Evaluating Meaningful Engagement Under Environmental Justice Mandates: A Case Study of California’s SB1000 Implementation in Santa Ana

Keywords: comprehensive plans, meaningful engagement, COVID-19, environmental justice, state mandates, land use
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 21

Abstract

California’s Senate Bill 1000 (2016) requires general land use plans to integrate environmental justice policies throughout. This research explores the City of Santa Ana’s general plan update from 2014-2020 to understand whether SB1000 contributed to meaningful engagement of community concerns regarding environmental justice. I use a pluralistic definition of environmental justice that draws from theoretical definitions—distributional, procedural, capabilities, and recognition—as well as environmental justice movements as an evaluative tool. Methods include a gray literature review, semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis. This research shows the limitations of SB1000, in particular as a method to provide meaningful engagement of environmental justice communities in Santa Ana. The general plan framework that was defined by business and homeowner groups lacked environmental justice dimensions and created challenges for the city when it was required to include these dimensions under SB1000. The role of environmental justice activists was instrumental in pushing the city to comply with SB1000 and their continued involvement may increase meaningful community engagement. This study contributes to the growing body of scholarship that documents white supremacy in planning and its harmful effects on low-income and Black, indigenous, people of color communities. This research points to the challenges of implementing statewide environmental justice mandates at the municipal level and provides recommendations for practice.