Urban, city, and town planning seek to inform land use, development, and transportation infrastructure to accommodate the needs of the community, often with the explicit goal of maximizing both economic vitality and overall quality of life. RAND helps to inform policymakers who plan long-term urban services and neighborhood design, from determining the public health implications of proximity to parklands or inner city waste abatement to the role of urban planning in nation-building efforts.
Journal Article
Women living in more compact communities had a lower probability of experiencing a coronary heart disease (CHD) event or dying as a result of CHD.
Journal Article
Using zoning laws to shape the type of development and activity that occur in a neighborhood may be one way to reduce crime in urban areas. Single-use commercially zoned blocks in Los Angeles have crime rates that are 45 percent higher than similar blocks that include residential uses.
News Release
Using zoning laws to shape the type of development and activity that occur in a neighborhood may be one way to reduce crime in urban areas. Single-use commercially zoned blocks in Los Angeles have crime rates that are 45 percent higher than similar blocks that include residential uses.
Blog
RAND is helping its hometown of Santa Monica, Calif., become the first city in America to use a measurement of overall wellbeing to drive public policy.
Project
FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program writes the vast majority of flood insurance on residential properties in the United States; current legislation includes a number of reforms that could strengthen the program. RAND has completed studies in four key areas that offer insight into the issues under consideration.
Commentary
The results from Montgomery County demonstrate that an integrative housing policy can be an effective form of school policy for disadvantaged children, writes Heather Schwartz.
Report
The UK Migration Advisory Committee asked RAND Europe to examine how migration is likely to impact transport networks and congestion. The resulting research is one of the first studies using UK data to provide an empirical evidence base about migrants' travel behavior and impacts.
Journal Article
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) is an important social goal to mitigate climate change. A common mitigation paradigm is to consider strategy "wedges" that can be applied to different activities to achieve desired GHG reductions.
Project
Recent proposed reforms to the Stafford Act (improving disaster recovery capability) and the National Disaster Recovery Framework (a guide to cooperation between federal agencies) cluster around five key areas where RAND has relevant studies offering additional insight and context.
Journal Article
Identifies and assesses ways of making congestion pricing equitable.
Report
Describes three demonstration projects based on the Arc, RAND's proposal for a sweeping infrastructure corridor linking urban centers, within and between the West Bank and Gaza.
Journal Article
Restrictions on fast-food chain restaurants in South Los Angeles are not addressing the main differences between neighborhood food environments and are unlikely to improve the diet of residents or reduce obesity.
News Release
Policymakers need to address equity concerns early when implementing congestion pricing to improve traffic flow, as each situation is unique and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Journal Article
A resilient transportation system is one that minimizes both the initial effect of the disruption and the time required to return the system to normal operations.
Report
Some congestion pricing projects have been undertaken to address traffic congestion, but some worry that congestion pricing is inequitable. This report looks at the evidence that might support or negate this claim.
Multimedia
This video overview presents key aspects of The Arc, an exploration of options for strengthening the physical infrastructure for a new Palestinian state.
News Release
A federal program designed to help metropolitan public health agencies prepare to deliver essential medicines to the public after a large-scale bioterror attack or natural disease outbreak has succeeded in improving the level of readiness.
Journal Article
Planning for urban systems
Journal Article
It is assumed that higher quality recreation facilities promote physical activity and serve communities better. The authors tested this assumption by comparing changes in the use of an expanded and renovated skate park (a facility for skateboarding) and a modernized senior citizen's center to two similar facilities that were not refurbished.
News Release
A comprehensive look at Los Angeles traffic debunks common myths about the metropolitan region's traffic patterns and details the reasons why congestion is so bad -- and why it will get worse in the coming years without significant policy changes.
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