The design of the built environment, land use and zoning decisions, and transportation policy can all have major impacts on the economic, physical, and mental health of communities and their access to resources and opportunities. A focus on equity in planning acknowledges the historical injustices that still pervade much public policy in the U.S. and seeks to build urban systems that enhance social equity and meaningful civic engagement.
All Equity Courses
Getting There
Getting There was produced by planners in New Hampshire to inform other planners of the concepts and benefits of universal design. The big idea illustrated by the film is that a built environment designed with the needs of the visually impaired in mind would be universally accessible for every single member of the community.
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces
What makes good public spaces work, and why are some public spaces underused? Over the course of this film, William Whyte details insights into seven basic factors of successful public spaces: suitable space, interaction with the street, the sun, food, water, trees, and, finally, a term Whyte calls triangulation, or the ability of a public space to bring people together.