2025 Year in Review

As 2025 comes to a close, the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) reflects on a year defined by resolve, partnership, and meaningful investment.  In the face of significant challenges, RPOSD remained focused on its mission: expanding access to parks, trails, and open space that strengthen communities and improve quality of life across Los Angeles County. 

As Director Norma E. Garcia-Gonzalez shared at this year’s inaugural Los Angeles County Park Funding Summit, progress is tangible: in 2025, one million more residents can walk to a park than in 2016. That outcome reflects sustained partnership across jurisdictions, the catalytic role of Measure A, and coordinated investment by local, regional, and state funders. At the same time, the work is far from finished. More than 3.6 million County residents still lack walkable access to a park. This gap continues to guide RPOSD’s focus on equity-driven investment and strategic collaboration.

At the core of RPOSD’s work is its Annual Allocation Funding Program, the District’s primary and most consistent investment tool. In 2025, RPOSD funded 57 park projects, in 20 different cities, and across 13 different unincorporated areas, committing $40.4 million to improvements across Los Angeles County. These investments support local agencies in delivering park renovations, amenities, and access improvements in communities large and small, ensuring that Measure A dollars translate into visible, on-the-ground outcomes year after year.

During some of the most difficult moments of the year, communities across Los Angeles County came together to support one another. RPOSD played an active role in these efforts, responding to the devastating fires by assisting with the coordination of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s Care Camps for impacted children and families and launching the RESTORE Program (Recovery and Emergency Support for Trails, Open Space, and Recreation) to directly fund fire recovery projects. As the same time, RPOSD reinforced its long-term commitment to park access and resilience through a historic $58 million investment in the next generation of parks, trails, and open space for communities across Los Angeles County.

RPOSD’s Technical Assistance Program (TAP) continued to play a critical role in helping communities overcome barriers to park development, particularly in High and Very High Need Study Areas. By providing early planning, grant development, and project support, TAP helps jurisdictions and nonprofit partners compete successfully for capital funding. One recent example is the City of South Gate’s Circle Park, where TAP-supported grant development helped secure a $1 million Measure A Competitive Grant, later leveraged into $7 million total through additional funding sources. This outcome reflects how targeted technical assistance, “a little TAP,” can unlock larger investments and long-term community benefit.

Parks and open spaces are essential public infrastructure. They reflect shared values, support health and belonging, and create places for connection across generations. At a time when society feels increasingly divided, mediated through screens, and shaped by fear or enforcement even in public life, parks remain places where people still show up together. They are open, shared, and human. RPOSD remains committed to ensuring every community has access to spaces where belonging is possible.