About ParkGrade.LA

ParkGrade.LA is an independent civic resource dedicated to documenting, analyzing, and publishing information about the condition of Los Angeles's public parks, recreation facilities, and supporting infrastructure. Our goal is to provide residents, advocates, journalists, and policymakers with clear, data-driven reporting on the state of LA's publicly funded park system.

Origins: The 2017 LA Parks Report Card

ParkGrade.LA grew out of the landmark 2017 park report card initiative led by Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin. That initiative — the first comprehensive, independent evaluation of LA community parks — graded 40 of the city's 95 designated community parks across eight categories: athletic fields, children's play areas, indoor gyms, drinking fountains, park cleanliness, graffiti control, customer service, and restroom conditions.

The evaluation was conducted by KH Consulting Group, USC faculty, and the RAND Corporation. It combined professional site visits with a community survey of more than 3,700 park users — producing what remains the most comprehensive publicly available assessment of LA park quality ever undertaken.

What We Cover

While the 2017 report card provides the foundational dataset for this resource, ParkGrade.LA aims to be a living civic resource — tracking developments in LA park infrastructure, maintenance funding, policy changes, and equity issues as they unfold. Our coverage includes:

• Park report cards — Individual grades and analysis for each evaluated park
• Infrastructure reporting — In-depth coverage of restroom plumbing, water systems, irrigation, and aging facilities
• Community survey data — What 3,700+ park users told researchers about their experiences
• Geographic equity analysis — How park quality varies across LA's diverse neighborhoods
• Policy context — How funding decisions, staffing levels, and departmental priorities affect park conditions

Methodology and Data Sources

The grades and data published on ParkGrade.LA are drawn from the official evaluation conducted under the auspices of the LA City Controller's office. The independent research team used standardized scoring rubrics, multiple site visits, and community survey data to produce grades that reflect sustained conditions — not one-time observations.

Where we publish analysis beyond the original report card data, we note our sources and methodology clearly. We do not accept advertising or commercial sponsorship that would influence our editorial coverage of park conditions or public facility quality.

Why This Matters

Los Angeles manages more than 400 public parks covering thousands of acres across the city. These parks are used by millions of residents annually — for recreation, community gathering, youth sports, and as green space in some of the most densely populated urban neighborhoods in the United States. The condition of these parks — and the transparency of information about that condition — directly affects the quality of life for all Angelenos.

ParkGrade.LA exists because civic transparency depends on accessible public information. Explore the park report cards, review the community survey, or read the full evaluation report.