Design of a Health-Promoting Neighborhood Intervention

¹ a professor in the School of Community Health at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.
² a graduate research assistant and is now a resident in the School of Community Health at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

	Abstract

Design and implementation of health-promoting community interventions can advance public health and community well-being; however, realization of such programs is often challenging. Even more challenging is the implementation of ecologic interventions to revitalize built urban environments. A structured intervention entitled "Intersection Repair" was devised in Portland, Oregon, by a non-profit organization, to implement urban gathering places in the public right of way; specific steps included situation analysis, community outreach, asset mapping, design workshops, construction permitting, building workshops, and process evaluation. The community created human-scale urban landscapes with interactive art installations to encourage social interactions. Such aesthetic improvements, which included painted street murals, information kiosks, hanging gardens, water fountains, benches, and so on, were intended to strengthen social networks and social capital by providing places for residents to engage in conversation. Community engagement in neighborhood design benefits the public at multiple levels, by promoting a healthier lifestyle, over and above urban landscape improvements.

Key Words: neighborhood intervention, built environment, social capital, social networks, community empowerment and participation

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