0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

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The effects of organizational linkages on the success of neighborhood organizations are explored. The focus is on linkages between neighborhood organizations and local governments. A contextual framework developed from existing literature on neighborhood organizations is presented, and is used to evaluate the case study material. The case studies indicate that the effects of linkages on the success of neighborhood organizations are varied. The effects of organizational linkages are reported and analyzed, and information is provided useful to the practicing local government planner and to neighborhood organizations. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Neighborhoods are organic entities that are in a state of constant change and are driven by the specific context of the problem being investigated. The subsequent lack of consensus on a universal geographic definition for what constitutes a neighborhood can lead to biased interpretations of relationships between human activities and place. Further, while existing geographical information system software allows users to combine a range of geographic objects to generate regional units of analyses, their design does not explicitly assess how changing patterns, such as populations, impact the data expressed within them. This research develops an exploratory geographical information system framework that allows users to dynamically delineate neighborhoods based on user-specified characteristics. These include socioeconomic and similar measurements of neighborhood classification from information obtained from secondary data sources, including parcel data, land use/land cover information, and attribute data provided by the United States Postal Service. The proposed methodology creates custom geographies from readily available tract data obtained from various federal and state data repositories to produce indices. By allowing the user to dynamically weigh the combinations of variables used to define their neighborhood, this thesis introduces a solution to a common analytical problem in the discipline.

This project thesis begins to close the gap between the lack of resources and support for many undocumented African immigrants in New England and their need to access multiple forms of assistance. It links my theological and biblical vision for neighborhood transformation with the philosophical framework of community building. It considers the meaning of community within the context of the Christian calling to build a community of strangers in a pluralistic society like the United States of America. The project thesis advocates the creation of community outreach programs focused on emotional support, legal support, and spiritual refuge for undocumented African immigrants, based on the theological notion of hospitality as a biblical practice. The project thesis concludes by spotlighting the vocational calling of African immigrants using Nehemiah, Ezra, and the contemporary Jewish community in the Diaspora as biblical and contemporary example.

This dissertation answers three research questions: "What differences and similarities exist among neighborhood associations in the United States, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea?," "What are the civic roles of neighborhood associations in apartment complexes in Seoul, South Korea?," and "What factors promote neighborhood associations to play civic roles in urban governance?" To answer the first question, this research analyzes the purposes, governance structures, roles, and legal substance of neighborhood associations by reviewing previous studies, public and legal documents, court cases in the U.S., and by conducting interviews. To answer the second and the third questions, a 2016 survey, "Understanding the Roles of Neighborhood Associations in Urban Governance" was conducted with 154 representatives of neighborhood associations in Seoul. Social capital theory, government failure theory, and third party government theory were used to create hypotheses that test proposed relationships about neighborhood interactions, community characteristics, and the civic roles played by neighborhood associations. The findings show that neighborhood associations have adopted several roles including service provider, partner in public service delivery for local government, and advocate for residents in urban governance. The findings also show that social capital created by neighborhood interactions and community characteristics facilitates neighborhood associations to play civic roles in urban governance.

My continued professional and personal interest in the functions and design of public parks influenced me to generate a project theses that explores various aspects of a park's development. My intent is summarized as follows: 1. investigation of social and physical aspects of public spaces in the urban environment 2. generation of a realistic project program based on the needs and desires of the specific user groups for a case study park site 3. application of a design methodology to the case study park site 4. development of a site design that meets program requirements 5. production of the working drawings necessary for the park's implementation to further investigate construction techniques This project thesis has little value as a contribution of significant information to the landscape architectural design profession. However, it served as a viable approach for specific and thorough investigation of public spaces and an application of a park in an urban situation.

I have always been fascinated by vertical living, especially in the dense Urban context. I wonder how families become neighbors and create a sense of neighborhood when under a single roof in a multifamily/ multi storied housing complex. Whereas the building also serves the various amenities to its dwellers. Vertical living plays a very significant role and is typically necessary for housing the dense population in the urban areas. However, with limited resources, the living standards in those situations are often compromised. While focusing on the built environment, the intangible essence of 'home' has been lost. The notion of home is missing when living vertically. The home is not only a place of shelter that protects us from the hostility of nature, provides security, safety and privacy but also is associated with one's memories, celebrations and interactions throughout our lives. These are the aspirations and invaluable assets in our life. The notion of home is seldom fulfilled without the sense of neighborhood. In a healthy neighborhood, streets are walkable, neighbors know each other, with diversity and mixed use, public open spaces accessible to all. My research focuses on those aspects of human aspirations regarding the built environment and strives to bring back those experiences of home and neighborhood to vertical living. / Master of Architecture / Vertical living plays a very significant role and is typically necessary for housing the dense population in the urban areas. But it often fails to respond to its context, place, culture and emotional aspects of its dwellers. Moreover, with limited resources, the living standards in those situations are also compromised. While focusing on the built environment, the intangible essence of 'home' has been lost. The home is not only a place of shelter that protects us from the hostility of nature, provides security, safety and privacy but also is associated with one's memories, celebrations and interactions throughout our lives. These are the aspirations and invaluable assets in our life. This notion of home is missing when living vertically. The notion of home and the sense of neighborhood are closely related to each other. The traits of a healthy neighborhood are- walkable streets, friendly neighbors, density, diversity and mixed land use, accessible public open spaces. 'Rethinking vertical living' focuses on those aspects of human aspirations regarding the built environment. The research strives to bring back the emotional aspects of human life regarding home and neighborhood, and to improve the living standard in vertical living.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Introduction: Attributes of the neighborhood-built environment are associated with self-reported physical activity, but only a few studies have concentrated on device-measured physical activity in Latin America. This study examines the associations of perceived neighborhood-built environment attributes, device-measured sedentary time, and light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in adults from 8 Latin American countries. Methods: Data from Estudio Latinoamericano de Nutrición y Salud adult study, an observational multicountry study (N=2,478), were analyzed in 2020. Data were collected between 2014 and 2015. Perceived neighborhood-built environment attributes were measured using the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Survey. Sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity data were collected using accelerometers. Results: No associations between perceived neighborhood-built environment attributes and sedentary time were found. Positive perceptions of walking/cycling facilities (β=6.50, 95% CI=2.12, 10.39) were associated with more light-intensity physical activity. Perceptions of better aesthetics (Argentina) and better walking/cycling facilities (Brazil and Ecuador) were positively associated with light-intensity physical activity. Land use mix–diversity (β=0.14, 95% CI=0.03, 0.25), walking/cycling facilities (β=0.16, 95% CI=0.05, 0.27), aesthetics (β=0.16, 95% CI=0.02, 0.30), and safety from traffic (β=0.18, 95% CI=0.05, 0.24) were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Land use mix–diversity, street connectivity, and safety from traffic were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in Venezuela. Conclusions: These findings have implications for policy recommendations, which can guide policies to promote physical activity in the region. Land use mix–diversity, walking/cycling facilities, aesthetics, and safety from traffic can maintain or increase the levels of light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among Latin American adults.