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An Analysis Of Structural, Organizational, And Physical Approaches To Disaster Vulnerability: A Case Of Hurricane Harvey In Houston, Tx, Tarsha Hardy

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Global warming and climate change have led to the increased and intensified presence of natural disasters. Cities grapple with the continual challenge of physical, structural, and organizational approaches to reducing disaster vulnerability while constantly working to prioritize the accessibility of safe spaces for the future. The aim of this dissertation is to examine spatial data from Harris County, Texas, in conjunction with key insights from key planning and government decision makers to determine how they can form collaborative and strategic alliances for the development of disaster vulnerability reduction strategies that increase access to safe spaces during imminent disasters. As a …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Arab Refugees: Access To Public Housing And Integration In Dallas County, Texas., Salam Lattouf

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Past research in the Global North has overlooked the housing issues faced by low-income refugees while primarily examining disadvantaged communities and people of color, such as low-income African American and Hispanic populations. Refugees coming to the United States face compound challenges and barriers in securing adequate housing, besides contending with other social and economic difficulties such as language barriers and lack of knowledge in the housing market, which expose them to exploitation and eventually impact their access to opportunities such as employment. Although the literature on housing accessibility for refugees is scarce in the United States, we argue that the …

Nature-Based Solutions For Urban Climate Resilience: Assessment Of Environmental Planning & Policy Perspective In New York City, Padmi R. Ranasinghe

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Climate change exerts a profound global influence, elevating the risk of disasters. Rapid urbanization and high population density make cities increasingly vulnerable to disasters. Climate impact is intense for cities in deltas and coastal regions, highlighting the importance of managing urban watersheds effectively. Often, climate change affects people unequally, with marginalized communities being extra vulnerable to climate-related disasters due to where they live (geographical vulnerability) and limited adaptive capacity. People often live in areas vulnerable to climate-related hazards, including flood zones and regions affected by environmental injustices. Enhancing city resilience is crucial, as it needs to reduce vulnerability and exposure …

The Interplay Of Rightsizing And Growth Strategies In Legacy Urban Communities, Alfonso Riera

Planning Dissertations - Archive

This research investigates the rightsizing strategies of a mid-sized, shrinking city in Ohio, to explore the tensions and complexities that rightsizing efforts introduce into the urban governance landscape. The questions that guide this research draw on the theories of rightsizing to reveal the ways in which rightsizing efforts implemented by city officials enabled economic revitalization as well as cultivated a pipeline to urban growth efforts. The research findings contribute to our understanding of rightsizing by revealing the ways that shrinking cities struggle to fully adopt rightsizing as its own end goal, rather than a means to a growth-oriented urban landscape. …

Socioeconomic Impacts Of The Employment Sub-Centers On The Surrounding Areas In The Dallas- Fort Worth Metropolitan Area (Dfw) From 2002 To 2020, Aliasghar Rahimioun

Planning Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation analyzes the effects of the employment sub-centers on the surrounding area. It does so by examining the percentage changes in workers' socioeconomic characteristics such as age, earnings, and industry sectors from 2002 to 2020 while controlling for job and population density. The data for this study is derived from the Workplace Area Characteristics (WAC) data set.

The dissertation aims to answer five crucial research questions. These questions delve into how the percentage change of socioeconomic characteristics of employment sub-centers affects households' income, ethnicity, age, and gender in the surrounding area of the employment sub-centers. The study also seeks …

A Study Of Multimodal Accessibility Equity And Spatio-Temporal Relationships Between Transit, Job Density And Modal Split, Seyedsoheil Sharifiasl

Planning Dissertations - Archive

In North American cities, the land use and transportation systems are associated with low-density, suburban-type urban development, where the built environment contributes to a mobility pattern that is extremely reliant on automobiles. Several studies in the past decades have documented noticeable and concerning patterns of unjust and unsustainable transportation in this context. As a result, for those population groups with limited access to private transportation, this form of urban structure is equivalent to limited access to opportunities, leading to various environmental and social problems. These problems exacerbate inequities in access to transportation, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. From a sustainable development …

