The community/privacy trade-off in supportive housing: consumer/survivor preferences.

Abstract

Supportive housing for psychiatric consumers/survivors can range in form from dispersed apartments to group homes. This research asked: What form is more supportive, apartments or housing with common spaces? Is it privacy and normalcy or community and peer support that promote well-being? The literature is divided. This study convened a charrette for supportive housing residents to express their views. Some 20 supportive housing residents formed two teams, with one team producing a housing design based on the principle of privacy and the other team producing one based on the principle of community. Despite their differing terms of reference, the teams developed similar designs. The results reinforced the importance of both private and common spaces in supportive housing.