Challenges in the Creation of Mixed-Use Affordable Housing: Measuring and Explaining Its Limited Prevalence

ABSTRACT

Mixed-use affordable housing buildings collocate residences and commercial uses. The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program provides one mechanism to fund such structures. But the literature offers little insight into the frequency of mixed-use LIHTC buildings, partly because of a lack of data identifying them, and it does not pinpoint conditions that facilitate their development. I explore these issues through a Chicago, Illinois, case study. First, I analyze imagery to create the first database of mixed-use LIHTC buildings. I show that only 5% of LIHTC structures incorporate commercial uses, and that these are concentrated in wealthier, whiter, and already retail-heavy neighborhoods. Second, I use stakeholder interviews to explain the low rate and selective location of mixed-use projects; I find that the stiffest barriers are conflicting governmental policies, difficulties securing financing in the context of a perception of weak retail demand and investor desires for reliable returns, and design constraints.     

The Evolution of the Foreign Direct Investment Regime in the Americas

The purpose of this article is to describe the international regime governing foreign direct investment in the Americas and assess its implications for regional economic governance. The article develops a novel methodology to map the multi-layered patchwork of investment agreements according to the level of investment protection offered by each agreement. The mapping exercise demonstrates the existence of two distinct legalization projects in the Americas, one which broadly corresponds to the investment protection concerns of the United States, and a second, overlapping regime, which better reflects the interest of many Latin American governments in maintaining their policy autonomy. The article argues that these distinct visions are anchored in a common dispute settlement system based on binding international arbitration, which tends to harmonize the governance effects of the regime.     

Assessing food insecurity in Botswana: the case of Gaborone

The search for appropriate tools to assess food and nutrition insecurity is a major preoccupation for development practitioners. This paper explores the potential of complementing a mainstream measure of food security, the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), with a political ecology approach, using a case study from Gaborone, Botswana. HDDS exposes differential food access, illustrated by varying household dietary diversity scores and commonly accessed food groups, while a political ecology approach helps explains how and why households lack access to certain food groups. HDDS enriched with political ecology analysis will provide more useful conclusions to practitioners and policymakers.

L'évaluation de l'insécurité de l'alimentation au Botswana : le cas de Gaborone

La recherche d'outils appropriés à l'évaluation de l'insécurité de l'alimentation et de la nutrition est pour les praticiens du développement une préoccupation majeure. Moyennant une étude de cas de Gaborone au Botswana cet article examine le potentiel d'une liaison entre une méthode traditionnelle pour mesurer la sécurité de l'alimentation, HDDS (Taux de Diversité de Diététique Familiale) avec une démarche basée sur l'écologie politique. HDDS expose l'accès différentiel à l'alimentation, illustré par les taux variables des diététiques familiales et par la fréquence d'accès aux groupes nutritionnels. Le HDDS, enrichi par une analyse de l'écologie politique, fournira des conclusions plus utiles pour les praticiens et pour les décideurs.

Evaluando la inseguridad alimentaria en Botsuana: el caso de Gaborone

La búsqueda de métodos apropiados para evaluar la inseguridad alimentaria y la nutrición constituye una preocupación importante entre los operadores de desarrollo. A partir de un caso de Gaborone, Botsuana, el presente artículo examina el potencial de complementar la Calificación de Diversidad en la Dieta del Hogar (cddh), medida común de seguridad alimentaria, con un enfoque de ecología política. Mientras la cddh revela la existencia de un acceso diferenciado a los alimentos, lo cual es evidenciado por las distintas calificaciones de diversidad en la dieta y por los grupos de alimentos que comúnmente se adquieren, el enfoque de ecología política ayuda a explicar cómo y por qué los hogares no tienen acceso a ciertos grupos de alimentos. Por lo que, en combinación con un análisis de ecología política, la cddh arrojará conclusiones que resulten de mayor utilidad para los operadores y los formuladores de políticas en este sentido.

