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• 11. [Article] Household Water Demand and Land Use Context: A Multilevel Approach

  Urban water use arises from a mix of scale-dependent biophysical and socioeconomic factors. In Portland, Oregon, single-family residential water use exhibits a tightly coupled relationship with summertime ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Household Water Demand and Land Use Context: A Multilevel Approach Author: Breyer, Elizabeth Yancey Year: 2014 Urban water use arises from a mix of scale-dependent biophysical and socioeconomic factors. In Portland, Oregon, single-family residential water use exhibits a tightly coupled relationship with summertime weather, although this relationship varies with land use patterns across households and neighborhoods. This thesis developed a multilevel regression model to evaluate the relative importance of weather variability, parcel land use characteristics, and neighborhood geographic context in explaining single-family residential water demand patterns in the Portland metropolitan area. The model drew on a high-resolution panel dataset of weekly mean summer water use over five years (2001-2005) for a sample of 460 single-family households spanning an urban-to-suburban gradient. Water use was found to be most elastic with respect to parcel-scale building size. Building age was negatively related to water use at both the parcel and neighborhood scale. Half the variation in water use can be attributed to between-household factors. Between-neighborhood variation exerted a modest but statistically significant effect. The analysis decomposed household temperature sensitivity into four components: a fixed effect common to all households, a household-specific deviation from the fixed effect, a separate extreme heat effect, and a land use effect, where lot size exaggerated the effect of temperature on water use. Results suggested that land use planning may be an effective non-price mechanism for long-range management of peak demand, as land use decisions have water use implications. The combined effects of population growth, urbanization, and climate change expose water providers to risk of water stress. Modeling fine-grain relationships among heat, land use, and water use across scales plays a role in long-range climate change planning and adaptation. Title: Household Water Demand and Land Use Context: A Multilevel Approach Author: Breyer, Elizabeth Yancey Year: 2014 Urban water use arises from a mix of scale-dependent biophysical and socioeconomic factors. In Portland, Oregon, single-family residential water use exhibits a tightly coupled relationship with summertime weather, although this relationship varies with land use patterns across households and neighborhoods. This thesis developed a multilevel regression model to evaluate the relative importance of weather variability, parcel land use characteristics, and neighborhood geographic context in explaining single-family residential water demand patterns in the Portland metropolitan area. The model drew on a high-resolution panel dataset of weekly mean summer water use over five years (2001-2005) for a sample of 460 single-family households spanning an urban-to-suburban gradient. Water use was found to be most elastic with respect to parcel-scale building size. Building age was negatively related to water use at both the parcel and neighborhood scale. Half the variation in water use can be attributed to between-household factors. Between-neighborhood variation exerted a modest but statistically significant effect. The analysis decomposed household temperature sensitivity into four components: a fixed effect common to all households, a household-specific deviation from the fixed effect, a separate extreme heat effect, and a land use effect, where lot size exaggerated the effect of temperature on water use. Results suggested that land use planning may be an effective non-price mechanism for long-range management of peak demand, as land use decisions have water use implications. The combined effects of population growth, urbanization, and climate change expose water providers to risk of water stress. Modeling fine-grain relationships among heat, land use, and water use across scales plays a role in long-range climate change planning and adaptation. Close

• 12. [Article] Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices

  The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate tools to assist Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program participants in the Portland, OR, metro region with considering transportation needs and options ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices Author: Tremoulet, Andrée, Dann, Ryan, Adkins, Arlie Year: 2016 The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate tools to assist Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program participants in the Portland, OR, metro region with considering transportation needs and options when making decisions about where to live. The project consists of two elements: development of a set of tools in collaboration with the four metro-area housing authorities, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the tools. The four housing authorities conceptualized and initiated this project, and then selected our team to fully design and complete it. Transportation costs are typically a household’s second-largest expense after housing and, on average, account for about one-fifth of household spending. Low-income households are especially burdened by transportation costs, with low-income households spending up to two times as much of their income on transportation than higher-income households (Litman, 2013). Thus, reducing transportation costs is likely to have a disproportionately positive effect on the budgets of low-income households, both because of the share of their budgets it claims and because they have little to no discretionary resources to absorb higher transportation costs without impacting their ability to purchase other essentials, such as food and health care. Title: Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices Author: Tremoulet, Andrée, Dann, Ryan, Adkins, Arlie Year: 2016 The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate tools to assist Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program participants in the Portland, OR, metro region with considering transportation needs and options when making decisions about where to live. The project consists of two elements: development of a set of tools in collaboration with the four metro-area housing authorities, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the tools. The four housing authorities conceptualized and initiated this project, and then selected our team to fully design and complete it. Transportation costs are typically a household’s second-largest expense after housing and, on average, account for about one-fifth of household spending. Low-income households are especially burdened by transportation costs, with low-income households spending up to two times as much of their income on transportation than higher-income households (Litman, 2013). Thus, reducing transportation costs is likely to have a disproportionately positive effect on the budgets of low-income households, both because of the share of their budgets it claims and because they have little to no discretionary resources to absorb higher transportation costs without impacting their ability to purchase other essentials, such as food and health care. Close

