Housing Crisis Research Articles

Starting again: National spatial planning and the quest for compact growth in Ireland

In 2002, the Irish Government launched the National Spatial Strategy, aimed at achieving effective national spatial planning. A lack of political support and the primacy of localism in planning and development led to its demise in 2014. However, in 2018, the government launched the new National Planning Framework, which had compact growth at its core. It is supported politically by central government, is backed by legislation and must be adhered to by the regional and local layers of government. The National Planning Framework was accompanied by planning policies which sought to increase apartment development and to loosen restrictions on urban height, thereby creating the conditions for increasing residential densities. As the National Planning Framework sets out plans to 2040 and is subject to periodic revision, this article examines initial perceptions of its contents and the prospects for its implementation. Simultaneously, the ongoing housing crisis in Ireland impacts directly on planning policies, as the government introduces major market interventions to increase supply, which can conflict or undermine existing planning policies. This research is based on a critical reading of key compact growth planning policies and is augmented by semi-structured interviews with key players in policy implementation. These interviews analyse the viewpoints of senior built environment professionals who are involved in the implementation of compact growth policies in Dublin. The results indicate the complexity and difficulty of implementing compact growth policies where there has been a legacy of urban sprawl and where the attempts at centralisation lead to tensions with local planning. Starting again is not easy.

It’s Not All About Bricks and Mortar: Experiences and Barriers in the Housing Crisis

It’s Not All About Bricks and Mortar: Experiences and Barriers in the Housing Crisis

The Same Storm, but Different Boats: Unpicking the ‘Housing Crisis’

This state-of-the-art paper begins to unpack the concept of a housing crisis. Whilst it may be a useful starting point in recognising the presence of problems within UK housing provision and allocation, its generic and umbrella coverage papers over the diversity of experiences. Similarly, as a concept it neither suggests the causes of the crisis nor possible solutions. With this in mind, this paper explores commodification within housing and uses this to recognise that our relationship to housing and our relationship to the crisis, can be shaped by our relationship to capital. However, the paper takes this further by arguing that the presence of vulnerability should also be borne in mind when considering commodification, where vulnerability includes experiences of discrimination, mental health, and legal status.

Reimagining a better housing future: housing crisis and future path in the Asia-Pacific region

This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/ .

Finding a Home during the Affordable Housing Crisis: How Social Ties Shape Renters’ Housing-Search Outcomes

Housing searches play a central role in the reproduction of racial inequality in U.S. cities. Past research finds that movers’ social ties influence residential segregation, as renters receive information about homes located near friends and family. Fewer studies examine how renters’ social ties also provide instrumental assistance during moves, or how this aid unequally shapes moving outcomes. In the present study, I show how 69 low-income, Latina/o and non-Hispanic white renters rely on their friends, family, and acquaintances to navigate moves in Los Angeles, a highly unaffordable rental market. Both groups mobilize their ties for instrumental assistance, but the resources available through renters’ ties contribute to diverging search outcomes. Low-income Latina/o renters’ ties, who also struggled to make ends meet, provided what I call constrained support—referrals to open units, loans to cover moving costs, and informal rental opportunities. This assistance channeled movers to specific apartments and left them negotiating informal, doubled-up homes and new debt. In contrast, low-income white renters leveraged comparatively affluent ties to cosign leases, provide financial gifts, and strengthen applications across buildings—what I refer to as flexible assistance. This aid helped low-income white movers secure housing advantages, while avoiding short-term reciprocal obligations to friends and family. These findings advance research on residential mobility and social support, and they show how network resource inequalities contribute to racial stratification in rental markets.

Life shocks and self-perceived risk of housing loss among low-income individuals

Purpose This study aims to describe the self-perceived risk of housing loss among low-income individuals in the context of four potential life shocks and examines whether individuals’ social and economic resources are protective against self-perceived risk of housing loss in the context of these life shocks. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a national online survey of low-income households in the USA. The authors asked respondents to assess whether they would be at risk of housing loss if they experienced any of four potential life shocks: job loss, moderate and major medical catastrophes and damage to home from natural disaster. Logistic regression models estimated the association between self-perceived risk of housing loss in the context of these life shocks and respondents’ economic and social resources, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. Findings A minority of respondents reported that they would be able to maintain their housing if they were to experience a life shock (i.e. 34%–43% depending on the specific life shock). Receipt of more generous forms of income support as well as having family or friends to live with in the event of housing loss were the most consistent economic and social resource predictors of respondents’ self-perceived ability to maintain their housing in the context of a life shock. Originality/value The findings suggest that comprehensive assessments of risk of housing crises should take into account how individuals view their vulnerability to housing loss if they were to experience a life shock.

“It's Not Our Responsibility, But We Need to Do Something”: Explaining Local Government Responses to the Homelessness and Housing Crises

“It's Not Our Responsibility, But We Need to Do Something”: Explaining Local Government Responses to the Homelessness and Housing Crises

The Failure to Regulate Airbnb

Headlines this year announced "The End of Airbnb in New York City." The flurry of news articles came in response to New York City’s decision to tighten its enforcement of short-term rental regulations in the context of the affordable housing crisis. Official New York City estimates suggested there were up to 10,800 illegal listings on the Airbnb platform, while other independent watchers put this number closer to 35,000. Although removing tens of thousands of short-term rentals from the market in one fell swoop may seem extreme, the frustration motivating this decision had been building among city officials for years—in New York City and beyond.

