The City of Chula Vista Climate Change Adaptation Plan Policy Brief
Presented by the LGBTQ Homeless Youth Association
On behalf of the LGBTQ Homeless Youth Association I am writing to address significant challenges we face that are not necessarily recognized within The City of Chula Vista climate change adaptation plan. It is the consensus among LGBTQ homeless youth and the LGBTQ Homeless Youth Association organizers that the challenges we face in our daily lives should be addressed within the climate change adaptation plan in order to create a more productive and successful adaptation to climate change. The City of Chula Vista clearly understands the threats of climate change to its community and has established itself as a leader amongst municipalities in planning to reduce or mitigate citywide greenhouse gas emissions. The City of Chula Vista’s Climate Change Working Group, comprised of residents, businesses, and community representatives, recommended 11 strategies to adapt the community to these impacts within energy and water supply, public health, wildfires, ecosystem management, coastal infrastructure, and the local economy sectors. The strategies consist of cool paving, shade trees, cool roofs, local water supply and reuse, storm water pollution and prevention and reuse, education and wildfires, extreme heat plans, open space management, wetlands preservation, sea level rise and land development codes, and a green economy. Each strategy is equipped with detailed plans that outline specific implementation components, critical steps, cost, and timelines. Initial implementation of all 11 strategies will be phased in over the next 3 years and will cost approximately $554,000. Of these initial costs, existing funding sources will allow at least 8 of 11 strategies to be fully or partially implemented. The importance of these efforts cannot be overstated, however the climate change adaptation plan lacks a specific awareness of what has produced vulnerable groups outside the realm of biophysical and economic vulnerabilities. The active marginalization of others in The City of Chula Vista is something both significant in determining vulnerable groups and is a subject absent within the climate change adaptation plan. This awareness is crucial when addressing climate change adaptation for inequality is the main artery for producing vulnerable groups and in order to adapt we must insure all vulnerable groups in Chula Vista. What we recommend is to include within The City of Chula Vista climate adaptation plan the implementation of public dialogue and support of the LGBTQ community. To include work and public health opportunities for all homeless youth yet to be sure to designate and create safe spaces for LGBTQ homeless youth as a necessary step to adaptation. The City of Chula Vista must become a leader in providing access to information on LGBTQ sexualities. Promoting tolerance and education can drastically reduce the amounts of LGBTQ homeless youth given the fact that over 1 in 4 LGBTQ youth who come out to their parents are forced to leave home. Today, between 20-40% of the estimated 1.6 million homeless youth in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ. They often suffer violence, discrimination, and psychological abuse at shelters (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2006). Without access to support from their community, proper medical attention, education and actively marginalized, this group of left insistently vulnerable to climate change. Along side with the recommended 11 strategies to adapt the community to climate change impacts within energy and water supply, public health, wildfires, ecosystem management, coastal infrastructure, and the local economy sectors it is recommended by the LGBTQ Homeless Youth Association that The City of Chula Vista take initiative to support the LGBTQ homeless community and the multitude of challenges faced by LGBTQ homeless youth as a
