Creating Neighborhoods: Physical Environment, Resident Involvement, and Crime at a Revitalized Housing Project

Author: Wendy S. Meister

Dissertation School: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Abstract:
Through a $40 million Urban Revitalization Demonstration Implementation Grant from HUD, the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) will revitalize Hillside Terrace, a housing project in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. HACM will introduce some new programs, but approximately $30 million will be used to alter the physical environment. The revitalization plan for Hillside Terrace centers on the introduction of 12 neighborhoods. The site design and improvements for Hillside Terrace's neighborhoods are based on general practices associated with design for public housing projects. More frequently than not, the basis for the general design practices in public housing have been theoretical. Even when public housing designs are based on research, the completed design is rarely evaluated.

The objective of this dissertation research is to evaluate if creating neighborhoods, through changes to the physical environment, can contribute to meeting HACM's goals of reducing crime and increasing resident involvement. There is some evidence to suggest that changing the physical environment can spur resident involvement, which can reduce crime. HACM feels that the creation of the 12 neighborhoods will facilitate increased resident involvement as well as reduce crime. Therefore, this study seeks to: 1) determine if the physical environment contributes to the safety and security of residents; 2) determine if the physical environment contributes to resident involvement; and 3) examine if there is a relationship among physical environment, resident involvement, and safety and security of residents.

This study's sample will be selected in a two-step process. Revitalization of the first neighborhood at Hillside Terrace was recently completed. Therefore, using a matched constructed control, this new neighborhood will be matched with two other neighborhoods that have not undergone any physical design changes. These neighborhoods will be matched for crime rates and other physical and demographic characteristics that may contribute to crime.

Once the neighborhoods are selected, a stratified random sample, using criteria associated with crime and victimization, will be used. Approximately 90 residents 12 years and older (or 40 percent of each of the three neighborhoods' population) will be interviewed regarding crime at Hillside Terrace and regarding the resident's involvement in organized activities at Hillside. The residents will only be interviewed once, but the interview will focus on the previous 12 months. Crime will have three different measures, both archival and reported. Resident involvement will have two measures and these data will be archival and reported. Each measure will analyzed, in relationship to the environment, separately as well as in combination.

Hillside Terrace provides an outstanding opportunity for documenting and analyzing the contribution and errors associated with physical environment changes. This dissertation research would be of value to HUD as a preventative measure to replicating design error. Additionally, this study would be beneficial for generating recommendations to other housing authorities, particularly when housing authorities are changing the physical environment with hopes of 1) improving safety and security and 2) increasing resident participation.

Back to Search Result of DDRG Dissertations