Categories
Building Sustainable, Inclusive and Just Cities (Hons module)

Opportunities for Revitalization: Exploring Minneapolis Brownfields 

Introduction  

As a resident of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (TCMA) and having grown up in a particularly disadvantaged neighbourhood in St Paul, I have seen the aesthetic effect of brownfields first hand. Although I have not experienced direct effects they can have on health and environmental indicators, I witnessed the conversion of brownfields in my own community and observed the effect they can have on community empowerment and coordination, as well as community members themselves.   

This paper outlines specific challenges associated with brownfields that are faced by multiple Minneapolis inner-city neighbourhoods, and discusses environmental, social, health, and economic implications of brownfield clean up and redevelopment. It will also propose several recommendations for the local community; suggesting ways in which neighbourhoods can be active participants and take initiative of redevelopment strategies. The scale of this challenge is unique in that the severity of its implications are inherently spatial, as the proximity of brownfields to low-income communities and communities of colour is a coincidence of specific development and settlement patterns.   

Historical Context  

The city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, situated within Hennepin County, is the larger of the two cities within the TCMA. Highly sought after because of its placement surrounding the Mississippi River, Minneapolis possessed access to the only major waterfall on the river, St Anthony Falls, making it an industrial focal point in Minnesota (MHS, 2023). During the early 1850s, the falls were harnessed as a power source for industrial production, including the commercial lumber and flour milling industries (MHS, 2023). This economic growth of early Minneapolis through the exploitation of natural resources stimulated other ancillary activities such as the building of railroads, resource processing, and agricultural tool manufacturing (Tikkanen, 2023). Due to the push of industrial and economic development outwards towards suburban and undeveloped parts of the state, thousands of these abandoned and contaminated property sites were left across Minneapolis. Bjelland (2004) describes the effect of this rapid industrialization and subsequent disinvestment, claiming ‘Within a dynamic, competitive capitalist economy, capital moves with relative speed and ease while its imprint on the landscape remains relatively fixed in space’ (p.652). The occurrence of this process in centrally located industrial properties in Minneapolis has led to the creation of many brownfield sites.   

As defined by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), brownfields are ‘abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial properties where financing or redevelopment is complicated by actual or suspected environmental contamination’ (MPCA, 2023). Brownfields can exist in various forms, ranging from abandoned industrial sites to landfills and gas stations, or ‘any commercial site where prior uses introduced contaminants into the environment’ (Cich, Blair, and Faust, 2019). There are more than 10,000 brownfield sites spanning across the state, 78% of these being concentrated within the Twin Cities Metro Area (MPCA, 2021). Inner city suburbs contain a disproportionate number of contaminated properties, which is simply reflective of the historic concentration of economic and population activity within their borders (Bjelland, 2004). The City of Minneapolis has identified several neighbourhoods within its boundaries as ‘green zones,’ which are groups of communities containing elevated levels of pollution, as well as social, political, and racial marginalization (Green zones, 2023). These include both a Southside Green Zone and Northside Green Zone, spanning multiple neighbourhoods from the greater Phillips community and Cedar-Riverside neighbourhood to the neighbourhoods of Hawthorne, Mckinley, and Near North (Young et al., 2023; Green zones map, 2022). These green zones are the focus of several environmental justice projects undertaken by the city. Many are place-based initiatives, aimed at the improvement of several factors, including health, economic factors, and other vulnerabilities these communities face. Despite efforts towards the creation of strategies towards mitigating these issues, community members of Minneapolis neighbourhoods have expressed concerns with the historic racism embedded in city planning. The Tangletown Neighbourhood Association has included several web pages detailing the purpose of the initiatives, as well as the impacts of environmental contaminants and pollutants from brownfields on health and their unequal exposure. Discussing discriminatory practices of housing and lending, they note: ‘low-income residents, Indigenous people and residents of colour in Minneapolis are disproportionately impacted by the cumulative effects of traffic, stationary sources of air pollution, brownfield sites, blight, substandard housing, lack of access to jobs, and the adverse effects of climate change’ (Young et al., 2023). The Northeast Midwest Institute states how historically unjust housing practices have contributed to these inequities, expressing that ‘African American neighbourhoods are disproportionately affected by vacancy and abandonment. This is not a coincidence, but an outcome explained by a history of explicit and implicit racially biased planning, development, and lending practices’ (Cain, 2016). Brownfields pose a multitude of environmental, social, and economic risks to communities in Minneapolis, as well as the inequalities driven by these factors.   

Challenges  

Brownfields have negative social, economic, and health implications for inner-city neighbourhoods, particularly those specified in the city’s green zone initiatives. The challenge of brownfields is a unique community issue in that it is quite widely recognized by the state as a problem affecting local neighbourhoods, but it falters in that it lacks initiatives that adequately address the issues in ways most effective to the communities themselves. The majority of focus on research and redevelopment of brownfields centres on economic, environmental, and community gain through the conversion of idle brownfields into compact development, whereas communities may benefit more from the formation of affordable housing, urban farms, and other environmental amenities.   

Health  

A previous study from Wang et al. has shown that one of the most powerful determining factors of health inequities is the physical environment; one that may be triggered by uneven spatial distribution of brownfield sites (2023). Contaminants present in brownfields due to past uses can migrate on and off site and can expose community members to harmful toxins through vapor or dust inhalation from the site, as well as drinking groundwater that has been contaminated (Berman et al., 2022). Common contaminants can have serious health effects, including decreased cognitive function due to lead poisoning in children and adults and lung diseases such as pleural disease, asbestosis, and lung cancers (Health effects of asbestos, 2016). Aside from health effects experienced due to environmental contaminants, studies also show that exposure to derelict or vacant land can have negative effects on wellbeing, including heart rate variability, stress-led inflammatory responses, and worsening mental health (South et al., 2015). Fears surrounding the impacts of environmental pollutants are felt by Minneapolis residents directly, one example being Kathryn Savage, a nonfiction writer from Shoreham Yard, Minneapolis. In her most recent publication, Ground Glass, Savage contemplates the loss of her father, and whether it was due to his living near a polluted industrial site in the Victory neighbourhood of the city (Manzella, 2022). The nonfiction piece confronts the offenses of brownfields against land, water, neighbourhoods, and people, drawing on her first-hand experiences of growing up surrounded by environmental risk factors. Without proper redevelopment and decontamination of these sites, they run the risk of continued deterioration and subsequent environmental problems, compounded with a weakened economic base of surrounding communities (Collaton and Bartsch, 1996).   

Economic  

Brownfield properties can be unattractive to investors and developers for several reasons spanning issues of inadequate infrastructure, high crime rates in areas of potential development, or lack of a skilled workforce (Coffin and Shepherd, 1998). Leigh and Coffin (2005) also examine the effect of brownfields on property values in surrounding areas, finding that the labelling of a site as a brownfield can have negative impacts for housing value in nearby or adjacent properties. As a result of this, neighbourhoods containing brownfields sit at a lower achievable income for land and rental units before redevelopment, highlighting inequities between communities. Another substantial issue for potential developers of brownfield sites is the elimination of liability through the remediation of environmental contamination. Developers who choose to take on brownfield sites must account for a much longer development process to include pre-development investigation and clean-up of the property, legal logistics and costs of demolition if needed (Cich, Blair, and Faust, 2019). This contributes to the avoidance and fear of risks associated with clean up. Another issue for developers with the logistics associated with brownfield redevelopment is the fact that many sites tend to be located within already existing property groupings with multiple landowners (Cich, Blair, and Faust, 2019). Fragmented ownership presents a difficulty through the need to discuss and negotiate with multiple stakeholders.  

Environmental Justice  

Green gentrification (Becerra, 2022) is a term defined as the increase of local property value due to environmental repair or green development in a previously polluted and disadvantaged neighbourhood, which subsequently attracts a wealthier class, poses a risk to environmental justice and redevelopment initiatives in Minneapolis communities. While the creation of green spaces in urban areas seeks to amend problems of environmental justice as well as making neighbourhoods more attractive and residents healthier, these ‘improvements’ can increase housing and property values (Becerra, 2022). This then can create an even further separation between disadvantaged groups and environmental amenities through the supersedence of wealthier classes. A multitude of environmental justice studies have examined the existence of environmental burdens that are felt at disproportionate rates in low-income and minority neighbourhoods (Mohai, Pellow, and Roberts, 2009). Explanations touch on the perception of these areas as efficient locations for industrial developments, and because of a lack of political resources, these neighbourhoods are often targeted for the placement of dangerous and polluting waste and industrial facilities, as well as other land uses unwanted by local communities (Lee and Mohai, 2012). Approximately 25% of all minorities in the US live within 1 mile of a brownfield site, as well as 29% of all households below the poverty level, and 31% of the black population in the US (US EPA, 2021). The Environmental Protection Agency briefly addresses this injustice, claiming ‘While there is no single way to characterize communities located near our sites, this population is more minority, low income, linguistically isolated, and less likely to have a high school education than the U.S. population as a whole’ (US EPA, 2021, p.2). The recognition and consideration of the ways in which brownfields have manifested spatially and are indicative of pre-existing residential segregation and class divisions in tandem with the processes of deindustrialization is key to understanding brownfield site creation in Minneapolis.   

  

What has been done?  

Much of the focus for brownfield redevelopment programs is placed on economic advancements, including tax base expansion, increasing property values, and market demand for compact developments. Few are dedicated to the incorporation of improved public health and sustainability, which may serve to lessen the social and environmental inequalities experienced in areas with brownfields (Berman et al., 2022).   

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are nearly 450,000 brownfield sites in the US (US EPA, 2023). The United States EPA Brownfields Program began in 1995 and provides funding for functionary levels of the brownfield redevelopment process, including environmental assessment, clean up, and job education (Berman et al., 2022). Other site remediation programs can be unique to regions or states, which causes problems with the complexity of a national approach to redevelopment of brownfields. Despite the EPA’s involvement with brownfield redevelopment, ‘less than 7% of the estimated brownfields in the U.S., however, have undergone assessment and only a fraction of these have been cleaned up with U.S. EPA funding’ (Berman et al., 2022).   

Currently, state agencies can provide funding assistance to facilitate various stages of brownfield development. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Brownfield Program, which includes both the Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup (VIC) Program as well as the Petroleum Brownfields (PB) Program, each of which aid towards investigations into contaminated sites and their clean up (Cich, Blair, and Faust, 2019). The 2001 Brownfield Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act (BRERA) provides developers and brownfield site purchasers with federal liability exemptions once the state and local governments have set clean-up standards for sites (Lee and Mohai, 2010). Because of this, there has been a clear lowering of development standards in order to reduce costs for developers and has potentially jeopardized public health (Lee and Mohai, 2010). In light of environmental and class disparities also existing along racial lines with the proximity of these communities to brownfields, the standard for site remediation and clean up should be of great concern. In order to not further exacerbate environmental burdens that are spatially concentrated, clean-up standards should be reconsidered.   

  

Community Recommendations  

Brownfield redevelopment is unique in that multiple steps to achieve beneficial development of sites requires effective removal of potentially toxic or dangerous substances, ones that may put community members at risk if not properly remediated. Because of this, neighbourhood groups working in partnerships with corporate communities, environmental professionals, and potential developers of brownfield sites is the most realistic route of site repair. To ensure that brownfield redevelopment is within the best interests for the affected community, clear goals must be set, and economic, environmental, and social benefits considered. Before targeting local brownfield sites, being knowledgeable about the local regulatory environment and potential funding opportunities is essential, and determines which sites are potentially economically and environmentally viable. A process in which local sites are considered in tandem with social and environmental factors unique to their neighbourhood will be most effective in the process of revitalization.   

