A Planner's quest for identifying spatial (in)justice in local communities: A case study of urban census tracts in North Carolina, USA

Abstract

For the past several decades, spatial justice has been presented as a conceptual framework to understand and address geographic inequalities. To date, most work associated with spatial justice has been qualitative and case study based. This paper seeks to explore the issue of spatial justice through the development of a Spatial Justice Index (SJI). The SJI quantitatively explores geographic based variables of urban census tracts in North Carolina to apply the underlying concepts of spatial justice in the real world. Using a principal components analysis approach, the SJI incorporates variables related to the following categories that comprise the concept of spatial justice: Public Goods, Basic Services, Cultural Goods, Economic Opportunities and Healthy Environments and are explored across the following spatial measures: spatial density, spatial proximity, spatial diversity, and spatial connectivity. The results highlight the benefits of dense, mixed use development patterns, that are well connected in achieving higher levels of spatial justice. The development of a Spatial Justice Index can be applied by urban planners and government officials across the entire Country to help communities comprehend, accept, and combat spatially injustices.