C. Aujean Lee
University of Utah, City and Metropolitan Planning, Faculty Member
- Urban And Regional Planning, Wealth, Community Organizations, Racial Inequalities and Policy, Racial Wealth Gap, Urban & Regional Planning, Demography, Housing & Community Development, and 11 morePredatory Loans, Predatory Lenders, Loan Modification, Loan Mods, Asian American Studies, Community-based organisations, Subprime crisis, Race and Ethnicity, Asian Americans, Neighborhoods, and Ethnic Studiesedit
Problem, research strategy, and findings: Planning departments use nonprofit subcontractors to increase neighborhood community organizing. However, this is the first study to assess practitioner perceptions of this subcontracting... more
Problem, research strategy, and findings: Planning departments use nonprofit subcontractors to increase
neighborhood community organizing. However, this is the first study to assess practitioner perceptions of
this subcontracting arrangement and its effect on addressing or perpetuating racial inequities in neighborhood community organizing. We used 39 interviews in an exploratory study of Oklahoma City (OK)
and a nonprofit that is contracted to do neighborhood organizing. Interviewees described how the
organization improved some community organizing given its detailed approach to formalize neighborhood
associations. At the same time, participants believed that the subcontracting relationship and focus
on formalized neighborhood associations perpetuated existing disparities in community organizing given
long-standing challenges of systemic racism. The study is limited in its focus on one example but provides
implications for local municipalities that contract out community development services.
Takeaway for practice: Nonprofits can be important partners in expanding community organizing in
neighborhoods. We offer recommendations for how planners can assess and work with subcontractor
community organizing nonprofits in various stages of contracts, such as co-creating metrics for success
and evaluating these outcomes with the subcontractor. Planning departments can then better understand
how to modify future contracts to address racial equity disparities. Planners also should understand how
these organizations may highlight ongoing ineffectiveness and challenges of working with diversifying
publics and existing disparities in the planning process.
neighborhood community organizing. However, this is the first study to assess practitioner perceptions of
this subcontracting arrangement and its effect on addressing or perpetuating racial inequities in neighborhood community organizing. We used 39 interviews in an exploratory study of Oklahoma City (OK)
and a nonprofit that is contracted to do neighborhood organizing. Interviewees described how the
organization improved some community organizing given its detailed approach to formalize neighborhood
associations. At the same time, participants believed that the subcontracting relationship and focus
on formalized neighborhood associations perpetuated existing disparities in community organizing given
long-standing challenges of systemic racism. The study is limited in its focus on one example but provides
implications for local municipalities that contract out community development services.
Takeaway for practice: Nonprofits can be important partners in expanding community organizing in
neighborhoods. We offer recommendations for how planners can assess and work with subcontractor
community organizing nonprofits in various stages of contracts, such as co-creating metrics for success
and evaluating these outcomes with the subcontractor. Planning departments can then better understand
how to modify future contracts to address racial equity disparities. Planners also should understand how
these organizations may highlight ongoing ineffectiveness and challenges of working with diversifying
publics and existing disparities in the planning process.
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Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are a model of housing that helps to ensure affordability and community stability for low-income households. However, there is a dearth of studies that have examined CLTs on a national scale and what factors... more
Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are a model of housing that helps to
ensure affordability and community stability for low-income households.
However, there is a dearth of studies that have examined CLTs on a
national scale and what factors are associated with the number of units.
This study examined 202 CLTs in the U.S., and we assessed whether CLT
characteristics, community socioeconomic factors, and the regulatory and
political landscape are associated with the number of units. We found
that years of operating the CLT, CLTs that also have rental properties, and
CLTs that are publicly-owned or operated are positively associated with
more units. Our findings highlight the importance of municipalities supporting CLTs and future research that can better understand CLT contexts and the development of units.
ensure affordability and community stability for low-income households.
However, there is a dearth of studies that have examined CLTs on a
national scale and what factors are associated with the number of units.
