Sasha Tsenkova

The urban mosaic of post-socialist Europe

The book explores urban dynamics in post-socialist Europe 15 years after the fall of communism. The ‘urban mosaic’ metaphor expresses the complexity, diversity and uniqueness of the processes and spatial outcomes in post-socialist cities. The book examines the urban development and the policy and planning processes that have resulted from the socio-economic, political, and institutional transformations characterizing the move to markets and democracy. The emerging urban phenomena are illustrated with indepth case studies, sensitive to historical themes, cultural issues and the socialist legacy. Cities featured in the book include: Kazan, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, Komarno, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Sofia and Tirana. The edited volume is organized around the following four themes: the driving forces of post-socialist change; urban processes and spatial change; housing and retail sector transformation; and urban planning and policy responses.

Beyond transitions: Understanding urban change in post-socialist cities

In the last fifteen years, transition economies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have experienced highly dramatic change in political, economic and social terms. Studies have pointed out the sharp divide between countries in CEE and CIS (UNECE 2003; World Bank 2002). In the west of the region, most countries have become functioning market economies, have come close to or exceeded the level of economic output of the early 1990s, and have moved to decentralized political and administrative power. Some have joined the European Union. In the eastern part of the region, changes on both the economic and the political front have been more moderate, and progress uneven (EBRD 2004). In all countries of the region, inequality and poverty are much greater than during socialism, and region-wide the number of the poor had risen to 100 million by 2001. The pursuit of private-sector-driven growth as well as macroeconomic and social reforms has delivered mixed results with respect to economic performance, provision of basic services, and the effectiveness of social safety nets, particularly in the urban areas where most of the region’s people work and live. These important manifestations embedded in the overall process of economic, social and political change influence profoundly the spatial adaptation and repositioning of post-socialist cities. The transition from a centrally planned to a marketbased economy offered significant opportunities to increase the economic prosperity and social well-being of urban residents through more democratic governance. Fifteen years later, the cities with transition economies have remained centres of economic growth, service expansion, technological innovation and cultural diversity. However, they have also experienced rapid social polarization, poverty and environmental degradation. This research focuses on the process of urban change in post-socialist cities in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. It draws much-needed attention to an important set of urban policy issues with wide implications for the success of the transition process in the region. The study has the following objectives:

The future of social housing in Eastern Europe : Reforms in Latvia and Ukraine

This paper explores the impact of housing reforms on public rented housing in Eastern Europe, using Latvia and Ukraine as case studies. The focus on public housing is important, since in both countries municipalities and state institutions are the major social landlords. Rent structures are not sensitive to demand or quality of housing services and allocation decisions rely on bureaucratic processes. The study evaluates changes in ownership, rent and allocation policies in the two countries to determine the extent to which public housing has moved away from a‘command’system to a more market-sensitive model. The limited success of housing reforms, particularly in Ukraine, has critical implications for the financial sustainability of the sector. Drawing on comparative work on social rented housing provision in Western Europe, the paper argues that in transition economies where the sector is large, reforms need to focus on rent policies that ensure cost recovery for services with targeted‘in cash’support for low-income households. By contrast, in countries where the sector is small, reforms need to define its social character and role in the provision of‘in kind’subsidy.

Management of Privatised Housing

The sale of public and social housing has been a major aspect of housing policies in the past decades. In all countries, privatisation has led to new challenges for housing management. Many estates are now in a state of mixed (public and private) ownership, which raises questions about the division of responsibilities between public and private owners, tenant involvement and concerns about the maintenance of the housing stock. This paper presents the results of an international research project in eleven countries that focused on the sale policies pursued by governments and landlords, the management problems in privatised housing and the emerging strategies to deal with housing management. Findings demonstrate that in different cultural settings similar processes and policy interventions can have different outcomes and implications in the area of housing management. Housing management institutions in different countries have shown surprising stability, even in the context of rapid policy reforms. Understanding the path dependent nature of these institutions maybe critical in terms of addressing existing technical, financial and legal challenges in privatised housing and is a central tenet of a much-needed reform to improve its quality in the future.

Managing change: the comeback of post-socialist cities

The paper explores major trends and patterns of change embedded in the overall process of economic, social and political transformation that profoundly influence the spatial adaptation and repositioning of post-socialist cities. It reflects on important issues such as the efforts to create competitive, socially inclusive and well-governed cities in the post-socialist world. The research draws much-needed attention to an important set of urban policy issues with wide implications for the success of the transition process in the region. It explores the links between the transition to democracy, markets and decentralized governance, and highlights the most salient characteristics of these multilayered processes on the spatial transformation in post-socialist cities. The main argument is that the impact of these processes of urban change has created a mosaic of diverse urban experiences. Despite this diversity, the spatial transformation has several principal dimensions: (1) new spaces of production/consumption reflecting globalization and economic restructuring within the hierarchy of cities; (2) social differentiation in residential spaces associated with growing inequality and the emergence of new forms of urban poverty; and (3) conflicts and selective urban development associated with new models of governance and institutional transformation. The exploration of these ‘transitions’ through the urban lens emphasizes the importance of strategic urban management to address the unique challenges of post-socialist cities and their dynamic realities.

