Jessica A. Shea, PhD
Social Environment | Research + Consulting
Category: research
-
Case Study: A Research Framework to Guide Evidence-Based Urban Green Space Planning for Health The Challenge Urban planners, landscape designers, and public health agencies increasingly recognize that urban green spaces (UGS) can promote human health. However, despite mounting evidence of health benefits, cities struggle to systematically use green spaces as a public health solution. A…
-
Case Study: How Design Activates Walkable Communities The Challenge: You’ve seen this scenario: A city invests millions in walkable infrastructure—new sidewalks, improved street connectivity, mixed-use zoning. The planning department checks all the boxes. Traditional walkability metrics look great on paper. Then community members tell you what’s really happening: “The are sidewalks, but nobody uses them.”…
-
Case Study: Transforming Community Engagement from Formal to Authentic The Challenge Planning departments and community organizations struggle with traditional community engagement approaches that often fail to capture authentic input from diverse residents. Formal charrettes, public workshops, and town halls frequently attract only the most vocal or advantaged community members, while marginalized populations—including elderly residents, low-income…
Jessica A. Shea, PhD 