Before targeting local brownfield sites, being knowledgeable about the local regulatory environment and potential funding opportunities is essential, and determines which sites are potentially economically and environmentally viable. A process in which local sites are considered in tandem with social and environmental factors unique to their neighbourhood will be most effective in the process of revitalization. The recognition of structures of disinvestment, racism, and oppression that must be disassembled (by elected leaders and investors) is of extreme importance to the process of restoration and in order to understand local histories associated with brownfield development. This is also crucial in the prevention of creating further disparities through phenomena such as green gentrification.    

Reaching out to Developers, Environmental Professionals, and Corporate Communities  

Eckerd and Keeler (2012), maintain the notion that ‘realistically, few brownfield sites are remediated without at least some infusion of government funding’ (p.296). This confirms recommendations that propose leading with stakeholder development, as it is crucial in community-facilitated brownfield development. Private-led brownfield development, which would be most likely to occur in a location where there is significant development potential for the property, as well as a market demand that would warrant an acceptable return on their investment, necessitates the involvement of stakeholders such as private developers (US EPA, 2019). Communities can find success in reaching out to developers through encouraging consideration of positive impacts of brownfield site clean-up and reuse. Despite the negative perceptions that may be associated with a site, such as ‘the longer timeline associated with pre-development investigation and clean-up; upfront capital costs of demolition and remediation; legal protocol and communication with state and federal agencies’ (Cich, Blair, and Faust, 2019), realization of the health, financial, and environmental benefits for infill development on brownfield sites is a key argument in the subject of profitability for developers.  as many seek projects or sites that will maximize capital gain. In a survey of state regulatory and economic development agencies conducted by Wernstedt and Hersh (2006), they question relative importance of the reasoning for redevelopment in local contaminated properties, finding that ‘In general, respondents identified environmental and health rationales more frequently than they did economic impacts (tax revenues and jobs), but both were viewed as very important by significant minorities’ (Wernstedt and Hersh, 2006). This suggests that developers and other corporate communities hold significance to environmental and health factors, offering an applicable avenue for persuasion on the importance of redevelopment of environmentally hazardous brownfields within communities. The encouragement of environmental professionals to pursue further research and development of brownfields can also alleviate some burden of private developers in the process of risk minimization as well as safety during the redevelopment process. Knowledge surrounding economic, environmental, and social consequences of brownfield sites as well as benefits from their redevelopment could also be extremely beneficial to the broadening of redevelopment training and avenues to brownfield clean-up. Finally, the utilization of and collaboration with nonprofits such as The Minnesota Brownfields, an organization focused on the support and enhancement of brownfield reuse and development, will foster valuable connections through partnership with regulatory agencies, environmental consulting firms, as well as both the private and public redevelopment communities (MN Brownfields, 2023).   

Urban Farms and Greenspaces  

Urban greenspaces provide a range of environmental services in cities and are in some ways a determinant in the ‘liveability’ of cities. Carroll (2016) notes how the underused or vacant structures on brownfields where contamination is present offer opportunities for urban agricultural projects and developments (Carroll, 2016). Urban agricultural renewal projects, although they vary nationwide, offer an opportunity for community reuse of brownfield properties, which can be advantageous for several reasons. Brownfield land may be available at a lower cost to other properties, and therefore are more accessible for community redevelopment (Carroll, 2016). Brownfield sites are also more common in disadvantaged areas where few alternatives to urban agriculture exist, which may be targeted by public health and sustainability advocates, as well as the local food movement. In their search for the expansion of local production and improved access to fresh and healthy produce and foods, they may focus on neighbourhoods with brownfield properties. Urban farms are significant for this reason in the prevention of forms of gentrification associated with increased housing prices and contribute to improved environmental resources for residents (Carroll, 2016). Community familiarization with local or state brownfield programs, reviewing grants, and consulting educational materials for organizations and individuals is necessary for a thorough understanding of redevelopment organization.   

Community Partnership and Knowledge Exchange  

Community residents possess an understanding of environmental problems and social needs plaguing their neighbourhood, which are essential for just and inclusive sustainable development planning. Steps such as identifying the sites of most concern and defining clear goals for redevelopment are vital to processes of renovation. McCarthy (2002) argues that local participation in redevelopment processes of brownfields produces quicker and more community-oriented resolutions. In order to broaden the level of involvement and capacity of neighbourhood groups, it is beneficial to fully understand the process of redevelopment. Brownfield redevelopment training programs, which are generally designed for the private sector, offer the opportunity for local community members to engage directly with redevelopment projects. Although emphasis on these trainings is placed for developers, environmental engineering firms and financial institutions, they would allow for members to gain a more comprehensive understanding of brownfields and the realistic level of involvement community members can have in the redevelopment process. Community-based organizations can offer significant pathways for the process of predevelopment work on brownfield sites, which often inhibit private sector interest. This would include the assessment of environmental conditions, confirmation of site control or ownership, protection from liabilities, and the elicitation of support from the local community for the project (Brachman, 2003). Furthermore, community cooperation and collaboration with developers and corporate communities can facilitate the beginning of investment in local brownfield properties, as well as protect the inclusion of community-oriented uses for viable properties. McCarthy highlights the ways in which local participation in brownfield redevelopment is effective, maintaining that ‘early involvement of the community can help foster understanding and consensus, and prevent protests and litigation,’ highlighting the ways in which local participation in brownfield redevelopment is effective (2002, p.294). Community land trusts (CLTs), which are non-profit organizations made up of community members, are also a strategy to minimize displacement of local communities and maintain housing affordability (Strategies to minimize displacement, 2023). In their most basic form, community land trusts buy or are gifted land, and contract building facilitators and project managers in order to build outwards, providing homes and other assets that are and will remain affordable to rent and buy. CLTs can use grants and subsidies at the town, state, and federal levels for funding, and can also receive grant funding from private institutions, and living costs can be dramatically reduced and based upon what communities earn. This may ameliorate some risks related to gentrification through brownfield redevelopment and prevent the displacement of lower-income residents and small businesses (Strategies to minimize displacement, 2023).   
  

Conclusions  

The rectification of brownfield sites in the city of Minneapolis is a serious environmental and health issue; one that is most acutely experienced by communities of colour and low-income communities. Recommendations outlined in this briefing for community-led redevelopment focus on the involvement of multiple stakeholders, community capacity building through brownfield training programs, the transformation of urban farms and greenspaces, as well as community partnership and community-based organizations. It stresses the importance of strengthening action towards dismantling structural racism and working to reduce the disproportionate effects of brownfields through environmental justice initiatives and dialogue with community members. Finally, collaboration with environmental professionals, developers, non-profit organizations, and other corporate communities will greatly increase the accessibility of redevelopment projects as well as a favourable outcome that best serves the community.  

  

References

Berman, L. et al. (2022) ‘An Overview of Brownfields Redevelopment in the United States Through Regulatory, Public Health, and Sustainability Lenses’, J Environ Health, 84(9), pp. 8–14. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10191173/ (Accessed: 2023).  

Bjelland, M.D. (2004) ‘Brownfield Sites in Minneapolis-St. Paul: The Interwoven Geographies of Industrial Disinvestment and Environmental Contamination’, Urban Geography, 25(7), pp. 631–657. doi:10.2747/0272-3638.25.7.631.  

Brachman, L. (2003) Roles of community-based organizations in brownfields redevelopmentLILP. Available at: https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/articles/roles-community-based-organizations-brownfields-redevelopment (Accessed: 20 October 2023).  

Cain, C. (2016) Fighting Blight in the Northeast-Midwest Region: Assessing the Federal Response to Vacant and Abandoned Properties. rep. Washington, DC: Northeast-Midwest Institute, pp. 1–27. Available at: https://www.nemw.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2016-Fighting-Blight-in-NEMW.pdf (Accessed: 2023).  

Carroll, A. (2016) ‘Brownfields as Sites for Urban Farms’, in S. Brown, K. McIvor, and E. Hodges Snyder (eds.) Sowing Seeds in the City. Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 339–349.   

Cich, A., Blair, H. and Faust, M. (2019) Benefits of Brownfield Redevelopment in Minnesota. rep. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Available at: https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/2020/Other/201184.pdf (Accessed: 2023).  

Coffin, S. and Shepher, A. (1998) ‘Barriers to Brownfield Redevelopment: Lessons Learned from Two Great Lakes States’, Public Works Management & Policy, 2(3), pp. 258-266. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1087724X9800200309 (Accessed: 2023).  

Collaton, E. and Bartsch, C. (1996) ‘Industrial Site Reuse and Urban Redevelopment—An Overview’, Cityscape – Issues in Urban Environmental Policy, 2(3), pp. 17–61. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20868420 (Accessed: 2023).   

Green zones (2023) Green Zones – City of Minneapolis. Available at: https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/health/sustainability-homes-environment/sustainability/green-zones/ (Accessed: 20 October 2023).  

Green zones map (2022) Green zones map – City of Minneapolis. Available at: https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/health/sustainability-homes-environment/sustainability/green-zones/map/ (Accessed: 20 October 2023).  

Health effects of asbestos (2016) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/asbestos/health_effects_asbestos.html (Accessed: 25 October 2023).   

Leigh, N.G. and Coffin, S.L. (2010) ‘Modeling the relationship among brownfields, property values, and community revitalization’, Housing Policy Debate, 16(2), pp. 257–280. doi:10.1080/10511482.2005.9521543.  

Manzella, A. (2022) Review: ‘Groundglass,’ by Kathryn SavageStar Tribune. Available at: https://www.startribune.com/review-groundglass-by-kathryn-savage/600194036/?refresh=true (Accessed: 20 October 2023).  

McCarthy, L. (2002) ‘The brownfield dual land-use policy challenge: reducing barriers to private redevelopment while connecting reuse to broader community goals’, Land Use Policy, 19(4), pp. 287–296. doi:10.1016/S0264-8377(02)00023-6.  

MHS (2023) Minneapolis RiverfrontMinneapolis Riverfront | Minnesota Historical Society. Available at: https://www.mnhs.org/millcity/learn/history/minneapolis-riverfront (Accessed: 13 October 2023).  

MN Brownfields (2023) Remediating BrownfieldsMinnesota Brownfields. Available at: https://mnbrownfields.org/Public/Brownfields-Basics/Remediating_Brownfields/Public/Brownfields_Basics/Remediating_Brownfields.aspx?hkey=9df5e727-77b5-4f60-afaf-3b95cfe83976 (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Mohai, P., Pellow, D. and Roberts, J.T. (2009) ‘Environmental Justice’, Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 34, pp. 405–430. doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-082508-094348.  

MPCA and Crawford, A. (2021) MPCA Brownfield Program – 2021 Annual Report. MPCA. Available at: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/c-brwnfld1-06c.pdf (Accessed: 2023).  

MPCA and Crawford, A. (2023) MPCA Brownfield Program – 2021 Annual Report. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Available at: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/business-with-us/brownfield-redevelopment (Accessed: 2023).  

