Be Your Own Brand—A Breakthrough Formula for Standing Out from the Crowd

Broken Window Syndrome

In recent years, many cities have become conscious of something called the “broken window syndrome.” Often, when a building is abandoned, the first thing that happens is somebody breaks the windows. Those broken windows become a clue, an indicator to others that the property has become vulnerable.

If the windows are not repaired promptly, a predictable cycle of decline follows—vagrants move in, fires are started, plumbing fixtures are stolen, and so on. The cost of restoring the building to an acceptable quality level rises as its condition deteriorates, making it more likely that the slide into decline will spread to other properties nearby. Cities that use broken windows as an indicator of more serious problems to come ...