The Influence Fallacy: Resident Motivations for Participation in an English Housing Regeneration Project

Abstract

This study explored resident motivations for participation in a housing regeneration project involving demolition. Findings from 19 semi-structured qualitative interviews are drawn upon to argue that resident motivations for participation have previously been oversimplified to focus primarily on the desire to influence a project, without regard for the way local contexts shape motivations. The article concludes that engagement in housing regeneration projects can also be motivated by seeking information narrowly focussed upon the future of one’s home, in addition to identities, emotional factors, and a sense that it is residents’ responsibility to participate.