Understanding Our Community Phase IIA Community Assessment Project Developing a Framework for Strategic Conservation Investments By Further Exploring the Barriers to Accessing Nature an
Introduction and Background
As the impacts of climate change become more evident and our human footprint on the natural world grows, collaborative leadership and broad-based engagement are essential for meaningful progress Real change requires participation from residents, community leaders, local organizations, and others across the region, all working together to protect and sustain our landscapes The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority is committed to leading conservation and community engagement efforts that recognize, celebrate, and reflect the rich diversity of people and communities within its jurisdiction and the wider Bay Area.
Understanding Our Community Phase I, released in September 2015 and now referred to as Understanding Our Community Phase I, pursued two core questions: what is the demographic makeup of the community served by the Open Space Authority and what barriers exist to serving this community The Authority posed these questions to lay the foundation for a new, long-term approach to community engagement built on meaningful participation.
Phase I delivered a detailed picture of the Authority’s jurisdiction and the barriers faced by some communities more than others in accessing open space and taking advantage of the programming and other opportunities provided by the Authority and its partners.
Engagement Communities (DEC) were defined in Phase I and have since been adopted and referenced by Authority partners DEC boundaries were established through a subjective review that weighed income, CalEnviroScreen scores, linguistic isolation, age, vehicle access, and overall opportunities for community engagement By identifying and addressing barriers to access in the community, the Authority can shape its outreach and engagement strategies to ensure inclusive opportunities for all residents The Phase I report also outlined a comprehensive set of recommendations and potential action items, which served as the launching point for several initiatives and laid the groundwork for Phase II of the project.
Phase II shifts from merely identifying barriers to addressing the needs that improved access to nature can help mitigate By exploring these questions, the Authority will gain a deeper understanding of the factors to consider when designing solutions to enhance access to nature.
This report builds on Phase I by introducing new datasets that extend beyond traditional conservation-focused areas By overlaying and integrating multiple datasets, four main categories were developed to analyze patterns and correlations that can illuminate barriers to access and opportunities for enjoyment The four categories include Proximity and Access, Food and Nutrition, and two additional dimensions identified through data synthesis This approach provides deeper insights for understanding how place, resources, and environment shape who can access and enjoy conserved spaces.
As expected, these new observations produced new questions Phase II aims to increase understanding of community needs by addressing these two leading questions:
1 What do local communities need in order to more easily access and enjoy nature and open space?
2 How can increased access to natural spaces positively impact the health and well-being of residents in our local communities?
How Will This Data Be Used?
The information from Phase II will have a wide variety of potential applications, and one of the main opportunities is within the Open Space Authority’s Urban Grant
The UGP report provides grant applicants with information and inspiration to design or refine environmental education projects that meet the needs of the communities they seek to serve, guiding decisions on site locations and program types The Authority will use the report to inform grant program guidelines and to ensure the grant-making and evaluation processes yield projects that are relevant to local communities The report also presents data useful to grant applicants and partners, offering illustrative suggestions on how the data might apply and interact The intent is to spur new thinking about potential programs and projects and to encourage creativity as readers formulate their ideas.
The Authority will use this report to guide community outreach, engagement, and partnership planning, ensuring initiatives align with the needs and interests of all communities within the jurisdiction By understanding these needs, the Authority can tailor outreach strategies, strengthen engagement, and cultivate effective partnerships that reflect local priorities and advance meaningful outcomes.
Authority staff can design events and programming that reflect the values, interests, and needs of the communities it hopes to include By building partnerships with organizations embedded in those communities, the Authority can leverage existing networks and communication channels to reach new audiences more effectively and authentically.
This report would not have been possible without the generous, collaborative support of the Authority’s key partners—The Trust for Public Land, Health Trust, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, New America Media, and the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI)—whose shared commitment to public health, land conservation, environmental science, and quality media coverage made the work possible at every stage.
Proximity and Access: The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) envisions that everyone lives within easy walking distance of a well-maintained park For this project, TPL contributed essential proximity and access data by performing a ParkScore® analysis of parks and open spaces, with details available at www.tpl.org/parkscore and more about TPL at www.tpl.org.
Within the Authority’s urban boundary, parks are defined as areas offering reasonable access and some type of passive or active recreational opportunities, with industrial areas, universities, cemeteries, and golf courses excluded for this analysis The analysis uses a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based method to explore proximity and access to parks and open spaces for urban residents, identifying Ten-Minute Walk (or half-mile) service areas to estimate how many residents have reasonable access The results include Impact Analysis charts that show which demographic groups are most-served versus least-served by the region’s parks and protected lands This information helps the Authority, partners, and future grant applicants recognize access and service gaps and target them through new projects and funding opportunities.
