This thesis examines how municipal incentives can be effectively designed and implemented to persuade homeowner associations to use and access municipal incentives for sustainable energy renovations. This research answers the question: “In what ways can Dutch municipalities improve the access of homeowner associations to municipal incentives supporting their sustainable energy renovation?” Using semi-structured interviews with board members of homeowner associations and municipal agents from several Dutch municipalities, alongside desk research of policy documents and program materials, the study adopts a qualitative approach. It analyses findings through Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory, focusing on the persuasion step of innovation. The results show how homeowner associations experience interconnected financial, institutional, and social and governance barriers. Limited eligibility and brief application periods, hidden costs related to technical and insurance aspects, volunteer time shortages, quorum and decision-making challenges, and fragmented administrative demands all intertwine, which constrain homeowner associations from effectively using and accessing municipal incentives. These barriers collectively reduce the perceived relative advantages, increase complexity, and hinder trialability and observability of municipal offers.
Municipal strategies should focus on hands-on facilitation alongside information-sharing, such as one-stop desks, process coaches, adaptable templates, phased financing, and demonstrator projects. The thesis advocates viewing incentives as integrated systems, rather than isolated tools and offers targeted recommendations for focusing on personal assistance, simplifying institutional procedures between incentives, and facilitating governance for smaller or volunteer-run homeowner associations. Overall, the study provides actionable mechanisms and policy-relevant insights to enhance collective renovation efforts.
... Read more

Housing affordability has become an increasing challenge in the Netherlands, particularly for first-time buyers who are unable to access social housing while simultaneously facing barriers to full homeownership. In response, intermediate tenure mechanisms have emerged that aim to bridge the affordability gap by redistributing ownership rights, financing arrangements, and housing market risks between households and third parties. However, limited understanding exists of how the design of these mechanisms shapes pathways towards homeownership.

This study examines how ownership, financial, and risk-allocation features embedded within Dutch intermediate tenure mechanisms influence transitions towards first-time homeownership. The research focuses on three contemporary Dutch mechanisms: SteenvlinderINC, Duokoop, and Welvoort. A qualitative multiple-case study approach was applied, combining document analysis with semi-structured interviews involving providers and a housing market expert.

Building on an analytical framework derived from international literature on intermediate housing tenures, ownership structures, affordability, and housing market risks, the study first identifies and compares the key design characteristics of the selected mechanisms. Subsequently, these characteristics are analysed to determine which design features facilitate or constrain progression towards homeownership. Finally, a scenario-based financial analysis was conducted to assess the extent to which the mechanisms function as stepping stones to full homeownership under varying housing market conditions and household income trajectories.

The findings demonstrate that all three mechanisms seek to improve access to homeownership by reducing upfront affordability constraints, yet they employ fundamentally different strategies. SteenvlinderINC combines phased ownership with self-build participation and a fixed purchase price, Duokoop separates land and property ownership through a split-financing model that enables households to benefit from property value appreciation, and Welvoort applies a rental-first pathway combined with a value-sharing arrangement. The scenario analysis reveals that the effectiveness of these mechanisms is highly dependent on the interaction between housing market developments, household income growth, and risk-allocation structures.

The study contributes to the academic literature on intermediate housing tenures by providing a comparative analysis of contemporary Dutch mechanisms and by demonstrating how ownership, financial, and risk-allocation features jointly shape homeownership trajectories. The findings offer insights for housing providers, households, policymakers, and market actors seeking to expand affordable pathways towards homeownership and to enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of intermediate tenures as stepping stones towards full homeownership in increasingly constrained housing markets.
... Read more

This thesis explores how participation practices relate to evolving patterns of public space use under conditions of uncertainty in mixed-use urban development processes. Contemporary urban developments are increasingly characterised by long development timelines, multiple stakeholders and changing spatial and social conditions. In these contexts, participation is widely institutionalised as a mechanism to include user perspectives in planning and decision making. At the same time, public space is continuously shaped through everyday practices, temporary uses and evolving user groups, creating uncertainty regarding future forms of use and future users. This research examines how participation engages with these dynamic conditions and to what extent they reflect or overlook evolving patterns of public space use.

