This article employs two tranches of qualitative research conducted in 1997–1998 and 2007–2009 on five low income social housing estates in three Irish cities to explore the trajectories they followed in terms of their ability to attract and retain residents. Four factors are identified as particularly significant in this regard: social order and disorder, community cohesion, neighbourhood life cycle and institutional strategies and capacities. Whereas the quality of the built environment and disadvantage had no clear primary impact on demand, the conclusions identify the implications of the analysis for the literature on neighbourhood change and for planning, housing and neighbourhood regeneration policy in Ireland and internationally