The following research, prepared by faculty in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University at Buffalo, offers timely insight into several issues magnified by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and guidance for potential socio-political solutions which can be used to address them.  Taylor for example courageously offers introspection from within and outside of the academic setting by reflecting on its racist past while considering how higher education can position itself to help lay a foundation for a more democratic society.  This work may give hope to progressives interested in applying lessons from our nation’s history as we continue to struggle with white supremacy following the police murder of George Floyd.  Taylor encourages us to partner with recent civil strife and center the building of more neighborly and just communities around combatting the inequities faced by people of color.

Other common themes related to social justice emerged from research conducted by faculty.  A shared sentiment among all is that federal, state, and local governments responded shortsightedly to the coronavirus pandemic with regards to issues like vulnerabilities and inequities surrounding public health.  Gregg for example focuses on the pedestrianization of streets before, during, and after the pandemic.  Precedents like that of Chicago’s parking concessions are considered against the debate surrounding how to manage a commons such as curb space.  This research implies that reactive actions which allocate public right of ways for the ‘economic survival’ of private interests undermine democratic processes and that any reallocation of shared space must serve the greater public good.

Rather than succumb to pessimism, faculty like Hess have considered public good during the pandemic by focusing research through a positive lens on the evolution and resilience of gay neighborhoods in the United States.  Hess curiously explores the connections between recent lockdowns and concepts such as closeting- faced by many non-heterosexual people.  It is posited that space and place will continue to matter in the coming years though they will likely take on different meanings like how brick and mortars have ‘gone dark’ as residents continue physical distancing and redefining social gathering.

Valuable to the profession, we learn from faculty such as Raja that planning should seek to become more comprehensive by forming bonds and allyship across sectors and disciplines if it is to create greater solutions to the problems faced by our communities.  The COVID-19 pandemic did much to reveal and make worse pre-existing inequities and thus the research presented by our faculty comes at an appropriate time when the nation is imagining how to make use of new infrastructure funds provided through President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.  If heeded, the advice and encouragement from our faculty can help planners, designers, decision makers, activists, and advocates think more creatively about infrastructure and challenge the narrative that lucrative pursuits of physical infrastructure should come before planning for human care and dignity.