Summary

The Healthy Chula Vista Action Plan (HCVAP) outlines 65 strategies developed by the Healthy Chula Vista Initiative to promote healthy lifestyles and improve health equity in Chula Vista, California. The plan focuses on enhancing the city’s physical and social environments, increasing access to services, and building community partnerships. Strategies are organized under seven focus areas: Community Engagement, Land Use, Transportation, Healthy Food Access, Physical Activity, Health Care & Prevention, and Environmental Quality.

HIP, supported by a REACH grant from the CDC, worked with Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) to prioritize these strategies based on their expected health impacts. HIP collected local health data, reviewed public health research, and gathered community and stakeholder input through workshops, a stakeholder meeting, and surveys. This process aimed to identify strategies that would most effectively improve health and reduce health inequities in Chula Vista.

Key health concerns in Chula Vista include high rates of obesity, diabetes, low physical activity, limited access to healthy food, asthma, mental health challenges, and disparities between the city’s east and west sides.

Community input highlighted four key priority areas:

1. Healthy Food Access – Residents identified limited access to affordable, nutritious food, particularly in the west side, as a top concern. Strategies include attracting full-service grocery stores, limiting fast food density, supporting food distribution programs, and promoting farmers markets.
2. Affordable Housing – Community members reported a shortage of quality, affordable housing and expressed concerns about homelessness. High housing costs threaten financial stability and access to basic needs.
3. Quality Public Resources – Residents noted inequities in access to safe sidewalks, well-maintained parks, and adequate lighting, especially in western neighborhoods. Improving these resources is essential to promote physical activity and safety.
4. Public Transit – Workshop participants cited challenges with the city’s public transit system, including limited service and affordability, which hinder access to essential services.

The evaluation identified persistent inequities between the eastern and western parts of the city in income, public resources, healthy food access, and environmental conditions. Many HCVAP strategies aim to address these disparities and improve opportunities for health citywide.

Priority Strategies

‍The highest-priority strategies identified through community input include:

• Expanding healthy food access through food waste prevention programs, farmers markets, and grocery store incentives.
• Improving transportation access through walking audits, Safe Routes to Schools, and collaboration with regional transit agencies.
• Promoting physical activity through community education campaigns.
• Increasing affordable housing and integrating health considerations into land use policies.
• Enhancing community engagement by establishing a Health Advisory Commission and engaging youth and seniors.
• Addressing environmental quality through health assessments and air quality initiatives.
• Expanding access to mental health care, homelessness services, and preventive health care.

Once approved by the Chula Vista City Council, the HCVAP will guide efforts to promote health and reduce inequities over the coming years.