A Human Rights based approach to Housing Policy: A critical and normative analysis

“Realising the right to the city – a a human right based framework for regeneration of areas of urban disadvantage.” In the second part of the articles three current Swedish cases are analyzed from a normative perspective to illustrate how a rights based approach can be implemented in a better way. Design/methodology/approach: The article uses an analytical/philosophical approach. Findings: Hearne includes both “means” and “ends” among the rights, and it is argued that the rights should only be formulated in terms of ends. In the Swedish cases the common feature is that tenants are living in rentregulated apartments with low rent and then something happens that withdraws this opportunity. It is argued that society is always changing and no one has an unconditional right to continue to live in the same way as before. The main rights should be formulated in terms of access to “reasonable” alternatives and as right to a time to adjust to the new situation. Practical/social implications: How one looks at the rights in the situations described will be the foundation for the type of legal rules that should be implemented. Originality/value: The article shows a human rights based approach could be implemented in a more convincing way a number of specific housing situations. Keywords: