Spatiotemporal-Behavior-Based Microsegregation and Differentiated Community Ties of Residents with Different Types of Housing in Mixed-Housing Neighborhoods: A Case Study of Fuzhou, China

Abstract

As a kind of urban neighborhood with strong internal heterogeneity, mixed-housing neighborhoods have attracted wide attention from scholars in recent years. Strengthening community ties in mixed-housing neighborhoods is of great significance for increasing neighborhood social capital, cultivating a sense of community, and promoting sustainable development of the neighborhood. The neighborhood activities of residents are an important factor in promoting community ties. However, different housing groups in mixed-housing neighborhoods may have differentiated or even segregated overall daily activities, which may impact their neighborhood activities and call for differentiated planning strategies. In this study, we conduct an empirical study in Fuzhou, China, to identify the spatiotemporal-behavior-based microsegregation and differentiated community ties between residents of different types of housing. The data were collected in 2021 and included residents’ activity diary data and questionnaire data about neighborhood interaction and community ties. Through an analysis of the daily overall activity space and activities within the neighborhood areas, the spatiotemporal-behavior-based social segregation of various housing groups is depicted. Furthermore, a multigroup structural equation modeling method was used to analyze the relationships among residents’ spatiotemporal behaviors, neighborhood interactions, and community ties, and the heterogeneous influence effects across housing groups. The results show that the more residents’ activity spaces overlap with the neighborhood area, the more out-of-home time they spend within the neighborhood, and that the more types of activities are conducted within the neighborhood area, the stronger their community ties are. In addition, neighborhood interaction played a linkage role in the relationships of residents’ spatiotemporal behaviors and community ties. Our research aims to further the understanding of microsegregation at the neighborhood level and provide references for the development of mixed-housing neighborhoods and urban land use.