Department: Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
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1.
Alleva, Lauryn K.
Creating Safe Space for Immigrants: Exploring How Cincinnati Nonprofits Serving Latino Immigrants are Participating in Policy Change.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Immigration is a key policy issue in the United States today. Recent…
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▼ Immigration is a key policy issue in the United States today. Recent policies have been introduced throughout the country that have drawn national attention and made immigration reform and policy central to current political debate. In order to represent the best interests of the immigrant population, many nonprofit organizations have taken up the cause of immigration reform. This study explores how nine nonprofit organizations serving Latino immigrants are affecting policy change in Cincinnati, Ohio. This study finds that the organizations interviewed provide a wide range of needed services to the Latino immigrant population, including working to affect policy change. Many of the organizations are using educational initiatives, focused on increasing the Hispanic immigrant population’s ability to advocate on its own behalf or educating the population at large about the value of the Hispanic immigrant population, to participate in policy change. Interviewed nonprofit organizations are also facing several challenges in affecting policy change, including operating under financial constraints, oversight by umbrella organizations and the Catholic Church, and the hidden nature of the Latino immigrant population. Finally, this study finds that there is a network of nonprofit organizations working to affect policy change on behalf of the Latino immigrant population in Cincinnati, Ohio. A prime example of this collaboration is the No Deportations Coalition, a group of organizations (many interviewed for this study) uniting to facilitate policy change. The nonprofit organizations serving Latino immigrants in Cincinnati, Ohio are working to meet the needs of the population and represent the best interests of Latino immigrants in the policy arena. Their efforts are manifested as a collaborative network of nonprofit organizations advocating on behalf of a population in need. The shared goal of all interviewed organizations is to make Cincinnati a safe space for immigrants.
Advisors/Committee Members: Zapata, Marisa.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Nonprofit; Immigrant; Latino; Hispanic
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2.
Almobayyed, Mona.
Micro-enterprise for Women in Guatemala.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► This research reviews the efficiency of micro-enterprises in poverty alleviation and women’s…
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▼ This research reviews the efficiency of micro-enterprises in poverty alleviation and women’s empowerment in Tecpan, Guatemala. Additionally, this research looks at how women micro-entrepreneurs are participating and contributing directly to the community and the barriers to their success. Interviews and observations have led to contrasting results regarding poverty alleviation. On the one hand, participants suggest they feel economically stable and many are able to support their families on business profits alone. On the other hand, participants consistently state that low profits and sales are impediments to their success. However, micro-enterprises have beneficial impacts for development. Women entrepreneurs have gained power, sway and a voice in the community. Also, findings show micro-enterprises encourage women business owners to participate in the community. They are financial contributors and role models. Through groups, they play active roles in the community and facilitate essential development projects. In the past, development agencies have focused on providing loans to support women entrepreneurs. Findings, however, reveal that women no longer have issues accessing credit, and many do not even take out loans. Future efforts should address issues of business security and encourage intergenerational businesses.
Advisors/Committee Members: Looye, Johanna.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Microenterprise; Community development; Microfinance; Small business; Women in business; International development
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3.
Alzamil, Waleed.
Evaluate the Experiences of Governments in Dealing with Squatter Settlements in Middle East ”Comparative Analysis of Cases of Squatter Settlements in Egypt”.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Large cities in Middle Eastern countries, like much of the world, are…
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▼ Large cities in Middle Eastern countries, like much of the world, are characterized by rapid urban growth. Urbanization and urban growth often result in the proliferation of squatter settlements on the urban fringe. While squatter settlements provide a relief valve from pressure for housing very low income residents, they also create a complex array of physical, social, economic problems. In order to better understand how Middle Eastern governments can more effectively respond to squatter settlements, this thesis adopts an analytical approach and case study method to assess two such settlements in Egypt. Insight is gained by analyzing both the positive and negative outcomes of the Egyptian government’s response to squatter settlements. These insights are used to propose standards for scatter settlements that address the physical, social and economic needs of residents while addressing the problems posed by such settlements. This study found that in Egypt, much of the government’s response to squatter settlements has reflected a reactionary planning approach responding to popular pressure, media reports and donor requirements. The study found a lack of a comprehensive strategy based on regional approaches to problem-solving. Also, the Egyptian government's response to the need for housing very low income residents is focused only on the physical dimension of the problem at the expense of the social and economic dimensions, including the need for public participation, employment generation strategies, and comprehensive assessments of residents’ needs. This study recommends a balanced regional development strategy based on locally appropriate development standards and building codes, and a fair distribution of development resources to cities and villages throughout the country. Such an approach should be designed to reach as many of the country’s poor residents as is possible. This approach would allow greater flexibility to allow poor residents to build for themselves structurally sound housing using relatively inexpensive building materials. Such an approach can encourage the expansion of housing on the basis of a family’s needs and resources. In addition, additional research is needed on squatter settlements in Egypt in order to better understand existing patterns of development so that alternative models might be created.
Advisors/Committee Members: Auffrey, Christopher.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Evaluate; Experiences; Governments; Egypt; Squatter; Settlements
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4.
Badjo, Fati.
