Reparative Development: Destination Crenshaw as a Model for Community-Led Infrastructure

For decades, major transit projects in Los Angeles have often bypassed or displaced Black communities. Jason Foster, president and CEO of Destination Crenshaw, argues that the future of L.A. transportation must shift from mere movement to “Reparative Development.”

Using the 1.3-mile Destination Crenshaw corridor as a live model, Foster explores how the city can leverage transit infrastructure to anchor legacy businesses, grow the urban canopy, and create cultural permanence. By centering local empowerment over federal-down mandates, this uniquely “L.A.” approach proves that transportation can be a vehicle for economic justice rather than a driver of displacement. Join us to discuss how this South L.A. renaissance provides a scalable roadmap for community-led infrastructure across the region.

JASON FOSTER holds a background spanning finance, civic partnerships, community organizing, and affordable housing, bringing both strategy and heart to Destination Crenshaw. He has spent his career connecting the dots between capital and community, ensuring that projects designed to uplift neighborhoods are grounded in equity, inclusion, and economic stability. Before leading Destination Crenshaw, Jason served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at River LA, where he reimagined how civic and public-private partnerships could turn infrastructure into stories of connection and pride. Earlier, as a Project Manager at Impacct Brooklyn, he helped lead affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization initiatives that centered long-term residents in the city’s growth.