Refuge in new food environments? The role of urban planning in facilitating food equity for new Americans

In the United States, resettled refugees arrive in designated resettlement cities where they can in theory start a new life with support systems in place. Although refugee resettlement agencies are the main point of contact upon arrival, agencies are mandated to work with refugees for 90 days. Traditionally, local governments have not had purposeful contact with resettled refugee populations, yet the policies they enact and built environments they shape impact the lives and health of resettled refugees in myriad ways. As resettled refugees adjust to new ways of life, local governments can support plans and policies that reinforce healthy lifestyles. Multiple studies show that, among resettled refugee populations, acculturation of diet leads to increased risk of chronic disease. Furthermore, resettled refugee populations may be especially susceptible to experiencing cultural and economic inequities that ultimately contribute to food disparities, possibly leading to detrimental health outcomes. We explore the extent to which local governments in major U.S. resettlement cities consider the needs of resettled refugee populations in planning, particularly in regard to how planning influences food security, nutrition, and food-related and health concerns. Using a mixed-methods approach, we first conduct a review of the comprehensive plans of 10 cities that resettled the most refugees between 2012 and 2016 to determine if and how local governments are planning for resettled refugee populations. With an in-depth case study of the city of Buffalo, we explore the nuances of the findings from the review of comprehensive plans. For this deep-dive case study, interviews and a focus group were conducted with refugees from Burma to gain an understanding of how local governments and civil society groups plan for new American populations, particularly in terms of their food and health. Results carry implications as to how local governments can better serve resettled refugee populations through comprehensive planning.