Housing Regeneration Research Articles

Sustainable social housing regeneration in Ireland: A case study

Declining housing and environmental conditions and socioeconomic marginalisation have been common experiences of older social housing estates. These factors can lead to poor-quality living conditions for residents, estate management challenges for social landlords and poor life chances and reputational stigma for communities. One of the interventions proposed by central governments, local authorities and social housing landlords to address the problems experienced by such estates is estate regeneration. This paper presents a case study of a large social housing estate in the south of Ireland where a long-term estate regeneration masterplan has been implemented since 2013. The paper draws on the findings of multi-annual reviews of the implementation process based on quantitative and qualitative evaluations with multiple stakeholders including residents. The paper also comments on the effectiveness of regeneration strategies to address the impacts of austerity, market failure and structural factors.

Children’s place experiences in high-rise mass housing in Ankara

This article investigates from a gender perspective the places preferred and used by 161 nine-to-twelve year-old children living in inner- and outer-city high-rise mass housing built in the context of squatter housing regeneration. Data were obtained from a participatory photography study in Ankara, Turkey. Results show the differences in the way boys and girls experience their environments in various locations of the city.

A multistakeholder participatory Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework for the options appraisal of social housing regeneration schemes.

Integrated Environmental Assessment and ManagementVolume 19, Issue 3 p. 844-847 Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries A multistakeholder participatory Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework for the options appraisal of social housing regeneration schemes Sahar Nava, Corresponding Author Sahar Nava [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0001-8744-826X Bartlett, Central House, University College London, London, UK Address correspondence to [email protected] Contribution: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, ​Investigation, Methodology, Visualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this authorZaid Chalabi, Zaid Chalabi Bartlett, Central House, University College London, London, UK Contribution: Supervision, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this authorSarah Bell, Sarah Bell University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Contribution: Supervision, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this authorEsfandiar Burman, Esfandiar Burman Bartlett, Central House, University College London, London, UK Contribution: Supervision, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this author Sahar Nava, Corresponding Author Sahar Nava [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0001-8744-826X Bartlett, Central House, University College London, London, UK Address correspondence to [email protected] Contribution: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, ​Investigation, Methodology, Visualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this authorZaid Chalabi, Zaid Chalabi Bartlett, Central House, University College London, London, UK Contribution: Supervision, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this authorSarah Bell, Sarah Bell University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Contribution: Supervision, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this authorEsfandiar Burman, Esfandiar Burman Bartlett, Central House, University College London, London, UK Contribution: Supervision, Writing - review & editingSearch for more papers by this author First published: 25 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4759Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Volume19, Issue3May 2023Pages 844-847 RelatedInformation

"My life will be much better than before": a qualitative study on the relationship between renewal of public housing, quality of life, and health

The objective was to understand the link between housing, health and quality of life in a context of social housing regeneration, through the experiences and perceptions of its inhabitants, exploring the mechanisms that sustain this link before regeneration, and those elements derived from housing regeneration that result in improvements in quality of life and potentially in health. Between 1980 and the 2000s, Chile faced a massive quantitative housing deficit through a policy that delivered more than 120,000 low-cost social housing apartments. Today, thousands present severe habitability problems, generating negative consequences for their inhabitants, their health and well-being. Seeking to solve the deterioration of housing and neighborhoods, the Chilean Ministry of Housing and Urbanism developed the Housing Complex Regeneration Program. The RUCAS project seeks to evaluate the effects of the program on health and to assess the impact of interventions such as these on vulnerable populations in Latin America. We present results of 8 interviews and 2 focus groups conducted in a social housing complex in process of intervention in Viña del Mar. Using discursive content analysis, results show that the poor material quality of housing is perceived as harmful to health. Regenerated housing, on the other hand, promotes the recovery and re-appropriation of spaces and their uses, sociability, new healthy practices, positive feelings and psychological well-being, bringing to the fore the psychosocial component of people's relationship with their house. It is concluded that housing regeneration has the potential to benefit physical and mental health through both direct mechanisms, derived from the renovated materiality, and indirect mechanisms related to the practices and experiences of the lived space.