Sierra Leone: Analysis of the National Action Plan.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► This research critically analyzed Sierra Leone’s 2010 National Action Plan (SILNAP) that…
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▼ This research critically analyzed Sierra Leone’s 2010 National Action Plan (SILNAP) that was launched in June 2010 as a response of the United Nations Security Council’s Resolutions 1325 (UNSCR 1325). UNSCR 1325 was adopted unanimously on October 2000 and focuses on the consequences of conflicts on women and girls. It is also the first UN Security Council Resolution to formally link women to the peace and security process. As support for UNSCR 1325, the Security Council adopted UNSCR 1820 on June 19th, 2008 as its 5,916th meeting (Fritz, et al. 2011, p. 7). UNSCR 1820 confronts sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations. Sierra Leone encountered 11 years of conflict (1991-2002). The conflict left more than half of the population displaced and caused tens of thousands of deaths, thousands of amputations and abductions, and thousands of women coping with the aftermath of sexual violence (Coulter 2009, p. 31). Stressing the horrific atrocities of armed conflict on women and girls, UNSCR 1325 broadly demands that all governments, UN agencies, multilateral agencies, and civil society act in concert to intervene to meet women’s needs and concerns during conflict, post-conflict recovery, and peace building processes (SILNAP 2010, p. 2). Sierra Leone responded to the United Nations call and has published its NAP. This research used content analysis as its analytical tool. Twenty criteria were used by Fritz, Doering and Gumru (2011) to analyze the first sixteen NAPs based on UNSCR 1325. This research uses those 20 factors – that is, publication date, general organization, agents that led the NAP process, level of involvement of civil society, plan period, timeline for implementation, advertising/promotion, age sensitivity, gender perspectives, geographic/political level of specificity, priority areas, performance measures, reporting/feedback, financial allocation, and monitoring by civil society – to analyze the Sierra Leone National Action Plan. The research pointed out the efficacy and the importance of a National Action Plan for the implementation of UNSCRs. Many of the criteria in the Sierra Leone’s NAP (SiLNAP) seem to be mentioned and well developed (e.g., publication date, general organization, performance measures, priority areas). Even though the SiLNAP appears to be well developed, there is a lack of details about points in regard to implementing the plan. For instance, there is no precision about the number of times and the frequency of reports, conferences and workshops. Also, there are inadequate efforts to address gender issues, a lack of specificity about where the plan priorities will be implemented (Freetown, Boo, or elsewhere), and the unmatched plan budget framework is only for four years vis-à-vis the plan’s timeline of five years. This research’s findings are important because they contribute to the small amount of research about the UNSCRs (1325 & 1820) and also are a guide for countries that are planning to publish their NAPs. The research also can be useful to policymakers, citizens, activists, and researchers.
Advisors/Committee Members: Fritz, Jan.
Subjects: Area Planning and Development
Keywords: Sierra Leone; National Action Plan; Women and children in conflict; UNSCR 1325 1820; Content Analysis; SiLNAP
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5.
Bergh, Maria G.
Community Ecology: Social Capital in Public Space.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► Gentrification and social capital are loaded terms. Both promise increasing value through…
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▼ Gentrification and social capital are loaded terms. Both promise increasing value through tenure by rehabilitating existing, sustainable communities. Both concepts have failings. Gentrification offers revitalization by relinquishing the existing population as a priority. Social capital, on the other hand, suggests that neighborhood assets such as relationships and vacant space are inherently valuable, though this may develop from exclusion and insularity. The individual failings of gentrification and social capital are supplementary, opening opportunities between separated classes. Communities’ attitude towards this change can be described as resistive, redemptive, or transformative. These qualitative, subjective adjectives emerged from an analysis of the Price Hill group of neighborhoods in Cincinnati, referenced against successful methods of participatory design work from across the United States. Understanding a community’s attitude positions partnering professionals to empathize with the roots of concern and conflict. Following the precedent of successful practitioners provides a roadmap for engagement, easing the process of coming to understand a community’s needs. When common goals unite the professional and residents, social capital can be built alongside the physical project.
Advisors/Committee Members: Arefi, Mahyar.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: gentrification; social capital; participatory design; lower price hill; cincinnati; urban upgrading
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6.
Bhatia, Ghazal.
Determining Suitability for Integrating Ecologically Viable Private Open Space in an Urban Greenspace Network.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Sprawl is the new urban reality which is gradually engulfing the undisturbed…
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▼ Sprawl is the new urban reality which is gradually engulfing the undisturbed land within and surrounding urban areas. The loss of open spaces is being widely felt as can be seen by the large number of movements started by interest groups to protect open spaces, like The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Land Trust Alliance etc. These efforts to protect open space intervene at two levels, firstly, protecting and restoring open space within the existing built urban environment and secondly, protecting open space that exists at the suburban fringe falling under new developments. This research focuses on protecting the former i.e. urban open space existing within a built urban landscape. In an existing urban framework ecologically viable open space called as green space (for the purpose of this thesis) needs to be preserved because it has a role to play in the quality of life, human environment, and its sustainability and that it should be integrated in the urban planning process. The same has been proposed as an ecological perspective in city planning that involves building a connected network of open space within the existing built urban environment. It is not only necessary but also beneficial to utilize the undeveloped left over spaces as vibrant green space and make them act as important linkages to build an ecological network on privately owned land. This thesis has developed a twofold framework to carry out the above mentioned city-wide greenspace network. Firstly, a prototypical GIS model for selection of the key ecological urban green spaces is designed and applied using real data. Secondly, a framework analysis of existing planning tools is done to propose appropriate tools and techniques that will allow the physical and administrative integration of private green space into a connected green space network.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Greenspace Network; Landscape Ecology; Greenway Planning; Urban Open Space
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7.
Chamlee, Jason.
Financing Community Development: Attracting Investment Capital through the New Markets Tax Credit program.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► A major obstacle to community and urban redevelopment is the lack of…
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▼ A major obstacle to community and urban redevelopment is the lack of investment capital due to market failures, high risks, and unattractive investment returns. The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program was established by the Federal Government in 2000 in order to attract private capital to low-income communities by offering tax credits as an enhancement to investor returns. The program provides resources for low-income communities through the tax code, rather than direct subsidy, in order to engage the private sector in community development activity. This research project examines four NMTC investment funds in Cincinnati, Ohio as case studies that illustrate the different ways in which the program can be used to attract investment capital. It answers questions concerning how the investments funds are structured, the benefits of each structure type, and the effectiveness of the NMTC program for achieving community development objectives. The research finds that the NMTC program has been an extremely effective method of attracting private investment for community development financing in Cincinnati, generating $324 million of investment with $51.5 million of tax credits. Leveraged and “bottom-up” investment structures offer more flexibility in the financing stage, but are restrictive in project type. Conversely, non-leveraged and “top-down” investment structures are restrictive in financing sources, but provide greater flexibility for project types. Financing through the NMTC program is largely led by private for-profit and non-profit organizations, employing investment measures and underwriting techniques to ensure that projects are financially feasible and sustainable. The program also facilitates public-private partnership, obtaining private investment for public redevelopment projects such as parks and squares. The research also reinforces the existence of program biases toward real estate projects and large, sophisticated CDEs.