This study examined 202 CLTs in the U.S., and we assessed whether CLT
characteristics, community socioeconomic factors, and the regulatory and
political landscape are associated with the number of units. We found
that years of operating the CLT, CLTs that also have rental properties, and
CLTs that are publicly-owned or operated are positively associated with
more units. Our findings highlight the importance of municipalities supporting CLTs and future research that can better understand CLT contexts and the development of units.
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Nonprofits are key in local community development and often work in tandem with or against municipal governments in neighborhood planning. We focus on a unique case of a local government that largely contracts neighborhood planning... more
Nonprofits are key in local community development and often work in tandem with or against municipal governments in neighborhood planning. We focus on a unique case of a local government that largely contracts neighborhood planning processes to a nonprofit in Oklahoma City. Using thirty-nine interviews with municipal staff, nonprofit employees, and stakeholders, we examine the benefits and consequences of this contracting relationship on participatory processes. The findings reveal that the nonprofit excels at grassroots resident engagement but also faces constraints due to contract benchmarks. The findings offer implications on co-creating subcontractor goals and disparate neighborhood planning service outcomes.
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This study is the first to examine detailed faculty demographics and impacts of elite hiring networks in the planning academy. Institutional prestige significantly shapes faculty placements. Nearly half of planning faculty graduated from... more
This study is the first to examine detailed faculty demographics and impacts of elite hiring networks in the planning academy. Institutional prestige significantly shapes faculty placements. Nearly half of planning faculty graduated from Berkeley, MIT, UCLA, Cornell, and UNC-Chapel Hill. Faculty are predominantly hired in similar or lower ranking programs with little upward mobility, after accounting for demographics and program factors. While race and gender did not have a significant relationship to placements, the findings demonstrate how status-based inequities are perpetuated through elite programs and constrain faculty representation.
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This article serves as an introduction for public administration and public institutions about Asian Americans. The experiences of Asian Americans and the field of Asian American Studies can inform a more nuanced understanding of how... more
This article serves as an introduction for public administration and public institutions about Asian Americans. The experiences of Asian Americans and the field of Asian American Studies can inform a more nuanced understanding of how racial categories are constructed and community-led efforts that lead to institutional change. Asian Americans offer important insights for public administration, including how to contend with intra-and intergroup differences, how racialization upholds white supremacy, and how to document community-based histories of activism and engagement with public institutions. We end with recommendations to rethink diversity and racial climate in the field. Through a more in-depth understanding of racial categories, public institutions can improve resource distribution and decision-making.
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Financial technology lending (fintech) is a subset of the mortgage industry characterized by all-online application processes and the inclusion of nontraditional applicant data in underwriting decisions. While national studies suggest... more
Financial technology lending (fintech) is a subset of the mortgage industry
characterized by all-online application processes and the inclusion of nontraditional applicant data in underwriting decisions. While national studies suggest that fintech lenders mimic traditional lenders and distribute subprime loans to minority borrowers and neighborhoods at higher rates than to white borrowers and neighborhoods, these studies exclude regional differences by race/ethnicity and nativity. We assess variation in neighborhood-level fintech and traditional subprime lending rates across immigrant gateway metropolitan areas. Using Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data, we find that immigrant gateways are associated with higher rates of subprime lending than metropolitan areas with low rates of immigration. Results suggest that neighborhood-level composition of Asian and Latinx residents mediate the relationship between subprime lending and immigrant gateways in distinct ways depending on lender type. Findings suggest metropolitan and tract-level racial and ethnic patterns remain key factors in shaping subprime lending rates in a rapidly evolving mortgage credit market.
characterized by all-online application processes and the inclusion of nontraditional applicant data in underwriting decisions. While national studies suggest that fintech lenders mimic traditional lenders and distribute subprime loans to minority borrowers and neighborhoods at higher rates than to white borrowers and neighborhoods, these studies exclude regional differences by race/ethnicity and nativity. We assess variation in neighborhood-level fintech and traditional subprime lending rates across immigrant gateway metropolitan areas. Using Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data, we find that immigrant gateways are associated with higher rates of subprime lending than metropolitan areas with low rates of immigration. Results suggest that neighborhood-level composition of Asian and Latinx residents mediate the relationship between subprime lending and immigrant gateways in distinct ways depending on lender type. Findings suggest metropolitan and tract-level racial and ethnic patterns remain key factors in shaping subprime lending rates in a rapidly evolving mortgage credit market.
