Social Aspects of Urban Renewal

Abstract

The essential characteristic of urban renewal is that it brings about change in the use or occupancy of urban land and buildings and therefore results in changes in where, how and under what conditions people live. For some people these changes bring about improvements in living conditions, for others things get worse. This chapter presents a brief discussion of (i) the nature of urban population trends and their implications for urban renewal and (ii) consideration of the social needs of certain vulnerable groups within the population likely to be affected by urban renewal activity. Thus this is not a comprehensive account of the consequences of inner city living for the poor, disadvantaged and vulnerable but is confined simply to the major direct effects of urban renewal and its social impact.