Evaluating Usage, Acceptance, Integration, And Safety Impacts Of Demand Responsive Transportation (Drt) Services, Muhammad Arif Khan

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Transportation systems are vital in providing accessibility and mobility to city residents. Auto-oriented transportation systems have faced several challenges, including traffic congestion, crashes, and environmental pollution. Proponents of mass transit systems present them as a sustainable alternative to private automobiles. Although mass transit offers several benefits, these benefits are not very significant in rural, midsized, and low-density cities due to low public transit ridership. New modes of public transit, such as demand-responsive transport (DRT), also called on-demand public transport, have recently gained popularity across the United States. DRT systems are used in several mid-sized cities, either as an alternative to …

Gambian Transnationalism And Urban Spatial Expansion: An Analysis Of Motivations And Consequences Of Us-Based Gambian Emigrants' Real Estate Investments In The Greater Banjul Area, Matthias St. Clair Greywoode

Planning Dissertations - Archive

This study was the first comprehensive study of the transnational housing investments of Gambian emigrants in the Gambia and contributes to the literature on immigrant populations in host countries by illuminating the transnational nature and activities of immigrant populations. Transnational migrants send significant amounts of remittances back to their countries of origin annually and research indicates that they continue to grow both in real terms and as a proportion of their country's respective GDP. Most of these migrant remittances are invested in residential housing developments which makes studying the impact of migrant investments on the economies of origin countries an …

The Relationship Between Transit-Oriented Development (Tod) Stations And Health Outcomes, Mohammed Hafiz

Planning Dissertations - Archive

The relationship between the built environment and health outcomes, including obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and heart diseases, has been significantly related (Chandrabose et al., 2019). Urban planning plays a significant role in shaping the built environment of cities that are affecting public health. Historically, urban planning and public health are connected due to the impact of the built environment. Consequently, the concerns about health outcomes became an issue in urban planning. This research focuses on health outcomes within the built environment. Specifically, considering more physical activities in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) station areas, the study investigates its …

Neoliberal Park Governance Regimes And The Right To The City: A Critical Assessment Of Social Inclusion In Downtown Dallas Signature Parks, Nazanin Ghaffari

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Privatization has been frequently criticized for diminishing the inclusiveness of public space. This dissertation examines whether private signature parks are more exclusive than their public counterparts utilizing Lefebvre's right to the city, along with theories of public space privatization and governance. To better understand the influence of privatization on the social inclusiveness of public spaces, three publicly-accessible signature parks are deliberately selected in downtown Dallas, based on their ownership and management types: (1) publicly-owned, publicly-managed; (2) publicly-owned, privately-managed; and (3) privately-owned, privately-managed. The research methodology includes semi-structured interviews, in-situ participatory observation, and content analysis of official documents, local and social …

Lost In Translation? Assessing The Intercultural Sensitivity Levels Of Planners In The Dallas- Fort Worth Area, Eihua Corinne Olivia Shaw

Planning Dissertations - Archive

The inclusion of minorities in the public participation process is one of the greatest challenges within the field of planning. However, the political structures around public participation make it difficult for practitioners to respond to the challenges and needs of an increasing number of cultural minority groups in urban regions. Scholars have advised planners to be more sensitive to the needs of minorities, but there are no tools in the planning field to evaluate cultural sensitivity in practice. This dissertation examines public participation related to intercultural sensitivity. In particular, this research adds to a better understanding of the role of …

Spatial Decision Support Systems Use In Peacekeeping And Stability Operations Analysis: Spatial Analysis For U.S. Army Civil Affairs Civil Information Management, Earnest R. Lloyd

