Socio-spatial distribution of urban residents in a small-sized city

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore the pattern of urban residents’ socio-spatial distribution in a small-sized city where the local housing market capacity and variety is limited. Design/methodology/approach Spatial variation was reflected by two different analysis. First, factor analysis was applied to determine the major dimensions of the social, economic and housing environment in the investigation area. Second, Kriging maps, which depict the socio-spatial distribution pattern of the households according to major dimensions, were produced by interpolating factor scores on a continuous surface. Those were supported by complementary exploratory analysis to deepen the discussion. Findings Homogenous distribution of similar groups to housing areas and low inner differentiation particularly within lower income neighborhoods are the noticeable results of the analysis set. Ethnicity and income differentiation are the principal determinants of socio-spatial distribution pattern in our case. The constraints of the local housing market are seemed to facilitate spatial separation. Disadvantaged population groups are limited to small niches within the urban fabric; they are relegated to poor quality neighborhoods or to unpopular inner-city housing estates. Research limitations/implications This research has been performed for the small size city in Turkey and may not hold for other areas, even though the methodology can be replicated and the mechanisms at play are quite similar elsewhere. Practical implications The internal differentiation of urban residents’ is worth investigation to develop consistent housing and planning policies to overcome prospective social exclusion problems. This study has a potential of remarking the importance of policy-based economic and housing development in smaller cities in Turkey. Social implications Analyses displayed a sectoral structure of the distribution of urban residents but lower inner differentiation within neighborhoods. Limitations of the housing stock facilitate substantial level of isolation to the extent of ethnicity. Two different ethnic groups are confined to small niches, and they are ethnically and economically tied down to their neighborhoods. The physical properties and the quality of both dwellings and the housing environment are the poorest in these areas, and these are unpopular housing areas by the majority of the population. These findings are supposed to give direction of setting consistent housing policies in the case area. Originality/value This research is one of the initial research on socio-spatial distribution of urban residents to housing areas in Turkey. It is also one of the rare examples of socio-spatial differentiation study in small-sized city in the literature. The authors have shown that socio-spatial differentiation would be severe even in small size housing markets as opposed to expectation.