The Multiple Roles of Urban Affordability in Inclusive Smart Cities

Abstract

This extended abstract examines the role of urban affordability in the pursuit of inclusive smart cities. Drawing on a scoping review of smart city literature, the research investigates how affordability is positioned within contemporary smart city discourse and how it relates to equitable access to essential urban services. The study analysed 130 peer-reviewed articles selected through a systematic review process using Scopus and Web of Science databases. Preliminary findings indicate that urban affordability plays three interconnected roles within smart city development. First, it functions as a critical condition that enables the deployment of infrastructure, digital technologies, and connectivity required for smart city initiatives. Second, it serves as a means of delivering services more efficiently through technological innovation and citizen participation, reducing the costs associated with governance and service provision. Third, affordability acts as an outcome of smart city initiatives by enhancing citizens’ socio-economic capacities and improving access to essential services. The paper argues that affordability should be understood as a multidimensional concept extending beyond financial considerations and encompassing broader issues of inclusion, accessibility, and urban well-being.