tRUST-lab

This studio project aims to highlight the potential opportunities for equity and environmental justice initiatives in Cleveland, Ohio. It endeavors to inspire bold action - public, private, local, state, and federal - to address environmental injustice and improve the lives of residents living in marginalized communities in Cleveland. 

Students first assessed the big picture of Cleveland’s public space and infrastructure network – parks, trails, roads, land use, health impacts, current urban initiatives -and how these serve or do not serve communities in need. The latter part of the semester entailed land use and public space speculations on particular sites that held the biggest potential to impact and improve equity and environmental justice for surrounding communities. 

“The concept of environmental justice is that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or national origin, have the right to live, work, and recreate in a clean and safe environment. But historically, that hasn’t been the case. Too many citizens, particularly in Cleveland, live in neighborhoods where environmental factors lead to health problems, poor quality of life, or even lack of basic resources” 

- FreshWater Cleveland, www.freshwater.org 

Cleveland Public Space and Park System 

The City of Cleveland has nearly 2,000 acres of City Parkland and nearly 24,000 acres of Metroparks land. While the Metroparks system is extensive and beloved by many residents, it remains in accessible to inner-city residents on the southeast side. This is due to Metroparks facilities being primarily located beyond the city boundaries. Throughout the city, there are 87neighborhood parks, 17 recreation centers, and approximately 180 urban gardens that amount to 7% of land use allocated to open spaces, in comparison to the national average of 15%.Within the city boundaries of Cleveland lies a great potential for expanding the city park system and creating a broader, more accessible open space network for inner Cleveland is one of the top urban heat islands in the country, ranking 15th out of 158. Research shows that Cleveland is up to seven times warmer than the average temperature in the state of Ohio, despite its northern location and direct proximity to Lake Erie. Urban 

Heat Islands + Tree Planting Initiatives 

The urban heat island (UHI) effect shows an inverse relationship with tree canopy covering. Several clusters of higher surface temperature overlap with redlined communities which tend to have higher temperatures. Higher temperatures lead to higher utility bills and contribute to the hardship these disadvantaged communities already face. More tree canopy coverage lowers surface and air temperature. The current tree canopy coverage in Cleveland is 18%, losing 97acres of coverage every year. According to the Cleveland Tree Plan, the City of Cleveland has lost half of its tree canopy since 1950, and the losses continue to mount. With no intervention, Cleveland will have 14.8% of tree canopy coverage by 2040. In the past four years, the City and Cuyahoga County have each allocated $1 million per year for tree planting to bring back the dwindling tree canopy. Although the achievements are impressive, there is still a significant decrease in canopy coverage in this region. The city must plant 28,400 trees each year to reach a goal of 30% coverage by 2040. (Lefkowitz, Oct.2022) Moreover, how the city and county will equitably distribute resources to bring back the region’s tree canopy is another concern. Systemic racism such as redlining and discriminatory lending of banks also led to disinvestment in the urban tree canopy in the city of Cleveland. (Lefkowitz, Oct. 2022) 

Air Quality 

Due to higher industrial land use, Central Cleveland has poorer air quality compared to the rest of the city. The air quality of the city fails to meet EPA standards for ozone and PM2.5, which positions the city as one of the most polluted cities in the United States (IQAir). According to a study from the American Thoracic Society, air pollution in Cleveland has caused 196deaths and 487 health issues from 2011-2013, putting Cleveland in the top 10 cities having the most air pollution-related health problems in the country. In 2019, Cleveland was ranked as the 5th Most Challenging Place to Live With Asthma by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and in 2022, Cleveland became the 2ndin this ranking. The intersecting areas of high air pollution and asthma rates illustrate disproportionate impacts of pollution, which coincide with neighborhoods impacted by redlining. 

Hazardous Sites + Lead Levels 

There are currently 356 hazardous sites in Cleveland. Classified by the EPA as Brownfield Properties, Superfund NPL, and Superfund non-NPL sites, these hazardous sites are the remnants of an industrial, rust belt city, as well as a signature of the active industry that exists today. By definition, the EPA defines a brownfield site as “a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” Such contaminants can be, but are not limited to, high levels of lead, asbestos, PFAs, petroleum, and other industrial chemicals. These sites pose a variety of health and environmental risks to residents living among them. (EPA) Lead levels in Cleveland are some of the highest in the country, with roughly 14.2% of children testing positive for lead poisoning each year. In some neighborhoods, such as St. Clair-Superior, that number jumps to 40%. About 20% of lead exposure comes from drinking water and the remainder comes from lead paint, which is most commonly found in buildings built before 1978. Lead poisoning can lead to devastating long-term effects in children such as stunted intellectual growth, changes to hormones, and compromised cardiovascular and immune systems. (Reuters, NYTimes) 

Vacant Lots + Illegal Dumping 

In the City of Cleveland, there are almost 30,000 vacant lots, with a high density of vacant clusters in the eastern neighborhoods. A majority of these lots are owned either by the City of Cleveland Land Bank or by the county’s Cuyahoga Land Bank. Ongoing research, programs and policy are attempting to address the enormous land area and extensive neighborhood gaps represented by vacant parcels and their potential to add back a host of benefits to communities in need. The vacant parcels in Cleveland are often used as illegal dumping grounds, which poses an immense health, financial and psychological burden to those living in these neighborhoods. Public work is equipped with 10 debris crews working daily, 7 crews equipped with dumping trucks, and 3 crews equipped with grapple trucks. The crew is also responsible for cutting weeds in order to eliminate health and safety hazards in vacant lots. Moreover, the city has deployed 15 moveable cameras to dumping hot spots in order to capture illegal dumpers who can face fines of up to $25,000 and a jail sentence of 2 to 4 years. Despite these precautions, the rate of illegal dumping is increasing. (News 5 Cleveland)