Local Shops Stronger Local Communities

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Local Shops Stronger Local Communities

• ByKevin M. LeydenDirector, Institute for Public
  Affairs
• Associate Professor of Political ScienceWest
  Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
  26506Kleyden_at_wvu.edu
• RGDATA Members Summit 2007
• February 19th, 2007
• Croke Park Stadium, Dublin

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Research Question Are some neighborhood types
more conducive to building social capital than
others?     Social Capital social, political,
and economic networks and interactions that
inspire trust and reciprocity among citizens.
  According to  Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone
The Collapse and Revival of American
Community    Social Capital in America has been
declining since the 1960s we are withdrawing
politically and socially.

• Compared to 30-40 years ago we are
•  
• Less likely to be politically active (vote,
  work for a political party, attend public
  meetings, write letters, actively work for an
  interest group)
• Less likely to volunteer
• Less likely to join a local community
  organization
• Less likely to know neighbors
• Less likely to invite friends into the home for
  a meal
• Less likely to attend religious services
•   Less trustful of other people

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• Types of Neighborhoods Ideal Types
•  
• The Traditional Neighborhood
• Mixed-use and pedestrian oriented
• Local shops, restaurants, community centers,
  places of worship, schools,
  taverns, and parks within walking distance
• Centers, public places or commons, sidewalks
• Mixed building types, mixed income types, high
  density
• Public Transit
• The Modern Suburb
• Car-oriented
• Single-use (mixed-uses often illegal)
• Segregation by income
• Children must be driven to participate in
  activities
• Associated with big-box chain development,
  malls and strip malls
• Low density development (making public transit
  unlikely and large collector schools a
  necessity)

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Theory
Neighborhoods are important generators of social
capital the networks and interactions that
inspire trust and reciprocity among citizens.
Many of us acquire this trust and willingness to
go out of our way for others through day-to-day,
face-to-face relationships with our neighbors and
other people in our communities for example, at
local shops, restaurants, parks, churches,
taverns, and community groups and organizations.
Neighborhood stores, by the way, are one of
the two most important elements in peoples
perception of an area as a neighborhood. (Little,
1966)
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Why be concerned about the decline in Social
Capital?
Putnams analysis (conducted on the state level)
suggests that Social Capital is extremely
important.
Social Capital is good for

• The development of well-adjusted children and
  teenagers
• Physical and Mental Health
• Economic Development
• Democracy

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• In the Traditional Mixed-Use Pedestrian-Oriented
  Neighborhoods (where residents could walk to
  shops, schools, pubs, restaurants, etc.)
  Residents were
• More likely to know their neighbors
• More likely to feel part of or connected to
  their community
• More likely to walk (because there are places to
  walk to)
• More likely to contact elected officials to
  express their views on issues, vote and
  volunteer to work for a political party.
• More likely to feel that other people are
  helpful, fair and trustworthy
• More likely to get together with friends socially

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Planning for Community

• If emphasis is placed upon roads and car travel
  (and single-use zoning) out of town development
  and large multiples (big-box) stores will
  benefit.

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Reverse economic multiplier that is bad for
community?

• Existing research suggests the entry of a
  Wal-Mart is associated with the disappearance of
  small, locally owned mom and pop stores.
  Embedded in these (local) stores and their
  owners are important social relationships, norms
  and trust that were built up over time. As
  these stores close, also harmed is the less
  visible supporting industry within communities.
  These supporting industries include firms in the
  legal, accounting, transportation, warehousing,
  logistics, financial, publishing and advertising
  sectors. Many of these services are handled in
  Bentonville, Arkansas, as well as in off-
  shoring them to China or India.
• - Goetz and Rupasingha (2006)
• American Journal of Agricultural Economics

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AND.

• New Research Suggests that Walkable Communities
  and Good Community Planning Affect Health and the
  Environment

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There are interesting linkages

• Between public policies that support local shops
  in town or urban neighborhoods, community, health
  and the environment.
• For example, policies and planning that support
  walkable communities (and local shops) may also
  go a long way in reducing the production of
  greenhouse gases. The way we plan matters for
  community and the environment.

