SCAG 2022 Racial Equity Baseline Conditions Report Now Available
On Nov. 3, 2022, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) released its 2022 Racial Equity Baseline Conditions Report, which is available as a tool to further understand where the six-county region stands regarding advancing justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the region.
The updated report includes data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and documents how historical decisions regarding housing, transportation and urban planning resulted in institutional and systemic racism that continues to impact people of color, who comprise 70.8 percent of the region’s population but bear a disproportionate burden of poverty. According to the data, Hispanics experience the highest poverty rate in the region (40 percent), followed by Native Americans (39 percent) and Blacks (38 percent) – compared to 20 percent among Whites and 26 percent among Asians.
The report follows SCAG’s adoption of its Racial Early Action Plan in May 2021 and its organization-wide commitment to advancing justice, equity, diversity and inclusion across a region of six counties, 191 cities and 19 million people. It includes detailed demographic data and breaks down critical trendlines in areas such as educational attainment, wages and income, poverty levels, broadband access, housing availability, mobility, healthy living and the environment. The report also offers county-by-county analyses regarding racial equity.