• 13. [Article] Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Forecasts 2014 to 2045

  Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Forecasts 2014 to 2045 Author: Rynerson, Charles, Rancik, Kevin Christopher Year: 2014 Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties have obtained this information periodically on an individual basis, a complete and systematic set of estimates and forecasts for all members of the Regional Water Providers Consortium has not been prepared for nearly 10 years. The Portland Water Bureau (PWB), on behalf of the Regional Water Providers Consortium, requested that the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC) update service area boundaries and prepare population, housing unit, and household estimates and forecasts for the water service areas of the municipalities and water districts in the Consortium, as well as the wholesale customers of the PWB that are not Consortium members. A report issued in February 2014 described the process of collecting and reviewing boundaries for each provider and preparing estimates for each year from 1990 to 2013. This report includes a brief description of the procedures, methodologies, and data sources used to prepare forecasts of population, household population, housing units, households, persons per household, and vacancy rates for each year from 2014 to 2045. These data items are consistent with Census Bureau definitions, which are included in a Glossary on page 8. Appendix A contains summaries of the forecasts for all service areas for 2035 and 2045, and Appendix B contains annual forecasts in a one page profile for each service area. Title: Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Forecasts 2014 to 2045 Author: Rynerson, Charles, Rancik, Kevin Christopher Year: 2014 Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties have obtained this information periodically on an individual basis, a complete and systematic set of estimates and forecasts for all members of the Regional Water Providers Consortium has not been prepared for nearly 10 years. The Portland Water Bureau (PWB), on behalf of the Regional Water Providers Consortium, requested that the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC) update service area boundaries and prepare population, housing unit, and household estimates and forecasts for the water service areas of the municipalities and water districts in the Consortium, as well as the wholesale customers of the PWB that are not Consortium members. A report issued in February 2014 described the process of collecting and reviewing boundaries for each provider and preparing estimates for each year from 1990 to 2013. This report includes a brief description of the procedures, methodologies, and data sources used to prepare forecasts of population, household population, housing units, households, persons per household, and vacancy rates for each year from 2014 to 2045. These data items are consistent with Census Bureau definitions, which are included in a Glossary on page 8. Appendix A contains summaries of the forecasts for all service areas for 2035 and 2045, and Appendix B contains annual forecasts in a one page profile for each service area. Close

• 14. [Article] How Affordable is HUD Affordable Housing?

  This paper assesses the affordability of HUD rental assistance properties from the standpoint of transportation costs. HUD housing is, by definition, affordable from the standpoint of housing costs due ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: How Affordable is HUD Affordable Housing? Author: Ewing, Reid, Hamidi, Shima Year: 2015 This paper assesses the affordability of HUD rental assistance properties from the standpoint of transportation costs. HUD housing is, by definition, affordable from the standpoint of housing costs due to limits on the amounts renters are required to pay. However, there are no such limitations on transportation costs, and common sense suggests that renters in remote locations may be forced to pay more than 15 percent of income, a nominal affordability standard, for transportation costs. Using household travel models estimated with data from 15 diverse regions around the U.S., we estimated and summed automobile capital costs, automobile operating costs, and transit fare costs for households at more than 18,000 HUD rental assistance properties. The mean percentage of income expended on transportation is 15 percent for households at the high end of the eligible income scale. However, in highly sprawling metropolitan areas, and in suburban areas of more compact metropolitan areas, much higher percentages of households exceed the 15 percent threshold. This suggests that locational characteristics of properties should be considered by HUD when establishing eligibility for rental assistance subsidies. Title: How Affordable is HUD Affordable Housing? Author: Ewing, Reid, Hamidi, Shima Year: 2015 This paper assesses the affordability of HUD rental assistance properties from the standpoint of transportation costs. HUD housing is, by definition, affordable from the standpoint of housing costs due to limits on the amounts renters are required to pay. However, there are no such limitations on transportation costs, and common sense suggests that renters in remote locations may be forced to pay more than 15 percent of income, a nominal affordability standard, for transportation costs. Using household travel models estimated with data from 15 diverse regions around the U.S., we estimated and summed automobile capital costs, automobile operating costs, and transit fare costs for households at more than 18,000 HUD rental assistance properties. The mean percentage of income expended on transportation is 15 percent for households at the high end of the eligible income scale. However, in highly sprawling metropolitan areas, and in suburban areas of more compact metropolitan areas, much higher percentages of households exceed the 15 percent threshold. This suggests that locational characteristics of properties should be considered by HUD when establishing eligibility for rental assistance subsidies. Close

