Net benefits of urban slums redevelopment policies on the value of adjacent residential property

Abstract

Over time, the government of Pakistan introduced several strategies to deal with the issue of slums in its capital city, Islamabad. Contrary to the traditional strategies that primarily focus on the tenure security of occupants, the strategy of slum redevelopment is more composite. It involves the up-gradation of slums in their existing sites as well as the demolition of slums from the posh areas. The present study is first to empirically investigates the outcomes of the slums redevelopment policies on the value of adjacent residential properties. Using a rental valuation based hedonic price model, the study examined the spillover effects of an urban slum up-gradation and eviction projects on the nearby housing values. The results show that the redevelopment of slums reduces the adverse effects on residential value. It is essential for the urban planners to cautiously include the slum redevelopment projects spillover effects on the adjacent property value in different geographical locations, to maximize the net positive effects of improvements on the neighborhood.