South, E.C. et al. (2015) ‘Neighborhood Blight, Stress, and Health: A Walking Trial of Urban Greening and Ambulatory Heart Rate’, American Journal of Public Health, 105(5), pp. 909–913. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.302526.  

Strategies to minimize displacement: Community Land Trust (2023) Smart Growth America. Available at: https://smartgrowthamerica.org/resources/strategies-to-minimize-displacement-community-land-trust/ (Accessed: 20 October 2023).  

Tikkanen, A. (ed.) (2023) Plant and Animal LifeEncyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Minnesota/Plant-and-animal-life (Accessed: 14 October 2023).  

US EPA (2019) Anatomy of Brownfields Redevelopment. rep. United States Environmental Protection Agency, pp. 1–14. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/anat_bf_redev_101106.pdf (Accessed: 2023)  

US EPA (2021) Population Surrounding 30,675 Brownfields Sites. rep. United States Environmental Protection Agency, pp. 1–3. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-10/brownfields.pdf (Accessed: 2023).  

US EPA (2023) Overview of EPA’s Brownfields Program | US EPAUnited States Environmental Protection Agency. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/overview-epas-brownfields-program (Accessed: 25 October 2023).  

Wang, W. et al. (2023) ‘Brownfield land and health: A systematic review of the literature’, PLoS One. Edited by T.J. Wade, 18(8). doi:10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0289470.  

Wernstedt, K. and Hersh, R. (2006) ‘Brownfields regulatory reform and policy innovation in practice’, Progress in Planning, 65(1), pp. 7–74. doi:10.1016/j.progress.2005.10.004.  

Young, W. et al. (2023) Minneapolis’ green zonesTangletown Neighborhood Association. Edited by P. Collins and K. Hanson. Available at: https://tangletown.org/minneapolis-green-zones/ (Accessed: 10 October 2023).  

Categories
Building Sustainable, Inclusive and Just Cities (Hons module)

Ordsall: How Community-Level Strategies Can Combat Exclusionary City-Level Governance Changes 

Introduction 

With approximately 10,100 residents, Ordsall is one of the smallest of 20 total wards within the city of Salford by population (ONS, 2021). Located in the east of the city, shown in Figure 1 (see Appendix), the ward borders neighbouring city Manchester as well as the newly regenerated Salford Quays (Salford City Council, 2022). This Ordsall community, to whom this briefing is addressed, are united by location and therefore place-based policy and governance across time. Drawing upon theory from geographer David Harvey (1989), this briefing claims that challenges facing this community stem from a city-wide transition from a managerial to entrepreneurial governance strategy. Focus is given to Ordsall residents as, in being within close proximity to a site of significant regeneration such as Salford Quays, it is speculated that this community is more acutely exposed to governance-manifested processes of exclusion. 

To fairly offer recommendations to this community, considering the challenges faced within the broader context of their urban environment, it is important to first assess suitability for the author’s doing so in terms of preconceived knowledge and wider positionality (England, 1994). Although not a member of the Ordsall community, through having family reside in Salford and visiting Ordsall and Salford Quays on numerous occasions, there is great awareness of the city dynamic. Therefore, whilst the approach to a study of challenges facing Ordsall residents and subsequent formulation of a set of community-level recommendations cannot be entirely objective, first-hand experience of the city provides the alternative benefit of facilitating a more informed evaluation of whether recommendations could be both feasible and implementable. 

In addressing positionality, it is also appropriate to outline and justify the ontological and theoretical lenses utilised within this briefing – in simpler terms, what the urban is and how we can understand it respectively – as they largely influence the challenges identified and recommendations offered to the Ordsall community. What constitutes a just and sustainable city varies across stakeholder groups (Williams, 2009); a commonality in ontological outlook between Ordsall residents aligns with Castree et al.’s (2013) definition of community as “a grouping of people” with “a common set of customs and shared circumstances”, and is hence why the community level is appropriate for this report and in ventures towards urban sustainability. In line with critical urban theory (Brenner, 2012), the common problems identified within this briefing as faced by Ordsall residents are perceived to have stemmed from a broader shift to entrepreneurialism through a pervasive neoliberal growth agenda (Harvey, 1989). The marginalisation of Ordsall residents and subordination of their needs aligns with Lefebvre’s notion of varying “readings” of a city (Lefebvre, 1996 in Edensor, 2005, p. 4), and further parallels can be drawn between this and the interpersonal subjectivities in experience associated with standpoint theory (Castree et al., 2013). It is hoped that through recognising and utilising this lens, an urban power imbalance can be best acknowledged, and recommendations offered which can feasibly counteract representational disparities. 

Following this introduction, the briefing outlines the historical context upon which Salford and the Ordsall community have been built and shaped, before detailing challenges faced by this community and how these are evidenced on the ground. Recommendations are then offered in response to these challenges to be adopted by the community to foster a more just and sustainable urban environment. 

Challenges 

The overarching challenge for the Ordsall community, this briefing argues, is that a transition from managerial to entrepreneurial governance across Salford during the last half-century has had a disproportionately exclusionary impact on the ward’s longstanding residents (Harvey, 1989). Understanding this assertion first requires a historical understanding of the exogenous forces which have brought about this shift in governance strategy: 

Salford is one of several recognisable UK post-industrial cities, Liverpool being another example within northwest England (Killick, 2019). Managerial approaches to governance dominated in the city until the 1970s, oriented more towards Keynesian economics of welfare and fairer distribution of resources across a city’s population (MacLeod, 2011 in Black, 2015). However, a decline of Salford’s industrial base culminated in closure of the docks in 1982, creating a window of widespread unemployment and worsened deprivation; unemployment reached 32% in Ordsall during 1985 (Henderson et al., 2007). In response to this industrial decline Salford was remarkably quick to adopt a neoliberal approach to remaking the city (Black, 2015), mirroring regeneration strategies visible in other infrastructurally-similar areas such as London’s Docklands (Henderson et al., 2007). This means that the role the city was expected to play on the national stage had shifted to become growth-focused and tailored to privatisation. Importantly, an element of competition was introduced to obtaining investment, with government funding allocated to areas demonstrating the highest prospective returns (Black, 2015; Christophers, 2008). A performative aspect to regeneration was thus introduced over pursuit of greater city-wide equality; grand infrastructural development superseded poverty reduction efforts which would have made a less significant imprint on the national development stage (Black, 2015). 

The incremental regeneration of Salford Quays is a clear exemplification of this, including the relocation of MediaCity to the site in 2011 (Black, 2015). Similar to how neoliberalism expected accumulated wealth to ‘trickle down’ to lower social groups, it was hoped that this regeneration would raise aspirations of local communities and eventually provide new employment opportunity (Jeffery and Jackson, 2012). However, reduced social provision in line with the neoliberal agenda unsurprisingly prevented any heightened ambition from being mobilised, with less than 1% of Salford residents who applied for a new job being successful (Carter, 2012). This redistribution of investment was therefore almost unanimously detrimental towards more deprived communities and residential groups such as those found within Ordsall, and – paired with austerity cuts to welfare provision and increased residential exclusion via gentrification – acted to perpetually exacerbate intra-city socioeconomic inequalities (Levitas, 2012). It is these widening socioeconomic inequalities which pose greatest challenge to the Ordsall community, manifested in several ways as evidenced below. 

Index of Multiple Deprivation 

The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) is a composite measure of relative deprivation, utilising seven domains of deprivation to calculate a single value for comparison across local areas (Penney, 2019). The Index is particularly useful for exemplifying how the change in governance outlined above has manifested as exacerbated inequality on the ground for several reasons. Firstly, the high spatial resolution of the Index – the Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA) level – allows both inter- and intra-ward disparities to be viewed within the wider city, meaning the indicator can reveal cross-scalar evidence of spatial exclusion (CDRC, 2022). Calculation of a single relative value additionally bypasses the complexity of considering each domain of the indicator in isolation, also indirectly appreciating how the socioeconomic aspects of an individual or community’s lifestyle intersect and therefore cumulatively influence lived experience. Figure 2 shows spatial variation in IMD decile within Ordsall and compared to neighbouring Salford Quays (IMD, 2019 in CDRC, 2022). The map highlights a stark difference in overall deprivation level between Salford Quays and Ordsall in 2019, with a transition from least to most deprived decile as you travel eastwards between the two wards. Interestingly, the boundary into the most deprived decile region corresponds closely with Ordsall’s ward boundary shown in Figure 1 (Salford City Council, 2022), highlighting clear geographical ward-level disparity, and therefore again supporting identification of Ordsall’s population as a group with some feature of commonality as required by the community definition stated earlier (Castree et al., 2013). 

Housing 

A second way in which the shift to entrepreneurial governance has manifested and posed challenge to the Ordsall community is through emerging inequalities in housing provision, tenure, and affordability. 809 additional affordable homes are required each year to meet Salford’s growing demands, yet current annual provision sits at around 280 homes for the entire city (Salford City Council, n.d.). Too much new housing is unaffordable, and some longstanding Ordsall residents have been priced out of property by gentrification processes associated with influx of young, skilled individuals (Jeffery and Jackson, 2012). Figure 3 highlights spatial variations in housing and service accessibility in 2019, showing – alongside other areas surrounding the Quays – another disproportionate impact on the Ordsall community (IMD, 2019 in CDRC, 2022). 

Census data also reveals stark variation between Ordsall and the Quays regarding housing tenure, despite the wards being adjacent (ONS, 2021). The proportion of the community social renting in Ordsall was 36% in 2021, compared to 6% for Salford Quays and a national average of 17.1%, indicating much greater demand for affordable property within Ordsall (ONS, 2021). Between 2011 and 2021, however, private renting increased by 8% in Salford –  the third highest rate in the UK (ONS, 2023). This evidence collectively implies that housing provision under entrepreneurial governance has failed to cater for the needs of the Ordsall community. 

Personal Exclusion 

Another key consideration is how these spatial differences are experienced at the personal level within the Ordsall community, and to what extent these spatial differences in housing and overall deprivation promote individual feelings of exclusion. Resident testimony via a BBC Radio show focusing on recent residential developments within Ordsall revealed that while longstanding residents have experienced improvement in the overall safety and security of their local area, this is to the detriment of a sense of belonging and integration into the wider city (You and Yours, 2022). One Ordsall resident testified that the city has become “a space where people don’t feel welcome”, noting how “the dual carriageway is often seen as a barrier between the two communities” (You and Yours, 2022). The dual carriageway in question separates Ordsall and Salford Quays, exemplifying how positioning of developmental infrastructure has become a further physical manifestation of the sense of othering promoted by regeneration practices. Further to this, community involvement in regeneration has been low, with focus dedicated to private investment almost entirely at the expense of wider public participation (Henderson et al., 2007). An entrepreneurial governance strategy can therefore be further labelled as unjust towards the Ordsall community due to resulting obstructions towards individual participation in democratic decision-making (Black, 2015). This interpretation again ties to Lefebvre’s writing on “readings” of a city (1996 in Edensor, 2005, p. 4), with power imbalances allowing some development aspirations to dominate over others – clearly observable in the case of Salford where a neoliberal reading via a select group has been allowed to take hold and pervasively control regeneration. This additionally draws on Black’s (2015, p. 26) notion of “foreclosure”, in which continued perpetuation of the entrepreneurial narrative by a small number of individuals etches a single development pathway with corresponding foreclosure of alternative interests. 

