Neighborhood
Healthy communities are built upon households' affordable access to healthy food, public parks and open spaces, employment, school, and other essential goods and services. Local planners can use the recommendations in this Policy Action Area to foster community connections, encourage physical activity, and support community resilience to climate change and pollution.
Everybody should have access to jobs, schools, shops and other essential goods and services which can impact one's health and quality of life. Living in a community with a mix of uses and destinations can improve health by reducing household costs, encouraging physical activity, reducing chronic diseases, improving mental health, fostering community connections and supporting community resilience to climate change and pollution.
Everybody should have access to parks and other open spaces near their home. Parks can encourage physical activity, reduce chronic diseases, improve mental health, foster community connections, and support community resilience to climate change and pollution.
Everybody should have trees and other plant life near their home. Trees are beneficial for mental and physical health in many ways.