Many Dutch cities have adopted urban restructuring policies aimed at creating a socially mixed population in deprived neighbourhoods. Low-cost, social rented dwellings are demolished and new, more expensive housing is constructed. As a consequence residents of these neighbourhoods are forced to move. This paper provides insight into the effects of urban restructuring on the social contacts and leisure activities of different categories of youth and will look at whether these effects prevail in the long run. The research took place in Utrecht, the Netherlands. We compare the situation of forced movers over the last ten years with a control group of voluntary movers and non-movers. The findings indicate that in the short run after moving youth experienced a loss of social contacts and decreased their leisure activities but that in the long run they were also able to make new friends and participated in new activities in their new neighbourhood.