The Social Equity Of Public Green Open Space Accessibility: The Case Of South Tangerang, Indonesia

Abstract

Public Green Open Space (PGOS) is widely known to provide many benefits for the well-being of urban community, especially the socially vulnerable. Achieving equitable PGOS access is crucial for the sustainability and livability of cities. This study aims to 1) observe the accessibility of PGOS and 2) investigate the social equity of PGOS access in South Tangerang, Indonesia. This study employed network-based accessibility analysis through GIS and constructed a green space access index at urban village level to observe the accessibility of PGOS for urban residents. Furthermore, statistical correlation tests were conducted to examine the social equity of PGOS access against socio-demographic variables. The spatiality of equity was explored by using Bivariate Moran’s I. The results found that in South Tangerang, PGOS access is unequal, showing 61.2% of residential areas being underserved. This study also found that PGOS access is higher in elite private neighborhoods. Furthermore, statistical tests showed that PGOS access is inequitable for the low-income group. As for the elderly and population density, PGOS access was found to be equitable. However, no correlation was found between children and PGOS access. Additionally, causes of inequality and inequity in PGOS access and its implications are further discussed. This study addresses several key policy implications for urban planners and specifically for the government of South Tangerang such as the need to reform PGOS planning & policy and developing alternative funding for PGOS.