Fighting a losing battle? Neighbourhood-based social mobility in times of retrenching social interventions

Social mobility is a key concept in neighbourhood-based policies in Europe and the US. The Dutch neighbourhood approach often implies physical restructuring combined with a range of economic and social mobility strategies such as counselling, citizenship courses, debt relief, work training / placement programs and language courses. However, the...

Relocation counselling as a tool to prevent negative spillover effects?

Public housing revitalization relocatees often recluster in already fragile neighbourhoods where they continue to struggle with poverty and may cause nuisances and conflict in their new living environment. This paper reviews the literature on relocation counselling efforts and the appearance of negative neighbourhood spillovers connected to four...

Choice within limits. How forced relocation affects residents’ dwelling searches and trae-offs in dwelling choice

Each year, thousands of Dutch social renters have to deal with forced relocation from their dwellings slated for demolition. This is an essential part of Dutch urban restructuring policy in early post-war neighbourhoods. Usually, these relocatees have to find a new dwelling by themselves, facilitated with a priority status and an allowance for...

Selling houses to (presumably) low-income tenants. Can owner-occupation lead to empowerment of former social housing tenants?