International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment (2017) xxx, xxx–xxx

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Gulf Organisation for Research and Development

International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment

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Original Article/Research

Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight

Ali Hosseini a,⇑, Ahmad Pourahmad a, Ali Taeeb b, Milad Amini c, Sara Behvandi d
a
Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
b
Department of Architecture and Urbanism, University of Guilan, Guilan, Iran
c
Department of Urbanism, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
d
Department of Public Library, Tehran Municipality, Tehran, Iran

Received 20 October 2015; accepted 12 March 2017

Abstract

Urban blight had its own rational and hierarchical function in the past. Nowadays it is featured with structural and functional short-
age. Therefore, it has lost the capacity to meet the residents’ needs. Along with intensification of urban blight problems in cities, and
downtowns in particular, which affects different aspects of urban life, many urban planners have shown special attention to such districts.
Laleh-Zar neighborhood is an example of these neighborhoods, which on the one hand due to lack of urban equipment and infrastruc-
tures gives rise to urban blight and penetration of commercial and trans-regional land use in residential area. On the other hand, much of
its residential units are transformed into business units, warehouses, workhouse particularly on the edge of the neighborhood. Given the
expansion and intensity of problems, apparently, the most effective strategy to deal with the shortcomings and the problems is partic-
ipation strategy. Besides, this study has used a strategic approach, which is one of the public plannings for both internal and external
analyses. Therefore, it is a systematic approach, which can be helpful in decision making. The results showed that the capacity for par-
ticipation of the study population was below proper level concerning the four aspects of financial, intellectual, instrumental, and physical
aspects, although their tendency to participate was high. Moreover, correlation between participation capacity and intention for partic-
ipation in renewing the structures had a significant relation with cultural and historical values at a confidence level of 99%.
Ó 2017 The Gulf Organisation for Research and Development. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Urban blight; Renewal; Neighborhood participation; Tehran

1. Introduction of adaption with change in land use and supporting their

There was strongly specific dynamism between old
urban textures and residential structures in the past. But,
based on sudden changes associated to rapid urbanism,
their central role has been lost and there is no capability
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: a.hosseini@ut.ac.ir (A. Hosseini).
Peer review under responsibility of The Gulf Organisation for Research
and Development.
daily life (Ahmed and Bramley, 2015; Shatu et al., 2014;
Weaver, 2013).
Shlay and Whitman (2006) note that blight is a subjec-
tive idea in the thoughts of local stakeholders, and it is just
a reflection of larger, more complex structural societal
problems. Lack of responsive management to harmonize
the neighborhoods with fast structural and functional
changes of modernism has degraded compatibility of such
districts to support new demands (Brueckner and Helsley,
2011; Salvati and Carlucci, 2014). Eventually, native

