'Gayborhoods' and Walkscore: the Importance of Community

"Who our neighbors are, and how similar or different they are from us," affects urban mobility according to a recent post by Richard Florida. The implication is that how identity shapes travel patterns needs to be considered in planning and placemaking.

"The bottom line? They found that gay men who lived in neighborhoods with more same-sex couples – the closest proxy for what counts as a 'gayborhood' – traveled significantly less than both their straight neighbors and gay men living in other city neighborhoods."

Florida's analysis moves onto why planners should be concerned with neighborhoods of affinity: "...the study demonstrates quite effectively why planners, city-builders and place-makers need to take the fabric of the community into account when they consider how people choose where to live, work, and spend their free time."