We’ve all seen them. Aging, deserted strip malls and retail shops are not only pretty ugly but are also taking up valuable real estate that could be put to better use. Finding those better uses is a topic that Ellen Dunham-Jones knows very well. She has been speaking and writing about suburban life and design for years. Today on The Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll hear her ideas and some examples of retrofitting suburbia.

Then, both in the suburbs and in the inner city, finding shelter for the homeless continues to be a major problem. Among veterans, homelessness is an issue with many causes and, so far, few solutions. But in Kansas City, one organization is replacing the traditional shelter model with tiny homes. And it’s an idea that’s spreading across the country. (This story was produced by the American Homefront Project, a public media collaboration that reports on American military life and veterans. Funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.)

And finally, we’ll spend an Academic Minute with the economics of war.