2000115-Strengthening-Communities-with-Neighborhood-Data

Using Data for City and Regional Strategies 257
organizations could apply for matched 2-to-1 funding (two dollars of
outside funding or in-kind contributions for each Metro dollar) to support
neighborhood-focused projects. Projects could include such activities
as the acquisition of neighborhood natural areas, trail development,
habitat restoration, and interpretive displays.
CLF had advocated for income and race and ethnicity to be included
in the project selection criteria. And, although project proposals for
the Nature in Neighborhoods program that were to be located in lowincome
neighborhoods were given bonus points under the provisions of
the bond measure, it did not include language targeting communities of
color. Nevertheless, proponents of the bond measure understood, based
on the findings of the Regional Equity Atlas, that many neighborhoods
that included high proportions of racial and ethnic minorities were also
areas that were low-income and park– and/or natural area–deficient;
thus, the provision as written could offer a previously unavailable opportunity
for these neighborhoods to acquire or enhance local natural assets
and thereby improve greenspace access to both low-income communities
and communities of color.
An Unanticipated Advocate
Between 2004 and 2005, Kaiser Permanente’s Program Office developed
a more community-based approach to health promotion under
the community health initiative of its community benefit program.
Nancy Stevens, director of the community benefit program for Kaiser
Permanente’s Northwest Region at the time, has indicated that although
at first the community health initiative lacked clarity, the confluence of
the recognition of the growing obesity epidemic and the notion of community
planning and access to resources developed into what was called
the “healthy eating/active living” or HEAL initiative. At that time, most
health professionals considered obesity to be just another disease and
generally treated it as if it were a clinical condition. Kaiser Permanente
had been the clinical site for the MRFIT (multiple risk factor intervention
trials) out of which grew the Freedom from Fat weight-loss program,
which combined nutrition education, a low-fat diet, exercise, behavioral
self-management, and social support designed to serve a general population
and obese adults. Yet, in spite of all the research and trials that Kaiser
Permanente and others had sponsored, the obesity rate was growing at
an alarming rate.