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Green Infrastructure and Urban Vacancies: Land Cover and Natural Environment as Predictors of Vacant Land in Austin, Texas

Author

Listed:
  • Young-Jae Kim

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea)

  • Ryun Jung Lee

    (School of Architecture and Planning, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78207, USA)

  • Taehwa Lee

    (Department of Agricultural Civil Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea)

  • Yongchul Shin

    (Department of Agricultural Civil Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

Urban vacancies have been a concern for neighborhood distress and economic decline and have gained more recent attention as potential green infrastructure is known to benefit communities in diverse ways. To investigate this, this study looked into the relationship between land cover, natural environment, and urban vacancies in Austin, Texas. Additionally, we investigated the spatial patterns of green infrastructure and urban vacancies by different income groups to see if low income communities would potentially lack the benefits of green infrastructure. To measure green infrastructure, we used different land covers such as forests and shrublands, as well as natural environments such as tree canopies and vegetation richness, using remote sensing data. Urban vacancy information was retrieved from the USPS vacant addresses and parcel land uses. Through a series of multivariate analyses examining green infrastructure variables one by one, the study results indicate that green infrastructure interacts with residential and business vacancies differently. Additionally, low-income communities lack green infrastructure compared with the rest of the city and are exposed to more urban vacancies in their neighborhoods. Further study is required to understand the dynamics of vacancies in underserved communities and examine how existing vacant land can benefit the communities as ecological resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Young-Jae Kim & Ryun Jung Lee & Taehwa Lee & Yongchul Shin, 2023. "Green Infrastructure and Urban Vacancies: Land Cover and Natural Environment as Predictors of Vacant Land in Austin, Texas," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-14, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:11:p:2031-:d:1276037
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ellen, Ingrid Gould & Lacoe, Johanna & Sharygin, Claudia Ayanna, 2013. "Do foreclosures cause crime?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 59-70.
    2. Young-Jae Kim & Chanam Lee & Jun-Hyun Kim, 2018. "Sidewalk Landscape Structure and Thermal Conditions for Child and Adult Pedestrians," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, January.
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    5. Galen D. Newman & Ann O’M. Bowman & Ryun Jung Lee & Boah Kim, 2016. "A current inventory of vacant urban land in America," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 302-319, June.
    6. Viniece Jennings & Omoshalewa Bamkole, 2019. "The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, February.
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