Parks and Recreation Magazine recently published an article that offers insights into the benefits of green spaces. By promoting an active lifestyle and positively effecting human psychology, the Safe Routes to Parks program can transform the lives of the nation’s most vulnerable populations. Green spaces are a viable tool for improving public health and decreasing crime. Benefits of Green Spaces Research published in the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives reveals that living in proximity to green space lowers the risk of all-cause, non-accidental mortality by 12 percent. Greenery reduces residents’ chances of dying from illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Scott Brown at the University of Miami studied Medicare recipients in Miami-Dade County. Those who lived near green spaces experienced fewer chronic conditions: greenery reduced risk of diabetes by 14 percent, hypertension by 13 percent, and hyperlipidemia by 10 percent. The 2015 Urban Studies report finds that transforming vacant or gray spaces into green spaces reduces property crime and violent crime in the area. Marginalized neighborhoods—particularly urban, low-income communities—suffer in multiple ways from a shortage of green space. These communities are prone to crime, violence, poor air quality, and polluted waterways. Record-high obesity ratings, respiratory ailments, chronic disease and shorter life expectancy plague residents. Green spaces have the power to mitigate such ills in the communities that need them the most. Yet many high-risk neighborhoods lack green spaces. Those with parks face barriers to access. The National Recreation and Park Association’s Safe Routes to Parks Program aims to create parks and remove the barriers to attendance. Safe Routes to Parks Program The program first aims to create parks within a 10-minute walk of underserved communities. Studies reveal that residents within a 10-minute walk of a park have lower rates of obesity and...

With so many options to choose from, it can be hard for renters to know when they have found the perfect neighborhood to call home. A new portal makes relocation a bit easier by combining ILS, reviews, and neighborhood matching services. Place I Live Portal offers neighborhood matching for those seeking rentals or home ownership in New York City.  Rather than identifying homes based solely on price and a predetermined location, Place I Live considers many of the users’ personal preferences and priorities: pedestrian trails, commute times, architectural styles, neighborhood character, and diversity, to name a few. This approach helps users narrow down their search while considering neighborhoods that they may have otherwise overlooked. The system is designed to constantly improve itself. Learning technologies allow the software to increase accuracy with every inquiry that the user makes. And though the app currently features 288 neighborhoods, that number will continue to increase over time. After gathering data on the users’ preferences, Place I Live recommends ten neighborhood options, each with a miniature profile of the neighborhood. Users navigate details on the neighborhoods using a menu that was configured by their previously selected parameters. Standard menu options include a list of amenities, commute options, crime statistics, and community reviews. Though limited now, the reviews feature stands to be a big hit as program popularity grows. Prospects can learn about the community from current and former residents. This key information may increase the comfort levels of remote home seekers, who may not be able to visit the neighborhood before relocating. The menu can also funnel users directly to listing services such as Zillow, RentHop, StreetEasy, and Homes.com. This feature makes it easy for users to keep tabs on vacancies in their favorite neighborhoods. In the future, this...