Vouchering out distressed subsidized developments - Does moving lead to enhanced feelings of safety?

When families are provided with Section 8 vouchers or certificates, with mo derate counseling and no program requirements as to where they should move, how far will they move and how successful will the moves be in terms of at taining greater feelings of safety? This article offers some answers to the se questions through analysis of the experiences of households relocated fr om four distressed privately owned subsidized developments in Baltimore, Ne wport News, Virginia; Kansas City, Missouri; and San Francisco. Even though many of the residents chose to remain in the same area, most improved thei r situation in terms of safety by moving. The overwhelming majority reporte d that they felt safer at their new location, noting a lower incidence of c rime, better neighbors, less loitering, and better security features. Thus, this article contends that inner-city families need not make long-distance moves toward the suburbs to enhance their sense of security.