Neighborhood Interaction and Place Attachment Among Family Gentrifiers

Households containing dependent children have been a relatively neglected topic in gentrification research thus far. Most of the previous research on new-build gentrifiers either looked at the socio-economic characteristics or the housing preferences of the incoming middle classes in redeveloped areas. The experiences and daily life activities of family gentrifiers have been underexposed topics. This study has tried to make a contribution to this knowledge gap. By performing semi-structured interviews this study has explored three subjects which tell us a lot about the experiences and daily lives of family gentrifiers: neighborhood socialization, the use of neighborhood facilities and feelings of place attachment. These interviews took place in Stadstuinen, a redeveloped neighborhood in a poor area of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The housing stock in the heart of Stadstuinen primarily consists of terraced housing. Combined with the child-friendly character of the neighborhood this has led to a large population of households with dependent children. It is therefore an excellent neighborhood to study the behaviors of family gentrifiers.