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
2212-6090/Ó 2017 The Gulf Organisation for Research and Development. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
2 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx
residents leave the neighborhood. As a result, the unoccu-
pied areas become the first option for immigrants and low-
revenue class of people who look for the cheapest part of
the city to live in. Therefore, poor socioeconomic and cul-
tural conditions of new inhabitants, and lack of initial facil-
ities and infrastructures which must be provided by urban
managers, accelerate blighting (Habibi and Maghsoudi,
2010).
Urban distressed areas and blighted textures have
always been one of the major concerns of urban manage-
ment in large cities (Weaver and Bagchi-Sen, 2013). In
many cases, living in such districts is connected with
depression, disorder, anarchical issues, and poor social par-
ticipation. Thus, one of the priorities of the modern cities
and urbanization is ordering the urban blight (Galdini,
2005; Maier, 2001). In the last two decades, these issues
have been noticed considerably by urban planners and
managers. However, the insignificant role of civilians in
preparation, implementation, and supervision of such
plans tackles complete realization of the goals. Other issues
are the extent of people’s participation in planning and
preparation of participation plan (Fagence, 2014;
McDonald et al., 2009). This also has to do due to the res-
ident’s skills and abilities for taking part in decision mak-
ing relating to blight’s problems and issues. Urban
official’s management and social norms in people’s daily
life might influence how residents take part in public affairs
(Güzey, 2009; Levy, 2015; Sandercock, 1975). On the other
hand, if resident participate actively in designing and gen-
eralizing this process, the Implementation of these plans
would increase.
The central area of a city is the focal point of it where
main urban activities take place, common memory is devel-
oped and urban life emerges (Pacione, 2009). The central
area is the most accessible location that draws workers with
various skills from all directions and provides the best
access to metropolitan wide markets (Alonso, 1964).
Throughout the history, this part of city has taken different
meaning and concepts ranging from political and economic
roles to social, cultural, and physical-spatial roles (Knox
and McCarthy, 2012). However, with its substantial cul-
tural weight, the only thing that never changed was the cen-
tral area of the city that never lost its historical, cultural,
artistic, and urbanized role (Hall and Barrett, 2012;
Hanzl, 2007). However, its urban experiences are blighted
these days. Planning the neighborhoods using participation
strategy is one of the main ways to avoid destruction as
people are enabled by such strategies to take part in decid-
ing about the policies and the plans that affect their lives
(Andrea and Tim, 2010).
Lexically and semantically, the term ‘‘participation”
refers to the involvement and gathering for a specific rea-
son; in essence, it is about involvement, working and affect-
ing. By acknowledging the essence, experts of management
have defined participation as: the mental and emotional
involvement of individuals in group-based situations in
order to cooperate with each other for achieving group
Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
goals and sharing the responsibility (Mahdavinejad and
Amini, 2011; Maier, 2001).
The common models of development, thus far, have
failed to create the sense of collectivism. According to vast
majority of experts, the current urban development models
are against development of places where people may
develop real connection and relationships with each other
(Evans, 2002). Also it can be noticed for the spaces where
people find a chance to become familiar with others, taking
part in urban problems and accepting responsibilities for
the health and the environment affairs of the city (Janse
and Konijnendijk, 2007). Based on this framework, a sus-
tainable city can provide a viewpoint and lots of optimistic
and hopeful situations which can introduce new policies
about effective factors on urban life’s quality and illustrate
how all peoples and groups can take part in a decision
making process (Poplin, 2012). Some urban management
experts strongly believe that it will be better if some parts
of urban management and planning affairs and plans are
assigned to people (Moser, 1989).
Urban management is better off in recognizing social
shortcoming and issues of the city and aims at improving,
and developing the city (Wu et al., 2010). This by itself,
brings in achievements in planning, implementing, and
enabling neighborhoods (Edling and Rydgren, 2012) that
can cover a large number of factors such as observation
of regulations, democratic authority, easy financing,
strengthening, resource coordination and having access to
more resources, better decision making, professional train-
ing, responsible environment, realization of the public
needs, and permanent development (Day, 1997).
Laleh-Zar neighborhood is in fact one of the central and
old parts of Tehran city, which was once the cultural center
of the city. The old buildings show that the neighborhood
has turned into blight. It suffers from inadequate facilities,
and lack of efficient service and urban equipment can be
observed widely. In addition, development of business
and trans-regional use of the land have changed many
building along the streets into commercial units, ware-
houses, and dormitories of workers. One of the main prob-
lems of this area is incompatibility of the historical
surrounding parts with modern life, which has forced many
to leave the area. Other problems are physical land use,
Insufficient capacity of crossings, which challenge the pro-
vision of urban services, poor condition of urban facilities
such as green spaces and parking lots, lack of control over
constructions and abandoned architecturally and culturally
valuable buildings.
This introduction points out the necessity of an accurate
and analytical study in the neighborhood, as well as
preparing intervention plans as the specification of the case
call. This is where the starting point and the approach
taken for dealing with the urban blight come into consider-
ation. Studies, planning, and implementation for gathering
accurate and real data, faster implementation, lower liquid
and capital costs, higher confidence level commensurate
with ordering program in the districts and responsiveness,
 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx
guarantee preservation of the achievements and future ben-
efits if the plan gets public participation (Ellin, 2006).
Neighborhood ordering may not expect success without
participation and emphasis on pivotal role of neighbor-
hood management and organizations. Thus, it is essential
to allow citizen, mainly with low revenue, in Laleh-Zar
neighborhood to have a say in ordering the urban blight
of the area. In this regard, participation motivation and
public strategies may cover shortcomings to a large extent
and facilitate the ordering programs.
2. Methodology
We have acquired the preliminary information from
neighborhood status quo based on opinions from house-
holds of the neighborhood in the framework of dimension
of participation with reference to the information acquired
from literature review so that the descriptive and deductive
analysis required for evaluation of questions of the
research took neighborhood through using the results of
these household surveys. The sample size was composed
of household as the unit of analysis in the Laleh-Zar neigh-
borhood. We have made use of survey; based on Cochran
formula (Eq. (1)) and distributed 366 questionnaires
among the sample size in the form of random sampling.
t2 pq
d2
n¼
1 t2 pq
1þ ð
N d2
 1Þ
n: The sample size; N: population of city; p: percentage of
people who have been attributes; q: The percentage of peo-
ple who do not have that attribute in the city; t: constant
coefficients; d: the difference between the actual proportion
of the population with an estimated attribute a researcher
for its existence.
In this case study p = 50% q = 50% t = 1.96 (95% level)
d = 0.05%
1:962 0:50:5
%52
n¼ ¼ 366
1:962 0:50:5
1þ 1
7854
ð %52
 1Þ
Content validity method was used to increase the valid-
ity. That is, statements of the questionnaire were designed
based on the standard questions in similar studies. The
Cronbach Alpha is used to analyze the perpetuity of the
research questionnaire, which is one of the common meth-
ods. According to the use of questionnaire, the perpetuity
of this questionnaire is 0.748. Part of the survey done
through literature review was on ordering, spatial analysis,
and planning for urban blights, detailed plan for district
12-Tehran, and statistics by municipality of district 12-
Tehran. Field study was comprised of surveys, updating
the maps, and visiting blight in Lale-Zar of Tehran. Part
of the required information demanded designing a ques-
tionnaire; therefore, a questionnaire was designed based
on the goals of the study.
Taking into account that the study is focused on the
blight of Laleh-Zar neighborhood, literature review and sur-
Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
3
veys, and questionnaire were used in the second phase. After
designing strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat on
the neighborhoods (Amin et al., 2011; Kajanus et al.,
2012; McDonald and Wilson, 2011; Wheelen and Hunger,
1995; Yüksel and Dagdeviren, 2007), literature review was
conducted to obtain strength and weakness range and
experts and elites were interviewed based on the Delphi
method. Afterward, SWOT matrix based on WT, ST, WO,
and SO approaches was used to extract ordering strategies.
3. An empirical case of the blight and old neighborhoods of
Tehran
The study areas covered Enghlab, Ferdousi, Jomhouri,
Saf-Ali-Shah and Baharestan Streets. Laler-Zar Street
stretches in this area (Fig. 1). The street once was the sym-
bol of modernism and art in Iran; called Champs-Elysées of
Tehran. Many theaters, restaurants, businesses, costumes
houses, cinemas, well known stores used to be located in
the street.
In the past, the area was covered with green areas and
was known as the place where tulips grew. The area is cur-
rently divided into south and north Laleh-Zar. It is limited
by Imam-Khomeiny St. from south, Enghelab St. from
north, and Ferdousi and Saadi streets from west and east
respectively. The main streets in the neighborhood are
ð1Þ Barbod, Berlan, Jomhori-Islamy, Manouchehri, and Taghavi.
What follows is of the findings and analysis of the area.
Laleh-Zar neighborhood in Tehran, as of consensus 2011
accommodated 7854 people. Gender ratio of the neighbor-
hood is 117.8%. Growth rate of man between 1986 and 2011
was 0.36 and for woman was 0.23. In general, about 1%
of Tehran population lives in this neighborhood (Statistical
Center of Iran, 2011). Because of great tendency of the mid-
dle class residents to live in this part of the city, it is featured
with high density population and congested districts.
Population density in Laleh-Zar is 112 individuals per
hectare. Total land per capita in the district is 10 m2; and
the major portion of the area (287766.5 m2) which is
36.4% is dedicated to residential land use. Per capita of
land in the residential land is 38.2 m2. The smallest portion
of the area (4624.9 m2) is unused land. Total area of blight
is 788950.9 m2, and 82444.5 m2 (10.44%) out of it is streets
and access ways (Tehran Municipality, 2010).
The surveys showed that about 40% of the passages in
the blight district has no proper stretch of pedestrian which
causes considerable health risk when people have no way
but to use the streets. The problem is worse in the
Laleh-Zar passages where the traffic is heavier. Traffic in
the majority of the passages with no pedestrian is blocked.
4. Results and discussion
4.1. Socioeconomic studies
As field surveys showed average population of families
in the neighborhood is 3.3; and about 76.8% of residential
4 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx

Fig. 1. The neighborhood case study of Tehran.

units are home to a family, 15.5% to two families, 3.6% to unsatisfactory condition regarding education level. As the
three families, and 4.1% to three and more families. Data field surveys showed, 54.1% of the caretaker parents work
about education of parents showed that 46.4% have fin- in public sector, 22.3% in business, 7.3% retired, and 16.4%
ished elementary level and only 18.2% have high-school, unemployed (Table 1).
diploma, graduate and postgraduate. This can be illus- The largest salary level is 900 USD per month (71.8%),
trated because of old age of the parents and it is only and those with a salary level of 601 USD to 900 USD con-
recently that higher education has been developed in the stituted 20% of the families under study and 8.2% of the
country. Generally, the sample population is in population earn 300 USD to 600 USD as monthly income.
Considering the average population of the families (3.3
individuals) the revenue of the families is very low, so that
Table 1 probably many cannot cover their living costs. Therefore, it
Demography and economic data on Laleh-Zar neighborhood. is irrational that the residents may change dwelling condi-
Education Analphabetic 4.1% tions without financial facilities.
Elementary education 46.4%
High school 31.4%
Diplomas, graduate and 18.2% 4.2. Physical studies
postgraduate
Employed Government employees 54.1%
According to field surveys, the residents and authorities
Self-employment 22.3% of the neighborhood believe that 75% of the buildings need
Retired 7.3% to be repaired, ordering, and the structures are worthless
Unemployed 16.4% architecturally.
Household income (monthly to 300$–600$ 8.2% Buildings mainly have steel or wooden roof. In general,
USD) the buildings can be grouped into three. As the surveys
601$–900$ 20% showed, 30% of the buildings are less than 20 years and
More than 900$ 71.8%
require repairs from a quality view point. Moreover,

Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx 5

Table 2 ipants who fully disagreed with the idea, it is easy to find
In Laleh-Zar neighborhood from the officials of municipality district 12- out that poor financial condition prevents any financial
Tehran viewpoint.
aids by the citizens. Table 3 lists other alternatives for this
Quality type Housing units Percent statement.
% whole
Buildings quality Renewal 16.9 4.3.2. Instrumental participation for ordering plan
Maintainable 75
Destructive 7.6
This type of participation involves lending tools, facili-
Construction 0.5 100 ties, and equipments, which can be classified into movable
and immovable tools. Lending vehicle as a type of partici-
Architectural Valuable 6.8
quality pation is considered in the former class, while granting or
The mean value 12.1 selling property to the state, or giving up part of the pre-
Valueless 75.8 mise to access way are considered in the latter class. Thus,
Barren and desolate 0.5 100 adopting strategies that cover financial fields of ordering
Housing quality Less than 20 years 30 and motivate public participation are imperative for urban
Between 20 and 44.5 development plans.
40 years Regarding the statement, 41.8% had no ideas, probably
More then 40 25.5 100
due to lack of trust in ordering programs; 37.7% fully
agreed; and 20.5% disagreed with this type of participation.
25.5% of the building are more then 40 and should be Other alternatives of the answers are listed in Table 3.
demolished (Table 2).
4.3.3. Intellectual participation for ordering plan
Residents can offer their suggestions related to how they
4.3. Resident’s neighborhood participation analysis can deal with problems. For instance, participation in
dispute settlement councils, commenting on projects
Participation is the mental and emotional involvement operations, participation in the different urban meetings
of individuals in group-based forms, which galvanizes them in different public organs, attending discussion in urban
to cooperate with each other to meet group goals and share workhouse regarding daily issues of urban life, comment-
the responsibilities. Participation and cooperation of resi- ing by filling out questionnaires, and interviewing are some
dents in a neighborhood covers different fields related to examples. The participants’ idea is very important in this
the people at different age groups. This will happen type of participation. About 37% and 34.5% of the partic-
through preparation of the inhabitants. The first and the ipants agreed and fully agreed, respectively. Only 7.7%
most important step is to inform the residents and keep fully disagreed. Table 3 lists answers to other statements.
them aware about issues in the area and then try to explain
how to deal with issues and tackle them with models based 4.3.4. Physical participation for ordering plan
on their participation. Planning strategies such as partici- Depending on the field of expertise and capabilities,
pation and communicative planning are two examples of everyone can take part and cooperate with municipality
participation and sympathetic-based strategies of human to improve their environment. For example, working for
communities. free in placing curb, picking garbage in special days sym-
bolically are some examples. In this regard, 65.5% of par-
4.3.1. Financial participation for ordering plan ticipants fully agreed and agreed, which was the highest.
Financial issues are the main concerns in these types of Only 4% disagreed; Table 3 lists the answers to other
participation: Cash contribution in projects, charities to alternatives.
NGOs, contributing to public-interest urban plans. Based
on the analysis of data, which had been collected from 4.3.5. Participation in ordering and renewing historical
inquiries, about 37% of the participants disagreed with buildings and monuments
the financial helps, which are given by them to municipality The respondents were asked to answer how they think
for ordering. By adding this figure with 15% of the partic- about helping the municipality for ordering and renewing

Table 3
Participation in Laleh-Zar neighborhood.
Participation Financial % Instrumental % Intellectual % Physical % Ordering and rebuilding
historical buildings %
Fully-Agree - 11.8 34.5 28.2 27.9
Agree 13.2 25.9 36.8 37.3 40
No Comment 35.9 41.8 20.9 30.5 27.7
Disagree 36.8 20.5 - 41.1 4.3
Fully-Disagree 14.1 – 7.7 – –

Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
6 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx
historical building in the blight. About 40% of them agreed
with the idea and 28.2% fully agreed. In general, the
respondents supported the idea of ordering the historical
building. Table 3 lists results of the other alternative to this
statement.
Taking into account cultural and historical values and
the capacities in the blight neighborhoods of Laleh-Zar
on the one hand, and residents needs and demands on
the other hand, ordering the neighborhood is feasible
through participation of the resident based on introvert
development model and disjoin and small scale develop-
ment strategy.
Public participation means participation of the citizens
in all stages of planning, designing, and implementing
plans for improving residential condition and utilizing of
all potentials by cooperating and self-supporting organiza-
tion within a community organization framework, where
demands, interests, and desire of the participants are not
forgotten. Actually, the resident groups and the inhabitants
act as the main force in the improvement of dwelling con-
dition. As mentioned, the families under consideration
have different needs and demands and they may be led
toward participation in ordering and renewing the neigh-
borhood in case of cooperation between in charge organi-
zations and executive bodies, observation of fairness in
provision of the services and informing the public of civil
programs (Table 3). Considerable part of the families men-
tioned the wearing process of taking a loan, high costs and
bureaucratic obstacles as the main problems for
participation.
Now, first, the participation of residents in Laleh-Zar
neighborhood has been evaluated and then correlation
between ability for participation and intention for partici-
pation among the citizen has been tested.
As represented in Table 4, the capability for participa-
tion in the sample size is significantly lower than preferred
level in four financial, instrumental, intellectual, and phys-
ical aspects.
As listed in Table 5, there is a significant relation
between ability for participation and rate of intention for
participation in renewing structures with historical and cul-
tural values. Correlation between the two variables is also
considerable, so that with confidence level of 99%, there
is a significant relation between the two variables. There-
fore, people with higher ability for participation in order-
ing blight of Laleh-Zar district, have higher intention for
Table 4
Ability for participation of the residents of Laleh-Zar neighborhood in
ordering blight.
Physical Intellectual Instrumental Financial
a a a a
Chi-square test 55.236 48.036 42.073 45.527
df 3 3 3 3
Sig. .000 .000 .000 .000
a
0 cells (.0%) have expected frequencies less than 5. The minimum
expected cell frequency is 55.0.
Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
Table 5
Relation between ability for participation and intention for participation
in renewing valuable structures.
A Spearman correlation The correlation coefficient .534**
Sig. .000
Case study Number 366
**
Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
Table 6
Intention for participation in renewing valuable structures.
Chi-square test 59.818a
df 3
Sig. .000
a
0 cells (.0%) have expected frequencies less than 5. The
minimum expected cell frequency is 55.0.
participation. As represented in Table 6, ability of partici-
pation is lower than preferred level in Laleh-Zar district.
The lack of intention for participation is lower than pre-
ferred level.
According to Tables 4, 5, and 6 inability for participa-
tion of the residents of Laleh-Zar neighborhood is the main
reason of failing to reconstructing historical buildings. The
solution is, therefore, to devise required arrangements to
realize public and non-governmental sector participation
in renewing the blight of Laleh-Zar in two different fields:
a. To introduce supporting package to motivation and
enable the residents, property owners, developers,
and investors by the government, the municipality,
and banks and credit institutes. Such packages need
to be included long-term and easy to obtain financial
facilities for all type of land uses and different stages
of ordering projects, if it wants to expect success. By
this, we mean at least coverage of 80% of the costs
and exemption of taxes, tariff, and other payable
duties.
b. Development of citizen communities and firms that
offer renewal services, as well as adopting supportive
policies for urban development companies. More-
over, the government shall make decision regarding
management of reviewed lands. Instead of opposing
each other, these factors need to support each other
in an effort to help the public in ordering project.
We need some sort of urban management, and the
authorities shall transfer power to such management
as a way to accelerate the renewal process.
4.4. SWOT analysis
Planning for any space is not possible unless the consti-
tuting factors and elements are taken into account. Order-
ing refers to putting a space and all its contents into order.
Strategic planning is the science and art of organizing,
 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx
making decision and implementing toward realization of
the goals (Hosseini et al., 2015). In fact, it is a process that
the management employs to draw its main mission and
supply the tool, which is needed to accomplish the mission
(Halla, 2007). Strategic issues concern the strategy of a dis-
trict that affects liabilities, attitudes, and values and com-
bine financial, costs, and management items (Pearce
et al., 1997). Ordering strategies for urban blight differ
