Why do people continue to live near polluted sites? Empirical evidence from Southwestern Europe

10.21203/rs.3.rs-169654/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pierre Levasseur ◽

Katrin Erdlenbruch ◽

Christelle Gramaglia

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Unobserved Heterogeneity ◽

Economic Status ◽

Location Choices ◽

Middle Income ◽

Original Dataset ◽

The Us ◽

Residence Location ◽

Pollution Exposure ◽

The Impact

Abstract Poverty is a major determinant for pollution exposure, according to the US location choice literature. In this paper, we assess the impact of socio-economic status on location choices in the European context. Our analysis relies on an original dataset of 1194 households living in polluted and non-polluted areas in three European countries: Spain, Portugal and France. We use instrumental variables strategies to identify the socioeconomic causes of location choices. We show that low education, wealth and income are main reasons for living in polluted areas. We provide several robustness checks testing for the exogeneity of selected instruments. We observe that unobserved heterogeneity tends to understate the impact of socioeconomic status on residence location. Interestingly, we highlight that an important proportion of intermediate social groups (especially young couples) are living in polluted areas, probably because of place attachment and affordable housing facilities. Similarly, we show that middle-income households have lower move-out intentions than other income groups. These latter results contrast the linear vision of environmental inequalities found in the US.

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Why do people continue to live near polluted sites? Empirical evidence from Southwestern Europe

10.21203/rs.3.rs-169654/v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pierre Levasseur ◽

Katrin Erdlenbruch ◽

Christelle Gramaglia

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Unobserved Heterogeneity ◽

Economic Status ◽

Location Choices ◽

Middle Income ◽

Original Dataset ◽

The Us ◽

Residence Location ◽

Pollution Exposure ◽

The Impact

Abstract Poverty is a major determinant for pollution exposure, according to the US location choice literature. In this paper, we assess the impact of socio-economic status on location choices in the European context. Our analysis relies on an original dataset of 1194 households living in polluted and non-polluted areas in three European countries: Spain, Portugal and France. We use instrumental variables strategies to identify the socioeconomic causes of location choices. We show that low education, wealth and income are main reasons for living in polluted areas. We provide several robustness checks testing for the exogeneity of selected instruments. We observe that unobserved heterogeneity tends to understate the impact of socioeconomic status on residence location. Interestingly, we highlight that an important proportion of intermediate social groups (especially young couples) are living in polluted areas, probably because of place attachment and affordable housing facilities. Similarly, we show that middle-income households have lower move-out intentions than other income groups. These latter results contrast the linear vision of environmental inequalities found in the US.

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Informing the informal: visualizing laneway housing and increased density in Toronto

10.32920/ryerson.14653365 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Samira Behrooz

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Field Research ◽

Housing Crisis ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Informal Housing ◽

Middle Income ◽

Physical Character ◽

Density Limit ◽

The Impact ◽

The City

Toronto is growing and attracting new population. Given that housing is a basic human need, Toronto’s population growth indicates a rising demand for housing. Meanwhile, spatial polarization of income is increasing in the city. Using Hulchanski’s illuminating study outlining those low and middle income households initially lived in the core of the city, near to transit networks and currently they cannot due to the high costs of housing this research investigates the physical and spatial capacity of a Toronto neighbourhood to increase affordable housing close to public transit while maintaining the physical character of the neighbourhood. As a means to address this affordable housing crisis laneway and informal housing is studied and the impact of these on the urban fabric, morphology, of neighbourhoods is studied. This research paper utilizes a mixed methods approach using semi-structured interviews, field research, spatial analysis and mapping, and the development of scenarios to test laneway and informal housing paradigms. This research concludes that: 1) informal housing and laneway housing can increase density while maintaining the physical character of a neighbourhood, 2) Toronto has an under-utilized laneway system that is a missed opportunity to increase density, 3) The current density limit for stable neighbourhoods defined by Toronto’s Zoning By-law is not realistic and there is a potential for increasing density limit while retaining the integrity of neighbourhood character, 4) Four to six storey laneway developments can create a new distinct character in laneways without changing street character.

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Charlottesville Urban Design and Affordable Housing

10.35483/acsa.intl.1995.83 ◽

1995 ◽

Author(s):

Kenneth Schwartz ◽

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Housing Stock ◽

Small Towns ◽

Economic Decline ◽

World War ◽

Middle Income ◽

Suburban Sprawl ◽

Home Mortgage ◽

The Impact ◽

American Cities

One of the most pressing problems confronting architects and planners involves the erosion of urban fabric in American cities and small towns. Many factors have contributed to the physical and economic decline of previously healthy cities since the end of World War 11. Federal tax policies involving home mortgage deduction, FHA loan programs, and highway policy and subsidies have all conspired to promote suburban sprawl and a concurrent abandonment of city centers by the middle class. Nowhere has the impact of this problem been felt more seriously than in the area of housing. The legacy of the late 1950's and 1960's "urban renewal" has decimated vast tracts of land. In many areas of many cities, lower and middle income housing stock has been eliminated, often leaving a wasteland of parking in its place.

