Environmental concerns affect us all, but those living near low-income areas often bear the brunt of these concerns the most. Landfills are almost always located in low cost areas and, consequently, often near low-income neighborhoods. Contaminated properties contribute to the decline of neighborhood and commercial areas, and redevelopment is expensive. While energy efficiency building codes may contribute to a better environment, they often add to the initial cost of buying a home. And the availability of parks and other green spaces is limited, especially in inner-city, low-income communities. Everybody supports sound environmental programs and policies, but finding cost effective ways to address so many issues is difficult, at best. This issue of Partners reviews some of the impact environmental issues have on low- and moderate-income areas. Articles on brownfields, energy efficiency, and green spaces are presented, and a review of the financial impact of mother nature at her worst—a hurricane—is provided in an article discussing the lingering effects of Hurricane Andrew's rampage through Florida. As always, we invite you to share with us any of your own community development activities. And yes, in case you were wondering, Partners is published on recycled paper. |
