Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.habitatint.2012.12.003
Title (Primary) Challenges for large housing estates in light of population decline and ageing: Results of a long-term survey in East Germany
Author Kabisch, S.; Grossmann, K.
Source Titel Habitat International
Year 2013
Department SUSOZ
Volume 39
Page From 232
Page To 239
Language englisch
Keywords Large housing estate; Declining population; Ageing; Long-term study; Housing satisfaction; Eastern Germany
UFZ wide themes ru6
Abstract Large housing estates are an important part of the built environment worldwide. They provide residence for millions of people. Within Europe, the debate surrounding such estates is largely concerned with social decline. During the last two decades, many large estates in Germany have experienced striking changes related to a declining and ageing population as well as housing conditions. Trends towards urban shrinkage have caused new challenges for urban and neighbourhood development. Induced by the post-socialist transition after 1990, former East German estates, in particular, had to face far reaching changes related to outmigration, decreased demand for housing and infrastructure as well as an overall ageing of the population. Set against this background, questions about the future potentials of these estates go beyond social decline. Instead, the impact of demographic change and questions of long-term demand gain importance. Therefore, in this paper, we focus on how a declining and aging population impacts upon the composition of the population within a particular estate. Additionally, we are interested in how the residential satisfaction in the estate has changed over time and which target groups are attracted to the estates. This paper discusses these questions by using results from a unique sociological long-term survey carried out over 30 years in a large housing estate in Leipzig, eastern Germany. We show that rapid social decline has not yet been an issue in the estate, and residential satisfaction has grown and reached high levels among remaining residents. However, demographic characteristics have changed tremendously. This study found that social and demographic shifts are interwoven, so that the extent to which this stability can be maintained in the future is presently unclear.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=13405
Kabisch, S., Grossmann, K. (2013):
Challenges for large housing estates in light of population decline and ageing: Results of a long-term survey in East Germany
Habitat Int. 39 , 232 - 239 10.1016/j.habitatint.2012.12.003