Why Are Regulations Changed? A Parcel Analysis of Upzoning in Los Angeles

Planners, officials, and neighborhood groups often debate zoning changes, yet there is little empirical evidence explaining why zoning and other land use regulations are changed. I use logistic regression models to examine density-enabling rezoning (“upzoning”) in Los Angeles. I find that upzoning occurs where there are development opportunities combined with limited political resistance. Upzoning is most likely on well-located parcels zoned for low-intensity, nonresidential uses. Meanwhile, homeowners—and particularly homeowners with access to valuable amenities—are associated with regulatory stasis. I conclude by recommending strategies for addressing homeowners’ concerns about higher density housing

Is Transit-Oriented Development Offering Access to Opportunity?

In a recent study, Ian Carlton and I studied the spatial proximity of all Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) developments to fixed-guideway transit stations in the United States. We looked at several neighbor-hood opportunity indicators to determine not only if transit and affordable housing were being co-located, but also the quality of the neighborhoods in which this was occurring. We also investigated the many barriers to developing affordable housing in high-opportunity, transit-rich neighbor-hoods through three in-depth case studies. What we found is that little progress has been made over the past two de-cades in delivering new affordable housing options near fixed-guideway transit stations in high-opportunity neighborhoods. Although it appears that transit stations are more likely to be located in neighborhoods with existing affordable units than vice versa, few units are being added to transit neighborhoods after they open. In addition, we found that when LIHTC-funded developments are located near transit stations, they are more likely to be in lower-opportunity neighborhoods. Furthermore, we found evidence that affordable TODs are experiencing more rapid gentrification than other neighborhoods with LIHTC developments. Therefore, although recent Federal policy and local and regional programs are promising, it remains to be seen if they can overcome the significant cost and other obstacles to delivering equitable TODs at scale

Health Equity in a New Urbanist Environment: Land Use Planning and Community Capacity Building in Fresno, CA

A tale of two cities. The Mason-Dixon line. The Berlin Wall. Fresnans have evoked a variety of metaphors to describe the spatial divide between the rich, clean and white neighborhoods in the north and the southern areas housing the poor, polluting industries and communities of color that has characterized urban development in the city since its inception. The narrative explaining this spatial inequality has been remarkably consistent over time - sprawl fueled by aggressive developers, corrupt city councilmen and the market pushed the city limits ever farther northeast, abandoning the older neighborhoods to the south where the poor and immigrant communities settled and were too disorganized to counter the government's neglect. The spatial concentration of the poor, people of color and unwanted land uses can be seen in cities around the country and is identified by public health scholars to be a key driver of the disparities in health between racial and socio-economic groups. City governments are increasingly returning to their core and investing in New Urbanist and Smart Growth strategies to transform these older, more densely developed neighborhoods as the drive for environmental sustainability, walkable neighborhoods, and the attraction of creative urban residents grows. The potential effects of such efforts on the health and wellbeing of the existing residents, however, remains under explored. This dissertation asks if and how the new planning paradigms that use public health as a goal and organizing principle significantly change planning practice and lead to the re-distribution of environmental risks and resources to reduce health disparities? I investigate this question through three case studies of in Fresno a) a downtown revitalization plan, b) the general plan update, and c) a foundation based community development effort to increase the power of South Fresno residents to engage in planning.Following a year of fieldwork I find that everyone is talking about healthy neighborhoods, however for whom and how to achieve them appear to be quite different. While community groups seek to improve the living conditions of the poor residents of South Fresno and ensure their ability to stay in a revitalized downtown, planners are focusing on attracting wealthier residents and actively avoiding any talk about equity, affordable housing and public investment. Thus, although health seems to be providing a unifying framework in terms of a vision for the physical environment, it does not ultimately resolve the inherent tensions between community and economic development

Displacement in San Mateo County, California: Consequences for Housing, Neighborhoods, Quality of Life, and Health

In metropolitan regions across the country, residents face constrained, expensive housing markets and rising income inequality. Middle- and high-income households are beginning to seek more affordable housing in accessible neighborhoods with traditionally lower rents and proximity to jobs and transportation. Many low-income households are simply unable to secure affordable rents. As neighborhoods change and housing demand shifts, landlords are presented with a new set of financial prospects. Displacement and evictions are central components of this changing landscape, altering the geography of race and class across regions. Recent studies have found a spike in evictions in San Mateo County, disproportionately affecting people of color.There is relatively little research on the impacts of displacement on households, individuals, and communities. Existing research has shown that evictions negatively affect the health, quality of life, and economic outlook for households, often with long-term consequences. This study contributes to this small but growing body of research, with results specific to local Bay Area conditions. We assess the relationship between displacement and housing costs and quality, commutes, neighborhood location and quality, mental and physical health, and healthcare access. We completed in-depth phone surveys with 100 primarily low-income tenants who received services from Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA), which serves low-income communities in San Mateo County. Survey respondents live in and/or were displaced from San Mateo County communities. These surveys provide a window into the consequences of displacement for households in the San Francisco Bay Area, with implications for researchers and policymakers both locally and across the nation

Displacement in San Mateo County, California: Consequences for Housing, Neighborhoods, Quality of Life, and Health

In metropolitan regions across the country, residents face constrained, expensive housing markets and rising income inequality. Middle- and high-income households are beginning to seek more affordable housing in accessible neighborhoods with traditionally lower rents and proximity to jobs and transportation. Many low-income households are simply unable to secure affordable rents. As neighborhoods change and housing demand shifts, landlords are presented with a new set of financial prospects. Displacement and evictions are central components of this changing landscape, altering the geography of race and class across regions. Recent studies have found a spike in evictions in San Mateo County, disproportionately affecting people of color.There is relatively little research on the impacts of displacement on households, individuals, and communities. Existing research has shown that evictions negatively affect the health, quality of life, and economic outlook for households, often with long-term consequences. This study contributes to this small but growing body of research, with results specific to local Bay Area conditions. We assess the relationship between displacement and housing costs and quality, commutes, neighborhood location and quality, mental and physical health, and healthcare access. We completed in-depth phone surveys with 100 primarily low-income tenants who received services from Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA), which serves low-income communities in San Mateo County. Survey respondents live in and/or were displaced from San Mateo County communities. These surveys provide a window into the consequences of displacement for households in the San Francisco Bay Area, with implications for researchers and policymakers both locally and across the nation

Using GPS Tracking to Understand the Transportation Costs of Displacement: A San Francisco Pilot

California’s housing crisis has spurred residential displacement of low income households from its high-cost coastal regions. Yet little is known about the transportation costs of displacement. As low income households are displaced from high to lower cost areas that may lack high quality transit options, one may expect them to shift transportation modes, have longer commutes and pay more of their income for transportation. This study aimed to pilot several data collection instruments in an effort to design a larger study on the transportation costs of displacement. We attempted to recruit people who were about to be evicted to download a GPS app on their phone and answer two surveys about their travel patterns and other characteristics before, during and after their eviction. After seven months of active recruitment, partnering with eviction defense organizations, we terminated the study without having collected any data. Ultimately we believe a lighter touch study would have been more successful and that it may have been too much to ask a person undergoing what may be considered a traumatic life event to install a GPS tracking app on their phone and dedicate several hours and emotional energy to a study. The need to characterize the transportation costs of displacement, however, is still important and we believe a shorter retrospective survey may be a more appropriate data collection method to pilot