The Desert is Alive – Engagement in Aging Districts of Single-Family Housing

Abstract

In the discourse surrounding the prospects of districts of single-family housing built between the 1950s to the 1970s1, their assumed perspectives range from dramatic vacancy scenarios all the way to successful self-regulation of the market. A uniform trend is not recognizable in one direction or in the other. It is clear, however, that not all neighborhoods from this period will be able to accomplish a problem-free change of generations and that upheavals and therefore also new challenges will present themselves in the structure and composition of the neighborhoods. At the same time, these upheavals also bring along chances that especially arise from the residents of single-family housing neighborhoods. The present article draws on this point and, by focusing on civil engagement in these areas, aims to initiate a change of perspectives and illustrate approaches to developing these aging districts into sustainable neighborhoods. This article was preceded by a study that specifically dealt with the involvement of residents in aging single-family housing districts which the authors compiled by order of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia’s initiative “StadtBauKultur NRW 2020”.