Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Iran University of Science and Technology
2
Shahid Beheshti University
Abstract
Since the late 20th century, novel policies of urban design in developed countries have altered toward the implementation of social mix policies and the development of mixed-income housing, aiming to address problems associated with the concentration of disadvantaged people in social housing such as the high rate of crime, anti-social behaviors, etc. However, an ongoing problem of social mix policies has always been the limited social interaction across social classes or income levels, so the deprived individuals fail to benefit from such interaction. The aim of this study is to identify the factors affecting the enhancement of social interactions between different social classes in socially mixed developments. A mixed research method has been adopted in this study; data gathering has been done through library studies, and a survey method has been conducted to test the research hypothesis. The residential complex of the Kavir Neighborhood in the city of Yazd, Iran, was chosen as the case study, and accordingly, all features have been examined in relation to their impacts on the social interaction. 37 out of 52 residential units were selected using a simple randomization procedure, and the samples were provided with a self-administered questionnaire. In the next step, data analysis was performed with the SPSS, and the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by experts and Cronbach's alpha test respectively (α= 0.82). After analysis of the data, we have found some individual characteristics of residents including gender, marriage status, religion, ownership status, and the duration of residency to be significantly correlated with the social interactions (type, scale, and homogenization). Moreover, a positive significant correlation was observed between the social interaction and variables including participation in management decisions, participation in group activities (p<0.01), spatial proximity (p<0.05), community facilities, sense of belonging, management policies, and regulations (p<0.1). In conclusion, if the proposed income deciles and socio-demographic characteristics of residents in mixed-income housing are appropriately selected, it is bound to enhance the social interaction of a community to achieve balanced, viable, and sustainable development.
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