The study adopts a qualitative multiple case study approach, focusing on the redevelopment of Kronenburg in Amstelveen and the Marineterrein in Amsterdam, both cases are in the planning phase and are moving into the development phase. Both cases represent mixed-use urban developments characterised by uncertainty, temporality and changing public space dynamics. The research combines document analysis, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and street interviews with users of public space. Through qualitative content analysis and cross-case comparison, the research analyses how participation is organised, which users are represented and how participation related to everyday spatial practices and evolving development conditions

The findings demonstrate that participation practices are strongly influenced by the uncertain and evolving nature of mixed-use urban development. In Kronenburg, participation mainly operated in institutional and regulatory constraints, resulting in participation processes that were largely consultative and focused on existing stakeholders. Future users, particularly temporary and short-stay residents, remained difficult to represent, causing a structural mismatch between planned futures and current lived realities. In contrast, the Marineterrein demonstrated a more adaptive and iterative development approach where temporary use and experimentation actively informed participation and spatial decision-making. Here, informal practices such as swimming and recreational use became influential in shaping future planning discussions and public space ambitions.

Across both cases, the research reveals that participation primarily captures partial and time-bound representation of public space use. Participation processes tend to favour organised and currently present actors, while future users and evolving forms of use remain difficult to incorporate. At the same time, the findings show that adaptive and continuous participation approaches can create stronger alignment between planning processes and everyday spatial practices. The study therefore argues that participation in mixed-use urban development should not only be approached as a procedural planning tool, but also an ongoing and adaptive process capable of responding to uncertainty, temporality and evolving patterns of public space use over time.

... Read more

Subsidence affects a growing share of Rotterdam’s pre-war housing stock, with concentrated incidence in low-income neighbourhoods such as Bloemhof. Here, household incomes and property values are comparatively low. The Dutch Foundation Repair Fund (Fonds Duurzaam Funderingsherstel, FDF), available nationally through SVn, is the primary public instrument. It is designed to enable individual homeowners to finance foundation repair. This thesis examines how the FDF’s funding rules enable or disable access for the vulnerable homeowners who are most in need of the instrument.
The research adopts a qualitative, case study approach, examining three analytically distinct dimensions of access. Eligibility, affordability, and attainability are examined against the socioeconomic and housing conditions of Bloemhof homeowners. The findings show that residents face simultaneous obstacles across all three dimensions. Many fall outside eligibility thresholds or sit at the margin of creditworthiness; the loan mechanism provides insufficient financial relief, given the disproportionately high cost-to-value ratio in the neighbourhood. Lastly, the procedural demands of the instrument are most onerous for the households least equipped to navigate them.
The thesis concludes that the FDF does not contain an embedded exclusionary intent, but that its calibration, centred on repayments and individual asset value, does not mitigate the inequalities it is intended to address. A more equitable instrument would lend against demonstrated need rather than asset value. It could operate at the scale of the physical problem and carry more of the navigational and financial burden institutionally, rather than assigning it to the household. ... Read more

This thesis investigates how Social Impact Investment Funds (SIIFs) create social impact for beneficiaries by supporting social entrepreneurs engaged in placemaking projects. The goal of this research is to gain more insight into what is established as social impact and how SIIFs contribute to creating this.

Using the Dutch Stadmakersfonds (SMF) as the central case in an embedded single-case study, two supported placemaking initiatives (Huis Miereveld and Roodnoot) are analysed to understand how financial instruments, governance structures, and local ecosystems shape impact creation. As a hybrid fund, SMF functions as a mechanism to activate both public and private capital for the public purpose of generating social impact.

