The thesis addresses contemporary urban challenges within the context of Sweden. In four articles Gabriella explore themes such as housing inequality, gentrification, and spatial inequalities.

The first article examines the impact of new housing construction on the distribution of housing across income groups. While primarily rich people move into new homes, poor people are well represented among in-movers to vacated homes. As homes age and deteriorate, they filter down; it takes approximately 30 years for new homes to reach an even income distribution. The article shows that in municipalities with higher construction rates, every income group gets better access to newer housing and housing space. The overall conclusion is that new homes, even those initially primarily inhabited by rich people, lead to substantial trickle-down effects.

The second article examines if new large-scale housing construction is a suitable policy tool for revitalizing poor neighborhoods. The findings indicate that not only do new large developments of market-rate condominiums lead to an increase in the average income of 15 percent in the poorest quartile of neighborhoods, but the average income also rises by 10 percent in pre-existing homes. The increase in income in pre-existing homes suggests an increase in neighborhood attractiveness. Since new housing not only increases the housing supply but also could affect, for example, neighborhood amenities, the impact on housing prices is ambiguous.

The third article extends the analysis of the effects of new housing by examining the impact on neighborhood housing prices. The findings reveal a price increase in low-income neighborhoods and a decline in high-income areas, possibly attributed to suggested densification.

The fourth article explores the role of neighborhood amenities in this regard, focusing on the impact of primary schools by studying school closures. The findings indicate that school closures lead to a decrease in the share of high-income earners, particularly those with children. This effect is more pronounced in urban areas, while rural areas experience depopulation. These effects align with preexisting trends in respective neighborhood types, indicating that school closures exacerbate initial spatial inequalities.

Opponent: Associate Professor Tuukka Saarimaa, Associate Professor, Aalto University

Grading committee:

Helena Svaleryd, Professor, Uppsala University

Per Adman, Associate Professor, Uppsala University

Peter Nilsson, Professor, Stockholm University

Supervisors:

Associate Professor Che-Yuan Liang, Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University

Professor Matz Dahlberg, Institute for Housing and Urban Research and Department of Economics, Uppsala University