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We examine local and state government responses to anti-Asian hate during the initial months of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States. Formal state and municipal government statements and websites were examined for 50... more
We examine local and state government responses to anti-Asian hate during the initial months of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States. Formal state and municipal government statements and websites were examined for 50 states and 104 of the largest municipalities using critical discourse analysis and racial formation theory to understand how government agencies racialized Asian Americans and reacted to their responsibility to address racism. We develop a typology of racist, race-neutral, and anti-racism to categorize the responses. Government statements are important for planners because they affect resident safety and willingness to report hate crimes.
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COVID-19 has significantly and unevenly impacted the United States, disproportionately affecting socially vulnerable communities. While epidemiologists and public health officials have suggested social distancing and shelter-in-place... more
COVID-19 has significantly and unevenly impacted the United States, disproportionately affecting socially vulnerable communities. While epidemiologists and public health officials have suggested social distancing and shelter-in-place orders to halt the spread of this virus, the ability to comply with these guidelines is dependent on neighborhood, household, and individual characteristics related to social vulnerability. We use structural equation modeling and multiple data sources, including anonymized mobile phone location data from Safe-Graph, to examine the effects of different social vulnerability and built environment factors on COVID-19 prevalence over two overlapping time periods (March to May and March to November of 2020). We use Chicago, Illinois as a case study and find that zip codes with low educational attainment consistently experienced higher case rates over both periods. Though population density was not significantly related to the prevalence in any period, movement of people made a significant contribution only during the longer time period. This finding highlights the significance of analyzing different timeframes for understanding social vulnerability. Our results suggest social vulnerability played an influential role in COVID-19 prevalence, highlighting the needs to address socioeconomic barriers to pandemic recovery and future pandemic response.
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Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI)-serving nonprofits were at the forefront of pro-immigrant advocacy during the Trump Administration in the midst of sudden changes in policy that caused extreme turmoil for... more
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI)-serving nonprofits were at the forefront of pro-immigrant advocacy during the Trump Administration in the midst of sudden changes in policy that caused extreme turmoil for AANHPIs. This study examines how these federal sociopolitical factors shaped nonprofit activism and finances for Los Angeles AANHPI organizations in 2017. Using interviews, I found that nonprofits could innovate in small ways to support AANHPIs, but were also limited in their advocacy because of funding and political constraints. These findings demonstrate the challenges and persistence required for AANHPI activism in a xenophobic and restrictive landscape.
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This commentary serves as an introduction for the planning academe about Asian Americans and how an understanding of their racialization can contribute to anti-racist frameworks in planning. Asian Americans are a unique group comprised of... more
This commentary serves as an introduction for the planning academe about Asian Americans and how an understanding of their racialization can contribute to anti-racist frameworks in planning. Asian Americans are a unique group comprised of diverse communities with a long history in the country. Yet, most research about Asian Americans exists outside of mainstream planning scholarship. Asian Americans offer several insights for planning, including how to contend with intra-and intergroup differences, how racialization upholds white supremacy, and how to document histories of activism. We end with recommendations to rethink diversity and racial climate in the field.
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Scholars define emerging gateway metropolitan areas in the U.S. as regions in which immigrant communities settled after the 1990s. Historically, immigrant and minority neighborhoods are characterized by exclusion from conventional sources... more
Scholars define emerging gateway metropolitan areas in the U.S. as regions in which immigrant communities settled after the 1990s. Historically, immigrant and minority neighborhoods are characterized by exclusion from conventional sources of financial capital – factors which compound risks associated with residential instability and foreclosure. Yet these new gateways may offer protection from foreclosure due to the relative affordability of housing and concentration of racial and ethnic and class
advantages. We examine whether foreclosure risk is mediated through spatial processes, race, nativity, and class. We find that race and nativity play a major role in mediating risk across immigrant gateways. Neighborhoods with higher levels of Asian concentration presented lower risk, regardless of nativity and income. In contrast, Latino foreclosure risk varied by nativity, income, and gateway. Emerging gateways are also associated with higher foreclosure risk. Our findings inform resurgent ethnicity theory and how middle class immigrant neighborhoods offer improved socioeconomic outcomes without relying on White areas as a standard for immigrant integration.
