Of house and immigrants: How did low-income immigrants end up in a sinking neighbourhood

Migration and climate change studies often focus on the movement of people due to environmental stressors but rarely examine immigrants and their residential locations post-migration. Immigrants' housing preferences vary based on factors like cultural background, proximity to work, and rental costs. Low-income immigrants' housing options may be limited to areas with low rental and property values but may also be locations vulnerable to climate-related hazards putting low-income immigrants at even greater precarity. As cities develop climate adaptation strategies, increased property values and displacement may emerge. The Rotterdam Act, a national policy in the Netherlands, restricts low-income and jobless newcomers from moving into disadvantaged areas and has been in effect in five neighbourhoods in Rotterdam South since 2006, where there is a high concentration of immigrants and residents with low socioeconomic levels. This policy framework provides a crucial backdrop for understanding how urban policies shape residential patterns while also intersecting with broader issues of social injustice and environmental challenges. In this paper, I offer a critical examination of inequality, climate change, and social justice as they relate to climate adaptation strategies and urban policies through an assessment of the history, demographic characteristics, climate challenges, and policies to demonstrate how these elements lead to increased insecurity for residents. • Immigrant population expansion in Rotterdam's south is linked to port development. • Urban development and climate change policies may appear unrelated, but have significant impacts on citizens. • Technocratic solutions can help vulnerable neighbourhoods, but their lack of understanding of historical and political contexts can hinder inequality and justice issues.