While most Angelenos live on streets with little to no shade, nearly half believe their neighborhoods have enough tree cover. That striking gap between what residents experience and what the science says is enough shade is one of the key findings from a new LABarometer report on shade in Los Angeles County.
The Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) at the USC Dornsife Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences produced the report.
Only 16% of L.A. County residents surveyed live in areas with moderate or high levels of tree shade, yet 48% said their block has enough coverage to stay comfortable on a hot day. That mismatch has real consequences, researchers say, especially as climate change intensifies the urban heat island effect.
"The shade 'perception gap' may stem from how people experience their surroundings - and what they've grown used to," said Kyla Thomas, a sociologist at USC Dornsife and LABarometer director.
"If you've lived in a neighborhood with few trees your whole life, that environment becomes your norm and you adapt," she said. "You might not realize what's missing until you visit a shadier, cooler part of the city. And as heat intensifies, it's possible that what feels adequate today may not tomorrow."
The report's insights are particularly timely, as USC Dornsife Public Exchange leads a diverse coalition - dubbed ShadeLA - working to expand shade across Los Angeles in advance of the 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events. The findings help illustrate why cross-agency coordination will be essential in preparing the city for a hotter future.
"Climate change will make hot days even hotter in L.A. County, and residents who feel comfortable now may want more shade in the decades to come," said Rita Kampalath, the county's chief sustainability officer. "Through our Community Forest Management Plan and partnership with ShadeLA, L.A. County is working to promote the long-term benefits of trees and to expand tree canopy where it's needed most - not just for today, but for a resilient future as temperatures continue to rise."
Support for greening: strong, but uneven
There is broad public support for planting trees: More than 8 in 10 Angelenos said they favor local government spending to add trees, with one-third strongly in favor. But that support isn't evenly distributed - and it's weakest in the very communities with the least shade.
Black residents, for instance, are more likely than most other groups to live in low-shade neighborhoods, yet they were nearly three times less likely than white residents to strongly support government funding to plant new trees. And though more than three-quarters expressed some level of support, nearly a quarter were somewhat or strongly opposed to public spending on trees - the highest of any racial group.
A researcher with Public Exchange's Urban Trees Initiative says this disparity may stem from a legacy of systemic disinvestment and competing community needs.
"In places like South L.A., where residents have faced decades of underinvestment in housing, health care and other critical services, tree planting can spark mixed emotions," said Santina Contreras, assistant professor of urban planning and spatial analysis at the USC Price School of Public Policy. "People value green space, but they've seen well-intentioned projects ignore local voices and often associate tree planting with gentrification."
Support for spending on tree planting also dipped among residents with lower levels of education and among Republicans and independents.
Transit stops are shade deserts
Public transit riders are also feeling the heat. Just 23% of Angelenos said their nearest bus stop has adequate shade - closely mirroring findings from UCLA researchers, who reported that only a quarter of L.A. Metro bus stops are shaded.
That lack of shelter poses serious health risks, particularly for those in lower-income communities where public transit use is highest and heat exposure is more prolonged.
ShadeLA is already prioritizing bus stops and other high-traffic areas for new shade interventions - part of its mission to create a cooler, healthier Los Angeles before the 2028 Olympics.
About the LABarometer survey
The LABarometer shade survey was conducted in both English and Spanish between February and April 2025. It is based on a representative sample of more than 1,500 adult residents across L.A. County. Participants are part of the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research's Understanding America Study, a probability-based internet panel designed to reflect the demographics of the county.
LABarometer is funded by the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research.
