Does money help urban life?

Increasing employment opportunities and relatively relaxed immigration restrictions mean that the economies -- and populations -- of London and New York have grown. In the case of London, EU expansion, particularly in 2004, but also in 2007, has accelerated these trends. Yet it is not all good news.

Desirable locations?

There is evidence that a widespread desire to live in the city does not reflect high quality of life for its residents.  During his recent successful mayoral campaign, Conservative party candidate Boris Johnson was able to tap into widespread perceptions of increasing levels of crime and insecurity, dysfunctional road and public transport infrastructure and lack of affordable housing.

It is increasingly apparent that urbanisation, and internationalisation of major urban centres, drives dramatic -– and probably long-term -– changes in the social and physical structures of cities:

• Because increasing demand and relatively restricted supply have driven up the cost of real estate, individuals -– and families -– are forced to live in increasingly restricted spaces.
• This highlights, and exacerbates inequality in inner-city areas, particularly as the influx of high net-worth individuals leads to residential enclaves, often in relatively close proximity to areas of substantial social and economic deprivation.
• At the same time, there is a tendency for families to move out of cities, and into outer suburbs, or suburban commuter belts, which has the propensity to change substantially the age and socio-economic profile of inner-city urban populations.

Consequences?

Given that there is little prospect of cities such as London and New York ceasing to attract large numbers of new 'users', residents are likely to find increasingly creative ways to deal with the challenges urban life poses:

• Logement contre services? Some of these will be relatively unhealthy, such as the well-documented phenomenon of housing being traded for sex to overcome difficulty-gaining entry to the rental market in Paris.
• Workhouses? A more savoury variation on this in UK urban areas are schemes that pair relatively poorly paid, usually young people, with property owners who, often because of age or disability, offer accommodation in return for domestic or related tasks.
• Boomerang generation. A growing number of relatively new entrants to labour markets will choose to live with parents for longer, which has the potential substantially to alter family relationships and residence patterns.

Ultimately, urban dwellers will continue to develop strategies to adapt to, and cope with, the logistical realities in which they find themselves.  Communication tools and platforms associated with the internet and mobile technology also mean that, while people may feel -– and the media may report -– that city life is increasingly atomised, social interaction may actually increase, albeit in virtual and silent forms.