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Community Investments Office
Learn about the Air District’s newly established Community Investments Office and the plan to implement programs that direct funding to communities most impacted by air pollution.
The Air District established a new Community Investments Office to develop and manage tailored programs for funding streams generated by penalties and related funds.
In 2024, the Air District Board of Directors approved the Community Benefits Penalty Funds Policy to create an opportunity to direct significant resources back into the communities where air quality violations occurred. This penalty funds policy and related settlement funds have generated over $124 million for local and regional projects. The Air District is working on developing new approaches that actively engage affected communities in fund distribution, ensuring that community needs are prioritized.
Programming [Coming Soon]
The Community Investments Office will oversee the reinvestment of penalty funds into the impacted communities, ensuring that these resources are used to support local projects such as pollution mitigation efforts, community health programs, and the development of green spaces. The goal is to improve environmental quality and public health in areas that have been disproportionately impacted by air pollution.
The Community Investments Office is initiating efforts to empower and connect with communities. Dedicated teams are being established now to plan engagement with communities both locally and regionally, ensuring direct and meaningful connections. These teams will develop and implement an engagement plan to inform communities about and involve them with new investment opportunities.
The office is also building capacity to administer penalty funds, prioritizing equitable distribution to the communities most affected by air quality issues. The office will establish guidelines and create a transparent process for disbursing funds based on identified community needs and priorities.
To provide more information and engage stakeholders, the office will host a kickoff webinar to introduce the program and outline the steps for participation. These actions are designed to build trust, drive meaningful improvements in air quality and community well-being, and lay the foundation for long-term success.
Stay Informed
To ensure that the investments are aligned with community needs, staff will actively engage with local leaders, community-based organizations, businesses, and residents. This collaborative approach will involve regular consultations, public meetings, and transparent decision-making processes, ensuring community members have a direct input on how funds are allocated.
Sign up to receive updates on the latest Community Investments Office activities via email notifications.
Penalty Assessments
For more information about agreements to resolve notices of violation, visit the Air District's Penalties and Settlements web page.
Last Updated: 12/6/2024