Survey: US Public Spaces Not Meeting Community Needs

A survey from Project for Public Spaces asked respondents to describe how they feel about their local public spaces and what amenities could make them better and more welcoming.

According to a Smart Cities Dive article by Rachel H. Pollack, the survey reveals that only 5 percent of respondents feel that public spaces are fully meeting community needs or letting residents easily and equitably “go outside, connect with neighbors and families and meet daily needs.” Respondents, some of whom were professionals from city planning and civic engineering, cited funding as a key factor impacting U.S. public space development and maintenance.

Interventions that improve public space can cater to the specific needs of each city, such as regional extreme weather events.  “Cities can introduce new trees and awnings in public spaces to increase shade and combat rising temperatures, as in Phoenix, helping people better enjoy them. And they can design rain gardens and other green infrastructure in public spaces to help mitigate the effects of flooding, as New York City has done.”