







































 Humanities and Social Science Research; Vol. 8, No. 2; 2025 

ISSN 2576-3024   E-ISSN 2576-3032 

https://doi.org/10.30560/hssr.v8n2p10 

 10 Published by IDEAS SPREAD 

 

Challenges and Pathways for the Aging Neighborhood Renovation 

from the Perspective of Participatory Governance: A Case Study of X 

Community in H Street, Yinchuan City 

Lv Sifan1, Wang Siying1, Tan Biao2 & Han Yongjing3 

1 School of Law, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China 

2 School of Economics and Management, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China 

3 School of Ethnology and History, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China 

Correspondence: Han Yongjing, School of Ethnology and History, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China. E-mail: 

hanyongjing@nxu.edu.cn 

 

Received: February 21, 2025; Accepted: March 7, 2025; Published: March 11, 2025 

 

Fund project: Supported by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of College Students in 

Ningxia University (S202410749035). 

 

Abstract 

The renovation of aging neighborhoods faces challenges such as governance imbalance and insufficient resident 

participation, leading to low renovation efficiency. Based on the theory of participatory governance, this paper 

constructs an analytical framework of "power structure—participation mechanism—governance efficiency" to 

reveal the causes of dilemmas in the renovation cases of coal sheds and markets in X Community, H Street. The 

government-led "power structure imbalance" marginalizes residents' demands, the "breakdown of formalized 

participation mechanisms" exacerbates negotiation failures, and conflicts of diverse interests lead to the 

"dissipation of governance efficiency." To address these challenges, this study proposes a four-dimensional 

optimization strategy: adopting differentiated renovation strategies to balance safety concerns and resident needs, 

establishing a clear legal framework to clarify property rights, building institutionalized consultation platforms to 

strengthen residents’ decision-making power, and promoting community cultural integration to enhance collective 

recognition. By reconstructing the governance logic of "government-community-residents" co-governance, this 

study promotes the shift of residents from symbolic participation to substantive decision-making, providing a new 

paradigm for resolving conflicts of interest and implementation obstacles in aging neighborhood renovation, 

thereby contributing to the modernization of grassroots governance. 

Keywords: participatory governance, aging neighborhood renovation, property rights disputes, consultation 

mechanism, governance optimization 

1. Introduction  

In In recent years, the aging neighborhood renovation has become a crucial issue in China’s urban renewal and the 

modernization of social governance. At the policy level, the Chinese government has introduced a series of relevant 

policies, such as the Guiding Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Aging Neighborhood Renovation and 

the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Construction of Urban and Rural Community Service Systems, emphasizing that 

neighborhood renovation is not only an upgrade of physical spaces but also an essential tool for modernizing 

grassroots governance. 

However, many renovation projects often meet only superficial engineering requirements while neglecting the 

deeper transformation of actual needs, resulting in the dilemma of "difficult renovation." This is specifically 

manifested in outdated infrastructure, maintenance difficulties and high renovation complexity, financial 

constraints, low resident participation, and difficulties in reaching consensus, ultimately leading to post-renovation 

results that fail to meet residents’ expectations. 

From the perspective of governance actors, these challenges can be attributed to three main factors: first, the 

government-led financial planning issues before renovation; second, policy distortions and implementation 

deviations arising from communities’ mechanical execution of administrative directives during renovation; and 



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third, the marginalization of residents throughout the process, leading to ineffective participation. One of the core 

difficulties in the aging neighborhood renovation is the lack of effective resident engagement, which results in 

projects struggling to be implemented or failing to align with residents' actual needs. 

Currently, academic research on the aging neighborhood renovation can be broadly categorized into three 

approaches: 

Government-led approach–This examines the government's dominant role in driving renovation and policy 

implementation. Through centralized financial investment and administrative orders, the government can quickly 

initiate projects. However, this approach often overlooks grassroots realities, leading to "hollow policies" and 

fragmented renovation outcomes[1]. 

Community-coordinated approach – This advocates for treating the community as a governance unit, promoting 

self-governance and collaborative management through neighborhood committees and community organizations. 

Studies have found that communities serve as crucial intermediaries between the government and residents, 

playing an irreplaceable role in coordinating diverse interests and establishing co-governance mechanisms. 

However, in practice, communities often face challenges such as insufficient organizational capacity and limited 

resources[2]. 

