House relocation: A redevelopment tool for rapidly changing urban environments

• Published in: Cities Vol. 154; p. 105233
• Main Author: Gamble, Sarah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2024
• Subjects: Affordable housing; Circular reuse; House relocation; Preservation; Residential fabric; House relocation; Preservation; Residential fabric; Circular reuse; Affordable housing
• ISSN: 0264-2751
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2024.105233

House relocation is a circular reuse approach with potential to address multi-pronged community challenges in rapidly redeveloping cities. Historically used throughout the USA, Austin, Texas serves as the testing ground for this contemporary research on house relocation, exemplifying a urban context experiencing a range of challenges, including rampant demolition, housing shortages, exponential population increase, and unmet zero waste goals. Researchers took a mixed-methods approach, including literature review, interviews, and permit record analysis to assess the use of house relocation as a tool to address these urban challenges, while identifying associated community benefits, barriers, and applications. Written in parallel, the academic research also informed an educational guide for the development community and broader public audience released in 2023. •House relocation is a circular reuse approach and redevelopment tool to address the challenges of rapidly redeveloping cities.•Austin, Texas, USA serves as the research context, due to its historical use of relocation and range of current community challenges.•Three community benefits of house relocation are retaining housing, reducing waste, and preserving neighborhood fabric.•House relocation is an under-researched subject, warranting attention from academics and practitioners aiming to address contemporary urban issues.