Healthy Communities

Steve Johnson

Urban Studies and Planning

Winter, 2010

Built (Urban) EnvironmentLand UsePatterns

Urban Design Transportation

Activities Patterns

Public Health

Food Nature

Modifiable Behaviors Associated with Deaths, US, 1990

Three hundred thousand!

What is needed for healthy change?

Proactive Proactive encouragemeencouragement by health nt by health

care care providersproviders

Proactive Proactive encouragemeencouragement by health nt by health

care care providersproviders

Changes in Changes in individual individual behaviorbehavior

Changes in Changes in individual individual behaviorbehavior

Community Community designs that make designs that make walking & biking walking & biking

safe, easy & safe, easy & enjoyable!enjoyable!

Urban Form--19th Century Crowded Dirty Polluted Smelly Noisy Dangerous

Stages of Urban Reformation Health Reformers, 19th century Housing Reform, progressive era Garden Cities/City Beautiful Health, Safety, Welfare--Zoning Innovation Post World War II Cities Burning (1960s) Housing and Community Development

Movement Urban Villages/New urbanism (1990s--)

Urban Form Today Decentralized Dispersed Separated land uses Auto-centric transportation networks

The costs of privatization (Fortress America article)

Society has promoted growth of individualism at expense of inter-group tolerance and public civility.

what can happen is that segregated communities are created that have limited capacity to bridge to other communities and political power, while being able to take care of each other.

Characteristics of urban Social Life

More separation between private and public life

More separation also in private homes Growth of individualism at expense of

intergroup tolerance and public civility Americans spend less than 1 hour

outdoor everyday

Place Matters We are urbanizing. In 25 years 2/3 of us will

live in cities (worldwide) Many of us live in placeless world Place is physical, cultural, social and mental All places have some risk and hazards

Physical, social, and psychological Place does matter, more for some than others

Ecologies of Disadvantage Being in the wrong place may be a

function of social structure While placeless, some of us live in

Medieval-like gated or walled communities

Birmingham case—not having the social or political capital to change the situation

Disturbing Trends Mortality rate for urban children increased by 50%

between 1980 and 1988. Residents in 100 largest cities, twice as often victims

of crime and murder rates also twice as high Infant mortality rate 25% higher in 100 largest cities Of 880 most disadvantaged neighborhoods, 99% in

cities 40% of urban children below poverty level 30% to 50% of city children inadequately immunized

New forms of Segregation and Isolation

Inner city neighborhoods that are more isolated and less capable of “taking care of themselves.

Segregation and Health Risks Segregation ensures that

neighborhoods with limited resources for protection against risk will be particularly vulnerable since their isolation restricts their access to the range of resources available in the larger community.

Social Organization Needed

Prevalence, strength and interlocking nature of social networks

Degree to which neighbors take personal responsibility for neigh. Problems

Extent of surveillance done by neighbors Participation in voluntary organizations tied to

neighborhood and broader community

What is social capital? If physical capital is wholly tangible, being

embodied in observable material form, and human capital is less tangible, being embodied in the skills and knowledge acquired by an individual, social capital is less tangible yet, for it exists in the relations among persons.

Example, a park that is safe in a neighborhood vs. having to secure it with police

Bridging and Bonding Social Capital Difference between bridging (or

inclusive) and bonding (or exclusive) social capital

Bonding capital constitutes a kind of sociological super-glue, whereas bridging social capital provides a sociological WD-40

Zoning Today’s dominate urban form results

from implementation of zoning based on: health--low density is healthier; and on Economic segregation--including

separation of apartments from houses, as a way of saving the early suburban developments.

Zoning is based on the policing powers of government

Automobile Society Autos account (in USA) for 86% of all person

trips; walking only 5% Non-motorists tend to be younger, less

educated, poorer and live in urbanized areas But not so much in other countries Reasons: gas price, urban form, safety,

public incentives

Mode Split Comparison:Europe and North America

data 1990or later

NetherlandsDenmark

Germany (western)Switzerland

SwedenAustria

Germany (eastern)England & Wales

FranceItaly

CanadaU.S.A.

0

20

40

60

80

100 BicycleWalkTransitAuto

Mode Split in Selected German Citiescompared to Portland by Population

MunichCologne

EssenStuttgart

DusseldorfBremen

HannoverPORTLAND

NurembergMeunster

KasselFreiberg

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%BicycleTransitWalkAuto

Larger population than PortlandSmaller population

than Portland

Mode Split in the Netherlandsby Trip Distance

BicycleTransit Walk Auto

Source: Statistics Netherlands, National Travel Survey, 1996

40%

26%

7%

40%

0-1.5 1.5-3 3-4.5 >4.5 All Trips

Distance (miles)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Percentage

29%

Travel Choices by Adults:Netherlands, Germany, USA

18-24 25-39 40-64 65-74 75+ 18-44 45-64 65-74 75+ 16-24 25-39 40-64 65+0%

20%

60%

80%

100%

Private Car

Public TransportBicycleWalk

The Netherlands Germany USA

40%

50% of people over 75 walk or bike

Frank--Interventions Some of the most prevalent forms of disease today can be

prevented or at least lessened through moderate physical activity

Surgeon general 1996--moderate activities like walking and biking can have significant health outcomes

But only 1 in 3 adults (USA) engages in regular, sustained exercise to meet the public health recommendations

Structured physical regimes may have better effect on health, but are also more difficult for people to maintain

Small interventions can help--stairs instead of elevators, safe biking to school, etc.

People more likely to continue long term with moderate interventions, esp. ones that also have practical outcomes

“Automobile trips that can be safely replaced by walking or bicycling offer the first target for increased physical activity in communities.”

Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, Dr. William Dietz, CDC

Why Walking and Bicycling?

What about children going to school?

• Only 31% of trips under 1 mile are by walking• Only 2% of trips under 2 miles are by bicycling

How do we create Active Community Environments?

Development patterns that improve the walking & biking environment

Street designs that improve pedestrian & bicycle convenience, comfort & safety

Special Needs Groups--Children nearly 40% of all high school seniors do not meet

health guidelines for physical activity, down from 9th graders (72%)

children today don't walk to school, 10% down from almost half 30 years ago

While playgrounds are important, children do like to play in the neighborhood, and on streets

in typical suburban areas the street may be better to play in (cul-de-sacs) but the linkages to other play areas and schools and other destinations not

Special Needs groups--Elderly walking important exercise for elderly

and can be important social one as well Elder use cars because of safety

concerns and in suburban areas not practical for utilitarian trips

in some other countries the elder do make more use of walking

Special Needs Groups--Poor Have less leisure time Less discretionary income Fewer parks and recreation Rely more on walking/bus but can’t

reach all services Safety concerns in some areas

Fitzpatrick: Space and Place (chapter 2)

Space is the physical area we live in While place is physical, cultural and

mental and the “perception of one’s place in the world.”

Spatial needs of humans Food Water Shelter Privacy/personal space Access to social interaction Safe and defensible space

Health greatly affected by Life chances (Social status etc.) Exposure to Risk Influence of sub cultures Social Support Networks

Spatial needs in and Outside Home

Crowding is not just a matter of number of people (Pearl District is dense but is it crowded?)

High density inside homes is not the same as in a neighborhood

Children may play outside more Hierarchy sometimes becomes the rule

in crowded households

Importance of Social Networks People with good social networks have better

health Urban design effects social interactions (front

porches for example) Other elements (e.g., creating indefensible

space) of neighborhood can impact other social and individual developments

Insecure environments impede some basic human development traits like: affiliation, esteem, cognitive development

In a nutshell If people can not develop sense of

place, home, and territory, it effects their psychological and social development, and livability of communities

Basic Elements Transportation

Is it high or low connectivity Is it continuous or fragmented

Land Use density and mixture of use

Urban Design safety and attractiveness

Transportation: Main points Three types of urban transportation

systems: organic, grid, hierarchical City building and rebuilding, until recently

“new” communities not retrofit Biking: recreational or serious

commuting, integrated or separate Transit systems: need for density and

mixed use to be effective

Land Use Two things Americans hate: density and

sprawl Important to know how many end destinations

in an area or how far and frequent to other destinations

Mixed use has many advantages but difficult to retrofit suburbs

Job housing mix important for urban form but difficult to assess and change

Conceptual and Practical Problems in Urban Design

Divergent requirements in physical design Difficult to research people’s transportation

and housing needs and desires Residential self selection may mean

pedestrian friendly areas dominated by pedestrian-bike oriented people

We don’t have experience living in quality high density (suburban ideals)

Speakers Don’t Forget you maybe responsible for

content of speakers and class discussions.

Urban Food Systems and Food Security—Growing Gardens

Framing the Food System Issues

basic need/right Food commodity

diversified farm/self Production factory

varied Markets supermarkets

localized Economy internationalized

fresh options Health processed stable

individual Control corporate

responsive Sustainability rigid

Opportunities to Localize

Food (basic need/right)

Production (diversified farm/self)

Markets (varied)

Economy (localized)

Health (fresh options)

Control (individual/local government) Sustainability (responsive)

Equal access- local livable wage

Farms, gardens, market gardens

Farmers’ Markets, Farmstands, CSA, restaurants

Inputs, labor force, reinvestment, local market incentives

Increased choice, more information, education

More influence/policy/zoning laws

Policy and Economic

Framing Food Security

ANTI-HUNGER FOOD SECURITY

Treatment Model Prevention

Individual/Household Unit Community

Shorter Term Time frame Longer Term

Emergency Food Focus Food System

Commodities/Cheap Food Agriculture Impact Fair wage/Local

How to Facilitate Urban Food Security

Research (equity atlas) Farmer’s markets Community gardens Farm to School programs Farmer to Restaurant School Gardens Community Supported

Farms

Attracting right grocery or other food outlets

Consumer power: buy local/organic

Farm and food education centers

Policy groups to change zoning, public investment, research

Food Policy Examples

Transportation: bus routes/grocery racks on transit/ride-share supermarket vans

Urban Design: limit traditional yardscapes in favor of edible urban parks/gardens

Economic Development: supermarket siting, local food industry promotion

Affordable Housing: rooftop gardens, community/apartment/container gardens

Sisters of the Road A model entrepreneurial social service

and multi-faceted intervention Providing a helping hand as well as

changing conditions through policy work

Mike Houck--Greenspaces

Regional Greenspaces System

Metro Fish and Wildlife Habitat withBond Acquisitions, Public Land,

and Anchor Sites

Classes I and II

Classes A and B

Metro Fish and Wildlife Habitat Protection Resources

Urban GrowthBoundary

Existing Anchor Sites

Proposed Anchor Sites

Metro Bond Acquisitions,Parks, and GreenspacesOther public land

Nature

Areas for recreation and leisure

Public spaces that bring people together and connect them to their community

The System Promotes Human Health, Fitness, and Well-being

Trails and greenways are a fundamental infrastructure actively used to augment transportation networks and link parks, natural areas, waterways, public facilities, neighborhoods, and regional centers.

Powerline Trail Beaverton

Rock Creek Trail Hillsboro

Springwater on the Willamette

Regional Trails and Greenways