Neglected urban environments have been linked to social isolation, depression, and other health problems. In Portland, OR in 2003, an intervention was implemented and evaluated in three neighborhoods with the objective of promoting community participation in urban renewal and engaging residents in the construction of attractive urban places. Municipal officials approved and permitted community-designed street murals, public benches, planter boxes, information kiosks with bulletin boards, trellises for hanging gardens, all positioned in the public rightof-way. Residents within a two-block radius of the three sites were systematically sampled and interviewed before (N = 325) and after (N = 349) the intervention, of which, 265 individuals completed both surveys of the panel study. After the intervention, multivariate results revealed improvements in mental health (p = 0.03), increased sense of community (p G 0.01), and an overall expansion of social capital (p = 0.04). Through community empowerment, participation, and collective action, the strategy successfully engaged residents in restoring neighborhoods, with direct benefits to community well-being.
Blighted urban environments can be detrimental to community life and result in alienation and isolation. An intervention was developed in 2003 in Portland, Oregon, to engage low- to moderate-income, urban communities in creating pleasant amenities in the public right-of-way, including ecologically built information kiosks, benches, trellises for hanging gardens, and interactive art features such as large street paintings and art walls. As part of a postintervention survey of 359 residents within a two-block radius at three project sites, 53% rated their neighborhood better than before and 44% or 53% rated their present neighborhood as an excellent or good place to live, respectively. In open-ended qualitative comments, 30% mentioned increased social interactions, 13% revealed an enhanced sense of place, 43% described neighborhood participation, and 20% discussed aesthetic aspects of their local environment. Community involvement in urban design can enrich social networks with direct benefits for social capital and well-being.
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