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Public Review Draft <br />Page 10 San Leandro 2021 Climate Action Plan <br />Social Inequities and Climate Vulnerability <br />Race is a major determinant of life quality and outcomes, and in the United States, it is tied to <br />income and wealth. Since race impacts resource access and health conditions, it is a reliable <br />predictor for climate vulnerability and risk. Historically and currently, institutions and structural <br />systems drive and perpetuate inequitable distribution of resources, access to opportunities, and <br />poor life outcomes that many frontline communities face. Examples include San Leandro’s history <br />as a sundown town,24 redlining,25exclusionary housing policies, forced removal of Indigenous <br />communities, and Jim Crow segregation. Not only did these policies exacerbate the wealth and <br />income gap between white families and families of color, they also resulted in a greater number of <br />lower-income and communities of color living in areas at greater risk of climate impacts such as <br />flooding, urban heat islands, and poor air quality. Furthermore, the lack of financial resources and <br />existing infrastructure such as affordable public transit or green spaces may increase challenges <br />for frontline communities to respond to or cope with climate events. This puts frontline communities <br />in a bind—the communities most vulnerable to climate change are least likely to have resources to <br />adapt to climate change. <br />In addition to these patterns, recent increases in immigrant populations in San Leandro without <br />significant increase in language access support points to gaps in people’s ability to voice their <br />concerns and get needs met.26 Many in the Asian and Latinx communities distrust government <br />institutions based on cultural trauma and past experiences in their ancestral lands. Such distrust <br />can make it difficult for communities to access certain resources and information. <br />Many of these systemic issues are larger than any one person or the City of San Leandro and by <br />the nature of root causes, do not have quick fixes or simple solutions. National and State legislation, <br />such as the Fair Housing Act and requirements for an environmental justice element in General <br />Plans are starting points. The City has begun the process of examining its policies and developing <br />an equity plan with a team of consultants, internal staff, and community members to address these <br />root causes that result in heightened vulnerability to climate impacts. In addition, the City has some <br />programming and policies focused on reaching frontline communities, such as resilience hubs, <br />transit-oriented affordable housing development, and multilingual translation during public meetings <br />and outreach campaigns. As the CAP implementation progresses with equity at its center, more <br />policies and practices will be developed to help the City address these gaps. The equity frameworks <br />described below provide a roadmap for how the City and communities can work together to identify <br />the problem areas and come up with solutions. <br /> <br />54