Module 4: Problems – Unsustainable Urban Communities MPP 655: Policy Making for Sustainable Urban Communities MPP 655 - Module 4

The emergence of suburbia, as we know it today The need for an environmental justice The emergence of “food deserts” The displacement of nature The growth of “grey infrastructure” MPP 655 - Module 4

Emergence of Suburbia MPP 655 - Module 4

Emergence of Suburbia Post-World War II America, and the need for a massive increase in affordable housing Modifications to the Mortgage Market by the Federal Government Application of the principles of Mass Production to housing delivery Rise of the “detached, single family home” in strictly zoned residential neighborhoods MPP 655 - Module 4

Entrenchment of Suburbia The dream of “country living” The rise of the automobile The development of leapfrog development The emergence of the American Lawn Deinstitutionalization and the persistent problem of affordable housing Public Housing Projects and the gutting of the Inner City MPP 655 - Module 4

The Need for An Environmental Justice MPP 655 - Module 4

Need for An Environmental Justice “White flight” and the abandonment of the Downtown Hubs Poor folk and polluting activities both converge on cheap land Polluting activities seek out lands that are politically vulnerable and ill-represented Poor folk begin to organize to “take back” their neighborhoods MPP 655 - Module 4

The Emergence of Food Deserts MPP 655 - Module 4

Emergence of Food Deserts The rise of Fast Food Outlets and the fall of the “Mom and Pop” store Supermarkets choose to “follow the money” into the suburbs Poor neighborhoods gutted and left to rely on fast food, liquor stores and check cashing outlets Emergence of the Food Justice movement MPP 655 - Module 4

Getting Nature Out of the City MPP 655 - Module 4

Growth of “Grey” Infrastructure The growth of dark impervious surfaces The problem of heat islands Stormwater runoff Air pollution, PM10, and PM2.5 Fragmentation of natural habitats Channelization of rivers and streams Fragmentation of watersheds MPP 655 - Module 4

Summary Emergence of Suburbia The Need for an Environmental Justice The Recognition of Food Deserts The Appropriation of Nature The Over-reliance on Built Infrastructure The Need to “bring nature back into the city” MPP 655 - Module 4

Questions? MPP 655 - Module 4