Los Angeles Farmers Field Stadium Rapid HIA
Goals, Values and Participation Commitments
Project Description
The Farmers Field project proposes to construct a 72,000-seat football stadium and 5,600
parking spaces in the South Park neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, which borders the
Pico-Union and South Los Angeles communities. The project would include the demolition and
reconstruction of part of the existing Convention Center and a parking garage.
The proposed Stadium will affect local residents and community organizations, whose members
and clients have expressed concern about omissions in the project’s development plans. A
primary concern is that the plan failed to recognize important potential impacts to the health of
the surrounding communities, particularly related to displacement, housing and access to public
spaces. To provide a more comprehensive analysis of the plan and its health related impacts, a
rapid Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is being conducted. The rapid HIA aims to inform a
forthcoming Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the proposed Stadium development, and
ultimately to influence the final project proposal. Human Impact Partners will collaborate with
Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN) and their coalition members to conduct the
rapid HIA.
HIA Goals
1. Complete a rapid HIA report
Activities:
a. Conduct screening
b. Meet with impacted residents to develop a scope for the rapid HIA
c. Gather data and write an analysis of existing conditions
d. Meet with impacted residents and experts in the subject matters prioritized by
impacted residents, and reach consensus about potential impacts of the proposed
development on health, as well as recommendations to improve the proposal’s
impacts on community health
e. Finalize rapid HIA report and summary of findings and recommendations
f. Develop a monitoring plan
g. Evaluate the rapid HIA process
2. Influence and inform the proposed development
Activities:
a. Disseminate HIA report as well as summary of findings and recommendations to
stakeholders and decision makers
b. Submit HIA report as a comment on the EIR
c. Testify at every public hearing using information from the HIA process (impacted
community members, subject matter experts, LA CAN and other coalition members,
HIP)
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d. Write letter to submit as testimony in the EIR process
3. Engage and empower potentially impacted residents in the HIA and Stadium’s decision
making process
Activities:
a. Hold an in-person meeting with a panel of impacted residents to shape the scope of
the rapid HIA
b. Conduct a community survey to gather data for the HIA
c. Hold a second in-person meeting with a panel of impacted residents where they hear
from subject matter experts about ways that the proposed Stadium development
could impact health outcomes and health determinants; residents will come to
consensus about priority impacts to highlight in the HIA as well as recommendations
to improve the impacts of the proposal on community health
d. Provide residents and stakeholders in the rapid HIA process with support in
communicating the HIA findings and recommendations
4. Stay within budget (within 10% given unanticipated obstacles)
Activities:
a. Create a budget and timeline for the project that aligns with the HIA scope
b. Review the budget mid-way through the HIA process
5. Develop capacity for conducting HIA and publicize the new rapid HIA model
Activities:
a. Write and circulate press release about this HIA
b. Present about the experience of conducting this rapid HIA at conference/s
HIA Core Values
The core values that will guide this HIA include:
• Equity
• Community empowerment
• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Participatory democracy
• Transparency
Principles of Collaboration
HIA partners include the following organizations:
• Human Impact Partners
• Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN)
Coalition partners of LA CAN involved with this HIA include:
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
• Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles (PSR LA)
Partner roles and responsibilities are described in a separate project management document. In
addition to identified roles and responsibilities, participants must agree to the HIA goals and
core values (see above). This means that members will work together to conduct the HIA in
accordance with these goals and values, and will not challenge these goals and values during
the process.
In addition, HIA partners must agree to:
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Provide constructive and proactive input (rather than obstructive and reactive input)
Practice “both/and” rather than “either/or” thinking as much as possible
Be inclusive by respecting different priorities and concerns
Try on new ideas and perspectives
Attend both of the in-person HIA working meetings: the HIA Scoping Meeting (#1); and
the Impacts/ Recommendations Meeting (#2)
Perform tasks as outlined in HIA workplan
Adhere to the HIA timeline and deadlines as assigned in the HIA workplan
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