How might social inequality influence local government decisions to adopt green building incentives or mandates? Extant research has considered the influence that political homophily, environmental activism, and pressure groups play in the spread of sustainability policies. But to what extent do concerns over environmental justice motivate local government adoption of green building, development, and remodeling programs? This study begins to disentangle these questions by asking: do cities within regions with higher levels of social inequality adopt green building policies less frequently than those in areas of lower inequality? Using national survey data, we find measures of wealth and "reformed" government positively influence the use of green-building tools, while regional income inequality dampens these effects.
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