depending on the site. That is, mere sameness is not what
is sought in ordering blight; and different neighborhoods
have to deal with their own problems. Social structure,
memories, and heritage must be recognized and new/tradi-
tional potentials need to be strengthened (Dangayach and
Deshmukh, 2005).
The purpose of blight ordering planning is to improve
living conditions through improvement of economic,
social-cultural, physical, and environmental development;
while social, economic, and cultural features are taken into
account. To this end, ordering planning for Laleh-Zar
neighborhood is aimed to improve dwelling and living
conditions.
SWOT is one of the strategic tools to coordinate the
internal strengths and weaknesses with the external oppor-
tunities and threats (Nowacki, 2009; Rahman et al., 2016).
SWOT provides systematic analysis for identifying the fac-
tors and adopts the most appropriate strategy to achieve
highest coordination between the factors. From the mod-
el’s perspective, a proper strategy maximizes strengths
and threats and minimizes the weaknesses and threats. In
Table 7
Internal factors of SWOT analysis.
Strengths
S1- Business functions with the role in regional and trans-regional and
even national
S2- Potential for creating job without need to government investment
S3- Suitable Spatial organization in the neighborhood
S4- Intention for participation in ordering the neighborhood
S5- Strong religious beliefs
S6- High intention for dwelling ordering among the families
S7- Citizenship memories
S8- Former residents with high capabilities
S9- Local councils
S10- The municipality and development/improvement organizations’
plan for ordering
Weaknesses
W1- Lack and shortage of public green spaces, artistic, sport, and open
spaces
W2- Lack vehicle access specially in Laleh-Zar St.
W3- High traffic, noise and crowd
W4- Old and blight buildings
W5- Non-standard construction materials in most buildings
W6- Failure of observing earthquake codes of construction
W7- Lack of health facilities
W8- Some residential units used as storehouse
W9- Irregular Eaves and troughs in buildings
W10- Lack access to alleys in disaster
W11- Lack of parking in parts of neighborhood
W12- Insufficient capacity of crossings
W13- Lack of fire safety system in houses
Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
7
doing so, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
are connected in four combination of SO, ST, WO, and
WT and strategic alternative is adopted among them.
4.4.1. Internal and external factors
Internal and external factors surveys revealed the main
known factors including strengths, weaknesses, opportuni-
ties, and threats in the SWOT analysis.
The obtained points for the strength and weakness
points were 10 and 13 respectively. First, we put strength
inducing factors and then weakness inducing factors in
the analysis (Table 7). The obtained factors, for the exter-
nal factors were 10 and 11 factors encompassing the factors
that bring in opportunities and threats to Laleh-Zar neigh-
borhood (Table 8).
A brief review demonstrates high vulnerability of the
neighborhood and great need for reviewing and introduc-
ing proper policies to remove weaknesses and threats with
the aid of strengths and opportunities.
4.4.2. Compiling strategies
A wide range of goals is imaginable for ordering the
blight of Laleh-Zar neighborhood. When the goals are
set using correct methods, it is possible to adopt proper
strategies for both current plan and the future ones. This
solves wear and tear for the neighborhood.
Ordering strategies lead the neighborhoods gradually
through stages from the wear and tear condition of
nowadays to its suitable position in the feature, unless
Table 8
External factors of SWOT analysis.
Opportunities
O1- Access to services at downtown
O2- The regulations governing for control and monitor building
O3- Importance of the neighborhood due to old buildings and main
streets
O4- The use of experts in decision making
O5- Researches on the construction technologies for low-income
groups
O6- Access to facilities and job in the downtown and Laleh-Zar St.
O7- Laleh-Zar St. as shopping center
O8- Financial abilities of the owner of business for renewing the
buildings
O9- Regulation for widening streets and passages
O10- Regulations related to building and urban renovation
Threats
T1- Multiplicity of decision making bodies
T2- No coordination between institutions responsible for urban
facilities
T3- No specific plan for organic neighborhoods
T4- Air pollution and noise in the downtown
T5- Wide gap between decision making and executers
T6- Tendency to breach or neglecting of law
T7- Tendency of low-income groups and immigrants to live in the
downtown
T8- Fatalism among the citizen
T9- Lack of encourage for ordering on neighborhood
T10- Lack of financial support policies
T11- Copied ordering plans at the national level
8 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx
unpredicted problems stop implementation of the strategy.
Adopting the most suitable strategy is mainly evaluated
and surveyed based on the goals.
Having four internal and external environment fields in
the study, we can develop SWOT analysis for more accu-
rate examination of effective strategic factors in the order-
ing plan. The SWOT analysis was developed taking into
account strength and weakness, opportunities, and threats
affecting ordering plant for the neighborhood.
Strategies were categorized under four aspects as
follows:
SO strategies: by implementing these strategies, the
organization tries to exploit the external opportunities
and maximize the opportunities by exploiting the strengths.
ST strategies: performing these strategies, the organiza-
tions try to decrease or remove the negative effects of
