Contributors

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In the fall of 2014, the Atlanta Braves announced they will be moving from Turner Field to a new stadium complex to be built in Cobb County. A number of stakeholders, including Georgia State University (GSU), have shown interest in the redevelopment of the property. While the future of the property is still undecided, decision makers have an opportunity to examine ways in which this project could impact health of residents in both positive and adverse ways.

In conjunction with Carter Consulting, Columbia Residential, and HGOR, GSU shared a preliminary proposal for the redevelopment of the Turner Field area in Fall 2014. Components of the redevelopment of this 55-acre parcel include the conversion of the current Turner Field Stadium into GSU’s football stadium, construction of a baseball stadium on the previous site of the Fulton County Stadium, student housing, academic and related offices, a retail village, market housing, townhouses and single-family homes, commuter parking, and transit.

Local residents and community organizations have expressed concerns that the Turner Field redevelopment may affect health issues, such as housing affordability, employment, food security, transportation, and green space access. Little is currently known about these potential impacts on residents in adjoining communities, specifically the Neighborhood Planning Unit-V (NPU-V).  There is a substantial need to assess the impact of such a redevelopment on the health and well-being of individuals living within the surrounding community to help inform decision-makers and local communities.

HIAs seek to provide decision makers from the non-health sector with recommendations to mitigate the negative and maximize the positive impacts on health or health inequities. The objective of the Turner Field redevelopment HIA is to assess the potential impact on the health and well-being of current residents living within NPU-V.

Many poor health and socioeconomic conditions exist in NPU-V. In 2004, the Annie E. Casey Foundation reported the following:

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  64.5 percent of women were overweight versus 44 percent among women citywide
  
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  Male cancer mortality was 50 percent higher as compared to white men in Georgia
  
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  Diabetes prevalence was 48 percent higher than the preceding decade
  
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  25.4 percent of reported major crimes classified as violent versus 16.8 percent citywide (see Appendix A for a comparison of crime in NPU-V and the other NPUs)
  
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  59.3 percent of children are living in poverty
  
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  28.7 percent of students who attended Carver High School (located in NPU-V) graduated
  

In 2012, researchers at Georgia Tech reported the following demographic data (NQLHP, 2012):

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  5 percent white, 87 percent black, 1 percent Asian, and 7 percent Other
  
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  45 percent of residents live below the poverty line
  
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  18 percent of residents hold a college degree
  

NPU-V was among those communities impacted in Atlanta, if not the hardest hit area, in the era of the housing and foreclosure crisis of 2008 (Rich et al., 2010). As of 2010, according to census data, NPU-V had a housing vacancy rate of 32.7% (U.S. Census, 2010). Of these occupied housing units, a large majority (74%) are renter-occupied, while only 26% are owner-occupied (U.S. Census, 2010). The current plans offer market housing, student housing, and town homes, which may be unaffordable to many existing residents. Drastic changes in housing costs put residents at risk for displacement. Displaced residents are at an increased risk for physical, mental, and social stress, longer commutes, school relocations, overcrowding, and substandard housing (Human Impact Partners, 2012).

The unemployment rate of the surrounding community is 24%, nearly twice as high as the City of Atlanta (12.4%) (NQLHP, 2012). The median household income ($20,858) is less than half of the city-wide rate ($46,168) (NQLHP, 2012). Once the Braves vacate the stadium, some residents will lose stadium-related jobs. Few childcare options are available in the area for working families. If residents are displaced as a result of the development or its consequences, commuting time and costs may increase for residents already economically vulnerable.

Green space can be defined as areas covered with trees, shrubs, grass, or other plants or natural features, trails through these areas, gardens, and/or parks set apart for recreation.  Currently, there are a few small parks within the boundaries of NPU-V and a couple of larger parks in nearby NPUs (i.e., Oakland Cemetery and Grant Park) that are accessible to residents. Increased green space in a community can encourage activities and conditions that have a positive effect on mental, physical and community health outcomes.

According the Walkability Score available from the Neighborhood Quality of Life and Health, NPU-V scored 57 out of 100, higher than City of Atlanta’s score of 46. Out of all 25 NPUs, NPU-V ranks 15^th in transportation with 98.3 percent of residents have access to public transit. However, mean travel times for residents living in NPU-V are longer (33 minutes) compared to the citywide rate (25.8 minutes) (NQLHP, 2012), indicating people must travel further to get to work. Across all neighborhoods in NPU-V, there is a moderate level of walkability, transit and biking options.

Using current data, trends, research, and community feedback, the following were identified as potential health impacts of the proposed redevelopment.

Employment is a prominent concern amongst current NPU-V community members. The Turner Field Redevelopment is likely to change local employment conditions. The development may increase jobs for some residents and decrease jobs for other residents. The majority of anticipated increases in jobs seem as though they would be low wage, service sector jobs, while the jobs lost would likely be from pre-existing local businesses. These changes in employment will primarily impact African Americans and low income persons. People living in neighborhoods closest to the Turner Field Redevelopment will be disproportionately impacted.

