Socioeconomic stratification and urban housing in the postsocialist Belgrade

Abstract

In urban studies, there is a strong link between socioeconomic status and housing conditions. Belgrade's housing stock is diverse, ranging from recently constructed buildings to pre-World War II structures, socialist-era settlements, and informal constructions on the city's outskirts. The post-socialist period is characterized by the transition to market mechanisms, an increase in the share of private home ownership and intensive housing construction as well as demographic pressure. These factors have significantly influenced the housing stock and residential segregation in Belgrade. An analysis of education and occupation data from the first two decades of this period reveals a trend where socioeconomic status tends to decline from the city centre to the periphery. Despite the fundamental changes in the housing sector, this study suggests that although residential segregation did not increase drastically in the first decades of the post-socialist period, a growing trend is evident.