BARRIO LOGAN, Calif. (KGTV) — Just over eight months ago, Policy Co-Director of the Environmental Health Coalition, Amy Castañeda, and her team felt a wave of hope as they prepared to bring meaningful change to San Diego’s historic central barrios.
“We received a $20 million grant with the EPA's community change grant, and our community was very excited," Castañeda said. "What these investments would do is deliver clean air projects."
The federal funds were part of a nationwide initiative to support climate-resilient infrastructure, projects that would preserve, protect and empower neighborhoods long overlooked.
With a grant in hand, they rolled up their sleeves and got to work on dozens of long-envisioned projects. But just as momentum was building:
"We got access to our funds, I wanna say, like, January 16. And within two weeks, we noticed that our account became suspended within the payment portal," Castañeda said.
That was more than three months ago. Since then, and at least ten emails later to the EPA, the EHC received no answers.
One of the most anticipated projects the EHC anticipated working on was a new 3.2-acre park in Barrio Logan. It would be one of the largest parks in the area, something residents have asked for since the 80s.
"Unfortunately, if this funding is taken away from us, this park would be defunded," Castañeda said. “We have to fight for things like a park. We have to fight for things like clean air. So it's it's been very difficult last few months.”
The organization has been forced to front the costs of the projects themselves and even make staff cuts to stay afloat.
“We have to fight for things like a park. We have to fight for things like clean air. So it's it's been a very difficult last few months," Castañeda said.
Their path forward could mean fighting for state or local dollars, even legal action.
"We’ve seen battles like this time and time again," Castañeda said. "We’re going to continue fighting so that the community can actually enjoy this space."
Until then, flowers continue to bloom in the lot where a park should be, a quiet reminder of what’s still possible.
