The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50357

Stuart Baldwin, Southport Village Partners, LLC, 2704 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605, 203-332-1717, ext 12, stu@southportvillagepartners.com

A healthy community protects and improves the quality of life for its citizens, promotes healthy behaviors and minimizes hazards for its residents, and preserves the natural environment. The design of houses, commercial buildings, roads, parks, and other features in the built environment directly influences the health of a community. Sprawling developments deter physical activity and increase automobile dependence that contributes to air pollution, car crashes, and pedestrian injuries. The mental health of individuals and a community's social capital may be influenced by the design of the built environment. The presenter in this session is the developer of a compact "Smart Growth", pedestrian-friendly, traditional neighborhood, mixed-use development in a coastal New England village. He will discuss the opportunities and challenges he faces in designing and building a community to have a positive impact on health, including economic, regulatory and adjacent neighbor issues.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify opportunities and challenges faced by planners and developers in designing and building healthy communities

Keywords: Housing, Environmental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Managing partner in development being discussed