Despite limitations in how many variables could be covered within the scope of this briefing, the above examination of spatial disparities in overall deprivation, housing tenure and feelings of inclusion emphasise differential treatment between wards. There is a strong indication that this social fragmentation stems from socially and spatially selective economic investment, with heavily funded areas such as Salford Quays consistently outperforming wards such as Ordsall where investment is more absent. 

Recommendations 

Through a shift in governance strategy the needs of the Ordsall community have become subordinated to the economic ambitions of the wider city, and – as outlined above – this has become increasingly evident on the ground through ward-level disparities in relative deprivation, housing provision and diminishing feelings of belonging and community cohesion. It is therefore essential that any recommendations offered to the community reflect this backdrop of differential treatment and seek to broaden public participation in relevant decision-making. 

Recognition of this need to re-mobilise the voices of marginalised groups for solutions to be effective is far from novel. In commenting on distributional justice, Harvey draws upon Rawls’ assertion that this justice can only be achieved if “the advantages of the most fortunate promote the well-being of the least fortunate” (Rawls, 1969 in Harvey, 2009, p. 109). However, in the case of Ordsall this has largely failed as Salford’s socioeconomic returns on investment have not disseminated to the more deprived communities in much the same way that notions of trickle-down economics have been seen to fail elsewhere (Peck, 2005 in Christophers, 2008). This analysis implies that in an entrepreneurial urban system obsessed primarily with economic growth, recommendations towards reaching a more egalitarian society for the benefit of marginalised communities must deviate away from the economic dimension of development as far as tangible. Harvey then raises the argument for amplifying the voices of the more impoverished, to the extent that their approval becomes a prerequisite for decision-making (2009). Although unrealistic to aspire towards a complete societal rebalancing of power, inspiration can be taken from this broader theory to provide means for public participation for an otherwise disregarded community such as Ordsall. 

Tackling Deprivation 

The first recommendations in this briefing focus primarily on the economic domain of deprivation, seeking to encourage members of the Ordsall community to join, expand and create groups akin to the Salford Poverty Truth Commission (PTC) (Co-operative Councils Innovation Network, 2023). The commission was formed entirely by Salford residents and instigated in 2016, adopting a coalition structure by including both citizens with lived experience of poverty alongside those in higher positions of authority (Co-operative Councils Innovation Network, 2023). The overarching aim of the PTC is to mobilise voices within an otherwise marginalised group by providing a platform for those living in poverty to express needs and concerns, thereby facilitating cross-sector collaboration between those facing a problem and those with more power to implement effective solutions (Co-operative Councils Innovation Network, 2023). The views of residents facing poverty have been expressed largely through creative means such as poetry or drama, a noteworthy observation given its similarity to modes of creative resistance to gentrification observed in other post-industrial cities such as Liverpool (Co-operative Councils Innovation Network, 2023; Killick, 2019). Furthermore, a common thread of creativity throughout urban theory – from capitalist creative destruction in the remaking of a city (Harvey, 2014 in Black, 2015), to the gentrifying influx of a creative class (Florida, 2002), to recent evidence of creative resistance from communities (Killick, 2019) – invokes a sense of a community re-empowering themselves in the face of an otherwise pervasive development agenda. 

Additional political support has been offered towards the work of Salford’s PTC through engagement from both Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (Church Action on Poverty, n.d.). It would be a further recommendation to the Ordsall community to engage with opportunity for political participation wherever possible. This could be through writing a letter to the local councillor or MP or, for longer-term engagement, following agendas from councillor meetings such as Salford’s monthly Housing/Regeneration Briefing (Salford City Council, 2023). This is particularly true given Salford and Greater Manchester’s enduring left-wing political landscape, as it would be expected that those in positions of political authority would be more responsive towards projects employed in pursuit of a more egalitarian society. It is these individuals who have the means to communicate the needs of Ordsall’s community on a regional or national stage – and any investment or support gained through this political channel will likely be better tailored to the needs of the community if the needs are raised by community members themselves in the first instance. 

In response to questions over why cross-sector collaboration is so important in these recommendations for yielding impactful solutions, it can be argued that if a community were to act in isolation against broader governance, this would fail to acknowledge that it is a difference in perception of the city between stakeholders which has led to exacerbation of the problems faced by the community in the first place. This links back to my earlier mention of different “readings” of a city, with the PTC exemplifying where the differing power relations of stakeholders are acknowledged but then utilised to enact viable change (Lefebvre, 1996 in Edensor, 2005, p. 4). As similarly noted by Lydon, a linkage of top-down and bottom-up practices should act to enhance “social capital” and build “tactical resilience” in pursuit of urban sustainability and justice (2017, p. 290,285). This point on collaboration is also particularly true given feelings of othering and separation already experienced by the Ordsall community; working with those in positions of authority would ideally act to bridge this social gulf and enhance community cohesion and belonging. 

Housing 

Approaching the challenge of housing provision, despite Salford City Council openly acknowledging that their current supply of affordable housing is far from meeting the city’s ever-increasing requirements, there is a growing sense that recent removal of government-imposed regulations could empower the Council to make more substantial change in coming years (Salford City Council, n.d.). Funding obtained in 2019 has facilitated planned construction of 129 new council homes across three wards – 53 of which are within Ordsall (Salford City Council, n.d.). Dérive is a supplementary organisation set up in 2017, owned entirely by Salford City Council and aiming to provide “truly affordable homes” (Dérive Salford, 2023). Through the organisation plans are in place for 300 new homes within Ordsall, with over 50% envisaged as being affordable and a selection available for rental to match Ordsall’s dominant mode of tenure as outlined above (Dérive Salford, 2023). Paul Dennett – City Mayor of Salford – claims that these homes will provide for “future generations”, highlighting an intergenerational scope to considerations which marks a key tenet of sustainability thinking (Dérive Salford, 2023). Considering growing political momentum towards affordable housing provision, what recommendations would be prescribed to the current Ordsall community to ensure that plans are actualised? 

With a substantial proportion of planned housing implementation taking place within Ordsall, it is a strong recommendation for the community at this early stage to ensure that their imminent housing needs and the council’s proposals are closely aligned – and if not, to voice their concerns as widely as possible. To a certain extent this engagement has been facilitated by Dérive, with a “drop-in session” held via an afternoon and evening timeslot where residents could engage with the envisaged plans and communicate with those in charge of developing them (Dérive Salford, 2023). A questionnaire has also been released which asks for residents’ opinions on the redevelopment overall, its layout, housing types and its contribution to wider ward regeneration (Dérive Salford, 2023). It is further recommended that residents who did not attend the September session respond to the questionnaire, as this could provide accessible means of restoring power within the community towards democratic engagement – a challenge identified earlier in the briefing. A statement of community involvement will then be produced which should add transparency and accountability to the planning process and therefore reassure residents that their thoughts have been adequately listened to and acted upon (Dérive Salford, 2023). This engagement should additionally broaden community awareness of changes expected within Ordsall, working towards improved community cohesion as different groups’ visions for the city continue to be materialised in various ways. It would be hoped that this could not only cater to the regeneration needs of the community, but allow entrepreneurially-oriented changes to be made without residents feeling marginalised or ignored. 

Conclusion 

Within this briefing, challenges faced by the community of Ordsall regarding overall deprivation, housing affordability and social cohesion were identified as products of a city-wide shift in governance strategy from managerial to entrepreneurial (Harvey, 1989). This transition has orientated focus towards the economic dimension of development – largely at the expense of longstanding residents – to create a profitable but highly unequal and fragmented urban landscape. 

Recommendations were offered which would hope to amplify the residential “reading” of the city and therefore rebalance power relations in a way which will act to promote more sustainable and inclusive urban development (Lefebvre, 1996 in Edensor, 2005, p. 4). The briefing advocates for residential participation in decision-making wherever possible, alongside political engagement to hopefully promote the community’s needs beyond the boundaries of the city. Commonality across the recommendations given is seen through cross-sector collaboration and a cooperative sentiment, whereby the community is advised to work with those in authority rather than against them as a means of further improving community cohesion. 

While each city is a unique product of its history, residents, infrastructure and governance, Salford is far from alone in its industrial heritage and profit-oriented regeneration agenda (Peck et al., 2013). Therefore, although this community briefing has been tailored to address Salford’s Ordsall community, it is hoped that the recommendations offered can be adapted and translated to other deprived wards within the city, or beyond to cities experiencing the similar adverse impacts of a neoliberal agenda. Overall, it is hoped that this briefing addresses a wider need for more just and inclusive regeneration practices across urban areas to progress towards achieving sustainable urban development.

 

Appendix 

A map of a city

Description automatically generatedFigure 1: Map showing the ward boundary of Ordsall 

Source: Salford City Council, 2022 

A map of a city

Description automatically generatedFigure 2: Map showing IMD 2019 deciles for Ordsall and Salford Quays 

Source: IMD, 2019 in CDRC, 2022 

A map of a city

Description automatically generatedFigure 3: Map showing Housing IoD 2019 deciles for Ordsall and Salford Quays 

Source: IMD, 2019 in CDRC, 2022 

References 

Black, A. C. (2015) Foreclosing Futures: A Case Study of Urban Regeneration in Central Salford, PhD thesis, York, University of York. 

Brenner, N. (2012) ‘What is critical urban theory?’, in Brenner, N. Marcuse, P. and Mayer, M. (eds), Cities for People, Not for Profit, Oxon, Routledge, pp. 11-23. 

Carter, H. (2012) ‘For long-suffering Salford, the joke isn’t funny any more’, The Guardian, 13 April 2012 [Online]. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/apr/13/salford-media-city-bbc (Accessed 23 October 2023). 

Castree, N., Kitchin, R. and Rogers, A. (2013) A Dictionary of Human Geography, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

CDRC (2022) Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) [Online]. Available at https://data.cdrc.ac.uk/dataset/index-multiple-deprivation-imd (Accessed 24 October 2023). 

Christophers, B. (2008) ‘The BBC, the creative class, and neoliberal urbanism in the north of England’, Environment and Planning A, vol. 40, no. 10, pp. 2313-2329. 

Church Action on Poverty (n.d.) Tackling poverty in Salford: An inspirational story [Online]. Available at https://www.church-poverty.org.uk/tackling-poverty-in-salford-an-inspirational-story/ (Accessed 16 October 2023). 

Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (2023) Salford Poverty Truth Commission: How a new approach to tackling poverty is succeeding in Salford [Online], Salford, Co-operative Councils Innovation Network. Available at https://www.councils.coop/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Poverty-Poverty-Truth-Commission-Salford-Council.pdf (Accessed 16 October 2023). 

Dérive Salford (2023) Dérive Salford [Online]. Available at https://www.derivesalford.co.uk/ (Accessed 16 October 2023). 

Edensor, T. (2005) Industrial Ruins: Spaces, Aesthetics and Materiality, Oxford, Berg. 

England, K. V. L. (1994) ‘Getting Personal: Reflexivity, Positionality, and Feminist Research’, The Professional Geographer, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 80-89. 

Florida, R. (2002) The Rise of the Creative Class, New York, Basic Books. 

Harvey, D. (1989) ‘From Managerialism to Entrepreneurialism: The Transformation in Urban Governance in Late Capitalism’, Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 3-17. 

