After Forced Relocation: Assessing the Impact of Urban Regeneration on Residents’ Living Spaces in Wuhan, China

Abstract

Tracking forced relocation due to urban regeneration can help deepen the understanding of urban regeneration beyond the perceived limits of displacement. Existing research has not sufficiently explored new experiences following the adjustment of China’s urban-regeneration policy. This article explores an approach that uses location-based service data to study forced relocatees for urban regeneration, which can be generalized across different regions to expand international knowledge and comparative research. Focusing on Wuhan, the impact of urban regeneration on the living environment of forced relocatees was evaluated from three aspects: housing conditions, neighborhood facilities, and jobs–housing commuting, using the difference-in-difference model. The research found: (1) most forced relocatees chose to live near their original residences; and (2) urban regeneration has improved housing conditions and decreased jobs–housing commuting for forced relocatees but has a negative effect on neighborhood facilities. We conclude by discussing a methodology for applying mobile phone data to urban-regeneration studies.

Keywords:

• Forced relocation
• cell-phone data
• difference-in-difference model
• Wuhan in China

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Housing Policy Debate handling editor and the referees for their constructive comments on a previous draft of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Data obtained from the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China. https://www.mohurd.gov.cn/xinwen/gzdt/201901/20190122_239200.html.

2 “HUJI” means a resident’s permanent address, registered with the Government Population Administration.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Qiang Niu

Qiang Niu is a professor in the School of Urban Design at Wuhan University. His research focuses on urban spatial morphology study, digital planning design, and planning measurement model.

Yushi Xi

Yushi Xi is a masteral student in the School of Urban Design at Wuhan University. Her research interests address topics in urban relocation and quality of life.

Zhouwei Hu

Zhouwei Hu is a doctoral student in the School of Urban Design at Wuhan University. His research interests address topics in urban redevelopment and social mix.

Weiming Zhang

Weiming Zhang is an assistant engineer at the Wuhan Natural Resources Conservation and Utilization Center, mainly engaged in research on planning informatization and big data.

Lei Wu

Lei Wu is a doctoral student in the School of Urban Design at Wuhan University. His research focuses on urban spatial planning and information geography.