• 15. [Article] Moving to Location Affordability? Housing Choice Vouchers and Residential Relocation in the Portland, Oregon, Region

  Location affordability measures a household’s combined cost of housing and transportation. Low-income households have the most to gain from housing with lower transportation costs. This research analyzes ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Moving to Location Affordability? Housing Choice Vouchers and Residential Relocation in the Portland, Oregon, Region Author: Tremoulet, Andrée, Dann, Ryan, Adkins, Arlie Year: 2016 Location affordability measures a household’s combined cost of housing and transportation. Low-income households have the most to gain from housing with lower transportation costs. This research analyzes whether Housing Choice Voucher Program households—participants in a program designed to provide low-income households with a greater degree of housing choice—are able to choose housing that lowers their transportation costs in a metropolitan region with a compact, vital urban core. A mixed-methods approach is used to investigate the differences in location affordability and efficiency among 2,026 voucher recipients who moved within the Portland, Oregon, region during 2012–2013. Location mattered to movers, but in some unexpected ways. Urban movers relocated to less location efficient areas, whereas suburban movers’ location efficiency remained stable. In tight housing markets, voucher holders may be edged out of location-efficient neighborhoods and thus incur increased transportation costs. Title: Moving to Location Affordability? Housing Choice Vouchers and Residential Relocation in the Portland, Oregon, Region Author: Tremoulet, Andrée, Dann, Ryan, Adkins, Arlie Year: 2016 Location affordability measures a household’s combined cost of housing and transportation. Low-income households have the most to gain from housing with lower transportation costs. This research analyzes whether Housing Choice Voucher Program households—participants in a program designed to provide low-income households with a greater degree of housing choice—are able to choose housing that lowers their transportation costs in a metropolitan region with a compact, vital urban core. A mixed-methods approach is used to investigate the differences in location affordability and efficiency among 2,026 voucher recipients who moved within the Portland, Oregon, region during 2012–2013. Location mattered to movers, but in some unexpected ways. Urban movers relocated to less location efficient areas, whereas suburban movers’ location efficiency remained stable. In tight housing markets, voucher holders may be edged out of location-efficient neighborhoods and thus incur increased transportation costs. Close

• 16. [Article] Study Design of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Large-scale Distribution of Cook Stoves and Water Filters in Western Province, Rwanda