Harvey, D. (2009) Social Justice and the City, Georgia, The University of Georgia Press. 

Henderson, S., Bowlby, S. and Raco, M. (2007) ‘Refashioning Local Government and Inner-city Regeneration: The Salford Experience’, Urban Studies, vol. 44, no. 8, pp. 1441-1463. 

Jeffery, B. and Jackson, W. (2012) ‘The Pendleton Riot: a political sociology’, Criminal Justice Matters, vol. 87, no. 1, pp. 18–20. 

Killick, A. (2019) ‘Resisting the Creative Economy on Liverpool’s North Shore: Art-Based Political Communication in Practice’, Westminister Papers in Communication and Culture, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-17. 

Levitas, R. (2012) ‘The Just’s Umbrella: Austerity and the Big Society in Coalition policy and beyond’, Critical Social Policy, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 320-342. 

Lydon, M. (2017) ‘Resilient Streets, Resilient Cities’, in Lerch, D. (ed) The Community Resilience Reader, Washington, Island Press, pp. 279-292. 

ONS (2021) Build a custom area profile [Online]. Available at https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/customprofiles/build/ (Accessed 16 October 2023). 

ONS (2023) How life has changed in Salford: Census 2021 [Online]. Available at https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E08000006/ (Accessed 16 October 2023). 

Peck, J., Theodore, N. and Brenner, N. (2013) ‘Neoliberal Urbanism Redux?’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 1091-1099. 

Penney, B. (2019) The English Indices of Deprivation [Online], London, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d8e26f6ed915d5570c6cc55/IoD2019_Statistical_Release.pdf (Accessed 23 October 2023). 

Salford City Council (2022) Ward profiles [Online]. Available at https://www.salford.gov.uk/people-communities-and-local-information/my-local-community/ward-profiles/ (Accessed 16 December 2023). 

Salford City Council (2023) Browse meetings – Property / Regeneration Briefing [Online]. Available at https://sccdemocracy.salford.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=159 (Accessed 25 October 2023). 

Salford City Council (n.d.) Delivering affordable housing [Online]. Available at https://www.salford.gov.uk/housing/delivering-affordable-housing/ (Accessed 16 October 2023). 

Williams, K. (2009) ‘Sustainable cities: research and practice challenges’, International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, vol. 1, nos. 1-2, pp. 128-132. 

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Categories
Building Sustainable, Inclusive and Just Cities (Hons module)

‘The Glasgow Effect’: How Poverty Impacts Health in the City of Glasgow 

Introduction 

This community briefing will focus on the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Post-industrial Glasgow boasts a thriving economy and cultural diversity, yet it faces an ongoing poverty crisis, catalysed by income disparities, impacting the health and well-being of individuals and communities that fall below the poverty line. This briefing will examine the intricate nexus between poverty, heightened by economic inequalities, and its profound impact on health and well-being. Restrictions to a healthy diet, smoking habits, and illnesses caused by household dampness and mould will be discussed as contributing factors to the city’s complex and prominent health inequalities, that gives rise to the “Glasgow Effect” phenomenon. Measures carried out by Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government, and the UK Government have not been efficient in addressing the harsh grapple on individuals who are facing health disparities as a consequence of a prominent income imbalance. Therefore, I outline three recommendations to encourage discussion and enable solutions that will greatly improve the causes, and subsequently the consequences, of the evident health disparities between socio-economic groups in the city of Glasgow. 

I have lived in Scotland my entire life, witnessing first-hand the impacts income inequality has upon marginalised groups concerning housing, education, and health. My positionality as a middle-class undergraduate student who is not a direct resident of Glasgow, must be acknowledged as I put forward recommendations to aid the community of Glasgow towards a more economically inclusive and healthier city. Any recommendations put forward below should be taken as well-intentioned towards the discourse around the topic and should be considered second to the ideas and opinions of those within the community. 

Poverty and “The Glasgow Effect” 

The city of Glasgow has a long history of poverty stemming from the dismantling of the city’s industrial base in the 1970s, resulting in major job losses that have never been entirely replaced. Thake and Staubach (1993) argue that the root cause of poverty is economic, stemming from three main sources: unemployment by those marginal to the job market, low wages earned by those employed in declining traditional industries, and reductions in welfare expenditure (Pacione, 2004). These can be observed throughout the city of Glasgow across multiple decades. In the city, unemployment has risen to 4.7% since 2022, slightly higher than the Scottish average of 3.1% in the first quarter of 2023 (ONS, 2023). Additionally, the rate of economic inactivity, those who are neither employed nor seeking employment, is 25.5% (ONS, 2023).  

In response to the financial crash in 2008, the UK Government implemented budget cuts across public services and reformed the social security system (MacLeod et al., 2018). This policy shift disproportionately affected residents of towns and cities, where a significant portion of the population relies upon these services and benefits, resulting in them being more susceptible to the negative consequences of welfare reform (Pacione, 2004). In an investigation into the disparity in life expectancy between the richest and poorest 10% of the city’s population, the Glasgow Centre for Population Health identified that the UK government’s austerity policies were primary attributes to the continuously expanding life expectancy gap. Their findings reveal a stark reality: the poorest 10% of men are expected to die 15.4 years earlier than their wealthier counterparts (BBC News, 2021). This data highlights the impact economic policies have on the health and well-being of Glasgow’s residents.   

In 2008, the World Health Organisation (WHO) put a spotlight on Glasgow’s stark health inequalities. They identified that a boy from a deprived area, Calton, had a life expectancy of 54 years compared to a boy from an affluent area, Lenzie, who would expect to live until the age of 82. The discrepancy between these two locations is alarming. Two years later, a study found that people from deprived communities, like Calton, had poorer health and lower life expectancy than people from similarly deprived areas across the UK (Reid, 2011). This gave rise to the “Glasgow Effect”. This phenomenon, coined from the “Scottish Effect”, sheds light on the striking disparities in health outcomes linked to income inequality. This complex web of factors, encompassing access to healthcare, educational opportunities, living conditions, and social determinants, significantly influences the health and well-being of Glasgow’s diverse community (GCPH, 2010).  

Contributing Factors to the “Glasgow Effect” 

I will briefly address three key factors that have significantly contributed to the “Glasgow Effect”: smoking, illnesses caused by mould and dampness within households, and restrictions to accessing a healthy diet. These critical themes are intricately linked with the issue of poverty and contribute to amplifying health inequalities within the city. 

Smoking 

In Glasgow’s most deprived regions, nearly two-thirds of the population are smokers, contributing to the city’s elevated smoking prevalence compared to the rest of the UK. This disparity is primarily attributed to adverse socio-economic conditions within the city, as noted by Gray and Leyland (2009). Their research underscores the central role of smoking as a primary driver of health inequalities, which is a well-established fact given the widely known risks of smoking, such as increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cancer, especially within the lungs. In 2016, Glasgow recorded the highest lung disease death rate in Britain, emphasising the link between smoking prevalence and economic status (BBC News, 2016). Thus, there is a critical need for targeted efforts to address the smoking prevalence and its health consequences in Glasgow’s deprived communities.  

Restrictive Diets 

Obesity is associated with a number of serious health risks, including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, various cancers, and hypertension (Mathieu‐Bolh, 2021). Within the city of Glasgow, obesity is a prominent issue intricately linked with the impact of poverty. As of 2019, 61% of adults were classed as overweight and 27% as obese in Glasgow, presenting the highest levels across all Scottish cities (Understanding Glasgow, 2023b). The impact of poverty on obesity rates is alarming, with adults living in the most deprived areas exhibiting an obesity prevalence that is nearly twice as high as those in the least deprived areas (Batterham, 2020). Individuals who live in deprived areas are more likely to have diets based on added sugars and fats as they are more affordable. Moving to a healthier diet based on fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats, and fish is more expensive, with low-income households struggling to afford the extra expense (Mathieu‐Bolh, 2021). Additionally, the current cost of living crisis means that food prices are unpredictable and susceptible to increase multiple times. Obesity levels are not just down to poor diets. Limited access to physical activity has an added impact on obesity. Deprived areas have fewer parks, fitness clubs, and accessible environments for physical activity. This not only affects physical well-being but heavily impacts mental health (Mathieu‐Bolh, 2021).  

Household Mould and Dampness 

Poor housing conditions, predominately found in deprived areas, harm the health of tenants with mould, dampness, and cold triggering sickness. Within Glasgow, over a quarter of households live in damp or overcrowded conditions (Alysha, 2023). There is a well-established correlation between poor housing conditions and lower socio-economic communities, with significant research supporting this connection. The Glasgow Centre for Population Health recognises a strong link between poor housing, including damp and mould, and health inequalities in the city(Garnham and Rolfe, 2019). Research from the World Health Organization backs this up, highlighting the health risks associated with indoor mould and dampness and identifying that individuals in deprived areas are more likely to be exposed to these health problems (Rolfe et al. 2020). The health problems associated with poor housing can cause unemployment, continuing a vicious cycle of poverty and poor health for future generations. Within the city of Glasgow, there is a need for targeted policies, housing improvements, and community initiatives to address this issue and mitigate the impacts. 

Current Community Action 

In Glasgow, a multitude of community groups, charities, and organisations dedicate themselves to mitigating health inequalities. I will briefly explore the efforts of two groups that strive to alleviate the health disparities resulting from poverty. 

Annexe Communities is a community-led development trust that works with people to reduce health inequalities and improve well-being. Since the trust began in 1986, it has kept a central focus on healthy living (Annexe Communities, 2023b). At the heart of the trust is a healthy eating café that serves affordable, healthy meals consisting of vegetables, lean meats, and fish to those who struggle to afford nutritious, balanced food. This initiative helps to reduce food poverty within deprived areas whilst also tackling the prominent obesity crisis within the city (Annexe Communities, 2023a). Additionally, Annexe Communities has developed a Social Prescribing Project designed to facilitate individuals to move towards a healthier lifestyle and enhance their overall well-being. This program offers a range of activities, including walking groups, dance classes, and budget-friendly healthy cooking classes, contributing to improved mental and physical health (Annexe Communities, 2023c). In April 2009, they held a presentation to address and educate the local community on the stark health inequalities within the area. The presentation included topics on child health inequalities, community strategies to tackle food poverty, and social isolation (Annexe Communities, 2023d). This initiative spreads awareness of the prominent issues that occur within the city and empowers individuals with knowledge about how they can contribute to solutions. 

The GalGael Trust is a community-based charity originating from one of the most deprived areas of Glasgow, where it started from an environmental campaign. Now, their ambition is to create and practise a healthy community that benefits individuals and society as a whole (GalGael, 2023). Alistair McIntosh, one of the founding directors of GalGael, believes “a loss of soul” is the source of Glasgow’s health problems. He argues that those who struggle economically are more likely to fill their lives with “various forms of addiction”, causing catastrophic health outcomes (Reid, 2011). The initiative offers community activities such as woodworking and plastering classes, gardening lessons, carving, and arts and crafts, to bring life back to the city. According to Professor Phil Hanlon, GalGael provides a fresh beginning for those who were poorly affected by the post-industrial era’s economic challenges, enabling them to gain new skills and facilitating employment opportunities in thriving sectors, such as the financial industry. This holistic approach encourages individuals to move away from struggling communities that suffer severe health and social imbalances (Reid, 2011). 

