Full Watts Community Studio Report
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Project Supervisor Alison Becker Project Coordinators Cynthia Gonzalez Lila Burgos Heather Anderson Graphics Consultant Nicolás Zúñiga Survey Team Leads Jacqueline Badejo Ervin Brommel, II Participants Summer Youth Employment Program Alex Castillo Desteny Castillo Jahsua Jones Maria Navarro Dolores Nunez So!a Rivas Jimmy Romero Marvey Williams Inspire Research Academy Rynisha Alexander Juan Jose Cenobio Ivonne Cespedes Guillermo Dominguez Qwentin Dweh Rudy Zúñiga Andrew Thornton CONTENTS Community Summary 1 About Watts Community Studio 11 Survey Results 12 Resident Survey Results 13 Business Survey Results 22 Recommendations 29 Workforce Development 30 Business Development 31 Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) 34 Infrastructure and Planning 35 Safety 39 Social Activities and Culture 41 Youth Development 42 Leadership Development 43 Next Steps 45 Appendices 49 Appendix A: Methods Appendix B: About Watts, Secondary Data Appendix C: Watts Labor Force Statistics Appendix D: Resident Survey (English and Spanish) Appendix E: Resident Survey Results Appendix F: Business Survey (English and Spanish) Appendix G: Business Survey Results Appendix H: Asset Mapping Appendix I: Maps COMMUNITY SUMMARY About Watts Community Studio The Watts Community Studio (WCS) is a community research project supported by Los Angeles City Council District 15 (CD15), O!ce of Councilman Joe Buscaino. The project aims to learn more about Watts from the people who live and own businesses there. Involving residents in the decision-making process for their neighborhood will help with programs, projects, and policies for the future of Watts. Mission: The Watts Community Studio uses community-led research to o"er ideas on how to improve the condi- tions of the neighborhood. Aims t4IBSFJOGPSNBUJPOBCPVUTFSWJDFTQSPHSBNTGPSSFTJEFOUTBOETNBMMCVTJOFTTFT t)FMQDSFBUFBDPNNPOQMBOGPSUIFGVUVSFPG8BUUT t&ODPVSBHFDPNNVOJUZJOWPMWFNFOUJODIBOHFTUIBUJNQBDU8BUUT t1SPNPUFMFBEFSTIJQBOEPQQPSUVOJUJFTGPS8BUUTSFTJEFOUT t1SPNPUFEFWFMPQNFOUUIBUCFOFöUTUIFDPNNVOJUZ t-PPLBUDIBOHFPWFSUJNFJO8BUUT t4IBSFUIFSFTFBSDISFTVMUTXJUIUIFDPNNVOJUZ Goals and Objectives t"TLUIFSFTJEFOUTBOECVTJOFTTPXOFSTPG8BUUTXIBUUIFZOFFEBOEWBMVF t4VQQPSUBOFUXPSLPGMPDBMMFBEFSTBOEBOFUXPSLPGCVTJOFTTPXOFST t0òFSSFDPNNFOEBUJPOTGPSFDPOPNJDEFWFMPQNFOUJO8BUUT Survey Outreach Watt Community Studio (WCS) used the Census data, other public agency data, and conducted meetings to learn more about Watts. WCS worked with many organizations and churches in the community to make sure that the TVSWFZTBOEQSPKFDUXFSFNBEFGPSUIFQFPQMFPG8BUUT*OQBSUOFSTIJQXJUIUIF4VNNFS:PVUI&NQMPZNFOU1SPHSBN 4:&1 BOE*/41*3&3FTFBSDI"DBEFNZ 8$4XPSLFEXJUIZPVUIGSPN8BUUT5IFZPVUIXPSLFEGPVSXFFLTHJWJOH surveys to residents and business owners. The team walked door-to-door and went to places where residents gather, MJLF5FE8BULJOT1BSLBOEMPDBMFWFOUT MJLFUIF-"1%/BUJPOBM/JHIU0VUBOEUIF#VTJOFTT$POOFDUJPOT#SFBLGBTU5IF youth workers also spent two weeks entering the data from the completed surveys. The three-month project has revealed ideas for how to support the future of Watts that includes the residents and businesses. About 700 resident and 50 business owner surveys were collected in Watts. The survey responses show that they love their neighborhood and have ideas on how to improve it. This Community Summary describes some of the information collected and actionable responses. Thank you to all who participated! With your help, this project has revealed ideas for how to support the future of Watts that includes the residents and businesses. Watts Community Studio 1 COMMUNITY SUMMARY About Watts Before surveying residents, WCS collected data about Watts to gain an understanding of the neighborhood. The main points of the data are presented here. 39% of Watts is under 18 years old, with Watts is a neighborhood of Watts is predominantly the average age of a Watts resident families Hispanic or Latino being 24. Over 65 All Other PG SFTJEFOUT BSF )JTQBOJD PS years old Races Latino, and 28% are Black or African 5% 2% American. This data communicates Under 18 the demographic shift that has been Black or years old African 28% happening in Watts since the 1980’s. 18 - 64 )JTQBOJDPS 39% American Re#ecting that shift, Spanish is spoken at years old Latino over two-thirds of homes in Watts. Most 56% 70% PG 8BUUT )JTQBOJD PS -BUJOP SFTJEFOUT identify as Mexican in descent or origin. Just under half of Watts residents over 25 years old have graduated high school. This rate of educational attainment has implications for residents’ job prospects and health PVUDPNFT5IFNPTUDPNNPOJOEVTUSJFT8BUUTSFTJEFOUTXPSLGPSBSF&EVDBUJPOBM The median household income 4FSWJDFT )FBMUI$BSFBOE4PDJBM"TTJTUBODF.BOVGBDUVSJOH3FUBJMBOE$POTUSVDUJPO in Watts is $28,700 To get to work, Watts residents use public transportation more frequently than $PVOUZSFTJEFOUT8BUUTFYQFSJFODFTBIJHIQFSDFOUBHFPGQPWFSUZUIFIPVTFIPME median income is $28,700. Watts is a neighborhood of families with an average of 4.3 people living in a house. 