A qualitative multi-method design was applied, including document analysis, semi-structured interviews with ecosystem and project actors, and Capability Approach-based reflective conversations with beneficiaries. This last method is grounded in Sen and Nussbaum’s Capability Approach. The conversations assess experienced outcomes rather than organisational outputs, enabling systematic inclusion of beneficiary perspectives in impact evaluation.

The findings show that SMF generates social impact not merely through subordinated and patient capital, but through embedded non-financial support such as strategic guidance, mission safeguarding, and ecosystem building. These relational functions strengthen organisational resilience and stabilise socially programmed real estate. The fund’s additionality lies in both financial risk absorption and institutional capacity building that enables social entrepreneurs to execute their social programmes.

Impact pathways differ substantially between projects: Huis Miereveld demonstrates neighbourhood-level capability enhancement, whereas Roodnoot’s social impact is more internally oriented. The study further reveals a mismatch between output-driven measurement tools and beneficiaries’ lived experiences.

Although socially effective, SMF is not yet structurally financially independent. Its reliance on public funding and the limited revenue generated through a revolving loan model make it difficult to sustainably finance the relational and advisory functions that are central to its impact creation. This highlights the need for hybrid financial models that structurally recognise and fund both capital provision and non-financial support. ... Read more

This research investigates how early-stage decision-making in Dutch urban regeneration can better balance social, environmental, governance, and financial values and whether a more standardized approach can improve clarity, comparability, and decision-making. It examines current practice, in which financial feasibility metrics tend to dominate early assessments, while soft values such as social cohesion and participatory outcomes that are not directly expressed in financial terms but are central to public value creation in urban regeneration remain poorly specified, inconsistently documented and difficult to compare across options. As a result, recurring tensions between objectives often emerge later in the process.
Drawing on academic literature and interviews with municipal officials, developers, and housing association representatives, the study analyses stakeholder priorities, alignment requirements under the Omgevingswet, and the institutional conditions under which value trade-offs are negotiated and justified. Using a design science research approach, an Integrated Value Creation Framework was developed to complement financial feasibility analysis. The framework operationalises non-financial values through indicators, a participation influence log and a trade-off ledger, enabling these values to be linked to early design and investment choices in a more efficient way.
The research findings reveal that value trade-offs become more manageable and accountable when they are made explicit, recorded, and revisited as part of formal early-stage decision-making, rather than remaining suggestive. The study concludes by discussing how these values can be made more visible and influential in Dutch urban regeneration initiatives, and by offering recommendations for improving early-stage decision-making practices. ... Read more

This thesis investigates how housing providers in the Netherlands can improve tenant well-being and satisfaction in the rental sector through developmental and operational strategies, to enhance social value creation. Using a Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, an end-user well-being framework was developed by synthesising objectives from ESG frameworks, academic literature, and industry publications. The framework was refined through expert input and tested in interviews with developers and asset managers, under investors and housing associations operating in the Randstad region. Findings reveal which tenant-oriented social value objectives are integrated into current practices, where gaps remain, and how tenant needs and preferences influence business practices. The research positions tenant health, satisfaction, and lived experience as central to social value creation and offers strategy recommendations to help housing providers and policymakers align development and operations more closely with tenant well-being. ... Read more

The concept of the Gendered City—urban spaces where individual experiences, access to resources, and safety are deeply influenced by gender—has emerged from the field of feminist geography. Lived experiences are inherent to the Gendered City as they expose the everyday spatial inequalities between men and women. As the concept of the Gendered City gains traction in academia and urban planning, research increasingly seeks to address these spatial inequalities. Gender mainstreaming, a strategy aimed at integrating gender perspectives into all aspects of planning, emerges as a key approach. However, top-down applications of gender mainstreaming often fall short, hampered by vague definitions and limited insights into the actual spatial needs of women. This lack of clarity prevents a tangible understanding of gender mainstreaming’s impact on urban spaces. Meanwhile, emerging participatory planning processes offer potential for a grassroots approach and an opportunity for incorporating the lived experience of citizens into urban planning. However, the conventional participation processes often overlook equitable methods and fail to capture these nuanced realities. This research examines how gender mainstreaming can be advanced as a bottom-up spatial strategy through developing a citizen participation framework that addresses spatial inequalities of the Gendered City by centering lived experiences to. By employing an explorative approach from the field of participatory action research (PAR) qualitative research is conducted with experimental methods. The study examines the intersection of gender-based urban planning and participatory planning through expert interviews, workshops, exploratory walks, a case study and a quasi-experiment. The research identifies actionable strategies of to address gender issues in citizen participation which ultimately promote a more equitable urban landscape for everyone, regardless of their gender.
... Read more

