Separate but unequal: Differing perspectives on housing segregation

Both are widely considered distressing phenomenons that are difficult to resolve. A recent colloquium hosted by Dr. Maarten van Ham from the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, however, offered some different perspectives on these issues. It featured a presentation by Ad Coenen, a third year PhD candidate in sociology from Ghent University followed by a discussion among an international group of TU Delft students and faculty.

Much of Coenen’s research is devoted to examining the root causes of ethnic housing segregation in Belgium and the role that household composition plays into them. Coenen presented the results from two of his papers during the colloquium. He has concluded that whether or not residents have children has a tremendous influence on where they live. Childless couples and lone parents have a larger tendency to reside in diverse neighbourhoods than dual parent households, regardless of their socio-economic status “Parents-to-be will start looking at the ethnic composition of where they live and where they want to live,” Coenen said.

Dr. Van Ham, who published a book on socio-economic segregation last year, offered another perspective on the topic during a recent interview. “It is a misconception that segregation and gentrification are a problem. Most people live segregated and are quite happy,” he said. “Segregation becomes a problem when people cannot leave the neighbourhoods they want to leave.”

He also noted that segregation can cause negative impacts on residents ranging from health problems to limitations on their socio-economic mobility. His views on gentrification differ from the commonly-held perception that it’s entirely detrimental. “When low income residents are replaced by higher income residents this can improve neighbourhoods and the economic base of cities,” Dr. Van Ham said. “However, if rich and poor live completely separated, and when the lower income households cannot live in central parts of cities, then things start to get more problematic.”

Segregation and gentrification will continue to alter how cities change and grow in the years to come. But how can local governments help residents with limited resources that might become displaced if their neighbourhood suddenly becomes a trendy hotspot? Dr. Van Ham and others have argued that increasing investments in education and employment programmes could help even the odds.