A systematic review of green gentrification and mental health

Urban development projects increasingly incorporate greening efforts in underserved communities to improve human health and promote biodiversity. Unfortunately, these efforts can create a paradox whereby target communities do not reap the benefits due to increased property values, and subsequent physical or social-cultural displacement. This process, green gentrification, may negatively affect residents' mental health. Despite increased urban greening efforts, we currently lack a review evaluating the impacts of green gentrification on mental health. Thus, we systematically reviewed the existing green gentrification-mental health research. Through 16 articles, we identified pathways relating green gentrification exposures to mental health outcomes. For instance, as neighborhoods experience green gentrification, rising housing prices introduce new financial pressures and concerns surrounding housing availability and quality, which can introduce stress. Also, as living expenses increase, there is a change in demographics, which can diminish sense of community and feelings of belonging. Furthermore, the green space itself can serve as a space of exclusion as longtime residents experience barriers to use, which have negative implications for their mental health. Finally, when the new green space provides ecological remediation or restoration, longtime residents may experience anxiety due to fear of exposure to historic contaminants. Still, there were some benefits from the green space as it provides a location for relaxation, enhances neighborhood aesthetics, and even improves sense of community. Because of the popularity of urban greening as a public health solution, researchers could incorporate longitudinal designs and assess potential mediators to better assess the role of green gentrification in mental health.