Resident-centered approach – This focuses on the importance of direct resident participation. However, in reality, 

resident involvement often remains superficial due to information asymmetry and the absence of effective 

consultation mechanisms. This is particularly problematic for elderly residents, who constitute a significant portion 

of aging neighborhoods. Their limited access to information and weaker negotiation abilities make it difficult for 

their opinions to be effectively incorporated into decision-making[3]. 

Existing research on the aging neighborhood renovation by domestic and international scholars has extensively 

explored three key aspects: the justification for renovation (why renovate), the scope of renovation (what to 

renovate), and the methodological design (how to renovate). However, there has been a lack of in-depth analysis 

on the challenges in the renovation process (why renovation is difficult)[4]. 

Taking X Community in H Street, Yinchuan City, as an example, conflicts arose in the renovation project due to 

the demolition of coal sheds and the relocation of markets, exposing deficiencies in the current governance model. 

The main issues include:Power structure imbalance: Government-led decision-making limits residents’ voices, 

leading to low acceptance of renovation plans.Lack of participation mechanisms: Residents can only express their 

demands through protests due to the absence of formal consultation channels.Low governance efficiency: Due to 

insufficient communication, renovation plans were repeatedly revised, resulting in slow progress. 

The three existing models—government-led, community-coordinated, and resident-centered—identified in 

previous studies essentially remain within a "center-periphery" governance paradigm. None of them have 

effectively resolved the issues of insufficient resident participation and low governance efficiency in aging 

neighborhood renovation. 

The theory of participatory governance advocates for a multi-stakeholder governance model that involves the 

government, community, and residents. By establishing formal consultation platforms and dynamic feedback 

mechanisms, this approach ensures that residents—particularly the elderly—have their interests fully represented, 

thereby enhancing the scientific validity and execution efficiency of renovation plans. It offers a new perspective 

for addressing the current challenges in the aging neighborhood renovation. 

Therefore, this study, based on the case of X Community, explores the governance dilemmas in the aging 

neighborhood renovation and proposes optimization strategies, aiming to provide practical insights for urban 

renewal[5]. 

2. Theoretical Basis  

2.1 Participatory Governance  

Participatory governance, rooted in Arnstein’s "Ladder of Citizen Participation" theory[6], presents significant 

advantages over traditional governance models in three key dimensions: empowerment mechanisms, consultation 

platform development, and governance efficiency feedback. It emphasizes the shift from "symbolic participation" 

to "substantive decision-making" through empowerment and negotiation mechanisms. This theory advocates 

constructing a "government-society-residents" collaborative framework[7] to overcome the structural 

contradictions of "power monopoly" and "participation suspension" in traditional governance. 

Participatory governance operates through two interconnected pathways: Institutionalized consultation platforms, 

Capacity-building for key stakeholders[8]. Its core principles include "openness in governance processes," 



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"redistribution of decision-making power"[9], and a closed-loop mechanism of demand identification, resource 

integration, and consensus building[10]. These aspects aim to activate residents' agency and engagement, 

mitigating conflicts of interest in the aging neighborhood renovation. 

Due to the complexities of property disputes and diverse interest demands, this study adopts the "Power 

Structure—Participation Mechanism—Governance Efficiency" analytical framework to examine governance 

dilemmas and explore potential solutions within the context of participatory governance, with the ultimate goal of 

strengthening community governance capacity. 

2.2 The "Power Structure—Participation Mechanism—Governance Efficiency" Analytical Framework 

The "Power Structure—Participation Mechanism—Governance Efficiency" analytical framework (as illustrated 

in Figure 1) focuses on the governance practices and operational logic of aging neighborhood renovation, 

highlighting the role of participatory governance in these processes. Power Structure refers to the distribution of 

authority among the government, community organizations, and individual residents. The government is 

responsible for policy formulation, resource allocation, and regulatory oversight, while community organizations 

act as intermediaries, facilitating coordination and information dissemination. As the direct beneficiaries of 

renovation projects, residents' opinions and level of participation directly influence the feasibility and sustainability 

of renovation plans.Participation Mechanism refers to the formal channels and operational methods through which 

different stakeholders express their demands and engage in decision-making during the renovation process. These 

mechanisms include public hearings, surveys, and online consultation platforms, which help break away from 

traditional top-down governance and enable multi-stakeholder co-governance.Governance Efficiency is evaluated 

based on the execution of renovation projects from planning to implementation. Key performance indicators 

include policy alignment, resident satisfaction, and long-term sustainability. 

