Kunta kiinteistötoimijana: Kunnan kiinteistöjohtamisen optimointi suhteessa kaupunki- ja aluetason kehitykseen ja elinvoimaan

The thesis examines municipals as real estate actors and real estate management in relation to changes at the city and regional levels. At the beginning, key concepts are reviewed and the significance of municipal real estate management is explained as part of municipalities’ operations, economy, organization of services and support for urban vitality. The aim is to form an overall picture of what kind of real estate actor a municipality is, how a municipality seeks to manage its real estate and what the characteristic features of municipal real estate management are. The intention is also to examine what vitality is and how it affects municipalities’ real estate agency and management. In the theoretical section, real estate management is approached from institutional and strategic perspectives. In particular, the CREM and MREM models are examined as well as the newer TREES framework which deepens the understanding of the role of real estate in regional and economic systems. At the same time, the concept of vitality is highlighted and the importance of its measurement from the perspective of municipal decision-making is emphasized. The empirical analysis is based on data which is collected from properties of the City of Helsinki’s education real estates. The data include information on the condition of the properties, utilization rates, repair backlog and indicators related to vitality. The analysis uses statistical methods especially descriptive analyses, correlation and the ordinary least squares (OLS) method. Through these methods, it is assessed how solutions in municipal real estate management are reflected in population development, service network coverage, the structure of the property stock, repair backlog, and the vitality of areas. The results highlight differences between major districts as well as the fact that ownership and leasing support different objectives depending on the profile of different areas. In the conclusions, municipal real estate management is seen as a strategic tool through which municipalities can manage economic pressures while simultaneously strengthening the vitality of their areas. The study also highlights the need for further research especially in the use of longitudinal data and the development of a vitality index as part of long-term and knowledge-based decision-making.