Contact this Organization
Eugenia C. South, MD, MS; John M. MacDonald, PhD; Vicky W. Tam, MA; et al
- Philadelphia, PA
Question: Do structural interventions to abandoned houses lead to improvements in health and safety in low-income, Black neighborhoods?
Findings: In this Philadelphia citywide cluster randomized controlled trial of 63 clusters containing 258 abandoned houses and 172 participants, abandoned houses that were remediated showed substantial drops in nearby weapons violations (−8.43%), gun assaults (−13.12%), and to a lesser extent shootings (−6.96%). Substance-related outcomes were not reliably affected by the interventions, and no effect of either intervention was found for perceptions of safety or time outside for nearby residents.
Meaning: Abandoned house remediation was directly linked to reduced gun violence and may be considered in efforts to create safe and healthy communities.
Access the full resource here.