Inaccessible Accessibility: low-income households and barriers to the “new American dream”

DATE: 
Friday, June 7, 2013, 12:00pm to 1:00pm PDT
SPEAKERS: 
Arlie Adkins, Portland State University

The video begins at 0:20.

Topic: Inaccessible Accessibility: low-income households and barriers to the “new American dream”

In many ways, the resurgence in demand for housing in highly accessible and walkable neighborhoods can be viewed as a triumph of planning and policy efforts to reinvest in walkable urban neighborhoods that support active travel. However, increased demand has resulted in price premiums that can make location-efficient housing choices more difficult for low-income households. This research uses data from a survey of recent movers in six U.S. cities, including Portland, to explore the extent to which households of different economic means are able to choose housing locations that match their accessibility and transportation preferences.

Bio: Arlie Adkins is a PhD candidate and adjunct instructor in the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University. His dissertation research focuses on better understanding how people make decisions about non-work travel behavior in the context of a new home. Arlie holds a master’s degree in city planning from UC Berkeley. He previously worked in TriMet’s project planning department as a community affairs specialist and at Flexcar in Washington, DC.