advantages. We examine whether foreclosure risk is mediated through spatial processes, race, nativity, and class. We find that race and nativity play a major role in mediating risk across immigrant gateways. Neighborhoods with higher levels of Asian concentration presented lower risk, regardless of nativity and income. In contrast, Latino foreclosure risk varied by nativity, income, and gateway. Emerging gateways are also associated with higher foreclosure risk. Our findings inform resurgent ethnicity theory and how middle class immigrant neighborhoods offer improved socioeconomic outcomes without relying on White areas as a standard for immigrant integration.
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Homeownership remains the largest asset for families of color and a pathway for socioeconomic opportunities. Latinos and Asian Americans are also the fastest growing groups in the U.S. Yet, little is known about their neighborhood... more
Homeownership remains the largest asset for families of color and a pathway for socioeconomic opportunities. Latinos and Asian Americans are also the fastest growing groups in the U.S. Yet, little is known about their neighborhood selection and homebuying process. This pilot study examines differences between middle-class Latino and Asian neighborhood selection into Latino, Asian, and White neighborhoods using 36 interviews. The findings demonstrate how neighborhood preferences are tied to homeowner desire to translate socioeconomic advancement into neighborhood amenities. However, this preference is shaped by their explicit and implicit racial biases connected to neighborhood selection. Both groups of homeowners developed racialized viewpoints about neighborhood composition and their preferred amenities before the homebuying process. This study advances knowledge on the social structural sorting perspective and how passive and indirect socialization influences the perception of racial hierarchies and place.
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Problem, research strategy, and findings: Arnstein’s ladder has informed how planners redistribute power among constituents and increase citizen participation. Since the late 1960s, the non-citizen population has increased in the United... more
Problem, research strategy, and findings: Arnstein’s ladder has informed how planners redistribute power among constituents and increase citizen participation. Since the late 1960s, the non-citizen population has increased in the United States. This demographic shift has affected planning and community engagement because many immigrants experience disparate access to public goods and services more so than native-born residents. Non-citizens are also particularly vulnerable to shifting political landscapes due to citizenship status. I use 29 interviews with immigrant-serving nonprofits to identify unique challenges in serving non-citizen clients after the 2016 election. Immigrant nonprofit experiences are informative because they may be the first and only organization to provide non-citizens with services and resources in times of uncertainty. The interviews inform how planners can improve non-citizen engagement practices and redistribute political power. In particular, interviewees highlight how non-citizens experience barriers to public services and spaces due to fear of deportation and abrupt changes in their citizenship status. As a result, non-citizens are selective in how and where they engage. Thus, they connect to informal and formal spaces that may exist beyond their neighborhoods. These experiences also increase non-citizen dependency on nonprofits.
Takeaway for practice: Non-citizens engage with planners differently than do native-born residents because of legal status, disparate access to spaces and resources, and varying relationships with government agencies. The results of this study offer implications for planners, such as spending more time to build trust with non-citizens through frequent outreach and offering small incentives, using alternative spaces for engagement and pushing for policies that decouple public institutions from immigration services, and partnering with nonprofits to support non-citizens and immigrant-friendly policies. As planners improve immigrant incorporation through these considerations, they can improve how they balance power, constituent representation, and meeting residents’ needs.
Takeaway for practice: Non-citizens engage with planners differently than do native-born residents because of legal status, disparate access to spaces and resources, and varying relationships with government agencies. The results of this study offer implications for planners, such as spending more time to build trust with non-citizens through frequent outreach and offering small incentives, using alternative spaces for engagement and pushing for policies that decouple public institutions from immigration services, and partnering with nonprofits to support non-citizens and immigrant-friendly policies. As planners improve immigrant incorporation through these considerations, they can improve how they balance power, constituent representation, and meeting residents’ needs.