Advisors/Committee Members: Romanos, Michael.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: community development; development financing; economic development; tax credits; real estate investment; public-private partnership
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8.
Cheng, Yuqiong.
Urban Villages in China: Issues from Rapid Urbanization and Society Transformation.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Urban villages have emerged as a unique phenomenon in China, resulting from…
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▼ Urban villages have emerged as a unique phenomenon in China, resulting from rapid urbanization, and then they affect the development of Chinese cities. This thesis analyzes urban villages in China, their characteristics and existing renewal efforts, and tries to investigate proposed solutions to improve their physical renewal, housing provisions, management regulations, and socio-cultural conditions. The city of Shenzhen is used as a major case study to illustrate the issues with urban villages. Through the analysis of several data and physical conditions, the problem of urban villages in the city is assessed as well as the current need for solutions. The review of literature and policy analysis showed that current policy makes urban village reform more difficult, while current renewal patterns can work for different conditions of urban villages. Through case studies, lessons from history and successful cases are used to improve the quality of life for the needs of the innovations of urban villages. Based on the above findings, a recommended concept design is proposed and is applied to a real urban village in the city of Shenzhen.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Urban Village; Land Use; Urbanization; Urban Renewal
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9.
Colizza, Christopher D.
Conversation and Information Dissemination at ROSCA Meetings in Ethiopia: Their Occurrence and Influence on Group Members' Lives.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) are local institutions that influence group…
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▼ Rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) are local institutions that influence group members' lives. Most existing ROSCA research has emphasized the financial aspects of these groups, such as the pot allocation styles and the economics of how ROSCAs enable individuals to save money. Further research had uncovered that ROSCAs succeed because of the social capital among members, which states that trust among members leads to relationships of reciprocity. This study examines the conversation and information dissemination that occurs at ROSCA meetings. Ten interviews (seven women, three men) and participant observation at five ROSCA group meetings were conducted in central Ethiopia in 2009. Field research reinforced the existing research finding that ROSCAs rely on social capital for success, but it also found that both group conversation and one-on-one conversation among members at group meetings were critical in providing group members with new knowledge and developing relationships of reciprocity. ROSCAs are currently not reached with training sessions by international development organizations or local non-profits, but such training sessions could improve the lives of group members if training sessions did not compromise the integrity of the ROSCA that they targeted. In order for this to occur, training sessions must not alter the structure of meetings and take away from one-on-one conversations, which are a critical component of ROSCA meetings. This research project also found that attendance at ROSCA meetings is only required if an individual has not yet won the pot. This finding is pivotal, for it implies that if training sessions are provided, they should occur early on in ROSCA cycles (preferably the first meeting) in order to reach the greatest proportion of ROSCA group members.
Advisors/Committee Members: Looye, Johanna.
Subjects: Urban planning
Keywords: Rotating Credit Associations; Conversation Analysis
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10.
DiBello, Thomas S.
Vanishing Neighborhood Treasures: Preservation of Historic Places of Worship.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Historic buildings are a physical reminder of where a society has come…
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▼ Historic buildings are a physical reminder of where a society has come from and how it has changed over time. They reflect the values, the struggles, the advances, the culture, the preferences, the norms, the anomalies, the major historical turning points, and the everyday lives of generations of people. Although progress and change are necessary for the advancement of society, remembering and preserving the origins and achievements of the past are equally as necessary. Of all the historic buildings in American cities, places of worship are among the most representative artifacts of communities, from both the past and present. They are constructed with a desire to celebrate and connect with something greater than the physical world. They evoke emotions, both positive and negative, from those who experience them. They bring skillful art and architecture, as well as a sense of identity to the built environment. They house congregations that in turn serve and foster the well being of the larger community. Whether they are analyzed as living institutions and congregations, purely as historic physical structures of architectural significance, or as a combination of both, they add true and irreplaceable value to American communities. However, like all other elements of the built environment, they are subject to the pressures of time, nature, human behavior, and new development in the name of progress. Changes in the religious landscape of the United States, movement of populations, and financial burden are putting the historic places of worship in American urban centers, including Cincinnati, Ohio, at risk of being lost to neglect, necessity, or progress. Because of declining support and resources, coupled with the high cost of maintaining historic places of worship, many of these buildings are neglected, abandoned, or sold. They are often demolished in order to make room for new development or are simply left to deteriorate over time. These buildings are important assets to Cincinnati that should be preserved but they are victims of the same trends that have affected the nation as a whole, becoming increasingly costly to maintain and drained of resources as surrounding communities declined and continue to struggle. This thesis seeks to analyze the value of historic places of worship in the United States, the complex and interconnected issues facing historic places of worship, and the resources available to preserve historic places of worship in America. It finally seeks to develop recommendations based on the preceding analyses and findings. These are the basic research guidelines that have steered the following study. In an effort to illustrate some of the concepts and issues regarding historic places of worship in the U.S. a brief analysis of the Walnut Hills area of Cincinnati, Ohio will be used as well.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Historic Preservation; Places of Worship; Churches; Walnut Hills; Cincinnati
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11.
Dickerson, Nicholas A.
