Photography provided by Terry Lorant.
Since 2014, SPARC partners have led an effort to revitalize the San Pablo Avenue Corridor in West Oakland for the health benefits of long-time, low-to-moderate income residents in the Clawson, Hoover-Foster, and McClymonds neighborhoods.
Our Mission
SPARC’s mission is to build on neighborhood assets, align efforts, and pool resources to better achieve outcomes to improve resident health and well-being.
Our ACTION PLAN
With the neighborhood’s help to inform priorities, SPARC has identified a set of actions to implement over five years to 2020 on how they are going to seek to improve health:
ACTION 1: Reduce ER and hospital visits of residents with or at-risk of having high blood pressure.
Hospital and ER visits are expensive and they're not the best source of care for chronic disease. Access to a primary care doctor and a safe environment can support healthy living and improve chronic conditions like high blood pressure. SPARC partners will work with residents who have or are at-risk of having high blood pressure and connect them to neighborhood clinics, healthy foods, exercise and health education.
ACTION 2: Increase affordable housing units and reduce the number of residents who have to move because they can’t afford rising rents.
Access to safe, quality and affordable housing can improve health because it reduces all kinds of stress, including mental, physical and financial. Oakland's rising housing costs are pushing some long-time residents out of the neighborhood. SPARC will work with housing developers to create at least 175 units of new, affordable housing. SPARC will also connect residents feeling the pressures of rising rents to supports and work to get more legal protections for renters.
ACTION 3: Establish local opportunities for residents to get good paying jobs, have access to job training, and improve their financial health.
Healthy communities have lots of retail choices and can create good paying jobs for residents. Easy access to retail, services and amenities like healthy food, health care and everyday necessities keeps money and jobs in the neighborhood. SPARC will recruit new businesses to the Corridor and will host one-day community market events to stimulate business activity, strengthen existing businesses and bring more people to the neighborhood.
ACTION 4: Create a thriving main street atmosphere on the San Pablo Avenue Corridor by supporting local businesses and resident entrepreneurs.
Healthy communities have lots of retail choices and can create good paying jobs for residents. Easy access to retail, services and amenities like healthy food, health care and everyday necessities keeps money and jobs in the neighborhood. SPARC will recruit new businesses to the Corridor and will host one-day community market events to stimulate business activity, strengthen existing businesses and bring more people to the neighborhood.
ACTION 5: Improve safety in the San Pablo Avenue Corridor by reducing blight and improving streets and abandoned land.
Properties filled with trash, broken equipment or even overgrown plants can attract crime and leave the community feeling unsafe and neglected. SPARC will target blight and implement low-cost and creative projects that improve the neighborhood and bring residents together.
ACTION 6: Recruit and train volunteers to help revitalize the San Pablo Avenue Corridor by implementing community projects and events.
The more residents know each other and make decisions together about their community, the more opportunities there are to create a healthier, safe neighborhood. SPARC will host leadership academies and resident-led campaigns to transform the San Pablo Corridor as well as annual community cultural events and beautification projects.
“SPARC is one of the reasons why we decided to locate our grocery store on the San Pablo Avenue. ”
What We've Achieved
Launched three heart health clinics with nearly 2,500 blood pressure readings provided to 150 residents.
Worked with nonprofit affordable housing developers to secure parcels to develop nearly 275 new units of housing.
Purchased four key parcels on the San Pablo Avenue to turn in affordable housing and healthy retail spaces, including a new grocery store.
Opened a neighborhood pop-up marketplace and gathering space to support micro entrepreneurs.
Supported over 35 residents to implement their own community led projects including median clean ups, community gardens, murals, and a pop-up library.
Secured nearly $4 million in funding to purchase land and implement programs to advance the SPARC action plan.
Brought together more than 25 resident, organization, and institution partners to align resources, raise funds, and work together to implement SPARC.
SPARC partners have collectively contributed more than 12,000 hours to advance the SPARC action plan.