This thesis examines the pattern and process of
mobility as found in the Local Authority housing sector
in Edinburgh between 1963 and 1973. The data for the
study were extracted by a 10% sample of the 'records of
let' held by Edinburgh City Housing Department. A
profile of facts about each household was extracted
every time a change of residence occurred. This provided
details of the movement of new tenants into the public
sector and of movement between and within estates.New tenants were found to be a combination of two
distinct groups. This had consequences for the spatial
pattern of moves into the public sector and influenced
both the distance and direction of movement. Sectoral
biases were, however, not evident for either group.The nature of estates in terms of their physical and
social composition, was seen to be highly dependent on
their legislative background, while these differences
were reinforced by institutional constraints and biases
in the allocation system. The popularity of estates was
measured in terms of the number of points required for
entry and only those applicants who could command high
levels of points or special priorities had a chance of
obtaining places in the best areas.The movement of tenants between these estates was, in
general terms, one of movement towards the most popular
areas, although such estates were relatively small and
ii
therefore unable to absorb the total demand. Spatial
patterns of movement between estates were very parochial
with ten sub-systems being identified. This pattern of
local movement suggested that distance was an important
element constraining transfers and such an influence was
later confirmed.Movement at the within estate level was to more popular
parts and to newer areas. Transfer tenants moving at these
different levels varied in their demographic characteristics
as well as in their motivations for moving.Differences in motivation were evident for all groups.
Family Life Cycle influences were shown to be the most
important in promoting mobility, while Involuntary reasons
formed the second most important category. The reasons
given for moving determined the category of need into which
tenants were placed and the number of points awarded to
them. This, together with the ability to wait, effectively
determined their chances of obtaining rehousing in any
estate. Young household heads with young families there¬
fore tended to be concentrated in the less popular estates
while older household heads were more often allocated to
the more, popular areas.Throughout the study the patterns and processes of
mobility were shown to be highly complex, even for such a
seemingly uniform group as local authority tenants