Countries located near the equator, like Indonesia, are more exposed to the risks of rising temperatures, especially in coastal areas. This condition has raised concerns about the effects of climate change, which are increasingly felt in everyday life. In response, various actions have been taken through policy-making, public education, and infrastructure development. These efforts also support the global commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to guide countries toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.

Despite this progress, many climate change efforts in Indonesia still focus on large-scale infrastructure or attempts to mitigate the regular natural disasters. Meanwhile, local-scale adaptation, particularly in the area of housing and settlements, has received less attention. This is a critical issue in informal settlements, where residents face greater challenges in dealing with climate impacts. Therefore, more focus is needed on adaptation strategies that consider these vulnerable areas and everyday living conditions.

In this context, collaboration between different actors, such as government institutions, communities, and other organizations, is important. Climate change impacts numerous aspects of life, and solutions necessitate joint efforts from multiple sectors. Working together can help strengthen responses and make adaptation more effective, especially at the scale of neighbourhoods and households where the effects are directly felt.

This research explores how collaborative action can support climate change adaptation in Jakarta’s informal settlements. A qualitative approach is used, including case studies and interviews with involved actors. By applying the collaborative governance framework, the study aims to understand the current implementation of adaptation efforts and identify areas for improvement in future practices. ... Read more

Participative urban regeneration is a growing concept in the development of urbanism. There are also other terms describing a similar phenomenon, such as inclusive urban regeneration, bottom-up urbanism, community self-organization and organic planning. The motivation behind this trend is to seek a sustainable way to regenerate the current built environment, which has given rise to community involvement and bottom-up initiatives. In China, where planning has traditionally been top-down, participative approaches are also emerging, exemplified by Shanghai's micro-regeneration initiatives. These endeavors focus on small-scale interventions, where smaller collectives and individuals playing pivotal roles. However, development of micro-regeneration is still in an early stage. This research, through case study analyses and comparisons, seeks to explore the participatory experience in recent micro-regeneration projects in Shanghai, aiming to bridge the gap between practical and guideline-oriented approaches in urban regeneration governance and provide generalized favorable conditions for optimizing participative approaches, thereby contributing to the discourse on urban regeneration in both Chinese and Western contexts. ... Read more

The sustainable development of cities depends significantly upon the effectiveness of housing policies, particularly in fostering social integration and inclusive communities. Within this context, the integration of status holders, poses a multifaceted challenge for Dutch housing policies. Beyond the provision of shelter, successful integration entails fostering harmonious relationships, reducing social disparities, and promoting a sense of belonging among status holders within their newfound communities.
This thesis investigates the impact of Dutch housing policies on the social integration of status holders, focusing on how housing allocation systems, spatial dispersal policies, and municipal decision-making processes influence social integration outcomes. Through a combination of literature reviews, case studies in Utrecht and Westland, and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, the research provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and strategies associated with housing refugees.
The study reveals that Dutch housing policies prioritize status holders through centralized allocation systems, quota-based distribution, and collaborative initiatives aimed at increasing affordable housing and community integration. Spatial dispersal policies, designed to prevent segregation and promote diversity, present challenges related to individual preferences and potential isolation. Municipal decision-making is influenced by factors such as social housing scarcity, community resistance, and the need for greater input from status holders.
Social integration is found to be closely linked to housing's connection to employment, education, health, and community support. The research highlights the importance of place attachment, access to (familiar) amenities, and public transportation in facilitating integration. Additionally, the role of community attitudes and political environments significantly impacts the social integration process.
The findings underscore the need for flexible and informed housing policies that balance practical considerations with the well-being of migrants. Recommendations for future research include exploring community-based support initiatives, understanding local residents' perceptions of refugees, and utilizing AI algorithms to improve housing placement decisions. The study contributes to the broader discourse on refugee integration and offers insights for policymakers, housing authorities, and community stakeholders. It seeks to offer valuable insights into the dynamics shaping inclusive communities and resilient cities in the Netherlands and beyond. ... Read more

