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.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.
California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.
HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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