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There have been a growing number of partnerships between universities and nonprofits to conduct community-based research to understand important racial group disparities and develop community capacity. However, these relationships can be... more
There have been a growing number of partnerships between universities and nonprofits to conduct community-based research to understand important racial group disparities and develop community capacity. However, these relationships can be unbalanced and fraught with challenges. This resource paper offers a discussion of seven considerations that can assist university researchers in developing accountable and equitable partnerships. We also provide suggestions on how these steps may vary for Asian American and Pacific Islander groups and how to create mutually beneficial agreements that respect both parties and their goals.
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Problem, research strategy, and findings: Many planning practitioners, faculty, and students have worked to address diversity and inclusion. However, only a few studies have examined specifically the ways in which African American and... more
Problem, research strategy, and findings: Many planning practitioners, faculty, and students have worked to address diversity and inclusion. However, only a few studies have examined specifically the ways in which African American and Latinx students perceive and experience instruction related to racial/ethnic diversity and the overall diversity climate as part of their urban planning education. This study, conducted by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG), is based on 451 surveys with urban planning students of all racial/ethnic identities and 14 in-depth interviews with African American and Latinx students. Survey results show that most students report an overall supportive and positive climate for diversity within their programs. Nonetheless, survey data also show differences between African American, Latinx, and White students’ experiences of bias and discrimination. Furthermore, interviews revealed that African American and Latinx students continue to face challenges in urban planning programs.
Takeaway for practice: The educational training of planners, in general, does not attempt to undo discriminatory practices; instead, these racialized tensions move from the classroom to the workplace. Ultimately, strategies to diversify the planning profession fail because of exclusionary interpersonal and institutional practices. Findings provide insight into how to better support African American and Latinx students in academia and as future practitioners. Results also suggest that greater representation of African American and Latinx students, coupled with mentorship, the creation of counter-spaces, and faculty/staff training on racial microaggressions, could foster more inclusive learning environments in urban planning institutions. Fostering inclusive environments will, in turn, help students learn how to develop healthy relationships with diverse communities. These interpersonal skills likely will translate into a more welcoming workplace and expand opportunities for effectively engaging Latinx and African American communities.
Takeaway for practice: The educational training of planners, in general, does not attempt to undo discriminatory practices; instead, these racialized tensions move from the classroom to the workplace. Ultimately, strategies to diversify the planning profession fail because of exclusionary interpersonal and institutional practices. Findings provide insight into how to better support African American and Latinx students in academia and as future practitioners. Results also suggest that greater representation of African American and Latinx students, coupled with mentorship, the creation of counter-spaces, and faculty/staff training on racial microaggressions, could foster more inclusive learning environments in urban planning institutions. Fostering inclusive environments will, in turn, help students learn how to develop healthy relationships with diverse communities. These interpersonal skills likely will translate into a more welcoming workplace and expand opportunities for effectively engaging Latinx and African American communities.
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The United States continues to be defined by racial concentration, where most racial/ethnic groups live apart from each other. For homeownership, neighborhoods with large proportions of racial minorities is oftentimes linked to negative... more
The United States continues to be defined by racial concentration, where most racial/ethnic groups live apart from each other. For homeownership, neighborhoods with large proportions of racial minorities is oftentimes linked to negative outcomes for minority homeowners, particularly during the Great Recession. However, middle- and upper-income ethnic neighborhoods, or resurgent neighborhoods, have grown in numbers due to a concentration of immigrants, federal policies favoring professionals, ethnic-specific resources, and affluence. In 2007, about 37% of Los Angeles Latino tracts were resurgent and 53% of Asian tracts were resurgent. This study finds that homeowners in resurgent neighborhoods had lower default/foreclosure rates and predicted probabilities than low-income neighborhoods. Asian resurgent neighborhoods had the lowest predicted probabilities of default or foreclosure, followed by Latino resurgent and White middle-class neighborhoods. There were also discrepancies among Asian neighborhoods based on nativity. Consequently, it is important to recognize that minority neighborhoods are heterogeneous, with differing impacts on homeownership opportunities when examined by class.
