The Alliance for Community Transit – Los Angeles strives to create just, equitable, sustainable transit systems and neighborhoods for all people in Los Angeles, placing the interest of low-income communities and communities of color first as we create a more sustainable region.

About Us

The Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles (ACT-LA) is a broad-based coalition made up of organizations with expertise engaging in transit justice, housing justice, environmental justice, and public health.

Together, we work to build a Los Angeles where all people have access to quality jobs, affordable housing, necessary social services, ample transportation options, and a voice in decision-making.

Our Work

ACT-LA envisions a Los Angeles that is a transit-rich city where all people have access to quality jobs, affordable housing, necessary social services, ample transportation options, and a voice in decision-making. We believe in building a sustainable community through the reduction of toxic air pollution, the promotion of public health, and the strengthening of community culture and heritage.

A group of ACT Los Angeles members at a Metro station dressed up in various safety roles

Transit Justice

Transit riders in Los Angeles are overwhelmingly low-income, people of color, and/or essential workers. Over a million people in the county do not have regular access to a car—yet our transit system is unreliable and fails to adequately connect people with their jobs, school, health care and other needs. Therefore, transit justice is a key avenue for racial and economic justice, as well as climate justice, in Los Angeles county.

Our coalition’s collective vision for transit justice in Los Angeles county: Metro is a sanctuary for the public. The train and bus are fareless, consciously part of the region and integrated into people’s daily lives and neighborhoods. Metro serves the public as libraries do, a public system where people go to feel safe, access information, and receive a high level of service. Metro feels honored to serve youth of color and be a resource for all. Los Angeles is proud of how we have embraced a healthy, community-serving, world-class transit system.

Our Transit Justice Campaigns:

A group of ACT Los Angeles housing justice members making goofy faces at the camera

Housing and Land Use Justice

Los Angeles has a history of racist and discriminatory land use practices—and a lack of investment in tenant protections and affordable housing. These historical urban planning priorities have benefited primarily white homeowners, and led to detrimental health consequences, lower life expectancy, and traumatic lived experiences for generations of low-income families and families of color.

Our vision for housing in Los Angeles county: Everyone in Los Angeles will have access to housing that fits their family’s size, needs, and budget and live in communities that are dignified spaces, in safe and healthy environments, and have access to economic, social and cultural resources. Housing is planned thoughtfully in its quality, design, amenities and size to meet our housing needs. Residents have decision-making power regarding their housing, can exercise self-determination, and more. Angelenos will build community through collective ownership of their homes and land. Everyone will have equal access to live in whichever neighborhood they choose, families can choose to stay in their homes for as long as they want, and future generations will have the choice to continue living in the same neighborhoods as their families.

Our Work:

Our Members

ACT-LA is a coalition of 45 member organizations throughout Los Angeles county. Together, we participate in advocacy, organizing, and policy-making—and collaborate on regional campaigns to improve the Southland.

Our Staff

A headshot of Marissa Ayala. She is wearing a black shirt and has her hair in a bun and is smiling.
Marissa Ayala
Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
ACT LA logo
Cynthia Bourjac
Capacity Building Manager
A photo of Carmina Calderon. Her fingers are up in a peace sign and she is smiling while wearing an ACT Los Angeles t-shirt.
Carmina Calderon
Campaigns and Outreach Manager
Scarlett De Leon of ACT-LA
Scarlett De Leon
Campaigns Director
Alfonso Directo Jr of ACT-LA
Alfonso Directo, Jr.
Advocacy Director
Headshot of Tala, she has long hair and is smiling
Tala Oszkay Febres-Cordero
Applied Research Specialist, ACLS Leading Edge Fellow
Alison Vu of ACT-LA
Alison Vu
Communications Manager

Take Action

Look below for how to take action and fight for transit justice and housing and land use justice in Los Angeles. Don’t see any actions you can take? Sign up for our email updates and we’ll send you action alerts as they happen.

What’s social housing?

Missed our Social Housing 101 webinar with the LA Housing Movement Lab? Want to learn what social housing is, and how it would benefit Los Angeles? Click here to view the recording!

Resources & Updates

Resources

Cover of the report The Road to Transit Equity, the Case for Universal Fareless Transit in Los Angeles. The report cover is a photograph of a Los Angeles Metro bus in front of the Downtown Los Angeles skyscrape.

