The associations between housing vacancy and public facility allocation in shrinking cities: Perspective based on physical spatial structure and residents' perceptions

Exploring the associations between housing vacancy and public facility allocation in shrinking cities is valuable for sustainable development policymaking. However, the existing studies on the associative effect of housing vacancy on public facility allocation in shrinking cities remain limited. Taking Northeast China, a region characterized by a significant number of shrinking cities, as a case study, this research examines the evolution of housing vacancy and its association with the allocation of public administration and service facilities, commercial services, and the diversity of public facilities. The analysis considers both the physical spatial structure and residents' perceptions. The results show that shrinking cities exhibit an increasing trend in housing vacancy during the research period. Public facility allocation in shrinking cities changes significantly in response to variations in housing vacancy. Among the various aspects, the diversity of public facility allocation shows a stronger response to housing vacancy, and the changes in public facility allocation are more pronounced in severely vacant cities than in mildly vacant cities. Meanwhile, the neighborhood atmosphere in shrinking cities moderates the relationship between residents' perception of housing vacancy and their perception of public facility allocation. Residents in severely vacant shrinking cities show stronger perceptions and attitudinal responses toward commercial facility allocation. The more pronounced the perceived housing vacancy in shrinking cities, the lower residents' satisfaction with public facility allocation. The study intends to provide references for formulating sustainable development strategies for shrinking cities.