threats using their strengths.
WO strategies: such strategies for organizations are to
use the opportunities in internal space to improve internal
Table 9
Strategies for renewal on Laleh-Zar neighborhood.
SO strategies
SO1- Empowering neighborhood identity elements through internal/
external loans and intention for renewing the neighborhood among
the officials
SO2- Development of attractive urban space with unique features
(green space, cultural, sport, and entertainment)
SO3- Motivating citizen for participation and taking part in social
activities and investment for development of neighborhood’s
economy
ST strategies
ST1- Utilization of economic and functional structure of the
neighborhoods toward development of the neighborhood and its
position in Tehran
ST2- Empowerment of identity elements of the neighborhoods to
eliminate the negative image of the neighborhood among residents
of Tehran
ST3- Urban facilities and removal of shortages provision of
installations and solving problems of gas, sewage, lighting services,
which results in increasing land value
WO strategies
WO1- Establishment of strategic committee for preparing and
supervising ordering plan
WO2- Physical characteristics of the neighborhood will experience
significant changes and access to crossings in neighborhood will
improve
WO3- Solution for environmental and health issues of the
neighborhood
WO4- Avoid leaving an older population
WO5- Improvement of quality of neighborhood landscape
WT strategies
WT1- Development of pedestrian and reducing the volume of traffic in
Laleh-Zar St.
WT2- Providing of credit facilities to landlords for renewing the
buildings
WT3- Implementation of architectural codes and monitoring of
observance of the codes and spatial relation with other
neighborhoods
Please cite this article in press as: Hosseini, A. et al. Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight. International Journal of
Sustainable Built Environment (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2017.03.004
weaknesses. In this way, organizations fails to use emerging
opportunities due to internal weaknesses. Strategies such as
new technologies need to be utilized to remove the weak-
nesses using the opportunities.
WT strategies: organizations use such strategies as a
defensive reaction aimed to lessen internal weaknesses
and avoid threats from the external environment. The
results of these strategies are presented in Table 9.
5. Conclusion
It is really necessary to find out and recognize factors
which have made the blighted textures less performable.
Necessity of this need was recognized in the fourth Five-
Year Program of Economic, Social, and Cultural National
Development as well as the strategic-structural develop-
ment plan of Tehran regarding qualitative goals in dwelling
sector of renewal the neighborhoods, combining residential
plots in the neighborhood.
Taking into account lack of enough financial power of
the residents in blight neighborhoods, they do not see
enough reason not to leave their neighbor even if they
could renew their houses. Therefore, to keep the residents
in these parts and prevent them from leaving the district,
economic rehabilitation is of great importance. Therefore,
we need to put the highest emphasis on the matter. Should
the urban management fail to improve economic and social
structures in the case study through activities such as par-
ticipation, negative predicted/unpredicted consequences of
negligence of Laleh-Zar neighborhood are expected to
affect the other neighborhoods and cause expansion of
blight.
Planning for ordering blight in micro-level such as
Laleh-Zar is feasible and decent living condition is achiev-
able using the goals and strategies mentioned here in action
plans. Moreover, the strategies developed as guideline for
decision making are one of the elements of leading, con-
trolling, and planning system for urban ordering in the
neighborhood. Thus, execution wings of planning –
government investment, regulations – and decision making,
coordination and harmony are essential factors among the
strategies for success of the measures.
Considering low rate of intention for participation in
reviewing and improving plan in Laleh-Zar neighborhood,
religions commonalities, as a ground for development of
public groups for participation in improvement and
renewal projects, are important cultural options for moti-
vating and developing participation.
Here are some suggestions for this case study;
– Development of physical, spatial, and communication
connection between the blocks in Laleh-Zar neighbor-
hood and peripheral blocks through stretching main
streets of district 12-Tehran for better access to urban
services and galvanizing economic activities in the
neighborhood.
 A. Hosseini et al. / International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment xxx (2017) xxx–xxx
– Establishment of local offices for supporting negotiation
and participation among citizen and their representa-
tives – trustees and senior citizens – exchange of ideas
regarding improvement and ordering blights, and
informing the public regarding the plans. This may
result in participation in other fields such as financial
and instrumental participation.
– Formation of expert teamwork of ordering with partic-
ipation of executive bodies aimed to develop coordina-
tion between the bodies and accelerating ordering
executive projects.
– Improvement of social correlation in the neighborhood
taking into account numerous decision making founda-
tions dealing with urban affairs in the neighborhoods
and avoiding defining the neighborhood as the special
neighborhoods in upstream plans for participation in
ordering Laleh-Zar neighborhood.
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