The Social Aspects of Sustainable Development: Transit-Oriented Development and Gentrification in Washington, D.C.

Since the early-1970s, Transit oriented development (TOD) has been touted as a solution to a variety of urban problems, including traffic congestion, air pollution, and urban poverty. Subsequently, urban scholars have scrutinized “green” development like TOD to measure potential social costs – like the displacement of incumbent neighborhood residents. However, the methodological approach of these empirical studies has come under scrutiny recently, questioning the connection between gentrification and TOD. Following critics’ calls for a better understanding of who may be impacted by TOD, my project addresses previous studies’ methodological shortcomings by focusing on the socioeconomic characteristics of neighborhood residents rather than property values to measure gentrification. I employ statistical analyses on the Longitudinal Tract Database provided by Brown University to investigate the extent to which Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s TOD projects have induced or accelerated displacement in Washington, DC. This paper can aid policy makers and urban planners seeking to ensure that sustainable development does not impose excessive burdens on some in society.