Boyle Heights Overview
The Boyle Heights neighborhood is one of the oldest and historically significant areas in the Los Angeles Basin. For the past 40 years, it has been home to one of the largest Chicano/Mexican populations in the United States. A small densely populated urban neighborhood east of downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights has been significantly impacted by the challenges everywhere to public education which has resulted in a high number of high school dropouts.
Though the community has many challenges - an embedded gang presence being one of the most significant - it is also possesses many assets. To address the community's social problems such as gang violence, domestic violence and teen pregnancy, community-based organizations have taken a progressive approach and are emphasizing prevention, comprehensive services and coordinated strategies. Education and youth development services are moving beyond academic content to include new forms of social behavior, labor skills, mental and emotional health, physical health and psycho-social counseling.
In addition, there are several planning, design and infrastructure improvement projects that are anticipated to help address the affordable housing shortage in the community. These projects will also help increase opportunities for residents to engage in physical activity, and preserve green and open spaces. Furthermore, elected officials representing Boyle Heights have been very active within the community and have engaged residents on a number of issues, and new leadership is emerging from the community-based organizations serving the area.
With all of these assets, Boyle Heights is ripe for positive change; the kind of change that will ultimately result in improved community health where children are healthy, safe and ready to learn.
For the latest info and documentation on what's happening in the Boyle Heights Building Healthy Communities Effort, please visit the official:
BHBH Collaborative