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Becoming a core U.S. military mission in 2005, Stability Operations deals with the political, economic, social and structural resiliency of a county or region. It is conducted to support and develop a host nation's government, or to initiate governmental services in a non-governed area until the host nation can do so itself. Inherent in this is the provision of public goods, whether the military is the principal provider or to understand the relative public good provision levels within a given area. This understanding is known as situational awareness of the operational environment (OE), a significant issue for any military commander …

Transit, Walkability, And Economic Development In The 21st Century: Explorations From The U.S. Specialized High-Tech Zones, Pivotal Industries, And Innovative Small Businesses, Ahoura Zandiatashbar

Planning Dissertations - Archive

The economy in the 21st century has expanded the depth of creativity, speed, and flexibility in production, high-tech industry, and innovation. Hence, the new economic norm and high dependency on innovation and creativity require educated, talented, and specialized human capital, as well as proximity to research centers and universities. Furthermore, this new knowledge economy has also favored urban spaces that support spontaneous face-to-face encounters and knowledge exchange while appealing to the talented human capital. Besides these specific urban spaces, the transportation infrastructures could have a principle role in the new economy whether through fostering local, regional, or global accessibility to …

Decoding The Jolly Green Giant: An Analysis Of Green Gentrification In The Context Of Rails-To-Trails Policy, Lorin R. Carter

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Recent urban public policies and planning initiatives have resulted in increased efforts to improve stewardship of our limited natural resources (sustainability), increase defenses against natural stressors (resiliency), while also seeking to prevent and remedy unequal environmental burdens placed on minority, elderly, and lower-income communities (environmental justice). This research seeks first to evaluate how the intersection of these policies combine to create the urban phenomenon of Green Gentrification, where the intended effect of these actions is to improve environmental characteristics and infrastructure, but they often result in the displacement of original citizens and culture the improvement sought to help (Gould & …

Factors Affecting Transit Ridership And The Impact Of Intelligent Transit Information Systems (Itis) - Case Study Of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (Dart), Ahmed Ismail Daqrouq

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Transit ridership is at the heart of transportation policy making and the success of any transit system. Urban planners have been focusing on the need to reduce car dependence and promote more sustainable transportation alternatives. Automobile dependence is a concern for many reasons including congestion in urban areas, pollution, and environmental damages. Switching to more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation modes such as public transit is likely to be an effective solution to most of these problems. As an alternative to the private car, public transit is an effective means to move large numbers of people within cities, and transit …

A City In Crisis: Communication Network, Ethics, And Power In The City Of Dallas, Sana Salma Syed

Planning Dissertations - Archive

The conceptual framework for this research builds on Manuel Castells's work to find the specific network configuration of actors, interests, and values that engage in their power-making strategies to operationalize a communication network and understand the roles and powers of programmers and switchers at a local level. The study explores the role and purpose of communication networks within cities from the perspective of administrators and elected officials and their responsibility to provide communication as a public good. The research design is an organizational autoethnography of the city of Dallas that incorporates various perspectives from those who were a part of …

Exploring The Effects Of Socio-Demographic And Built Environmental Factors On The Public Adoption Of Shared And Private Autonomous Vehicles : A Case Study Of Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area, Hamid Hajjafari

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Although the self-driving technology promises to solve several urban issues, the deployment of the autonomous vehicles (AV) is an evolutionary process that depends on different factors. One of these factors is the public adoption of AVs that plays a crucial role in the deployment of this technology by controlling the level of market penetration. By analyzing the cross-national survey studies on AVs acceptance, the author finds that the rate of AVs adoption in America is considerably lower than other developed countries. Although some studies have focused on the AVs adoption in the US and the factors that affect it, there …

Decentering Neo-Bohemia In The Creative City: Cultural Marginalization, Economic Violence, And An Alternative Agenda Of Diverse Cultural Scenes, James Murdoch