 

Figure 1. The "Power Structure – Participation Mechanism – Governance Efficiency" Analytical Framework 

 

The power structure, participation mechanism, and governance efficiency interact dynamically. A well-allocated 

power structure lays the foundation for multi-stakeholder collaboration, an effective participation mechanism 

promotes information sharing and consensus-building, and efficient governance feedback further drives the 

dynamic optimization of power structures. This interplay provides a holistic and systematic theoretical framework 

for addressing the deep-seated governance challenges in the aging neighborhood renovation. 

3. Practical Cases of Aging Neighborhood Renovation in X Community, H Street  

3.1 Coal Shed Renovation 

The coal sheds in X Community, H Street, were originally built as supporting facilities for worker residences in 

the 1970s, primarily for storing heating coal. However, with changes in heating methods, their functionality 

gradually declined. Some sheds were repurposed by residents into storage rooms, small shops, or even rented out 

for profit. These coal sheds have long posed fire hazards, illegal expansions, and encroachments on public spaces, 

making them a key challenge in community governance. Due to limited living space, many residents still rely on 

these sheds for storage, and some ground-floor residents have even incorporated them into their housing units. The 

coal shed issue is not only related to residential safety and environmental management but also involves property 

rights disputes and benefit distribution, making it one of the most difficult challenges in the renovation of aging 

neighborhoods. 

                    



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Since 2008, the government has launched multiple initiatives to demolish and renovate the coal sheds. However, 

ownership disputes, disagreements over compensation standards, and strong resident opposition have consistently 

hindered progress. In 2021, the community selected Buildings 53 to 56 as a pilot site and conducted a resident 

survey and policy outreach campaign (see Table 1), proposing a "government compensation + centralized 

demolition" plan. 

However, survey results showed that 57% of residents explicitly opposed demolition, arguing that the coal sheds 

were their personal property and refusing non-compensated demolition. Some residents also demanded an increase 

in compensation to over 30,000 RMB. In particular, ground-floor residents were strongly opposed, as their coal 

sheds had already been integrated into their homes, complete with electricity, water, and heating, making them an 

essential part of their living space.Meanwhile, some residents agreed to the demolition but were concerned about 

the post-demolition use of the space, believing that the government had not provided a reasonable alternative plan. 

Ultimately, due to widespread opposition, the coal shed renovation project was forced to halt, and the issue remains 

unresolved. 

 

Table 1. Summary of the Pilot Survey on Coal Shed Demolition 

Summary of the Coal Shed Demolition Survey for Residents on the Second Floor and Above in 

Buildings 53-56, North Gate (Total: 150 Households) 

Demolition 

Opinion 

Staff Housing Employer-

Allocated Housing 

Residents 

Self-Purchased 

Homeowners  

Total 

Households 
Percentage(%) 

Agree to 

Demolition 
18 22 44 31 

Disagree with 

Demolition 
29 51 80 57 

Follow the 

Majority Opinion 
11 15 26 13 

 

The renovation of coal sheds is not merely an issue of spatial governance but also reflects deeper disputes over 

property rights and residents' emotional attachment. The government, citing Article 70 of the Property Law, asserts 

that the coal sheds are public supporting facilities and should be demolished as public assets. However, residents 

presented original invoices and payment receipts for these sheds as housing facilities, arguing that they hold 

personal usage rights. This legal-practical conflict led to a significant divergence in property recognition between 

the government and residents. 

Moreover, for elderly residents, coal sheds are not just storage spaces but an integral part of their life memories. 

Having lived in the community for decades, they perceive these sheds as symbols of their family history and 

community identity. Demolishing them would mean a complete disruption of their familiar living environment. 

Thus, the intense opposition to coal shed renovation stems not only from economic compensation concerns but 

also from resistance to the disappearance of familiar spaces. The government’s failure to adequately address both 

property rights concerns and emotional needs in the renovation plan resulted in significant obstacles to project 

implementation. 

3.2 Market Renovation  

The market in X Community, H Street, initially operated as an open street market, which, despite issues such as 

road congestion and poor sanitation, was highly convenient and met residents' daily shopping needs. However, 

community administrators viewed this model as disruptive to traffic and neighborhood cleanliness. Since 2015, 

three renovation attempts were made to improve market order through centralized management, but none 

succeeded: 

First attempt: A fully enclosed market was established, but its location was inconvenient for residents, leading to 

poor business performance and eventual abandonment. 

Second attempt: A semi-enclosed model was introduced with designated stalls within the community, but stall 

locations did not align with residents' shopping habits, and merchants opposed fixed rental fees, leading to the 

model's abandonment. 



