Research

My research broadly examines the spatial structure of urban areas, with a focus on access outcomes for disadvantaged population groups — low-wage workers, single-parent households, welfare recipients, immigrants, and those with limited mobility (such as younger and older adults).

My current projects on access and equity include:

Housing Affordability and The Commute

The affordable housing crisis in many metropolitan areas limits neighborhood choice, potentially pushing low-income and households of color away from job-rich cities and high-quality neighborhoods into outlying areas, where housing is cheaper but accessing jobs (and other destinations) by any means, and particularly via public transit, is more difficult. In this context, I have been analyzing the availability of affordable housing that meets the incomes of workers (jobs-housing fit) and commute distance.

Automobile Ownership and Use

Automobiles afford travelers many benefits; however, they also impose significant direct costs on families, the burden of which is heaviest on low-income households and households of color. To better quantify this burden, I have been studying racial and income disparities in automobile debt and delinquency in California.

Gendered Dimensions of Travel

The persistence of the gender division of household labor means that women remain largely responsible for both work and household-serving travel. Consequently, women’s travel tends to be more complex than men’s, a topic I am analyzing related to childcare travel, transit use, trip chaining, and activity spaces.

Effects of Transportation Equity Pilot Programs

There are numerous transportation equity pilot programs in California. Many of these programs offer low-income households subsidized access to clean, fuel vehicles. In collaboration with staff and students at the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, I am involved in evaluating a number of these programs, including BlueLA (electric carshare) and the Mobility Wallet, one component of LA’s Universal Basic Mobility Program.

Improving Access to Opportunities and Destinations

Many families experience significant transportation barriers (i.e. the lack of an automobile, long public transit travel times) greatly limiting their access to destinations and, consequently, their quality of life.  My previous scholarship centered on the relationship between employment access, transportation, and job outcomes.  My current work in this area focuses on transportation and access to schools.