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Creative cities policy is an approach that advocates the planned development of consumption-oriented, mixed-use urban neighborhoods supporting artistic activity and a vibrant nightlife to create economic benefits. The literature labels these neighborhoods 'neo-bohemia' because they combine the gritty, authentic lifestyle of bohemian artists with a contemporary consumption culture of cafes, bars, galleries, and other arts spaces. Many, however, critique creative cities policy, suggesting it leads to gentrification and neighborhood commodification, and ignores the economic and cultural value of places that are not neo-bohemian. I apply the critical theory of J.K. Gibson-Graham (2006) to decenter the concept of neo-bohemia in the …

The Cultural Advantage Of Cities: Exploring The Cultural Industry Agglomerations As A Source For Economic Growth, Mohamed A. Bireima

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Interest in the cultural industries as a source for economic growth has risen to prominence in recent decades. The purpose of this research is to explore the role and contribution of the cultural industries for economic growth. The analytical framework is based on the agglomeration model, which links economic growth to the spatial organization of economic activity. The cultural industries exhibit a tendency to cluster in geographical space due to competitive pressures, which causes some degree of agglomeration economies to arise (Scott, 2004). The literature exploring the economic impacts of the cultural industries has focused on their agglomeration tendencies at …

Vital Publics: Diy Urbanism And The Right To The City, Nicole Foster

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Lefebvre's concept of Right to the City has been predominantly employed by critical theorists to analyze resistant spatial practices such as Occupy Wall Street (e.g. Marcuse 2009). However, influenced by Nietzsche, Lefebvre's theory of the production of space as simultaneously perceived, conceived and lived suggests that the political may emerge out of novel spatial and bodily experiences. Focusing on Lefebvre's interest in the body, affect and space, I construct a vital reading of the right to the city to explore how such spatial practices may not be explicitly resistant to capitalism yet engender postcapitalist possibilities. Using this theoretical framework, I …

Landscapes Of Environmental Justice: A Post-Structural Analysis Of Ecological Structures And Environmental Discourses, Sima Namin

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Although application of ecological concepts and looking at the city as an 'ecological space' or ecosystem is not new in planning (e.g. Chicago school), in the context of environmental justice research there is a need for a more integrated approach towards the complex interrelations between human aspects of urban landscapes and urban ecology. Consequently, the first starting point of my research is that studying environmental justice also requires an understanding of environmental health. The second defining point of this research is influenced by the notion of questioning science and research as a 'social construct.' Drawing on Foucault's legacy of discourse …

Community Development Block Grant (Cdbg) Funding And Other Area Community Development Targeting Approaches As Public Policy To Reduce Poverty And Improve Social Mobility, Social Integration And Cultural Assimilation Of Minority Population:, John V. Dawson

Planning Dissertations - Archive

This research is an expansion of previous research to study and provide empirical evidence on the influence that Community Block Grant (CDBG) funding has on the improvement of social mobility for low-income minority population in primarily concentrated and segregated low income minority neighborhoods. The study examines and evaluates changes in select elements based on Census 2000 and Census 2010 data for specific Block Groups within a Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA). The study evaluates targeted areas within the Fort Worth-Dallas areas and examines the change of four (4) important key social economic elements to social mobility for low-income minorities for …

Climate Change Planning In Dallas-Fort Worth: Discourse And Public Participation In A Politically Conservative Region, Ann W. Foss

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges currently facing our world, and in the field of planning there has been much attention paid to climate action planning by environmental leader cities. However, political controversy surrounds climate change in the United States, making it difficult for some cities and regions to explicitly and effectively respond to climate change. This dissertation examines planning actions related to the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, and climate change more broadly, in the politically conservative Dallas-Fort Worth region of Texas from 2005 to 2015. In particular, the research strives to better understand the …

Developing Housing Finance Framework As An Approach To Provide Affordable Finance Mechanisms For Middle Income Citizens And Housing Developers In Saudi Arabia, Musaed Khalid A K. Alqannas

