The Good City Sidewalk

The provision of affordable, healthy food to low-income populations is as much an urban planning concern as it is a public health one, especially in a city like New York, plagued with unsettling health disparities and a widening income gap. This research seeks to explore how farmers markets can be used as planning tools for addressing issues of food inequity in urban contexts by providing underserved communities with fresh, affordable, culturally appropriate food. More specifically, this thesis assesses how GrowNYC Greenmarkets addresses issues of income inequality and food inequity in New York City through the analysis of several programs that enable the spending of federal food assistance at farmers markets. Through qualitative research methods and spatial analysis, this study identifies some of the remaining barriers and challenges that prevent disadvantaged populations from accessing affordable and healthy food. Finally, it argues that given GrowNYC’s proven capacity to engage with and serve low-income communities, Greenmarket should expand its programming to address the needs of those who fail to qualify for federal subsidy programs but struggle nevertheless to put healthy food on the table.