This thesis focuses on the critical gap in understanding and operationalizing social sustainability within URPs, in the context of private-led developers. While the significance of social sustainability is acknowledged, its application in urban development projects, especially by private-led developers, remains underexplored. This research aims to bridge this gap by exploring how social sustainability objectives are assessed and documented within the context of urban transformation projects. The main research question will be: “How do private-led urban developers interpret and implement social sustainability in URPs, and how do these interpretations impact communities from the perspective of both developers and end-users?”. The research primarily employs a qualitative approach, using literature review, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with experts and residents. Two case studies, Le Medi and The Hudsons, situated in Rotterdam's Bospolder neighborhood, were selected for comparative analysis. The selection of the projects, developed by the same developer, ERA-Contour, but at different times, provides insight into urban planning strategies and their effects over time. Findings show that both projects emphasize social well-being, quality of life and sense of place, addressing various aspects of social sustainability. However, challenges remain, including perceptions of living in a bubble and limited integration with the broader community. Despite municipal guidelines to attract new populations, integration efforts are gradually evolving, with community initiatives showing promise. Analysis of the case studies reveals the strong influence of public and semi-public parties, especially municipalities and housing associations, in shaping urban development agendas. The collaborative nature of Dutch urban governance is considerable. This collaborative nature of Dutch urban governance and its transition to people-centered regeneration underscore the importance of community involvement and bottom-up approaches. The developer's profile, exemplified by ERA, reflects an integrated approach with a focus on concept development, community engagement and on long-term social welfare enhancement. Both projects demonstrate a commitment to design quality and strategic decision-making aligned with the neighborhood context, although the approaches to social inclusion somewhat differ. The study concludes with a theoretical framework that summarizes indicators and contextual factors of social sustainability in URPs. This framework provides a valuable tool for analyzing and understanding the implementation of social sustainability by private developers in URPs. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness and implications of these strategies for promoting inclusive and equitable urban environments for other types of private-led developers.
... Read more

In the coming years, the Netherlands is expected to face various climate change-related challenges. Until 2030, the Dutch government has set the goal for the development of nearly a million dwellings (De Jonge, 2022), whereby 600,000 dwellings are being carried out in areas prone to flooding (Deltares, Bosch Slabbers, & Sweco, 2021; Groenemeijer & van der Lelij, 2021). In literature, work has been done regarding the current use of adaptation pathways, policies and their impact on decision-makers and practitioners (Restemeyer, van den Brink, & Woltjer, 2017; van Alphen, Haasnoot, & Diermanse, 2022; Yousefpour & Hanewinkel, 2016). However, limited efforts have been made regarding their practicality in the real estate sector. This research seeks to address the fundamental question, “who pays what, when?”. At its core, this research revolves around the influence of climate risks on the investment decision-making process in polder-area developments in the Netherlands and examines the research question: “In which way do water risks impact the investment decision-making process in polder-area development projects in the Netherlands?”. In this qualitative study, the urban area development projects Westergouwe (Gouda) and Gnephoek (Alphen aan den Rijn) are compared and analyzed. With the use of explorative interviews, and semi-structured in-depth interviews, the research strived to answer the research question. Afterward, an expert panel is held to bridge the gap to standard practice. This research found that the integration of adaptive measures into the investment decision-making process is currently insufficient. There is a need for clear policy, clear distribution of responsibilities and prioritization of water safety over financial considerations in the investment decision-making process. By navigating this complexity, driven by collaborative efforts, a holistic approach becomes imperative to forge a path toward a more resilient built environment. ... Read more

