This alternative property ownership model encourages permanent affordability and wealth-building. (2004)

How to implement TOD -- compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented communities located around new or existing public transit stations -- in a way that achieves equity goals. (2008)

In recent years a national discussion has been underway about the causes and effects of growing inequality, but one cause that has received little attention is the role of the U.S. tax code. The individual tax code contains more than $1 trillion in tax subsidies known to policymakers and economists as tax expenditures because, like spending programs, they provide financial assistance to support specific activities or groups of people. Of these subsidies, more than half a trillion, $540 billion, support some form of savings or investment (e.g., higher education, retirement, homeownership).

In theory, tax code–based public subsidies should help all families save and invest, but instead, wealthier households receive most of the benefits. In fact, a recent analysis of the largest wealth- building tax subsidies found that the top 1 percent of households received more benefits from these tax code–based subsidies than the bottom 80 percent combined.

The new brief answers key questions about tax expenditures: What are they, how do they work, and who benefits? In addition, since the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not collect tax data by race, the primer uses data related to the distribution of benefits by income quintiles and the demographics of each quintile to provide a rough approximation of how different racial and ethnic groups do or do not benefit from the different categories of tax expenditures.

Houston-Galveston is characterized by overall economic strength and resilience, but wide racial gaps in income, health, and opportunity coupled with declining wages, a shrinking middle class, and rising inequality place the region’s economic success and future at risk. Our analysis showed the region already stands to gain a great deal from addressing racial inequities. If racial gaps in income had been closed in 2012, the regional economy would have been $243.3 billion stronger: a 54 percent increase. You can also download the summary and addendum.

Find other equity profiles here.

Explains why addressing environmental justice (EJ) is a key aspect of creating sustainable regions, and presents ways in which those involved in local and regional planning can achieve EJ in their communities.

Published in 2001, this report highlights proceedings from a convening held in Cincinnati to discuss promising police practices in cities across the nation and to explore possible application locally.  The goal was to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to explore strategies for improving community-police relations; develop a shared understanding of community-centered police practices; and to develop an action agenda grounded in the the experience of local communities and police departments that have achieved some measure of sucess in addressing similar conditions.

In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, HUD, DOT, and EPA released their five year annual report. This report shows how the three agencies are changing their policies and removing barriers to help communities provide more housing choices, make transportation systems more efficient and reliable, and create vibrant neighborhoods while protecting the environment.

Common Market is a regional food hub whose mission is to increase the availability of local, sustainably grown farm food throughout Philadelphia and surrounding areas. This case study provides an in-depth look at Common Market's growth and development, including efforts to build financial sustainability.

Describes food hubs as an emerging retail strategy that has the potential to create a more equitable food system. (2014)