This study examines the moving behaviour of people of Surinamese, Antillean, Moroccan and Turkish ancestry – collectively regarded as the Netherlands’s ‘established ethnic minorities’ – in Amsterdam. The study concentrates on moves to the suburbs, in particular to the municipality of Almere. ‘Black flight’ is defined as the departure of the ethnic middle class from the big cities to the suburbs. ‘Middle class’ is defined as households that have higher incomes than those staying behind in the big cities.

Current urban restructuring policies are aimed at retaining the middle-income groups, both immigrants and the indigenous population, in the city centres by expanding the range of housing options for these groups. This study is to assess to what extent special efforts have to be made to keep the inner city areas attractive to established ethnic minorities.

Literature study combined with an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.

Members of the established ethnic communities are increasingly moving from districts with high concentrations of ethnic minorities to the suburbs; a substantial component of the sub urbanisation flow can be described as ‘black flight’. At the moment the Surinamese are by far the largest established ethnic group leaving for the suburbs. But a growing sub urbanisation trend is also evident among Moroccans and Turks, despite these groups’ more disadvantaged social positions. The Surinamese move to Almere above all because there they can realise their housing ambitions more easily than in Amsterdam. Surinamese look for affordable owner-occupied or rented homes with a small garden in a safe and quiet neighbourhood.

Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) - Directoraat-Generaal Wonen - Directie Strategie & Kennis
http://www.vrom.nl
A. Verweij

08/12/2004

The Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment

research

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Land use

Suburbanisation