A Place to Breathe in the Dense City: Community Gardening and Participatory Urbanism in Paris

Community gardens have emerged in Paris as a way to create green spacesin the city’s densely populated working-class neighbourhoods. One such garden is the Goutte Verte,a temporary, nomadic community garden that, with the agreement of the city and its developers, occupiesvacant lots awaiting the construction of new-build social housing. The continued existence of the GoutteVerte is placed in opposition to much-needed housing in the city, with poor, unemployed, and middle-classgardeners alike caught between a desire for green space and a demand for comfortable housing. Drawingon participant observation and interviews conducted in 2013–14 and 2019, I demonstrate how communitygardens act as a material alternative to urban planning and governance that often fail to account for a rightto a “place to breathe” in the city – a situation that is increasingly fraught as city planners treat newconstruction as the primary solution for affordable housing in Paris.

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Roots, Tendrils, Sprouts and Shoots: A Case Study of Parkallen’s Community Garden, a permaculture project

Earth Common Journal ◽

10.31542/j.ecj.82 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marlene Wurfel

Keyword(s):

Community Gardens ◽

Growing Season ◽

First Year ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Apple Trees ◽

The City

The first growing season of Edmonton’s Parkallen Community Garden began in Spring 2012. We transformed an unused strip of lawn bordering our hockey rink into a loamy, thriving “edible food forest” of corn, beans, squash, kale, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, apple trees, and mammoth sunflowers. It is unlike most community gardens in that individual plots are not tended by individual gardeners; rather, the PCG is tended communally, by the community. The garden is open and accessible to the community, always, and all are welcome there, from the toddler whose only contribution is to chomp on a snowpea and water a dandelion, to the senior who wants to plant a tree in his community that he knows will outlive him. Hundreds of Parkallen residents have planted something, admired something, or munched on something there. In its first year Parkallen’s garden won The City of Edmonton’s top community gardening award from Communities in Bloom. This article is a case study of the Parkallen Community Garden. Through the lenses and observations of the author, it details how Parkallen’s permaculture design came, literally, to fruition and how permaculture has been interpreted and how it informs our garden and our gardening community.

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Impact of community gardening on lifestyles' sustainability: quantitative & qualitative evaluation of a natural experiment

10.21203/rs.3.rs-39237/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marion Tharrey ◽

Ashby Sachs ◽

Marlène Perignon ◽

Chantal Simon ◽

Caroline Mejean ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Design ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Well Being ◽

Social Health ◽

Lower Percentage ◽

Independent Effect ◽

First Year ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background: Despite the increasing number of studies on gardening and health, evidence of health benefits of community gardening is limited by cross-sectional design. The “JArDinS” quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the impact of community garden participation on the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles in French adults. Methods: Individuals starting gardening in community gardens in Montpellier (France) in 2018 (N=66) were compared to pairwise matched individuals with no experience in community gardening (N=66). Monthly household food supplies, physical activity measured by accelerometers and questionnaires on physical, mental and social well-being, sensitivity to food waste, and connection with nature were used to explore sustainability of lifestyles in social/health, environmental and economic dimensions. Data were collected at baseline (t0) and 12 months later (t1). Linear mixed models were used to determine the independent effect of community gardening on investigated lifestyles components. In-depth interviews were conducted at t1 with 15 gardeners to better understand changes that may have occurred in gardeners’ lives during the first year of gardening.Results: At t0, gardeners had lower education level, lower BMI and reported lower percentage of meals consumed outside of the home in total household meals compared to non-gardeners (p<0.05). At t1, the mean weight of fruit and vegetables harvested from the garden was 19.5g/d/p. Participating in the community garden had no significant impact on any of the social/health, environmental and economic lifestyle components investigated. Qualitative interviews suggested the existence of pre-established health and environmental consciousness in some gardeners and revealed several barriers to the participation such as lack of time, lack of gardening knowledge, difficulty of gardening, health problems and conflicts with other gardeners. Conclusions: Using a longitudinal design allowing causality assessment, no impact was observed of the first year of community gardening on lifestyle sustainability. The pre-established sensitivity to sustainability and the various barriers encountered by new gardeners might explain the absence of community gardening impact. Further rigorous longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether or not community gardening is a relevant public health tool.Trial registration: The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03694782. Date of registration: 3rd October 2018, retrospectively registered.

