Re‑inhabiting central Athens: urban planning, housing and the claim for socio‑spatial justice

Abstract

Taking as a starting point the discussion about “the return of housing” in central and deprived neighbourhoods of Athens, the article will examine how these concerns have been debated and what type of policies have been proposed or implemented at different moments. More precisely, it looks at how the issue of housing has been perceived within urban regeneration policies since the 1980s, and how the debate has evolved in relation to the Greek housing and planning system and other conjunctural factors. Despite efforts and claims to strengthen the role of the state as a guarantor of public interest and social cohesion, overall, urban regeneration interventions rarely consider the negative effects of upgrading on its less protected inhabitants and uses. Tracing the institutional memory of urban policy for the centre of Athens contributes to a better understanding of path dependencies, mainstream perceptions and unexplored potentials. The paper stresses the need to acknowledge the social function of the city centre and to reframe the issue of re‑inhabiting the city centre from the perspective of socio-spatial justice, prioritising housing affordability and social inclusion.