This dissertation seeks to contribute to equitable urban development by exploring what should be considered in land use planning and policy decisions. To this end, it focuses on urban park development, neighborhood change, and individual health outcomes in each chapter. Chapter 1 examines whether, and to what extent, minority political representation is associated with equitable park development in minority neighborhoods that have historically faced disparities in park access. While previous studies have largely focused on neighborhood characteristics and non-governmental actors, this chapter highlights the importance of racial representation in park development in New York City. Chapter 2 explores how and to what extent these newly developed parks are linked to neighborhood change to assess whether such development benefits the intended communities or instead contributes to gentrification. This study specifically estimates heterogeneous effects across different types of neighborhoods—gentrifying, non-gentrifying, and non-gentrifiable—and suggests that the relationship between park development and neighborhood change varies across neighborhood types. Chapter 3 shifts focus to neighborhoods as social determinants of health. This chapter examines the association between neighborhood change and residents’ health outcomes. Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) restricted data, this chapter investigates how changes in neighborhood income, rent, and educational attainment are related to individuals’ self-reported health, with particular attention to differences by housing tenure.
The three chapters of this dissertation collectively address minority representation, urban greening, neighborhood change, and health outcomes. These findings underscore that minority political representation is essential for advancing equity in urban park development, and that park development should account for neighborhood contexts and be accompanied by affordable housing policies to mitigate displacement pressure. Finally, urban planning and policy should be informed by the health implications of neighborhood change. Overall, these findings offer an integrated perspective on how political, spatial, and health dimensions should be considered in equitable urban planning and policy.