Urban Studies: An International Journal of Research in Urban Studies

Cameron, Stuart

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080011pmid: N/A

The paper examines the role of housing in recent urban regeneration policies and the question of whether this involves a process of gentrification. Using examples from Tyneside, it notes the emphasis on riverside and city centre locations away from established residential areas, and on high-cost housing for sale. It is suggested, though, that this is not gentrification in the most direct sense, in that it does not displace or reduce housing opportunities for low-income residents. Evaluation must take account of non-housing issues, such as the employment effects and the political and ideological implications of these housing policies.

Miceli, Thomas J.

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080021pmid: N/A

Court decisions in the 1970s dramatically changed the distribution of legal rights in the landlord-tenant relationship in seeking to improve the welfare of tenants, thought to be at a disadvantage in their search for housing. Both landlords and tenants contribute to the quality of services but the fact that the rights of ownership and use are separated prevents both parties from fully internalising the benefits of their efforts. The paper develops a simple model of the housing rental relationship capturing the impact which both landlord and tenant have on housing quality. It shows that, because of the moral hazard problem, the non-co-operative equilibrium of the model is inefficient in that, in the absence of any regulation, both parties invest too little in maintaining the quality of the unit. The model, assessing the relationship between the two parties, indicates that (i) increased landlord maintenance raises tenant utility and lowers landlord profits, (ii) the joint benefits of landlords and tenants first rise and then fall as greater maintenance is required, and (iii) housing quality varies ambiguously with landlord maintenance, given that increased maintenance is met with reduced tenant input.

Dowall, David E.

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080031pmid: N/A

An earlier paper by the present author, published in this journal in 1989, reported on a detailed analysis of the Bangkok land and housing market, carried out in 1987-88. Based on a recent reassessment, this paper compares the performance of Bangkok's land and housing markets in 1974-84 and 1988-90. The results of the comparative analysis are striking: despite rapid increases in land conversion pressure and price increases, Bangkok's housing developers are still providing considerable amounts of affordable housing. Unconstrained by zoning, they have decentralised development projects and increased project densities dramatically.

Valença, Márcio M.

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080041pmid: N/A

This paper summarises the major trends which produced a crisis in the Brazilian Housing Finance System (SFH) during the first half of the 1980s. It constitutes a first effort to contextualise the question within the broader economic framework of recent Brazilian development. It holds the thesis that the crisis was inevitable, due to both the SFH's original operational format and several inconsistent measures adopted piecemeal according to political and economic convenience.

Collinge, Chris

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080051pmid: N/A

A theoretical approach to the large-scale dynamics of local government is derived from Marxian political economy. This is then probed and developed by reference to the history of local authority intervention in the sphere of production over the last 100 years. The historical evidence reveals a pattern of periodic change in the stance of local government towards the local enonomy, a pattern that is broadly correlated with the main phases of economic change which have occurred since 1880. This observation is consistent with the theoretical position indicated at the outset, and supports the view that progress towards a macroscopic theory of local government will depend upon the continued investigation of the long march of local history.

Begović, Boris

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080061pmid: N/A

The theoretical explanation for the industrial diversification-city size relationship is studied. As an explanation on the basis of variation in factor prices is not adequate, attention is paid to the theory of agglomeration economies, which offers a framework for a consistent theoretical explanation of the industrial diversification-city size and the industrial share-city size relationships. The results of some empirical research into the agglomeration economies-city size relationship are reviewed. Two econometric models are formulated of the industrial diversification-city size and the industrial share-city size relationships in Yugoslavia. The estimation of these models (based on 1981 data) gives evidence to support the hypothesis that there is a statistically significant relationship between city size and industrial diversification/share.

Pius Mulwanda, Mpanjilwa

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080071pmid: N/A

Despite the clear evidence that the victims of disasters are adaptable and likely to take rational action as the situation warrants, the image of 'overwhelmed' communities continues to dominate the minds of the public and of politicians, as well as of most planners. Further, in spite of the evidence that programmes unsupported by the victim communities mostly fail, intervening agencies continue to operate independently of the victims, resulting in the widening of the gulf between the agencies and the victims. This is a gulf which has no hope of narrowing unless intervening agencies work with and become accountable to the victim communities. This calls for a redefinition of the role of outside help. This role should facilitate the establishment of self-reliant communities so as to reduce their vulnerability to natural disasters. In other words, the objective of outside help should be to help implement disaster mitigation strategies in victim communities rather than perpetuating dependency through disaster relief packages.

Woolever, Cynthia

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080081pmid: N/A

In spite of prophecies to the contrary, the urban neighbourhood continues to be an important locale for formal and informal social action. Attachment to neighbourhood is complex and the reasons for it are not captured simply by matching the attributes of the individual resident and his or her attitudes and behaviour, as previous studies have suggested. Characteristics of the neighbourhood itself need to be incorporated into an analysis of attachment. It is also argued that the existence or degree of attachment varies between individuals depending upon their resources, opportunities for extra-local links, personal needs and the place in which they live.

Greenberg, Michael; Popper, Frank; West, Bernadette; Schneider, Dona

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080091pmid: N/A

Temporarily obsolete abandoned derelict sites (TOADS) are deserted commercial, industrial and housing properties and unbuilt sites that become toxic waste dumps, makeshift housing for the homeless and crack houses for drugs. TOADS and their associated problems often spread to adjacent neighbourhoods. Using a sample of 21 mid-sized cities in New Jersey, we show that communities with a poor real estate market, many poor, minority residents and a weak economic base are likely to have serious TOADS-related problems. Appropriate research and civic responses are suggested.

Vining, Daniel R.

doi: 10.1080/00420989220080101pmid: N/A