Land Use Coalition for Open Space Equity

LUCOSE (Land Use Coalition for Open Space Equity) was established to address inequities in urban land use policies and practices, which have historically marginalized low-income communities and underserved populations. Within Phoenix's sprawling, developer-driven landscape, these inequities manifest as legacies of suburban flight, systemic racism, and neglect, leaving inner-city communities bearing the brunt of undesirable uses and fragmented planning.

Public parks are scarce, pedestrian pathways are hazardous, and highways and bypasses carve through neighborhoods, severing community connections. These inequities often manifest in limited access to open spaces, economic opportunities, and environmental health, disproportionately impacting the health and well-being of vulnerable groups.

LUCOSE leverages decades of combined expertise in public governance, legal practice, urban planning, and community development to create transformative policies and systems that prioritize equitable and sustainable urban development. With foundational support from the Creighton Community Foundation (CCF) and partners such as Quarles & Brady and Vitalyst Health Foundation, LUCOSE is uniquely positioned to foster systemic change through an inclusive, community-driven approach.

LUCOSE's foundation in CCF's decade-long track record of addressing structural inequities sets it apart from other initiatives. CCF's engagement with land use began in 2013 through a transformational partnership with Creighton School District (CSD). This partnership exposed systemic inequities in land use through various projects, including a digital billboard initiative that became an immersive exploration of Phoenix's complex land use systems. Over 11 years, this work involved collaboration with over 500 stakeholders, engagement with 31 village planning committees, and partnerships with multiple nationally recognized law firms.

The organization's evolution included addressing challenges such as USA Fee Title parcel partnerships, community based park endeavors, community benefit set aside parcel portions on private lands, and even digital billboard land use entitlements for public, municipally unzoned entities for the sake of community funding. This legacy of on-going work, as well as collaboration and shared suffering with partners in other communities across Phoenix, highlighted the bureaucratic hurdles facing community-led initiatives. These experiences shaped LUCOSE's understanding of how low-income communities are often sidelined in land use decisions, with their needs overshadowed by systems that prioritize the status quo over equity.

CCF has piloted Acre 51, a one-acre community space integration project that demonstrates:

• The opportunity to integrate community spaces with private land use
• Transformation of underutilized parcels into vibrant community spaces
• Successful public-private partnership models
• Practical application of LUCOSE’s policy framework
• Approximately $400,000 of capital-dollar developed community open space

LUCOSE represents a bold approach to transforming urban land use policies and practices. With its proven track record, interdisciplinary expertise, and commitment to equity, LUCOSE is equipped to advance healthier, more equitable urban environments.

LUCOSE is a coalition of over 35 community organizations and agencies, and hundreds of community voices, co-chaired and organized by Creighton Community Foundation and Valley of the Sun United Way. You can reach the coalition at: