The spatial reach of urban renewal: Micro-geographies of displacement in Shenzhen, China

Source abstract

Displacement constitutes the primary channel through which urban renewal influences both individuals and the city at large, reshaping the lived experiences of affected residents while extending renewal impacts far beyond project boundaries. Yet, our understanding of displacement remains limited by the scarcity of spatially disaggregated migration data that can reveal its micro-level dynamics. To address this gap, this study draws on longitudinal, anonymized mobile phone data that capture residents’ continuous residential movements. Using this dataset, we examine renewal-induced displacement across multiple urban renewal projects in Shenzhen, China, with a particular focus on its spatial configurations and characteristics of receiving neighborhoods. We find that Shenzhen’s urban renewal produces a spatially bounded and directionally patterned displacement process. Most displaced residents relocate to areas near renewal sites, clustered at the intersections of multiple project zones. They tend to move to more affordable neighborhoods with better access to essential public services, while inward migrations do not lead to higher housing costs in the receiving neighborhoods. These displacement patterns are especially evident in projects involving urban villages that house many low-income tenants. Based on the micro-geographies of displacement, urban renewal may reproduce localized social inequalities by spatially re-concentrating vulnerable groups around renewal sites.