City Heights residents take home air purifiers

The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District’s Environmental Justice Partnership collaborated with community-based organization City Heights CDC to lead a four-part workshop series aimed at educating residents on ways to reduce air pollution and improve air quality in some of San Diego’s most impacted neighborhoods including City Heights.

As part of our ongoing community development work, City Heights CDC’s Transportation and Planning team facilitated a new pilot initiative with local residents, in partnership with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Environmental Justice Partnership. The program focused on air quality education and provided access to air purifiers for households disproportionately impacted by environmental racism and long-term disinvestment.

Neighborhoods like City Heights, especially areas near the SR-15 freeway such as Teralta Park, are densely populated and heavily trafficked. Many residents live in older apartment complexes and homes where poor indoor air quality is a daily reality.

During the workshops, several mothers spoke candidly about the lack of proper air circulation in their homes and the concerns they have for their children’s health. The program raised awareness and provided an at-home resource by equipping families with free air purifiers—a proactive step toward healthier living conditions for many City Heights households.

Thank you to our community partners for helping educate and equip our residents, and a special thank you to the local families who participated in the pilot program.