Application of Open Building Theory in the Regeneration of Old Residential Building

This research is based on the refinement and diversification demand of housing stock quality improving in China. The paper focuses on the complexity of built environment in old residential areas, which involves numerous responsibilities and rights and multi-role cooperation in the process of regeneration. This paper studies the application of open building theory and its derivative theories in the area of housing regeneration, researches the current situation of policies, mechanisms and design methods for the regeneration of old residential areas in China and discusses the theoretical applicability of open building theory in the design practice of old residential building renewal methods in China. The study investigates the situation of the old residential areas in renovation, divides the responsibility and right relationship between the participants and building components by levels, and establishes a localized theoretical model for the regeneration strategy design of the old residential buildings in China. This study will provide scientific theoretical support for the constructing of a sustainable mechanism involving professional decision-making, long-term management and capital introduction, for the build of a multi-dimensional quality improving regeneration of the old residential areas in China.

A Systematic Review of Studies Describing the Effectiveness, Acceptability, and Potential Harms of Place-Based Interventions to Address Loneliness and Mental Health Problems.

Given the links between the built environment and loneliness, there is interest in using place-based approaches (addressing built environment characteristics and related socio-spatial factors) in local communities to tackle loneliness and mental health problems. However, few studies have described the effectiveness, acceptability, or potential harms of such interventions. This review aimed to synthesize the literature describing local community-based interventions that target place-based factors to address loneliness and mental health problems, informing the development of future public health approaches. We searched PsycINFO, Medline, and Embase using a structured search strategy to identify English-language studies evaluating the effectiveness, acceptability, and potential harms of place-based community interventions in addressing loneliness and mental health problems, both in general and clinical populations. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, classified as evaluating provision of community facilities (such as clubhouses), active engagement in local green spaces, and housing regeneration. None were randomised trials. Quantitative and qualitative findings suggested promising effects and/or acceptability of six interventions, with minimal potential harms. There is a clear need for randomised trials or quasi-experimental studies of place-based interventions to describe their effectiveness in addressing loneliness and mental health problems, as well as complementary qualitative work investigating acceptability. This will inform future policy development.

Creating mixed communities through housing policies: Global perspectives

ABSTRACT This introductory review essay examines some of the key concepts and approaches framing the ongoing debate around mixed communities and housing regeneration policies around the world. This review summarizes past positive and negative side effects of social mix reported in the extant international literature. It then describes social mix housing policies in the Global East and the Global South, including China, Japan, South Korea, sub-Saharan Africa, and Singapore. In moving forward, the review essay adopts Galster and Friedrichs’s challenge to think about the progressive reformation of a “social mix version 2.0”—what it might look like, and what the policy implications of such an improved version of social mix might be. Three policy implications are discussed: intentionality of social mix; mixed-income housing transit-oriented design; and learning from the Global East and Global South.

The effects of social housing regeneration schemes on employment: The case of the Glasgow Stock Transfer

Regeneration is an internationally popular policy for improving distressed neighbourhoods dominated by large social housing developments. Stimulating employment is often touted as a secondary benefit, but this claim has rarely been evaluated convincingly. In 2003, Glasgow City Council transferred ownership of its entire social housing stock to the Glasgow Housing Association and over £4 billion was invested in physical repairs, social services and other regeneration activities. Using a linked census database of individuals (Scottish Longitudinal Study), we evaluate the causal effect of the Stock Transfer on employment in Glasgow through a quasi-experimental design that exploits idiosyncrasies and changes in Glasgow’s administrative boundaries. We find that the Stock Transfer had a positive effect on employment for Glasgow residents who were not living in transferred social housing stock. We establish that this effect was mainly accomplished through the local employment multiplier effect of capital spending rather than through any other programmatic elements of the Stock Transfer. Exploratory analysis shows heterogeneous effects: individuals who were over 21, female, living with dependent children and with less education were less likely to benefit from the intervention. We did not find significant subgroup effects by neighbourhood deprivation.

