An analysis on the Challenges of Local Development based on the Regeneration of the Sustainable Urban Economy the Case study of Tehran

Local development is one of the new patterns of development that emphasizes the empowerment of the local community after the 1980s to organize their own affairs. In this regard, the model of regeneration with a sustainable economy approach can be a good alternative for the redevelopment of inefficient neighborhoods. However, the application of this approach in Tehran has not been implemented so far and there are many challenges in this field that have been addressed in the present study. The research method of this study is mixed. Research data were collected using interviews with experts and surveys of target neighborhoods. The study population consisted of 31 experts familiar with the subject of research in Tehran and 473 residents of the target neighborhoods. Data analysis was performed in the qualitative part by "qualitative content analysis" method and in the quantitative part by "structural equation modeling" method. Based on the results of the qualitative pathology model, local development challenges based on the sustainable urban economy approach can be classified into 36 concepts, 35 sub-categories and 4 main categories. The results of the quantitative model also showed that the variable "trust in urban management institutions" is an important mediating variable that strengthens the participation of residents to accompany urban management institutions in organizing neighborhoods. In the end, it was concluded that Local development requirements can be pursued with the approach of sustainable urban economy in the following three areas: 1- Strengthening the role and performance of development actors at the institutional level (government and its affiliated institutions); 2- Strengthening the role and performance of development actors at the local level (members of the local community and residents of urban neighborhoods); 3- Localization of approaches to recreation of sustainable urban economy in accordance with the conditions of neighborhoods in Tehran