Development of heavy rail intra-urban public transportation systems is an economically expensive policy tool for State and Local Governments that is often justified with the promise of economic development and neighborhood revitalization around station areas. However, the literature on the effects of rail intra-urban transit stations on neighborhoods is relatively thin, particularly on the socioeconomic effects. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effect of heavy rail intra-urban transit stations on surrounding neighborhoods, using Atlanta, Georgia and its transit authority, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), as a case study. Atlanta is an expansive American city, with a large public transportation system, but low population density and no large-scale policies promoting growth around MARTA rail stations. The study period, 1970 to 2014, covers the entire period of MARTA’s existence – stations opened between 1979 and 2000. Neighborhood change was operationalized with a neighborhood change index (NCI), built on the Neighborhood Life-Cycle framework, with an adaptation that incorporates both the filtering (negative NCI) and gentrification (positive NCI) models of neighborhood change. The study differentiates between an initial effect of new MARTA rail stations, and a long-term effect. Control groups were formed using one and three mile buffers, as well as a matching strategy. Difference-in-difference (DID) models find very little evidence of a positive relationship of NCI with the opening of new MARTA rail stations. The economic recovery that began in 2010 is of special interest for housing research. To address this time-period this study utilized two models, with mixed results. The DID model suggested a negative effect of stations on the NCI. To control for selection bias in the 2010 to 2014 economic time-period, this study utilized propensity score matching to balance the treatment and control group on observed characteristics. A time and tract fixed effects model using the matched treatment and control groups found a significant positive effect of stations on neighborhood change. To test the long-term effect, a time and tract fixed effects model (1970-2014) with the NCI as the dependent variable found a positive NCI effect of MARTA stations on neighborhoods. Therefore, overall, positive neighborhood change (on the NCI scale) can be attributed to MARTA transit stations. Since 2002 MARTA ridership has slightly declined; therefore, the study concludes that given stagnant ridership, lack of supporting policy, and the finding of a positive relationship between MARTA transit stations and gentrification, the stations are a positive amenity, and are a significant contributor to neighborhood change. However, neighborhoods are heterogeneous on many dimensions, and the effect of rail intra-urban transit stations on neighborhoods may depend on the tract’s location, service characteristics, accessibility, and many other unobserved characteristics. Future research will supplement this methodology with additional data and compare the effect of intra-urban transit stations on neighborhood change in other cities to better address potential neighborhood heterogeneity.

O presente trabalho é um estudo sobre a configuração do espaço penhense a partir, sobretudo, da consideração de práticas sociais que marcaram a história dessa porção da cidade de São Paulo. O entendimento desta problemática passa pela análise das continuidades e descontinuidades históricas e das relações de vizinhança, enquanto referência de vida de bairro, que deram à Penha certa originalidade em relação aos demais bairros de São Paulo. O período abrangido no estudo se estende desde a formação do patrimônio religioso e o estabelecimento da freguesia de Nossa Senhora da Penha, até a metropolização, momento de grande ruptura marcada pelo fim da vida de bairro na localidade. O estudo destaca três momentos: a constituição da Penha enquanto bairro rural; a constituição da Penha enquanto subúrbio; e a constituição da Penha enquanto bairro da cidade de São Paulo. A compreensão das transformações espaciais na Penha e de todo o conjunto acima descrito só é possível se realizam se tivermos em mente a cidade e seus processos (industrialização e urbanização) enquanto instauradores do modo de vida urbano. Com isso acreditamos também estar contribuindo para a compreensão do desenvolvimento urbano da cidade de São Paulo. / The present work is a study about the configuration of the penhense space from, over all, the consideration of social practices that marked the history of this portion of the São Paulo city. The agreement of this problematic pass through analysis of the historical continuities and discontinuities and the neighborhood relations, while reference of neighborhood life, that had given to Penha some originality in relation to others neighborhood of São Paulo. The period enclosed on the study extends since the formation of the religious patrimony, establishment of the Nossa Senhora da Penha parish, until the metropolization, moment of large rupture marked for the end of the neighborhood life in the locality. The study point out three moments: the constitution of Penha while rural neighborhood; the constitution of Penha while suburb; and the constitution of Penha while neighborhood of the São Paulo city. The comprehension of the space transformations on the neighborhood of Penha and all set described above have only accomplished if we have in mind the city and its processes (industrialization and urbanization) while founders of the urban way of living. With this we also believe to be contributing for the understanding of the urban development of the city of São Paulo.