68% of households in Watts 30% of Watts residents own their homes. This is lower than some neighborhoods moved into their current home in LA, but a"ordable housing programs in Watts mean that more a"ordable rental since 2000 options exist. This includes public housing as well as multi-family assisted apartments. )PVTFIPMETJO8BUUTNPWFBTGSFRVFOUMZBT-PT"OHFMFT$PVOUZIPVTFIPMETPG Watts households have moved into their current homes since 2000. Commute to Work, Educational Attainment of Watts Housing Tenure and A!ordable Individual Watts Residents Residents 25 Years Old and Over Housing Programs Car, truck, or van: alone 66% Completed 8th grade 68% Owner-Occupied Car, truck, or van: carpooled 14% Graduated high school 47% Renter-Occupied Units Units, Other Public transportation 12% Attended college courses 20% 30% Earned a degree (Bachelor's, 33% Walked 2% 3% Graduate or professional) Other means 2% 37% Worked at home 4% Renter-Occupied Units, A"ordable )PVTJOH1SPHSBNT %BUB4PVSDFT64$FOTVT#VSFBV%FDFOOJBM$FOTVT BOE"NFSJDBO$PNNVOJUZ4VSWFZ:FBS&TUJNBUFT 2 Estudio Comunitario de Watts COMMUNITY SUMMARY Resident Survey Results Who took the survey? 1FPQMF XIP UPPL UIF TVSWFZ NBUDIFE the data collected about Watts: They XFSF NPTUMZ -BUJOP)JTQBOJD BOE "GSJDBO "NFSJDBO#MBDL CFUXFFO the ages of 14 and 35, and spoke Spanish or were bilingual (Spanish and &OHMJTI )PXFWFS NPTU SFTQPOEFOUT were women, and the most common occupation was homemaker. Most respondents were either employed full- time, or were unemployed. Additional occupation responses included teacher, student, and social worker, which matches the occupation data collected. These occupations demonstrate that residents of Watts are also participating in top jobs for the City of Los Angeles. Watts is a neighborhood of working and committed people seeking opportunities for personal improvement. What are the strengths and challenges in Watts? Residents who responded to the survey like the services available in Watts, the family values and community support that they have established. Responses show that Watts is a dynamic neighborhood with people who feel upset about their life in Watts and happy for their friends and family. They want basic resources to make their lives better like jobs, physical activities, and safe and cleaner streets where they can socialize. Respondents also gave ideas about how to make the neighborhood better, like IBWJOHUIFQPMJDFBOEMFBEFSTJOUIFDPNNVOJUZXPSLDMPTFSUPHFUIFS1FPQMFXIPUPPLUIFTVSWFZGFMUUIBUQSPHSBNTGPSZPVUI would also work to keep them o" the streets and away from violent activities. Neighborhood Assets Neighborhood Challenges Neighborhood Priorities 1 Services and Amenities 1 Violence/Danger 1 Employment (65%) 2 Nothing 2 Gangs/Drugs 2 Physical Activities (60%) 3 Community Support 3 Dirty (needs cleanup) 3 Neighborhood Cleanliness (57%) 4 Everything 4 Unemployment/Jobs 4 Enforcement (54%) 5 Neighborhood’s Improving 5 Non-existing Youth Programs 5 Social Activities (52%) My Home/Grew Up Here/Family 6 6 Racial Division/No unity 6 Culture (52%) & Friends Everything/General 7 Transportations (50%) 7 Community Organizing 7 Improvement 8 Housing (50%) 8 Centrally Located 8 Limited Resources 9 Government (50%) 9 Family Neighborhood 9 Education 10 I like it 10 Need increased police Watts Community Studio 3 COMMUNITY SUMMARY A Focus on Youth and Employment Residents who took the survey said that Watts needs more programs for young people and more jobs. Remembering that the average age of a person in Watts is 24 years old, Watts Community Studio researched the relationship between local labor statistics and the youth living in this community. Watts and the Labor Force Eligible Population, Labor Force First, it’s important to know how many people in Watts are actively in the labor force. Participation in Watts That means that they’re over 16 and are eligible to work. If someone is a student, retired, a stay-at-home parent, in an institution (like jail or a hospital), or have been jobless for an extended period of time, they are not counted as part of the labor force. In the Labor Force 47% Nearly 60% of the population (24,049 persons) in Watts is eligible to be in the in the labor force, but only half of this population (about 12,800 persons) is participating in 53% Not in the the labor force. This means that there are a lot of people in Watts that could be in Labor Force the labor force, but are not. It could be that Watts residents who are not in the labor force face barriers to employment, such long-term unemployment,