Reinventing Strategic Planning in Post-socialist Cities: Experiences from Sofia

Abstract Recent planning experiences in post-socialist cities indicate a growing interest in strategic spatial planning. In their search for new planning paradigms, municipalities in transition countries have embraced strategic planning as a way to involve the business community and the broader constituency in defining a vision for the future of cities. More importantly, this more proactive approach has created an opportunity for mobilization of funds and political support for urban development thus bridging the resource gap under a regime of fiscal austerity. Drawing on the recent experience of Sofia with strategic spatial planning, the paper outlines the essential characteristics of the process (plan-making) and the product (strategic plan). The research establishes clear links between the process of strategy development, its institutional framework and the hierarchical structure of goals, objectives and actions. It is argued that strategic spatial planning is an efficient tool to manage post-socialist cities.

Urban futures: Strategic planning in post-socialist Europe

Recent planning experiences in post-socialist cities indicate a growing interestin strategic spatial planning. In the last ten years, most capital cities from theBaltics to the Balkans have gone through a process of strategy development witha varied degree of success (Buckley and Tsenkova, 2001; Nedovic-Budic, 2001;Maier, 2000). A number of secondary cities have replicated the process, giving animpetus to a range of strategic planning politics. While strategic planning is notnecessarily embedded in the planning legislation, it appears to provide a much-needed link between the traditional comprehensive land use planning and fiscaland financial planning carried by municipal bureaucracies (Tosics, 2003). In theirsearch for new planning paradigms and more flexible approaches to city planning,municipalities in transition countries have embraced strategic planning as a way toinvolve the business community and the broader constituency in defining a visionfor the future. More importantly, this more proactive approach has created anopportunity for mobilization of funds and political support for urban development,thus, bridging the resource gap under a regime of fiscal austerity (Tsenkova, 2003).It appears that strategic spatial planning has evolved as a parallel instrument tostatutory land use planning as well as regional planning. The latter, imposed byEU guidelines, is perceived as a bureaucratic budget enlargement exercise, withlimited comprehensiveness and public involvement.This chapter explores challenges and opportunities for strategic spatial planningin post-socialist cities. Drawing on the experience of six capital cities – Prague,St. Petersburg, Vilnius, Sofia, Budapest, and Riga – with strategic spatial plan-ning, it outlines the essential characteristics of the process (plan-making) and theproduct (strategic plan). It establishes clear links between the process of strategydevelopment, its institutional framework, and the hierarchical structure of goals,objectives, and actions. The case studies provide important insights for planningpractice in the context of rapid economic, social, and institutional change. Theresearch highlights the responsiveness of the model to transition imperatives andits ability to define contextually appropriate multi-dimensional strategies for thespatial development of post-socialist cities.447

Land Use Regulation: Transferring Lessons from Developed Economies

In the early days of the World Bank’s involvement in urban land issues, the Bank held a symposium to assist its staff in urban project and design activities for developing countries. The symposium set out the major issues, identified the analytical approach, and suggested priorities and some ways forward. The papers from the symposium were developed into a text, Urban Land Policy: Issues and Opportunities(Dunkerley & Whitehead, 1983), that put the questions in a more transparent framework of economic analysis with the aim of bringing them into broader academic and policy discussion.

The impact of planning policies on bicycle-transit integration in Calgary

Efforts to manage Canadian cities through smart growth policies emphasize the importance of integrated public transit system and bicycle-transit integration. The goal of this paper is to review the impact of planning policies that promote utilitarian cycling on the provision of bicycle facilities (pathways, bikeways and parking) in Calgary. The focus is on new suburban communities built since the 1990s, where new policies and standards affecting cycling have been implemented. The methodology draws on literature review, content analysis of major planning policies affecting utilitarian cycling, GIS spatial analysis of three case study areas and key informant interviews to holistically assess levels of bicycle-transit integration in Calgary. The research applies a straightforward and relatively robust framework for analysis of bicycle-transit integration using a number of quantitative indicators to assess levels of provision/accessibility and connectivity in transit commuter zones. The spatial analysis confirms that newer communities have better developed commuter-oriented cycling networks, bicycle facilities and integration with the light transit system compared to older ones. Despite area-specific challenges, findings indicate that the shift in planning policies in Calgary has a positive impact over the level of provision of bicycle infrastructure, which have the potential to increase utilitarian cycling in the future.

Planning trajectories in post-socialist cities: patterns of divergence and change

This article explores the new planning regimes and planning processes in post-socialist countries and their ability to influence the spatial transformation of cities. It views planning institutions as culturally embedded in the overall process of economic, social, and political transition, while recognizing the power of specific local imperatives and market pressures to shape their response. The research draws on empirical evidence in four countries and their capital cities to highlight the links between the transition to democracy, markets, and decentralized governance on the spatial transformation in post-socialist cities. The main argument is that the new planning institutions have different ability to direct these processes of change, depending on the legal framework, the availability of plans, and the institutionalization of the plan-implementation process. Despite the diverse mosaic of urban experiences in Prague, Riga, Belgrade, and Tirana, planning institutions are viewed as path dependent, influenced by a common socialist legacy. Further, changes in the exogenous environment – economic, social, and institutional – are perceived to be important sources of convergence, but tend to shape different planning responses and policy choices. The research explores these differences as well as the new patterns of spatial transformation in three principal domains: (1) spaces of production/consumption reflecting the economic transition; (2) differentiation in residential spaces associated with the social transition; and (3) new approaches to planning and service delivery resulting from the transition in governance. Central to the arguments in the article is that transition of this magnitude has created a complex urban world in which the patterns of divergence are going to become more explicit in the future, producing spatial and temporal differentiation among post-socialist cities.