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Third attempt: A regulated stall system was introduced, restricting business hours and implementing stricter 

sanitation controls. However, merchants felt this limited their operational flexibility, and customer traffic did not 

significantly improve, making this model difficult to sustain. 

After three failed attempts, the community administration failed to find a balance between governance 

requirements and business sustainability. As a result, the market never established a stable management model, 

and merchants returned to street vending, rendering governance efforts ineffective. 

During the renovation process in X Community, communication and coordination between merchants, residents, 

and the community administration were significantly lacking. A survey revealed that all 15 fixed-stall merchants 

opposed the government’s market renovation plan. Their primary concern was their long-standing dependence on 

street vending, which aligned with residents' daily routines—most residents preferred making quick purchases on 

their way home rather than traveling to a closed market. As a result, the centralized market model failed to generate 

sufficient foot traffic, while the enclosed stall layout restricted merchants' operational flexibility, directly affecting 

their profitability. Additionally, elderly residents showed low support for the enclosed market model. While it 

improved sanitation, it lacked shopping convenience, leading to a significant gap between residents' expectations 

and the actual outcomes of the renovation plan. 

4. Governance Challenges in the Renovation of X Community, H Street  

4.1 Imbalance in Power Structure 

In the coal shed renovation project, the government, as the primary decision-maker, relied on the H Street Office 

List of Responsibilities to define a hierarchical division of duties between government departments and community 

organizations. The higher authorities led the renovation plan, taking charge of policy formulation, resource 

allocation, and supervision, with a strong emphasis on demolishing illegal structures and improving public 

safety.Community organizations were responsible for reporting, coordination, and publicity. However, during the 

initial survey on coal shed demolition, these organizations unilaterally endorsed the demolition and attempted to 

persuade residents to accept it. This approach provoked strong opposition, leading to repeated protests and 

disturbances. As a result, the community organizations lost residents’ trust, making future negotiations 

increasingly difficult and preventing them from playing their intended role as intermediaries. 

Residents, as direct stakeholders, had long relied on coal sheds for storage or running small businesses. However, 

the government’s decision-making process prioritized visible infrastructure projects as key performance indicators 

(KPIs), while community organizations focused on fulfilling government-mandated renovation tasks, ignoring 

residents' concerns about property rights and the historical significance of the coal sheds. 

A similar power imbalance occurred in the market renovation. The government aimed to regulate market 

operations, but the community organizations only implemented a formalized management approach. Merchants 

were required to operate in designated areas, with no flexibility. Residents and merchants were only allowed to 

select a location for the new market in a survey, but their opinions on the centralized market model itself were 

never considered. This ignored the merchants' existing business models and residents’ daily shopping habits, 

particularly their reliance on purchasing goods along their commuting routes[11]. Merchants naturally tended to 

set up stalls along high-traffic commuting paths and frequently visited areas. Most residents were accustomed to 

making quick purchases on their way home rather than traveling to a distant enclosed market[12]. 

However, community organizations failed to accommodate these behavioral patterns, nor did they delegate power 

or responsibilities to merchants and residents. Ultimately, the unequal distribution of power left residents and 

merchants with little real influence in decision-making. This led to a renovation plan that lacked broad public 

support, creating a "strong government, weak residents" governance structure that hindered the overall progress 

of the renovation. 

4.2 Breakdown of Participation Mechanisms  

Although public hearings, household surveys, and online questionnaires were formally implemented during the 

renovation process, actual participation mechanisms were fundamentally flawed. 

In the coal shed renovation project, community organizations used a "public notice–survey–home visits" approach 

to collect opinions. However, under the existing autonomous governance model of the street office and 

neighborhood committee, resident participation was reduced to a mere formality, essentially serving as a one-way 

notification and opinion collection process. The unidirectional flow of information and the absence of feedback 

mechanisms meant that concerns from vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, were largely ignored[13]. The lack 

of effective participation channels resulted in low engagement from residents, making them increasingly passive 



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and resistant to the renovation project. Without institutionalized negotiation mechanisms, residents could only 

express dissatisfaction through protests, relying on non-institutionalized resistance rather than formal dialogue. 

A similar issue arose in the market renovation. Community organizations attempted to implement a fixed-stall 

system and a closed-market model, but the approach failed to integrate merchants' and residents’ actual needs. 

Multiple merchant protests occurred during the public consultation phase, signaling deep-seated opposition. In a 

survey of 122 residents and 15 stall merchants, the community organization did not ask about their overall 

satisfaction with or opinions on the centralized market model. Instead, they were only given the option to select a 

location for the new market, effectively excluding them from the fundamental decision-making process. The 

household survey was ultimately abandoned because all merchants opposed the centralized market plan. 