  Background: In Rwanda, pneumonia and diarrhea are the first and second leading causes of death, respectively, among children under five. Household air pollution (HAP) resultant from cooking indoors with ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Study Design of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Large-scale Distribution of Cook Stoves and Water Filters in Western Province, Rwanda Author: Nagel, Corey L., Kirby, Miles, Zambrano, Laura D., Rosa, Ghislaine, Barstow, Christina K., Thomas, Evan A., Clasen, Thomas Year: 2016 Background: In Rwanda, pneumonia and diarrhea are the first and second leading causes of death, respectively, among children under five. Household air pollution (HAP) resultant from cooking indoors with biomass fuels on traditional stoves is a significant risk factor for pneumonia, while consumption of contaminated drinking water is a primary cause of diarrheal disease. To date, there have been no largescale effectiveness trials of programmatic efforts to provide either improved cookstoves or household water filters at scale in a low-income country. In this paper we describe the design of a clusterrandomized trial to evaluate the impact of a national-level program to distribute and promote the use of improved cookstoves and advanced water filters to the poorest quarter of households in Rwanda. Methods/Design: We randomly allocated 72 sectors (administratively defined units) in Western Province to the intervention, with the remaining 24 sectors in the province serving as controls. In the intervention sectors, roughly 100,000 households received improved cookstoves and household water filters through a government-sponsored program targeting the poorest quarter of households nationally. The primary outcome measures are the incidence of acute respiratory infection (ARI) and diarrhea among children under five years of age. Over a one-year surveillance period, all cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI) and diarrhea identified by health workers in the study area will be extracted from records maintained at health facilities and by community health workers (CHW). In addition, we are conducting intensive, longitudinal data collection among a random sample of households in the study area for in-depth assessment of coverage, use, environmental exposures, and additional health measures. Discussion: Although previous research has examined the impact of providing household water treatment and improved cookstoves on child health, there have been no studies of national-level programs to deliver these interventions at scale in a developing country. The results of this study, the first RCT of a large-scale programmatic cookstove or household water filter intervention, will inform global efforts to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality from diarrheal disease and pneumonia. Title: Study Design of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Large-scale Distribution of Cook Stoves and Water Filters in Western Province, Rwanda Author: Nagel, Corey L., Kirby, Miles, Zambrano, Laura D., Rosa, Ghislaine, Barstow, Christina K., Thomas, Evan A., Clasen, Thomas Year: 2016 Background: In Rwanda, pneumonia and diarrhea are the first and second leading causes of death, respectively, among children under five. Household air pollution (HAP) resultant from cooking indoors with biomass fuels on traditional stoves is a significant risk factor for pneumonia, while consumption of contaminated drinking water is a primary cause of diarrheal disease. To date, there have been no largescale effectiveness trials of programmatic efforts to provide either improved cookstoves or household water filters at scale in a low-income country. In this paper we describe the design of a clusterrandomized trial to evaluate the impact of a national-level program to distribute and promote the use of improved cookstoves and advanced water filters to the poorest quarter of households in Rwanda. Methods/Design: We randomly allocated 72 sectors (administratively defined units) in Western Province to the intervention, with the remaining 24 sectors in the province serving as controls. In the intervention sectors, roughly 100,000 households received improved cookstoves and household water filters through a government-sponsored program targeting the poorest quarter of households nationally. The primary outcome measures are the incidence of acute respiratory infection (ARI) and diarrhea among children under five years of age. Over a one-year surveillance period, all cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI) and diarrhea identified by health workers in the study area will be extracted from records maintained at health facilities and by community health workers (CHW). In addition, we are conducting intensive, longitudinal data collection among a random sample of households in the study area for in-depth assessment of coverage, use, environmental exposures, and additional health measures. Discussion: Although previous research has examined the impact of providing household water treatment and improved cookstoves on child health, there have been no studies of national-level programs to deliver these interventions at scale in a developing country. The results of this study, the first RCT of a large-scale programmatic cookstove or household water filter intervention, will inform global efforts to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality from diarrheal disease and pneumonia. Close

• 17. [Article] Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Estimates 1990 to 2013

  Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Estimates 1990 to 2013 Author: Rynerson, Charles, Rancik, Kevin Year: 2014 Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties have obtained this information periodically on an individual basis, a complete and systematic set of estimates and forecasts for all members of the Regional Water Providers Consortium has not been prepared for nearly 10 years. The Portland Water Bureau (PWB), on behalf of the Regional Water Providers Consortium, requested that the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC) update service area boundaries and prepare population, housing unit, and household estimates and forecasts for the water service areas of the municipalities and water districts in the Consortium, as well as the wholesale customers of the PWB that are not Consortium members. This report includes a brief description of the procedures and methodologies used to update the boundaries and prepare estimates for each year from 1990 to 2013. The Appendix contains these estimates in detail for each provider. A future report will include population, housing unit, and household forecasts for each year from 2014 to 2045. Title: Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Estimates 1990 to 2013 Author: Rynerson, Charles, Rancik, Kevin Year: 2014 Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties have obtained this information periodically on an individual basis, a complete and systematic set of estimates and forecasts for all members of the Regional Water Providers Consortium has not been prepared for nearly 10 years. The Portland Water Bureau (PWB), on behalf of the Regional Water Providers Consortium, requested that the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC) update service area boundaries and prepare population, housing unit, and household estimates and forecasts for the water service areas of the municipalities and water districts in the Consortium, as well as the wholesale customers of the PWB that are not Consortium members. This report includes a brief description of the procedures and methodologies used to update the boundaries and prepare estimates for each year from 1990 to 2013. The Appendix contains these estimates in detail for each provider. A future report will include population, housing unit, and household forecasts for each year from 2014 to 2045. Close

