Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

The Logic Of Uncertainty And Executive Discretion In Decision Making: The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Ebola Response, Abraham David Benavides, Laura M. Keyes 5457315, David Mcentire, Erin K. Carlson

Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

This paper addresses an important question: what can a highly complex public health situation such as the Dallas-Fort Worth Ebola outbreak tell us about the use of discretion by executive level public administrators? The public administration literature is rich with evidence of street-level bureaucratic discretion, but has not explored executive level discretion decision making. The authors argue that in highly complex situations of uncertainty, such as in the case of the Dallas-Fort Worth regional Ebola emergency response, the executive use of discretion translates to decisions under the conditions of uncertainty. This article theorizes a logic of uncertainty when two important …

Globalization, Economic Determinant Analysis And Corporate Psychopaths In Public Agencies, Andrew I.E. Ewoh

Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

No abstract provided.

Outlandish Outsourcing, Traci Grodner

Best Integrated Writing

Grodner Provides a review of Thomas Friedman’s The Lexus and the Olive Tree that relates a personal anecdote about outsourcing to her academic analysis of the text. Grodner concludes that outsourcing has dire implications for both domestic and foreign workers.

Economic Evaluation Of Coastal Land Loss In Louisiana, Stephen R. Barnes, Craig Bond, Nicholas Burger, Kate Anania, Aaron Strong, Sarah Weilant, Stephanie Virgets

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Louisiana has lost approximately 1,880 square miles of land over the past eighty years. Projections suggest that in a future without action, the next fifty years could result in the loss of 1,750 additional square miles of land area. As land loss continues, a large portion of the natural and man-made capital stocks of coastal Louisiana will be at greater risk of damage, either from land loss or from the associated increase in storm damage. We estimate the replacement cost of capital stock directly at risk from land loss ranges from approximately $2.1 billion to $3.5 billion with economic activity …

China's Motorization Wave And The Place Of Emerging Technologies, Christopher Cherry

PSU Transportation Seminars

E-bikes, E-Cars, Carshare, Bikeshare, and Micro-EVs in China have shaken up the traditional motorization pathways that have occurred in developing countries in the past. The combination of emerging vehicle technologies, urban and environmental constraints, and heavy-handed policy make China's motorization processes unique in the world—but how China motorizes has far-reaching impacts based on sheer volume of vehicles and population.

This seminar discusses the results of a six-year NSF CAREER project to explore China's motorization processes, combining behavioral and environmental modeling approaches to assess the impacts of emerging vehicle technologies on motorization and ultimately environmental sustainability. The focus is mostly on …

Embodying Rhythm Nation: Multimodal Hip Hop Dance As A Site For Adolescent Social-Emotional And Political Development, Lauren M. Roygardner

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This exploratory study employed qualitative methodology, specifically values analysis, to learn more about how being involved within Hip hop dance communities positively relates to adolescent development. Adolescence was defined herein as ages 13-23. The study investigated Hip hop dance communities in terms of cultural expertise (i.e. novice, intermediate and advanced/expert) to look specifically at dance narratives (i.e. peak experience narratives and “I dance because” essays) and hip hop dance performances. The primary purpose of this dissertation was to (1) explore how adolescents use multimodal Hip hop dance discourse for social-emotional development and critical consciousness, and to (2) understand how values …

Making The Gigantic Suburban Residential Complex In Beijing: Political Economy Processes And Everyday Life In The 2010s, Pengfei Li

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Suburbanization is an ongoing development process in China. Hundreds of thousands of construction projects are being undertaken in outskirts of most Chinese cities, despite the increasing domestic and international concerns over China’s housing oversupply (Xu, 2010; Gough, 2015; Li, 2015). The suburbanization of China, however, is fundamentally different from the suburbanization of most Western countries, especially the United States, whose massive post-war suburbanization took place as a continuation of its pre-war industrialization and urbanization movements. In the Chinese context, suburbanization is the process of urbanization as well—urbanization and suburbanization have been promoted simultaneously since the 1990s. It is …

