Higher-income and college-educated movers — and to a lesser degree, whites — appeared significantly more sensitive to changing crime levels in their housing decisions than other groups...That may reflect the fact...that lower-income families have more experience or confidence in their ability to navigate crime. Or it may suggest that attention to violence is a luxury in housing decisions that the poor and minorities may not have. A household facing racial discrimination, high housing costs or the need to be near supportive family members simply has fewer options — and less leeway to be choosy — than the higher-income, college-educated households that this research identifies.

As  Chicago braces for the results of a federal civil rights probe into its police practices, the commander hired just six months ago from outside the department to guide reforms abruptly left to become police chief of Oakland, Calif. Anne Kirkpatrick was tapped in June in a surprise move by Superintendent Eddie Johnson. Three months earlier, Kirkpatrick was among three finalists for the superintendent's post in Chicago but was passed over in favor of Johnson.

Over the past 10 years, the crime rate has dropped in Bushwick and throughout the city. Yet fences continue to multiply. New typologies join the ranks. These urban border walls are symptoms of our larger political climate, with its ignominious distrust of the other and push toward privatization. So, how can we rethink the ways in which we inhabit our streets, engage with our neighbors and support safety through positive reinforcement? Can we begin to welcome each other into these interstitial areas, and break down cultural divisions through inhabiting the zone where streets and building meet? Can we create socially and ecologically productive street landscapes from chain link and wrought iron? 

The effects of human activity on the environment over the past few centuries have given rise to some of today's most pressing challenges. This article is the fifth in a five-part series outlining economic, ecological, political, and cultural strategies for creating a more sustainable and equitable world.

A new set of maps from the National Trust for Historic Preservation contributes a data-driven perspective to this complex issue. The Atlas of ReUrbanism charts 50 U.S. cities by the “character” of their building stock. That’s a charged word in urbanist circles; here, “character” is an equally weighted measure of the median age of buildings, the diversity of age of the buildings, and the size of buildings and parcels, according to an accompanying report. What’s revealing is how the geography of “high-character” blocks—where the building stock is mostly smaller, older, but also mixed in age—intersects with affordability and density, as measured by Census data. Older stock “serves as unsubsidized, ‘naturally’ affordable housing,” the report’s authors writes.

There will be buzz about the planned Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Striking new buildings will open along the Chicago riverfront and the Evanston lakefront. And Frank Lloyd Wright will re-enter the spotlight with the restoration of his Unity Temple in Oak Park and a major New York exhibition sparked by the 150th anniversary of his birth. There will be plenty of architecture action, in short, during the first few months of 2017. Here's a preview of what's ahead...

The $50,000 portable container can be plopped just about anywhere. It comes tricked out with a 3kW solar-powered electrical system, WiFi, water pump, drip irrigation materials, basic tools, and a greenhouse. It also includes training materials on farming technology, maintenance, business, and sustainable growing methods. Additional options let buyers customize their kit with components designed for their climate or usage, including systems for cold storage and water purification.