The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept which seeks to enhance social sustainability by improving accessibility. In this master thesis accessibility in Amsterdam Nieuw-West is explored to better understand the link between the 15-minute city concept and social sustainability to answer the research question: To what extent is the 15-minute city able to enhance social sustainability? Empirical research is conducted to identify the indicators that truly affect accessibility. Literature regarding the subject has pointed out two scale levels which affect accessibility. The macro scale relates to accessibility of the infrastructure network and availability of facilities while the micro scale relates to the indicators affecting the accessibility of a place. There where also two categories of accessibility indicators defined. Physical accessibility indicators experienced directly because of the built environment and social accessibility indicators experienced because of the behaviour of people inhabiting the built environment. This creates an interesting dynamic of the designed physical accessibility and the social accessibility resulting from it. After the initial literature review, three research methods were used in the case study in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. First two project mangers affiliated with the municipality were interviewed which alongside case study documents aided the framework of known accessibility indicators in Nieuw-West. Thereafter, the way accessibility is experienced was studied on both scale levels. The macro scale by interviewing residents about their decision making process regarding their routes and destinations utilising mental maps and the micro scale by street interviews with users of Osdorpplein. The findings show that the 15-minute city concept is not applicable as a one size fits all solution for urban development as that would be discriminatory because of the different desires and capabilities of inhabitants. However, indicators of the 15-minute city on their own are able to improve accessibility and thus social sustainability. ... Read more

The Netherlands has been in a serious housing crisis for the past few years. The current housing shortage is estimated at 315.000 units and house prices have increased significantly. Especially first-time buyers experience a decrease in accessibility to the Dutch owner-occupied housing market, and their position on the housing market deteriorates. The government has implemented several regulations in attempt to increase this accessibility, and organizations have introduced alternative purchase instruments that are designed to increase the accessibility of first-time buyers to the market. Despite all these efforts, access to the housing market remains a serious challenge for first-time buyers.
The accessibility of first-time buyers to the owner-occupied housing market is highly relevant to the functioning of the housing market as whole, since it stimulates the housing market flow. Additionally, the inaccessibility to the owner-occupied market results in households not being able to build equity through homeownership, stimulating a prosperity gap. Although studies have researched the position of first-time buyers on the housing market, as well as provided a comparison between several alternative purchase instruments, there is a lack of research on how these instruments enhance the accessibility of first-time buyers to the housing market and which factors form a barrier in this enhancement. Therefore, this research identifies the factors limiting the access of first-time buyers to the housing market, and establishes through a comparative study the enablers and barriers of four alternative purchase instruments in the Netherlands with regard to enhancing the increase in the accessibility. The identified barriers are transformed into suggestions for alterations of the alternative purchase instruments to increase the impact they have on enhancing the accessibility of first-time buyers to the market. Literature study on first-time buyers, their limitations, and alternative purchase instruments in the Netherlands was complemented with interviews, providing several perspectives on the alternative purchase instruments. The main limitation of first-time buyers in acquiring homeownership is their limited financing capacity. The group of first-time buyers with an income between €40.000 and €60.000 (equal to 1 –1,5 modal income) experience the greatest limitations since their income is too high to be eligible for social rent, but too low to get access to enough financial resources to purchase a property on the owner-occupied housing market. The analysis of the empirical data shows that on the small scale that the instruments are currently deployed in, they are successful in increasing the accessibility of first-time buyers to the housing market since they lower the necessary funding capacity. However, the deployment capacity of the instruments is being influenced by external factors, limiting the ability to increase the deployment capacity of the instruments and therefore the impact on the increase of accessibility of first-time buyers. By making a purchase instrument individual bound instead of property bound, the deployment capacity is no longer dependent on the supply side of the housing market. This also lowers the desire to apply an instrument to the same property for multiple households, allowing households to pay off the instrument’s rights and acquire the bare property rights. Finally, the division of financial benefits should be in equilibrium, meaning that the financial benefits should be high enough on the supplier’s side for the instrument to be viable, but also on the user’s side since financing capacity is the main problem these instruments try to tackle.
... Read more