Social mix in context: Comparing housing regeneration programs in Australia and Israel

ABSTRACT During the past 30 years, social mix has been on the policy agenda of many countries as a tool for deconcentrating urban disadvantage and enhancing social inclusion. However, these projects often take diverse forms in different institutional and policy contexts. In this article, we compare two separate studies of current urban regeneration programs in Australia and Israel. The comparative analysis reveals major similarities and differences regarding the physical and social outcomes of social mix. Our findings suggest that although both projects did not declare to create socially mixed communities, the resulting resident makeup was mixed. Despite differences in the projects’ physical designs, both resulted in two communities living side-by-side but not interacting meaningfully, and therefore not gaining from the possible benefits of social mix. We argue that international comparative studies of social mix policies in different contexts allow for a better understanding of the practicalities of social mix processes for policymakers and planners.

전통마을의 빈집 재생, 활용을 통한 지역 활성화에 관한 연구 - 일본 담바사사야마시(丹波篠山市) 고민가 재생 프로젝트를 중심으로 -

Recently, cultural property policies have changed from the preservation of cultural assets to the utilization of cultural assets. In historic villages, more and more traditional housings have been used as lodging facilities. On the other hand, low birth rates, aging population, declining population due to population outflow to the cities, increasing vacant houses, and aging buildings are tasks of historic villages. To be preserved the historic villages continuously, it is time to review how to regenerate and utilize the growing number of vacant houses. This study targets Tambasasayama city, which is drawing attention to the regeneration and utilization of vacant houses among historic Japanese villages. We want to analyze the operation systems and deregulation of a traditional housing regeneration project in Tambasasayama city and draw suggestions for the regeneration and utilization of vacant houses in traditional villages in South Korea.

The place of politics and the politics of place: Housing, the Labour Party and the local state in England

This paper argues that geographical research needs to pay greater attention to political parties and their relationship to local governing. In returning to, and updating the concept of the local state, analysis of local socio-spatial and political relations reveals the quieter registers of political power in local governing, and in turn what this means for the condition of local democracy. The long-term housing regeneration of a neighbourhood in Gateshead, North East England is used here as an optic to do just that. Through moments of housing activism, the social and political relations between and within a local Labour Party and local state are considered. A local manifestation of a growing trend that questions the representation of mature structures of power that the Labour Party holds in deindustrialised areas of the UK is considered through struggles over decision-making, belonging, representation and legitimacy. Such accounts of the local scale are critical in relation to global political trends; where apathy, cynicism, lack of expectation and representation and insurgent populist parties are increasingly framed as potential political crises of mature western democracies.

Public Housing and Well-Being: Evaluation Frameworks to Influence Policy.

A robust evidence base is needed to develop sustainable cross-party solutions for public housing to promote well-being. The provision of public housing is politically contentious in New Zealand, as in many liberal democracies. Depending on the government, policies oscillate between encouraging sales of public housing stock and reducing investment and maintenance, and large-scale investment, provision, and regeneration of public housing. We aimed to develop frameworks to evaluate the impact of public housing regeneration on tenant well-being at the apartment, complex, and community levels, and to inform future policies. Based on a systems approach and theory of change models, we developed a mixed methods quasi-experimental before-and-after outcomes evaluation frameworks, with control groups, for three public housing sites. This evaluation design had flexibility to accommodate real-world complexities, inherent in evaluating large-scale public health interventions, while maintaining scientific rigor to realize the full effects of interventions. Three evaluation frameworks for housing were developed. The evaluation at the apartment level confirmed proof of concept and viability of the framework and approach. This also showed that minor draught-stopping measures had a relatively big impact on indoor temperature and thermal comfort, which subsequently informed healthy housing standards. The complex and community-level evaluations are ongoing due to longer regeneration timeframes. Public housing is one of central government's larger social sector interventions, with Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities the largest Crown entity. Evaluating public housing policies is important to develop an evidence base to inform best practice, rational, decision-making policy for the public as well as the private sector.