The S-Curve Of Technological Adoption: Mobile Communication Devices On Commuter Trains In The Chicago Region, 2010–2015, Joseph P. Schwieterman, Lauren A. Fischer

Journal of Public Transportation

Urban transit riders’ use of mobile communication devices has grown markedly in recent years. Studies evaluating the usage of these devices have generally focused on only one or two points in time, limiting their ability to describe long-range trends. To foster insights into this issue, this study evaluated data from 15,531 passenger observations collected on 156 commuter trains on the metropolitan commuter rail system of Chicago, Illinois, from 2010 through 2015. The data show that the rate of technological usage is following an S-shaped pattern among passengers. The share of passengers using mobile communication devices at observed points grew sharpest …

Impacts Of New Light Rail Transit Service On Riders' Residential Relocation Decisions, You-Lian Chu, Yi Deng, Rongfang (Rachel) Liu

Journal of Public Transportation

Using the rider survey data collected from Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit System in New Jersey, this paper investigated the residential relocating decisions of the riders who have been riding the LRT for a period of time. Using the Heckman’s sample selection model, the paper extends the current mobility literature by describing not only a rider’s likelihood to move as a result of the new LRT service but also the movers’ orientation toward their residence distances to LRT stations. Information on the socio-economic characteristics of the movers and their residence distances to LRT stations would help planners and developers identify areas …

20th Century Bronx Childhood: Recalling The Faces And Voices, Janet Butler Munch

Publications and Research

A popular photographic exhibit on childhood, originally featured in the Lehman College Art Gallery in the Bronx, New York, was brought to life two decades later through a library digitization grant. The website Childhood in the Bronx features 61 photographs of boys and girls with family or friends, at play, on streets, and in parks, schools, shelters, hospitals, and other locales. Oral history sound excerpts about their childhood, not heard in the original exhibit, complement the 18 vintage photographs shown. The combination of images with the spoken word enhances the user's sensory experience with deeper meaning and enjoyment. This article …

Measuring The Impacts Of Social Media On Advancing Public Transit, Jenny H. Liu, Xuegang Ban, O. A. Elrahman

TREC Final Reports

This project is a collaboration between Portland State University (PSU) and the Center for Infrastructure Transportation & Environment (CITE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seeking to develop performance measures for assessing the impacts of social media on promoting public transit. Revolutionary changes have occurred in the communication landscape, and there has been a rapid diffusion of social media use as a means of communicating transit information to the public. Significant resources are being directed to the use of social media in communication, yet little effort exists that measures the impacts of these popular vehicles of communication. Rarely studied is the role …

Towards Systematic Prediction Of Urban Heat Islands: Grounding Measurements, Assessing Modeling Techniques, Jackson Voelkel, Vivek Shandas

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

While there exists extensive assessment of urban heat, we observe myriad methods for describing thermal distribution, factors that mediate temperatures, and potential impacts on urban populations. In addition, the limited spatial and temporal resolution of satellite-derived heat measurements may limit the capacity of decision makers to take effective actions for reducing mortalities in vulnerable populations whose locations require highly-refined measurements. Needed are high resolution spatial and temporal information for urban heat. In this study, we ask three questions: (1) how do urban heat islands vary throughout the day? (2) what statistical methods best explain the presence of temperatures at sub-meter …

Focusing On Equity In Regional Plans, Kristine M. Williams

TREC Project Briefs

Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) have long been required to consider the equity implications of their regional transportation plans and processes.

Silver Falls School District Enrollment Forecast 2017-18 To 2026-27, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Scott Stewart, Xi Yang

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

This report presents a series of three scenarios of district-wide enrollment forecasts by grade level for the Silver Falls School District (SFSD) for the 10-year period between 2017-18 and 2026-27. Each enrollment forecast scenario relates to population forecasts that incorporate different assumptions about growth within the District, with the primary differences being the contribution of net migration to the District’s population and age distribution. Individual school forecasts consistent with the middle series scenario are also presented for the 10-year period.