This thesis examines the impact of the formalisation process on recipient households in peri-urban areas of Albania, by employing a multi-dimensional framework, adapted from Frediani and Hansen (2015), which uses aspects of both the Capability Space and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The main research question explores the impact of formalization on recipient households, while sub-questions delve into aspects such as tenure security, socio-economic characteristics, asset accumulation, and the influence of external factors on the benefits of formalization. It adopts a case-study approach, where different qualitative methods are used to study two cases in different cities in Albania, Kamëz and Durrës. A total of 36 recipient households were selected as participants, taking part in a qualitative door-to-door survey, where subsequently, five of which were part of semi-structured interviews. Alongside this, several experts and government officials were interviewed as well, to gain a better understanding of the issues and to assure the triangulation of the data.
The data analysis utilized Excel for the survey data and ATLAS.ti for interview transcripts, employing both deductive and inductive coding techniques. The findings reveal that the obtaining of ownership certificates had limited overall impact on the access to livelihood assets amongst recipient households. While there were some enhancements in financial capital for a few participants, the changes were not present in the rest of the sample population. Moreover, for those few participants that observed any changes following formalisation, the possession of other assets and skills prior to the process, played a significant role in their ability to capitalise on the legal status of their properties. This thesis highlights the importance of considering multiple dimensions of well-being, and accounting for the local socio-economic contexts, to fully understand the impact of formalisation on recipient households. It emphasizes the need for further research into gentrification and formalisation, the need for longitudinal and comparative studies, as well as further academic research into policy measures that can address the broader socio-economic challenges concerning formalisation. Lastly, the findings can inform future initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development and inclusive urbanisation in Albania and similar contexts. ... Read more

Top-down solutions toward Incremental Housing have been criticized because the government has imposed unrealistic and unaffordable standards. On a bottom-up approach, Social Enterprises have been recognized for their contribution to global challenges by implementing service and product innovation and their intermediary role in the processes related to the Built Environment. Theory on Incremental Housing (i.e., process, elements) and Social Enterprises (i.e., characteristics of the organization, intermediary roles) are used to identify three types of Social Enterprises and their contributions to Incremental Housing. A typology was constructed from a cross-case study of 6 cases to answer the following research question: To what extent does the type of Social Enterprise and deployed Roles contribute to Incremental Housing? Firstly, type A: technical-led is a socially driven organization adopting roles as an implementer, emphasizing design and material solutions. Their intervention is sporadic, facing challenges such as a limited network, resources, and motivation to achieve goals. Secondly, type B: community-led, is a socially driven organization adapting roles as a catalyst and partner, focusing on the bottom-up process of self-organization and building social networks on a local scale. Barriers faced by this actor are; the lengthy decision-making process among groups and the minor involvement of the users. Thirdly, type C: project management-led; adopting roles as catalysis, implementer, and partner, has an extensive network with strategic allies. Barriers faced are limited access to the best talent and actors not having a shared vision towards Incremental Housing. Shedding light on these organizations aims to attract the attention of policymakers towards these actors to propel their practice and inspire new ventures towards assisting the Incremental Housing process. ... Read more

