Mindsets and actions

Shifts in equitable and sustainable development in U.S. cities

Bibliographic Data

ID19230433
AuthorsHelen Pineo (0000-0003-1029-3022, University of Washington, corresponding author), Rebecca Morley (0000-0002-6066-1914, Morpho (United States)), Rachel Berney (0000-0001-8826-5959, University College London)
Year2026
Publication date2026-04-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueUrban Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0042-0980 • E-ISSN: 1360-063X
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00420980261438717
OpenAlexW7155034352
LanguageEN
References cited59

Cities face interconnected challenges for health equity, including structural racism, inadequate housing, and climate change. Due to past failures to achieve positive development outcomes for low-income and marginalized communities, many U.S. cities now emphasize equitable planning and community engagement. However, practitioners often lack the tools to implement just, equitable, and health-promoting policies effectively. Through semi-structured interviews with 23 professionals in sectors like community development, planning, transportation, and housing—primarily in local government and nonprofits—we observed a shift toward more equitable practices, explicitly naming the role of racism in urban planning and the adoption of new strategies and frameworks for equitable planning that support health. We document approaches used to overcome opposition to healthy, equitable, and sustainable development, including building trust and employing strategic communication framing. Community-led initiatives emerged as powerful drivers of equity and sustainability, though greater public sector support for these potentially transformational efforts is needed. Further progress could benefit from a deeper understanding of cultural mindsets that hinder equitable transformation

Equity (law) · Face (sociological concept) · Government (linguistics) · Opposition (politics) · Private sector · Public sector · Sustainable development · Transformational leadership · Urban planning · Community Health and Development · Environmental Justice and Health Disparities · Urban Transport and Accessibility

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access