Housing renewal, urban policy and gentrification

Abstract

Understanding the impacts of housing renewal policies has become an increasingly complex task. First, evaluation must recognise the changing urban context within which policies operate, notably the revitalisation of some inner-city areas through the process of gentrification. Secondly, and more importantly, housing renewal policies should be viewed in the wider context of urban policy. Yet competing frameworks are available for judging success in urban policy terms. These take opposing views of whether gentrification should be considered a desirable outcome. The article illustrates these points by drawing on a recent evaluation of the impacts of the Housing Action Areas programme in Scotland. It shows that contrasting approaches to implementing renewal were adopted in the two main cities and that the impacts of renewal varied as a result. Judgement of the 'success' of each approach is shown to depend upon the framework used. The findings also suggest that the state may play a major role in influencing the process of restructuring under way in many cities.