Unravelling urban governance challenges: Objective assessment and expert insights on livability in Longgang District, Shenzhen

•The objective livability based on multi-source data was assessed in the case of Longgang District, Shenzhen.•Quantitative and qualitative methods were integrated for a holistic assessment of community livability.•Significant variations in livability existed, gradually decreasing from the city center to the outskirts.•Thematic analysis of expert interviews highlighted primary local issues in flooding, pollution, facilities, and livability.•Contradictions in the urban settlements were uncovered, highlighting governance challenges. With the advancement of urbanization, the assessment of urban livability has garnered widespread attention due to its importance for sustainable urban development. In the data era, the availability of geospatial big data has facilitated the objective livability assessments. However, a purely objective assessment fails to reveal the contradictions inherent in the urban governance or aid policymakers in understanding the challenges they face. Therefore, this study selected Longgang District in Shenzhen, a district with ambitions for livability, as a pilot area for assessment in a complementary way. Firstly, by drawing upon previous indicators, this research collected data from multiple sources, and conducted a comprehensive assessment of communities in Longgang, considering aspects of safety, health, convenience, and comfort. It was found that while most communities achieved high scores in livability, certain areas exhibited poor performance in terms of flooding, pollution, and public facilities, showing significant spatial variations. Generally, there is a hierarchical spatial differentiation in livability, gradually decreasing from the center to the outer areas. To uncover the urban governance challenges behind these spatial findings, thematic analysis was conducted, and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 local experts. Four challenges were specifically identified: the lack of supportive policies in flooding governance, difficulty in monitoring pollution, the absence of long-term planning in public facility governance, and disputes over the governance of low livability areas known as 'urban villages'. This study provides an exploratory research approach for assessing livability, and offers insights for future urban governance.