Assessing the Success of Urban Regeneration Policies in Providing Housing for Low-Income Groups in Deteriorated Urban Textures of Kermanshah

This paper assesses the efficacy of urban regeneration policies in providing adequate and affordable housing for low-income groups within the deteriorated urban textures of Kermanshah. While promoted as a key strategy to improve living conditions and reduce inequalities in these areas facing multi-dimensional decay, the outcomes for vulnerable residents remain contested. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach—including policy analysis, field observations, and household surveys—this study critically evaluates policy implementation and its socio-spatial impacts. The findings reveal a significant disparity between physical renewal and social equity. Although some infrastructure and built-environment improvements are evident, the policies have largely failed to deliver sustainable housing solutions for the original low-income community. Key structural impediments include: ineffective financial mechanisms that exclude the poor, a pronounced lack of meaningful participation by local stakeholders in planning processes, and an overarching focus on physical renovation that neglects integrated socio-economic dimensions. This has often led to increased property values and rents, exacerbating the risk of displacement and gentrification rather than fostering inclusive revitalization. Consequently, the study argues that the prevailing regeneration model requires fundamental reorientation. It concludes by proposing a policy framework centered on a rights-based approach to housing and genuinely inclusive development. Recommendations emphasize embedding participatory governance, establishing dedicated funds for community-led affordable housing, and explicitly linking physical upgrades with local economic development initiatives. The ultimate goal is to envision an alternative model of urban regeneration that synergistically combines physical sustainability with social justice and neighborhood cohesion, ensuring that revitalization benefits existing residents rather than displacing them.

کلیدواژه ها:

Urban Regeneration ، Affordable Housing ، Social Equity