Heather Wooten, MCP

hwooten@phlpnet.org

Built Environment: Health + Wealth

Connect Health Policy + Built Environment Policy

� Land Use

� Economic Development

� Redevelopment

� Transportation

market forces + public policy =

“food landscape”

Source: California Center for Public Health Advocacy,

“Searching For Healthy Food: The Food Landscape In California Cities and Counties”

CA’s Food Retail Environment

Source: CA Center for Public Health Advocacy, http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/searchingforhealthyfood.html

CA’s Food Retail Environment

Source: CA Center for Public Health Advocacy, http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/searchingforhealthyfood.html

CA’s Food Retail Environment

Source: CA Center for Public Health Advocacy, http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/searchingforhealthyfood.html

Supermarket proximity is

associated with a better diet.

Limited access to fast food

for schoolchildren is

associated with better diet.

Use built environment policy for win-wins

Healthy Eating Research Brief 2008; Davis & Carpenter 2009; Active Living Research Brief 2007

Update Plans and PoliciesSupport access to and long-term tenure of land for local food system activities

Set standards and priorities for improving food access in underserved neighborhoods

Grocery Stores

Provide adequate healthy food options in

the city. Ensure that more than 75% of

the households in the city

live within ½ mile of a full-service

grocery store, fresh produce market, an

ethnic market, or a convenience store

that stocks fresh produce.

RICHMOND, CA

The attraction and retention of

high quality grocery stores and

other healthy food purveyors

should be pursued as an

economic development

strategy for the City.

SOUTH GATE, CA

strategies for grocery

� Fresh food financing (grants/loans)

�Tax incentives

�Comprehensive planning and zoning

�Site/location assistance

�Workforce development

� Local hire policy

� Living wage policy

Fast Food / Restaurants

Political Acceptability of Fast Food Regulations

But don’t fast food restaurants

…create jobs?

…bring in tax revenue?

…offer convenient, cheap meals?

New drive-through restaurants

should be discouraged from

locating near public and

private schools.

SOUTH GATE, CA

strategies for restaurants

�Healthy food zones (esp. near schools)

�Incentives for retailers that offer healthy

items

Resources

Fact Sheets Model Policies

www.healthyplanning.org