Snails and Ostrichs: strategies facing the housing question in the city of Vigo

Abstract

We try to explain the residential and building model that was developed in the city of Vigo (North-West of Spain) along the last decade. That purpose is achieving, in the first place, giving attention to the great increase experienced by the prizes of new housing and by the appearance of a notorious metropolitan distribution of new residencies. Secondly, we examine the shortage suffered by the social housing promoted by the State in this city. In the third place, residential mobility is examined in order to define the strategies followed by different groups and social classes, according to variations of social areas, building typologies and regime of property. “Snail” strategies refer to the great problems and unwilled displacements suffered by insolvent population when a house is needed. “Ostrich” strategies refer to the evident urban speculation and insufficient urban policies to reduce the housing cleavages. Finally, we conclude showing the main contradictions inherent to this social processes.