Neighborhood Upgrading examines the effectiveness of government-subsidized housing rehabilitation programs in reversing patterns of neighborhood decline. Varady takes a realistic look at the dilemma facing policy planners attempting to effect changes on a local level. His is the first study to assess the impact of neighborhood ethnic and social class changes on mobility and investment decisions. There has been little empirical research on neighborhood upgrading where improvement results from the efforts of existing residents aides by government assistance. Varady' study makes a major contribution in illuminating the variables of this process. Focusing on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Urban Homesteading Demonstration (UHD), he presents disturbing findings that are applicable to other neighborhood preservation programs such as the Neighborhood Housing Service (NHS) and the Community Development Block Grant Program. He argues that the future success of such programs lies in the ability of planners and policy makers to develop and implement policies addressing the issues that cause neighborhood decline—poverty, crime, and discrimination.

This report identifies lessons learned from implementation of a community-driven urban development initiative in Indonesia, the Neighborhood Upgrading and Shelter Sector Project (NUSSP), and the extent to which it contributed to improvements in service delivery and governance in six beneficiary communities. The NUSSP subprojects examined were found to be well implemented, with high levels of community participation in project planning, implementation, and monitoring. However, participation by women and poor villagers was relatively low. The subprojects did not significantly affect the quality of institutional arrangements for local service delivery lying outside the scope of the project.

Neighborhood Upgrading examines the effectiveness of government-subsidized housing rehabilitation programs in reversing patterns of neighborhood decline. Varady takes a realistic look at the dilemma facing policy planners attempting to effect changes on a local level. His is the first study to assess the impact of neighborhood ethnic and social class changes on mobility and investment decisions. There has been little empirical research on neighborhood upgrading where improvement results from the efforts of existing residents aides by government assistance. Varady' study makes a major contribution in illuminating the variables of this process. Focusing on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Urban Homesteading Demonstration (UHD), he presents disturbing findings that are applicable to other neighborhood preservation programs such as the Neighborhood Housing Service (NHS) and the Community Development Block Grant Program. He argues that the future success of such programs lies in the ability of planners and policy makers to develop and implement policies addressing the issues that cause neighborhood decline--poverty, crime, and discrimination.

This publication is a result of a 2-year innovative, exploratory, and reflective study of cities as unique urban spaces that support life, work, and play. It responds to major issues that affect the quality of life of urban residents. This publication offers practical ways on how urban managers, urban practitioners, businesspeople, and citizens can engage to make cities more livable by building on their distinctive physical, social, cultural, and economic characteristics. With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations, the book comes at the right time to offer integrated urban development solutions that can translate global development commitments into urban-level actions to achieve livable cities.