Marissa Ramirez, a planner, biologist, and former cancer researcher, writes about the connection between the neighborhoods children grow up in and their health later in life.
From article by Marissa Ramirez on Sustainable Cities Collective:
"It is now well understood that environmental factors such as poor air quality and food deserts, for example, contribute to a familiar list of ailments, including asthma and obesity. But developing research indicates that our environment can also affect our gene expression."
"In an article on poverty and illness published last month in The New Yorker, Paul Tough reported that neurobiologists have found that adversity in early childhood, such as living in unsafe conditions, economic hardship, violence or neglect from families, causes acute and chronic stress responses at the molecular level. This modifies the chemistry of DNA in the brain in such a way as to have an adverse effect on adulthood."
"While planners may not be performing genetic analysis in the near future, we should account for environmental damages from health issues at the molecular level. Finally, we need additional collaboration among the disciplines of medicine, environment and urban planning to inform the best community development and design."
FULL STORY: How sustainable communities can influence childhood health
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
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Oak Park Plans Earth Month Events
Join Oak Park, Illinois, for a series of Earth Month events highlighting the importance of community engagement and education, integrating sustainability into local plans, and planning for the most vulnerable, such as birds, bees and butterflies.
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.
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