Publication Date
Summer 2026
Collection
Public Administration Student Scholarship and Projects
Abstract
This case study explores how environmental conditions structure economic mobility in San Antonio, Texas. Three ZIP codes from urbanized areas within the city were used to conduct this study: 1)Near Northwest Area [78228] 2)Alamo Heights Area [78209] 3)Inwood Area [78248] While economic mobility is often associated with income, education, and employment, this study argues that place-based environmental conditions also influence whether communities have access to economic opportunity and advancement. Using a comparative case study approach, this research analyzes differences in poverty, household median income, educational attainment, heat vulnerability, environmental burden, and access to green infrastructure across the three ZIP codes. The findings show that the Near Northwest Area [78228] faces overlapping social and environmental vulnerabilities compared to the other two areas. This case study argues that green infrastructure should be understood as mobility infrastructure because it can reduce heat exposure, improve air quality, create safer outdoor spaces, and support healthier neighborhood conditions. Overall, the case study shows that economic mobility is shaped not only by individual effort, but also our surrounding, place-based ecological environment.
Document Type
Article
Format
Size
50 pages
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Guerrero, Maria Fernanda, "Stuck in the Heat: A Case Study looking at Green Infrastructure and Economic Mobility in San Antonio, Texas" (2026). Public Administration Institute. 2.
https://commons.stmarytx.edu/pascholarship/2
Included in
Behavioral Economics Commons, Environmental Policy Commons, Infrastructure Commons, Regional Economics Commons, Sustainability Commons