Browsing by Author "Linko, Eira"

The trending of urban living during recent years can be seen both in public debate and in growth statistics of cities. The most attractive areas in addition to regions’ central cities are those surrounding municipalities which have good transportation connections to the central city and have managed to highlight their urban features. The trend can clearly be seen in the city of Järvenpää, which was, with annual population growth of 2,5 %, the fastest growing municipality in continental Finland in 2016–2017. As the popularity of urban living is growing, the focus of construction in Järvenpää has shifted from traditional single-family and low-rise housing to apartment buildings located close to train stations. This Master’s thesis looks at the pull factors of the new urban residential areas in Järvenpää as well as factors encouraging to settle down in the areas. The reasons for moving to the areas are compared to current social, demographic and migration trends. The study addresses the residents' point of view to housing phenomena. The aim is to pay attention to the connections between household decision-making processes and broader migration phenomena. In addition, the aim is to supplement the field of housing and migration studies in Finland, in which the focus has been in the dynamics between the urban areas of the regional centers and the suburbs of the surrounding municipalities, while less attention has been payed to the differing characteristics of the surrounding areas. The research problem is approached through the following questions: who are the residents of the new residential areas located near train stations in Järvenpää; which factors most significantly guide the housing choices of these residents; and how do the residents’ housing pathways form regionally and structurally. The analysis and discussion are supported by the contextual framework of housing chains, developed in the theory section of the thesis. The data was collected through a survey in spring 2018. The survey was targeted to certain new areas close to the train stations of Järvenpää and Ainola. The survey was sent to altogether 1548 residents. 400 replies were received, which makes the response rate 26 %. Based on an analysis of possible non-response bias, the data was observed to be relatively representative to the population, apart from the elderly being somewhat overrepresented. The main analysis methods where statistical analyses (frequency analysis, cross tabulation and factor analysis) as well as content analysis of the open-ended questions. The data was mainly analyzed through comparisons of different kinds of residential areas as well as demographic groups. The results of the study can be summarized in three main points. Firstly, the new residential areas located near train stations in Järvenpää reflect broader social and demographic trends as well as current trends in housing . In the areas close to the city, majority of the residents live alone and are young adults or elderly. Similar to national trends, the housing preferences included single-family housing and peaceful living environment, but at the same time, services, central location and good transportation were valued. Secondly, the attractiveness of the area in all study areas was based on central location and good transportation and in the fact that the apartments were new. However, there were differences in the importance of services and nature when comparing the apartment building areas closest to the center and the apartment building areas and detached house areas farther from the center. Thirdly, it was observed that the areas not only bring new residents to the city, but also pull a notable amount of people to move within the city. The new areas thus connect to the existing housing stock and start vacancy chains by opening vacancies in both detached houses and older apartment buildings. Various housing chains also occurred in how the social contacts outside households, the stage of family life-cycle, previous experiences and values affect housing choices. Based on the results, it can be noted that successful urban apartment building housing in the surrounding municipalities is characterized by good commercial and public services and efficient transportation, whereas in detached housing, the desired environment is centrally and transportation-wise well located but peaceful and close to nature. The significance of the services and transportation in housing satisfaction should be acknowledged early on when planning and building new areas . Also, lifestyles and situations change, and that affects housing choices. The results indicate that diverse housing options will have demand alongside the high-rise building boom. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge the interrelations between new construction and the existing housing stock to avoid making simplified interpretations about the logic of growth sustained by the trend of urban living.