Policy & Law Archives - Page 8 of 10

Possible Worlds: Henri Lefebvre and the Right to the City

Purcell, Mark. (2014). Possible Worlds: Henri Lefebvre and the Right to the City. Journal Of Urban Affairs, 36(1), 141 – 154.

View Publication

Abstract

There has been much attention paid recently the idea of the right to the city. This article argues that in order to fully appreciate the power of the idea, we should understand it through a close reading of Henri Lefebvre's body of work on the city and politics. Lefebvre presents a radical vision for a city in which users manage urban space for themselves, beyond the control of both the state and capitalism. However, while it calls for profound change, Lefebvre's vision is also eminently practical; it can very much serve as a guide and inspiration for concrete action to change the city today.

Housing Trajectories of Immigrants and Their Children in France: Between Integration and Stratification

Acolin, Arthur. (2019). Housing Trajectories of Immigrants and Their Children in France: Between Integration and Stratification. Urban Studies (sage Publications, Ltd.), 56(10), 2021 – 2039.

View Publication

Abstract

Immigrants have been found to exhibit different housing tenure patterns from the rest of the population in a number of contexts. This article tests whether observed differences in tenure in France can be explained by differences in socio-demographic characteristics or whether unexplained differences might result from housing market mechanisms that affect immigrants differentially from the rest of the population, and extends this to the second generation. The article relies on data from TeO, a survey of 21,761 persons designed to oversample and identify immigrants and their children, providing information about the outcomes of children of immigrants that is otherwise lacking in French statistics. The results indicate that while immigrants are significantly less likely to be homeowners, even after controlling for compositional difference, the gap in homeownership between the second generation and the rest of the population is smaller and not statistically significant. This suggests a progressive integration in the housing market over time and over generations rather than overall stratified housing trajectories. Differences in terms of the share of social housing residents, the level of residential crowding, and housing and neighbourhood characteristics also decline across generations. However, children of immigrants from some non-European origins are experiencing higher levels of stratification than other groups, with continued significant differences in tenure.

Keywords

Immigrants; Housing; Home Ownership; Children Of Immigrants; Housing Market; Social Stratification; France; Homeownership; Housing Trajectories; Tenure; Segmented Assimilation; Location Choices; Wealth; 2nd-generation; Discrimination; Segregation; Inequality; Quality; Markets; Demographics; Homeowners; Neighborhoods; Crowding; Statistical Analysis; Residential Patterns; Children; Trajectories; Residents; Residential Areas; Integration; Statistics; European Cultural Groups; Sociodemographics; Stratification; Demographic Aspects; Second Generation; Property; Public Housing; Noncitizens

Use of Health Impact Assessments in the Housing Sector to Promote Health in the United States, 2002-2016

Bever, Emily; Arnold, Kimberly T.; Lindberg, Ruth; Dannenberg, Andrew L.; Morley, Rebecca; Breysse, Jill; Pollack Porter, Keshia M. (2021). Use of Health Impact Assessments in the Housing Sector to Promote Health in the United States, 2002-2016. Journal Of Housing And The Built Environment, 36(3), 1277 – 1297.

View Publication

Abstract

Housing affects health, yet health is seldom considered in housing decisions. Health impact assessment (HIA) is a tool that can improve housing-related policies, plans, programs, and projects by bringing together scientific data, health expertise, and stakeholder engagement to identify the potential health effects of proposed decisions. We systematically identified and reviewed HIAs of housing decisions in the United States, yielding 54 HIAs between 2002 and 2016. Two examined federal proposals; the others explored decisions in 20 states. A variety of organizations led the HIAs, including non-profits, public health departments, and academic institutions. The primary decision-makers each HIA sought to inform were housing, planning, and/or elected officials. Eighteen HIAs focused on housing policies, codes, design elements, and utilities in residential structures. The remaining 36 HIAs included housing as one element of broader community development and transportation planning decisions. HIA recommendations changed decisions in some cases, and the assessment process helped strengthen connections between public health and housing decision-makers. To illustrate key characteristics of housing HIAs, we purposefully selected three HIAs and described the decisions they informed in detail: off-campus student housing in Flagstaff, Arizona; a rental housing inspections program in Portland, Oregon; and revitalization plans for a major thoroughfare in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. With a few exceptions, federal, state, and local agencies in the U.S. are not required to consider the health impacts of housing decisions, such as where housing is sited, how it is designed and constructed, and policies for ensuring that it is affordable and safe. HIA has emerged as a tool for advocates, health and housing practitioners, and policymakers to fill this gap. However, few studies have examined whether HIAs do in fact change housing decisions, shift the way that decision-makers think, or ultimately shift determinants of health (e.g., housing affordability and quality). This review demonstrates that HIAs can facilitate the consideration of health during housing decision-making. Housing HIAs can also help decision-makers address commonly overlooked effects, such as changes to social cohesion, and improve civic participation by engaging communities in the decisionmaking process.