Planning Dissertations - Archive

With high economic growth rate, population rate, increased employment, and income opportunities, the demand for housing has increased, along with the lack of affordable finance mechanisms. A main concern of the housing problem in Saudi Arabia is the high demand compared to housing needs. Saudi Arabia lacks a housing finance framework or strategy to create flexible and affordable lending mechanisms to tackle the affordable finance problems. This research targets: 1) the middle income citizens to increase the homeownership rate and 2) the housing developer to increase affordable housing units and the investment in the housing market. This research compares the …

Policy Mobilities And West Dallas Dream: Considering Transactive And Communicative Policy Ideas Tested In Vancouver And Assembled In Dallas, Wayne Mitchell Beggs

Planning Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation considers contemporary urban development and urban change as framed by emerging forces of neoliberalism and globalization and applies critical theory lenses to discuss how policy approaches developed in Vancouver, BC are mobilized in Dallas, Texas.

Evaluating The Impact Of Sustainable Built Environment Commitments And Outcomes On Respiratory Health: A Longitudinal Case Study Of Two Texas Cities, Megan Topham

Planning Dissertations - Archive

As population continues to grow the need for creating efficient and effective built environments that balance the three pillars of sustainability, environment, economic and equity, becomes even more pertinent. This exploratory research assisted in bridging the gap between understanding sustainable policy development and resulting impact on the corresponding outcomes, including influences from political culture. Followed by an overarching view of the changes in sustainable built environment outcomes over the course of nine years and how these outcomes influenced air quality measurements and inpatient asthma discharges. The case study methodology, established by Yin (2014), was utilized to address the research questions …

Representative Bureaucracy And The Indirect Effects Of Substantive Co-Worker Representation, Nita Clark

Planning Dissertations - Archive

The theory of representative bureaucracy has been suggested as an equity oriented tool that could work to alter the negative aspects of majority rule. Ongoing debates over the best way to ensure and enhance equity for underrepresented groups continue to question the value of representative bureaucracy as it has concentrated on passive (descriptive) and active representation. Such representation where administrators look like the clientele they are serving and subsequently work to generate outcomes for those clients certainly has value. However it is not a certainty that a bureaucrat sharing a similar traits as the group being served (passive representation) will …

Communihood: Being A Planning Activist In The Twenty-First Century, Ali Tayebi

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Introducing communihood as a hybrid concept and defining planning activism as a planners' role outside the dominant planning power structure are two main contributions of this dissertation in scholarly debates among planning scholars about the shape of cities in twenty-first century and the 'best' role for planners in a postmodern society. Communihood is introduced as a hybrid alternative for historical approaches in differentiating between community and neighborhood based on their social or spatial characteristics that has been escalated in the last decades by the development of Information Technology and Social Media. Therefore, communihood is defined as a synthesis of the …

Evaluating The Unintended Impacts Of Socio-Economic And Demographic Shifts In Transit Served Neighborhoods On Mode Choice And Equity, Steven Apell

Planning Dissertations - Archive

The use of transit-oriented development (TOD) as a policy intervention is a popular strategy for metropolitan areas seeking to advance sustainable urban growth. At the same time, urban areas in America are experiencing rising energy prices and new geographies of employment, poverty, and wealth. Furthermore, the Millennial generation, and some Baby boomers are changing their residential preference from the suburbs to the central city. These modifications in the urban economy and residential preferences are likely to intensify competition for housing in the central city. Increased demand for housing generates high rents, which often results in the displacement of low-income, transit-dependent …

Impact Of Urban Planning Policies On Carbon-Dioxide Emissions: An Indian Perspective, Kiranmayi Raparthi

Planning Dissertations - Archive

Climate change is a multidimensional observable fact and is regarded as one of the greatest challenge human society is facing in the 21st century. Debates on climate change advocate that, urban areas not only contribute to climate change by emitting huge amounts of carbon-dioxide (CO2) gas into the atmosphere, but also play a vital role in addressing climate change. International negotiations highlight the need to respond to climate change by mainstreaming climate change mitigation in urban planning however these have remained research rhetoric. One reason for this gap between research and planning practice may be due to the lack of …