Planning During Demographic Change: A case study of Southold, New York.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► How do planners plan when the state of the community is in…
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▼ How do planners plan when the state of the community is in a demographic flux? This study examines the challenge of planning in a community undergoing perceptible demographic change by conducting a case study analysis of a rural town on Long Island, New York. Located seventy miles from the eastern border of New York City, Southold Town has transitioned from a fishing and potato farming economy to a vacation community whose economy is focused around grape growing and wine production in less than forty years. This transition, and other factors causing in migration, have brought newcomers, different ideas and lifestyles into the community, some of which have been viewed unfavorably by locals as long-time residents and young people are priced out of the community. The town, in the interests of maintaining a certain community aesthetic, has blocked sprawl-based residential development and “Big Box” Retail after examples of each caused the town to fear the entrance of a suburban lifestyle. The Town is currently working on a comprehensive plan, Southold 2020 to ensure the preservation of its farmland, open spaces, and the specific quality of life believed to be essential to Southold’s economic survival. Through interviews with local stakeholders, observations of the Town’s Planning Department, and research into local publications, this study explores how Southold has handled and perceived the demographic change that is currently taking place. It examines several key themes found during the research, and includes conclusions and takeaways for practitioners.
Advisors/Committee Members: Zapata, Marisa.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: demographic change; New York; rural; economic change; Long Island; exclusion
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12.
Gafvert, Rebecca C.
Mapping the Path of Gentrification: An Analysis of Gentrification Susceptibility in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► The contemporary debate about gentrification reveals a changing understanding of the process…
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▼ The contemporary debate about gentrification reveals a changing understanding of the process and its effects in communities. Current research and accounts in the media reflect the recognition that though gentrification has long been associated with harmful impacts, the process can potentially lead to positive change. However the benefits of gentrification can only be enjoyed if the process is recognized, understood, and anticipated. Because the process largely occurs in the context of the real estate market - which is affected by policy and planning - professionals and public servants in these sectors can have an impact on the progression of gentrification. Policy makers, planners, and community stakeholders often intervene in communities facing gentrification to prevent displacement, dissipate tension, and ensure that the benefits of gentrification are equitably distributed. This research aimed to examine the causes of gentrification in the City of Cincinnati and identify areas where gentrification could occur. Through a combination of content analysis, expert surveys, and GIS mapping, it revealed that there are specific areas in the City that may be susceptible to gentrification. Experts from the public, private, and nonprofit fields of planning, housing, real estate, community and economic development were surveyed to develop a list of gentrification causes specific to Cincinnati. Borrowing from the methods of site suitability analysis, these causes were then used as inputs in an overlay analysis to measure susceptibility to gentrification throughout Cincinnati. The result is not a predictive model, but a picture of where gentrification is likely to occur in the future, if conditions remain favorable. The research was intended to model a methodology that could be refined with additional cases and used as a tool for communities.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: gentrification; GIS; overlay; neighborhood change; filtering; housing succession
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13.
Gibson, Jocelyn M.
The Application of Transit Development Zones in Bangkok: The Laksi Case Study.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► The debate about sustainable forms of transportation has received more attention in…
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▼ The debate about sustainable forms of transportation has received more attention in recent years as oil reserves are recognized as finite, and carbon emissions contribute to climate change. In Developing Countries (DCs), the rate of automobile ownership is ever increasing, while road capacities remain static, or increase at a much lesser rate. Given that public transportation is largely road-based, this is leading to peak hour gridlock in major cities in the developing world. Bangkok is no exception, and is notorious for traffic congestion. The government recognizes this problem, and has so far committed to investing in a 247 kilometer expansion of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system. The construction of the system will not in itself ensure that it will be used, or will have the desired effects on congestion. Transit Development Zones (TDZ) have proven effective in other large, dense Asian cities. This is a concept that, when applied, coordinates land uses and high density developments around largely MRT nodes or transit stations. This paper will evaluate the TDZ concept, and apply it to a study area, the Laksi Sub-District, in Bangkok where a planned transit stop will be located. The study area chosen is a high profile location where a large Government Center was built in 2007. The application of the TDZ concept throughout Bangkok will optimally lead to higher user patronage, walkable places near residences where people can shop, find entertainment and gather as communities. The Laksi case study will hopefully be indicative of this.
Advisors/Committee Members: Edelman, David.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Bangkok; Transportation; Transit Development Zone; Urban Planning; Land Use; Thailand
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14.
Hall, Philip A.
The Regeneration of Urban Empty Space / Detroit.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► The depopulation of once-major central cities is no longer an uncommon occurrence.…
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▼ The depopulation of once-major central cities is no longer an uncommon occurrence. Between the years 1950 and 2010, over 350 large cities worldwide lost a significant number of residents, businesses, and industries. Following nearly a half-century of shrinkage, a few urban centers rediscovered the benefits of density and traditional pedestrian street life and began to regain jobs and residents in inner-city neighborhoods. In other regions, however, the migration of residents from the central city to the periphery continues. The city of Detroit remains the prominent example of American regional restructuring due to its still-ruinous downtown, general lack of central employment, and unyielding population loss. Since 1950, Detroit has lost over 50% of its population, 165,000 industrial jobs, and 147,000 housing units. The depopulation that the city has experienced over the last sixty years created a fractured and dislocated urban environment divided by over 66,000 vacant lots. Generated by default rather than intent, these discarded, neglected, and forgotten spaces evoke strong memories of past turmoil and abandonment within the city. This thesis investigation uncovers the historic factors and city-responses associated with the extensive suburbanization and the subsequent emergence of urban empty space in Detroit. Emphasizing the historic formation and strange identity of Detroit’s vacant land becomes the design measure in which to re-imagine and regenerate these urban conditions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban planning
Keywords: Detroit; Urban Design; Urbanism; Depopulating Cities; Post-Industrial Cities; Community Planning
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15.
Harraman, Jeffrey S.