Respondents from NPU-V were relatively unconcerned about increases in home-related costs (this may change as the redevelopment plans become clearer and with greater recruitment of economically vulnerable persons from the community). The redevelopment may increase home values in the surrounding community. Without efforts to mitigate negative impacts, increases in home value can lead to displacement and decreased housing affordability among current residents. Increases in displacement and decreases in housing affordability would be experienced more acutely by African Americans, low-income persons, seniors, the disabled, and other vulnerable populations. Persons residing in neighborhoods closest to the redevelopment will likely be disproportionately impacted.

Community members are concerned about the role of greenspace in their neighborhood. Specifically, there is concern about its availability and functionality. Research demonstrates that increased green space in a community could encourage activities and conditions that would have a positive effect on mental, physical and community health outcomes. The current proposal adds small amounts of greenspace in NPU-V. The role of greenspace in health is likely to disproportionately impact neighborhoods closest to the redevelopment, including primarily African American and low-income residents.

Community members of neighborhoods surrounding the Turner Field Redevelopment are concerned with the availability, accessibility, and affordability of healthy food options in their neighborhood. The current proposal does not provide data regarding the type and number of food retailers that will become available to NPU-V residents with the redevelopment. Once the data are available, measuring the potential health impact of the redevelopment as it relates to food will be feasible. A more comprehensive HIA can assess items like fast food density and grocery store accessibility once the proposal becomes more detailed to determine to determine the change in food access due to the redevelopment. Associated health outcomes might be predicted at that point.

Community members are passionate about the potential change in transportation in their neighborhood. Specifically, residents seem interested in the addition of alternate transit options, including providing bike lanes and additional mass transit options (MARTA, Streetcar). Transportation options for residents in a community can either encourage health promoting activities (i.e. physical activity) or environments deleterious to health (increased commute times). The current proposal explains the general trajectory of the transportation plan, including the use of a “complete streets” mindset and the addition of pedestrian pathways. Hence, it is likely the impact of the redevelopment would be positive on mental, physical, and community health outcomes specific to transportation for current residents. Much of the improvement in health is likely to occur via the increase in physical activity and the decrease in time spent in sedentary behavior as occurs with extensive commute times. However, there may also be an increase in injuries (i.e., sprained extremities) if more people are participating in more activities. It is undetermined what the change in air and noise pollution exposure for current residents will be. The effects of transportation are likely to disproportionately impact neighborhoods closest to the redevelopment, including primarily African American, low-income, disabled, and other residents vulnerable to changes in transportation options.

Based on all of the findings in the HIA research and the community feedback, recommendations to mitigate negative health impacts were identified. Below is a sample of recommendations.

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  GSU should conduct outreach programs targeting NPU-V residents for part-time and full-time jobs that result from the redevelopment.
  
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  GSU should proactively seek companies to occupy retail spaces that pay livable wages and provide health benefits to seasonal and part-time workers.
  
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  GSU should proactively build partnerships with NPU-V nonprofit organizations in an effort to conduct workforce development programming within the community.
  
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  GSU should continuously update workforce development training to provide community with necessary skills needed to secure and maintain employment.
  

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  GSU should advocate for funding for homeownership programs for residents.
  
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  GSU should advocate that new housing built is both affordable and available to residents with low-incomes.
  
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  GSU should advocate that affordable housing near the redevelopment is not forfeited by establishing a predetermined “No Housing Loss” zone prior to constructions.
  

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  Development plans should include additions to the built environment to support parks and other green space areas and to decrease flooding.
  
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  GSU should encourage improvement of current maintenance facilities and increased park security in order to strengthen current green space infrastructure.
  
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  Planners should incorporate greenspace as a buffer for highways and freeways.
  
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  GSU should proactively partner with local nonprofits to develop community-centered programming and activities to promote use of greenspace.
  

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  GSU should encourage repurposing vacant land to include community gardens in partnership with community organizations.
  
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  Redevelopment plans should include a grocery store offering fresh produce and other nutritious food that is accessible by foot, bike, and local public transportation.
  
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  GSU should work with community members to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, including the use of edibles (e.g., fruit trees) in landscaping design.
  

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  GSU should adopt built environment design principles that support walking, biking, and public transit in the development plan.
  
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  GSU should work with community members to ensure transportation modifications are effectively integrated into Atlanta’s transportation fabric.
  

The HIA was intended to provide an impartial and rapid assessment of the health impacts of the redevelopment, based on the limited information available at the time. It was also hoped that this HIA would (1) increase awareness among city, neighborhood, and university decision-makers and stakeholders regarding the many factors that impact health and (2) encourage local and regional discussion surrounding how to define and plan for a healthy community.

We do not expect the Turner Field redevelopment to be a panacea for the neighborhoods proximate to NPU-V. However, the redevelopment can promote health of residents in a wide variety of ways. Given anticipated health pathways from peer-reviewed literature and community feedback in this HIA, we advise decision makers to conduct a comprehensive HIA of future redevelopment proposals.