A meta-analysis published in Housing Policy Debate finds that extensive studies in recent years support positive claims about walkable neighborhoods.
A review of hundreds of articles and nearly 100 peer-reviewed study finds that compact, walkable neighborhoods "have been found to have significant, positive effects for urban dwellers, in terms of social interaction, health, and safety."
The analysis by Emily Talen and Julia Koschinsky of Arizona State University —Compact, Walkable, Diverse Neighborhoods: Assessing Effects on Residents — was published in the August issue of Housing Policy Debate. Walkable, compact, and diverse (WCD) neighborhoods — Talen and Koschinsky's term — have been heavily studied in recent years, especially in the health field. "Of the 95 examples included in the table, 62 percent were in health journals, 28 percent in planning/design, and 10 percent in transportation," the authors note.
FULL STORY: Walkable neighborhoods improve health, safety, and social life
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.