Redlining was a U.S. federal government practice from the 1930s until the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 that refused home loans and insurance based on neighborhood safety and desirability rankings tied to race. This led to neighborhoods with high concentrations of minority residents receiving little investment relative to white communities. More than half a century later, the legacy patterns of disinvestment are still evident today. 

A spatial assessment of 108 urban areas in the U.S., including Los Angeles, found that in 94% of cases, formerly redlined neighborhoods still have two to three times less tree cover today, and are on average 2.6°C (4.7°F), and up to 7°C (12.6°F), hotter than their non-redlined counterparts (Hoffman, Shandas & Pendleton, 2020).

CLICK HERE to explore historic redlining maps for LA and other regions, digitized by the University of Richmond.

Urban forest equity ensures all communities—regardless of race, income, or location—have fair access to the benefits of trees and green spaces.

In Los Angeles, many entities are working to advance tree equity. These include North East Trees, City Plants, TreePeople, Climate Resolve, Pacoima Beautiful, the Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity Collective, and city and county urban forestry departments — among other groups. These organizations depend on the participation of residents to help plant and care for trees.

CLICK HERE to explore your neighborhood’s Tree Equity Score, created by American Forests to help prioritize human-centered investment in areas with the greatest need.

Shade deserts are urban areas lacking sufficient natural or built shade, exposing residents to high heat and health risks.

CLICK HERE to explore the brand-new SHADE feature in the Tree Equity Score. Developed by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation in partnership with American Forests, the Shade Layer offers communities an accessible way to see how much shade they have, where it is, and whether it comes from buildings or trees.