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Is Ireland Following the American Model?

• In the US evidence is pointing to the fact that
  sprawl and car-dependency have serious costs and
  unintended consequences for community, health and
  the environment.
• And there is evidence that Ireland is beginning
  to follow the same path as the US.

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• The distances people traveled to work increased
  significantly (Walsh et al.,
• 2005) and a long-distance commuter zone developed
  around the major cities.
• Travel by car is by far the most common way
  people in Ireland travel to work. In fact, most
  travel alone.

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This increase was matchedby a big increase in
the number of motor vehicles registered
annually.(DoEHLG, 2004)
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Some Consequences of a Car Dependent Sprawl
Development

• Obesity, Car-Crashes and Social Isolation
• Declines in Social Capital Sense of Community.
  New Pressures of Time and Money.
• Benefits Large Multiples or Chains on the outside
  of town at the expensive of small local shops in
  town or urban neighborhoods
• Can lead to money transfers out of the community
  to distant corporate headquarters. This reduces
  the multiplier effect of local purchases.
• Greenhouse Gases Emissions
• Ambient Air Quality
• Water Quality

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Some Consequences of a Car Dependent Sprawl
Development

• Financial Stress to Families

Sprawl Development means one must drive to shop
and be with others. Automobiles are expensive.
Costs include Monthly Finance/Payment Insuran
ce Petrol Parking/Garage Maintenance Depreciat
ion (The worst investment a family can make).
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And Car-Oriented Growth affects the independence
of those who cannot drive or cant afford it

• The Elderly
• The Poor
• Children Teenagers
• People with disabilities

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There is nothing old-fashioned about Community or
local shops.

• Require public policies and planning guidelines
  that support them or level the playing field
• Require that we fully account for the benefits of
  vibrant communities and high levels of social
  capital
• Require that we do a full accounting of the costs
  of sprawl

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And we know that out of town car-dependent
development has a negative impact on shops in town
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• The studies pertaining to the impact of new
  shopping malls on central business districts show
  a consistently negative effect. For example,
  Muller (1978) studied six cities in which a
  regional mall had been built and found that sales
  were reduced an average of 37 percent in the five
  downtown areas.
• (Arnold and Luthra, 2000 in the International
  Journal of Retail and Distribution Management)

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Looking Ahead

• Important to advocate for public policies and
  planning regulations that emphasize towns,
  villages, and urban neighborhoods.
• Most people value community. Local shops that can
  be walked to are a key component to community and
  all of its benefits.
• Important that the pricing of small grocery shops
  doesnt get too expensive. Small shops in
  walkable communities that provide healthy
  groceries fresh fruits and vegetables should
  receive support or tax credits from government.

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Some Conclusions

• Land-Use Planning and Transport Planning Affect
  Community and the type of shops and businesses
  that are successful.
• A Mix of Local Shops and other gathering places
  located in walkable communities are important for
  social capital, community well-being, quality of
  life, the environment and health.
• The TRUE BENEFITS of walkable communities are
  often not fully realized or accounted for.
• The TRUE COSTS of car-dependent development and
  shops that must be driven to are often hidden and
  not fully accounted.

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Some Conclusions

• There is more to price than meets the eye. What
  may appear cheaper to the consumer may not be
  cheaper in reality. There are social,
  environmental health costs that may have longer
  term consequences and end up costing government
  and citizens more.
• Government needs to fully account for the real
  costs and benefits to society- of its decisions.
  These cost and benefits must include issues of
  community, health, the environment, and the
  well-being of families.
• And what are the costs to society, government,
  and business when our planning emphasizes the car
  as a daily requirement? We need to think about
  this.

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Local Shops Stronger Local Communities

• ByKevin M. LeydenDirector, Institute for
  Public Affairs
• Associate Professor of Political ScienceWest
  Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
  26506Kleyden_at_wvu.edu