Determinants of vacant lot conversion into community gardens: evidence from Philadelphia

In Kwon Park and Patricia Ciorici

International Journal of Urban Sciences, 2013, vol. 17, issue 3, 385-398

Abstract: Community gardens (CGs) are gaining popularity as an alternative use for vacant lots in communities that struggle to address the negative effects of property abandonment. A pressing issue for these communities is to determine which vacant lots are most appropriate for community gardening. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the determinants of vacant lot conversion into CGs. We looked at existing CGs and vacant lots in the City of Philadelphia and identified CGs converted from vacant lots. A logit model was employed to determine the factors contributing to the conversion. The data for lot attributes were collected from the Philadelphia Neighbourhood Information System and a city-wide survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. The results show that neighbourhood characteristics such as poverty level, educational attainment, zoning, and owner occupancy level mainly determine the conversion. In addition, parcel characteristics including ownership and topography have significant impacts on the conversion. These findings will help communities to identify the most appropriate vacant lots for community gardening.

Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1080/12265934.2013.818388

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