Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Expanding Equitable Housing Through Rezoning: Strategies For Land Use And Future Development Within Richmond, Kevin Costanzo

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This paper serves as a critical component of the City of Richmond's extensive initiative aimed at comprehensively understanding and reforming its zoning regulations. Focusing on housing market conditions at both municipal and census block levels, as well as conducting individual neighborhood case studies representing diverse contexts within Richmond, it draws upon primary documents such as Richmond's master plan (Richmond 300) and the Department of Housing and Community Development's housing plan "One Richmond." The methodology involves thorough documentation and analysis of neighborhood-specific impacts of zoning regulations, utilizing the Pattern Book as a foundational resource. The content encompasses an examination of urban …

Creating Commons: Photovoice Philosophy In A Third Space, Jason M. Cox, Lynne Hamer

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

Teach Toledo is a program that the authors co-coordinate using community assets to create a third space to confront systemic racism’s impact on teacher education programs and facilitate hybridity (Bhaba, 1994). Diverse student cohort members use their lived experience as the base for their individual and shared urban educational philosophies, coordinated in a first-year horizontally and vertically integrated curriculum including written compositions and a PhotoVoice project. “Creating commons” refers not only to provision of a third space as a common space where private experiences can be combined to create a hybrid, new understanding, but also to the creative act of …

2023 Create, Grow, Scale Entrepreneurship Convening: Summary Report, Research Institute For Social Equity At Virginia Commonwealth University

Research Institute for Social Equity

In partnership with Capital One Insights Center, the Research Institute for Social Equity (the Institute) hosted a convening to discuss the ecosystem around Black and Hispanic businesses in Richmond, Virginia. This full-day experience brought together thought leaders, policymakers, practitioners, community influencers, and entrepreneurs from the greater Richmond community to strategize how to translate research into action toward economic outcomes that benefit Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. This summary paper offers an overview of the sessions and outcomes of this convening.

Evaluating Long-Range Transportation Plans For Mainstreaming Of Climate Adaptation Among Virginia Mpos, Sebastian L. Shetty

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the strides made towards addressing climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction strategies, it has become increasingly apparent that attempting to mitigate the crisis in such a manner alone is insufficient. This thesis joins a growing body of research on how our societies must adapt to a changing climate, contributing more evidence on common barriers to adaptation and how they might be overcome. Through an attempt to evaluate the progress made towards mainstreaming, or integrating, climate change concerns into five Virginia MPOs’ long-range transportation plans (LRTPs), this study provides support for prior hypotheses around the potential for MPOs …

An Equity-Focused Assessment Of The City Of Richmond’S Rvagreen 2050 Planning Process, Meghan Z. Gough, Eric Asplund, Rebekah Cazares, Gabriella Francese, Logan Ashby, David Sale, Rebecca Acland, Sara Barton, Nicholas Jancaitis, Ben Jordan, Desmond Smallwood, Jen Allen, Molly Mickens, Kerry Ramos, Sarah Mullarney, Michelle Murrills, Joseph Pickert

Urban and Regional Studies and Planning Reports

Local climate action and sustainability initiatives are often critiqued for their inattention to issues of equity and justice. In response, an increasing number of cities are now attempting to respond to this critique by making equity a more explicit goal of their climate action plans: Richmond Virginia is among those cities. The City of Richmond's Office of Sustainability committed to prioritizing equity in the RVAGreen 2050 plan by recognizing how Richmond’s history of racism and structural inequalities have exacerbated climate concerns for largely Black and Latinx communities and centering historically marginalized communities of color in the engagement process. Students in …

Vcu Monroe Park Campus 'Iconic Green' Pre-Planning And Design Study, Nicholas A. Jancaitis

