Where people live, play, work, and learn affects their health. And planning decisions underlie many elements of the built environment in our communities — from housing and transportation to schools, public spaces, and food outlets. City and regional planners can be crucial leaders and partners in ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to live a healthy life.
Many past planning decisions have promoted systems, environments, and behaviors that contribute to significant health disparities between different groups of people. Undoing the harms caused by past planning policies and choices requires plans that have health and equity built in from the ground up. Incorporating health equity in planning can transform communities in ways that will ensure healthier lives for all residents.
ChangeLab Solutions believes that no one should be disadvantaged in achieving their full health potential because of where they live, who they are, or what social position they occupy. Our planning resources can help planners, decisionmakers, and their partners promote health equity in their communities.
