LA Park Needs Assessment

As critical infrastructure in our communities, parks are a foundational part of life in Los Angeles. The City of LA has one of the most iconic park systems in the United States, boasting parks like Echo Park and Sepulveda Basin and world-renown facilities like the Griffith Observatory and Greek Theatre. Keeping up with this system and providing equitable access to parks is a challenge and LA has fallen behind in the national ranking of parks completed by the Trust for Public Land. The City of Los Angeles 2025 Park Needs Assessment (PNA) is a pivotal initiative designed to shape the future of the city’s extensive park system. As the prime consultant on this effort, OLIN led a team of 13 subconsultants to support the City of LA Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) in this effort. This forward-looking assessment brings together deep community engagement, innovative data collection, and the lived realities of Angelenos to identify current and future needs, challenges, and opportunities for improvement across nearly 16,000 acres of public parkland and recreational facilities. More than just an inventory, the PNA will guide future investment in park infrastructure and amenities, helping ensure it reflects the city's diverse cultures and communities and anticipates projected population growth.

At the heart of the 2025 Park Needs Assessment (PNA) is an unwavering commitment to deep community engagement. Recognizing that parks are foundational to all communities across Los Angeles, the PNA approach was to meet people where they are. The PNA actively involved residents not just with traditional meetings and comprehensive community surveys, but by conducting a statistically valid survey and partnering with 12 organizations that have established community ties to engage their networks in the process. The project also sought feedback from Council Districts and neighborhood councils, as well as to uplift the lived realities of groups often left out of traditional planning processes like those with disabilities, persons experiencing homelessness, street vendors, and artists by conducting focused conversations with advocates. By foregrounding these diverse voices, the PNA helps ensures that its findings and recommendations truly reflect the priorities and needs of the people it serves.

The PNA's robust analytical process began with analyzing the Department of Recreation and Parks' (RAP) evolution over the past 25 years. Historically, LA's parks have struggled to keep pace with rapid urbanization. While the city boasts abundant natural areas, it notably has fewer amenities and less equitable access compared to its peers, which can be traced to chronic underfunding. Over one-third (36%) of RAP’s operating budget ($125.2 million in FY 2025) goes back to the City’s general fund, directly limiting funds for core operations. This financial strain, combined with a shrinking workforce (full-time staffing decreased by 28% and part-time by 62% between FY 2008 and FY 2025), has led to substantial deferred maintenance, with a 2018 assessment identifying over $2 billion in unmet construction and maintenance needs. The PNA identifies revenue strategies to help overcome these deficits and help the park system thrive.

Location
Los Angeles, CA

Owner
Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks

Status
In Progress
View the Public Draft and learn more here

OLIN Key Team Members
Jessica M. Henson, Project Director and Partner-in-Charge
Andrew Dobshinsky, Associate-in-Charge and Parks Planner
Sarah Swanseen, Project Coordinator; Senior Landscape Architect/Planner
Max Dickson, Senior Planner
Joanna Karaman, Ecological Systems Specialist
Selina Cheah, Landscape Designer
Derek Lazo, Landscape Designer
Evangeline Sheridan, Landscape Designer
Zitong Huang, Landscape Designer
Jiewen Hu, Landscape Designer
Priyanjali Sinha, Landscape Designer
Rachita Saxena, Landscape Designer
Farzana Rahman, Landscape Designer
Kristen Juen, Intern
Hanrui Fu, Intern