This Policy Action Guide is a resource for city leaders and staff and advocates interested in creating or improving a Greenspace Policy. Greenspaces are essential for community well-being–fostering health, social connection, and climate resilience. Yet, access to these benefits is far from equitable. Decades of policy decisions have shaped this inequity, prioritizing well-resourced, predominantly white neighborhoods while leaving others with inadequate greenspaces. As a result, millions of people miss out on the physical, social, and environmental benefits that parks provide.
Closing this gap requires bold action. By advancing local policies and goals that promote access to greenspaces, city leaders can create stronger, healthier, and more resilient cities—where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Excerpts of the policy guide are below. You can download the full guide here.
Produced in partnership with Trust for Public Land.
Why Use Policy to Improve Greenspace Access and Equity?
The way cities plan, fund, and develop public spaces impacts
people’s daily lives—from access to parks and trails to the benefits of trees and greenspaces. When cities set clear policies for parks and public greenspace, they can ensure these spaces are available, well maintained, and distributed fairly. Without strong policies, greenspace improvements may be scattered or short-lived, or may fail to reach the neighborhoods that need them most.
Greenspace policies provide a framework for thoughtful action by:
- Setting the vision. Access focused policies like the 10-minute walk goal and tree canopy coverage define what cities want to achieve. They establish clear benchmarks for decision-making to ensure every project, ordinance, or investment aligns with the city’s commitment to public health and access to public greenspace.
- Ensuring sustainable investment. Meeting or exceeding the national median for per-capita greenspace spending helps ensure that parks are well maintained, safe, and inviting. High quality public greenspaces are vital for maximizing health and community benefits.
- Targeting need. Prioritizing parks and tree canopy in neighborhoods that are both lacking in greenspaces and also burdened by poorer health outcomes helps close the health equity gap.
- Embedding resident voice. Engaging residents, especially those in areas with limited park access, in planning and policy decisions leads to better, more inclusive outcomes. When community members help shape policies, decisions made about parks will better reflect the community’s needs.
- Correcting injustices. Cities can undo harmful policies and systems that have created gaps in park access by using an equity lens in land use, funding, and planning decisions. Thoughtful policies can address current and prevent future disparities.
City leaders have the power to take action by using policy as a tool to direct resources where they are needed most—especially in neighborhoods that have been historically overlooked due to unfair policies such as biased lending and exclusionary zoning. By setting clear greenspace goals, city leaders can guide investments where they will have the biggest impact, ensuring that all residents—no matter where they live—can enjoy the benefits of nature.
CityHealth's Greenspace Policy Solution
Cities can earn gold, silver, or bronze medals under CityHealth’s Greenspace policy criteria, reflecting progressively stronger commitments to maintaining and expanding access to parks and greenspace, making higher per-capita investments, and establishing clearer equity benchmarks. While all levels unlock the valuable benefits of greenspaces, a gold medal reflects a best-in-class approach with robust equity requirements to ensure resources reach the communities that need them most.
By working toward gold medal status, cities can improve:
- Mental health and well-being. Access to greenspaces reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Studies show even brief exposure to nature can improve mood, enhance focus, and reduce psychological distress.
- Public safety. Well-maintained parks and tree canopies are linked to lower crime rates. They foster community connection and serve as spaces where residents feel safer and more engaged.
- Physical health. Greenspaces encourage physical activity—from walking and cycling to organized sports—which helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
- Environmental resilience. Parks and trees mitigate the urban heat island effect, improve air quality, and manage stormwater—helping cities adapt to climate change while reducing infrastructure costs.
- Social connection. Across the 100 most populous U.S. cities, residents of cities with the highest ParkScore® rankings are more socially connected and engaged with their neighbors than residents who live in cities with lower-ranking park systems.
- Quality of life. High-quality greenspaces make cities more desirable places to live, attracting residents and businesses alike. Greenspaces enhance community identity and instill a sense of pride among residents.
- Economic prosperity. Vibrant parks boost property values, encourage tourism, and create jobs, contributing to cities’ economic health.
How Does a City Qualify for a Greenspace Medal?
To qualify for a CityHealth Greenspace medal, a city must formally adopt Greenspace goals through legislative measures that establish a broad vision for access and quality. These goal-setting policies provide a foundation for implementing regulations and standards while ensuring coordination across multiple agencies, including housing, transportation, and land use.