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This paper summarizes findings from a nationwide survey of degree-seeking urban planning students regarding the climate for diversity within their degree programs. This study examines interactions within the classroom, with faculty, with... more
This paper summarizes findings from a nationwide survey of degree-seeking urban planning students regarding the climate for diversity within their degree programs. This study examines interactions within the classroom, with faculty, with peers, and with professional planners. From May to October 2016, we surveyed 451 students and conducted in-depth interviews with 25 students. Our results show that while the majority of students report a positive climate for diversity within their programs, many still report occurrences of bias and discrimination, describe the shortcomings of a lack of planning faculty diversity, and perceive persistent challenges around diversity within planning practice.
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Asian American-serving nonprofits were on the forefront to help immigrant Asian American homeowners during the recession, particularly those with limited English proficiency. Yet, we know little about the experiences of these... more
Asian American-serving nonprofits were on the forefront to help immigrant Asian American homeowners during the recession, particularly those with limited English proficiency. Yet, we know little about the experiences of these organizations, since they are relatively understudied in the nonprofit literature. We triangulated interviews with 14 Asian American- serving nonprofits providing housing counseling services with organizational tax records to advance theory on their roles and impacts. Our findings reveal that although Asian American nonprofits played an important role in serving limited English-speaking clients overlooked by other nonprofits during the recession, they struggled to provide comprehensive assistance and remain solvent. Asian American nonprofits used diverse troubleshooting strategies, including seeking certifications, diversifying funding sources, and creaming. Adopting more holistic funding criteria and encouraging greater collaboration among nonprofits serving immigrants would help Asian American nonprofits become more resilient.
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This article summarizes findings from a nationwide survey of degree-seeking urban planning students regarding the climate for diversity within their degree programs. This study examines urban planning student experiences in the classroom,... more
This article summarizes findings from a nationwide survey of degree-seeking urban planning students regarding the climate for diversity within their degree programs. This study examines urban planning student experiences in the classroom, with communities, and with professionals as they are trained to become planning practitioners. From May to October 2016, we surveyed 451 students and conducted in- depth interviews with 27 students. Our results show planning students are concerned that “the talk that we talk” does not always match “the way that we walk”—the values that we espouse in the classroom do not always translate into connecting these values to planning practice, particularly when engaging in diverse communities. These accounts reflect a pedagogical gap in planning education, which continues to be an area in need of improvement as the communities served by planners continue to become more diverse. Our findings offer implications and recommendations to reconcile these barriers for urban planning institutions, which include expanding and elevating the importance of diversity-based curriculum, integrating culturally competent pedagogy, and recruitment and retention of faculty of color.
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Housing counseling agencies (HCAs) in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area have served as important resources for homeowners at risk of fore-closure. However, Asian American–serving HCAs have experienced increased segmentation in the nonprofit... more
Housing counseling agencies (HCAs) in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area have served as important resources for homeowners at risk of fore-closure. However, Asian American–serving HCAs have experienced increased segmentation in the nonprofit sector and also among HCAs because of language assistance. Using interviews with foreclosure counselors , this study finds that HCAs that provide Asian-language assistance experience similar challenges as other HCAs, but are also at a disadvantage in resources and capacity compared to other HCAs. The study has implications for how to better serve immigrant homeowners with language needs, particularly because they require more time and resources.
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This study demonstrates how multiple methods can inform national survey data collection reports for Indigenous populations using Pacific Islanders as a case study. National data surveys are oftentimes limited in how they collect data on... more
This study demonstrates how multiple methods can inform national survey data collection reports for Indigenous populations using Pacific Islanders as a case study. National data surveys are oftentimes limited in how they collect data on small populations due to data suppression, and they lack nuance in how they aggregate distinct populations. I conduct linear regression models of U.S. Census data to demonstrate that Pacific Islanders lag behind Whites in income, even a er controlling for household characteristics and geography. Further analyses of oral histories and interviews with Pacific Islanders demonstrate that income disparities exist in part because of remittances, competing financial demands, and citizenship status. I argue that it is important to add survey questions that capture migrant experiences to improve national data survey collection efforts. By utilizing and improving both types of data collection, researchers can better comprehend the barriers and opportunities for decreasing the racial income and wealth gap, which will strengthen the economic stability of Pacific Islanders in the United States.
