▁of ▁community ▁security , ▁helping ▁to ▁prevent ▁crime . ▁Front ▁por ches ▁were ▁originally ▁mand ated ▁in ▁the ▁planned ▁community ▁of ▁Se as ide , ▁Florida , ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁reduce ▁air ▁condition ing ▁usage . ▁Its ▁pl ann ers ▁then ▁perce ived ▁an ▁en hanced ▁sense ▁of ▁community ▁and ▁front ▁por ches ▁subsequently ▁became ▁an ▁important ▁element ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Urban ism ▁movement . ▁During ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁All ▁Things ▁Consider ed ▁broadcast ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁stories ▁dedicated ▁to ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁front ▁por ch ▁in ▁American ▁life ▁and ▁literature . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁now ▁thousands ▁of ▁( t ong ue - in - che ek ) ▁Professional ▁Por ch ▁Sit ters ▁Un ions ▁in ▁all ▁fifty ▁states ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁at ▁least ▁three ▁other ▁countries . ▁ ▁S itting ▁equipment ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁certain ▁Brazil ian ▁fish ing ▁households , ▁families ▁may ▁use ▁st ools . ▁ ▁Some ▁por ches ▁have ▁rock ing - ch airs . ▁ ▁Some ▁por ches ▁have ▁sw ings . ▁ ▁Soci ology ▁▁ ▁Some ▁see ▁a ▁potential ▁down side ▁of ▁sitting ▁on ▁por ches : ▁the ▁intr us iveness ▁of ▁por ch - based ▁surve ill ance . ▁ ▁Dec line ▁It ▁was ▁formerly ▁cool er ▁out ▁on ▁the ▁por ch ▁than ▁it ▁was ▁inside ▁the ▁house , ▁on ▁hot ▁summer ▁days . ▁ ▁Air ▁condition ing ▁has ▁thus ▁replaced ▁por ch ▁sitting , ▁people ▁able ▁to ▁social ize ▁in ▁the ▁comfort ▁of ▁their