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Research Seminar – Explaining De-escalation of Homeowner Opposition to Public Housing Development in Hong Kong
14 November, 2016 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Research Seminar
Topic:
Explaining De-escalation of Homeowner Opposition to Public Housing Development in Hong Kong
Speaker:
Dr. Mandy Lau
Assistant Professor
Department of Urban Planning and Design
The University of Hong Kong
Schedule:
Date: 14 November 2016 (Monday)
Time: 13:00-14:00
Venue: Room 820, 8/F, Knowles Building, HKU
Abstract:
It is common for homeowner opposition to emerge in response to affordable housing projects. This paper explores how this phenomenon has unfolded in Hong Kong, a city characterized by close proximity between public and private housing estates. Based on a case study in the inner urban area, the findings suggest that homeowner opposition has been driven by concerns for property values, although these were more related to obstruction of harbour view rather than discrimination against public housing residents. Interviews with stakeholders revealed a considerable degree of sympathy for homeowners’ concerns, and a reluctance to label them as selfish NIMBYs, which resulted in adjustments to the proposal and subsequent reduction of conflict. Conflict de-escalation can be further explained by the relationship between elected councillors and non-elected governance structures, and the emergence of persuasive discourses on the housing distress of low-income private renters, which helped enhanced the legitimacy of public housing development.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Mandy Lau is Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU. She obtained her PhD from the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge, where she also received her MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration. She received a BSc in Sociology from the London School of Economics. Her research interests include low-income rental housing, urban governance, and the politics and planning of affordable housing development. Mandy is Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Network for Housing Research, Convenor of the CUSUP Research Cluster on Housing Policy and Social Development, and a member of the Affordable Housing Research Network.
~~ ALL INTERESTED ARE WELCOME ~~
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