My research project will focus specifically on the street blocks in downtown Allentown that were demolished for construction of the new hockey arena. I aim to use public access eviction cases, tax assessor data, and census data, combined with qualitative conversations with local residents and government officials to reach an understanding of who was living in these homes, who was evicted, and how the evictions were enforced. Using GIS and other spatial software, I can create visual representations of the change in demographics after the construction, as well as mark the locations that changed.

Mentor: Sara Vigneri  

Community Partner: Allentown Voice

Lillian was born in Allentown, PA. She studies Math and Computer Science at Brown and hopes to utilize her skills in problem-solving and systems-level thinking to tackle the housing crisis in Allentown. She wants to pursue a career in Urban Planning and believes that her background in Math and Computer Science will give her a unique lens through which to pursue Urban Planning.