As a result, participation channels remained largely symbolic, and feedback mechanisms were entirely 

disconnected, making it impossible for residents' and merchants’ actual concerns to influence the renovation plan. 

This led to frequent policy adjustments and delays, ultimately preventing the renovation project from being 

effectively implemented. 

4.3 Dissipation of Governance Efficiency  

The imbalance in power structure and the breakdown of participation mechanisms directly contributed to 

governance inefficiency. 

In the coal shed renovation project, the policy failed to align with residents’ needs: Residents' demands for property 

rights recognition and control over their living spaces were marginalized. The renovation plan underwent repeated 

revisions, and resident opposition increased from 60% to 73%. Ultimately, the pilot renovation failed, and the coal 

shed issue remained unresolved as a historical problem. 

Similarly, in the market renovation, merchants’ and residents’ priorities conflicted with the government’s 

governance objectives: Merchants prioritized business flexibility and customer traffic, while the government 

focused on environmental order and regulatory control. This misalignment of goals led to fragmented stakeholder 

interests, eroding mutual trust and cooperation. The enclosed market model resulted in declining merchant 

revenues and insufficient foot traffic, forcing vendors to return to street vending, rendering the renovation 

ineffective. Beyond wasted administrative resources, governance inefficiency also significantly undermined trust 

between the community and residents: 

Future renovation projects faced repeated mass protests, as residents became increasingly skeptical of government-

led initiatives. When residents resorted to collective resistance to force policy adjustments, renovation projects fell 

into a cycle of "repeated revisions–reapproval–renewed opposition." This delayed response not only wasted 

resources but also weakened the authority of grassroots governance[14]. 

4.4 Governance Failure: The Paradox of Policy Implementation 

This case study demonstrates that residents' strong demands for property rights recognition and the preservation 

of market functions fundamentally reflect an assertion of "sovereignty over living spaces." 

When renovation projects are treated as administrative tasks rather than public affairs, residents are reduced to 

passive governance subjects. This role misalignment is reinforced through three mechanisms: Technocratic 

discourse constructs residents' concerns as "irrational resistance," leading to the devaluation of their demands at a 

cognitive level. Community grid-based management fragments individual concerns, preventing the formation of 

collective action. Project evaluations prioritize quantifiable KPIs, pressuring officials to focus on visible 

infrastructure while neglecting deeper social needs, such as elderly-friendly renovations and public space 

enhancements[15]. 

This structural dilemma exposes a fundamental paradox: Although aging neighborhood renovation is intended to 

improve residents’ well-being, policymakers often reduce public participation to a risk-control strategy rather than 

treating it as a core governance value. 

As a result, renovation projects become a stage for power display, where the government spends money to meet 

KPI targets, while residents resist to defend their living spaces. This ultimately leads to "governance failure," 

where government spending results in public dissatisfaction. To break out of this cycle, it is essential to reconstruct 

the governance link between power, participation, and efficiency. 

 

 

 



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5. Optimization Strategies for Aging Neighborhood Renovation 

5.1 Innovative Differentiated Renovation: Optimizing Power Allocation and Enhancing Adaptability 

In the coal shed renovation of X Community, H Street, the one-size-fits-all demolition plan failed to consider 

residents' actual usage needs, leading to strong opposition. To address this, the power structure should transition 

from a top-down administrative directive to a collaborative governance model involving the government, 

community organizations, and residents. The government should provide resources and establish renovation 

standards, while community organizations act as intermediaries to coordinate resident concerns, and residents 

actively participate in decision-making through consultation mechanisms[16].  

Specifically, the community can categorize coal sheds based on resident input—demolishing and repurposing 

sheds that pose severe safety hazards or have been long abandoned, converting the space into green areas or parking 

lots, while upgrading sheds that are still used for storage but are aging, transforming them into standardized public 

storage units or small commercial spaces. A resident participation platform should be established to ensure that 

residents have a real say in decisions regarding shed categorization, compensation schemes, and alternative facility 

locations, making policies more rational and enforceable. This approach has proven effective in Shanghai’s Y 

Community, where a similar strategy of differentiated renovation increased resident support by 40%. Such an 

approach balances safety concerns with residents' actual needs, reduces opposition rates, improves project 

implementation, and minimizes frequent policy revisions and resource waste[17]. 