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Ethnic identity helps understand group characteristics and opinions, yet many data do not have information on ethnicity. This study assesses the Prominent Ethnic Surname Methodology (PESM) to identify how representative it is of the... more
Ethnic identity helps understand group characteristics and opinions, yet many data do not have information on ethnicity. This study assesses the Prominent Ethnic Surname Methodology (PESM) to identify how representative it is of the ethnic group. We examined whether " Chen, " " Nguyen, " " Kim, " and " Patel " are representative of Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and Indians, respectively. We found Kim and Nguyen to be the most well-representative in Los Angeles County because they are unique and prevalent among their group in this geography. PESM is useful for policymakers and survey developers, particularly as efforts to develop the 2020 Census are under threat and may lead to undercounting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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This study seeks to understand the perceptions of practicing planners around issues of diversity and inclusion in their workplaces and the communities they serve. This initiative is a partnership between the Association of Collegiate... more
This study seeks to understand the perceptions of practicing planners around issues of diversity and inclusion in their workplaces and the communities they serve. This initiative is a partnership between the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Planners of Color Interest Group (ACSP-POCIG) and the American Planning Association (APA) to conduct a nationwide web-based survey of urban planning practitioners and in-depth interviews with APA membership around these topics. The online survey received over 3,000 responses between January 15, 2019 and March 15, 2019. A total of 104 planners were interviewed in 2019. The study finds that there is a perceived lack of representation of people of color and underrepresented groups, which limits who plans and whose values are validated. Bias and discrimination continue to persist and must be acknowledged to support systemic change. Participants reported that planning organizations and agencies are implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives, but these have yet to be institutionalized. Interviewees offered suggestions to promote greater diversity within APA, their workplaces, and planning educational institutions. The study concludes that it is more important than ever to center diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency within our planning organizations, workplaces and planning educational institutions to send a message regarding the value of diversity within the field of urban planning. POCIG Series The "POCIG Series" consists of occasional publications by faculty and partners of the Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG) at the Association of Collegiate Schools (ACSP). This publication was created by ACSP-POCIG for the American Planning Association. Members of the APA Diversity Committee and other APA stakeholders provided comments on the survey and APA assisted with participant recruitment. Content shared in the series have a "Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License" (CC BY-ND 4.0). Copyright held by the authors who are solely responsible for the views and information expressed, not the American Planning Association or the Planners of Color Interest Group at the Association of Collegiate Schools..
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An executive summary of a study on Los Angeles immigrant-serving nonprofit needs after the 2016 election.
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There is a disagreement amongst scholars about how much income differences play in generating residential segregation. While most social scientists point to individual prejudices and institutional racism, others counter that segregation... more
There is a disagreement amongst scholars about how much income differences play in generating residential segregation. While most social scientists point to individual prejudices and institutional racism, others counter that segregation is a byproduct of systematic economic differences. For example, some minority groups are poorer and are thus disproportionately concentrated in low-income neighborhood. This paper examines 1) the demographic and socio- economic transformation of Los Angeles from 1960 and onward 2) the role of race and ethnicity in the spatial geographic housing patterns, with a specific focus on levels of segregation, and 3) whether racial segregation could be explained by systematic differences in income across racial/ethnic groups. The findings indicate that although black-white segregation has been decreasing steadily, segregation remains high while increasing amongst Hispanics. From comparing these observed dissimilarity indices and census tract majority groups with simulated numbers based on income, this study also finds that income differences alone do not explain residential segregation and that many other factors (including race) come into play.
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UCLA Asian American Studies capstone course final report 1 of 4
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UCLA Asian American Studies capstone course final report 2 of 4
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UCLA Asian American Studies capstone course final report 3 of 4
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UCLA Asian American Studies capstone final report 4 of 4