Is it possible to plan displacement-free urban renewal?
I grew up in multiple cities across Turkey; ended up specializing in residential displacement in urban context in my dissertation, which focuses on urban development-induced displacement. My dissertation is motivated by a short yet challenging question: Is it possible for urban redevelopment to occur in the existing residents’ terms that actually benefit them? If not, what are the obstacles to that occurring? This dissertation focuses on Turkey’s ongoing urban redevelopment program as an extreme case regarding the scope of the renewal policy and the scale of the redevelopment targets chased under a complex legislation. A comparative analysis is conducted to explore the urban renewal program implementation in three second-tier cities (Adana, Bursa, and Izmir). I investigate the dynamics that shape urban renewal projects’ displacement pressures and the affected communities’ varying responses to these dynamics.
In my dissertation I conduct a study of development-induced displacement in the urban context. I explore the planning environment that shapes the ostensibly well-intentioned development projects that often displace existing residents from their established living spaces. In my dissertation, I frame development- induced displacement as a “paradox of public interest” because displacing some members of the public is often justified with a certain conception of public interest. Policies, programs and particular projects pursued under the name of development may distribute the costs and benefits of “development” unevenly, thus, development does not necessarily benefit everyone in the same way.
Findings suggest that the planning environment of development-induced displacement is shaped three major factors: Competition or cohesion between government tiers; tenure structures in designated renewal areas, and the local economic dynamics. Also, governance of renewal projects plays a major role in constructing displacement pressures that destabilize the established communities living in designated renewal areas. Alternative planning vision to address development-induced displacement in cities can rise only if planning practice aims local residents’ meaningful participation in the process. In order to solve the “paradox of public interest” generated by the development-induced displacement, planners and communities need to focus on forming alliances to resist and overcome the hegemony of exclusionary development projects.
In my dissertation I conduct a study of development-induced displacement in the urban context. I explore the planning environment that shapes the ostensibly well-intentioned development projects that often displace existing residents from their established living spaces. In my dissertation, I frame development- induced displacement as a “paradox of public interest” because displacing some members of the public is often justified with a certain conception of public interest. Policies, programs and particular projects pursued under the name of development may distribute the costs and benefits of “development” unevenly, thus, development does not necessarily benefit everyone in the same way.
Findings suggest that the planning environment of development-induced displacement is shaped three major factors: Competition or cohesion between government tiers; tenure structures in designated renewal areas, and the local economic dynamics. Also, governance of renewal projects plays a major role in constructing displacement pressures that destabilize the established communities living in designated renewal areas. Alternative planning vision to address development-induced displacement in cities can rise only if planning practice aims local residents’ meaningful participation in the process. In order to solve the “paradox of public interest” generated by the development-induced displacement, planners and communities need to focus on forming alliances to resist and overcome the hegemony of exclusionary development projects.