Food and Nutrition: Health Trust
Health Trust provided the Authority with important information related to food and nutrition In September of
In 2016, Health Trust published Food for Everyone, an in-depth assessment of healthy food access for low-income seniors and homeless residents in San Jose The report’s data were mapped to reveal the current state of food assistance and to highlight gaps in healthy food access affecting these populations Health Trust staff shared key findings with the Authority to inform agriculture and food systems project opportunities To pinpoint priority sites for new community gardens, the Authority drew on Health Trust data on CalFresh recipients as well as the locations of existing community gardens and urban farms.
Health and Safety: Santa Clara County Public Health Department
Santa Clara County Public Health Department collects extensive data to assess the health status of residents, using these findings to drive targeted action The County’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) provides a structured, data-driven framework to address the health issues identified in assessments and coordinate efforts to improve health outcomes for all residents.
County data will guide the Authority’s approach to health and community well-being through open space access Data on obesity, diabetes, and heart disease will inform where to locate parks and trails and what features and amenities—such as community gardens, environmental education opportunities, and other open space programs and projects—these spaces should offer By aligning open space planning with health indicators, the Authority and its grantees can prioritize locations and designs that promote healthier lifestyles and stronger community well-being.
New America Media leveraged their long-time relationships with ethnic media partners in the
New Data, New Questions
Phase II of the Open Space Authority's work involves mapping a range of indicators and analyzing how this information can advance the Authority's mission By layering multiple datasets, the organization seeks a deeper understanding of the needs of residents and communities within its jurisdiction Building on Phase I, indicators such as CalEnviroScreen scores, vehicle access, and population density are updated and complemented with new data to enhance insight Updates to these Phase I indicators are outlined here, reflecting improved insights and guiding planning and decision-making.
The Original Deep Engagement Communities
Approximately 1.4 million people live within the Authority’s jurisdiction All data and maps in this report cover the entire jurisdiction unless otherwise noted, and the Authority’s jurisdiction is distinct from the County boundary, so the data are specific to the population within the Authority’s jurisdiction For jurisdiction demographics and other data that could indicate barriers to accessing open space, see Phase I report: Understanding Our Community: A Community Assessment Project In Phase I, the Authority used four indicators to identify six Deep Engagement Communities (DECs).
Through data analysis, the Authority identified high-density population areas within the jurisdiction, guiding a targeted approach to future investments By focusing resources where more people can be reached, this data-driven strategy aims to maximize the impact of investments and extend benefits to the largest possible segment of the population.
By considering low income and high CalEnviroScreen scores, the Authority hoped to capture areas that lacked resources and were disproportionately impacted by environmental burdens.
Linguistic Isolation, Age, and Vehicle Access
Linguistic isolation, aging populations, and limited vehicle access significantly shape how easily residents can reach the natural spaces in their communities, and these same factors create notable barriers to participating in local programming, events, and other opportunities to engage with the community.
Across all areas under the Authority’s jurisdiction, there are partnership opportunities, but the DECs offer especially strong potential to engage with local stakeholders and organizations that are deeply embedded in their communities.
During the second phase of Understanding Our Community, the Authority revised the Deep Engagement Communities (DEC) boundaries in light of new and updated information Map 1 shows the Authority’s jurisdiction with these revised boundaries Four of the six DEC boundaries have been slightly expanded to include areas where data indicate a need for prioritized attention and support.
DEC2 includes a census tract along its southern border that has been incorporated as a disadvantaged community based on state and county median income designations The designation also reflects a sizable senior population with ambulatory difficulties, households without access to vehicles, and elevated rates of heart disease mortality in the area.
DEC3 has expanded to the north, adding a northern area that encompasses two additional census tracts This expansion reflects the area's high rating for state and county disadvantaged communities and its elevated diabetes rates.
• DEC4: A census tract has been added to the western border of DEC4 based on rating of disadvantaged communities and significant numbers of households that lack vehicle access.
A census tract has been added along the southern border of DEC5 This community is rated as a disadvantaged community and shows significant rates of heart disease, with little access to open space The addition highlights health and environmental equity challenges within DEC5 and underscores the need for targeted actions to expand open spaces and health resources in the area.
Most maps in this report are presented at a slightly zoomed-in scale of the Authority’s jurisdiction to provide a closer view of the data when detail matters, while still including significant amounts of information When the data span the entire jurisdiction, the full map is shown This approach delivers targeted insights without losing the broader context.
Across our maps, data are organized into the most manageable groupings in some cases, while Jenks natural breaks is the preferred classification method in most maps Jenks natural breaks identifies the optimal way to split ranges of values into distinct classes, tailoring boundaries to the data distribution to improve interpretation and visual clarity This data-driven approach enhances map readability and supports meaningful comparisons across categories.
Census Tracts and Block Groups
Census tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county or equivalent entity, updated by local participants prior to each decennial census They generally have a population between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of about 4,000, and usually cover a contiguous area However, the spatial size of census tracts can vary depending on the density of the settlement.
• Block Groups (BG) are statistical divisions of census tracts that are generally defined to contain between
Block groups (BGs) typically contain between 600 and 3,000 people and are used to present data and organize block numbering A block group consists of clusters of blocks within the same census tract that share the first digit of their four-digit census block number Each census tract contains at least one block group, and a block group is uniquely numbered within the census tract and generally covers a contiguous geographic area.
Map 1 Updated Deep Engagement Community Boundaries: Deep Engagement Community boundaries expanded to reflect new data in Phase II.
Updates to Population and Income Data
Data on population and income for Phase I and Phase II were gathered from the United States Census Bureau, using two primary sources: the Decennial Census (conducted every 10 years) and the American Community Survey (an ongoing annual survey that provides yearly updates) Phase I reflected data from 2009–2013.
Phase I identified low-income households as those earning below half of the County Median Household Income (MHI), which is $91,702 In Phase II, the Authority added context by classifying communities as disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged relative to both the County MHI and the State MHI, with the State MHI defined as $63,783 according to the California Department of Water Resources Integrated Regional Water Management Guidelines (2015).
Mapping the Data
With the help of essential partners, the Authority has gathered data that can spark new questions for further exploration and illuminate how the agency can address barriers facing the community To focus its work, the Authority has prioritized four key categories for deeper consideration.
For each of the four categories, staff proposed a set of guiding questions designed to reveal what information was missing to fully understand local community needs These questions not only guided the data mapping process but also helped the Authority connect findings to the Urban Grant Program (UGP), highlighting areas of high need and substantial opportunity.
The Urban Grant Program is divided into four categories:
• Parks, Trails, and Public Access
Proximity and Access
Proximity to nature and access to outdoor spaces are foundational to creating equitable opportunities for all communities For the Authority, these factors guide investments in parks, trails, and related programs, because improving proximity and access can yield meaningful, positive impacts on health, inclusion, and quality of life In shaping this report, the Authority examined how location, connectivity, and program design affect outcomes, and it posed a set of questions—among many others—to ensure that park and trail investments maximize reach and benefits while advancing environmental justice and community well-being.
• Which residents currently live within a 10-minute walk to open space? And, more importantly for purposes of our work, which do not?
• Where are there high levels of individuals with ambulatory difficulty or who lack access to a vehicle?
• Where are there high numbers of young people, an important user group for outdoor programming and parks?
• Where are there high numbers of over-crowded households, one indicator for outdoor and open space needs?
• In which communities are low numbers of adults riding or walking to work, a possible indicator for a lack of safe pedestrian and biking paths?
Park Access Half-Mile Park Service Area
Relevant Grant Program Categories: Parks, Trails, and Public Access
Map 5A presents the GIS-based ParkScore analysis conducted by the Open Space Authority within its urban jurisdiction, identifying Ten-Minute Walk (half-mile) Service Areas and parks with public access The analysis supports considering these service areas and accessible parks when planning future funding opportunities and community engagement initiatives.
6A: Persons with Ambulatory Difficulty, Proximity to Open Space, DECs
6B: Persons with Ambulatory Difficulty, Without Vehicle Access, DECs
Relevant Grant Program Categories: Parks, Trails, and Public Access
According to the Census, ambulatory difficulty is defined as having serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs Map 6A shows the distribution of people living with ambulatory difficulty within the Authority’s jurisdiction, including their proximity to protected lands, 10-Minute Walk Service Areas, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries Map 6B presents the same data sets, but replaces the 10-Minute Walk Service Area with the percentage of households by Census block group without vehicle access Experiencing ambulatory difficulties, not living near protected lands, being outside a 10-Minute Walk Service Area, and lacking vehicle access are significant barriers to accessing natural spaces and the opportunities they offer The Authority recommends considering these factors when distributing grants and other funding related to accessibility, transportation, and related mitigation efforts.