O presente trabalho é um estudo sobre a configuração do espaço penhense a partir, sobretudo, da consideração de práticas sociais que marcaram a história dessa porção da cidade de São Paulo. O entendimento desta problemática passa pela análise das continuidades e descontinuidades históricas e das relações de vizinhança, enquanto referência de vida de bairro, que deram à Penha certa originalidade em relação aos demais bairros de São Paulo. O período abrangido no estudo se estende desde a formação do patrimônio religioso e o estabelecimento da freguesia de Nossa Senhora da Penha, até a metropolização, momento de grande ruptura marcada pelo fim da vida de bairro na localidade. O estudo destaca três momentos: a constituição da Penha enquanto bairro rural; a constituição da Penha enquanto subúrbio; e a constituição da Penha enquanto bairro da cidade de São Paulo. A compreensão das transformações espaciais na Penha e de todo o conjunto acima descrito só é possível se realizam se tivermos em mente a cidade e seus processos (industrialização e urbanização) enquanto instauradores do modo de vida urbano. Com isso acreditamos também estar contribuindo para a compreensão do desenvolvimento urbano da cidade de São Paulo. / The present work is a study about the configuration of the penhense space from, over all, the consideration of social practices that marked the history of this portion of the São Paulo city. The agreement of this problematic pass through analysis of the historical continuities and discontinuities and the neighborhood relations, while reference of neighborhood life, that had given to Penha some originality in relation to others neighborhood of São Paulo. The period enclosed on the study extends since the formation of the religious patrimony, establishment of the Nossa Senhora da Penha parish, until the metropolization, moment of large rupture marked for the end of the neighborhood life in the locality. The study point out three moments: the constitution of Penha while rural neighborhood; the constitution of Penha while suburb; and the constitution of Penha while neighborhood of the São Paulo city. The comprehension of the space transformations on the neighborhood of Penha and all set described above have only accomplished if we have in mind the city and its processes (industrialization and urbanization) while founders of the urban way of living. With this we also believe to be contributing for the understanding of the urban development of the city of São Paulo.

A presente dissertação discute o modo de vida camponês, o processo e as características que propiciam a reprodução dessa classe e, em particular, os camponeses de Ribeirão Branco-SP. O trabalho aborda o conceito de campesinato e, por meio da análise de caso, destaca os aspectos que entremeiam a unidade de produção camponesa e a maneira como ela se insere, através de relações não capitalistas, na sociedade contemporânea. / This dissertation discusses the peasant way of life - the process and the characteristics that allow the reproduction of this class and, in particular, the peasants of Ribeirão Branco-SP. The work deals with the concept of peasantry and makes case analysis in order to highlight the aspects that intertwine peasant production unit and how it fits into, through non-capitalist relations in contemporary society.

A presente dissertação discute o modo de vida camponês, o processo e as características que propiciam a reprodução dessa classe e, em particular, os camponeses de Ribeirão Branco-SP. O trabalho aborda o conceito de campesinato e, por meio da análise de caso, destaca os aspectos que entremeiam a unidade de produção camponesa e a maneira como ela se insere, através de relações não capitalistas, na sociedade contemporânea. / This dissertation discusses the peasant way of life - the process and the characteristics that allow the reproduction of this class and, in particular, the peasants of Ribeirão Branco-SP. The work deals with the concept of peasantry and makes case analysis in order to highlight the aspects that intertwine peasant production unit and how it fits into, through non-capitalist relations in contemporary society.