Government and Council Action 

The Scottish Government has made it clear that reducing health inequalities is a core component of their overall goal of achieving ‘sustainable and inclusive economic growth’, with the tackling of inequalities being featured in their 2022/23 Programme for Government (ScotPHO 2023). I will discuss the efforts taken by the Scottish Government, alongside the Glasgow City Council, to reduce the disparities in health and well-being. 

‘Equally Well’ was a report carried out by the Scottish Government’s Ministerial Taskforce, alongside Glasgow City Council, the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, that focused on the health inequalities in the city of Glasgow. It recognised that in order to tackle current health inequalities, there cannot be a sole focus on healthcare, and a cross-sector approach must be observed. To put recommendations into place and explore innovative ways to reduce inequalities, the report believes that the creation of ‘test sites’ would be beneficial. Each site, although varying in approach, would have the same key focus of reducing health inequalities by changing how public services were delivered. Evidence shows that a built-up environment has strong associations with health inequalities. Therefore, a strong focus was put on addressing inequalities through integrating town planning and public health (GCPH, 2012). Given that this report was carried out in 2008 and subsequent years have shown minimal improvement, with some arguing that health inequalities have worsened over the past decade, it suggests that despite the Scottish Government’s attempts to conquer health inequality within Glasgow, their progress does not suffice. 

Glasgow City Council acknowledges that there are drastic inequalities within the city. In 2016, they established the Health and Inequality Commission, bringing together health experts, city councillors, and representatives from community groups to provide an in-depth analysis of inequalities caused by poverty. They also develop proposals to reduce the poor health observed across the city, ensuring that individuals have the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives (Robertson, 2017). Despite the commission acknowledging the problem, it is challenging to identify their impact on the city’s population. 

The British Medical Association (BMA) created a three-tiered toolkit for clinicians to work together to address and reduce health inequalities. This toolkit is a key aspect of Sir Harry Burns’ President’s Project, recognising that medical professionals are uniquely positioned to address health inequalities and advocate for individuals who are experiencing such imbalances (Mehlmann-Wicks, 2022). Tier 1 focuses on campaigning against health inequalities, either by writing to MPs, creating posters, or teaming up with colleagues to create petitions. Tier 2 asks for the creation of peer support groups and invest in the education and knowledge surrounding health and wellbeing. Those from marginalised communities may not always be offered the same health education, which offers them the chance to learn and spread acquired knowledge further into communities. Finally, Tier 3 aims to organise collaboration with local organisations and create specialist roles within the medical field to ensure all needs are met across various groups (Mehlmann-Wicks, 2022). The Scottish Government took inspiration from the toolkit and created the programme ‘Deep End’. Deep End is a Scottish Government funded pilot programme bringing in link workers to 100 general practices located in the most deprived areas of Scotland, 31 of which are situated in Glasgow. These link workers support general medical practices to link people with community resources that can help them live healthier, longer lives by supporting them towards their goals (Mehlmann-Wicks, 2022). 

As evident in existing literature, health inequalities are intrinsically linked to poverty, stemming  

from broader economic disparities. While solving these overarching issues can be challenging, targeted solutions are being implemented to address specific health imbalances, such as the mitigation of household mould. Glasgow City Council are currently carrying out a pilot project that uses smart technology to detect dampness within social housing, with the goal of preventing its impacts on resident health, particularly in terms of respiratory disease. However, the programme is currently only set up in 30 homes, with plans for expansion across the city (Clements, 2022). Although this reflects the council’s commitment to addressing inadequate housing conditions, the slow roll-out rate raises concerns. As of 2018, Glasgow housed 292,619 households, meaning that just 0.010% are experiencing this new technology (Understanding Glasgow, 2023a). 

Recommendations 

In order to address health inequalities, it is necessary to resolve the issue of poverty first. My first recommendation focuses on policy reform within Glasgow, as well as the rest of Scotland. The roll-out of Universal Credit (UC) in the city of Glasgow had detrimental impacts on the most disadvantaged families and individuals, and it continues to have a negative impact through its frameworks. Critics of the scheme believe it increases rent arrears, pushing individuals further into poverty (BBC, 2020). Therefore, I recommend that community groups and individuals lobby the UK and Scottish Governments for policy reform to ensure Universal Credit provides a supporting mechanism for those who need it, as the current course of action does not sufficiently meet the needs of people. The initial and foremost factor that requires reform within the UC system is the elimination of the five-week waiting period. This initial wait generates anxiety and stress whilst also inflicting long-term impacts on individuals’ financial stability (Robert et al., 2020). A recent study found that the uncoordinated timing of UC payments and rent deadlines causes stress and anxiety as tenants are at a high risk of eviction (Robert et al., 2020). Therefore, people should lobby the Government to try and make payments synchronise with standard rent deadlines, e.g., the first day of the month. Although the Scottish Government is not directly in charge of Universal Credit delivery, it does have its own benefit schemes, such as the Scottish Welfare Fund. These programs require adaptation to better assist the Glasgow community in poverty reduction and achieving sustainable livelihoods. The budget allocation for the Scottish Welfare Fund has remained unchanged since 2013/14 despite an increasing demand for the service (Robert et al., 2020). This indicates that the fund is failing to keep up with the ongoing cost of living crisis. Additionally, as the Scottish Welfare Fund is implemented at a local authority level, there is an imperative need for increased awareness of availability and application procedure (Robert et al., 2020). This could be effectively achieved through community groups, such as organising workshops or displaying informational posters in community groups like GalGael and the Annexe Communities. These efforts have the potential to significantly expand the fund’s outreach to individuals who might not have had the opportunity to be informed about it. 

My second recommendation involves building upon the ongoing initiatives led by local community groups, including those mentioned previously, such as the Annexe Communities and GalGael Trust, with a strong emphasis on increasing the number of community gardens throughout the city of Glasgow. Community gardens have the potential to mitigate chronic and non-communicable diseases, such as respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and various cancers (Lovell et al., 2014). These illnesses are often exacerbated by factors that disproportionately impact lower socio-economic areas, such as smoking, household dampness and mould, and elevated obesity levels caused by restricted access to nutritious foods. Regular involvement in a garden setting can contribute to the attainment of recommended levels of physical activity and provide motivation to alleviate physical activity levels outside of the group setting (Lovell et al., 2014). In more recent years, health sectors around the world have started to identify gardening as a way to reduce the high prevalence of health conditions within deprived communities (Earle, D 2011). Therefore, more economically deprived areas in Glasgow would benefit from community gardens becoming more widespread. Food poverty can contribute to health inequalities, given that access to nutritious meals plays an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Community gardens provide a space to reduce the barriers that prevent families and individuals from adopting healthy behaviours as they provide access to fresh and healthy food, improve food security, improve diets, and build stronger, inclusive communities (Lovell et al., 2014). Community gardens give a sense of empowerment within a community and bring back a sense of control and identity, which they may have lost with changing austerity measures, financial struggles, and the sheer lack of valuable resources by Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government, and the UK Government. 

My third recommendation pinpoints reducing mould and dampness within social housing, as throughout this report, we have identified it as being a contributing factor to health inequalities within the city of Glasgow. Recommendations will be aimed at both community members and governmental bodies. Communities must put pressure on their landlords, Glasgow City Council, and the Scottish Government to ensure regular maintenance checks and appropriate repairs are carried out. They should also lobby for a strengthening of policy and regulation that ensures landlords adhere to strict standards that will prevent and manage dampness and mould within social housing. It can also be suggested that communities come together to identify local solutions, as residents are knowledgeable about the specific challenges being faced within their homes. The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council must put further investment into research and innovation to explore new, sustainable technologies and building materials that can help prevent and manage inadequate housing conditions. For example, putting more funding towards the smart technology that detects dampness to speed up the roll-out process (Clements, 2022).  

Conclusion 

The city of Glasgow faces significant health inequalities, stemming from the prevalent issue of poverty. Despite the efforts of both the Scottish and UK Governments to implement various initiatives to reduce these inequalities, tangible progress remains elusive. Consequently, the ongoing work of community groups in the city becomes crucial. While community-based actions possess indispensable local knowledge and insights, they operate with much less authority compared to national governments. As I put forward my recommendations, I am hopeful that the community will critically reflect upon and utilise them to produce meaningful change in the fight against health inequalities.  

References 

Alysha (2023) Why is Glasgow the UK’s Sickest City, Glasgow Eyes Magazine, Available at: https://glasgoweyesmagazine.com/why-is-glasgow-the-uks-sickest-city/ (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Annexe Communities (2023a) Annexe CafeAnnexe Communities. Available at: https://www.annexecommunities.org.uk/project-lunch-for-less-lunch-clu/ (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Annexe Communities (2023b) BackgroundAnnexe Communities. Available at: https://www.annexecommunities.org.uk/about-background/ (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Annexe Communities (2023c) Social Prescribing ProjectAnnexe Communities. Available at: https://www.annexecommunities.org.uk/project-spring/ (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Annexe Communities (2023d) Younity projectAnnexe Communities. Available at: https://www.annexecommunities.org.uk/projects-younity/ (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Batterham, R. (2020). Health Inequalities and Obesity. [online] RCP London. Available at: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news/health-inequalities-and-obesity. (Accessed: 23 October 2023). 

BBC News (2016), Glasgow has highest lung disease death rate in BritainBBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-36397054  (Accessed: 21 October 2023).  

BBC News (2021) Glasgow life expectancy gap widens between richest and poorestBBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-58118599 (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

BBC News, (2020) Universal Credit failing millions of people, say peers BBC News, Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53599763. (Accessed: 23 October 2023). 

Clements, C. (2022) Sensors detect damp and mould in Glasgow social housingBBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-63662644  (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Earle, M. D. (2011) Cultivating health: community gardening as a public health intervention (Thesis, Master of Public Health). University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2078 (Accessed: 24 October 2023). 

GalGael (2023) Our storyGalGael. Available at: https://www.galgael.org/our-story  (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Garnham, L. and Rolfe, S. (2019) Housing through social enterprise, Glasgow Centre for Population Health, Available at: https://www.gcph.co.uk/assets/0000/7367/HTSE_recommendations.pdf (Accessed: 22 October 2023).  

GCPH (2010) Investigating a ‘Glasgow Effect’: Why do equally deprived UK cities experience different health outcomes. Available at: https://www.gcph.co.uk/assets/0000/0801/GCPH_Briefing_Paper_25_for_web.pdf  (Accessed: 24 October 2023).  

GCPH (2012) Planning for Better Health, Glasgow Centre for Population Health, Available at: https://www.gcph.co.uk/assets/0000/3443/PLANNING_FOR_BETTER_HEALTH_final.pdf  (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Gray, L. and Leyland, A.H. (2009) Is the ‘Glasgow effect’ of cigarette smoking explained by socio-economic status?: A multilevel analysis. BMC Public Health, 9(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-245. (Accessed: 24 October 2023). 

Lovell, R. et al. (2014) ‘What are the health and well-being impacts of community gardening for adults and children: A mixed method systematic review protocol’, Environmental Evidence, 3(1), p. 20. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/2047-2382-3-20 (Accessed: 24 October 2023). 

MacLeod, M.A., Curl, A. and Kearns, A. (2018) ‘Understanding the prevalence and drivers of food bank use: Evidence from deprived communities in Glasgow’, Social Policy and Society, 18(1), pp. 67–86. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474746418000064  (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Mathieu‐Bolh, N. (2021) ‘The elusive link between income and obesity’, Journal of Economic Surveys, 36(4), pp. 935–968. doi:10.1111/joes.12458.  

