The NAACP Supports Equity Focused Work in the Built Environment

WHEREAS, the built environment is defined as the physical space of neighborhoods that provide opportunities for healthy, accessible and safe living options; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP understands and recognizes the need to lend its advocacy voice to the work occurring in the built environment and active transportation movements; and

WHEREAS, twice as many low and moderate income kids walk or bike to school than affluent kids; as such, 65% of families below the poverty line do not own a car; and

WHEREAS, despite the great need for access to safe streets and physical activity, sidewalks in African American communities are 38 times more likely to be of low quality; and

WHEREAS, lack of access puts the health of children at stake: children in neighborhoods that lack access to parks, playgrounds and recreation centers have 20 to 45 percent greater risk of becoming overweight; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP encourages the adoption of Shared and Joint Use agreements between local governments, school districts, and non-profits to increase the opportunity for more physical activity in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP encourages the adoption of complete streets policies by municipal governments to enhance the built environment in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP supports federal transportation, and other infrastructure, policies such as MAP-21 which enhance the opportunity for low-income communities and communities of color to receive transportation, and other infrastructure dollars for local projects; and

WHEREAS, MAP-21 is a mechanism for how the federal government gives transportation dollars to states, which can in turn, use them for projects; and

WHEREAS, The NAACP is proud to be an equity partner with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and a leader on both the National Active Transportation Diversity Task Force and the National Shared Use Task Force along with over 40 other national and local organizations.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the NAACP will continue to advocate for the adoption of Shared and Joint Use Agreements, Complete Street Policies, Active Transportation Policies, equitable flood protection funding policies, equitable water supply policies, and equitable energy network policies, that enhance the built environment in communities of color; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED the NAACP support equitable opportunities and efforts in communities of color that reduce disparities and increase opportunities in the built environment Which effect where families live, work, and play.