Public Financing Strategies for Green Business Improvements

Student Work
Michael Ryzhov
July 2020

Los Angeles County’s Green Zones Program employs land-use policy, community engagement, and pollution prevention strategies to assist communities disproportionately burdened by environmental impacts. In addition to facing some of the highest pollution burdens in the state, these communities are also considered vulnerable based on key socioeconomic variables, reflecting the wider phenomenon of environmental racism. With the Green Zones Program, the county seeks to introduce zoning code amendments, referred to as the Green Zones Ordinance, that will require existing industrial businesses to implement green, on-site improvements. The purpose of this research is to inform the creation of a comprehensive funding program that facilitates green improvements while supporting small business development.