Successful mixing? Effects of urban restructuring policies in Dutch neighbourhoods.

Abstract

Concentrations of poverty in urban neighbourhoods are generally unwanted, because of all kinds of presumed negative consequences for the social mobility and the quality of life of the residents. Because of these negative associations, policies in Western European countries are often aimed at breaking up these poverty concentrations by mixing the population composition through changing the housing stock. However, whether these policies are successful remains to be seen. We asked residents of urban restructuring areas in six Dutch cities about the consequences of mixing policies. The number of residents who perceive improvements in the neighbourhood in the past few years is substantially outnumbered by the residents who report a decline in neighbourhood quality. However, many residents have high hopes for their neighbourhood’s future. This finding indicates that social mixing policies have not matched the policy-makers’ expectations yet – but may do so in the course of time.