Persons With Health Insurance Before And After The Affordable Care Act, Mark J. Salling Phd, Gisp

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Change In Persons With Health Insurance Before And After The Affordable Care Act - The National Picture, Mark J. Salling Phd, Gisp

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Change In Persons With Health Insurance Before And After The Affordable Care Act: The State Of Ohio, Mark J. Salling Phd, Gisp

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Change In Persons With Health Insurance Before And After The Affordable Care Act: The Akron & Cleveland-Elyria Msas, Mark J. Salling Phd, Gisp

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Pension Fund Evictions: Lessons For Housing And Labor, Marnie F. Brady

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this dissertation I analyze an institutional investor portfolio of over-leveraged multifamily rental housing in East Palo Alto, California to demonstrate how changing forms of landlordism produce both new and familiar targets for tenants organizing against displacement and for housing security. Venture capital investors in the first decade of the 2000s exploited the Silicon Valley regional conditions of racial exclusion, uneven development, and municipal rent control. I introduce the legacy of Black political organization in East Palo Alto as a way of contextualizing the tenants’ and the city leaders’ response to the monopoly investment purchase. The structure of this rental …

Staging Cleveland: A Theater Industry Study, Iryna Lendel, Candi Clouse, Merissa Piazza, Ellen Cyran, Simon Husted, Nichole Laird, Luke Seaberg, Jinhee Yun

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The impact of theater is traditionally discussed in the emotion someone feels from seeing a live show on stage or the nostalgia of remembering the experience of seeing one’s favorite movie come to life for the first time. Theaters are one of a city’s most beautiful treasures, often constructed with high levels of architectural appeal which can take audiences out of their normal life and lead them into the world of the performance. However, besides beautiful buildings and fond memories, what is the impact of the theater sector on a region?

This study uses a quantitative framework to examine the …

The Nasa Glenn Research Center: An Economic Impact Study Fiscal Year 2016, Iryna Lendel, Nathaniel Hoover, Luke Seaberg

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This report presents an analysis of the economic impact of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center (NASA Glenn) during its fiscal year (FY) 2016. It uses an input-output model, which reflects the buy-sell relationships among industries, the household sector, and the government sector in a region, to estimate the effect of NASA Glenn’s spending on the economies of both Northeast Ohio and the state of Ohio.

This model assesses economic impact in terms of growth in total output (sales); value added (output less intermediary goods); household earnings, number of new and supported jobs, and taxes. …

A Geospatial Assessment Of Social Vulnerability To Sea-Level Rise In Coastal San Luis Obispo, Jesse A. Carpentier

Master's Theses

This project is an assessment of social vulnerability to sea-level rise in the unincorporated coastal area of the County of San Luis Obispo (County) using geospatial and statistical analysis. The intention of this assessment is to inform local climate adaptation efforts now required by state legislation. A social vulnerability index was generated at the Census block group level using 32 variables positively correlated with social vulnerability. The social vulnerability score for each block group is the sum of scores generated for the following principle components: (1) race/ethnicity and disability status, (2) social isolation and age, (3) income, and (4) housing …

An Evaluation Of U.S. National Wildlife Refuge Planning For Off-Road Vehicle Use, Robert L. Fischman, Vicky J. Meretsky, Katie Freeman, Alexi Lamm, Leah Missik, Scott Salmon

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Off-road vehicles (hereafter, ORVs) rank high among public-land management challenges because they are popular, often impair environmental conditions, and may cause conflicts with other recreational users. Unit-level planning for federal lands increasingly translates broad, system-wide objectives, such as maintenance of ecological integrity, into place-based limitations on ORV use to minimize and mitigate adverse impacts on wildlife. We reviewed 176 planning documents covering 313 National Wildlife Refuges (hereafter, Refuges) to understand how planning supports or undermines ORV recreation management. These plans offer an important perspective on ORV management because the Refuges are a large, diverse system of conservation lands where recreation …