• 18. [Article] Tools for Assisting Low-Income Households with Finding Location-Efficient Housing

  Through a previously funded research project, Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices, our team developed a toolkit to assist households utilizing Section 8 Housing ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Tools for Assisting Low-Income Households with Finding Location-Efficient Housing Author: Tremoulet, Andrée Year: 2016 Through a previously funded research project, Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices, our team developed a toolkit to assist households utilizing Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with finding location-efficient/affordable housing. These tools are currently in use by the region’s four public housing authorities (PHAs). This technology transfer project provided the tools to social service providers who work with voucher recipients in the Portland region and provided a presentation on research findings and policy implications to transportation researchers, professionals and students. Specific activities included: • In-person presentations to groups of social service providers in three counties (four presentations total) who provide case management and other intensive social services for households with low incomes. • A TREC-sponsored presentation/webinar as part of the TREC Friday Transportation Seminar series In addition, final edits were completed on a manuscript included in Housing Policy Debate’s special issue on location-affordable housing. Additional research was begun on a manuscript for submission to the Transportation Research Board. Title: Tools for Assisting Low-Income Households with Finding Location-Efficient Housing Author: Tremoulet, Andrée Year: 2016 Through a previously funded research project, Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices, our team developed a toolkit to assist households utilizing Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with finding location-efficient/affordable housing. These tools are currently in use by the region’s four public housing authorities (PHAs). This technology transfer project provided the tools to social service providers who work with voucher recipients in the Portland region and provided a presentation on research findings and policy implications to transportation researchers, professionals and students. Specific activities included: • In-person presentations to groups of social service providers in three counties (four presentations total) who provide case management and other intensive social services for households with low incomes. • A TREC-sponsored presentation/webinar as part of the TREC Friday Transportation Seminar series In addition, final edits were completed on a manuscript included in Housing Policy Debate’s special issue on location-affordable housing. Additional research was begun on a manuscript for submission to the Transportation Research Board. Close

• 19. [Article] Use, Microbiological Effectiveness and Health Impact of a Household Water Filter Intervention in Rural Rwanda-A Matched Cohort Study

  Unsafe drinking water is a substantial health risk contributing to child diarrhoea. We investigated impacts of a program that provided a water filter to households in rural Rwandan villages. We assessed ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Use, Microbiological Effectiveness and Health Impact of a Household Water Filter Intervention in Rural Rwanda-A Matched Cohort Study Author: Kirby, Miles A., Nagel, Corey L., Rosa, Ghislaine, Umupfasoni, Marie Mediatrice, Lyakaremye, Laurien, Thomas, Evan A., Clasen, Thomas F. Year: 2017 Unsafe drinking water is a substantial health risk contributing to child diarrhoea. We investigated impacts of a program that provided a water filter to households in rural Rwandan villages. We assessed drinking water quality and reported diarrhoea 12–24 months after intervention delivery among 269 households in the poorest tertile with a child under 5 from 9 intervention villages and 9 matched control villages. We also documented filter coverage and use. In Round 1 (12–18 months after delivery), 97.4% of intervention households reported receiving the filter, 84.5% were working, and 86.0% of working filters contained water. Sensors confirmed half of households with working filters filled them at least once every other day on average. Coverage and usage was similar in Round 2 (19–24 months after delivery). The odds of detecting faecal indicator bacteria in drinking water were 78% lower in the intervention arm than the control arm (odds ratio (OR) 0.22, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0.10–0.39, p < 0.001). The intervention arm also had 50% lower odds of reported diarrhoea among children <5 than the control arm (OR = 0.50, 95% CrI 0.23–0.90, p = 0.03). The protective effect of the filter is also suggested by reduced odds of reported diarrhoea-related visits to community health workers or clinics, although these did not reach statistical significance. Title: Use, Microbiological Effectiveness and Health Impact of a Household Water Filter Intervention in Rural Rwanda-A Matched Cohort Study Author: Kirby, Miles A., Nagel, Corey L., Rosa, Ghislaine, Umupfasoni, Marie Mediatrice, Lyakaremye, Laurien, Thomas, Evan A., Clasen, Thomas F. Year: 2017 Unsafe drinking water is a substantial health risk contributing to child diarrhoea. We investigated impacts of a program that provided a water filter to households in rural Rwandan villages. We assessed drinking water quality and reported diarrhoea 12–24 months after intervention delivery among 269 households in the poorest tertile with a child under 5 from 9 intervention villages and 9 matched control villages. We also documented filter coverage and use. In Round 1 (12–18 months after delivery), 97.4% of intervention households reported receiving the filter, 84.5% were working, and 86.0% of working filters contained water. Sensors confirmed half of households with working filters filled them at least once every other day on average. Coverage and usage was similar in Round 2 (19–24 months after delivery). The odds of detecting faecal indicator bacteria in drinking water were 78% lower in the intervention arm than the control arm (odds ratio (OR) 0.22, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0.10–0.39, p < 0.001). The intervention arm also had 50% lower odds of reported diarrhoea among children <5 than the control arm (OR = 0.50, 95% CrI 0.23–0.90, p = 0.03). The protective effect of the filter is also suggested by reduced odds of reported diarrhoea-related visits to community health workers or clinics, although these did not reach statistical significance. Close

