Los Angeles Walks

Los Angeles Walks
Name	Los Angeles Walks
Type	Nonprofit advocacy group
Founded	2002
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Area served	Los Angeles County
Focus	Pedestrian safety, walkability, urban planning

Los Angeles Walks is a nonprofit pedestrian advocacy and urban planning organization based in Los Angeles County. Founded to improve pedestrian safety, walkability, and public space in Los Angeles, it engages community members, planners, and policymakers through organized walks, safety campaigns, and research. The organization collaborates with transportation agencies, civic groups, and academic institutions to influence street design and land-use decisions across the San Gabriel Valley, South Bay, and other regions of Greater Los Angeles.

History

Los Angeles Walks grew out of grassroots activism in the early 2000s at a time when Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority initiatives, debates about the 1992 Los Angeles Riots recovery, and discussions around the Los Angeles River corridor were reshaping local policy. Founders drew inspiration from advocacy models used by groups in New York City, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Chicago and engaged planners from institutions such as the University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles, and the Santa Monica College. Early campaigns intersected with projects like the Expo Line expansion, the Orange Line busway, and proposals linked to the 2012 Olympic bid discussions. The group built coalitions with neighborhood councils involved in debates over projects in Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Echo Park, Silver Lake, and Watts.

Mission and Programs

The mission emphasizes pedestrian safety, equitable access, and urban design reform, aligning with standards used by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, Institute of Transportation Engineers, and the American Planning Association. Programs include safety audits, walk audits near public schools, and toolkits for community groups facing issues around corridors such as Wilshire Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, Figueroa Street, and Sunset Boulevard. Technical assistance has referenced guidance from the Federal Highway Administration, California Department of Transportation, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, and research by the RAND Corporation and Urban Land Institute. Initiatives have addressed pedestrian fatalities documented by the California Office of Traffic Safety and policy recommendations promoted alongside the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Advocacy and Policy Impact

Advocacy efforts targeted municipal and regional policies including updates to the Los Angeles Municipal Code, adoption of Vision Zero goals by the City of Los Angeles, and amendments to the Los Angeles County General Plan. Los Angeles Walks submitted comments to environmental reviews for projects such as the Regional Connector, supported pedestrian elements of the Measure M transportation expenditure plan, and contributed to Safe Routes to School proposals coordinated with the California Department of Education and local school districts like the Los Angeles Unified School District. The group has engaged elected officials including members of the Los Angeles City Council, the California State Assembly, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and federal representatives to secure funding and policy commitments.

Organized Walks and Events

The organization hosts public walks and campaigns in neighborhoods across Central Los Angeles, Northeast Los Angeles, San Pedro, Venice, West Los Angeles, and Pico-Union. Events have been timed with civic moments such as National Bike Month, Walk to School Day, and Earth Day, and coordinated with festivals like LA Pride, Nisei Week, and neighborhood-specific celebrations in Little Tokyo and Chinatown. Signature walks and walking tours feature partnerships with cultural institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Getty Center, The Broad, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to emphasize pedestrian access to cultural assets.

Community Outreach and Education

Outreach programs engage community leaders, faith institutions, and tenant associations in neighborhoods including South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Koreatown, and Harbor Gateway. Education efforts include workshops in collaboration with Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Los Angeles-aligned groups, trainings using materials from the Safe Routes Partnership, and volunteer-led pedestrian counts modeled after techniques used by the National Citizen Survey and university research centers. The group has worked with student groups at Cal State LA, CSU Long Beach, and community colleges to integrate walkability into curricula and service-learning.

Partnerships and Funding

Los Angeles Walks partners with transportation agencies, advocacy organizations, and foundations including the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, the Move LA, the Sierra Club Los Angeles Chapter, and philanthropic funders such as the Annenberg Foundation, The California Endowment, and regional community foundations. Funding sources have included grants from municipal programs, private foundations, and collaborative contracts with institutions like the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Southern California Association of Governments, and local redevelopment agencies. Collaborative projects have intersected with planning efforts by the City Planning Commission (Los Angeles) and nonprofit developers active in transit-oriented development.

Media Coverage and Recognition

Coverage of Los Angeles Walks has appeared in outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, KCET, KPCC, and national coverage in The New York Times, The Guardian, and trade publications like Planetizen. The organization and its leaders have been featured in broadcasts on KTLA, KABC-TV, and interviews with journalists from the Associated Press and Reuters. Recognition includes partnerships and acknowledgments from municipal agencies and civic coalitions involved in awards and programs administered by groups such as the American Planning Association Los Angeles Section and regional public health partnerships.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles