The socioeconomic characteristics of the people who live in neighborhoods along the LA River vary greatly in terms of race and ethnicity, income, health, and education. Implementation of this plan must be context-sensitive and respectful of  local conditions.

Between 2000 and 2019, the Hispanic and Latino population in the county inched closer to making up half the population, and the median age of residents increased from 32 to 36.5 years.¹ U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2006–2010 5-Year Estimates, Table B03002, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B03002, 2021.² U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2006–2010 5-Year Estimates, Table B01002, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B01002, 2021. The average household in the county is made up of 3 people, and the median household income is $68,044, up about 5% since 2000 (in 2019 dollars).³ U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B25010, 2021.⁴ Calculated from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2006–2010 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013, 2021 using Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Inflation Calculator. Households in communities along the LA River between Downtown LA and Compton tend to be larger (about 4.1 people per household) and have lower household incomes (around $65,000) than those along other parts of the river (about 3 people per household and around $96,000).⁵ Calculated from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B25010, 2021 and U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013, 2021.

While household incomes are decreasing, housing prices are going up. Since 2000, the median owner-occupied home value in LA County has risen by over 90%, and the share of income that renters spend on housing has increased from 28% to 34%.⁶ Calculated from U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3, Table DP-4, 2000; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B25077, 2021 using Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Inflation Calculator.⁷ U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3, Table H070, 2000; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B25071, 2021. Even with rent control, about a third of renters in LA County are severely rent burdened, meaning they spend more than half of their income on rent.⁸ U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2015–2019 5-Year Estimates, Table B25070, 2021.

Using a methodology developed by the University of California, Berkeley, available data was used to map displacement risk based on past and current conditions.⁹The methodology for establishing displacement risk is based on research by the Urban Displacement Project, a joint research effort between the University of California-Berkeley and the University of California-Los Angeles. Displacement risk in LA County is broken down into four categories – areas vulnerable to displacement, areas at risk of displacement, areas ongoing displacement, and areas that are experiencing advanced displacement. “Vulnerable to displacement” indicates areas with a high share of vulnerable households based on high percentages of low-income households, non-college-educated adults, renters, and non-white households. “At risk of displacement” indicates low-income areas with proven risk factors. To be “at risk,” an area must meet the criteria of “vulnerable” in addition to three or more of the following: near a rail station, having a high percentage of pre-1950 buildings, having high employment density, and demonstrating a higher-than-county-average increase of rent rates. “Ongoing displacement” indicates low-income areas that are changing quickly. Areas that are low-income, losing lower income population, are experiencing an increase in overall population, and demonstrate a higher-than-county-average increase to rent rates fall into this category. Finally, areas are categorized as having “advanced displacement” if they are not low income and are experiencing above-average growth in the population of college-educated and white individuals, median income, and rent rates. Many communities along the river between Downtown LA and Compton are vulnerable to displacement, while others are already in a state of advanced displacement.

Affordable housing makes up 6% of housing units in LA County, yet the county would need more than 568,000 additional affordable homes to meet current demand. Despite a comprehensive set of programs, nearly 70,000 people in LA County are homeless.¹⁰California Housing Partnership Corporation, CSH, Los Angeles County Annual Affordable Housing Outcomes Report, April 2019. ¹¹Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, “2020 Homeless County Data By Census Tract” (2020); City of Glendale, “2020 Homelessness Count Report” (2020), City of Long Beach, “2020 Long Beach Point-In-Time Count Statistic Summary” (2020); City of Pasadena, “2020 Homeless Count” (2020) About three-quarters of this population is unsheltered, meaning they are not in traditional shelters, emergency shelters, or safe haven housing.

Initiatives introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated a range of methods for providing shelter and care to those experiencing homelessness at a time of critical need. One example was Project Roomkey, a joint effort between the state of California, LA County, and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and funded through FEMA.

Project Roomkey secured hotel and motel rooms for the most vulnerable homeless individuals throughout the course of the pandemic. Recent ordinances have provided further commitment to interim motel conversion and supportive housing as strategies in easing the homelessness crisis.

About $25 billion is spent on addressing chronic disease in LA County every year, and about 60% of adults in the county are either obese or overweight.¹²Paul M. Brown, PhD, Mariaelena Gonzalez PhD, and Ritem Sandhu Dhaul MPH, “Cost of Chronic Disease in California: Estimates at the County Level,” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 21, no. 1 (January/February 2015): E10–19. ¹³Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 2015 Los Angeles County Health Survey, 2015 Chronic health conditions, including obesity and diabetes, are more acute between Compton and Long Beach.

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s CalEnviroScreen 4.0 ranks the burden of and vulnerability to pollution across California. Communities along the LA River in Canoga Park and from Burbank south are more burdened than 90% of communities across the state.

Between 2002 and 2019, the largest job sectors within one mile of the river have shifted. Jobs in manufacturing declined 45%.¹⁴ U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics, Beginning of Quarter Employment, 2nd Quarter of 2002–2019, 2021. More than making up for this decline were the rise in jobs in public administration and jobs in health care and social assistance, which went up by 138% and 103%, respectively.¹⁵ U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics, Beginning of Quarter Employment, 2nd Quarter of 2002–2019, 2021. Within one mile of the river, there are larger shares of jobs in information, public administration, and transportation and warehousing and smaller shares of jobs in retail, accommodation and food services, and educational services compared to all of LA County.¹⁶ U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics, Beginning of Quarter Employment, 2nd Quarter of 2002–2019, 2021.

Over 476,000 people work within one mile of the LA River. Most (88%) of the people who have these jobs commute to the river from other parts of LA County, Orange County, and beyond.¹⁷ U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics, Beginning of Quarter Employment, 2nd Quarter of 2002–2019, 2021. Similarly, of the nearly 340,000 working people who live within one mile of the LA River, most (83%) work elsewhere—the largest job destinations being Downtown LA, the Bob Hope Airport, and the various studios along the river. Approximately 57,000 people both live and work within one mile of the river.¹⁸ U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics, Beginning of Quarter Employment, 2nd Quarter of 2002–2019, 2021.