Site Elements Manual. Planning for Housing Security

摘要

Guidance is given for using effectively such housing project site elements as shrubs, trees, bushes, ground covers, walls, fences, slopes and beams, and manufactured items to provide a secure environment for residents. The site security analysis, for which this manual is a reference volume, analyzes the site to determine the extent to which it possesses characteristics generally associated with crime and the fear of crime. The analysis also examines the site to determine if it inhibits the development of supportive relationships among residents. To measure these factors, the site is examined according to the following criteria: (1) unassigned open spaces, which individuals or groups of residents have not claimed for their own use so that the spaces become vulnerable to misuse; (2) penetrability, which refers to how access to the site is structured and controlled; (3) ease of surveillance, which provides numerous opportunities for casual and formal surveillance of activities and space; (4) design conflicts, which occur when two incompatible areas of activity are located next to one another; and (5) encouragement of territoriality, which stimulates residents to take control of their immediate environment. Housing sites in more than 10 cities throughout the United States are analyzed according to these criteria. Appendices examine design considerations and plant hardiness zones. Suggested references and a bibliography are provided.