Exploring Residents’ Attitudes Towards Participation in Urban Renewal: A Case Study in the Xiaopenghu Area in Chiayi, Taiwan

Abstract

Urban renewal not only transforms the spatial structure of a city but also impacts its social, cultural, and economic structures. Many factors shape residents' attitudes toward urban renewal, influencing their acceptance and willingness to participate throughout the long process. This paper aims to investigate the followings: 1) whether and how residents' attitudes toward urban renewal change over time, 2) the differences in residents’ awareness of urban renewal, and 3) the key factor that influences residents‘ attitude toward urban renewal. This examination is based on interview data regarding residents' reactions to urban renewal in the Xiaopenghu Area in Chiayi, Taiwan, where renewal has been under discussion for a long time. Several things are concluded below. First, residents’ attitudes evolve over time, at first, they may support urban renewal, but as they gain more information, they often become more doubtful, further influencing their willingness to participate in the urban renewal. Second, residents’ awareness of urban renewal varies depending on property ownership. Landowners knew more details about two plans, while non-landowners often only have limited knowledge, mainly about resettlement measures in the second plan. Third, attitudes toward urban renewal are primarily influenced by resettlement measures. Fourth, expressed support in surveys does not always reflect residents‘ true attitudes. This paper highlights the need for planners to focus more on residents’ actual needs, particularly securing adequate housing. It is also crucial to ensure transparency of urban renewal information, allowing all residents to access information equally and participate in the decision making process. Furthermore, more comprehensive methods should be adopted to better capture the complexity of residents’ attitudes and improve policy effectiveness