The Commodification Gap: Gentrification and Public Policy in London, Berlin and St. Petersburg(IJURR Studies in Urban and Social Change Book Series)

THE COMMODIFICATION GAP ‘In an elegant and careful theoretical analysis, this book demonstrates how gentrification is always entwined with institutions and distinctive contextual processes. Matthias Bernt develops a new concept, the “commodification gap”, which is tested in three richly researched cases. With this, the concept of gentrification becomes a multiplicity and the possibility of conversations across different urban contexts is expanded. A richly rewarding read!’ —Jennifer Robinson, Professor of Human Geography, University College London, UK ‘Urban studies has reached a stalemate of universalism versus particularism. Matthias Bernt is breaking out of this deadlock by being very precise about what exactly is universal and what is not – and how one can conceptualize both. The Commodity Gap is a key contribution to not only gentrification studies, but also to comparative urbanism and urban studies at large.’ —Manuel B. Aalbers, Division of Geography & Tourism, KU Leuven, Belgium The Commodification Gap provides an insightful institutionalist perspective on the field of gentrification studies. The book explores the relationship between the operation of gentrification and the institutions underpinning - but also influencing and restricting - it in three neighborhoods in London, Berlin and St. Petersburg. Matthias Bernt demonstrates how different institutional arrangements have resulted in the facilitation, deceleration or alteration of gentrification across time and place. The book is based on empirical studies conducted in Great Britain, Germany and Russia and contains one of the first-ever English language discussions of gentrification in Germany and Russia. It begins with an examination of the limits of the widely established “rent-gap” theory and proposes the novel concept of the “commodification gap.” It then moves on to explore how different institutional contexts in the UK, Germany and Russia have framed the conditions for these gaps to enable gentrification. The Commodification Gap is an indispensable resource for researchers and academics studying human geography, housing studies, urban sociology and spatial planning.

Table of Contents:
List of Figure ix List of Tables x Series Editors’ Preface xi Preface xii 1 Introduction 1 Gentrification Between Universality and Particularity 1 How to Compare? Why Compare? 8 Concepts and Causation 11 Design of this Study 15 Notes 22 2 Why the Rent Gap isn’t Enough 25 Where the Rent Gap Works Well 25 Where the Rent Gap Falls Short 30 When and Why does Capital Flow? 32 At Which Scale is the Rent Gap Positioned? 34 Which Rent? 37 Property as Control? 40 How is the Rent Gap Realised? 43 Embedding Gentrification 48 Economy, Society and States 48 The Commodification Gap 51 Notes 54 3 Three Countries, Three Housing Systems 57 The British Experience 57 From Private Landlordism to a Dual Market 58 The Thatcherite Revolution 60 New Labour: More of the Same? 65 Austerity and New ‘Class War Conservatism’ Under the Coalition Government 70 Conclusion: Neoliberalism, Tenurial Transformation and Gentrification 73 The German Experience 77 From the Controlled Housing Economy to the Lücke Plan 77 The Design of Tenant Protections 84 The Conservative Wende 86 Reunification and Neoliberal Consensus 89 Conclusion: Gentrification Between Regulation and Deregulation 91 The Russian Experience 98 Housing in the Soviet Union 99 From Shock Therapy to Failing Markets 102 Restricted State Capacities and Opportunity Planning 110 Conclusion: Gentrification in a Dysfunctional Market 112 State Intervention in Housing: Setting the Parameters for Gentrification 118 Notes 124 4 Barnsbury: Gentrification and the Policies of Tenure 129 The Making of Early Gentrification 129 The Right to Buy: Pouring Fuel on the Fire 137 The New Economy of Gentrification 141 Capital Gains Instead of Owner- Occupation 142 Penalty Renting 145 From Value Gap to Super- gentrification 150 Notes 154 5 Prenzlauer Berg: Gentrification Between Regulation and Deregulation 157 From Plan to Market 158 Rolling out the Market, Weakening Public Control 162 Since 2000: Privately Financed Refurbishments, Condominium Boom and No Regulation 164 New Build Gentrification and Energy Efficient Displacement 167 Between Deregulation and Re- regulation 171 Gentrification with Brakes? 174 Notes 179 6 Splintered Gentrification: St Petersburg, Russia 181 Unpredictable Regeneration Schemes 183 World Heritage vs. Gentrification 186 The Dissolution of Kommunalki Flats 192 State- run Repair and Renewal 198 Pro and Contra Gentrification 202 Notes 206 7 The Commodification Gap 207 Universality vs. Particularity Revisited 207 Gentrification and Decommodification 216 Meeting the Challenge: New Directions for Research and Politics 217 Notes 221 Appendix A Compulsory Purchase in Barnsbury 223 Appendix B Residents in NS- SeC Classes 1 and 2 229 References 235 Index 257

About the Author :
Matthias Bernt is a sociologist and political scientist who works as a Senior Researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space in Erkner, Germany. He is also Adjunct Professor at Humboldt University in Berlin. His research focuses on the interrelations between urban development and urban governance.

Review :
‘In an elegant and careful theoretical analysis, this book demonstrates how gentrification is always entwined with institutions and distinctive contextual processes. Matthias Bernt develops a new concept, the “commodification gap”, which is tested in three richly researched cases. With this, the concept of gentrification becomes a multiplicity and the possibility of conversations across different urban contexts is expanded. A richly rewarding read!’ Jennifer Robinson, Professor of Human Geography, University College London, UK ‘Urban studies has reached a stalemate of universalism versus particularism. Matthias Bernt is breaking out of this deadlock by being very precise about what exactly is universal and what is not – and how one can conceptualize both. The Commodity Gap is a key contribution to not only gentrification studies, but also to comparative urbanism and urban studies at large.’ Manuel B. Aalbers, Division of Geography & Tourism, KU Leuven, Belgium