7A: Density of Children, School Locations, DECs
7B: Overcrowded Households, School Locations, DECs
Relevant Grant Program Categories: Parks, Trails and Public Access, Environmental Education
Map 7A maps the distribution by Census tract of individuals under age 18 and their proximity to community colleges, universities, and elementary and secondary schools within the Deep Engagement Community (DEC) boundaries The data highlight areas such as DEC4 with high numbers of youth residents, signaling where youth-focused programs could have the greatest impact and where new pedestrian and bike trails could serve as neighborhood linkages and improve access to amenities like schools and libraries Map 7B presents the distribution, by neighborhood, of overcrowded households and their proximity to these same education facilities The Census defines an overcrowded household as more than one person per room, and the data indicate DEC3 has the highest concentration of overcrowded households.
Map 8: Ability to Walk/Balk to Work, Proximity to Open Space, DECs
Relevant Grant Program Categories: Parks, Trails and Public Access
Map 8 analyzes the distribution of people aged 16 and older who bike or walk to work and their proximity to protected spaces, 10 Minute Walk Service Areas, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries, offering actionable insights for planning new pedestrian and bike corridors and other infrastructure that connect diverse parts of the community Such linkages can reduce access barriers for households without vehicles and encourage residents to choose more sustainable transportation modes, helping to lower the community’s carbon footprint.
Map 5 Park Access Half-Mile Park Service Area: Half-Mile Park Services Areas and parks with public access Created by
The Trust for Public Land.
Map 6A visualizes the distribution of persons with ambulatory difficulties in relation to proximity to open space and DECs, showing the percentage of individuals living with ambulatory limitations relative to protected spaces, within 10‑minute mile walk service areas, and provides a deeper analysis of these spatial dynamics.
Map 6B displays the spatial relationship between mobility challenges and transportation access by focusing on Persons with Ambulatory Difficulty Without Vehicle Access within Deep Engagement Communities (DECs) It conveys the percentage of individuals living with ambulatory difficulties, the percentage of households without vehicle access relative to protected spaces, the delineation of 10 Minute Walk Service Areas, and the boundaries of Deep Engagement Communities The map highlights accessibility gaps across DECs and protected spaces, informing planning decisions to improve service reach within 10-minute walking zones and ensure equitable access for people with mobility needs.
Map 7A Density of Children, School Locations, DECs: Distribution of individuals under 18 relative to elementary and secondary schools, community colleges, universities, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries.
Map 7B Overcrowded Households, School Locations, DECs: Distribution of overcrowded households relative to elementary and secondary schools, community colleges, and universities relative to Deep Engagement Community boundaries.
Map 8 shows the ability to walk or bike to work in relation to proximity to open space and protected spaces, alongside the distribution of individuals aged 16 and above who bike or walk to work It also maps 10-minute walk service areas and the boundaries of Deep Engagement Communities (DECs) to illustrate how active transportation opportunities align with protected spaces The visualization reveals where nonmotorized commuting is most feasible based on access to open space and protected areas, and where DEC boundaries intersect with reachable routes within a 10-minute walk These insights help planners identify target areas for expanding walkable and bikeable infrastructure, increasing access to open space, and strengthening the relationship between DECs and sustainable commuting patterns.
Beyond expanding access to natural spaces for traditional outdoor recreation, the Authority and its environmental partners emphasize the strong link between access to lands such as community gardens and urban farms and public health and nutrition Increasing access to these spaces also helps cultivate a deeper, more personal connection to the land.
Establishing community gardens and urban farms increases access to healthy food while expanding opportunities for physical activity and environmental learning When garden and farm locations are integrated with open space access and aligned with health, nutrition, and school indicators, authorities and partners can leverage existing sites and unlock the community health and wellness benefits of strategically placed new locations.
• Which communities lack access to community gardens or urban farms, particularly those where a significant number of residents receive CalFresh benefits?
• Where do children lack access to community gardens and urban farms?
• Does access to community gardens and urban farms correlate to access to opportunities such as school garden programs or family-oriented farm activities?
Map 9: Unhealthy Retail Food Environment Index
Map 9 shows the modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI) which provides a ratio for the number of healthy food retailers (e.g gardens, farmer’s markets, community-supported agricultural program opportunities, etc.) compared to the number of less healthy food retailers (e.g., fast food restaurants, convenience stores, etc.) This data could be utilized when considering the placement of new community gardens, urban farms, or school garden programs that could help lessen the negative impact of the lack of healthy food retail options.
