The grand opening of Chicago’s Bennett Park in August 2019. An Urban Institute report looks at what … [+]
Cory Dewald
American cities face an increasingly uncertain future in what is already an uncertain time for when and how to reopen businesses and public spaces during the coronavirus outbreak. Elevated concerns over density and a shift in the mindset about remote work underscore the need to assess what matters most to urban residents.
Measuring the value of urban amenities such as arts, cultural activities, recreation opportunities and overall quality of life and how they relate to a neighborhood’s perception and satisfaction is more important than ever as cities look for a way forward in the post-pandemic future.
A landmark Urban Institute report, commissioned by the Knight Foundation, surveyed 11,000 residents across 26 metro areas before the national coronavirus shutdown to understand what determines residents’ sense of attachment and connection to their city or community. It examines the trade-offs people make and the role they think amenities play in their satisfaction of locations.
As cities begin to reopen, recover and reimagine, the report provides knowledge and recommendations for public officials and other leaders to help make communities more resilient and think anew about every aspect of what it takes to build places where people want to live, work and play.
Here are the report’s key findings:
People who spend more time in the main city at the heart of their metro area tend to be more attached to it — both in feeling and in action.
In comparison to suburban residents who rarely come into the main city, residents and frequent visitors are more likely to feel attached to their metro area. They are more satisfied with it as a place to live and find it a better culture/lifestyle fit.
People who spend more time in the main city invest more of their time and resources in their communities, have greater bridging capital and are more likely to stay in the metro area where they were born.
People who choose to live in their metro area because of its quality of life express significantly stronger sentiments of attachment than those who live in their metro area for a different reason, such as family or jobs. These sentiments include higher satisfaction, a better culture/lifestyle fit and a stronger preference to stay in comparison to those motivated by other reasons like family or jobs.
Quality of life matters in people’s decisions to move or stay, and it drives how attached they feel to their metro area.
Across the country, quality of life accounts for about a third of moves to metro areas, and a third of residents’ decisions to stay. Natives usually define quality of life in very general terms, saying that they just like the area, its vibrancy, its strong economy or its affordability.
People who move from other places are more likely to talk about quality of life in more particular terms like the quality and affordability of housing (24%) or particular neighborhood amenities (25%).
People who choose to live in their metro area because of its quality of life express significantly stronger sentiments of attachment than those who live in their metro area for a different reason. These sentiments include higher satisfaction, better culture/lifestyle fit and a stronger preference to stay in comparison to those motivated by other reasons like family or jobs.
People with access to arts and cultural activities are more attached to their communities in both feeling and action.
Of all of the amenities explored in the survey, only one stood out for its potential to enhance both feelings of attachment and concrete actions. Access to arts and cultural activities not only has the potential to boost feelings of satisfaction and lifestyle fit, but also correlates with greater investment of time and resources in the community.
Despite their importance, however, arts and cultural activities can be hard to access. Nationally, they scored as the fourth most difficult amenities to access after affordable housing, public transit and job opportunities.
Access to recreational areas and safe places to work and play was also linked to higher feelings of attachment.
Residents who feel they have easy access to recreational areas and safe spaces to work and play have more positive feelings regarding their communities. They are more satisfied with their metro area, identify more with the local culture and lifestyle, and show a stronger preference for staying.
The study shows people of color and low-income residents have a harder time accessing certain quality-of-life community amenities that boost their attachment.
People who regularly come into the main city of a metro area — whether for work or cultural or sporting events — say they feel more attached to their community. They are more satisfied with it as a place to live, are more likely to stay in the metro area, invest their time and money, and find it a good culture and lifestyle fit.
“COVID-19 is causing us to rethink the future of our communities,” said Sam Gill, the Knight Foundation’s chief program officer and senior vice president. “People are re-evaluating what matters to them. In some cases, the pandemic has left us yearning for the parks and gathering spaces we are now denied. In other cases, it’s leading us to ask how people can safely come together and connect.”
Local data from 26 communities can help inform officials and organizational leaders in the short-term as they evaluate how to reopen, and in the long-term, as they reinvest in their community’s quality of life, which has been challenged by the shutdowns.
“Building resilient communities where people want to live began long before COVID-19,” said Evette Alexander, Knight’s director of learning and impact. “By shedding light on what helps connect us to the places where we live, this report can be a useful guide to creating vibrant cities for the future.”