Balancing Urban Development: Literature on the Nexus Between Affordable Housing and Urban Sprawl

Abstract

The complex relationship between affordable housing and urban sprawl has major implications for cities all over the world. While urban sprawl offers lower housing costs and increased space as benefits, it also does present serious environmental, social, and economic issues. Undoubtedly, the rising cost of housing in the urban centers has forced the no income and the low-income populations to the periphery and thus increasing economic inequality and displacement. The growing urban sprawl has given rise to environmental degradation, social isolation, and economic inefficiency, which is further intensifying the displacement of low-income individuals and their families. This again is the remote cause of overcrowding as it restrains upward economic mobility. The aim of this research is to examine the complex relationship that exists between affordable housing and urban sprawl, and to propose ways to balance these dynamics. Key objectives include analyzing the adverse impacts of urban sprawl on the environment, societal fabric, and economic productivity; investigating the driving forces behind rising housing costs and their repercussions on low-income households; evaluating existing policies and strategies addressing affordable housing and urban sprawl; and proposing innovative solutions for sustainable urban development with equitable access to affordable housing. With the use of a literature review methodology, this study offers a comprehensive strategy. Stronger land use planning and zoning, improved public transportation and active transportation infrastructure, the expansion, building and preservation of more affordable housing, the promotion of social justice and community involvement and the use of technology and data-driven approaches are policy recommendations. The adoption of micro-units and tiny homes, co-housing and shared living arrangements, adaptive reuse and mixed-use development, community land trusts and housing cooperatives are some of the innovative recommendations. By striking a balance between affordable housing and sustainable urban development, these strategies hope to foster inclusive and thriving cities. Keywords: Urban sprawl, Affordable housing, Sustainable urban development, Low-Income Households, Land-Use Policy, Compact city planning, Community engagement