Mitigating Communities from Natural Disasters: Perspectives of the Butler County, Ohio, 2011 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► Disasters are impacting people and property at an increasing rate. The practice…
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▼ Disasters are impacting people and property at an increasing rate. The practice of mitigation is focused on alleviating the impact of disasters on people and property. Mitigation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s main tool to stop repetitive losses from hazards, has been practiced for decades. Communities are required to develop Hazard Mitigation Plans that allow those communities to protect themselves from the impact of disasters. In Butler County, Ohio, located in the southwestern portion of that state, a mitigation plan was required to be developed in 2011. The development of the Butler County Plan brought to light the best practices currently in use in mitigation planning along with the limitations those best practices present. This study looks at some of those limitations relative to different “vulnerabilities” and the difficulty of defining those vulnerabilities. This writing also examines what role planning plays in developing mitigation plans. It also discusses the history of mitigation practices in the United State, highlighting the cases of Hurricane Katrina, the Great Flood of 1993 and the mitigation practices that existed prior and post disaster. Finally, it describes the planning process that was undertaken in Butler County, Ohio, to develop their 2011 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. It becomes clear after research that three main themes stand out in mitigation planning: the disconnect between mitigation in theory as opposed to reality, deficiencies in the relationship between vulnerability and mitigation practices and finally the difficulty of integrating mitigation planning and economic development. To overcome these obstacles planners must begin focusing on creating community based resilient cities.
Advisors/Committee Members: Looye, Johanna.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Hazard Mitigation; Natural Disasters; Vulnerability
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16.
Jansen, Per B.A.
A statistical and geographic analysis of wage theft in Hamilton County, Ohio.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► This thesis analyzes wage theft in Hamilton County, Ohio, through formal complaints…
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▼ This thesis analyzes wage theft in Hamilton County, Ohio, through formal complaints to government agencies dedicated to enforcing labor law, including the US Department of Labor and the Ohio Department of Labor Compliance. Wage theft is the violation of labor laws, on the federal, state or local level, designed to protect the wages and earnings of workers. These laws can include minimum wage, overtime, unpaid wage and workers’ compensation laws. The data set that forms the core of the analysis is formed by every state and federal wage complaint, including minimum wage, unpaid wages and overtime, in Hamilton County from 2000-2010. This work is the first large-scale and thorough analysis of wage theft in Hamilton County. The paper examines the distribution of violating firms and workers who have suffered from wage theft. It also develops a novel methodology for aggregating, comparing and analyzing wage theft data at the local/county scale. It analyzes variables that correlate with wage theft on the jurisdictional level throughout the county through regression analysis and identifies hotspots of wage theft through geospatial statistics, including the Gedis Ord statistic. Findings feature large concentrations of wage theft and victims of wage theft in downtown Cincinnati and the large suburbs along I-75, including Blue Ash, Springdale and Springfield Township. The thesis concludes by making policy recommendations for individual municipalities suffering from wage theft as well as the county as a whole, including an increase in resources for enforcement agencies and a clearinghouse for information on firms that engage in wage theft. The work also provides a framework for municipalities, regional governments and civil groups to collect and analyze their own wage theft rates.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ellison, Charles.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Wage theft; Hamilton County; labor law compliance; minimum wage
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17.
Lemon, Jamie.
Using GIS to Measure Walkability in Cincinnati, OH.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► Preventable diseases resulting from unhealthy lifestyles are an unfortunate reality for many…
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▼ Preventable diseases resulting from unhealthy lifestyles are an unfortunate reality for many Americans. Because walking is one relatively easy way to improve individual health, the factors that influence people to walk are the subject of considerable research efforts. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate walkability through an exploratory analysis of built environment constructs that have been connected with active transportation behaviors. Additionally, an effort is made to measure walkability within a cluster of neighborhoods located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Results from this study suggest that a walkability coverage is attainable using quantitative measures and readily available GIS data. The methodology employed, a walkability index composed of four physical environmental factors identified from previous research, highlights variations within the study area and can easily be applied to other cities. Health data and travel behavior surveys can be used to enhance this type of walkability research, further expanding on our understanding of how urban environments influence physical activity behaviors.
Advisors/Committee Members: Auffrey, Christopher.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: walkability; GIS; physical activity
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18.
Lewis, Emily.
Exploring Models of Community Organizing for Environmental Justice: The Cases of Fernald and the ELDA Landfill in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Grassroots organizing has occurred around a wide range of issues in nearly…
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▼ Grassroots organizing has occurred around a wide range of issues in nearly every major city in the United States. This study examines the Cincinnati/Hamilton County metropolitan region and details the cases of citizen-led community organizing to address concerns about environmental contamination at the Fernald uranium processing plant and the ELDA landfill. Specifically, the study details the sequence of events in each case and analyzes community organizing according to a three-part framework of conscientization, organization, and mobilization that was derived from the theories of Saul Alinsky and Paolo Freire. It then examines the role of conflict and consensus-based organizing, social and political capital formation, and actor interactions on the two cases’ ultimate outcomes. The study concludes that traditional views of environmental justice that are riveted on race, income, and power differentials between actors in a community may not be the best framework for a comparative analysis of these two cases, although they often are cited as two of the most prominent environmental justice cases in the region. From this finding, a looser interpretation of environmental justice is proposed to supplement what typically is found in the literature. In this interpretation, environmental justice concerns are seen as the product of community organizing and social capital formation around immediate environmental concerns, not necessarily as a call to action to address notions of inequity in environmental quality.
Advisors/Committee Members: Chifos, Carla.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Environmental Justice; Community Organizing; Social Capital; Fernald; ELDA Landfill
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19.
Matturi, Venkata K.
The Elusive Dubai: Lessons in planned development for fast growing cities.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► Increase in urbanization through globalization and population explosion has resulted in rapidly…
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▼ Increase in urbanization through globalization and population explosion has resulted in rapidly growing cities in the past few decades. Driven by market forces and moneyed interests, cities are placing larger emphasis on economic development. This increasing trend had resulted in a dramatic change in urban morphology, and vernacular urban fabric is being replaced by a ‘global urban form’ that has become a commonplace around the world. Dubai, a regional financial hub and a global city, rose to prominence in a matter of few decades. Started as a mere fishing village, it has managed to modernize and build itself to global prominence. Its meteoric rise has resulted in a dramatic transformation in its physical form through single minded determination and careful planning. This research explores the impact of rapid growth on Dubai's urban form and its implications on creating an ‘Elusive Dubai’. This research also investigates the phenomenon of elusiveness in major land uses of Dubai through the analysis of surveyed data collected prior to this research. Furthermore, it attempts to draw lessons for planned rapid urban growth in cities through Dubai’s model of urbanization.