IN-MOVERS’ HOUSING CHOICE AND GENTRIFICATION IN SEOUL

The Seoul metropolitan government has focused on the expansion of the housing supply to address housing shortage through housing and urban redevelopment programs. The introduction of urban redevelopment programs has resulted in significant improvements in both the quality and quantity of housing in Seoul. However, urban redevelopment programs have produced gentrification and have contributed to profits for both property owners and developers. It is necessary to identify who is moving into gentrifying neighbourhoods in Seoul and why they engage in gentrification. In order to contribute to a more in-depth analysis, we explore in-movers’ socio-economic characteristics and their residential mobility. These questions are analysed using the Korea Housing Survey data. The findings indicate that the majority of in-movers upward homeowners, who are more educated, have a higher income, and are relatively younger. In the Korean urban context, these in-movers can be identified as gentrifiers and key figures in urban and housing regeneration programs.

Assessing Multiple Benefits of Housing Regeneration and Smart City Development: The European Project SINFONIA

The urban energy transition towards more sustainable energy production and consumption systems is at the top of the European Union political agenda. Several demonstration projects are dealing with the deep-energy retrofit of real-estate assets to show how technological and societal innovation can provide new investment opportunities while enhancing citizens’ quality of life by delivering multiple benefits. In this framework, the EU smart city project SINFONIA has developed and tested a new comprehensive framework to define, identify, and evaluate the main multiple benefits expected from similar initiatives. The present contribution reviews the three assessment exercises carried out in the lighthouse city of Bolzano during the project execution, consisting of an investigation of the users’ stated preferences, an evaluation of consumers‘ revealed preferences and a multicriteria analysis of homeowners’ priorities. It offers an overview of the main achievements and sheds light on further investigatory paths applicable to Positive Energy Districts assessment.

Oportunidades que presenta la georreferenciación de los registros de edificios

La elaboración del Informe de Evaluación del Edificio (IEE) como condición previa para solicitar financiación de obras de conservación, accesibilidad universal o eficiencia energética y las ayudas económicas a la redacción misma del IEE, han supuesto importantes estímulos para su implantación. También se ha avanzado en la regulación de la creación de organismos de registro que integren la información de los IEE, de forma que pueda ser consultada públicamente. El interés de la Administración en desarrollar herramientas informáticas que registren información sobre el estado de los edificios y además la referencien geográficamente resulta esencial para plantear políticas realistas de vivienda, rehabilitación y regeneración urbana, y además constituyen bases de datos muy útiles para llevar a cabo posteriores trabajos de investigación. En este trabajo se presentan y analizan diversos ejemplos recientes de registros y observatorios de vivienda, mostrando el potencial e interés que presentan.

Are housing and neighbourhood empowerment beneficial for mental health and wellbeing? Evidence from disadvantaged communities experiencing regeneration.

Community engagement and empowerment are central to delivery and outcomes from regeneration programmes, yet evidence for health gains in such contexts is sparse and mixed. This study addresses this issue in respect of mental health and wellbeing in disadvantaged communities in the UK, using a sample of 2862 householders living through housing improvements and regeneration in Glasgow. Feelings of empowerment were more strongly associated with mental wellbeing (WEMWBS) than mental health (SF-12 MCS). Neighbourhood empowerment was more strongly associated with mental wellbeing and mental health than housing empowerment, although its association with mental health disappeared in the period of welfare reform and austerity. Proactive forms of empowerment, such as influencing decisions affecting an area or taking action oneself to improve things, were more strongly associated with mental wellbeing than reactive or passive forms of empowerment. There is much scope to improve feelings of empowerment in disadvantaged communities and to contribute to national objectives to enhance mental wellbeing.