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Housing As Social Assistance

10.32920/16632532.v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shem Curtis

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Social Housing ◽

Social Assistance ◽

Third Sector ◽

Housing Policies ◽

Neoliberal Reform ◽

Conservative Government ◽

Social Mix ◽

The City ◽

Policy Failures

<div>This Major Research Paper conducted analysis of social housing policies and regulations in Ontario from 1993 to present. It was done to unearth the dominant discourses that informed social housing policies. Through a review of the Literature, a broader perspective will be had on social housing as well as social assistance, of which is deeply intertwined with social housing. The lack of a national strategy on social housing has caused Toronto to adopt a more entrepreneurial approach to housing, using public private partnerships, social mix revitalization initiatives, and other market and third sector influenced development mechanisms.</div><div><br></div><div>Social policy has been neoliberalized in Ontario at least since the advent of the ‘Common Sense Revolution’ in 1995, when a Conservative government was elected on a platform of neoliberal reform. Since then social housing has not been given the priority it deserves even with the changing of government and promises to address the lack of affordable housing in Toronto. These findings highlight difficulties on the part of Toronto to develop new affordable housing at a time when the city continues to grow and demand for housing is increasing. The visibility of homelessness across the city suggest policy failures and a need to act, to address the problem of lack of affordable housing post haste.</div>

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Past, Present, and Future of Social Housing in Seoul: Where Is Social Housing Heading to?

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12198165 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (19) ◽

pp. 8165

Author(s):

Sang-Hyun Chung ◽

Seung-je Kim ◽

So-Youn Park ◽

Jun Ha Kim

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Social Housing ◽

Social Economy ◽

Policy Implications ◽

The Public ◽

Western Countries ◽

South Korean ◽

Private Organizations ◽

Housing Shortages ◽

The City

In Seoul, a metropolitan city, affordable housing is a major issue. Since 2012, social housing has been implemented as a means to solve housing shortages in the South Korean capital. Various policies in different times have been applied, and Seoul came up with a unique form of social housing: providing housing to those in need. The purpose of this paper is to review the development of social housing in Seoul and to discuss policy implications. First, this paper defines the concept of social housing in Seoul by comparing that of social housing in Western countries. The major differences in the concept of social housing between Seoul and Western countries lies in the provider of social housing. The providers of social housing in Seoul are social economy actors, including non-private organizations and cooperative unions that work as agencies to pursue the public interest. In addition, this paper presents an overview of the historical development and specific features of social housing. Finally, a discussion is presented on the implications for social housings, including the need for the allocation of social housing throughout the city, the extended length of residence, and reliable financial support to social housing providers.

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Impact of community gardens on the sustainability of lifestyles: baseline data of the JArDinS study

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.435 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

M Tharrey ◽

M Perignon ◽

P Scheromm ◽

C Mejean ◽

N Darmon

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Natural Experiment ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Social Health ◽

Control Group ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Sustainable Lifestyles ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

