A Difference-in-Differences Analysis of Health, Safety, and Greening Vacant Urban Space

Greening of vacant urban land may affect health and safety. The authors conducted a decade-long difference-in-differences analysis of the impact of a vacant lot greening program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on health and safety outcomes. "Before" and "after" outcome differences among treated vacant lots were compared with matched groups of control vacant lots that were eligible but did not receive treatment. Control lots from 2 eligibility pools were randomly selected and matched to treated lots at a 3:1 ratio by city section. Random-effects regression models were fitted, along with alternative models and robustness checks. Across 4 sections of Philadelphia, 4,436 vacant lots totaling over 7.8 million square…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• UO
  University of Pennsylvania
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: R01AA016187, U49CE001093
• CF
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  Awards: R01AA016187, U49CE001093
• PS
  Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
• SO
  School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania