$23 Million to Fund East Valley Transit Projects

The city of Los Angeles has received $23 million in state cap-and-trade funding for environmental and zero-emission transportation projects in the Pacoima-Sun Valley area of the San Fernando Valley. The grant, administered by the state’s Transformative Climate Communities program, will include 14 new battery powered DASH buses, installation of solar panels on 175 single-family homes and the planting of 2,000 street trees for shade in the northeast Valley neighborhoods. Mayor Eric Garcetti said the funds will help improve public health, enhance quality of life and create jobs. “The people of Pacoima-Sun Valley have been tireless in their pursuit of a healthier, more prosperous future for their children and grandchildren — and today that hard work is paying off,” Garcetti said in a statement. The money will also go toward safety improvements along 2.4 miles of city streets, 900 feet of new sidewalks and renovations at Gonzalez Park that include walking paths and trees. The programs funded through the grant were developed by the “Green Together” collaborative led by Pacoima Beautiful and includes Community Partners, Grid Alternatives and Los Angeles Conservation Corps among other organizations and city departments.