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Risk-Based Cooling Center Activation and Management System

Solution Overview

Los Angeles has implemented a risk-based management system to strategically prioritize and activate cooling centers during extreme heat events, using updated criteria that include facility amenities, proximity to transit, and co-location with other services.[4][7] This approach emerged from the city's recognition that traditional cooling center operations were underutilized, with only about 83 people visiting five augmented cooling centers during the June 15-20, 2021 heat wave.[2] The system supports a comprehensive cooling center program designed to establish additional location and programming goals that prioritize vulnerable populations, ensure transit accessibility, incorporate sustainability goals, and encourage public-private partnerships.[4]

Technical Components

The risk-based management system leverages multiple data sources and analytical tools to inform cooling center activation decisions. Chief Heat Officer Marta Segura coordinated with Eva Pereira, the city's chief data officer on the mayor's data team, who leveraged GIS to design and build the Cool Spots LA web app.[1] To populate the map, Segura gathered data from the city's departments of emergency management, public works, water and power, recreation and parks, as well as public libraries.[1] Through this web-based ArcGIS map, the city was able to map all of its cooling centers, hosted at Public Libraries, Recreation and Parks Centers, Senior Centers, hydration stations, and bus shelters.[6] Los Angeles applies its Equity Index and Heat Risk Mapping to measure their climate infrastructure investments and demonstrate the health disparities as a measure of risk.[6] The Cool Spots LA app allows residents to input an address, cross streets, or a landmark, or enable the app to use their current location to search for cooling centers.[1] The team gathered data on augmented cooling centers—found within 73 libraries, select recreation centers, and senior centers—and cooling spots such as shade structures, bus shelters, and hydration stations throughout Los Angeles to put in the Cooling Spots map.[1]

Implementation Details

In January 2021, Marta Segura, MPH, became the founding Director of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office (CEMO) for the city of Los Angeles, and in June 2022 she was designated the city's first US chief heat officer (CHO).[6] The city significantly expanded its cooling center network, adding 16 augmented cooling centers in underserved areas from a previous count of 6, bringing the total to 22 centers.[1] More than 70 city public library branches serve as cooling centers during regular business hours, though daily attendance at these centers and libraries is not being recorded because those seeking refuge from the heat likely blend in with other guests.[2] When the National Weather Service issues an extreme heat alert or extreme heat watch for the region, the city considers opening what are called "augmented" cooling centers, which extends hours for some public buildings so people can find refuge late into the evening.[3] The city extends hours at several senior and recreation centers in the hottest neighborhoods as cooling centers, with locations open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during heat waves.[3] The augmented cooling center spots were identified by the mayor's public safety office and aim to serve people in low-income, hotter areas where residents may not have sufficient air conditioning or are concerned about their utility bills.[3]

Seeing all cooling center options on a map guided decision making on where more centers were needed in Los Angeles.[1] The city launched a pilot program at five public libraries in some of the highest-risk, hottest neighborhoods in 2024, with the chief heat officer's office hoping to start surveying people who use those libraries later that summer.[3] The Emergency Management Department (EMD) and other departments work to identify public-private partnerships to augment existing cooling center opportunities.[4] However, implementation faced challenges, as local budget issues and federal rollbacks of clean energy incentives slowed efforts to extend city library hours on Sundays, with many libraries needing HVAC system repairs and upgrades and the city not providing additional funding to extend hours and staff.[3]

For homeless populations specifically, the city approved nearly $400,000 for a pilot program of four cooling stations in summer 2021.[5] In 2022, the mayor's office reduced the number of stations from four to two, citing budget issues, while the Homeless Services Authority reported that the city allocated $745,570 for the program that year.[5] In 2023, when funding from the mayor's office increased to nearly $2.5 million, communication problems between the Homeless Services Authority and Urban Alchemy led to delays, and the two stations didn't open up until the end of August.[5] Since 2021, the city has allocated more than $6 million for the climate stations, including a nearly $2.5 million grant in 2024, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.[5] The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority distributes the funding to the nonprofit Urban Alchemy to operate the climate stations.[5] There are three permanent climate stations in Skid Row located at Towne Avenue (between 5th Street and 6th Street), San Pedro Street (between 6th Street and 7th Street), and Maple Street (corner at 5th Street), with the third station added in July 2024.[5] The downtown climate stations have pop-up canopies that provide some shade.[5]

Benefits and Impacts

The risk-based prioritization system informed multiple policy initiatives and resource allocation decisions. In September 2022, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti announced an initiative to offer rebates for energy-efficient air conditioners, which was being informed by the Cool Spots LA app and the city's heat risk map.[1] The City evaluates the program based on future heat projections and a heat vulnerability index and incorporates best practices from case studies.[4] Recommendations explore how to expand cooling center programming, increase outreach and access to facilities, and partner with public agencies and private businesses.[4]

Research on cooling center usage patterns in Los Angeles County provides important context for optimization. About 20% of the population uses cooling centers in Los Angeles County.[8] Far more people (90%) used 610 shopping malls and other informal cooling centers in Los Angeles County rather than county cooling centers (10%), and those who used the informal facilities tended to travel longer distances to get there than those who used the official venues.[8] Centers within a quarter mile of transit stops saw the greatest increase in visits on 95-degree days in Los Angeles County.[8] However, in past years, the augmented cooling centers have not been very well-used, with the city's chief heat officer stating that outreach revealed many people simply don't know about them.[3]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

This risk-based management approach directly addresses extreme heat hazards by strategically deploying cooling infrastructure where it is most needed during dangerous heat events. The City provides Angelenos relief during a heatwave by extending cooling centers hours at public facilities, such as community centers and libraries.[4] Cooling centers serve as priority locations for applying other resilience actions in this strategy, such as combined solar and storage projects and community cooling strategies.[4] Los Angeles County activates the Cooling Center Program when a Heat Index of 95 degrees or higher is predicted for two consecutive days or more in the Los Angeles Basin, or when a Heat Index of 104 degrees or higher is predicted for two consecutive days or more in the Valleys, Deserts and Mountains.[9]

Business Analysis

The risk-based cooling center prioritization system operates within a complex funding landscape involving municipal budgets, federal incentives, and public-private partnerships. Since 2021, the city has allocated more than $6 million for climate stations, demonstrating significant municipal investment in heat adaptation infrastructure.[5] However, funding volatility has created operational challenges, with the program experiencing reductions from four stations to two in 2022 due to budget constraints, followed by funding increases to nearly $2.5 million in 2023.[5] The Emergency Management Department and other departments work to identify public-private partnerships to augment existing cooling center opportunities, representing a hybrid financing model.[4] The city's comprehensive cooling center program considers co-location with other services and encourages development of potential private-public partnerships, suggesting opportunities for shared infrastructure investments and operational cost-sharing.[4] Los Angeles County maintains 154 official cooling centers and 525 cooling centers provided by other cities and jurisdictions within the county, indicating a regional network that could benefit from coordinated investment and resource allocation.[8] The integration of sustainability goals into cooling center planning, including combined solar and storage projects, positions the program to access clean energy financing mechanisms and federal climate adaptation grants.[4]

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