Quantifying Social Infrastructure

In a piece for Happy Cities, Emma Avery describes Happy Cities’ effort to address the challenges of elevating social infrastructure to the same importance as other civic amenities. “Our research aims to support municipalities in this process by collecting data and developing policy tools, recognizing that many municipalities are already overstretched trying to meet essential community needs.”

As Avery explains, “When someone proposes a new development, they must work with the city to ensure that roads, water, and sewage have the capacity to service new homes and businesses.” But when it comes to social spaces, cities usually make decisions case-by-case, leading to uneven levels of community facilities and services.

Social infrastructure is more than just amenities or buildings—it encompasses the social networks and programs that bring shared spaces to life, and creates the foundation for thriving, healthy communities.

Elevating social infrastructure to the same importance, and developing tools and metrics to measure its actual impact, “could help cities understand whether, for example, a new development has enough park space or child care nearby to support its future residents,” Avery writes.