A citywide strategy is essential for achieving equitable park access. This requires planning that extends beyond individual parks, considering accessibility and inclusion in new developments, as well as solutions for underserved areas through land acquisition, partnerships, or shared use agreements.
The most effective policies are often included in long range planning documents, such as comprehensive plans or general plans, which shape other city initiatives, including parks master plans and urban forestry strategies. However, policies adopted in other frameworks—such as parks and recreation master plans, urban forestry plans, sustainability or climate plans, ordinances, or resolutions—
also play crucial roles. What matters most is that the policies are cross-cutting, accountable, and integrated into citywide efforts.
This table highlights the layered approach needed for effective Greenspace policy solutions. The comprehensive plan serves as the cornerstone; it provides an overarching vision and goals that guide all other frameworks, ensuring citywide alignment and accountability. While other plans and policies, such as parks master plans, sustainability strategies, ordinances, and zoning regulations, play critical roles in implementation, the comprehensive plan provides the unifying framework.
| Type of Plan or Policy Document | Role in greenspace policy | benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Plan/General Plan | Sets a citywide vision and long-term goals for greenspace access and quality, ensuring cross-agency accountability. | Directs resources toward areas of greatest need by establishing equity-driven priorities and measurable goals across all departments. |
| Parks and recreation master plan | Provides detailed guidance for the management, development, and maintenance of parks and recreation facilities. | Supports implementation of comprehensive goals by identifying priority areas for investment and specific strategies to address gaps in park access. |
| Urban forestry plan | Focuses on tree canopy goals, identifying strategies for urban greening and ecological health. | Enables targeted efforts to improve tree coverage in underserved areas, addressing disparities in canopy distribution and urban heat island effects. |
| Sustainability or climate plan | Addresses greenspace as part of broader environmental and climate resilience strategies. | Aligns greenspace investments with climate resilience goals, focusing on vulnerable communities to mitigate climate impacts and enhance equity. |
| Ordinances and resolutions | Codify specific goals and actions into enforceable laws or formal commitments by the city. | Establish legal mechanisms to prioritize equitable resource distribution, such as requiring funds or park projects to be allocated based on data-driven measures of need. Can include requirements for equity audits or transparency in implementation. |
| Zoning and land use regulations | Establish land use requirements, incentives, or standards to support greenspace goals through private development. | Enable equitable outcomes by requiring developers to contribute to greenspace in underserved areas, setting minimum greenspace standards for developments, and incentivizing affordable housing projects with integrated greenspace. Policies can also address inequities through inclusionary zoning or density bonuses linked to park access improvements. |
To drive meaningful change, policies must be designed with a clear focus on structural, procedural, and distributional equity. Structural equity ensures that greenspace policies address systemic barriers—such as land use patterns, historical disinvestment, and exclusionary zoning—that have contributed to disparities in park access. Procedural equity ensures that community members, particularly those from historically
underserved neighborhoods, have a meaningful voice in shaping policies and decisions that affect their access to greenspace. Distributional equity ensures that resources, funding, and park improvements are prioritized in the areas of greatest need, rather than being allocated based on existing advantages.
By embedding these equity principles into policy design, cities can ensure that greenspace investments do more than expand park access: They can help dismantle longstanding inequities, empower communities, and create healthier, more resilient urban environments for
all residents.
Ways to Integrate Equity Into Greenspace Decisions
- Develop cross-sector teams. Forming teams that include city departments, community organizations, and residents ensures greenspace policies address diverse needs. Collaboration helps align goals, pool resources, and create solutions that reflect local priorities.
- Engage the community. Authentic community engagement is essential for equitable greenspace development. Involve residents, especially those from underserved areas, in decision-making processes to ensure policies reflect their needs. Engaging the community builds trust and fosters shared ownership. TPL’s Common Ground Framework presents community engagement strategies, policy recommendations,
and research needs that can build community power through greenspace. - Direct resources toward areas of highest need. Use data that goes beyond park access alone, along with input from residents to identify neighborhoods with the greatest need for greenspaces, focusing on areas with historical underinvestment. Allocate funding and resources to these areas to close access gaps and improve health, safety, and environmental outcomes for underserved communities.