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The 'Iconic Green' pre-planning study for the Monroe Park Campus of VCU provides the framework and data necessary to support the intended 'nexus' on the proposed site. A review of the existing literature on various subjects included will highlight models and successful measures that have ensured success for previous similar built works. Having an understanding of the underlying factors and implications for the site, a needs assessment using existing literature and design precedents and in comparison with VCU's own desired end state and needs. Focusing on these comparisons within a theoretical framework called the Just Beautiful City, established in this …

Parks & Equity: A Framework For Equitable Access In Richmond, Va Parks, Kendra Norrell

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Increasingly, cities are investing in their green spaces, such as open spaces and parks, as a strategy to improve the livability of the city, but also to improve the health of its residents. Research finds that access and proximity to green spaces provides a host of benefits to humans, including mental and physical health improvements. However, not all residents have equal access to these green public amenities.

Research focuses on best practices for identifying minimum basic standards for DPR parks and the importance and limitations of green spaces in urban design. Basic standards include: setting the minimum limit for amenities …

The Relationship Between Access To School Counseling And Students’ Attainment And Persistence In Postsecondary And Stem Education Outcomes, Dana Brookover

Theses and Dissertations

School counselors design and implement comprehensive school counseling programs to support students’ academic, college and career, and personal/social development (ASCA, 2019). This includes the school counselor’s important role in college readiness counseling and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) counseling (Falco, 2017; Gilfillan, 2018). The current study focused on the relationships between access to school counseling and students’ long-term college readiness outcomes. Through a Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994) lens, two models to predict (1) college attainment and persistence and (2) STEM major attainment and persistence, were tested through logistic regression analyses. Additionally, this study also …

Impact Investment Strategy: Linking Health & Housing, Elizabeth G. Mckinsey

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of this plan is to create an impact investment strategy for RMHF that explicitly links health and housing. The strategy will use impact investing, an investment strategy that directs capital to enterprises that generate social and or environmental benefits for the surrounding community. One of RMHF’s goals is for the investment strategy to offer strategies that address the entrenched racism and inequities in the City of Richmond. Impact investing will enable RMHF to be a contributing partner with Richmond as it moves away from a history of unfair housing policies that negatively impact countless citizens to a healthier, …

Opening The Gates To Ap Equity: A Case Study Of A Central Virginia High School’S Practices, Policies, And Characteristics Toward Proportional Black Student Representation In Advanced Placement Enrollment, Andrew R. Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced Placement (AP) courses engage high school students with college curriculum taught by trained high school teachers, with an opportunity for students to earn college credit by passing the end-of-course AP exam. AP has evolved into an indicator of school quality, instructional rigor, and a consideration in the college admissions process. AP enrollment and exam performance outcomes for White students disproportionately surpass those for Black students. This study attempts to inform practice, policy, and programming toward more equitable enrollment outcomes for Black students through a single case study. The selected case school was the only high school among 38 in …

Expanding Housing Opportunities And Preserving Character In Historic Neighborhoods, Jessica R. Russo

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The City of Richmond has been experiencing population growth and rising housing costs in recent years, leading to spatially uneven revitalization and growing affordability concerns. The historic neighborhoods in the city are part of what makes Richmond unique and a desired city to live in. Many historic neighborhoods are seeing rapid revitalization contributing to rising housing costs and displacement concerns, while others have persistent high vacancy rates and deteriorating historic buildings. Overall, residents across the city struggle with affordability, as 45% of city residents are cost-burdened. With these conditions, it highlights the need and opportunity to put strategies in place …

Increasing Access To The James River Park System: A Community Roadmap With The Blackwell, Oak Grove, And Bellemeade Neighborhoods, Max A. Ewart

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Natural Parks like the James River Park System offer a host of benefits. They improve our mental health, make us better environmental stewards, Improve socialization, and make a healthier population by lowering the rates of asthma, obesity and hypertension. These public health outcomes disproportionately impacts minority communities in the City of Richmond, a population that visits the James River Park System at a lower rate than white communities do. This plan identifies the barriers preventing access for minority communities and gives recommendations to improve access in the City of Richmond.