COVID-19 has significantly and unevenly impacted the United States, disproportionately affecting socially vulnerable communities. While epidemiologists and public health officials have suggested social distancing and shelter-in-place orders to halt the spread of this virus, the ability to comply with these guidelines is dependent on neighborhood, household, and individual characteristics related to social vulnerability. We use structural equation modeling and multiple data sources, including anonymized mobile phone location data from SafeGraph, to examine the effects of different social vulnerability and built environment factors on COVID-19 prevalence over two overlapping time periods (March to May and March to November of 2020). We use Chicago, Illinois as a case study and find that zip codes with low educational attainment consistently experienced higher case rates over both periods. Though population density was not significantly related to the prevalence in any period, movement of people made a significant contribution only during the longer time period. This finding highlights the significance of analyzing different timeframes for understanding social vulnerability. Our results suggest social vulnerability played an influential role in COVID-19 prevalence, highlighting the needs to address socioeconomic barriers to pandemic recovery and future pandemic response.

Asian American-serving nonprofits were on the forefront to help immigrant Asian American homeowners during the recession, particularly those with limited English proficiency. Yet, we know little about the experiences of these organizations, as they are relatively understudied in the nonprofit literature. We triangulated interviews with 14 Asian American-serving nonprofits providing housing counseling services with organizational tax records to advance theory on their roles and impacts. Our findings reveal that although Asian American nonprofits played an important role in serving limited English-speaking clients overlooked by other nonprofits during the recession, they struggled to provide comprehensive assistance and remain solvent. Asian American nonprofits used diverse troubleshooting strategies, including seeking certifications, diversifying funding sources, and creaming. Adopting more holistic funding criteria and encouraging greater collaboration among nonprofits serving immigrants would help Asian American nonprofits become more resilient.

This paper summarizes findings from a nationwide survey of degree-seeking urban planning students regarding the climate for diversity within their degree programs. This study examines interactions within the classroom, with faculty, with peers, and with professional planners. From May to October 2016, we surveyed 451 students and conducted in-depth interviews with 25 students. Our results show that while the majority of students report a positive climate for diversity within their programs, many still report occurrences of bias and discrimination, describe the shortcomings of a lack of planning faculty diversity, and perceive persistent challenges around diversity within planning practice.

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