- Implement anti-displacement and equitable development strategies. Prevent displacement by pairing greenspace projects with policies such as affordable housing protections, rent stabilization, and community land trusts. Ensure new or improved greenspaces
benefit existing residents by integrating economic development opportunities, such as local hiring and small business support. Great Parks Should Not Uproot Communities reviews the growing literature on green gentrification and recommends promising strategies that public agencies and nonprofit organizations can take to limit displacement.
As cities work toward achieving CityHealth Greenspace medals, a few strategic considerations can help ensure that these policies are both impactful and resilient. This section outlines common challenges and solutions, the critical role of community engagement, and best practices for tracking and sharing progress.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Challenge:
Identifying Underserved and Disinvested Areas
Solution:
An equity-driven approach accounts for health disparities, environmental risks, and climate vulnerabilities that exacerbate inequities, as well as historical investment patterns. Start by looking at areas of climate vulnerabilities, such as heat islands, air quality, and flood risk; health indicators, such as asthma rates, diabetes rates, and community mental health; and economic indicators, such as income levels and car ownership. See where those areas overlap with poor park access and tree canopy. TPL’s ParkServe platform contains much of this information. You can also take a thoughtful look at where disinvestment has historically occurred by gathering key demographic, economic, and health-related data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many cities find value in working with local universities, nonprofit organizations, or health departments to source neighborhood-level data on race/ethnicity, income, chronic disease prevalence, and environmental stressors, such as heat and air quality. Mapping this data can clarify which areas lack equitable access to parks and trees.
Challenge:
Meeting the Needs of the Community
Solution:
Community engagement is essential for crafting greenspace goals that genuinely reflect the needs and aspirations of residents. Authentic and inclusive engagement ensures greenspace policies are effective, equitable, and rooted in community priorities.
- Prioritize inclusive engagement. Engagement efforts should proactively include historically marginalized
communities. Meet residents where they are by hosting events at local schools, cultural festivals, or places of worship. Use multilingual outreach and provide food, childcare, and stipends to remove participation barriers. These practices build trust and ensure everyone has an equal voice in shaping greenspace goals. - Center community expertise. Community members are experts on their lived experiences and the challenges their neighborhoods face. By integrating their insights into greenspace planning, cities can validate quantitative data and develop solutions that address real needs. For instance, residents might prioritize shaded pathways or culturally significant design elements.
- Empower residents as long-term partners. Rather than limiting participation to a single planning phase, foster ongoing collaboration with the community. Establish systems for regular feedback, train residents to engage in public processes, and support the formation of park stewardship groups. This approach ensures greenspace policies remain responsive to evolving needs and builds lasting community power.
Challenge:
Monitoring Progress
Solution:
Monitoring and reporting on greenspace policy progress is essential for maintaining momentum, fostering public trust, and achieving sustainable impact. Strong tracking mechanisms also enable cities to make informed adjustments to their policies based on real-time insights. Cities should implement a consistent and transparent process for measuring and sharing their progress that includes the following steps:
- Establish clear performance measures. Develop specific metrics to measure the progress of your park access, tree canopy, and investment goals. For example:
- Percentage of residents with access to a park within
a 10-minute walk - Annual per-capita spending on greenspace compared
with the national median - Tree canopy coverage increase in underserved neighborhoods
- Percentage of residents with access to a park within
- Regularly review and report progress. Set up scheduled reviews of greenspace goals and their impacts, such as annual or biannual assessments. Share findings with the public in formats that are accessible and user friendly, such as online dashboards, community
newsletters, or public meetings. - Promote transparency to build trust. Transparent reporting builds community trust and strengthens support for greenspace initiatives. Share both successes and challenges openly. Explain any policy adjustments, unexpected delays, or new approaches to address challenges, reinforcing the city’s commitment to continuous improvement. Public dashboards, interactive maps, and quarterly progress reports are all ways to help residents visualize changes, understand data, and stay informed.
Incorporating these considerations will not only strengthen greenspace policies but also ensure that they are truly responsive to the needs of all residents, particularly those in underserved areas. Thoughtful planning for challenges, engagement, and progress tracking will help cities create greenspace policies that contribute to equitable, sustainable, and vibrant communities.
