What is a "Great Neighborhood"? An Analysis of APA's Top-Rated Places

Emily Talen, Sunny Menozzi and Chloe Schaefer

Journal of the American Planning Association, 2015, vol. 81, issue 2, 121-141

Abstract: Problem, research strategy, and findings: The American Planning Association's (APA) annual "Great Neighborhoods" program was established to define the "gold standard" of neighborhoods in America. Using census and other data covering the 80 APA-designated Great Neighborhoods to date (2007 to 2014), we quantitatively assess whether good neighborhood form may be in conflict with the social goals of affordability and social diversity. We find that APA's Great Neighborhoods represent a somewhat classic conception of the historic, gentrifying urban neighborhood: walkable, gridded, and losing social diversity. APA Great Neighborhoods are apparently not able to buck the trend that desirable physical qualities lead correspondingly to lack of affordability and social diversity. Takeaway for practice: We argue that the APA should be sensitive to the connection between a strong sense of neighborhood identity and the potential for social exclusion in their Great Neighborhoods designation. The APA could give a special designation for neighborhoods that score well on the APA's criteria, but that also manage to retain affordability and social diversity. The APA could therefore use its Great Neighborhoods designation to recognize planning, policy, and design efforts in service of not only design excellence, but also social inclusion.

Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2015.1067573

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