An Exploratory Study of Environmental Stress in Four High Violent Crime Cities: What Sets Them Apart?

Understanding the social contexts of violent crime remains controversial in the literature. In the current study, we examine common social contexts in four cities (Houston, TX, Baltimore, MD, Jackson, MS, Wilmington, DE). Data were examined in two studies. In the first, each city was compared to national county-level data on health outcomes. In the second, communities within the four cities were examined for correlates of crime. Results suggest that some common social contexts emerge: high STD rates, air pollution, single-parent homes, insufficient food resources and sleep, residential segregation, housing cost burdens, comparatively few older adults and comparatively more females, were common among the four high-violence cities. By contrast, all four cities unexpectedly had uncommonly low suicide rates compared to the national average. At the community level, unemployment, community stress, median household income, and population density all correlated with criminal outcomes. High-violence cities tended to have higher proportions of Black residents, however community level evaluations suggested that class-related issues, not race per se, was correlated with violent crime.

Housing Cost Burden and Well-Being in Older Adults Moderated by Neighborhood Cohesion and Disorder

Although aging in the community promotes well-being in older adults, contextual factors (e.g., housing cost burden, neighborhood cohesion, neighborhood disorder) may impact this relationship. Identifying such risk factors represents a first step toward improving older adult well-being. NHATS data (Rounds 5–8) were used to answer two research questions (RQs). RQ1: “Is housing cost burden significantly associated with well-being?” RQ2: “Is this association further moderated by neighborhood cohesion and neighborhood disorder?” Participants were 18,311 adults ≥ 65 years old. Well-being was assessed by summing 11 commonly identified indicators. Two items were merged to assess housing cost burden (categories: “no burden,” “no money for utilities,” “no money for rent,” and “no money for utilities or rent”). Neighborhood cohesion and disorder were combined (categories: “no cohesion, no disorder,” “yes cohesion, no disorder,” “no cohesion, yes disorder,” and “yes cohesion, yes disorder”). Both RQs were assessed through a random coefficient model controlling for established covariates. RQ1 results revealed that, compared to “no burden,” “no money for utilities or rent” (B = −1.22, p = .003) and “no money for rent” (B = −1.50, p = .007) were significantly associated with well-being. RQ2 results revealed that “no cohesion, no disorder” significantly moderated the association between “no money for utilities or rent” and well-being (B = −2.44, p = .011). These results indicate that increased housing cost burden is associated with decreased well-being, especially for those reporting no neighborhood cohesion. Future research should examine neighborhood-level protective factors promoting cohesion for older adults to support well-being.

The Light Houses of Kashmir

Home is a basic necessity for everyone and becomes one the critical challenges faced by the developing countries. India is currently facing a shortage of about 17.6 million houses and the situation is no different in Kashmir if not more prominent owing to the geographical and climatic conditions of the valley. Presently in Kashmir, We witness that the Middle income groups, low income groups and economically weaker sections of the society, which are growing in size, are struggling to have their own houses. Concrete and steel housing cost a fortune so low cost and sustainable buildings are much needed in Kashmir. Low Cost Housing’ refers to those housing units which are affordable by that section of society where income is below MHI (Median Housing Income). It includes the use of construction methods that are cost effective, innovative and environment friendly and allow for a speedy construction. The paper deals with the present and the future trends about low cost housing materials and technologies in Kashmir. These technologies & materials, if implemented, can reduce the present housing problems up to some extent. Keywords: AAC, GFRG, filler slabs, SPW, CEB

Housing Cost Burdens and Parental Support for Young Renters in South Korea

In Korea, the housing issues faced by young renters negatively impact both their parents and themselves. This study aimed at exploring young renters’ situations whereby they receive financial support from their parents in order to pay current housing expenses, and their perception of housing cost burdens. Additionally, this study examined the influences on the reception of parental support and their perceived housing cost burdens. In February and March of 2021, an online questionnaire survey was conducted amongst young renters living independently from their parents and 385 responses from Jeonse renters and monthly renters with deposits in private rental housing units were analyzed. The major findings are as follows: (1) among the subjects, 43.4% had experienced receiving parental support in order to pay for housing expenses since their first instance of independent living, and 35.6% were still receiving parental support. (2) A discriminant model with a linear combination of the variables of age, income, residential location and rental deposit was found effective in predicting the receipt of parental support with 66.5% accuracy. (3) A linear combination of the variables of gender, rental deposit and monthly cash housing expenses was found to explain 5.8% of the total variance of perceived housing cost burdens. The results imply the necessity to expand the provision of public housing and housing subsidies to alleviate the financial burdens of young renters and their parents.

Assessment of residential housing choices, quality, and affordability in Calabar Metropolis, Southern Nigeria

Purpose of the study: This paper examined the housing quality, its affordability as well as the housing choices which residents of Calabar can make. Housing needs in the city continue to rise in response to rapid urbanization rates and thus lead to high housing demands. Methodology: About 384 questionnaires were distributed randomly within six purposively delineated housing districts in Calabar with a 78 percent success rate. The stratification covered all the housing types, from the low to medium and the high classes. The coordinates of respondents were also collected for spatial analyses in which the inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation method was used to create housing choice maps in the identified districts of the city. The Chi-square statistics were used to test the statistical significance of the created contingency tables. Main Findings: Significant relationship exist between housing affordability and housing quality ((f) = 11.463, p-value = 0.022 (p < 0.05)), and between average monthly income and expenditure on rented residential housing in Calabar ((f) = 539.473, p-value = 0.000 (p < 0.05)). Housing in the metropolis is not affordable to about 80% of residents who expend more than 30% of their income on housing. Applications of this study: This study helps shape the policy direction of government in housing provision and such, encourage private developers in the sector. Novelty/Originality of this study: Previous studies only addressed housing cost and provision, not a choice, quality, and affordability. This is the first study to address residential housing choices, quality, and affordability in the Calabar metropolis, involving a cross-sectional survey questionnaire. The results will be helpful to developers, homebuyers, and policymakers alike towards affordable housing delivery in Calabar and others. African cities.

Beyond renovation: Addressing Europe’s long housing crisis in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

This commentary reflects on the potential of European Union institutions to address the continent’s crisis of housing affordability, which was well underway before the COVID-19 pandemic and has been exacerbated in its wake. Despite having no direct competencies in housing policy, European Union norms and policies shape housing conditions in significant ways. The greater level of public spending on housing renovation enabled by the 2021–2027 multiannual financial framework and NextGeneration European Union funding signals a welcome shift away from austerity. However, investment alone is not enough to advance the right to housing and may even reinforce existing inequalities. Plans like the Renovation Wave and the Affordable Housing Initiative must strive not only for climate neutrality but also for housing cost and tenure neutrality. Beyond pandemic recovery plans, this commentary argues that a more thorough departure from the market-based approach underlying the European Union’s institutionality is needed to tackle the roots of the current housing problematic.

Housing Cost Dependence on Transport Accessibility Territory

The study the housing cost dependence on the transport accessibility of the territory of the city will improve the efficiency of the route network and will lead to a reduction in overall transportation costs. The research algorithm consisted of the following stages: data on transport accessibility were systematized; calculation of time costs assessed transport accessibility by city zones; the dependence of the cost per square meter on the time cost of movement is obtained. When assessing the impact of transport accessibility on the housing cost it is important to pay attention to the remoteness from the central part of the city, the proximity of highways, the system of access roads; the proximity of public transport stops with a large number of routes connecting different zones.