Urban Sustainability and Change in Urban Areas

Definition: Racial segregation that occurs by fact rather than by legal requirement.

Reduction of Sprawl: Decreases extensive land development, preserving natural areas.
Improved Walkability & Transportation: More pedestrian-friendly urban designs lead to better public transport and less reliance on cars.
Enhanced Livability: Promotes a higher quality of life within urban settings.
Sustainable Options: Encourages eco-friendly practices in urban planning.

Increased Housing Costs: Higher demand for sustainably designed housing raises prices.
Possible De Facto Segregation: Enhanced areas may exclude lower-income populations leading to segregation.
Loss of Historical Character: Redevelopment may erase culturally significant structures or neighborhoods.

Quantitative Data:
- Sources: Census and survey data.
- Provides demographics, changes in population size and composition.
- Essential for creating maps to analyze residential and racial segregation.
Qualitative Data:
- Sources: Field studies, narratives.
- Reflects individual attitudes towards urban change.
- Maps illustrate neighborhood characteristics such as predominant ethnicity and gender.

Redlining: Discriminatory practice preventing minorities from obtaining mortgage loans in predominantly white areas.
Blockbusting: Encouragement for property owners to sell low, capitalizing on fears of neighborhood decline due to minority influx.
Affordable Housing: Units that are economically accessible to those earning below median income.
Access to Services: Gauges ability of individuals to afford essential services without financial struggles.

Rising Crime Rates: Linked to unemployment, lack of quality schools, and perceived lack of opportunities.
Environmental Injustice: Exposure of communities of color and impoverished groups to higher pollution levels, lack of access to nutritious food, and inadequate public services.
Disamenity Zones: Areas within cities characterized by poverty, slums, and even gang violence.
Squatter Settlements: Resilient areas where occupants live in makeshift shelters, lacking access to basic services.

Land Tenure: Refers to ownership rights and controls over land usage.
Inclusionary Zoning: A policy aimed at mandating a portion of developed housing be affordable for lower-income households.
Local Food Movements: Focus on sourcing food produced nearby, supporting local economies and reducing environmental impact.
Urban Renewal: Refers to the revival of economically struggling neighborhoods.
Gentrification: Improvement of urban areas typically leading to the displacement of existing, poorer residents while boosting local economy and infrastructure.
- Negative Impacts: May disregard the needs of vulnerable residents leading to displacement.
- Positive Impacts: New jobs, improved housing, better infrastructure, increased tourism.

Urban Sustainability: Strives to enhance social and economic conditions in urban areas while protecting environmental quality.

Suburban Sprawl: Characterizes the expansion of urban developments into rural areas, affecting agriculture and natural habitats.
Pollution: Contributes to greenhouse gases, acid rain, and other environmental harm.

Brownfield: Properties complicated by potential hazardous substances that hinder redevelopment.
Ecological Footprint: Measures human impact on nature via resource consumption.

Regional Planning: Efforts for comprehensive land-use planning.
Brownfield Remediation: Cleaning and repurposing polluted lands.
Urban Growth Boundaries: Limits sprawl by designating areas for development.
Farmland Protection Policies: Protects agricultural land from urban encroachment.