About inequality in German cities

What is a problem neighborhood?

The term "problem neighborhood" is often an attribution. You have to be careful with that, say Keller and Baldewein. Those who speak of problem neighborhoods often infer disadvantaged people from a neglected appearance. The reality is more differentiated. In fact, people with different
social statuses live in such neighborhoods. This can be seen in the number of people receiving unemployment benefit II and in the number of employees covered by social insurance. Neighborhoods like Kassel's Nordstadt are socially mixed. The label "problem neighborhood" stigmatizes the residents of such districts. What we observe, however, is a social divide at the micro level, virtually from
street to street. Nordstadt is a good example: Gottschalkstrasse, close to the campus, is dominated by students. There are many bars, cafés and bookstores here. Jägerstrasse, on the other hand, is considered poor.

Does the neighborhood in which one grows up determine individual life chances?

The effects of the neighborhood in which one grows up on education and occupation are small, according to urban sociologists. Other factors play a greater role: the educational level of parents, for example, or discrimination on the labor market. However, there are differences in the quality of life between neighborhoods close to the city center and large suburban settlements. In neighborhoods close to the city center, such as Nordstadt, poorer residents benefit from the dense infrastructure: for example, local transport connections or cultural offerings. Suburban settlements, such as Kassel  Oberzwehren, have a more village-like character and are more self-contained.

What is the current trend? Are rich and poor separating?

Inequality in cities is clearly increasing. Yet many of the so-called problem neighborhoods are actually very diverse. The real problem is that wealthier citizens are segregating themselves from the rest of the city. Neighborhoods with wealthy residents tend to be more homogeneous. Put simply, there are more rich people inNordstadt than poor people in Brasselsberg. But the inner cities are also becoming more exclusive. Cheap housing is often in short supply here. Low-income earners are thus pushed to the outskirts of the city.

Can policymakers take countermeasures?

They can, say the scientists. Through more and more efficient social housing construction. This has not happened for years. Many social housing units have been transferred to the free market in recent years. Keyword  "Belegungsbindung": After a certain number of years, the occupancy obligation no longer applies. The apartment is once again available to the free market, where it usually fetches more. The occupancy obligation must be significantly extended and a new non-profit status for housing companies introduced. Social housing should also not be clustered in a district, as this would promote segregation. In addition, tenant protection must be strengthened. The rent brake often fails because of its de facto implementation: many people want to save themselves the bureaucratic and financial effort that it entails.

Does the place of residence have an effect on voting behavior?

Yes. This is shown by the results of the 2017 federal election in Kassel. The Greens were particularly strong in Vorderer Westen and Bad Wilhelmshöhe, everywhere where
unemployment is low and voter turnout is high. Green voters are more likely to live in single-person households. The FDP is strong in single-family home areas with large per capita living areas and older populations, for example, Brasselsberg. Christian Democrats are often found in two-person households and among people who have lived in their homes for a long time. This is true for Bad Wilhelmshöhe. Strongholds of the Left Party are areas close to the city center with a relatively young population and many people with an immigrant background - such as Nordstadt and Wesertor. The Social Democrats are strongly represented throughout eastern Kassel. A marginal phenomenon is the
AfD. Its voters are mainly found in suburban settlements such as Oberzwehren.

Minutes: David Wüstehube

This article was published in publik 4/2018 (18.12.2018).