How Our Neighborhoods Lost Food, and How They Can Get It Back

Abstract

Does food matter in neighborhood planning and design? Should it matter? The answer is yes, but decades of planning policy and practice seem to suggest otherwise. There are many proven benefits of healthy, accessible, affordable and sustainable food. Proper nourishment has been linked to better classroom performance. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention argue that walkable access to healthy food can reduce America’s growing obesity and diabetes epidemics. Locally-sourced food reinforces better dietary habits as consumers connect with the value chain and perceive eating as a more natural process.

Keywords: urban planning, urban design, food, public health, neighborhood, sustainability

JEL Classification: Q18, O18, R14, R52