Research PaperHousing renovation priority in the fabric texture of the city using the analytic hierarchy model (AHP) and geographic information system (GIS): A case study of Zanjan City, Iran

Housing is one of the most basic needs of humans, communities and civilizations. In complex societies, the renovation of housing to ensure on-going quality and standards of living is a major issue, causing the institution of urban planners and managers. Renovation of housing in the fabric texture of the cities due to the high wear of residential housing units is complicated when residents are of poor economic status, thus the prioritization and preparation of plans for such renovation entails consideration relative to available resources. This article considers all the units located in the fabric texture of the Zanjan as the statistical population using descriptive, analytical workshops and field methods as well as using census method, and utilizes AHP and Idrisi, ArchGIS data to determine statistically 1385 residential blocks, and uses exhaustion software of the residential housing units of the Zanjan fabric texture, in order to identify the residential housing units' need to modernization (renovation). The outcome of the investigation is the housing prioritization for modernization and its display on the map. 17.86% of the residential blocks belong to the first priority, 77.24% to the second priority the rest belong to and the third to fifth priorities. The results of this study can be presented to a broad range of urban managers and planners such as municipalities, housing and urban development officials to be used in modernization programs.