Programme of the International Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Urban Renewal Policy: Balancing between Housing Affordability and Urban Sustainability’
International Scientific and Practical Conference
“Urban Renewal Policy: Balancing between Housing Affordability and Urban Sustainability”
Conference Program
There is an omnipresent interest in the revitalisation of the urban environment and urban redevelopment. The cities that had experienced fast growth for a couple of decades have faced many common problems: inefficient land use, overloaded transportation systems, dated and deteriorating housing and utility infrastructure. In response to these issues, the authorities initiate large-scale urban development and housing projects. However, the economic, spatial and social implications of such projects do not always match the forecasts.
International Scientific and Practical Conference “Urban Renewal Policy: Balancing between Housing Affordability” is held by the Graduate School of Urbanism of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development. It aims to enable a dialogue between academics and experts on topics of urban development, housing, brownfield development, affordable housing, as well as on social and economic effects of urban development programmes and policies. Conference participants will discuss the specificities of Russian and European policies, the relevant challenges and the ways the renewal policies affect the affordability of housing and the sustainability of urban development.
Venue of the conference:
National Research University
Higher School of Economics
Moscow, 20 Myasnitskaya st., room 311
Date: October 10, 2018
Working languages: Russian and English
9.30 | Conference Registration |
10.00 | Opening of the Conference. Welcome by Gleb Vitkov (Dean of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development) and Mikhail Blinkin (Academic Supervisor of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development) |
10.15 11.45 |
Open Talk “National housing policy” Effective housing policy always needs to balance out multiple parameters and account for different outcomes. Housing policy and urban development policies are interdependent. Urban development regulations may be a limiting factor for the amount of new or redeveloped housing. However, these limitations are usually justified by some other priorities and are also important to adhere to. Excessive housing construction or massive redevelopment is often the result of the policy. What are the key features of national housing policies in Russia and in Europe? What challenges do the countries face and what strategies do they use to cope with them? How does urban renewal policy affect housing affordability and urban sustainability? Key speakers: Michael Oxley (Centre for Housing & Planning Research, University of Cambridge), Alexander Puzanov (Institute for Urban Economics) Moderator: Irina Ilina (Institute of Regional Studies and Urban Planning, HSE) |
12.00 13.30 |
Session “Smart Renovation” Urban development policy either boosts extensive growth at the city outskirts or provides opportunities for intensive redevelopment to improve the quality of urban environment. What is the potential of urban deelopment and spatial planning policies to work with urbanised areas? Is there a need for a unified city development corporation? How to work with built-up areas, and what are the economic effects of housing renovation projects? Speakers: Anton Finogenov (Territorial Planning Institute ‘Urbanica’), Tatiana Gudz (Perm National Research Polytechnic University), Elena Korotkova (Center for Urban Economics, Strelka KB), Carlo Castelli (architect, urban planning consultant, former director of Strategic Planning and Design Department, AECOM), Ilya Lagunov (Center for Strategic Development) Moderator: Gleb Vitkov (HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development) |
13.30 14.45 | Lunch Break |
14.45 16.15 |
Session “Affordable Housing: New Formats” Affordable housing in Russia is usually defined by the costs of ownership, whereas in the EU it depends on residential rent. Rental housing may be private or public, financed by the government for the citizens who are not able to pay the full market price. The current approach to housing renovation in Russia does not offer any alternatives to the housing ownership, because rental housing is not institutionalised and is poorly regulated. Why is the diversity of the forms of tenure is just as important for housing affordability as the price? Should the government promote alternative forms of tenure and housing ownership? What are the economic preconditions and implications of such transformations for municipalities, developers and citizens? Speakers: Oleg Solntsev (Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-term Forecasting), Ariadna Kirillova (Institute of Regional Studies and Urban Planning, HSE), Michael Oxley (Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research), Mikhail Goldberg (Integrated Housing Development Institution DOM.RF), Emil Markwart (RANEPA), Kirill Yankov (Laboratory for Regional Economics Foresight, Russian Academy of Sciences) Moderator: Alexander Puzanov (Institute for Urban Economics) |
16.30 18.00 |
Session “Social effects of housing policy” Prof. Christine Lelévrier has analysed French social mix policies aimed at creating a minimum 20% of social housing in each municipality. She concludes that the diversity of forms of use and ownership of housing does not lead to social interaction. In Russia, due to the period of free privatisation, different types of housing ownershipoften coexist even within one condominium. However, this also does not always lead to any communication between neighbours. It becomes clear that the variety of forms of ownership predetermine different living strategies. Is the interaction between citizens possible nowadays? Is this cooperation beneficial to the community, and how can people influence the urban development? Speakers: Christine Lelevrier (Paris School of Urban Planning, LAB'URBA,University Paris-Est Créteil), Elena Shomina (HSE Department of Local Administration), Elvira Gizatullina (Open Urban Lab, Centre for Independent Social Research), Sergey Kuznetsov (All-Russian Project “Good Neighbors”) Moderator: Olga Ivanova-Golitsina(Director of the "Sadovoe koltso" Museum, Municipal Deputy of the Meshchansky District of Moscow (2008-2017) |
18.00 | Closing remarks by Gleb Vitkov (Dean of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development) |