US experts assess the necessity for open space in American cities

Researchers have recently assessed the necessity for open space in areas of the US after discovering 97% of metropolitan areas have failed to obtain it.

In a new study published in the ‘Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists’, researchers analysed cities across America to assess if the amount of open space is satisfactory.

Tailored with a vast amount of benefits, open space areas, such as public parks, provide opportunities to experience nature and socialise in a less crowded setting. The authors of the study, JunJie Wu, Jialing Yu, and Walid Oueslati, claimed these types of areas increased in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many people relocated away from cities to smaller towns or rural areas.

However, open spaces also come with a series of downfalls – one major factor is cost. Both in terms of preservation and the fact that areas could be invested in by using them for housing developments – particularly in cities where affordable homes are sparse. 

The pros and cons of having useful open space in cities prompted the research of Wu, Yu and Oueslati. 

From satellite data, researchers estimated the amount of open space in a metropolitan area that could potentially be developed in the future, the amount of natural open space that is unsuitable for development, and the amount of open space that is already preserved and cannot be developed.

They combined this data with an analysis of housing supply and demand.

Findings suggest different types of open space have different impacts on housing demand in a city. For example, spaces like gardens and parks increase housing demand and agricultural land, such as farms, has a negative effect.

When their research was applied to existing US metropolitan areas, the authors found that 97% do not have enough open space and that adding it would increase land values and social well-being.

In particular, the California metropolitan areas of San Francisco as well as Orlando, Florida would benefit the most.

Researchers revealed that a lot of the existing open space in the US is provided by private developers or landowners, who might not have the incentive to provide more.

Another reason for why most urban areas in the US have insufficient open space could be limits on property tax increases, which curbs the effect of land value changes on property tax revenue.

Ultimately, the authors concluded: ‘Open space is often regarded as a luxury rather than a necessary public service.’

Image: Zac Gudakov