Abstract
The existing literature on neighbourhood effects suggests that a number of factors within local areas can have an impact on health, including environmental hazards, social networks and the socio-economic status of the area. However, there is minimal evidence regarding the role of housing organisations in shaping these effects. This article sets out the findings from a three-year longitudinal, mixed methods study of tenants of three housing organisations operating in the social and private rented sectors, examining different aspects of neighbourhood experience and their relationship to health and wellbeing outcomes. The findings demonstrate impacts of the immediate environment in terms of close neighbours, the wider neighbourhood environment, and social support networks, which are heavily influenced by tenant characteristics, previous experience and expectations. The services provided by housing organisations, themselves shaped by regulation and market factors, are also important. The findings will have relevance for tenants, housing providers, public health professionals and policy makers.
Highlights
The notion that location is everything in relation to housing choice has become a cliché, in relation to middle-class owner-occupiers (Karsten, 2007)
In this article we explore the effects of the neighbourhood on health and wellbeing, drawing on a longitudinal, mixedmethods study of predominantly low-income tenants
We examine the differential effects of various aspects of neighbourhood quality and local social capital, as well as the ways in which housing organisations can influence such effects across the social and private rented sectors
Summary
The notion that location is everything in relation to housing choice has become a cliché, in relation to middle-class owner-occupiers (Karsten, 2007). For low-income households in either social housing or the private rented sector, locational choice is considerably constrained by both allocation procedures and cost. In this context, it is important to understand the potential effects of location on tenants’ health and wellbeing since problematic neighbourhood effects may contribute to existing health inequalities. In this article we explore the effects of the neighbourhood on health and wellbeing, drawing on a longitudinal, mixedmethods study of predominantly low-income tenants. We examine the differential effects of various aspects of neighbourhood quality and local social capital, as well as the ways in which housing organisations can influence such effects across the social and private rented sectors.
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