Avaliando a insegurança alimentar em Botsuana: o caso de Gaborone

A busca por ferramentas adequadas para avaliar a insegurança alimentar e nutricional é uma grande preocupação para os que atuam da área de desenvolvimento. Este artigo explora o potencial de se complementar uma medida convencional da insegurança alimentar, a Pontuação da Diversidade Alimentar da Família (Household Dietary Diversity Score - HDDS), com uma abordagem de ecologia política, utilizando um estudo de caso de Gaborone, Botsuana. A HDDS mostra um acesso a alimentos diferente, ilustrado por pontuações variáveis da diversidade alimentar da família e grupos de alimentos comumente acessados, enquanto uma abordagem de ecologia política ajuda a explicar como e por que as famílias não têm acesso a certos grupos de alimentos. A HDDS, enriquecida por uma análise de ecologia política, oferecerá conclusões mais úteis para atuantes da área prática e formuladores de políticas.     

International Socialization in Difficult Environments: The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Central Asia

This article explores the potential of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to be an agent of socialization in the five Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. In drawing on both rationalist and constructivist approaches to international socialization it is argued that the organization's inability to provide tangible material and political incentives as well as Central Asia's indigenous culture and institutions impede successful socialization dynamics. Moreover, the power-oriented elites consider the bulk of the OSCE activities to be a threat to their grasp on power, not only making socialization almost impossible but also making OSCE–Central Asian cooperation increasingly difficult to sustain. Recommendations to increase the OSCE's influence in the region concentrate on a better understanding of the cost-benefit calculation of Central Asian governments as well as a more responsive attitude to traditional institutions in the OSCE's approach toward the region.     

The Russian mafia: Expulsion of law

The purpose of this paper will be to determine whether the conditions that exist in present‐day Russia are congruent with Foucault's claim that power in modern societies is not ensured by law and punishment but by normalization and control, which go beyond the state and its apparatuses, and that law plays an increasingly subordinate role within contemporary disciplinary society. I will also see what conclusions can be drawn from the Russian‐Soviet case that are relevant to evaluating the paradigms supplied by Foucault in deciphering the modalities of power in the modern world. In what sense can he help us understand how discipline and law in Imperial and Soviet Russia created the necessary conditions for the emergence of the Russian Mafia? Law has been transformed in the hands of the Russian Mafia and has expanded its spheres of influence rather than being displaced. The conditions that exist in present‐day Russia can be applied to Foucault's claim that power in modern societies is not ensured by law and punishment but by normalization and control which go beyond the state and its apparatuses. But it is not the case that law plays an increasingly subordinate role in present‐day Russia. Rather, it is no longer controlled by the sovereign power of the monarchy or by the Soviet state and its apparatuses, but is now predominately controlled by the Russian Mafia.     

RNA cell typing and DNA profiling of mixed samples: Can cell types and donors be associated?

Forensic samples regularly involve mixtures, which are readily recognised in forensic analyses. Combined DNA and mRNA profiling is an upcoming forensic practice to examine donors and cell types from the exact same sample. From DNA profiles individual genotypes may be deconvoluted, but to date no studies have established whether the cell types identified in corresponding RNA profiles can be associated with individual donors. Although RNA expression levels hold many variables from which an association may not be expected, proof of concept is important to forensic experts who may be cross examined about this possible correlation in court settings. Clearly, the gender-specificity of certain body fluids (semen, vaginal mucosa, menstrual secretion) can be instructive. However, when donors of the same gender or gender-neutral cell types are involved, alternatives are needed. Here we analyse basic two-component mixtures (two cell types provided by different donors) composed of six different cell types, and assess whether the heights of DNA and RNA peaks may guide association of donor and cell type. Divergent results were obtained; for some mixtures RNA peak heights followed the DNA results, but for others the major DNA component did not present higher RNA peaks. Also, variation in mixture ratios was observed for RNA profiling replicates and when different donor couples gave the same two body fluids. As sample degradation may affect the two nucleic acids and/or distinct cell types differently (and thus influence donor and cell type association), mixtures were subjected to elevated temperature or UV-light. Variation in DNA and RNA stability was observed both between and within cell types and depended on the method inducing degradation. Taken together, we discourage to associate cell types and donors from peak heights when performing RNA and DNA profiling.