Denser housing, more commodified? Comparing the relationship between densification and the production of (de-)commodified housing in Milan, Oslo and Vienna

Urban densification is often linked to sustainability benefits and sometimes advocated as a strategy to improve housing provision and affordability. This claim, however, rests on the assumption that increasing supply translates into improved housing affordability and social outcomes, while overlooking the fact that densification is often realised through market-led development processes that tend to reproduce commodified forms of housing provision. While decommodification cannot be equated with affordability, it is a relevant dimension of long-term inclusiveness of housing systems. We assume that the relationship between densification and the (de)commodification of housing is not inherent to increased density or housing supply but mediated by institutional and policy arrangements. This article explores how densification relates to the provision of (de)commodified housing through a comparative analysis of Milan, Oslo and Vienna, European cities with divergent housing systems and policy capacities. We combine quantitative analysis of tenure composition in densification areas with a qualitative assessment of capacities in land, zoning and housing policy. We show that housing produced through densification is predominantly commodified, but to varying degrees. In Oslo, private-sector-led land development and limited housing-policy capacity result in predominantly market-led densification; Milan combines greater planning capacity with limited subsidies and market-oriented land development while Vienna combines land provision and zoning with subsidies for limited-profit housing. Our comparative findings highlight that the degree of (de)commodification depends on local capacities to shape and coordinate housing and land policies towards either decommodified or market-oriented provision, demonstrating that similar densification strategies can produce different housing outcomes across institutional contexts.