Breaking Barriers To Bike Share: Insights From Residents Of Traditionally Underserved Neighborhoods, Nathan Mcneil, Jennifer Dill, John Macarthur, Joseph Broach, Steven Howland

TREC Final Reports

Evidence has shown that higher income and white populations are overrepresented in both access to and use of bike share. Efforts to overcome underserved communities’ barriers to access and use of bike share have been initiated in a number of cities, including those working with the Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP) to launch and test potentially replicable approaches to improve the equity outcomes. This report describes findings from a survey of residents living near bike share stations placed in underserved communities of select BBSP cities: Philadelphia, Chicago, and Brooklyn. These were neighborhoods targeted for focused outreach related to BBSP programs, …

Land Use And Active Travel: A Complex Relationship, Steven R. Gehrke

TREC Project Briefs

While it’s accepted that mixed-use development promotes active travel, researchers don’t have a consensus on exactly how land use determines people’s travel patterns.

Regulating The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Interdependencies, Transaction Costs And Procedural Justice, Shaun Larcom, Terry Van Gevelt

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

There have been calls for an overhaul of regulatory and governance frameworks to incorporate the implications of the water-energy-food nexus. We map one small component of the regulatory space of the nexus and highlight its immense complexity. We draw on insights from the economics and socio-legal literatures to show that a decentralised approach to regulation based upon procedural justice can enable the trade-offs of the nexus to be considered and addressed. We use a nexus case study of micro hydro-electricity generation in Dartmoor National Park in England to show that when we take into account interactions between state and non-state …

Annual Metro Regional Trail Count And Why Local Extrapolation Factors Matter, Geoff Gibson

PSU Transportation Seminars

Metro, Portland's regional governing agency, conducts annual two-hour counts along its regional trail every September. This upcoming fall (2017) will be the 10th year that the counts have been held, which means we at Metro can finally start seeing noticeable, long-lasting trends in the regional trail network. Perhaps more importantly, we are seeing how these data have directly impacted investments in future trail, bicycle, and pedestrian projects.

This seminar will cover the history of the program, details of how it's conducted and why it's conducted that way, how data are used (including an inside look at future iterations of Metro's …

Webinar: Developing Practical Dynamic Evaluation Methods For Transportation Structures, Charles Riley

TREC Webinar Series

Deteriorating transportation infrastructure is constantly in the news. Government agencies at all levels are pursuing methods to monitor structural health, so that they can prioritize repairs. In Oregon, the Cascadia Subduction Zone megathrust earthquake looms as a significant natural hazard for which our transportation network is ill-prepared. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) estimates that it will take around $2.6 billion over seven years to repair or replace many of the existing bridges in the state’s network to maintain lifeline routes after a Cascadia event. Funding for the scenarios envisioned by ODOT is not forthcoming, and the project …

Responding To Foreclosures In Cuyahoga County 2016 Update: Tenth Annual Report January 1 - December 31, 2016, Kathryn W. Hexter, Molly Schnoke

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Levin College of Urban Affairs has been the evaluation and research partner for the Cuyahoga County Foreclosure Prevention Program (CCFPP) since the program was adopted in 2006. This report is an update to the County for 2016. The evaluation tracks progress and provides feedback about the program that can be used to improve and adapt it to meet the rapidly changing state and national context surrounding foreclosures.

Since the program began in 2006, the Cuyahoga County foreclosure prevention program has served a total of 29,135 homeowners at the five participating counseling agencies. In 2016 alone, 901 households were counseled. …

Inequities In Urban Mobility In Portland: Understanding Community Vulnerability And Prospects For Livable Neighborhoods, Amy Lubitow

PSU Transportation Seminars

Gentrification and development are changing the face of many Portland neighborhoods. This talk will draw on data from focus groups and participatory mapping research with residents in SE and North Portland neighborhoods. The presentation will share findings on the patterns of movement reported by residents in gentrifying neighborhoods and will offer ideas and perspectives on how to plan for a sustainable future for all Portlanders.