The Impact

Abstract Introduction Despite growing evidence for the multiple health benefits of community gardening, longitudinal studies based on quantitative data are needed. JArDinS is a quasi-experimental study aimed at assessing the impact of community garden participation in the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles. Materials and Methods Gardeners starting gardening in a community garden in Montpellier (France) were recruited in 2018. Volunteers with no experience in community gardening and matched for age range, gender, household income and household composition were recruited in a control group. A recruitment goal of 80 participants per group was determined to detect a 30% increase in F&V supply in the gardeners group. Participant were issued with three tools: a Food Supply Dairy to collect data on monthly household’s food supply, a triaxial accelerometer to measure physical activity and an online questionnaire on mental and social health, sensitivity to food waste, and connection with nature. Measures have been collected at baseline and will be repeated 12 months later. Data collected are examined conjointly to assess the sustainability of lifestyles in its social/health, environmental and economic dimensions. Change of outcomes after 1 year will be compared between the natural experiment and the control groups, to evaluate the effect of access to a community garden on the sustainability of lifestyles. Results A final number of 77 participants per group were enrolled at baseline, which is 4% less the original recruitment goal. Baseline data for the natural experiment group and the control group are currently being analysed and will be presented. Discussion This study will provide valuable information about the potential of community gardens to favor sustainable lifestyles, based on a robust quasi-experimental design allowing causality evaluation. Findings could help developing policies toward more sustainable urban planning favoring both human and environmental health. Key messages For the first time, the JArDinS study will allow testing, the impact of community gardens on the sustainability of lifestyles. Results will help orient urban planning decisions towards healthier options.

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Growing Gardens Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Strategic Expansion of Anchorage, Alaska’s Community Garden System

Case Studies in the Environment ◽

10.1525/cse.2017.001008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Shannon Donovan

Keyword(s):

Food System ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Parks And Recreation ◽

Local Food System ◽

Outreach Programs ◽

Strategic Model ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Sustainability Challenges

Anchorage’s community gardening program is administered by the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation program and part of their mission is to provide “a food system where locally produced, affordable, and nutritious food is available to all”. The demand for access to community gardens far outweighs the supply raising the question, how can the city of Anchorage strategically and sustainably expand their community garden system? To explore this question, the Municipality of Anchorage partnered with the University of Alaska Anchorage to better understand how expanding community gardens can bridge a gap in the local food system and increase access to fresh foods by the city’s most vulnerable and diverse individuals. To do this, we developed a multi-faceted needs assessment that included a community survey, stakeholder workshop, and key informant interviews. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of expanding Anchorage’s community gardens and offers expansion strategies that balance the needs of the community’s diverse populations with the city’s community gardening mission. The findings of this study show that to sustainably meet the needs of diverse audiences, community garden expansion efforts should focus on 1) making new gardens accessible by identifying safe, convenient, and functional locations; 2) building gardener capacity through education and outreach programs; and 3) strengthening partnerships with other community organizations to share resources and capabilities. The methods used and the associated findings revealed through this study can be adapted and applied in other cities looking to develop a sustainable and strategic model for community gardening.

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Housing As Social Assistance

10.32920/16632532.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Doris Lovadina-Lee

Keyword(s):

Affordable Housing ◽

Social Housing ◽

Social Assistance ◽

Third Sector ◽

Housing Policies ◽

Neoliberal Reform ◽

Conservative Government ◽

Social Mix ◽

The City ◽

Policy Failures

<div>This Major Research Paper conducted analysis of social housing policies and regulations in Ontario from 1993 to present. It was done to unearth the dominant discourses that informed social housing policies. Through a review of the Literature, a broader perspective will be had on social housing as well as social assistance, of which is deeply intertwined with social housing. The lack of a national strategy on social housing has caused Toronto to adopt a more entrepreneurial approach to housing, using public private partnerships, social mix revitalization initiatives, and other market and third sector influenced development mechanisms.</div><div><br></div><div>Social policy has been neoliberalized in Ontario at least since the advent of the ‘Common Sense Revolution’ in 1995, when a Conservative government was elected on a platform of neoliberal reform. Since then social housing has not been given the priority it deserves even with the changing of government and promises to address the lack of affordable housing in Toronto. These findings highlight difficulties on the part of Toronto to develop new affordable housing at</div><div>a time when the city continues to grow and demand for housing is increasing. The visibility of homelessness across the city suggest policy failures and a need to act, to address the problem of lack of affordable housing post haste.</div>

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Austerity urbanism and Olympic counter-legacies: Gendering, defending and expanding the urban commons in East London

Environment and Planning D Society and Space ◽

10.1177/0263775817753844 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (5) ◽

pp. 812-830 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Tom Gillespie ◽

Kate Hardy ◽

Paul Watt

Keyword(s):

