Community Equity Initiative

Throughout California hundreds of thousands of people live in Disadvantaged, Unincorporated Communities (DUCs). DUCs range from urban pockets that are excluded from cities, to more remote, densely settled rural communities. Residents in these communities often live without the most basic features of a safe and healthy environment - potable drinking water, sewer systems, safe housing, public transportation, access to healthy food, sidewalks, streetlights and parks - due to decades of neglect and exclusion from formal decision-making by city, county and state governments.

The Community Equity Initiative (CEI) is a multi-strategy effort designed to address and eliminate social, political and environmental factors that negatively impact DUCs. CEI was established in partnership with PolicyLink and California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation to focus resources towards changing patterns of historic inequality in rural regions of California. We work alongside community leaders to raise awareness of DUCs, increase investment in community infrastructure, advocate for equitable development, promote environmental justice, guarantee fair representation and build leadership capacity, so that residents can engage meaningfully in decision-making that impacts their neighborhoods and their families.

For more information on the Community Equity Initiative, please contact Program Directors Marisol Aguilar maguilar@crla.org and Marisa Christensen Lundin mlundin@crla.org.

American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009

Throughout California hundreds of thousands of people live in Disadvantaged, Unincorporated Communities (DUCs). DUCs range from urban pockets that are excluded from cities, to more remote, densely settled rural communities. Residents in these communities often live without the most basic features of a safe and healthy environment - potable drinking water, sewer systems, safe housing, public transportation, access to healthy food, sidewalks, storm-water drainage, streetlights and parks - due to decades of neglect and exclusion from formal decision making by city, county and state governments.

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CRLA Fast Facts
CEI

Throughout California hundreds of thousands of people live in Disadvantaged, Unincorporated Communities (DUCs). The Community Equity Initiative (CEI) is an interdisciplinary effort designed to address and eliminate social, political and environmental factors that negatively impact these communities.

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LAND OF RISK
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

Startling new findings from a new UC Davis report: 51% of San Joaquin Valley residents endure elevated levels of combined environmental and social hazards. These conditions are even more extreme for over 1.2 million residents (31%) who are not only exposed to toxics, but whose social conditions make it difficult to advocate on their own behalf. CRLA's Community Equity Initiative helped to link low-income communities to this research project. This report will further our efforts to raise awareness of the many issues impacting disadvantaged unincorporated communities.

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Rural Voices
Building A Brighter Future

Written by Phoebe Seaton and Ilene Jacobs has been published in the HAC Rural Voices Magazine - Winter 09-10 edition. "Advocating for Equity in California's Rural Communities". An article centered around the Colonias and the work being done by nonprofit organizations to create solutions and improve their quality of life.

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