Rebuilding or refurbishing: Heterogeneity effects of urban renewal strategy

Abstract

This study investigates the heterogeneous policy effects of urban renewal strategies in shantytown renewal in Beijing. Using the spatial difference-in-difference approach, this study identifies the renewal approaches for each shantytown to analyze how each strategy affects housing prices and population density within the policy target area and surrounding area. The empirical results suggest that current urban renewal actions in Beijing have not achieved the expected policy goals and imply significant heterogeneity between refurbishing and rebuilding shantytowns in improving building value. Rebuilding projects have positive renewal effects and externalities, driving housing prices to increase by 5.86%–7.25% within the shantytown and a 1-km radius. Furthermore, the dynamic analysis shows that these impacts are prolonged, with housing prices maintaining an upward trend for 2–6 years after rebuilding. However, there is no causality between refurbishing dilapidated areas and increasing building values.