Neighborhood Change in Near-Transit Latinx 1 Communities

Abstract

While sustainable development seeks in principle to improve quality of life for all residents, questions remain about whether redevelopment and transit-oriented development (TOD) projects live up to such normative claims, particularly for underrepresented communities. Instead, TOD projects may compound and exacerbate existing health issues that Latino residents, particularly undocumented Latinx immigrants, face due to a history of environmental injustice in their communities, threats of displacement, threats of deportation, and a denial of renter protections. Despite the threats, Latinx residents of near-transit areas have elevated their concerns regarding displacement, gentrification, and the distribution of benefits of sustainable development. This chapter challenges the TOD and sustainability sectors to more broadly consider how gentrification and residential displacement impacts cannot be considered in isolation. Our critical review of the sustainable development, health disparities, and “illegality” literature and case studies discusses how the negative impacts of TOD and sustainable development are a manifestation of broader structural inequalities and are further amplified by the health disparities and the “illegality” crisis experienced by Latinx communities. In this chapter, first we describe key components of sustainable development and TOD and highlight related challenges and opportunities. Second, we review recent studies regarding persistent health disparities and the health impacts of displacement and gentrification. Third, we identify ways that “illegality” could compound the health disparities experienced by Hispanic communities in transit corridors. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for how planners in TOD and sustainable development sectors can more proactively address equity and justice concerns in predominantly Latinx communities.