10A: CalFresh Recipients, Proximity to Community Gardens and Urban Farms, DECs
10B: Density of Children, Proximity to Community Gardens and Urban Farms, DECs
Urban Agriculture/Food Systems, Environmental Education
Map 10A shows the various densities of households receiving CalFresh and their proximity to urban farms, community gardens, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries Map 10B shows the distribution, by census block groups, of the population under 18 years of age by in relation to those same sites These areas could be further explored as sites where the placement of a community gardens or urban farms could have significant impact by increasing access to healthy food, as well as residents’ access to nutrition education and growing one’s own food Similarly, in communities where there are high numbers of children but no community gardens or urban farms, school garden programs could be particularly valuable In addition to providing fresh fruits and vegetables, school gardens can also provide an opportunity for students to connect with the land, learn about sustainable food systems, and foster a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the natural places that provide for them.
Map 9 Unhealthy Retail Food Environment Index: Modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI) relative to the
Within the Authority’s jurisdiction and across the Deep Engagement Community boundaries, the mRFEI calculates the ratio of healthy food retailers (gardens, farmers’ markets, and community-supported agriculture programs) to less healthy food retailers (fast-food restaurants and convenience stores) This metric highlights local disparities in access to nutritious foods and guides targeted improvements within the defined communities and jurisdictions.
Map 10A CalFresh Recipients, Proximity to Community Gardens and Urban Farms, DECs: Various densities of households receiving CalFresh relative to urban farms, community gardens, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries.
Map 10B Density of Children, Proximity to Community Gardens and Urban Farms, DECs: Distribution of populations of individuals under 18 relative to urban farms, community gardens, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries.
Parks, trails, and gardens create opportunities to promote healthy, sustainable living by encouraging regular physical activity Since inactive lifestyles are linked to weight gain, heart disease, and other health problems, increasing access to these active spaces enables authorities to lower these risk factors and support healthier communities.
• Are there correlations between heart disease and proximity to open space?
• Which communities report disproportionately high rates of obesity in youth and adults?
• Which communities rank highest for heart disease and diabetes?
11A: Childhood Obesity Rates, Proximity to Urban Gardens/Community Farms, DECs
11B: Teenage Obesity Rates, Proximity to Urban Gardens/Community Farms, DECs
11C: Adult Obesity Rates, Proximity to Urban Gardens/Community Farms, DECs
Urban Agriculture/Food Systems, Environmental Education
Maps 11A, 11B, and 11C show neighborhood-by-neighborhood variation in obesity rates among children, teens, and adults, and how proximity to urban farms, community gardens, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries intersects with these patterns Investing in outdoor recreation opportunities and programming can encourage families to adopt more active lifestyles Additionally, creating new bike and pedestrian trails offers both recreational options and a path to lower greenhouse gas emissions by reducing reliance on cars or buses when those are the only transportation options.
12A: Heart Disease, Proximity to Urban Farms/Community Gardens and Open Space
12B: Diabetes, Proximity to Urban Farms/Community Gardens and Open Space
Parks, Trails, and Public Access, Urban Agriculture/Food Systems
Map 12A and 12B illustrate the neighborhood‑level distribution of heart disease and diabetes‑related deaths per 100,000 residents, plotted alongside urban farms, community gardens, protected areas, 10 Minute Walk Service Areas, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries This spatial alignment highlights neighborhoods where the development of trails, parks, community gardens, urban farms, or other nature‑based programs could meaningfully improve health outcomes and guide public health planning and investment.
Map 11A Childhood Obesity Rates, Proximity to Urban Gardens/Community Farms, DECs: Percentages of children considered obese relative to urban farms, community gardens, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries
CHILDHOOD OBESITY RATES, PROXIMITY TO COMMUNITY
GARDENS AND URBAN FARMS, DECs
Map 11B Teenage Obesity Rates, Proximity to Urban Gardens/Community Farms, DECs: Distribution of teenagers considered obese relative to urban farms, community gardens, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries
TEENAGE OBESITY RATES, PROXIMITY TO COMMUNITY
GARDENS AND URBAN FARMS, DECs
Map 11C Adult Obesity Rates, Proximity to Urban Gardens/Community Farms, DECs: Distribution of adults considered obese relative to urban farms, community gardens, and Deep Engagement Community boundaries
ADULT OBESITY RATES, PROXIMITY TO COMMUNITY
GARDENS AND URBAN FARMS, DECs