A new study by Rahul Pathaka, Christopher K. Wyczalkowskib, Xi Huangb produces new evidence for the most effective method for improving conditions of poverty.
[Updated January 15, 2018] Affordable housing projects might not be the best way to improve concentrated poverty. In fact, "[n]ew research suggests that a more effective approach to changing the geography of poverty requires the expansion of effective public transportation systems," according to an article by Andrew Miller.
The study, published in the Regional Science and Urban Economics journal, finds evidence that, for transit-dependent commuters, the affordability of a neighborhood can depend on proximity to transit stops. The study analyzes tract-level U.S. census data in the Atlanta metropolitan area from 1970 to 2010. According to Miller, "the authors found that the presence of a public bus route in Atlanta’s suburban census tracts is associated with a 2.32 percent increase in the poverty rate on average, compared to census tracts without bus routes."
The study also established a causal relationship between bus routes and poverty, and expands similar findings from previous studies to suburban settings.
FULL STORY: HOW PUBLIC BUS ROUTES CAN DECONCENTRATE POVERTY AND PROMOTE EQUITY
Should Governments Subsidize Uber and Lyft Connections to Transit?
According to a new report from the Center for American Progress, technology network companies like Uber and Lyft offer a unique opportunity for low-income users to connect with transit routes and on to greater economic opportunities.
Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
Study: Transit Cuts Can Increase Poverty, Unemployment
An analysis of Clayton County, Georgia, which lost access to public transit for five years, shows a significant increase in unemployment rates and poverty during that timeframe.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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