Urban Greenery and Public Housing

Brian Stromberg
Department of Housing and Urban Development

Urban greenspace has demonstrably beneficial impacts on mental and physical health. Greenspace and tree canopy also play a role in reducing local temperatures, which reduces heat-related mortalities. This is particularly important in cities that act as “urban heat islands.” This short article reviews the research on these two topics and provides a simple analysis of the location of public housing buildings in Washington, D.C. in relation to tree canopy and greenspace.