Demolitions of housing - Effects on individuals and neighborhoods

We study demolitions of residential buildings in Sweden 1940-2023. An important aim is to estimate short- and long-term effects of demolitions of apartment buildings on i) the development of the designated neighborhoods as well as ii) residential segregation in the city. We will also estimate the social and economic effects for the people who lived in the demolished houses. These analyzes will be done separately for children and adults. To answer these questions we will collect and make use of data from two similar but distinct sources: First, historical planning and permit records as well as censuses from Stockholm, primarily during the 1950´s. During this time, some of the most invasive demolitions in Swedish history took place, in some cases not only of multi-family estates, but also of blocks or neighborhoods. Second, microdata from Statistics Sweden covering all of the country, but on a later period, from 1960 and onward. The results from this project are central to providing a better basis for a policy discussion that is currently highly topical.

Researchers

Matz Dahlberg

Henrik Andersson

Jonatan Andersson

Kerstin Enflo