A question of social sustainability: Urban interventions in critical neighbourhoods in Portugal and Norway

Abstract

Urban interventions in deprived neighbourhoods rank high on the agenda in European countries. This article explores what aspects of targeted urban-area interventions involve and appreciate local people during the intervention process so that they become motivated to continue to take care of and develop their area afterwards. Local social sustainability stands out as a necessary prerequisite for continued upkeep of upgraded urban neighbourhoods. The analysis builds on a ‘most different approach’, a comparison of interventions in the far south (Lisbon) and north (Oslo) of Europe. The article concludes that in addition to relevant goals and progress, local support was conditioned on how goals, organization and participation were worked out and implemented.

Keywords:

• social sustainability
• urban interventions
• critical neighbourhoods
• participation
• governance

Notes

1. The ‘Acquis Urban’, Common Declaration of URBAN cities and players at the European Conference ‘Urban Future’, Saarbrücken 8–9/6/2005.

2. Håkon Lorentzen is a well-known Norwegian sociologist working with questions related to state, society and civil involvement.

3. Norway: The Norwegian State Housing Bank. Portugal: The National Housing Institute.

4. PLUS – Participation, leadership and sustainable urban development financed by the EU Commission. The Action Programme for Oslo Inner East was included in the programme.

5. Recent studies of the social consequences of expropriation of people's homes show increased health problems, increased degree of suicide and missing of social support through the former local networks (A no. 13 April 1, 2011). Aftenposten. Norway.

6. Programme for Urban Renewal, part 2 (Oslo). Adopted 22 November 1978.