What Happened?
A new study finds a direct correlation between inadequate transportation options and employment opportunities for residents reliant on public transit. The study focused on the Greater New Haven area in Connecticut to better understand the employment concerns of inner-city workers.
The Findings
According to the study, the majority of jobs in the Greater New Haven area are located in suburban areas, which offer limited public transit options for workers in the inner city. Researchers looked at 15 towns in the region, comparing how many households owned personal vehicles or relied on public transportation to get to and from work. In New Haven alone, more than 25 percent of households were zero car households.
The research found:
- 22 percent of all workers in the Greater New Haven area are underemployed
- 32 percent in the city of New Haven are underemployed
- 59 percent of workers with no high school diploma are underemployed
When workers in the region were surveyed on the barriers they encountered when looking for a job, the top response was transportation limitations. Many workers rely on a public bus system to access jobs outside the city, which can take significant time or often not connect to suburban destinations at all. If the worker is assigned to a night or weekend shift in the suburbs, there are even less transit options available for them, New Haven Register reported.
Investing in Low-Income
Another study from the Local Initiatives Support found low-income neighborhoods experienced significant improvements in employment and income after revitalization efforts were implemented to address multiple community needs simultaneously.
The study analyzed low-income communities across the country and found both employment and incomes increased by 9 percent in areas that received long-term investments in developments focused on:
- Affordable housing
- Safety
- Education
- Employment
The researchers argue low-income communities fare better when investments are made to address multiple issues at the same time. Initiatives should be designed “to empower residents and fuel growth” by creating a strong foundation for long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes. These initiatives can include:
- Improving schools
- Incentivizing business growth
- Expanding access to health care and healthy food
- Developing community policing partnerships
In the instance of the South Side of Chicago, a community building pilot aimed to integrate data use into everyday functionality in the community. Volumes of data were collected to identify areas of weakness and then analyzed to understand where opportunities were for long-term growth. The initiative focused on three main components:
- Income and credit-building
- School attendance
- Digital skills
The program used the data to collect real-time information on program execution to better understand what was working, as well as equip decision makers with evaluators to measure impacts. With the numbers to support new programs, the model was able to be carried out on a larger scale throughout the neighborhood.
The research identified diverse, multilayered strategies directly impact the quality of life of residents – particularly in regard to income and employment opportunities. The findings suggest focusing on the foundation of community development is a better use of investment dollars to ensure long-term growth and increased resilience to fluctuating economic conditions.
The Resources for Growth
Gov1 has followed a growing number of development projects aimed at improving economic activity with sustainable solutions.