Fareless Report

ACT-LA is proud to partner with member organization Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) on a new report: The…

Updates

Press Advisory for April 19, 2023

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR APRIL 19, 2023 ACT-LA Housing Coalition Rallies, Demanding LA City Council Create Social Housing LA unlocked hundreds…

ACT-LA 2022 Activation

About the Activation Community and thoughtful design can build an infrastructure of safety that all Metro riders can feel. Safety…

ACT-LA Instagram Feed

We've filled the room at the @metrolosangeles Board of Directors meeting to call on @mayorofla and the Metro Board of Directors to create universal fareless transit!

We`ve filled the room at the @metrolosangeles Board of Directors meeting to call on @mayorofla and the Metro Board of Directors to create universal fareless transit! ...

Los Angeles can take a bold step towards creating mobility for all with universal fareless transit.

Universal fareless transit is a simple solution that would represent a sea change, breaking with the status quo to move us to a transit system that allows everyone to get to where they need to go.

What effect will a universally open LA Metro system have on today’s workers? What effect will it have on those who want to visit more museums and parks but can’t afford to under the current model? What effect will it have on the harried moms who can’t remember if they loaded their TAP card and end up driving instead of taking the train?

LA Metro is for moving us all, and we can shift the system. Join us this Thursday, July 27 as we rally for a universally fare-free Metro - info at go.act-la.org/072023.

* Some text from the above is adapted from "The Road to Transit Equity: The Case for Universal Fareless Transit in Los Angeles", a report by @saje_southla and @actlosangeles.

Los Angeles can take a bold step towards creating mobility for all with universal fareless transit.

Universal fareless transit is a simple solution that would represent a sea change, breaking with the status quo to move us to a transit system that allows everyone to get to where they need to go.

What effect will a universally open LA Metro system have on today’s workers? What effect will it have on those who want to visit more museums and parks but can’t afford to under the current model? What effect will it have on the harried moms who can’t remember if they loaded their TAP card and end up driving instead of taking the train?

LA Metro is for moving us all, and we can shift the system. Join us this Thursday, July 27 as we rally for a universally fare-free Metro - info at go.act-la.org/072023.

* Some text from the above is adapted from "The Road to Transit Equity: The Case for Universal Fareless Transit in Los Angeles", a report by @saje_southla and @actlosangeles.
...

Universal fareless transit relieves our most burdened working class families from the costs of commuting to jobs, school, and activities, so that they may spend more on food, healthcare, and other essential expenses.

According to Metro, adopting a fareless transit policy in Los Angeles would reduce emissions by 16,389,997 metric tons, which is the amount produced by 3.5 million gas-powered cars in a year.

A study of Kansas City’s fareless program post-implementation found that security incidents declined by 39% and incidents per 100,000 riders fell by 17%. The majority of riders (80%) surveyed felt the program increased their overall sense of safety.

Metro cannot afford not to go fareless.

Join us as we rally on July 27 for fareless transit: go.act-la.org072023
Organizations, sign onto our universal fareless transit letter: go.act-la.org/farelessletter

Universal fareless transit relieves our most burdened working class families from the costs of commuting to jobs, school, and activities, so that they may spend more on food, healthcare, and other essential expenses.

According to Metro, adopting a fareless transit policy in Los Angeles would reduce emissions by 16,389,997 metric tons, which is the amount produced by 3.5 million gas-powered cars in a year.

A study of Kansas City’s fareless program post-implementation found that security incidents declined by 39% and incidents per 100,000 riders fell by 17%. The majority of riders (80%) surveyed felt the program increased their overall sense of safety.

Metro cannot afford not to go fareless.

Join us as we rally on July 27 for fareless transit: go.act-la.org072023
Organizations, sign onto our universal fareless transit letter: go.act-la.org/farelessletter
...

It's the ACT-LA coalition's 12th birthday! 🎂

We started off as a small coalition centered around transit oriented development. We're now 44 organizations strong and work on a variety of transit and housing justice campaigns across the county.

Thank you to all of ACT-LA's member organizations, community leaders, supporters, allies, funders, and staff who make this work to transform the southland possible!

Read more about ACT-LA's origins in transit oriented development here: https://la.streetsblog.org/2011/07/13/new-coalition-looks-to-reform-l-a-s-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1 courtesy of Streetsblog LA

It`s the ACT-LA coalition`s 12th birthday! 🎂

We started off as a small coalition centered around transit oriented development. We`re now 44 organizations strong and work on a variety of transit and housing justice campaigns across the county.

Thank you to all of ACT-LA`s member organizations, community leaders, supporters, allies, funders, and staff who make this work to transform the southland possible!

Read more about ACT-LA`s origins in transit oriented development here: https://la.streetsblog.org/2011/07/13/new-coalition-looks-to-reform-l-a-s-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1 courtesy of Streetsblog LA
...

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