• 20. [Article] Safety in Maize: Subsistence Agriculture in a Zapotec Migrant Town

  Subsistence maize production has long been a dominant economic activity of households in Santiago Apóstol, a Zapotec community in the Central Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. A baseline study from 1973 documents ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Safety in Maize: Subsistence Agriculture in a Zapotec Migrant Town Author: Gladstone, Fiona Joy Year: 2014 Subsistence maize production has long been a dominant economic activity of households in Santiago Apóstol, a Zapotec community in the Central Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. A baseline study from 1973 documents a regionally pervasive form of household level agriculture whereby cultivators prioritize land for subsistence maize above commercial crops. Since then, much has transformed the face of rural Mexico, including migration to the United States. Migration accelerated beginning in the 1970s as a response to government disinvestment in maize, but it may also be a new force of cultural and economic change impacting agriculture. The question arises, has migration modified longstanding subsistence agricultural practices centered on local varieties of rainfed maize? If not, what might explain the continuities and changes in agricultural practice observed? Ethnographic land use and maize consumption surveys among 19 migrant headed households conducted in Santiago Apóstol in the summer and winter of 2012 indicate that mean production of maize remains equivalent to that documented in the late 1960s, suggesting that migration has not engendered a generalized shift to commercial crops. Potential explanations for the persistent use of rainfed, local maize among migrant headed households are drawn from a mixed methods methodology involving triangulated analyses of household economic data, land tenure arrangements, perceptions of environmental change, participant observation, and archival research. Triangulated analyses allow speculation on linked human environmental changes in the landscape that may have reinforced use of a traditional, rainfed grain crop. Title: Safety in Maize: Subsistence Agriculture in a Zapotec Migrant Town Author: Gladstone, Fiona Joy Year: 2014 Subsistence maize production has long been a dominant economic activity of households in Santiago Apóstol, a Zapotec community in the Central Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. A baseline study from 1973 documents a regionally pervasive form of household level agriculture whereby cultivators prioritize land for subsistence maize above commercial crops. Since then, much has transformed the face of rural Mexico, including migration to the United States. Migration accelerated beginning in the 1970s as a response to government disinvestment in maize, but it may also be a new force of cultural and economic change impacting agriculture. The question arises, has migration modified longstanding subsistence agricultural practices centered on local varieties of rainfed maize? If not, what might explain the continuities and changes in agricultural practice observed? Ethnographic land use and maize consumption surveys among 19 migrant headed households conducted in Santiago Apóstol in the summer and winter of 2012 indicate that mean production of maize remains equivalent to that documented in the late 1960s, suggesting that migration has not engendered a generalized shift to commercial crops. Potential explanations for the persistent use of rainfed, local maize among migrant headed households are drawn from a mixed methods methodology involving triangulated analyses of household economic data, land tenure arrangements, perceptions of environmental change, participant observation, and archival research. Triangulated analyses allow speculation on linked human environmental changes in the landscape that may have reinforced use of a traditional, rainfed grain crop. Close