Americans Are Lonely and Disconnected. Better Civic Spaces Can Help.

We need more welcoming public places where people can connect in person — high-quality, well-maintained parks, trails, libraries and community centers. Investing in them is good for us and good for democracy.

Americans have never been lonelier; studies show we are more disconnected and distrustful than ever before.

Many argue that we must address loneliness to counter its negative effects on our physical and mental health, but loneliness isn’t just bad for us as individuals — it’s bad for American communities. When we look back on this period decades from now, I believe that a lack of social connection will be revealed at the root of many of our economic, cultural and social problems, including our faltering democracy.

Read the full OpEd in Governing Magazine.