About the Toolkit
The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) and the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) developed this toolkit to support jurisdictions in San Bernardino County with implementation of SB 1000. The project was funded by the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Regional Early Action Planning grant program.
The ultimate goal of the toolkit was to develop a regionally specific SB 1000 toolkit for use by local jurisdictions and stakeholders. The tools, maps, and data dashboards in this toolkit were informed by input and feedback from stakeholders across the region, including jurisdictions and non-profit organizations, as well as from across the State, including the Office of Planning and Research and the Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Environmental Justice. As the birthplace of SB 1000, SBCTA is proud to be the first region to develop a regionally specific SB 1000 toolkit in California.
This page includes a suite of interactive maps and dashboards to help support jurisdictions and other stakeholders with identifying health and environmental inequities in San Bernardino County and inform ways to reduce and eliminate them. These tools identify Priority Equity Communities (PECs) and provide a comparative analysis of PECs across the region. All data is publicly available and downloadable.
About the Toolkit
The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) and the San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) developed this toolkit to support jurisdictions in San Bernardino County with implementation of SB 1000. The project was funded by the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Regional Early Action Planning grant program.
The ultimate goal of the toolkit was to develop a regionally specific SB 1000 toolkit for use by local jurisdictions and stakeholders. The tools, maps, and data dashboards in this toolkit were informed by input and feedback from stakeholders across the region, including jurisdictions and non-profit organizations, as well as from across the State, including the Office of Planning and Research and the Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Environmental Justice. As the birthplace of SB 1000, SBCTA is proud to be the first region to develop a regionally specific SB 1000 toolkit in California.
This page includes a suite of interactive maps and dashboards to help support jurisdictions and other stakeholders with identifying health and environmental inequities in San Bernardino County and inform ways to reduce and eliminate them. These tools identify Priority Equity Communities (PECs) and provide a comparative analysis of PECs across the region. All data is publicly available and downloadable.
What is
SB 1000?
What is SB 1000?
Senate Bill 1000 (SB 1000), or the Planning for Healthy Communities Act, was signed into law in 2016. It requires cities and counties with disadvantaged communities (referred to as “Priority Equity Communities” in this toolkit) to develop an environmental justice (EJ) element or integrate related EJ goals, policies, and programs into other elements of their general plans.
As the long-term policy document for a city or county, a general plan establishes a shared vision for the future and guides a community’s future development pattern and policy decisions.
SB 1000 ensures EJ is a real and vital part of the planning process in order to reduce risks in communities disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards. By reducing pollution and improving access to health-promoting amenities and activities, SB 1000 works to create places that foster positive health outcomes for all who live, work, and play in them.
What is Environmental Justice?
Environmental justice is defined in California as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.”
For decades, many low-income communities and communities of color have experienced a disproportionate burden of environmental pollution because of discriminatory past and present land use and environmental policies. EJ seeks to correct these unjust legacies by reducing exposure to pollution (including air pollution and hazardous wastes) in impacted communities, and by involving residents in any decisions to improve their communities.
Priority Equity Community
According to State law, a Disadvantaged Community (DAC) is defined as “a low-income area that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation”. SBCTA and SBCOG refers to DACs as “Priority Equity Communities” (PECs) in order to align with the terminology developed by the Southern California Association of Governments and to center equitable investments as part of the SB 1000 process. To comply with SB 1000, cities and counties must conduct a technical analysis to identify any PECs within their geographic boundaries using methodology outlined in State guidance by the Office of Planning and Research (OPR). This technical analysis must be complemented with authentic engagement of residents from the identified PECs.
For a detailed analysis of PECs in San Bernardino County, please see the Data Tools page of this toolkit.
SB 1000 Topic Areas
An EJ element or related EJ goals, policies, and programs in a general plan must minimally address the following topic areas to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in Priority Equity Communities:
- Reduce pollution exposure, such as improving air quality and water quality
- Promote public facilities, such as expanding parks, libraries, health facilities, and other infrastructure
- Promote food access, such as expanding the number of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and community gardens
- Promote safe and sanitary homes, such as improving home air filtration, increasing access to affordable housing, and removing asbestos, mold, and lead-based building materials
- Promote physical activity, such as improving street walkability and bikeability
- Promote civic engagement, such as expanding language access and adopting participatory planning methods
Ultimately, across all six of these topic areas, an EJ element or related EJ goals, policies, and objectives must prioritize improvements and programs that address the EJ priorities and needs of Priority Equity Communities.
For more information on example EJ goals, policies, and actions for a general plan, please visit the EJ Plan Builder page of this toolkit.
Who provided input on the toolkit?
Who provided input on the toolkit?
In May through July of 2022, National Community Renaissance (National CORE) and staff from SBCTA and SBCOG conducted a series of focus group meetings with community-based organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders interested in promoting favorable health, equity, and/or environmental justice outcomes in communities across San Bernardino County. Input from these focus groups were used to inform the data tools and EJ model language included as part of this SB 1000 Equity Toolkit. Approximately 35 people participated in the focus groups and they represented the following stakeholders:
- Arts Connection Network
- Cal State University San Bernardino, Re-Entry Operations
- Common Spirit Health (St. Bernardine’s Medical Center)
- Community Health Action Network
- El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center
- High Roads Training Partnership
- IE United
- Inland Empire Health Partnership
- Loma Linda University Health System
- Making Hope Happen Foundation
- NALEO Educational Fund
- People’s Collective for Environmental Justice
- Reach Out 29
- Riverside San Bernardino County Indian Health
- San Bernardino County Department of Public Health
- San Bernardino County Sherriff’s Department
- SoCal Black Area Chamber of Commerce
- Step Up
- TODEC Legal Center
- Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy Inland Empire
In addition, planning staff from all jurisdictions in San Bernardino County had the opportunity to provide input and shape the toolkit at multiple points in the toolkit development process.
Explore
Environmental Justice (EJ) PLan Builder
This tool provides model language of environmental justice goals, policies, and implementation actions that address each of the six topic areas required by SB 1000.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
View and understand some frequently asked questions regarding SB 1000 and environmental justice.
Resource Library
This page includes several tools and resources that staff of local jurisdictions can use throughout the EJ Element process, such as SB 1000 factsheets and an Equity Assessment Tool.
