Evaluating accessibility using house-level data: A spatial equity perspective

This paper presents a framework for evaluating house-level accessibility to urban services based on detailed geo-referenced socio-demographic census data. The framework is applied to assess spatial equity regarding the accessibility of individuals and social groups to urban parks in the city of Tel Aviv. Availability of house-level data was found to be essential for identifying differential accessibility of social groups according to income and national-ethnic identity as well as for evaluating the validity of accessibility assessments based on traditional aggregated measurement at the administrative district level. Also discussed are data usability issues arising when employing local-scale geo-referenced census data, including the potential effect on decisions regarding allocation of local urban services as well as spatial equity practice and discourse.