Single Mothers ◽

Social Housing ◽

Participant Observation ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Auto Ethnography ◽

The Creation ◽

Reproductive Activities ◽

Urban Commons ◽

The City

This article reflects on an occupation led by single mothers to contest the destruction of social housing in post-Olympics East London. In the process, it argues for a more gendered theorisation of the urban commons. Drawing on auto-ethnography, participant observation and qualitative interviews, the article argues three central points: First, that the occupation demonstrates the gendered nature of the urban commons and the leadership of women in defending them from enclosure; second that the defence of an existing urban commons enabled the creation of a new temporary commons characterised by the collectivisation of gendered socially reproductive activities; and third that this commoning has had a lasting impact on housing activism at the city scale and beyond. This impact is conceptualised as an ‘Olympic counter-legacy’ that is characterised by the forging of new relationships and affinities, the strengthening of networked activism and circulation of tactics between campaign groups.

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The trouble with temporary: Impacts and pitfalls of a meanwhile community garden in Wythenshawe, South Manchester

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170517000291 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 548-557

Author(s):

Rebecca St. Clair ◽

Michael Hardman ◽

Richard P. Armitage ◽

Graeme Sherriff

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Fresh Fruit ◽

Fruit And Vegetables ◽

Community Garden ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Small Community ◽

Community Gardening ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe rise of Urban Agriculture projects across the UK has led to a surge of interest in their efficacy and resulting social impacts. Real Food Wythenshawe is a Lottery-funded urban food project in the UK that aims to teach the population of Wythenshawe to grow their own food and to cook from scratch. The area, popularly referred to as ‘Europe's largest council estate’, suffers from high levels of deprivation and has been described as a ‘food desert’ due to a perceived lack of access to fresh fruit and vegetables (Small World Consulting, 2013). In order to encourage Wythenshawe residents to grow their own food and to increase access to fresh fruit and vegetables, Real Food Wythenshawe aims to transform unused areas of land into growing spaces, such as allotments and community gardens. This paper focuses on research conducted at a community garden in Wythenshawe, established by Real Food Wythenshawe as an example of a ‘meanwhile’ or temporary growing site for people affected by cancer. The research investigated the impact of the growing activities on community garden participants through a series of observations and interviews. The findings suggest that the benefits of the space were multiple and diverse, ranging from increased growing knowledge to therapeutic effects, while there has been minimal effect on participants’ dietary behavior. The organization of the community garden also raises questions over some of the practicalities of temporary urban growing sites and highlights the tensions that can arise between small community growing groups and larger institutions with control over land use. These findings add to a growing body of research that considers the value of growing in the city and reflects on the role of community gardening in deprived urban areas of the UK.

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(Community) garden in the city: Conspicuous labor and gentrification

Environment and Planning A Economy and Space ◽

10.1177/0308518x20977872 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 0308518X2097787

Author(s):

Fatmir Haskaj

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Social Relations ◽

Urban Poor ◽

Urban Policy ◽

Power Relations ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Historical Context ◽

Transnational Migration ◽

Community Garden ◽

The City

Community gardens are fertile fields of complex political, economic and social relations, on both a local and global level. From environmentalism to urban policy and planning, racial and gender studies, transnational migration, commodity chains and food studies, the garden in the city offers an abundance of research opportunities and analytical resources. This article seeks to contribute to the efforts to understand and contest hegemonic forces in the urban environment, forces that are rooted in what Foucault identified as a set of sacred binaries which underpin a host of power relations that are “given” and form the unquestioned framework of a given set of power relations. This is therefore a project which is bent on a “theoretical desanctification of space” by a disordering of one set of several sanctified oppositions which can be found in the space of the community garden. The article de-sanctifies space by exploring the historical context of the community garden in New York and Oakland California and posits that the work of the gardener is co-opted into a value regime by a process I call “conspicuous labor”. This process is similar to Veblen's conspicuous consumption except the value generated is not in modeling consumption but rather in emulating class patterns and re-configuring the urban poor as a productive, passive and pastoral.

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