Green stormwater infrastructure and perception of the neighborhood social environment in Philadelphia 2010–2018

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) is increasingly preferred to traditional stormwater management as it may confer environmental, social, or health co-benefits from its planted vegetation, although evidence for co-benefits remains sparse. Using the Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, we conducted a study of the impact of GSI installations in Philadelphia neighborhoods from 2010 – 2018 on resident perceptions of the neighborhood social environment that reflect social cohesion. Exposure was estimated as the total area of GSI within 250 m and 1 km of participants’ homes, limited to installations completed prior to the survey year, and was assessed separately for private- and publicly-owned GSI. Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to estimate the association between GSI exposure and aspects of social cohesion, adjusting for potential confounders at the individual and neighborhood levels. Greater GSI density within 1000 m was associated with participants reporting that they trust their neighbors (highest tertile: RR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.07 – 1.40) and that neighbors have worked together to improve the neighborhood (highest tertile: RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01 – 1.16). Significant findings were found primarily for GSI within 1000 m, but not 250 m, suggesting that neighborhood perceptions may be influenced by the larger neighborhood environment. Positive findings were also largely driven by associations with privately-owned GSI. While these results suggest GSI’s potential role in promoting social cohesion, future research should consider the timing of impacts and examine interactions with gentrification and neighborhood displacement. • GSI density within 1000 m was positively associated with neighborhood social cohesion. • Associations with the social environment were stronger for private GSI than public. • Positive associations with the social environment were consistent within 1000 m.