Green Schoolyard Investments and Urban Equity: A Systematic Review of Economic and Social Impacts Using Spatial-Statistical Methods

The aim of urban green schoolyard projects is to make environments more appealing, make learning easier, and promote health. However, their wide-ranging effects on society and the economy, especially on equity, displacement, and changes in neighborhoods, are still not well understood. This systematic review brings together empirical research that use quantitative spatial methods (hedonic pricing, difference-in-differences, participatory GIS) to look at the economic and equity effects of green schoolyard investments in the US, Europe, and Australia. There is evidence that property values go up by 2% to 5% in cities like Denver and Los Angeles. However, these benefits often only help wealthy neighborhoods, which raises concerns about displacement in areas where tenants don't have enough rights. On the other hand, examples from Amsterdam and Singapore show that combining green schoolyards with public ownership and strict housing rules can lead to more fair outcomes. National policies that put health and accessibility first also have an impact on the social effects of greening. Ongoing problems include unclear performance standards, a lack of long-term statistics, and not enough attention being paid to non-market outcomes like child development and social cohesion. Not having enough social protections can have unanticipated effects, like gentrification. This study shows how important it is to have research and policy frameworks that focus on fairness and include people from many different fields. To get the most out of green schoolyards for society, we need to use open science, a variety of viewpoints, and a lot of community interaction. In the end, policies that consider environmental, economic, and social issues should guide investments in green schoolyards.