Review of housing policies in contexts of socio-residential vulnerability. Study of five neighborhoods of Barcelona

The concept of socio-residential vulnerability is tightly related to housing policy. Public intervention in housing stands as a tool to counter this phenomenon, and it is at the same time the mechanism that consolidates it. This article aims to operationalize the dimensions of socio-residential vulnerability and analyse the Spanish housing public policy. This study provides, firstly, a bibliographic review and a qualitative analysis of five vulnerable neighbourhoods from the city of Barcelona. As a result, the article explores how some aspects of the housing policy (such as a duality between home ownership and productivism impulse, insufficient public investment, a regressive fiscality and a deficient production of public affordable housing) structurally generate segregation, degradation of the building stock and residential exclusion. Finally, it explores some alternative ways to overcome this situation, related to the strengthening of the Administration, the reduction of costs and the reinforcement of social renting.

Automated summary

This article explores the relationship between socio-residential vulnerability and housing policy, analyzing the problems in housing policy that lead to social segregation and degradation of building stock through a study of five vulnerable neighborhoods in Barcelona. It suggests alternative methods to overcome this situation, such as strengthening government departments, reducing costs, and reinforcing social renting.