Mônica A. Haddad

Locational Choices of the Ethanol Industry in the Midwest Corn Belt

The Corn Belt has experienced a rapid expansion of corn-based ethanol plants. This has provided researchers the opportunity to examine the relative importance to the renewable fuels industry of several location factors previously identified as important to agro-industries. Using probit regressions, this study identifies the factors significant to ethanol firms’ location decisions in the four-state study area of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Nebraska. In Iowa and Illinois, where corn is largely ubiquitous, firms move beyond corn supply to consider other localized factors in their decision-making process. Factors such as rail access, population density, and proximity to blending terminals emerge as significant considerations. Probit regressions comparing states reveal the competitive advantages that each offers to ethanol firms. The importance of the findings to economic development professionals is discussed and areas for future research are suggested.

Review: A Framework for Geodesign: Changing Geography by Design

pedestrian paths, was “arguably Bacon’s most successful project, in terms of realizing a complete ‘design idea’” (Heller 2013, 134). Bacon also embraced what Heller refers to as a “policy entrepreneurship” approach to urban development. In other words, he was politically savvy and spent a great deal of time marketing and promoting his vision for the city and specific projects. Bacon realized that in his role as a city planner, he had limited power and control over the final outcome of projects, with ultimate decisions residing in the hands of privatesector developers, elected officials, or other agencies such as the city’s Redevelopment Authority. Thus, in order to achieve his vision, he understood that he had to gain buy-in from the public, sway decision makers, and effectively sell his ideas. To do so, Bacon invested time and energy in elaborate plans and models, participated in public forums, and tried to work closely with others involved in a project. The results of Bacon’s “entrepreneurial style” (Heller 2013, 88) were a mixed bag, according to Heller, illustrating both his success in marketing his ideas and his ultimate lack of power. Heller does often point out that Bacon demonstrated a keen adeptness at negotiation and compromise, key attributes of a planner interested in moving projects forward. The book and the story of Bacon’s career remind contemporary planners of the importance of a having a big vision, even if it is risky or pushes the boundaries, and the central role that selling a plan to the public and powerbrokers plays in implementation. Heller also discusses some lesser-known aspects of Bacon’s career, many of which foreshadow modern planning concerns. For instance, he was often a strong advocate for community engagement in planning, which was not the norm during the era of urban renewal. He also expressed, sometimes privately and more so after retirement, growing concern over the nation’s automobile dependence and advocated for more walkable, car-free urban spaces. Until the end of his life, Bacon was an ardent urbanist who advocated for more inclusive, functional, and livable urban spaces. Overall, Heller’s book provides an extensive and detailed history that provides an in-depth portrait of how Philadelphia’s iconic city planner, Ed Bacon, developed his approach to planning and development. The book debunks widely held beliefs about Bacon’s power and reconceptualizes his role as an advocate, savvy participant, and urban visionary. The book’s content is extremely well documented and provides the reader with a new perspective on many of the city’s rather famous midcentury plans and development projects. Aside from the rich historical narrative, which is valuable in and of itself, the book succeeds at making clear connections to contemporary planning practice. It reminds us of the importance of having a grand vision, understanding the political nature of planning and development, being able to communicate ideas, particularly for the physical form of the city, and selling the plan to the public and those in power. Heller’s book has very few weaknesses. The author could have situated the narrative more firmly within a broader framework of national urban renewal and post–urban renewal trends, but for most readers the context provided is sufficient and the book only adds richness and nuance to our broad knowledge of urban renewal–era planning and of Ed Bacon. Heller’s Ed Bacon: Planning, Politics, and the Building of Modern Philadelphia is a terrific contribution to the literature on planning history, the politics of urban planning and development, and the value of physical planning. The book adds to our broad understanding of the forces that have shaped our cities, particularly in the mid-twentieth century. It also speaks to the role that planners play in complex urban systems, wherein planners must navigate a web of actors that span the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and find strategies for influencing projects, policies, and decision making. The book is easily readable and accessible to a wide audience. While not a textbook on planning history, the book would make a good addition as supplemental reading or for student book review projects, particularly in courses on planning history, physical planning, or the politics of planning.

Decent Work and Social Protection in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

This article examines how beneficiaries of Brazil’s Bolsa Família (BFP) conditional cash transfer program find employment in a Brazilian municipality and assesses their participation in decent work. Using Belo Horizonte as a case study, researchers conducted a survey of BFP recipients. The article compares responses of informally and formally employed workers to assess how their employment meets the criteria of the decent work agenda. Results indicate no significant difference between perceptions of formal and informal employees concerning discrimination and poor working conditions. Findings lead to recommendations about formalization of employment, coordination with existing job training programs, child care, and transportation.

Cores and Peripheries: Spatial Analysis of Housing Choice Voucher Distribution in the San Francisco Bay Area Region, 2000--2010

Abstract This study uses spatial regressions and spatial statistics to examine the changes in the distribution of Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) households within an expanded San Francisco Bay Area region. From 2000 to 2010, the density of HCV households grew disproportionately across the region, and areas of significant increase emerged in both the region’s urban cores and its rural periphery. Furthermore, the destination communities shared a set of common characteristics. In 2010 HCV households were more likely to locate in areas with lower housing prices, lower percentages of educated people, higher rates of poverty, and higher percentages of African American households when compared with the region as a whole. These findings suggest that voucher holders locate where housing is affordable. We conclude that in regions with tight housing markets, supply matters. This study also introduces housing researchers and policy makers to a methodological approach that addresses what is known in geostatistics as a change of support problem.