Keywords

0; Community Development; Decision-making; Healthy Housing; Health Impact Assessment; Housing Policy; Stakeholder Engagement; Health Promotion; Public Health; Exceptions; Impact Analysis; Nonprofit Organizations; Affordability; Suburban Areas; Profits; Housing; Policy Making; Transportation Planning; Decision Making; Rental Housing; Public Officials; Policies; Regeneration; Utilities; Social Cohesion; Inspections; Community Involvement; Decision Makers; Community Participation; United States--us

Andy Dannenberg and co-editors publish an updated & expanded book on making healthy places

In Making Healthy Places, Second Edition: Designing and Building for Well-Being, Equity, and Sustainability, planning and public health experts, Andy L. Dannenberg, Affiliate Professor of Urban Design & Planning, along with co-authors Nisha D. Botchwey and Howard Frumkin bring together scholars and practitioners from across the globe in fields ranging from public health, planning, and urban design, to sustainability, social work, and public policy. This updated and expanded edition explains how to design and build places that are beneficial to the…

2022 CBE Inspire Fund awardees announced

In 2021 the College of Built Environments launched the CBE Inspire Fund, designed to support CBE research activities for which a relatively small amount of support can be transformative. The second year of awards have just been announced, supporting five projects across 4 departments within the college as they address topics such as food sovereignty, anti-displacement, affordable housing, and health & wellbeing. This year’s awardees include: Defining the New Diaspora: Where Seattle’s Black Church Congregants Are Moving and Why Rachel…

The need for more equitable fare enforcement: An examination by Isis Moon Gamble, recent graduate of CBE’s Master of Urban Planning program

Though Transit Equity Day is just one day, the issue of equity on Seattle’s public transit is an ongoing and important conversation to Seattle and King County residents. Neighborhoods across the county have unequal access to transit lines; bus stops are often located in inconvenient or dangerous places due to oncoming traffic and lack of sidewalks; and bus schedules are irregular or sparse, with long wait times. These are just a few of the challenges folks might experience before getting…

Novi T.I. Bramono

I am interested in sustainable buildings with an emphasis on energy efficiency, health requirements, indoor air quality, incentives, and green financing. This interest is shaped by the emerging trend towards healthy buildings that improve the occupants’ productivity and health. My research agenda focuses on reconceptualizing sustainable building’s performance to meet the building’s health requirements and energy-efficiency and promote this in policy decision-making settings, including improving the risk responsiveness of codes and standards for building practices.

Arthur Acolin awarded Tier 2 Seed Grant

Congratulations to Assistant Professor of Real Estate and CSDE Affiliate Arthur Acolin for being awarded a $10,000 Tier 2 seed grant for his project, “Accessory Dwelling Units as Potential Source of Affordable Housing Across Generations”. This grant is part of CSDE’s quarterly call for seed grant applications and is intended to help faculty initiate new research endeavors that have high relevance to population science and a strong chance of building towards extramural funding. Acolin will be conducting a joint project…

Cybersecurity in the Built Environment (Cyber-BE)

The Cyber-BE Lab integrates the latest in academic research on policy, communication, and organization with industry expertise on IoT security, risk mitigation and building operations. Cyber-BE offers a holistic understanding of IoT in the built environment. We support the organizational, communication, and policy innovations that will help minimize IoT risk through:

Advancing social scientific research to better understand and apply smart technology in the built environment
Delivering usable guidance and tools to address the policy, organizational, and communication challenges that industry practitioners face
Building a community of practice of IoT security practitioners and researchers

The lab leads include Laura Osburn, Senior Research Scientist at the Department of Construction Management, Jessica Beyer, Lecturer and Research Scientist at the Jackson School of International Studies, and Chuck Benson, Director of IoT Risk Mitigation Strategy at the University of Washington.

Qing Shen’s proposal among those selected for funding by PacTrans

The Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) announced in January 2021 the project proposals selected for funding. Qing Shen, Professor of Urban Design and Planning and Chair of the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Urban Design and Planning is among those selected for project funding. Shen is working alongside Co-Principal Investigator Catherine (Casey) Gifford–Innovative Mobility Senior Planner–on the applied research project titled “Supplementing fixed-route transit with dynamic shared mobility services: a marginal cost comparison approach”. The project goal is to address a…