Advisors/Committee Members: Arefi, Mahyar.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Dubai; Elusiveness; Rapid Growth; Globalization; Global City; Planned Growth
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20.
McNally, Kevin.
Transit-Oriented Development in the United States: A Historical Review and Case Study Analysis.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► This thesis examines the topic of transit-oriented development (TOD) and its evolution…
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▼ This thesis examines the topic of transit-oriented development (TOD) and its evolution in the United States since the rise of public transportation systems in the late-19th century. Using the work of modern day TOD scholars and organizations, this thesis presents the various definitions of transit-oriented development and examines the characteristics designers and developers of TODs should strive towards in order to “create places that function differently than conventional development” (Dittmar 22 2004). Using the work of urban historians and theorists, this thesis relates the characteristics of successful transit-oriented developments back to time-tested urban design and planning ideas and theories. This will help to show that TOD should not be viewed as a utopian concept, but as a real world solution to the issues urban regions face today, including sprawling and placeless suburban communities, long and laborious commutes along congested highways, and automobile-oriented neighborhoods and developments. Transit-oriented development will also be traced through time from its inception in late-19th century streetcar suburbs all the way to its place in city planning processes today. By understanding the early concepts of “development-oriented transit” and the subsequent rise, fall, and re-emergence of transit systems and transit-oriented communities in the United States, this thesis hopes to show how transit-oriented development is not a new development scheme, but one that has evolved from historic urban neighborhood development patterns. This thesis will use a case study analysis process to examine the successes and failures of modern day TODs that have been built in the past two decades in various urban and suburban placetypes throughout the United States. Using evaluation categories developed by Hank Dittmar and Shelley Poticha in The New Transit Town, this thesis will examine the successes and shortcomings of five TODs: (1) Fruitvale Village in Oakland/San Francisco, California, (2) Downtown Arlington Heights outside of Chicago, Illinois, (3) Orenco Station outside of Portland Oregon, (4) Addison Circle outside of Dallas, Texas, and (5) Englewood CityCenter outside of Denver, Colorado. The case studies will show that there is an issue within the planning and design realm of using the term TOD too loosely to describe any development around transit stations. True TODs should be “transit places,” where transit has a great influence on the physical character of the TOD. Likewise, there needs to be a clearer differentiation between New Urbanist developments near transit and TODs. While there are many similarities between the two, the incorporation of transit throughout the design and development process is extremely important to TOD. And lastly, the case studies will show that the role of the process and actors within TOD planning, design, and implementation can vastly alter the final outcome of TODs. The process must be carefully monitored to make sure that major decisions that impact the final character of a TOD are not ultimately compromising the potential for successful transit-oriented development.
Advisors/Committee Members: Russell, Francis.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: transit-oriented development; TOD; Fruitvale Village; Arlington Heights; Orenco Station; Addison Circle
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21.
Meyer, Andrew J.
Recapturing Identity of Place: The Reclamation of Older Small Towns on the Suburban Fringe - The Case of Bethany, Ohio.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Expanding suburbanization in metropolitan areas cause rapid changes to the surrounding rural…
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▼ Expanding suburbanization in metropolitan areas cause rapid changes to the surrounding rural landscape. Often the place identity of small rural towns is placed in peril by these rapid changes. Physical and community changes brought by suburbanization erode the traditional bonds between community and town. One such town, Bethany, is shown to suffer the affects of suburbanization. This thesis generates nine indicators of place identity to investigate and compare Bethany with three case study towns which have faced similar pressures. This thesis also investigates planning strategies employed by these case study towns for successful methods of improving place identity which could be applied in Bethany.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban planning
Keywords: town; revitalization; Bethany; suburbanization; place identity; identity of place
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22.
Mokadi, Elad.
Modeling the Future Impact of Cincinnati’s Proposed Streetcar on Urban Land Use Changes.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► The construction of Cincinnati’s streetcar system, which has been planned since the…
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▼ The construction of Cincinnati’s streetcar system, which has been planned since the year 2007, will supposedly begin during the fall of 2011. The $128-million project is intended to increase connectivity between the city’s two major employment centers, and foster economic growth in its urban core. Ever since its inception, the project has instigated controversies in the local community regarding its future impacts on urban growth and redevelopment. The project supporters argue that it would increase commercial and retail activities, and boost property values; opponents insist that the system will be underutilized and redundant, senselessly wasting scarce public resources. This study explores the impact of the proposed streetcar system on land use transitions, by employing an advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) based land use change model. In an attempt to reconstruct the major arguments behind the public debate, the study models land use changes as represented by three scenarios: (1) the supporters’ narrative, (2) the opponents’ narrative, and (3) a baseline scenario which does not include the streetcar line. Since land use changes are reliable indicators of redevelopment processes, the study has the potential to contribute to a better understanding of urban redevelopment dynamics and increase public involvement in planning processes, both in Cincinnati and in similar-scale cities. The study first had identified the streetcar supporters and opponents’ arguments and quantified them into various spatial criteria. It then incorporated those criteria into a Cellular Automata (CA) – Markov Chains model, to generate future land use distribution raster images. Finally, the model outcomes were evaluated using spatial-statistical analyses. The study sheds a new light on the escalating dispute between the streetcar opponents and its supporters. The results indicate that supporters and opponents’ scenarios beget distinct results in terms of land use changes. Under both scenarios, however, the streetcar establishment would impact its surrounding area to some extent.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wang, Xinhao.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: land use change; urban redevelopment; Cincinnati streetcar; scenario modeling; Cellular Automata; Idrisi GIS software
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23.
Murphy, Dugan.
