Some Like it Hot, Some Like it Cold, Most Like it Here: Forecasting Retirement in the Chicago Region

Over the next 20 years, an explosion of senior citizens who will opt to retire in the region rather than move away will change the face of the Chicago metropolitan region dramatically. This study, forecasting retirement trends in the 6-county Chicago metropolitan region through the year 2020, projects an overall 40 percent increase in the regions population of seniors who are age 60 or older. The increase outpaces the regions expected 16 percent growth in overall population over the next 20 years.The number of seniors not living in designated senior housing will increase by 18 percent in the City of Chicago, 22 percent in suburban Cook County, and by 58 percent in the collar counties. An additional 28,000 seniors are expected to be in the market for designated senior housing by 2020 and this demand is likely to outpace current supply.The study found the regions seniors who are retired or considering retirement are most concerned with (by ranking of importance):-- Availability of quality medical care-- Cost of living-- Availability of assistance and social services-- Public transportation-- Affordable housing-- Opportunities for culture and recreations-- Availability of high-quality housing with full services program

Magnetizing Neighborhoods Through Amateur Arts Performance

Outlines the Arts and Cultural Indicators in Community Building Project's findings on how amateur, informal arts activity improves a community's desirability, social integration, and quality of life as measured by population, test scores, and crime rates

Income Diversity and the Context of Community Development

The report "Income Diversity and the Context of Community Development" presents the MCIC Income Diversity Index: a three-decade retrospective analysis that seeks to establish a framework to describe patterns of neighborhood economic change in the City of Chicago. This analysis of household income data from the U.S. Census (1970-2000) shows that, while some wealthy Chicago neighborhoods have gotten richer and some poor neighborhoods have gotten poorer, many Chicago neighborhoods are remarkably stable.After researching and developing an innovative, new measure of income diversity, MCIC has identified four distinct patterns of neighborhood economic change in the City of Chicago, since 1970:1) Emerging high net worth2) Emerging low net worth3) Emerging bipolarity4) Stable diversityMCIC identified patterns for each of the 77 Chicago Community Areas to provide an important context for community development strategies.For example, in an Emerging High Income neighborhood (21 in all), the high-income population is increasing and the low-income population is decreasing. Development strategies in these areas should focus on protecting low- to moderate- income households from radical displacement and encourage the use of upgraded public and commercial services.An Emerging Low Income neighborhood, on the other hand, tracks a decline in the high-income population and an increase in the low-income population. In these communities, development efforts should focus on developing infrastructure, investing in buildings and retaining moderate- to high-income households.Additionally, the MCIC study identifies a disturbing "Desertification" trend among half of Chicago's 22 Emerging Low Income communities. In these neighborhoods, disinvestment and neglect have driven away middle- and high- income households.The City's 15 "Bipolar" neighborhoods have seen increases in both high- and low-income residents, and the remaining 19 communities maintain stable, economically diverse populations.Based on household income data from the U.S. Census, the MCIC analysis does not track change in income diversity since the year 2000. However, it does illustrate income trends that provide useful context and baseline data for community development strategists

21st Century Simulation: Exploiting High Performance Computing and Data Analysis

This paper identifies, defines, and analyzes the limitations imposed on Modeling and Simulation by outmoded paradigms in computer utilization and data analysis. The authors then discuss two emerging capabilities to overcome these limitations: High Performance Parallel Computing and Advanced Data Analysis. First, parallel computing, in supercomputers and Linux clusters, has proven effective by providing users an advantage in computing power. This has been characterized as a ten-year lead over the use of single-processor computers. Second, advanced data analysis techniques are both necessitated and enabled by this leap in computing power. JFCOM's JESPP project is one of the few simulation initiatives to effectively embrace these concepts. The challenges facing the defense analyst today have grown to include the need to consider operations among non-combatant populations, to focus on impacts to civilian infrastructure, to differentiate combatants from non-combatants, and to understand non-linear, asymmetric warfare. These requirements stretch both current computational techniques and data analysis methodologies. In this paper, documented examples and potential solutions will be advanced. The authors discuss the paths to successful implementation based on their experience. Reviewed technologies include parallel computing, cluster computing, grid computing, data logging, OpsResearch, database advances, data mining, evolutionary computing, genetic algorithms, and Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses. The modeling and simulation community has significant potential to provide more opportunities for training and analysis. Simulations must include increasingly sophisticated environments, better emulations of foes, and more realistic civilian populations. Overcoming the implementation challenges will produce dramatically better insights, for trainees and analysts. High Performance Parallel Computing and Advanced Data Analysis promise increased understanding of future vulnerabilities to help avoid unneeded mission failures and unacceptable personnel losses. The authors set forth road maps for rapid prototyping and adoption of advanced capabilities. They discuss the beneficial impact of embracing these technologies, as well as risk mitigation required to ensure success

Multiplying Apostolic Mission Movements in Cambodia and Asia: A Strategy for Equipping and Empowering Leaders through Training and Coaching

The goal of this study was to explore the current reality of the potential of the Church in Asia. This project will argue that what was once a mission field could, in this generation become one of the greatest mission forces in history. This thesis was tested in Cambodia, as over the last two decades church growth has been exponential. In recent years the ministry of Youth With A Mission in Battambang, Cambodia has trained and sent Khmer as long-term missionaries within Cambodia and to some of the most unreached nations. Through an examination of Scripture, this study identifies character traits, integrity, and leadership development as keys for raising up apostolic leaders in Asia to release mission movements. Furthermore, biblical exegesis argues that missional hubs like a modern day “Antioch” or “Ephesus” need to become strategic sending centers for the Church in Asia. To test this hypothesis a literature review of resources about mission movements was conducted that produced incredible insight into multiplying leaders, specifically in the context of Asia and with the ability to be replicated rapidly. This project concludes with ministry practice and implementation that identifies a field-tested model proven with success over recent years through pioneering teams sent out from YWAM Battambang. The new ministry project has specific goals that will create a leadership pipeline to empower and release teams to pioneer into unreached provinces in Cambodia and beyond. This project commends the larger church in Asia to partner across denominational and organizational boundaries, to join with God’s desire to see an apostolic mission movement of Asians raised up and released that will transform Cambodia and the continent of Asia and beyond in this generation

More than a Pastime: Informal Arts Improve Communities and Increase Participation Formal Arts Participation

Street festivals, art fairs, and a wide variety of other cultural activities that take place in libraries, church basements and city parks may be found in just about every Chicago neighborhood. These are called "informal" arts activities to differentiate them from more formally established public and private cultural organizations and institutions, like The Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Architecture Foundation or the Chicago Theater, that are also key components of Chicago's vibrant cultural community. Because many more people participate in informal arts activities than "formal" ones, they are an important indicator of neighborhood quality of life and patterns of economic development in the City of Chicago. MCIC recently partnered with The Urban Institute in Washington DC to evaluate local datasets and measure community participation in arts and cultural activities in the City of Chicago. The research goal was to integrate arts and culture-related measures into neighborhood quality of life indicator models