It’s a civic resource, an index of inequality, and a requirement for public health. Shade should be a mandate for urban designers.

Interesting story about urban shade. Early in the article are some interesting history tidbits like

You might imagine that transit planners call the shots — strategically placing shelters outside grocery stores and doctors’ offices on high-frequency routes, according to community need — but Los Angeles, like many cities, has outsourced the job. The first thousand shelters were installed in the 1980s by billboard companies in exchange for the right to sell ad space, and they tended to show up in wealthy areas where ad revenue surpassed maintenance costs. 2