Housing Choice Vouchers in the suburbs: Finneytown and Hamilton County, Ohio.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► The purpose of this thesis is to update an on-going spatial study…
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▼ The purpose of this thesis is to update an on-going spatial study of US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) distribution in Hamilton County, Ohio, drawing from previous quantitative studies of 2000 (Wang and Varady, 2005) and 2005 (Varady et al, 2010) voucher holder location data that utilized GIS hot spot analysis to investigate the spatial distribution of HCV households throughout Hamilton County, Ohio in those two time periods. This thesis adds to that discussion an exploration of how the HCV program fits into the larger story of inner ring suburb decline within US metropolitan areas. This thesis includes an informant interview-based qualitative study of the suburban neighborhood of Finneytown within Springfield Township, Ohio, where hot spot analysis revealed a voucher concentration in 2005 (Varady et al, 2010). Interviews with key stakeholders involved with or affected by administration of the HCV program focused on the effects of voucher holder concentrations, both real and perceived; how the program is administered; and the nature of voucher holder concentrations. This investigation speaks to the popular concerns of negative spillover effects from HCV concentrations such as crime, property maintenance, and social disruption. One weakness of spatial analysis on this research topic is that it fails to reveal the human stories behind the HCV program. Interviews, however, rely on perceptions of others and their own interpretations of the phenomena in question. This paper combines quantitative and qualitative research approaches in order to render a more complete portrait of Finneytown in regards to the HCV program. The study of Finneytown also ties into the larger stories of inner ring suburb decline within US metropolitan areas and of federal housing subsidy in suburban communities. This study finds that voucher holders are generally moving away from fewer locations within Cincinnati to a greater number of locations around the county, but that voucher distribution is characterized for a large part by relatively few, fairly concentrated locations within and outside the city. The most important influence on voucher holder location appears to be the availability of rental housing that meets the fair market rent standard, though larger rental properties, especially those financed using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), are more likely to rent to voucher holders. Formerly owner-occupied single family detached houses are more likely to become renter-occupied if they are older, smaller, lower quality, and/or lack amenities such as garages and basements. Disruptive social behavior and poor maintenance of exterior property appurtenances associated with properties participating in the HCV program lack a consistently responsible party whom local code enforcement officials can contact to mitigate those issues. Immigration of voucher holders into suburban communities is associated with impacts on local school districts that may require new programs and staff training to handle. Though presence of voucher holders in inner ring suburbs may correlate with signs of community decline, the evidence suggests that the HCV program is in many ways a symptom, not a cause, of that decline.
Advisors/Committee Members: Varady, David.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Housing Choice Voucher; Section 8; Cincinnati; Ohio; GIS; Interview
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24.
Nagel, Ryan M.
Renewed Faith: A Case for the Preservation and Adaptive Reuse of Urban Neighborhood Churches.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Churches are an important presence in the neighborhood fabric of communities throughout…
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▼ Churches are an important presence in the neighborhood fabric of communities throughout the United States. They serve as local landmarks, establish identities for neighborhoods, and play a key role in the community and spiritual lives of neighborhood residents. However, significant socioeconomic forces at work in urban areas as over the last half century are increasingly threatening the vitality and survival of not only urban churches, but the neighborhoods in which they have stood for over a century. The phenomenon of church closings is currently no more painful than in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Following a trend of sporadic closings over the last twenty-five years, a major reconfiguration and consolidation of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland’s parish and property inventory is now underway. Cleveland Catholic Diocese Bishop Richard Lennon on March 14, 2009 announced a sweeping reconfiguration of the Diocese, will result in a net reduction of 52 parishes by June 30, 2010. This reduction will result in 23% of the city’s parish either being eliminated or combined while 13% will be completely vacated in a time period of just over 15 months. While there is often a desire within a parish or congregation to save or preserve a former church, the buildings themselves have proven challenging to convert for other uses. Issues commonly faced when reusing churches include the atypical nature of church buildings with respect to their interior spaces and exterior features, restrictive regulatory factors, financing requirements, and the development process itself. These issues are compounded by the lack of familiarity on the part of church officials, congregation members, the public, and developers with respect to converting a former church building into a different use. Using two case studies of churches that have been adaptively reused in Cleveland, Ohio, this thesis investigates what factors must be present for the successful adaptive reuse of a religious structure. Factors considered in successful projects include level of community commitment, stakeholders involved, regulatory context, financial incentives and partnerships, historic designation, building and site design, development process, and development in declining neighborhoods. The case studies examined are: The First Church of Christ in the University neighborhood, and St. George Lithuanian in St. Clair-Superior near Hough. The findings of this thesis indicate that the availability of financial incentives, influential stakeholders, and dedicated owners were most important in successfully reusing these buildings. Other findings include explanations as to why the recent church closures in Cleveland have been primarily a phenomenon of the Catholic Diocese. The lessons learned through the study suggest more anticipatory and locally based planning procedures are necessary to recommend the most viable use for historic churches in urban neighborhoods.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: adaptive reuse; historic preservation; neighborhood churches; economic development; community planning; Catholic church
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25.
Oeters, Justin.
Development of a Transit Decision Support System.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Currently, mass transit systems can benefit many communities, and mass transit systems…
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▼ Currently, mass transit systems can benefit many communities, and mass transit systems are more accessible than they have ever been. However, without an effective decision support system to evaluate the effects of mass transit, many communities will be reluctant to spend resources on the system despite the inherent benefits. Tools and technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can effectively evaluate mass transit systems. For this thesis, CommunityViz, a GIS-based decision support system software, is used to analyze two mass transit systems, a streetcar and a bus rapid transit, and the effects those mass transit systems have on a community. The decision support system created for this thesis allows the creation of alternate mass transit routes, aiding in optimal route placement and the comparison of multiple routes. The system also incorporates a series of alterable assumptions which grants the user the flexibility to represent numerous scenarios with a single operation. By using this decision support system, community leaders can support their decisions regarding mass transit with hard data to garner the assistance and support needed to implement mass transit systems
Advisors/Committee Members: Wang, Xinhao.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Mass Transit Systems; Decision Support Systems; GIS
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26.
Quinn, Shannon E.
