Determinants of vacant lot conversion into community gardens: evidence from Philadelphia

Abstract

Community gardens (CGs) are gaining popularity as an alternative use for vacant lots in communities that struggle to address the negative effects of property abandonment. A pressing issue for these communities is to determine which vacant lots are most appropriate for community gardening. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the determinants of vacant lot conversion into CGs. We looked at existing CGs and vacant lots in the City of Philadelphia and identified CGs converted from vacant lots. A logit model was employed to determine the factors contributing to the conversion. The data for lot attributes were collected from the Philadelphia Neighbourhood Information System and a city-wide survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. The results show that neighbourhood characteristics such as poverty level, educational attainment, zoning, and owner occupancy level mainly determine the conversion. In addition, parcel characteristics including ownership and topography have significant impacts on the conversion. These findings will help communities to identify the most appropriate vacant lots for community gardening.

Keywords:

• community gardens
• abandonment
• Philadelphia
• vacant lots
• revitalization

Notes

1. The NIS is funded by the City of Philadelphia, the William Penn Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, The University of Pennsylvania, and the Fannie Mae Corporation.

2. See Armstrong (2000) for various reasons of community gardening.

3. According to the new zoning code (§14-601) that went into effect on 22 August 2012, urban agriculture is recognized as a principal land-use category and community gardens fall under one of the four subcategories of urban agriculture.

4. We tested the difference in the effects of ownership by NPOs and other public agencies versus private persons’ ownership using a model including these variables separately. The test results show that the difference is not statistically significant.

5. Schmelzkopf (1995) points out the potential contest for space between CGs and affordable housing.