A health impact assessment was completed for a master plan for the South Lincoln housing redevelopment owned by the Denver Housing Authority (DHA). EnviroHealth Consulting completed the HIA and subcontracted to MITHUN firm who was hired by DHA to complete the master plan. In the neighborhood, approximately 38% live in poverty, more than half of the children are poor, over half are Latino. EnviroHealth utilized indicators from multiple sources such as the Healthy Development Measurement Tool. EnviroHealth collected data from community residents, community organizers and City staff i.e., focus groups, interviews, walkability and food audits and analyzed surveys and a health study and other completed documents. The consultant reported on the health impacts and the evidence-based recommendations to support better access and healthier lifestyles for the South Lincoln residents. The project’s vision was to transform South Lincoln into a green, healthy, desirable, and safe neighborhood that achieves multiple health related objectives including reducing noise, increasing physical activity, and providing social support.
The HIA made a series of detailed series of recommendations—such as pedestrian-level lighting to improve safety, low impact stormwater management techniques, noise barriers, improved bike lanes and sidewalks, and spaces for a farmers’ market and community garden—many of which were incorporate into the master plan.
Outcome
The HIA process resulted in the identification and adoption of 37 (health-related) recommendations for the South Lincoln Homes redevelopment site, now called Mariposa. Implemented recommendations for Mariposa include: the addition of striped bike lanes or sharrows, improved lighting and street crossings to access grocery/markets, improved pedestrian spaces/closed streets/added street trees.
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This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health was originally developed by the Health Impact Project, formerly a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The creation of this resource was supported by a grant from the Health Impact Project. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Pew Charitable Trusts, or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