5.2 Clarifying the Scope of Property Rights: Establishing a Clear Legal Framework for Rights and Responsibilities  

The dispute over coal shed ownership is the core obstacle to the renovation of X Community. From a power 

structure perspective, the government should take the lead in improving the legal framework while granting 

community organizations a certain degree of property rights coordination authority to reduce conflicts between 

administrative enforcement and residents’ perceptions. Drawing from the experience of Shanghai Yangpu 

District’s “Housing Reform Legacy Hearing,”a property rights assessment committee should be established, 

composed of government representatives, legal experts, community organizations, and resident representatives[18]. 

This committee should determine the ownership status of the coal sheds based on purchase contracts, historical 

documents, and on-site investigations, deciding which sheds should be demolished as public facilities and which 

should be preserved and repurposed for functional upgrades, with the results compiled into an official report to 

serve as the basis for compensation and renovation policies. 

In terms of participation mechanisms, the community should establish a legal consultation platform and organize 

policy discussion forums to ensure residents fully understand the legal basis of renovation policies while 

developing a standardized procedure for resolving property disputes. Making the property rights assessment 

process transparent and legally grounded would help reduce resident resistance, enhance the legitimacy of 

renovation policies, and improve their implementation efficiency. 

5.3 Establishing a Community Consultation Mechanism: Strengthening Institutional Guarantees for Resident 

Participation  

During the renovation process, residents' opinions are often reduced to mere notifications and questionnaire 

collections by community organizations, leaving their participation at a superficial level. From a power structure 

perspective, a multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism should be established to break the government's 

unilateral decision-making model and enable partial delegation of decision-making power[19]. The community 

can form a consultation committee composed of residents, merchants, community organizations, and government 

representatives, with a fixed agenda and schedule to institutionalize resident participation in policy-making. In 

terms of participation mechanisms, diverse channels should be adopted to enhance resident engagement, such as 

publicly recruiting resident representatives, holding regular online and offline meetings, and establishing a 

transparent renovation information-sharing system.  

Regarding governance efficiency, the pilot program in Qinhuai District, Nanjing, demonstrated that by transferring 

40% of decision-making power to the community co-governance committee, the alignment between renovation 

plans and resident demands increased from 32% to 68%, and the project timeline was reduced by 41%[20]. This 

approach minimizes policy revisions caused by information asymmetry and superficial participation, ensuring a 

more efficient and transparent renovation process. 

5.4 Strengthening Community Cultural Construction: Enhancing Renovation Sustainability through a Sense of 

Belonging  

The renovation of X Community in H Street faced resistance partly due to residents’ long-term reliance on coal 

sheds and markets, which have acquired social and cultural significance. From a power structure perspective, the 



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government can empower community organizations to take the lead in cultural development, integrating residents’ 

collective memories into renovation plans to reduce psychological resistance to change. Specific measures include 

establishing community history exhibition areas and multifunctional activity centers, while incorporating 

community identity elements into renovated public spaces, such as cultural walls and historical photo displays[21].  

In terms of participation mechanisms, residents, especially the elderly, should be encouraged to actively engage in 

cultural development through activities such as community festivals and cultural lectures, fostering a stronger 

sense of belonging to the renewed neighborhood. Regarding governance efficiency, the case of Tieliu Community 

in Guiyi Town, Miluo, demonstrated that promoting community identity through cultural activities increased 

resident satisfaction by approximately 35%, effectively facilitating the smooth implementation of renovation 

projects. 

6. Conclusion  

The renovation of aging neighborhoods is not only an effort to improve physical spaces and living environments 

but also an essential field for modernizing grassroots governance. Through an in-depth analysis of the coal shed 

and market renovation cases in X Community, H Street, this study found that imbalances in the power structure 

among the government, community, and residents led to the marginalization of residents’ demands, the 

formalization of participation mechanisms, and ultimately the dissipation of governance efficiency. While 

government-led "power monopoly" can accelerate decision-making, neglecting resident empowerment triggers 

strong resistance, ultimately undermining governance effectiveness. This finding validates the core premise of 

participatory governance theory—that substantive resident participation is the key to achieving co-construction, 

co-governance, and shared benefits. 

Future research could expand to other aging neighborhood renovation projects, exploring the unique challenges 

and solutions faced by different regions and community types. Additionally, further attention should be given to 

evaluating the long-term impact of renovations and developing sustainable community governance mechanisms 

to ensure that renovation outcomes are preserved and continuously improved. By continuously summarizing 

experiences and exploring innovative approaches, this research aims to provide a more comprehensive and in-

depth theoretical foundation and practical guidance for urban renewal and community development. 

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