The pattern of publicly subsidized revamping of housing in Vienna

The article presents and evaluates patterns and principles of the distribut ion of public funds for the rehabilitation of housing by the "Vienna Land P rocurement and Urban Renewal Fund". It is based on a data-set comprising al l applications for the funding of rehabilitation measures between 1984 and 1995. The analysis starts off from theoretical reflections about the econom ic behaviour of house owners as well as on the political objectives of urba n renewal. It shows that private owners are predominantly subsidized in are as with bad infrastructure built in the Founders' period, whereas rehabilit ation in the municipal housing stock is oriented on political objectives ra ther than on blight proper. Considering the new general conditions of urban development in Vienna during the 90's a more effective use of subsidies se ems to be necessary.