Extended Producer Responsibility: Examining Global Policy Options.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► Humans have been producing waste since the beginning of our existence. Since…
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▼ Humans have been producing waste since the beginning of our existence. Since that time we’ve needed to find ways to dispose of the waste that we produce. Our waste management schemes have only increased in sophistication over the years and today we find ourselves posed for another step towards municipal solid waste management modernization. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been presented as one of the potential policy strategies that would usher in this modernization. EPR policy currently exists in varying forms around the world. This thesis investigates EPR policies and programs as they exist or have existed in five countries: Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, and South Africa. It delves into the key differences and similarities in these culturally and economically unique nations in order to produce the beginning of a typology that can be used to identify and define the different forms of EPR policy implementation that exist in our world today.
Advisors/Committee Members: Chifos, Carla.
Keywords: Extended Producer Responsibility; Global; Policy; Waste management
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27.
Reardon, Emily E.
Decharacterization and Loss of Green Space in Sofia, Bulgaria: Unintended Consequences of Post-Socialist Privatization.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Since the 1989 collapse of the socialist system in Bulgaria, the country…
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▼ Since the 1989 collapse of the socialist system in Bulgaria, the country has experienced changes across the political, economic, social and built environments. Within the built environment of Sofia, Bulgaria, many former public green spaces have been converted into private or semi-public spaces following the implementation of privatization and restitution processes. This research analyzes the loss of green space within Sofia, Bulgaria, over the past 20 years with a case study of Yuzhen (South) Park, highlighting the decharacterization that privatization processes have had on the park.
Advisors/Committee Members: Looye, Johanna.
Subjects: Urban planning
Keywords: Urban parks -- Bulgaria; City planning -- Bulgaria; Restitution -- Europe, eastern; Post-socialist; Green space; Sofia, Bulgaria
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28.
Reynolds, Andrew.
Land Use Decisions and Commuting Impacts in Uptown, Cincinnati.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► Local land use patterns are constantly changing, but the effects of these…
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▼ Local land use patterns are constantly changing, but the effects of these changes on the social, economic, and physical evolution of communities over time is not well understood. This study undertakes an investigation of how different types of land use changes may have specifically altered commuting behavior in the Cincinnati neighborhood known locally as “Uptown” between 1990 and 2010. Land use events are arranged in a timeline and each event’s impacts on automobile dependency, commute times, and residential density are thoughtfully estimated. Differentiation is made between impacts on the residents of Uptown and those people who commute into Uptown to work but live elsewhere in the region. These estimated impacts are then compared with observed changes in these factors as measured by the decennial U.S. Census and the American Community Survey. The study concludes that residential density (a proxy for the likely success of various public transit services) in Uptown has likely been impacted by local land use changes over the two decades in question. A theoretical argument can be made that commute times and automobile dependency have also been altered, but this predication is not clearly supported by the observed data, and significant additional research is needed to account for a number of outside factors that were out of the scope of this analysis. While this study cannot prove or disprove any definite impacts land use change has on commuting behavior, it can serve as a point of reference for local planners and city officials to help them make future investment decisions that will best ensure growth and prosperity of Uptown for its residents and employees.
Advisors/Committee Members: Chifos, Carla.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Land Use; Transportation; Commuting; Uptown; Cincinnati; Planning
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29.
Schultz, Elizabeth A.
EcoDistrict Planning: Integrating Sustainable Design in Urban Environments.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2012, University of Cincinnati
► Urban environments evolve and change over time. The concern for designing sustainably…
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▼ Urban environments evolve and change over time. The concern for designing sustainably involves investment in more than just an urban environments infrastructure. Designing sustainable neighborhoods, or EcoDistricts, in existing urban environments helps to encourage and support large-scale sustainable design projects and initiatives. Decisions made to help connect Open Space, Buildings, Energy, Water, Waste, Transit, People, Habitat and Health support the EcoDistricts’ development. An analysis of planning and urban design processes for EcoDistrict implementation in existing neighborhoods will give insights into the potential opportunity for sustainable urban design projects and initiatives.
Advisors/Committee Members: Triantafillou, Menelaos.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: EcoDistrict; Planning; Collaborative Planning; Urban Infrastructure; Sustainable Neighborhoods; Finance and Budgeting
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30.
Sipus, Mitchell Eugene.
An Assessment of Sphere Humanitarian Standards for Shelter and Settlement Planning in Kenya's Dadaab Refugee Camps.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Community Planning, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► This thesis examines the viability of Sphere Humanitarian Shelter Standards within the…
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▼ This thesis examines the viability of Sphere Humanitarian Shelter Standards within the construction of Ifo II, a new refugee camp in the Dadaab refugee camps of northeastern Kenya in 2007. One of the largest refugee settlements in the world, the Dadaab camps contain over 300,000 refugees and have been in place since 1991. As the Sphere Standards have been designed for use within an emergency crisis, this thesis investigates their applicability in the protracted settlement of Dadaab by utilizing a recent shelter initiative as a case study. In 2007, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) initiated a new housing and camp expansion project in Dadaab to accommodate future population growth and to overcome many of the problems of the earlier camps. Committed to sustainable solutions for displaced populations, the agency relied upon the Sphere Standards as a means to provide culturally, environmentally,and economically appropriate housing and infrastructure planning. To determine if Sphere Standards meet the needs of the refugee populations, three months of qualitative research were undertaken within the Dadaab camps in 2007, with additional follow-up research in 2009. Field research focused on the socioeconomic roles of informal housing consolidation strategies in the camps, pre-Sphere agency-provided housing, and the new NRC camp expansion. Field research revealed that Sphere does not provide the tools necessary to contend with the matured socioeconomic dynamics of a protracted settlement. By expanding the standards to include a stronger recognition of the conditions which frame the lives of those in protracted displacement such as national policies, regional conflict, and local market activity, Sphere will provide humanitarian agencies with the means to provide displaced populations with better shelter and settlement solutions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Looye, Johanna.
Subjects: Urban Planning
Keywords: Dadaab; Humanitarian Standards; Sphere Minimum Standards; Refugee Camp; Urban and Community Planning; Refugee Shelter and Settlement
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