One block in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood shows how a legacy of population decline and neglect has allowed homes to decay and neighbors to suffer.

This Kansas City neighborhood east of downtown had a reputation for crime and blight. But a broad effort to improve the local ...

A sampling of the stories NPR staff believe made some of the deepest ripples this year — reminders of what rigorous, compassionate journalism can do, and why the work remains as urgent as ever.