Improving neighborhood quality: A hierarchy of needs

A sample of 306 residents of New Jersey stratified by type of neighborhood was gathered in order to measure the association of residents' ratings of n eighborhood quality with neighborhood attributes and residents' characteris tics. Poor neighborhood quality was strongly associated with crime/vandalis m and physical decay, as well as with mistrust of authority, negative emoti ons, pessimism, and a lack of sense of mastery of the environment. The policy implications of these findings are important. First, improving s chools, controlling locally unwanted land uses, and improving other neighbo rhood conditions will help improve neighborhood quality only if crime and b light are controlled. Second, many residents of poor and fair quality neigh borhoods mistrust authority, including the local officials and potential in vestors who will spearhead neighborhood redevelopment. This destructive for m of mistrust must be addressed.