Hillside housing raises mobility and crime

Placing low‑cost housing on underused but valuable hillside land can increase residents’ access to downtown jobs and upward mobility, but may also raise local crime or perceived safety risks — creating a tradeoff policymakers must weigh. In some cities (Rio example) infill improved labor market access but correlated with higher crime; in others (Cape Town) reluctance to infill preserves segregation and high commuting burdens. — Recognizing this tradeoff reframes housing policy from 'build more' to 'where and how to build' — location, transport, and social costs change the net social benefit of new housing.