THE INFLUX OF LARGE NUMBERS OF LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES INTO THE CITIES IS TRACED, TOGETHER WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING TO ACCOMMODATE THESE FAMILIES. THE GROWTH OF CRIME IN HIGH-DENSITY URBAN HOUSING IS DISCUSSED, AND STUDIES OF THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF SUCH CRIME IN NEW YORK CITY AND OTHER CITIES ARE REVIEWED. EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON FINDINGS ABOUT THE INTERACTION OF SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS AND PHYSICAL DESIGN, PARTICULARLY WAYS IN WHICH PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A HOUSING PROJECT CAN EITHER AMELIORATE OR AGGRAVATE THE CRIME PROBLEM. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME RATES, PROJECT SIZE, AND BUILDING HEIGHT IS DISCUSSED, AS ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME POPULATIONS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED IN THE DESIGN OF PUBLIC HOUSING. CONCEPTS OF DEFENSIBLE SPACE ARE OUTLINED, AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN PUBLIC HOUSING DESIGN ARE ILLUSTRATED IN DIAGRAMS SHOWING HOW VARIOUS CONFIGURATIONS OF BUILDINGS AFFECT THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SPACE IN HOUSING PROJECTS.