Deadlocks and breakthroughs in urban renewal: A network analysis in Amsterdam

Abstract

Urban renewal in the Netherlands has become a matter of 'networking'. Housing associations, Dutch social landlords, became financially independent in the 1990s and have a responsibility in urban renewal. It is a joint responsibility in which local authority, social landlord and tenants are dependent on each other. This situation is rather new and needs some getting used to, as the two case studies show. The paper concludes that taking account of the complexity of networks could improve the chances of gaining support for problem definitions and solutions. This would result in agreement about goals and win - win package deals for actors, and ultimately in 'more' progress in urban renewal.