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Informing the informal: visualizing laneway housing and increased density in Toronto

10.32920/ryerson.14653365.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Samira Behrooz

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Field Research ◽

Housing Crisis ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Informal Housing ◽

Middle Income ◽

Physical Character ◽

Density Limit ◽

The Impact ◽

The City

Toronto is growing and attracting new population. Given that housing is a basic human need, Toronto’s population growth indicates a rising demand for housing. Meanwhile, spatial polarization of income is increasing in the city. Using Hulchanski’s illuminating study outlining those low and middle income households initially lived in the core of the city, near to transit networks and currently they cannot due to the high costs of housing this research investigates the physical and spatial capacity of a Toronto neighbourhood to increase affordable housing close to public transit while maintaining the physical character of the neighbourhood. As a means to address this affordable housing crisis laneway and informal housing is studied and the impact of these on the urban fabric, morphology, of neighbourhoods is studied. This research paper utilizes a mixed methods approach using semi-structured interviews, field research, spatial analysis and mapping, and the development of scenarios to test laneway and informal housing paradigms. This research concludes that: 1) informal housing and laneway housing can increase density while maintaining the physical character of a neighbourhood, 2) Toronto has an under-utilized laneway system that is a missed opportunity to increase density, 3) The current density limit for stable neighbourhoods defined by Toronto’s Zoning By-law is not realistic and there is a potential for increasing density limit while retaining the integrity of neighbourhood character, 4) Four to six storey laneway developments can create a new distinct character in laneways without changing street character.

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US-China tariffs worsen ASEAN middle-income trap fears

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db241755 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

East Asia ◽

Trade Diversion ◽

South East Asia ◽

Middle Income ◽

Content Type ◽

China Trade ◽

The Us ◽

The Impact

Subject Economic impact of the US-China tariffs. Significance Research into the impact of the US-China trade tariffs on other economies suggests that South-east Asia will benefit, and especially so if the tariff rate on US-China trade increases to 25% on March 1. Trade diversion to ASEAN will more than offset the impact of tariffs increasing prices at various supply chain stages, directly and indirectly dampening demand in these economies. Impacts Lower-value supply chain shifts will be easier and more prevalent, raising the quantity but not quality of GDP and jobs in beneficiaries. US officials are heading to China this week; tariff increases may be delayed but old tariffs will persist, as will the threat of more. None of the research into the impact of the conflict suggests that it will meet the US aim of notably trimming the US goods imbalance.

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Participant understanding of informed consent in a multidisease community-based health screening and biobank platform in rural South Africa

International Health ◽

10.1093/inthealth/ihaa072 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 560-566

Author(s):

Nothando Ngwenya ◽

Manono Luthuli ◽

Resign Gunda ◽

Ntombizonke A Gumede ◽

Oluwafemi Adeagbo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Informed Consent ◽

Economic Status ◽

Target Population ◽

Specific Power ◽

Community Based ◽

Middle Income ◽

Biospecimen Collection ◽

Participant Understanding ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background In low- and middle-income settings, obtaining informed consent for biobanking may be complicated by socio-economic vulnerability and context-specific power dynamics. We explored participants experiences and perceptions of the research objectives in a community-based multidisease screening and biospecimen collection platform in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods We undertook semi-structured in-depth interviews to assess participant understanding of the informed consent, research objectives and motivation for participation. Results Thirty-nine people participated (individuals who participated in screening/biospecimen collection and those who did not and members of the research team). Some participants said they understood the information shared with them. Some said they participated due to the perceived benefits of the reimbursement and convenience of free healthcare. Most who did not participate said it was due to logistical rather than ethical concerns. None of the participants recalled aspects of biobanking and genetics from the consent process. Conclusions Although most people understood the study objectives, we observed challenges to identifying language appropriate to explain biobanking and genetic testing to our target population. Engagement with communities to adopt contextually relevant terminologies that participants can understand is crucial. Researchers need to be mindful of the impact of communities’ socio-economic status and how compensation can be potentially coercive.

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“Before the War, Life Was Much Brighter and Happier than Today”

Historical Reflections/Réflexions Historiques ◽

10.3167/hrrh.2020.460304 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 55-77

Author(s):

Bethany S. Keenan

Keyword(s):

World War I ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Economic Status ◽

Lower Income ◽

World War ◽

The Us ◽

Women And Children ◽

The Impact ◽

New Evidence

This article examines a previously unstudied collection of letters from French World War I orphans and widows, published in US newspapers from 1915 to 1922, as a result of the US humanitarian effort Fatherless Children of France (FCOF). Through the analysis of the letters’ content and style, the article illuminates the lived experience of bereaved lower-income French families, notably highlighting the significance of grief and the impact of paternal loss on economic status, bringing out new evidence on how women and children experienced the war, as well as showing how humanitarian efforts connected French and American civilians during the war period.

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Structural Change, Growth, and Volatility

American Economic Journal Macroeconomics ◽

10.1257/mac.20130057 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 259-294 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Alessio Moro

Keyword(s):

Structural Change ◽

Service Sector ◽

Large Fraction ◽

Gdp Growth ◽

Middle Income ◽

The Us ◽

Per Capita ◽

Cross Country ◽

Sectoral Composition ◽

The Impact

I construct a two-sector general equilibrium model of structural change to study the impact of sectoral composition of gross domestic product (GDP) on cross-country differences in GDP growth and volatility. For an empirically relevant parametrization of sectoral production functions, an increase in the share of services in GDP reduces both aggregate total factor productivity (TFP) growth and volatility, thus reducing GDP growth and volatility. When the model is calibrated to the US manufacturing and service sector, the rise of the service sector occurring as income grows can account for a large fraction of the differences in per capita GDP growth and volatility between high-income economies and upper middle income economies. (JEL E23, E25, E32, L60, L80)

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