Sustainable DC

Abstract

Over the past three decades, sustainability has earned a growing importance in city planning and policy decisions. Planners often champion sustainable development as the model framework for achieving social, economic and environmental objectives. However, sustainability in practice is less about striking the perfect balance between these three components than it is about building livable cities. In 2011, Washington DC launched the Sustainable DC initiative. This vision sought to identify focus areas and goals for making the District "the healthiest, greenest and most livable city in the United States" by 2030. The purpose of this thesis is to understand ways in which the city can ensure a high quality of life for residents as it works to implement the Sustainable DC initiative. This research examined relationships between the physical environment and socioeconomic characteristics of residents across DC neighborhoods to make recommendations for implementing Sustainable DC.