Absorption correlates of relocated households

This study examines absorption correlates of involuntary urban relocatees to a new social and physical environment as part of a housing program in southern Israel. Absorption correlates are considered as those variables which best explain the level of local attachment and socio-economic upgradation achieved by the relocatees after their displacement. The level of absorption thus takes the general forms of social, economic, and institutional integration in the new locality. Using a composite neighborhood: based rank order of both subjective and objective absorption measures, three groups of correlates were examined. In the social environment group, the socio-economic gap between relocatees and their new neighbors was the highest and most significant correlate with the absorption measures. In the physical environment group proximity to local urban services clearly explained the spatial differences in absorption levels, whereas none of the third group (the dwellings) characteristics was found meaningful and significant. Several policy implications are thus put forward.