Mehlmann-Wicks, J. (2022) Reducing health inequalities in your local area: A toolkit for clinicians, The British Medical Association. Available at: https://www.bma.org.uk/what-we-do/population-health/addressing-social-determinants-that-influence-health/reducing-health-inequalities-in-your-local-area-a-toolkit-for-clinicians# (Accessed: 24 October 2023).  

ONS(2022) A01: Summary of labour market statistics, Office for National Statistics. https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/summaryoflabourmarketstatistics. (Accessed: 26 October 2023). 

ONS (2023) Glasgow City’s employment, unemployment and economic inactivity, ONS. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/labourmarketlocal/S12000049/ (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Pacione, M. (2004) ‘Environments of disadvantage: Geographies of persistent poverty in Glasgow’, Scottish Geographical Journal, 120(1–2), pp. 117–132. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00369220418737196 (Accessed: 23 October 2023).  

Reid, M. (2011) ‘Behind the “Glasgow Effect”’, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 89(10), pp. 706–707. Doi: https://doi.org/10.2471%2FBLT.11.021011  

Robertson, B. (2017) Glasgow Health and Inequality Commission – Glasgow City Council. Available at: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=39411&p=0 (Accessed: 23 October 2023). 

Robertson, D.L., Wright, S.E. and Stewart, A.B., (2020) How well is Universal Credit supporting people in Glasgow?. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 

Rolfe, S. et al. (2020) ‘Housing as a social determinant of health and wellbeing: Developing an empirically-informed realist theoretical framework’, BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09224-0 (Accessed: 22 October 2023). 

Thake, S and Staubach, R. (1993). Investing  in People. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 

ScotPHO (2023) Health inequalities: Policy contextScotPHO, The Scottish Public Health Observatory. Available at: https://www.scotpho.org.uk/comparative-health/health-inequalities/policy-context#:~:text=The%20tackling%20of%20inequalities%20in%20health%20and%20their,published%20%27%20National%20Strategy%20for%20Economic%20Transformation%20%27. (Accessed: 24 October 2023).  

Understanding Glasgow (2023a) HouseholdsThe Glasgow Indicators Project. Available at: https://www.understandingglasgow.com/indicators/population/households (Accessed: 23 October 2023). 

Understanding Glasgow (2023b) Scottish Cities – Diet, The Glasgow Indicators Project, Understanding Glasgow. Available at: https://www.understandingglasgow.com/indicators/lifestyle/diet/diet (Accessed: 22 October 2023). 

Categories
Building Sustainable, Inclusive and Just Cities (Hons module)

Beyond the Food Desert: A Comprehensive Approach to Food Insecurity in Hartford, CT  

Introduction

Interpreting the Report 

This report aims to provide the people of Hartford with inspiration and tools for combating food insecurity. Acknowledging the historical contexts of the city and the systemic injustices facing its communities, this report proposes recommendations to the residents themselves. The knowledge within is not informed by personal experience living in Hartford, nor has the author been subjected to the racial and socioeconomic injustice present in the city. However, the report comes from a position of lifelong proximity to food insecurity in rural Connecticut. Written from this perspective, the aim is to present additional options and empower through community-based approaches rather than demand, instruct, or condescend. On this note, the report recognizes that no solution is perfect and asks that community members apply their knowledge and experience to improve the suggestions within. Furthermore, expecting community members to take on the extra burden of solving food insecurity themselves is not appropriate in some contexts. Therefore, the hope is that this report will be approached with an open-minded understanding that community-based solutions have the power to transform systems of injustice which are largely neglected by state or federal governments.  

Brief Overview   

Hartford has been described as one of New England’s ‘forgotten cities’ (Walsh, 2013). This sentiment may be relatable to many of its communities experiencing neglect. Once a bustling hub of industry and manufacturing in the 19th and 20th century, Hartford now faces the post-industrial legacies of unemployment and population decline (Heidenkamp, Russell & Sloan, 2016). Amongst other systemic challenges, the isolation of low-income residents and racial segregation have contributed greatly to food insecurity in the area.  

Background

Hartford 

It is important to outline two elements of contextual importance to this report: the history of the city and of its communities. The following sections serve as an acknowledgement of the deep historical context of life in Hartford. This overview is by no means exhaustive. However, it is impossible to address the issues of food insecurity in Hartford without full knowledge of how the development of the city has shaped its communities. Furthermore, the author wishes to acknowledge the extremely detrimental effects of systemic racism and socioeconomic injustice and respects that it is impossible to comprehend these realities from an external perspective.  

Hartford Then and Now  

Hartford is a post-industrial city. Manufacturing firms began to arrive in Hartford in the late 19th century contributing to the development of working-class factory districts (Walsh, 2013). These events triggered an influx of employment opportunities, infrastructure, and investment that helped the city flourish in the following decades. However, this growth began to slow and was eventually extinguished in the 1980s. It is recognized that the death of industry in Hartford has come to define the challenges, strengths, and even the compositions of the city’s communities (Heidenkamp, Russell & Sloan, 2016; Barber, 2013).  

Investment in the city dried up following the halt of manufacturing. Not only did economic and government attention turn elsewhere, but entire fields of skill, expertise, and generational knowledge were deemed irrelevant. Today, Hartford is dealing with the legacies of this loss. Most of the city is made up of low-income communities (Martin et al., 2014).  Furthermore, Hartford has a poverty rate of 28%, more than doubling rates state and nationwide (Seaberry, Davila & Abraham, 2021; U.S. Census Bureau, 2021). Job and housing insecurity in the city–both worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic– have contributed to a rise in unemployment and crime (Ennis, 2023; Seaberry, Davila & Abraham, 2021). Furthermore, urban decay and lack of funding puts Hartford residents at risk of chronic disease and exposure to toxins (Seaberry, Davila & Abraham, 2021). 

Hartford’s Communities  

Hartford’s population has undergone several demographic shifts since the late 1800s. The industry boom saw the introduction of a large number of European immigrants. Wealthier Yankee populations began to consolidate to the north, west, and south of downtown, and for the first time Hartford’s neighborhoods were distinctly divided socioeconomic class (Walsh, 2013). This distinction impacted the ability of immigrant workers to rise into white collar, skilled labor jobs. Here lie some of the first indications of the uneven distribution of resources typical of Hartford and its surrounding suburbs (Barber, 2013).  

This trend was mirrored in the 1920’s when the American South and Caribbean replaced Europe as the main source of migration into Hartford. At the time the African American population in the city grew sharply with the promise of higher wages. This population faced severe racial segregation and were afforded essentially no opportunities for social or economic mobility (Schlichting, Tuckel & Maisel, 2006, 2013; Walsh, 2013). A further migration surge in the late 1900s consisted of Latino immigrants from Puerto Rico and Jamaica (Bauer, 2013). Wealthier white populations consolidated and began to move out of urban Hartford. By the 1970s, Hartford was minority white, and migrants continued to arrive in the city despite the decline in manufacturing jobs.  

Hartford Equity Profile 2021 (Seaberry, Davila & Abraham, 2021) 

  • 121,024 residents in 2021 
  • 87% BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)  
  • 36% Black and 17% Latino  
  • 18% of resident speak English less than very well  
  • 22% of residents are foreign born 
  • Median household income is $36k 
  • 28% poverty rate 
  • 24% of Black and 35% of Latino households are below the poverty line 
  • 51% of households spend at least ⅓ of income on housing 
  • 20% of adults without health insurance  

Food Insecurity  

Food security means access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.”- USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS)   

More than just hunger, food insecurity is related to a lack of access to healthy food. It is not just a rural problem; it can occur anywhere that healthy food is made inaccessible to certain populations (Lyonnais et al., 2020). Thus, food insecurity is surprisingly common in many cities in the US. It is important to understand that accessibility of food can be determined by different factors; therefore, there are different ways of defining which communities are food insecure (Sullivan, 2021). 

Types of Food Insecurity  

Food Deserts: Food deserts occur where there is an overlap of low-income and low proximity to healthy food (Martin et al., 2014). Here, accessibility is related to money and distance. In these locations populations have low-incomes and live unreasonably far from affordable healthy food options. Food deserts are the primary qualification of food insecurity used by the USDA (Sullivan, 2021) and are fairly common in cities. However, this economic approach may overlook additional areas of insecurity.  

Food Swamps: Food swamps are locations that have some healthy food retail options but are over saturated with less healthy food. In these locations, the healthy options are often outnumbered by cheaper, unhealthy options. Healthy food is made inaccessible due to the over accessibility of processed food, junk food, or fast-food locations (Fielding & Simon, 2011). Issues of class, racism, and ability bias all play a role in this qualification of food insecurity.  

Food Mirages: Food mirages appear to have lots of healthy food options, but many residents lack the funds or resources to purchase them (Breyer & Voss-Andreae, 2013). In food mirages accessibility is not just related to money or distance. Many factors can create obstacles to accessing nearby healthy food. These include, race, disability, education, immigration status, or parental status. Food mirages are common in inner cities (Sullivan, 2014; Wiebe & Distasio, 2016).  

These classification provide a fuller understanding of the many elements that contribute to food inaccessibility and insecurity. Although food deserts are convenient to diagnose, the role of systemic racial injustice as well as income, ability, and mobility bias must be recognized as powerful forces that isolate certain communities (Price & Jeffery, 2023). Furthermore, approaches to food security must have an emphasis on access to healthy food. There are links between food insecurity and declining mental or physical health. In particular, the relationship between chronic disease and food insecurity has been described as a dangerous cycle with inter-generational effects (Seligman & Schillinger, 2010).  

Food Insecurity in Hartford 

Firstly, it must be acknowledged that as a minority white city, food insecurity in Hartford disproportionately impacts its Black and Latino communities. Secondly, many of the census tracts in Hartford are classified as low-income. Acknowledging these facts and their historical context provided above is vital for interpreting food insecurity in the city.  

Food Insecurity in Hartford (Seaberry, Davila & Abraham, 2021; Ennis, 2023) 

  • 29% of residents see food insecurity as a personal health risk  
  • 20% of city classified as food desert  
  • 34% identify obesity as a health risk   
  • 30% of households have no access to a vehicle  
  • Higher density of chronic disease and mental strife than statewide 
  • All above values are higher than CT values  
  • All above values higher in Black and Latino residents and lower in white residents  

Solutions

Existing Solutions  

Policy Based Solutions  

There are several policies that attempt to combat food insecurity in Hartford. The following programs run by federal and state governments:  

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Low-income individuals can purchase food using an Electronic Benefits Transfer card provided by SNAP, USDA. In 2021, 56% of Latino and 34% of Black Hartford residents received SNAP benefits (Seaberry, Davila & Abraham, 2021). The expiration of pandemic era expansions mean that benefits are not accepted everywhere and remain unavailable to food insecure residents with slightly higher incomes (Ennis, 2023).  
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC):  Supplemental health care and food are provided to qualifying mothers through federal funding (USDA). Policy makers are considering a permanent expansion of services. Despite increased engagement with this program in Hartford, it has similar challenges to SNAP (Ennis, 2023).  
  • Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP): GusNIP incentivizes nutritious eating and the accessibility of healthy food using government grants to state and local governments. However, GusNIP struggles with equity as the grants are competitive (Krieger, 2022).  

