A Place for Life:

As in other pandemics, COVID-19 has reminded us of the importance of abundant, high-quality, and accessible public spaces, while simultaneously putting into sharp relief the disparities in availability and access to these. Because the pandemic requires people to remain in their dwellings, which for some are limited in size and lack appropriate outdoor spaces, the experience of the pandemic has been varied and unequal. These differences reveal themselves in familiar ways, along racial and class lines, further demonstrating the uneven ways cities develop in relation to density and housing. This chapter provides recommendations for planners, civic leaders, and communities to envision more equitable and accessible public places.