Introduction
The gradual transformation and stagnation of the productive function of rural society is one of the main problems of developing societies. With population migration to big cities, villages are gradually abandoned. But in recent decades, this migration flow has not always been from the village to the city, and its reverse form has also become common. The villages of Alamut region of Qazvin province are one of the interesting regions to study in the central Alborz region of Iran. In recent years, this area has attracted population as a result of reverse migration from the city to the village. But this flow of population is usually seasonal and temporary. The population flow from the city to the village has caused the rapid emergence of the second housing phenomenon in the villages of this region. The purpose of this article is to examine the background of the origin and the effects and consequences of the construction of second homes in these villages. At first in this article, the background and theoretical literature related to second homes are studied. Then the factors of the formation of the second housing and its different forms are examined in order to clarify the theoretical background and to study and evaluate the conditions of the studied area in the context of the theoretical literature. In the following, the characteristics and conditions of the central Alborz villages are introduced as the study area, and their spatial developments are compared through aerial photographs of different time periods to determine the amount of horizontal development and land use changes in these villages. Most of these houses are built as their second home for rest and leisure. In the next step, the factors and consequences of the formation of second houses in the rural community of this region are examined. The consequences and economic, social and environmental effects of the emergence of second homes in the rural communities of Alamut region is the core of the discussion of this article.
Materials and Methods
To understand and analyze the effects and consequences of this phenomenon, the method of semi-structured interviews and field observations to eight villages attracting the population in Alamut region of Qazvin province are used. The findings of this section are mostly descriptive and analytical, which are shown with pictures of the environmental and social conditions of rural residents. The long-term and short-term effects of the process of building second homes in the villages of the region are classified in the table of the internal strengths and weaknesses of the region and the external opportunities and threats of the region.
Results and Discussion
The findings and some results of the study show that although the phenomenon of construction of second buildings has some positive effects on the prosperity of the rural society in the short term, we cannot ignore its extensive negative effects in the long term. If we consider the capacities due to the prosperity of the land and housing market, it should be possible to prevent the destruction of the natural environment of the villages and control economic speculation with the participation of the residents of the villages.
Conclusions
In such context, the population flow from the city to the village could be considered as an opportunity for the development of jobs and activities in the rural community. Considering the realistic approach of regional planning, the process of expansion of second homes in the villages of Alamut Region should be moderated and regulated. So, it could create also the new opportunities in the other sectors of activity as a reactor of endogenous development of the rural community of this region.