In recent years, Barcelona has been a pioneer in the implementation of PRO-Housing Right policies. Unfortunately, these measures can be considered too radical and not necessarily efficient in a long-term scenario. Private landlords are at the center of this challenge, being that they are the stakeholder that might potentially be the solution and negotiate a balance between the two sides of the coin. On the one hand, a housing rental real estate market is shown that depends on the owners and investors, so its stability is dictated by the interest and the ttractiveness it has. Cases such as Real Estate Investment Trusts are the financial
mechanism that allows indirect investment to come to the city and higher tax collection that is reflected in the infrastructure of the city. On the other, big private landlords such as opportunistic private equity funds are responsible for managing the properties and, therefore, responsible for the conditions of the tenants. Which, in recent years, have been affected the adequacy of the house. In this way, the question that will guide this research arises, what are the challenges between real estate management models and securing housing rights for low-income tenants in Barcelona? Articles, policy documents, and annual reports will be investigated to explore the investment practices of different companies (to be defined). To establish a complete view of the local investment practices of the SOCIMIs studied. The research will be divided in three sections fallowing the logic of the research questions. ... Read more

Dutch Housing associations (HA’s) are responsible for producing, maintaining, and managing about 30% of all Dutch housing stock. HA’s draw up their investment forecasts yearly for the next 5 years to construct, improve or maintain homes and other real estate investments. Since 2013, the realization rate of new construction plans by HA’s, which is the comparison of forecasts (dPi) against realized plans (dVi) decreased due to HA’s not realizing new build homes within the time they propose to realize them in their forecast plans. HA’s currently use valuation methods which assist them to mitigate emerging risks that affect new build plans of HA’s. However, valuation methods have been found to focus on indexable risks and capture financial loss while excluding time effect of risks. This means that new build investment forecast as currently conducted yields inaccurate results and are considered too optimistic. Forecasts that are too optimistic lead to disappointments from tenant organizations and municipalities, reduced financial guarantees from lenders, long waiting times for tenants and affects financial feasibilities which rely on accurate prediction of time to completion of projects.
The aim of the research is to explore how new build plans can be made more realistic by accurately predicting the delivery time of investment forecasts. The study results in the identification of risks that lead to delay of new build investment plans and their subsequent indicators. The risks include long permit procedures, long land acquisition processes or lack of land positions to build, long tendering procedures, contractor related delays, rise in construction costs and lack of capacity at municipal level in dealing with development projects. The indicators of risks which statistically significantly predicted project time are construction costs, change in input price index of material and labour costs as of date when decision was made to tender, municipal location, and type of construction i.e., on empty ground or existing site that needs demolition. The project indicators can be used by HA's to accurately predict project time via stochastic decision tree models (SDTA) that rely on multiple linear regression (MLR) and Monte Carlo simulations (MCS). Supervisory bodies can also use these to gauge realism of new build investment forecast.
... Read more

As part of the larger urban context, informal settlements belong to the realm of formal urban governance while simultaneously possessing governance systems of their own. In the Mexican context, a shift in urban governance has facilitated elements of a networks approach, which places community participation as central to upgrading interventions, to coexist with a historically dominant hierarchical approach. Community participation involves dwellers in the process and is a means for community empowerment, but its validity is put into question as expert-driven and technocratic approaches persist. Therefore, informal settlement upgrading finds itself at a crossroads at which the formal and informal governance systems and hierarchical and networks governance approaches converge. This thesis focuses on identifying factors of government-led upgrading programmes that enable community participation to promote a process of empowerment; taking the Campana-Altamira Initiative in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon as a case study. In this research, community participation covers a broad range of activities and is seen as a means for community empowerment, defined as the ability to gain access to resources, democratically participate and gain a critical awareness of reality. The methodology used to conduct the research was a literature review, followed by empirical research focusing on the Contextual, Socio-Spatial, Planning, and Stakeholder dimensions. The data
was collected through document analysis of socio-urban diagnostics and planning instruments of the case study, as well as interviews and focus groups with public, private, civil society, and expert groups. Through the review of planning documents, analysis of stakeholder relations, and power dynamics, seven factors are identified and presented, namely the Planning Process and Policy, Transparency and Reliability, Networks and Support, Leadership, Stakeholder Collaboration, Community Collectivity, and Contextual Implications. In addition, contributions of this research, recommendation for further research, and a reflection on the topic and process are presented. ... Read more