RESIDENTIAL RELOCATION AND CHILDREN’S SATISFACTION WITH MASS HOUSING

This article investigates the effects of relocation on children’s satisfaction with mass housing built in the context of squatter housing regeneration. The results are based on a survey and group interviews with 137 nine-to-twelve-year-old children living in three mass housing developments in Ankara, Turkey. At the home level, it was found that while there was no significant change in the satisfaction level of children who moved to an outer-city mass housing development, satisfaction scores significantly increased among children who moved to inner-city estates. Moving from squatter or non-squatter housing did not significantly influence children’s dwelling satisfaction. At the neighbourhood level, regardless of their location in the city, satisfaction scores significantly decreased among children who moved from a formal neighbourhood; no significant change was observed among children who moved from a squatter settlement. Depending on where they moved from and their current place of residence, children explained the change in their residential satisfaction by referring to different dwelling and neighbourhood characteristics. Nevertheless, after relocation, all children mentioned some issues, such as the loss of home gardens, low-traffic volume streets, traditional commercial establishments, and parks and playgrounds with diverse activity areas and furniture.

한국 도시주거지 재생사업의 활성화 방안에 관한 연구 : 일본 도시재생의 법과 제도 및 도시개발사례를 중심으로

A study on the laws, systems and development cases of urban regeneration in Japan, which are prior to urban regeneration and urban development, foresaw the development measures of urban residential regeneration projects in Korea. To this end, Japan’s Special Act on Urban Regeneration was compared with Korea’s Urban Regeneration Act, which was enacted in 2013. In particular, the Private Urban Regeneration Project, which is being embodied in Japan’s Special Act on Urban Regeneration, proposed the need to revise the Urban Regeneration Act as it did not specify support and deregulation in Korea In order to find out the need for a private-centered urban development project, Japan’s representative Odaiba, Rock Peak Hills, and Evisgarden Place development projects were analyzed. As a measure to revitalize urban housing regeneration projects in Korea, firstly, it was suggested that private participation for private capital and technology inducement is needed, secondly, urban-based and central-town urban regeneration projects linked to regional economy and job creation should be promoted, and third, that competitiveness should be secured through complex urban housing regeneration projects.The purpose of this study is to analyze the development of the Urban Regeneration Act and the Urban Regeneration Act in Japan.

Predictors of children’s satisfaction with mass housing

ABSTRACTThis article explores the predictors of children’s satisfaction with mass housing, which were built in the context of squatter housing regeneration. The results are based on a survey of 186 nine-to-twelve-year-old children living in four mass housing sites in Ankara, Turkey. They show the specific features of the dwelling and neighborhood that were critical in predicting children’s residential satisfaction: dwelling location and size; appearance of interior design elements provided by the authority; views from the windows; proximity, quality and quantity of public open spaces; quantity of greenery; building types in the mass housing estate; external appearance of buildings in the neighborhood; safety of street crossings; the continuity, width and comfort of sidewalks; the quality of municipal services; and the number of liked people in the neighborhood. These findings are important as they help planners and designers to consider and incorporate components that contribute to an improved residential satisfaction among children.

Assessing Sustainability in Housing LED Urban Regeneration: Insights from a Housing Association in Northern England

How far do current assessment methods allow the thorough evaluation of sustainable urban regeneration? Would it be useful, to approach the evaluation of the environmental and social impacts of housing regeneration schemes, by making both hidden pitfalls and potentials explicit, and budgeting costs and benefits in the stakeholders’ perspective? The paper aims at answering these questions, by focusing on a case study located in the Manchester area, the City West Housing Trust, a nonprofit housing association. Drawing from extensive fieldwork and including several interviews with key experts from this housing association, the paper first attempts to monetize the environmental and social value of two extant projects – a high-rise housing estate and an environmentally-led program. It then discusses whether and how a stakeholder-oriented approach would allow more engagement of both current and potential funders in the projects at hand. Findings from both the literature and the empirical data that was gathered show how in current housing regeneration processes, room for significant improvements in terms of assessment methods still exist. Findings additionally show that the environmental and social spillovers are largely disregarded because of a gap in the evaluation tools. This may also hinder the potential contributions of further funders in the achievements of higher impacts in terms of sustainability.