, SANDAG developed its Equity Action Plan, which outlines how the agency will incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in all projects, programs, and policies.

Regional Social Equity Planning Framework

One component of the Equity Action Plan is a Regional Social Equity Planning Framework which guides how social equity will be approached, incorporated, and prioritized in all SANDAG plans, programs, and projects. Through this framework, SANDAG will partner to advance investments in communities that have been historically underserved and underrepresented—those who have been systemically marginalized and impacted by actions and inactions at all levels of our government and society.

The Regional Social Equity Planning Framework relies on five interdependent actions that foster continuous learning to guide SANDAG’s planning processes and programs.

Five Inter-Reliant Actions Form the SANDAG Social Equity Planning Framework circle graphic. Continuous Learning starts from Engagement to Data Accountability to Measure Impact to Prioritize Investments, and then ends with Monitor, Report, and Evolve.

Use data to drive and inform the planning process in conjunction with thoughtful and representative community engagement. Data is inherently biased, often perpetuating decisions that have long divided communities and resulted in inequitable access to opportunities. SANDAG will work from a perspective of human-centered design, dialogue, and partnership to identify those biases, account for them, correct for them, and, when feasible, collect new data to resolve these inadequacies.

Elevate engagement with people with low incomes, people of color, people with disabilities, and people with limited English proficiency. Establish timely and meaningful engagement practices early in the planning process through strategies that are respectful of each community’s cultural context and their expertise in using the transportation system, ensuring that what we learn translates into solutions.

It is important to understand the benefits and trade-offs of our plans, programs, and projects to the communities they serve. Measure the impact by working closely with these communities to communicate and solicit feedback that informs the decision-making process.

Based on the understanding we gain about community priorities and local, state, and federal goals and regulations, establish a new methodology to prioritize investments in plans, programs, and projects. Ask ourselves: What are projected benefits for people with low incomes, people of color, people with disabilities, or people with limited English proficiency? How can investments be prioritized to provide vulnerable populations with access to jobs, education, and healthcare?

Conduct ongoing monitoring and reporting to evaluate the actual benefits or negative impacts to vulnerable populations as plans, projects, and programs are implemented. Use the outcomes of this reporting to inform ongoing work and to learn from the process for the future.

Community Partners

With that philosophy as our foundation, we’ve actively engaged underserved communities as part of our public involvement program to make sure they are included in the decision-making process every step along the way. We’ve partnered with 12 community-based organizations or community collaboratives to help us engage with underserved populations around the region to help us identify issues and listen to their concerns. These community partners are selected by SANDAG through a competitive request for proposals process and have representatives on the SANDAG Social Equity Working Group.

Our community partners include:

  • Bayside Community Center 
  • Casa Familiar 
  • Chula Vista Community Collaborative 
  • City Heights Community Development Corporation 
  • El Cajon Collaborative
  • Escondido Education COMPACT 
  • MidCity-CAN
  • Olivewood Gardens 
  • OPSam Health
  • SBCS Corporation
  • Urban Collaborative Project 
  • Vista Community Clinic

In developing the 2021 Regional Plan, SANDAG used performance measures and other evidence to ensure compliance with Title VI requirements and environmental justice principles. In addition, SANDAG completed a Community Health Equity Evaluation which documents health results cause by implementation of the 2021 Regional Plan with an emphasis on disadvantages communities that have historically borne a disproportionate share of pollution.

Map of the operating locations of 12 community-based organizations in the SANDAG Social Equity Partner Network in the western third of the San Diego region. The Map is overlaid with gradient shading according to CalEnviroScreen 4.0 scores of pollution burden vulnerability.

Related Pages

Resources

Related Documents

Social Equity Baseline Report

Regional Plan Public Involvement Program

2021 Regional Plan Appendix H: Social Equity: Engagement and Analysis

Community Healthy Equity Evaluation

Community Based Organization Membership Map