How do remaining residents react to urban vacancy in shrinking city: A KAP model analysis of Yichun, China

Abstract

Urban vacancy, including residential and commercial vacancies as well as urban vacant land, is a significant feature of shrinking cities and serves as a key spatial indicator. Residents' perceptions play a critical role in evaluating the effects of urban vacancy. While previous studies have explored urban vacancy objectively, limited research explores residents' subjective perceptions. This study, set in Yichun, China, used questionnaires and interviews to assess residents' perceptions and their effects on relocation, commuting, consumption, and leisure behaviours, and using the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) framework for analysis. Findings suggest that disordered spaces reduce satisfaction with urban development, and consumption and leisure opportunities, resulting in avoidance and relocation. High awareness of residential vacancy and urban vacant land is associated with lower urban satisfaction and higher relocation intent, while commercial vacancy reduces consumption and leisure satisfaction, decreasing visitation frequency, and can indirectly affect relocation through consumption and leisure satisfaction and overall urban satisfaction. However, perceptions of urban vacant land do not affect residents' sense of security or commuting behaviour. Socio-economic factors such as age, income, and length of residence, moderate these responses. The study validates and extends the Broken Windows Theory, providing theoretical support for people-centred, smart urban planning in shrinking cities. Measures such as cleaning, renovation, repurposing disordered spaces, providing commercial facilities tailored to residents' needs, and fostering a sense of place are recommended to improve residents' satisfaction.