Urban Renewal in North America is turning its focus from Clearance and Redevelopment of already deteriorated areas to the Rehabilitation and Conservation of areas which are beginning to deteriorate. This preventative approach is deemed to be much less expensive as well as being effective for a much larger area. This new focus is backed up by federal legislation to provide financial assistance and by an increasing sense of collective responsibility in federal and municipal governments for the physical condition of the individual properties which together comprise the physical city. Single family residential areas comprise the largest single land use in most North American cities, and it is these areas particularly which could be aided by positive Rehabilitation-Conservation programs. It is frequently claimed that "absentee landlordism" is a major cause of residential blight. The absentee landlord has largely become a villain in the eyes of social reform groups who provide part of the motivation for urban renewal. Tenancy is defined for the purposes of this study as a form of tenure in which occupancy is by persons other than the registered owner thus objectively describing the same situation which is decried as "absentee landlordism." As the validity of the causal effect of tenancy upon the level of housing condition has been questioned by F.H. Hendricks, and as clarification of such facts is necessary before establishing objectives for Rehabilitation-Conservation this question has herein been investigated. The specific hypothesis is that: Tenant occupancy of urban single family residences (1) is a major cause of blight; and (2) requires special treatment in municipal Rehabilitation and Conservation programs. A review of the literature reinforced by a case study of tenancy in single family dwellings in Vancouver, B.C., suggested that there is reason to doubt such a causal effect. The relation between tenancy and poor building condition was verified for low income areas in Vancouver although it did not hold true for higher income areas. A correlation however does not establish a causal relation and subsequent analysis suggests tenancy is more caused than causal. The establishment of a general causal theory of blight by analysis of urban renewal literature indicates tenancy has a minor deteriorating effect on single family dwelling condition in areas already deteriorating. More significantly the theory indicates tenancy is caused by the two factors of encroaching incompatible land uses and low income, which are determined to be the basic causes of residential blight. It is concluded that in a consideration of the relation between tenancy and blight there are two areas of concern: low income which is a basic cause of both tenancy and blight; and the secondary blighting influence of tenancy itself within low income areas. It is in these low income areas that the incidence of both tenancy and blight are concentrated. A comprehensive urban renewal program is recommended which includes two essential features. They are increased low income family housing within viable neighbourhoods, followed by enforced renewal of blighted existing housing. Housing in the form of row houses or maisonettes could include the advantages of the single family dwelling while at the same time keep the cost of the required land to a minimum. Political factors suggest the financing of housing, as compared to increasing the financing of individual families directly, is also the more practical means of increasing low real income. It is posited that these two measures in the order recommended will expand the choice of the low income tenant beyond the supply of single family dwellings predominantly offered by speculators in rental housing, and will increase the low level of dwelling condition within the problematic low income areas without throwing an unmanageable financial burden upon the area's present occupants. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH / Bibliography: leaves 119-120. / by Melvyn Colón. / M.C.P.

A persistent gap exists between established federal, state, and local standards for housing habitability and the condition of rental housing. The condition persists despite local code enforcement mechanisms, leaving significant potential to improve housing. Such housing can have adverse impacts on people's physical and mental health, economic stability, education, crime, community development, and municipal budgets. The purpose of this case study was to identify factors that create and perpetuate the problem, make it difficult to resolve, and to identify policy actions with the potential to help mitigate it. Rational choice theory and public choice theory formed the framework to analyze motivations and behaviors of policy makers, policy enforcers, policy influencers, and renters who are affected by policy. Data were collected through 23 semi-structured interviews with city officials, property owners, local housing advocates, low-income renters, investigative reporters, and legal aid attorneys. Interview data were open coded and subjected to a thematic analysis. Themes emerging from the study include lack of accountability for owners and renters, barriers to adequate local code enforcement, financial and investment practices that place properties into the hands of owners who fail to maintain them, historical influences related to construction practices and changing ownership patterns, broader costs to families and the community, and external influences related to economic and demographic trends. The positive social change implications stemming from this study include recommendations for policy makers to address factors that create and perpetuate this type of housing, strengthen code enforcement, and ensure habitable housing for all citizens regardless of their income.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 353-361).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Akron, Dept. of History, 2005. / "August, 2005." Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed 10/31/2008) Advisor, Constance Bouchard; Co-Advisor, Michael Graham ; Department Chair, Constance Bouchard; Dean of the College, Charles Monroe; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 344-362).

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987. / Also available in print.

This dissertation investigates land and tenancy disputes in Gedeo, southern Ethiopia, between 1941 and 1974. Such disputes were a deeply entrenched feature of Ethiopian land tenure systems until the revolution, and despite its importance the subject has not received the attention it deserves. Based on local court archival documents and oral interviews, the dissertation seeks to understand how these conflicts shaped agrarian relationships in Gedeo during this crucial period. The study highlights how differential access to resources created disharmony within Gedeo. It not only contributed to the proliferation of disputes but also eroded community cohesion, one of the consequences of which was that when Ethiopia was invaded by Italy in 1935 it was too divided and weak to defend itself effectively from external aggression. The post-liberation period was a formative time in the history of Gedeo. During this time the gabbar system was gradually replaced by landlord-tenant relationships. There was significant economic development largely due to the increasing importance of the coffee trade, but also land and tenancy disputes became a dominant feature of this period. Although land disputes were common in many other parts of Ethiopia, tenancy disputes in the south are described in the existing literature as distinctive from those in northern Ethiopia. The existing works mainly discuss tenancy relationships in the south from an ethnic perspective. This factor might have exacerbated the rivalries; however, it was not the main factor. This dissertation argues that competition for available resources was at the heart of the problem. The increased polarisation of landlord-tenant conflict continued to damage agrarian relationships. The inability of the government to deal with the problem made the situation worse and as a result tenants were obliged to find alternative ways to express their grievances. In February 1960 when the Michele uprising erupted the government rushed to intervene with the heavy use of security forces. Nevertheless the tenancy problem did not show sign of improvement until it was resolved finally and fundamentally by revolutionary means in 1974.

One of the key determinants of the “quality” of a neighbourhood is the extent to which owners maintain their properties. Much has been written about the impact of neighbourhood blight or the physically rejuvenating impact of gentrification. To better understand why some neighbourhoods are thriving, and others not, a critical variable that has seen little exploration is the type of tenure. This thesis, focused mostly on data from the City of Rochester NY, comparing absentee landlords, resident landlords and owner-occupiers, looking for differences in the level of maintenance of residential properties. Using a procedure developed by the author, every house in Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse containing 1-6 units was assessed, creating a quantitative analysis that is both more current, and on a much larger scale than previous work. Findings mostly confirmed observations and theories in the literature, but there were a number of significant differences. The key observation within Rochester was that, regardless of geographic scale, absentee owners consistently took the worst care of their properties, followed by resident landlords and then owner-occupiers. Further, size and type of absentee landlord mattered. Tenure was found to be the driving force in predicting maintenance outcomes, compounded by variables such as property values and race. Evidence from Buffalo and Syracuse indicated that findings may be generalizable, at least for declining industrial cities. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)