Changing welfare states and social housing: Consequences for spatial segregation ‐ reviewed

Abstract

Abramsson, M. and L.-E. Borgegård: Changing Welfare States and Social Housing: Consequences for spatial segregation -Reviewed. SHPR 15: 149-173, 1998.Most western countries have reached a peak of welfare and are facing cuts to their welfare programmes. Housing policies and the housing market are similarly going through changes with regard to ownership, rent levels and market prices. The process can be characterised in terms of privatisation, deregulation and a residualisation of the social housing sector. So far changes in Sweden have been slow. To understand the process of change a review of international studies involving Denmark, Finland, Germany (former West Germany), Great Britain, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia has been carried out. All countries have adopted a welfare state concept for their development after 1945. Since the 1970's there has been a change in attitude towards social housing. This study shows that the social housing sector seems to become smaller and/or more marginalised leading to an increase in spatial segregation and a polarisation between various socio-economic groups in society. When the sector becomes smaller the households that remain are low-income households. Even if the sector remains intact the increase in low-income households in society as a whole leads to a larger share of these households in the social housing sector. However, it seems to be the extent to which a social housing sector has become residualised rather than the size that determine the rate of segregation. Great Britain has a comparatively large social housing sector but it is to a greater extent residualised than the smaller social housing sector in Denmark. The willingness of various governments to reduce or change the social housing sector seems to be part of a change in the welfare state as such. Together with cuts in welfare programs this results in a growing number of poor households that are finding it difficult to find housing they can afford. With current government policies the housing situation for this group is likely to get worse.

Universalism lost? The magnitude and spatial pattern of residualisation in the public housing sector in Sweden 1993–2012

“…In previous research, a common indicator of a residualised sector is the increased concentration of low-income tenants (Hills 2007;Norris and Murray 2004;Lee and Murie 1997) often in combination with a declining size and quality of the public or social housing sector (Clapham and Maclennan 1983;Forrest and Murie 1983). Malpass (1983) discussed how residualisation can also be reflected in policy decisions such as more restrictive allocation strategies and declining investment from the government, such as reduced subsidies (Abramsson and Borgegård 1998;Grander 2017;Turner and Whitehead 2002). These modifications also bring about a change in general perception of the housing stock and its residents.…”

“…Some researchers argue that Sweden has lost many of the characteristics of the universal aim of the welfare state and has replaced the cornerstones of Swedish housing policy with new public housing and a 'monstrous hybrid' of regulations and marketisation (Grander 2017;Christophers 2013). The literature seems to agree that these measures have had effects on levels of segregation, residualisation, gentrification and increased polarisation in the larger metropolitan areas (Abramsson and Borgegård 1998;Andersson and Turner 2014;Hedin et al 2012).…”

The Potentials of a Strong Social Housing Sector: The Case of Turks and Somalis in the Copenhagen Housing Market

“…A comparison of selected European countries has shown that Denmark is the only country in which the traditional role as housing provider for a wide spectrum of the population has been maintained . Third, it is also the sector which is thought to secure housing for the most disadvantaged groups, and it has increasingly become a sector for the less resourceful (Abramsson and Borgegård 1998;. In this paper, the sector will be referred to as social housing, bearing in mind that it carries the characteristics of a public non-profit housing sector as well.…”

Fear of Crime Among the Poor in Britain and Sweden

“…In both Britain and Sweden, the problem of segregation has increased during the past 30 years. But segregation began earlier in Britain and, thus far, has been more of a problem there than in Sweden (Abramsson and Borgegard, 1998;Musterd and Ostendorf, 1998). Thus, segregation should be a more important factor explaining fear of crime among the poor in Britain than in Sweden.…”