Senior Dilemma – Low Rent or Endangered Health?

So much freeway pollution that building air system is sealed

By Jim Forsyth

Councilwoman Jean Quan announced at a Feb. 15 community meeting that she will definitely support city approval of a 115-unit, low-income, senior housing development at the southeast corner of MacArthur Boulevard and High Street. The apartments of the five-story complex will be arranged in bowl fashion around a large, recessed concrete courtyard. Amenities will include community, computer and recreation rooms, with public transportation at the door. All this and subsidized rents. What's not to like?

Nothing, if one has no concern for his health. The triangular site of this development is completely pavement-locked, bounded by High Street to the northwest, MacArthur Boulevard to the northeast and Interstate 580 to the southwest. The combined daily traffic count is 220,000 vehicles. Lined bumper-to-bumper, these cars would extend all the way to Tijuana.

The building is approximately 25 feet from the freeway. Prevailing winds will blow the auto emissions directly against the rear wall and into the courtyard onto which the apartments open. Air to ventilate the apartments will be drawn in part from vents in this rear wall.

Recent research has indicated that fine particulate matter is the most dangerous part of auto emissions. These particles are so fine they resist exhalation. They accumulate in the lungs forming irritated tissue ripe for cancer growth or enter the blood stream by osmosis and become accelerants to heart disease.

Studies of emission effects on the general population by the Southern California Particle Center, an EPA-funded pollution research center, have found "decreased lung function, increased hospital visits for people with respiratory diseases, increased absenteeism from work and school and increased morbidity (illnesses) and mortality (deaths) associated with exposure to particulate matter."

For seniors, it's worse: "In the elderly, fine particulate pollution is strongly associated with most types of respiratory illness, circulatory and cardiovascular disease leading to heart disease, strokes and death," according to Dr. Matthew Fraser of Rice University's Environmental Engineering Department.

The health risk is compounded geometrically by proximity to the pollution source and duration of exposure. In 2003, California passed a law prohibiting the construction of a school within 500 feet of very busy roadways. While children have only 180 six-hour school days per year, seniors at this complex will be right next to the freeway most of every day.

Lung of senior with severe cough

It also appears probable that this site does not meet federal standards for ozone and fine particulate pollution and shouldn't be considered for any residential use. Despite warnings at three meetings, Quan refuses to recognize any threat. This project is for low-income seniors without the resources to consider more expensive housing options. This vulnerable group should not be forced to choose between their limited pocketbooks and their health.

The city Planning Commission hearing on Feb. 28 is a concluding hurdle for this project. Would you want your grandparents to risk their longevity and quality of life by living in this complex? If not, please ask the Planning Commission today to deny this application.

MacArthur-High Project More Polluted Than Oak-to-Ninth

A 115-unit senior apartment block proposed by developer AMG and councilmember Quan would expose the residents to more freeway particulate pollution than the Oak-to-Ninth project.

The Health Impact Group at the University of California prepared an assessment of likely health problems if the 3,000 condos in the Oak-to-Ninth area are built. Chapter six of the Group's study considered air pollution. In its summary, the Group stated:

Without mitigations, future residents of the Oak to Ninth Avenue living within 500 feet of the I-880 freeway are likely to experience higher rates of respiratory illnesses and higher morbidity from asthma....
Future Oak to Ninth residents are at risk of chronic and acute respiratory disease due to freeway related vehicle emissions....
Air pollution monitoring research has confirmed that exposure to particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and soot is much higher within 200 meters [656 feet] of freeways and other busy urban roadways. (p. AQ-2", 3)

The AMG-Quan project would sit approximately 25 feet from the I-580 freeway.

The California Air Resources Board agrees with the university Group. Its Air Quality And Land Use Handbook, summarizing five research projects, notes, "The association of traffic related emissions with adverse health effects was seen within 1,000 feet and was strongest within 300 feet." (p. 8) Specifically regarding senior citizens, "Effects associated with traffic emissions include premature death in elderly individuals with heart disease."

One difference between I-880 and I-580 is that large trucks are banned from I-580. That's good news regarding cancer, but no relief regarding the other health problems. As the Group took care to note, "These non-cancer health effects are not related exclusively to diesel exhaust particulates but also to non-diesel particulates from gasoline fueled cars and trucks." (p. AQ-5)

In order to minimize illness and disease from the Oak-to-Ninth project, the university Group suggested:

1. Evaluating modifications to the project footprint to reduce the number residential dwellings within 500 of interstate I-880
2. Notifying all potential buyers that the property they are occupying has air quality risks and educate them in the proper use of any installed air filtration. (p. AQ-6)

There is no way to modify any residential proposal at MacArthur and High to reduce the number of dwellings within 500 feet of the freeway. The whole parcel sits much closer.

The researchers noted in bold type, "Residents living within 500 feet of I-880 should be expected to experience adverse effects on lung function, increased asthma and bronchitis symptoms, medical visits, and asthma hospitalizations." (p. AQ-5)

In bold type, we can only add, "If councilmember Quan wants a lasting reputation as a champion of seniors, she will change her enthusiastic support of a residential project here to one of committed opposition."