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In Denmark, national policies tackle housing segregation through transforming the built environment and changing the resident composition in non-profit housing areas. As the interventions include extensive renovations, demolitions and sale of housing blocks, these so-called ghetto-policies require relocation of a large number of current residents, including older adults. However, the success of these policies is measured on a neighbourhood scale, focusing on statistically measurable outcomes. Thus, the lived experiences of relocated residents in general, and relocated older adults in particular, fall under the radar.Drawing on qualitative interviews with older adults and employees, this study aims to explore older adults' lived experiences of both relocation processes and outcomes. Combining place attachment theory with a spatial justice lens, we show how the empirical findings inform our understanding of spatial justice by foregrounding its social dimension, thereby introducing the notion of 'the sociality of spatial (in)justice'. The analysis reveals that older adults can experience relocations as decreasing their opportunities for social interaction and participation, thus affecting their social life and associated sense of safety. In addition, while local support can facilitate some degree of influence on the individual's relocation, national policies targeting selected neighbourhoods can affect the societal trust of older citizens, who experience socio-spatial exclusion.Underscoring how the social dimension of spatial (in)justice is of particular significance to older adults, this article refines the spatial justice framework, contributes to urban and ageing studies and makes a societal contribution by offering policymakers and practitioners insights for more just approaches.
Söderberg et al. (Mon,) studied this question.