Exploring changes in residential preference during COVID-19: Implications to contemporary urban planning

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has reshuffled our daily routines and activity spaces. The home and its immediate environment have attained a critical role in coping with the confinement both as living, working and recreational space. Drawing on a longitudinal survey from greater Oslo, we analyze shifts in residential preferences amidst COVID-19. Given the pandemic induced movement restrictions, we pay special attention to the mediating role of perceived accessibility on the link between several sociodemographic/locational/housing characteristics on preference shifts. Amidst a drop in perceived accessibility, outdoor assets like gardens or balconies, and motility by car and public transport are amongst the residential and locational amenities that have gained most in people's considerations for a new dwelling peri-pandemically. Dwelling satisfaction and preferences with regard to neighborhood density, dwelling size, and work-proximity, have remained largely unchanged despite a clear trend towards more teleworking. Our results can be understood as a nod of approval to contemporary compact urban planning. Nonetheless challenges as to bolstering its resilience still linger and more needs to be done to mitigate the inequalities in (perceived) access to in-home, near-home, and mobility assets that we have also observed to have (re)-immerged in the wake of the pandemic.

Urban Development and Sustainable Mobility: A Spatial Analysis in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area

This study provides empirical evidence on the links between urban development factors and the use of specific modes of transport in commuting in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The case study is of interest because quantitative research on developing countries is scarce and their rapid urban growth and high rates of inequality may generate different results compared to the US or Europe. This relationship was assessed on locality level using regression methods. Spatial econometric techniques were applied to avoid unreliable inferences generated by spatial dependence and to detect the existence of externalities. Furthermore, we include in the model the socio-economic profile of each locality identified using cluster analysis. The findings reveal that population density affects motorised transport, that diversity is relevant for public transport and non-motorised trips, and urban design characteristics affect all modes of transport. Spatial dependence is detected for motorised transport, which may imply the existence of externalities, suggesting the need for coordinated decision-making processes on a metropolitan level. Finally, modal split depends on the socio-economic profile of a locality, which may influence the response to public transport policies. To sum up, these results may be useful when it comes to helping policymakers design integrated public policies on urban and transport planning.