Overlap of migrants’ housing and neighbourhood mobility

Housing Studies. 2020. P. 1–26.

Torpan K., Anastasia Sinitsyna, Kahrik A., Kauppinen T., Tammaru T.

Although much valuable research has been carried out on the patterns and determinants of immigrant distribution in residential space, nuanced longitudinal studies that focus on the interdepen- dencies between housing and neighbourhood mobility are rare. In the current study, we examine the residential integration of immigrants in the Helsinki metropolitan area by studying the overlap between housing mobility (entering homeownership) and neighbourhood mobility (moving to above-average income neigh- bourhoods) in the context of complex anti-segregation and mix- ing policies. The results reveal that the overlap between housing and neighbourhood mobility in such a policy context is weak; while moving to a wealthier neighbourhood is relatively easy, it is much more challenging to enter homeownership. It follows that successful policies of residential integration of migrants should emphasize both housing mobility and neighbourhood mobility, including how the two are related to each other.

Keywords: immigrants, housing mobility, residential segregation, neighborhood mobility