Displacement, Segregation and Residential Mobility: The Perverse Effects of Gentrification. Understanding Housing Inequalities in Contemporary Paris.

Urban upgrading and gentrification have been powerful forces transforming cities over the past few decades. Processes such as the commodification and financialization of housing markets, along with the retrenchment of welfare state policies, have shaped gentrification and embourgeoisement as key dynamics driving urban development. Displacement is often considered one of the most negative consequences of gentrification, yet many empirical studies fail to capture the full extent of this process. Moreover, residential segregation — historically one of the most important indicators of urban inequality — remains underexplored in relation to displacement.

This research seeks to explore the link between gentrification, displacement, and residential segregation, with a focus on Paris. Using geo-referenced panel data from 2015 to 2022, sourced from annual census records and public tax data, this study aims to trace the mobility patterns of different social and ethnic groups in both urban and suburban areas, mapping their trajectories over time and space. Additionally, it investigates the relationship between displacement and residential segregation, emphasizing the unique context of the French welfare regime.

Preliminary results suggest that gentrification and income upgrading through the private housing market contribute modestly to the displacement of low-income and immigrant residents, pushing them to periurban areas and undervalued banlieues. Displacement and segregation are intricately linked, as displacement often exacerbates segregation by reinforcing exclusionary patterns in urban centers. By examining the specific mechanisms of displacement in Paris and France, this research offers valuable insights into how gentrification impacts vulnerable populations, enriching the broader discussion on housing and urban inequalities across Europe.