Community Based Approaches   

Building supermarkets or providing benefits does not fix the problem fully. Government and policy solutions struggle to evenly provide support and often highlight existing inequalities (Price & Jeffery, 2023; Sullivan, 2021). The following are some current community-based programs in Hartford (Ennis, 2023): 

  • Hands on Hartford (HOH): This non-profit provides community services from within including a food pantry supporting 800 Hartford families per month. The style of this pantry allows for flexibility according to taste, diet, culture, or religion. There is also an emphasis on produce and fresh food beyond the food pantry staples. HOH also brings community members together to access additional resources. 
  • KNOX: This non-profit is involved in greening-up Hartford. One of their initiates is a gardening scheme consisting of 21 gardens and engaging 300 community members. The project repurposes decaying properties into flourishing gardens all over the city. The gardens have put 8 tons of food back into local systems and provide resources and support for all interested residents.  
  • Forge City Works: This farmers market in Frog Hollow allows local growers to sell their produce directly to Hartford residents. Like many of the farmers markets in the city, Forge City Works accepts and even doubles SNAP benefits. Effort is being put into making the market more accessible through the installation of a small neighborhood market.    

Recommendations  

The following section consists of recommendations for action to combat food insecurity and enhance existing programs in Hartford. The community-based approach to food insecurity tends to address the problem more effectively. Although there are benefits to the government programs, they can be impacted by political pressures. Furthermore, federal and state level nutritional programs are temporary solutions that fail to address the context of food insecurity in Hartford. Therefore, these recommendations are rooted in a community-based approach to inspire and support the people of Hartford as they tackle food insecurity and its larger context. The hope is to aid Hartford’s communities as they reclaim the rights to food, security, and health so often denied in their city.  

Expanding Mobile Markets  

Inability to access food in Hartford is more than just an issue of distance. It is an issue of uneven distribution of food and of overburdened residents. Many Hartford residents have low access to vehicles or public transport, limited time, and caring duties. Factors such as single parenthood, immigration status, and language isolation can contribute to a Hartford resident’s ability to access food. Residents with disabilities and chronic disease face extra challenges especially with the risk of COVID. Considering these difficulties, one suggestion is to bring food directly to residents.  

Hartford Food System runs the Hartford Mobile Market. This market runs year-round and provides access to produce for low-income residents. However, this is the only mobile market running in Hartford, and currently it only advertises stops twice a week. If mobile markets could be scaled up in Hartford and advertised more effectively, it could be a valuable resource for more residents. 
 

  • What: Mobile markets bring fresh food and produce to low-income residents at home. This style of market can simultaneously address issues of healthy food access and distribution in Hartford. Furthermore, mobile markets can boost small farms and food businesses closer to home (Spencer, 2013). 
  • Who: Mobile markets would serve the low income and more isolated communities of Hartford. Many of these residents, such as elderly, infirmed, and non-English speaking Hartfordians struggle to access food or support services. Mobile markets are proven to alleviate food insecurity in these communities and can be designed to accept SNAP or WIC benefits (Robinson et al., 2016).   
  • How: Acting as a supplement to traditional farmers markets like Forge City Works or community gardens, mobile markets typically run out of repurposed buses or trucks. Often hailed as a relatively low budget project, mobile markets can take several forms including mobile gardens, pop up markets, and delivery services for fresh weekly essentials (Sullivan, 2021). There are also opportunities for partnerships with pantries, markets, and gardens, making this an ideal solution for expanding the services of successful, but oversaturated programs in Hartford. Markets are often run by non-profits receiving funding from various supporters and foundations.  
  • Resources/Examples:  

Arcadia Mobile Market, Washington D.C.: This market runs out of a bus and brings fresh produce to various food insecure neighborhoods weekly. The Mobile Market accepts all food assistance benefits and sources its food from within a 125-mile radius.   

About Fresh, Fresh Truck, Boston, MA: This mobile market has a weekly markets schedule and a grocery delivery service. The Fresh Truck aims to provide impacted communities with year-round food security in a city with few supermarkets. This program has a distinct focus on health and sustainability and partners with Boston Medical Center.  

myveggievan.org: This website contains resources on building, understanding, and sustaining a mobile market system. The website has information and support for those interested in setting up a mobile market. This includes a toolkit that can also be accessed on the USDA SNAP-Ed page.  

Local Currencies and Benefits 

“Introducing complementary currencies links underutilized resources with unmet needs” – Hallsmith & Lietar (2011, 66)  

Healthy food and produce are often not feasible options for low-income individuals. Given that many Hartford communities are low-income, food affordability massively contributes to food insecurity. Local level economic solutions can help lift neglected communities out of deep food insecurity and provide more long-term solutions in Hartford. 

  • What: Local currencies run alongside official currencies. They circulate only in local settings and are accepted by local businesses that choose to participate. They can address issues of food affordability by creating a local economy not tied to nationwide systems of inequality (Brown, 2021). Similarly local benefits systems mimic nationwide nutritional programs like SNAP on a more personal level. Both local currencies and local benefits programs can improve the food security of communities that are excluded or targeted in national economic systems (Hallsmith & Lietaer, 2011).  
  • Who: Local currencies can promote the livelihoods of a community with ‘unmet needs’ (Hallsmith & Lietar, 2011). Even when a community is low-income or lacks investment, local currencies engage with local businesses. This system could be beneficial for Hartford residents struggling to afford healthy food (Dunne, 2011). Furthermore, local benefits programs can be used to support food insecure individuals who may not typically qualify for SNAP. Local benefits programs can also provide more flexibility for residents in Hartford. These solutions benefit food insecure community members, local businesses, and the community at large.   
     
  • How: Local currencies develop in partnership with research foundations, local banks, and local businesses in the interest of keeping money in a community (Hallsmith & Lietar, 2011). These currencies take off through incentivizing community engagement. Some currencies provide discounts at certain shops and can be converted into national currency (Brown, 2021). They function best when they meet unfulfilled needs of community members (Hallsmith & Lietar, 2011). In Hartford, complementary currency could help to unburden community members by either directly alleviating food insecurities or freeing up income for food expenses. 

Locally based benefits programs are developed through partnerships with institutions such as hospitals, homeless shelters, or immigrant support programs to identify eligible residents. These programs provide community members with benefits or money for purchasing food (Bigora, 2023). Engagement with this sort of program in Hartford can help to fill gaps left by federal programs.  
 

Resources/Examples

The Bristol Pound, Bristol, UK: Instituted in September of 2012, the £B was developed through a feasibility study and a partnership with the Bristol Credit Union. By January 2015 1,500 people had opened accounts in £B, £B750,000 had been issued, and 794 local businesses accepted £B. This system has helped build resilience in the community.  

The Bristol Method: This report generated by Bristol Green Capital in 2015 provides an overview of the benefits and creation of complementary currency.  

Schumacher Center for New Economic – Local Currency Program: This center is responsible for the creation of a local currency in Berkshire County, MA. BerkShares were created in partnership with local banks and 350 businesses to circulate currency within the community. The center’s website is also home to vast archives and resources detailing examples and methods for creating local currencies.  

About Fresh – Fresh Connect, Boston, MA: This benefits program is run by a local non-profit in partnership with healthcare organizations. This program works with healthcare teams to enroll at risk patients in Fresh Connect. Patients receive prepaid cards for purchasing produce funded by the non-profit’s supporters. Fresh Connect is now available in locations across the US.  

Youth Empowerment  

Food insecurity is extremely detrimental to the development and health of youth. In Hartford roughly ½ of children live in poverty; furthermore, there is a high rate of obesity in children, and younger residents are more susceptible to diet-related disease (Martin et al., 2014). Encouraging the involvement of youth in Hartford’s existing programs and giving young people the tools to understand nutrition can break intergenerational cycles of food insecurity. Empowering youth in Hartford can also strengthen community cohesion and existing programs (Glover & Sumberg, 2020).   

  • What: Engaging and educating youth simply means specifically targeting and supporting younger community members in the already existing gardening schemes or nutrition education programs (Sullivan, 2021).  
  • Who: In Hartford only 49% of adult residents believe youth have positive role models, and only 38% think it is a good place to raise kids; these values are 77% and 74% statewide (Seaberry, Davila & Abraham, 2021). Creating youth-specific services and programs in Hartford will directly benefit young people, but it will also help deepen community cohesion and personal investment in the city (Glover & Sumberg, 2020). This solution aims to leave a positive impact on young people and by extension the large Hartford community. 
  • How: Youth empowerment and engagement can include the creation of services just for children or teens such as the addition of a youth garden to the KNOX gardening scheme. It may also involve the consultation and promotion of young people within program administrations and the advertisement of relevant nation and statewide youth conferences.  

Resources/Examples: 

Teens for Food Justice (TFFJ), New York, NY: This non-profit promotes teen leadership, advocacy, and health through a network of educational gardens. The program partners with 19 schools, 7,900 students, and 10 communities to distribute 45,000 pounds of student-grown produce per year to low-income communities through schools, markets, and pantries. 

Rooted in Community National Network (RIC): This grassroots movement empowers youth to lead. It encourages health in cities through youth gardening, agriculture, and environmental or food justice work. RIC hosts national conferences, facilitates youth training, and mentors organizations. An Advisory Council of youth and adults runs RIC.  

Conclusion

The content in this report is aimed to provide the people of Hartford with additional tools and knowledge to combat food insecurity in their city. The hope is that the context, history, and recommendations will help empower Hartford’s communities to challenge systems of racial and socioeconomic inequality from within. In this spirit, the report offers solutions that complement and expand on existing programs in the city. Rather than criticizing, the author hopes that these options will illuminate the capability of the city and the strength of its people. The author thanks the people of Hartford for their consideration and grace.  

Reference

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Resources

About Hands on Hartford (2023) Hands On Hartford. Available at: https://handsonhartford.org/about/about-2/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

About Ric (2023) Rooted In Community. Available at: https://www.rootedincommunity.org/about#:~:text=The%20Rooted%20In%20Community%20National,leadership%20in%20their%20own%20communities. (Accessed: October 2023).  

Arcadia Mobile Market: Pre-order online (2023) Mobile Market. Available at: https://www.arcadiamobilemarket.org/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

Bristol Green Capital Partnership (2022) Bristol Green Capital. Available at: https://bristolgreencapital.org/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

The Bristol Method (2015) Bristol Green Capital . Available at: https://bristolgreencapital.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/3_bristol_method_how_to_measure_the_sustainability_of_a_city.pdf (Accessed: October 2023).  

Forge City Works (2023) Forge City Works. Available at: https://www.forgecityworks.org/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

Fresh Connect (2023) About Fresh. Available at: https://www.aboutfresh.org/fresh-connect/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

Fresh Truck (2023) About Fresh. Available at: https://www.aboutfresh.org/fresh-truck/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

Hartford Food Systems (2023) Hartford Food System. Available at: https://hartfordfood.org/programs/hartford-mobile-market/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

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Supporting the Hartford Community (2023) KNOX. Available at: https://knoxhartford.org/ (Accessed: 27 October 2023).  

TFFJ (2020) Teens for Food Justice. Available at: https://teensforfoodjustice.org/ (Accessed: October 2023).  

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