Why is neighborhood important

He says that "The functional space they no longer occupy creates either a crisis or an opportunity. Medicine has claimed our health. Police have claimed our safety. Schools have claimed the raising of our children. Social services have claimed the provision of care. And corporations have claimed that everything we need can be bought. There is a nice website of the same name. I am reading the book now. While some of the arguments sound idealistic and even romantic, I think the authors have seized on key dimensions urban neighborhoods, and why they have been important from the earliest cities to the present.

Returning the McKnight's article, here are the "Seven functions that only effectively organized neighborhoods can provide": Health. Neighborhood in Bungamati, Nepal Safety. Safety is a local issue, and two of its major determinants are the number of neighbors one knows by name and the extent to which people are present and interacting in the public space near home.

McKnight is drawing on both Jane Jacobs her stress on "eyes on the street" and Robert Sampson whose relevant concept is "collective efficacy" , two of the top experts on urban neighborhoods. See Jacobs and Sampson Environment and resources. Vibrant neighborhoods contribute to resource conservation in many ways.

Also, if you have younger children, you might want to avoid a home on a busy street. Some homebuyers enjoy the convenience of being able to walk or take a short drive to restaurants, shops, theaters or similar attractions.

If going out multiple times a week is part of your current or desired lifestyle, the distance to entertainment can be an influential factor in your home purchase. Natural areas could be a big plus, especially if you enjoy walking, running and biking. If you buy a home with a large natural lot, get ready for many weekends filled with yardwork. However, HOAs can seem too restrictive to some homeowners, who might prefer the freedom of updating their home without asking an association for permission or being subject to surprise special assessments when major community renovations are needed.

But assessing out-of-state areas can be tougher, which is why you might want to consult a nationally recognized evaluation guide or rankings before you move. Here are a few worth considering:. There are many other online rankings available from a variety of sources that focus on the best places to raise a family, top school districts, best business climate and much more.

A couple of ways to anticipate livability change include:. Figuring out your own livability priorities before you start a serious home search will be key to ensuring that the home you buy is one where you feel safe at and can enjoy for many years to come.

Bob Musinski has written about a variety of financial-related topics — including personal and business loans, credit cards and personal credit — for publications such as U. News and World Report. He has worked as an editor and reporter for multiple publications and an international wire service.

You can follow him on twitter bobmusing. She has won several national and state awards for uncovering employee discrimination at a government agency, and how the financial crisis impacted Florida banking and immigration.

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What Is Livability? Education For some families, making sure the home is in a highly rated school district can be the most important starting point for a home search. Safety The crime rate of a city or group of neighborhoods could be another key factor when deciding where to buy a home. Entertainment Some homebuyers enjoy the convenience of being able to walk or take a short drive to restaurants, shops, theaters or similar attractions.

Environment Natural areas could be a big plus, especially if you enjoy walking, running and biking. The recognition that comes from living in a certain neighbourhood, brings automatic access to niche social circles. Such places have residents and renters who care about the community and the space they live in. There is better support for clearing community issues. Be it the pothole on the road outside or an electric failure, things get taken care of in a jiffy, just for the name and reputation of the neighbourhood.

A great neighbourhood, can be easily identified by low or a declining crime rate. You have assured safety for you and your family. This keeps strangers from entering the premises without explicit permissions authorised by a resident. You know who goes in and out of the building and this prevents crime from happening. There are also police monitoring the roads and streets.

The streets are also equipped with CCTV security in a nice neighbourhood. Better neighbourhoods are sought after by educational institutions. The children are exposed to other kids from a similar background at such schools. These are usually located within walking distance or a short drive from home. The schools are not just good for your kids, but are great for property values in the neighbourhood too.

The house acquires good appreciation and resale value over the years. A good neighbourhood has access to emergency facilities like healthcare. They can be within a walking distance or within a short drive, but no farther than that. This is important for families that have children and the elderly in the family unit, as they are more prone to health issues.

While everyone has their own vehicles, it is important for a good neighbourhood to have access to public transport like the metro, railways, bus stand, and airport.