Housing for the community
People-focused approaches to housing – from neighbourhood planning to the quality of residences themselves – strengthen citizens’ ability to connect and bond.
Improving urban housing in a way that materially reduces people’s risk for loneliness means rethinking methods for planning and design, as well as prevailing attitudes towards private space and community life. In particular, we need to consider how to embed the health benefits of quality social connections across the residential sector, and who to empower to ensure any new measures foster meaningful opportunities for togetherness. This will require the concerted efforts of designers, policymakers, researchers, community organisers and more.
We urge these parties to commit to:
- Community-focused approaches to planning
- Expanded shared living models
- State funding to targets loneliness
- Neighbourhood safety measures
- Strengthened renters’ rights
- Improved data collection
Read more about these recommendations here.