The people concerned about problems in less affluent areas are likely to be homeowners and renters without access to officials and unaccustomed to the operations of local government . Specifically, in low-income areas like South Central Los Angeles, lack of access to the political system makes it difficult to address local alcohol issues like problem liquor outlets. More affluent areas may have easier access to local government when alcohol problems need to be addressed. The Community Coalition carries out its work through three programs. South Central Youth Empowered Through Action's mission is to train the next generation of activists in South Los Angeles.
Older teens train younger adolescents in community activism.
The program's current project is to improve the physical condition of local schools. A second program, the Prevention Network, is a coalition of social service agencies that organizes the community around welfare reform issues. The Community Coalition found that many residents were concerned about the number of liquor stores in their neighborhoods and the nuisance activity, such as drunkenness, drug sales, and violence, that often took place around these alcohol outlets. Community Coalition staff organized an alliance of residents, elected officials, attorneys, and alcohol policy activists, who demanded that liquor stores not be rebuilt. As a result, there are now 150 fewer liquor stores in South Central than there were before the upheaval.