Closing gaps in emergency care

Abstract: Current socio, political, and economic events may disproportionately affect those who are identified as vulnerable, as well as their presentation to Canadian emergency departments. The housing crisis, food instability, and concurrent issues with mental health and addictions are a harsh reality for many of these individuals. The emergency department may not be suited to complex health and social issues, but it provides an essential safety net for the vulnerable who cannot access care through traditional primary care routes. Alternative, patient-centered solutions to the problem are necessary, and advanced practice nurses can be the key to appropriately organizing and delivering integrated care innovative models. Raising awareness and influencing public policy to drive meaningful social change and address alarming health inequities is an important consideration for nurses working in emergency departments.

HABITAÇÃO COMPACTA COMO POSSÍVEL SOLUÇÃO PARA MINIMIZAR A CRISE HABITACIONAL

Housing crisis has been exacerbated due to rampant urbanization and land scarcity. In response to this issue, innovative alternatives have emerged to better utilize and optimize the environment. This work aims to assess the potential of compact housing as a viable solution to address the lack of available space. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, employing literature reviews and bibliographic research. As a result, numerous benefits of implementing compact housing to mitigate the housing crisis have been observed, highlighting its effectiveness in practice.

Effects of neighbourhood characteristics on the distribution of vacant houses in Toda city, a satellite city of Tokyo metropolis of japan

As Japan faces a growing crisis of vacant housing, this study investigates the underexplored relationship between vacant house distribution and neighbourhood characteristics in Toda City, a satellite city of the Tokyo metropolis located in Saitama Prefecture. We selected 10 community features, including living convenience, housing supply, and policy support, to explore their influence on vacancy rates. Using a comprehensive dataset primarily derived from the PLATEAU data, we employed a two-step method combining global and local Moran’s I analyses to assess the spatial distribution normality of vacant houses. We then compared traditional statistical data analysis with spatial data analysis through multiscale geographically weighted regression to evaluate their effectiveness and identify the factors most closely associated with vacancy rates. Our findings reveal that spatial data analysis provides superior insights compared to traditional statistical methods. Both approaches consistently indicate a significant positive correlation between the supermarket area ratio and vacancy rates, and a significant negative correlation between road adjacency and vacancy rates. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using spatial data to analyse neighbourhood characteristics in the context of declining vacancy rates in satellite cities. The insights gained offer theoretical support for selecting data and methodologies in future research and policymaking that are aimed at mitigating the growth of vacant houses.

Fostering long-term conviviality for refugees in the city: Inclusive, collaborative housing in Vienna

Vienna faces a ‘twofold housing and refugee crisis’ amid ongoing migration to Europe. As housing options become increasingly limited, refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers often struggle to find adequate housing, spending a disproportionate share of their income on substandard options. This research highlights progressive trends in Vienna’s refugee housing sector, particularly following the 2009 introduction of ‘Social Sustainability’ in building competitions by the City Council. This initiative has fostered several collaborative housing communities that support inclusive living. By analyzing four of these projects, the study identifies key factors that facilitate newcomers' social and spatial integration. Ultimately, the paper aims to advocate for newcomers’ right to quality housing, emphasizing the everyday and long-term challenges faced by inclusive communities striving for conviviality in a state of thrown togetherness.

The Black Box of Single-Family Zoning Reform

America faces a staggering housing affordability crisis. The consequences of the crisis include reduced economic productivity, suppressed labor mobility, greater social inequity, and increased homelessness. A scholarly consensus blames excessive land-use regulation for these problems and advocates now call for deregulation. Several jurisdictions have recently elected to allow middle housing—small, multi-family developments—in areas previously zoned for single-family detached housing. The results of these reforms, however, have been disappointing. This Article examines why they have fallen short and how to do better. This Article identifies an analytical disconnect between the deregulatory consensus and actual single-family zoning reforms adopted to date. Given this disconnect and the limited success of single-family zoning reforms thus far, it is unclear why such reforms continue to be adopted. Moreover, these reforms cannot achieve their promised ends. Interviews of middle housing builders in reform jurisdictions reveal legal and structural barriers that prevent market participants from responding to the housing crisis with scale and urgency. This Article proposes several regulatory alternatives that offer a greater probability of success in achieving the consensus’s goals: (1) modestly expanding multi-family zones to allow redevelopment and densification of underutilized non-residential properties; (2) providing affordable-housing density bonuses; (3) streamlining land-use procedures and eliminating administrative delay to reduce uncertainty in permitting processes; and (4) reevaluating financing mechanisms for new housing development. Taken together, these policies are necessary complements to single-family zoning reforms for addressing undersupply of market- and below-market-rate housing.

Archiving the Housing Conjuncture

The past months have continued to exacerbate crises of housing, home, displacement, dispossession, and other state-sanctioned forms of violence and premature death. We witness erasure of histories, lives lived, belongings, and homes, which are intentional strategies to forcibly remove people from place and to make it seem as though they were never there. The authors thus document this conjunctural moment in radical housing struggles and collectively analyze and interpret the current political, economic, and social conditions, not for the sake of the analysis itself, but to inform strategies for action. This documentation encourages us to reflect on the role and value of archives in radical housing organizing. We define radical housing archiving as a collective intervention strategy responsive to the immediate housing crises built upon care for just housing futures. In this editorial, we aim to situate the archive while considering its possibilities for housing movements and radical care.

Struggles of vehicle residents in Squamish: Challenging the capitalist and colonial institution of housing

In this conversation, Thomasina Pidgeon discusses her decision to live in a vehicle in Squamish, north of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. This was a choice originally driven by the lack of affordable housing, but she continued with it after falling in love with life on the road. Her story sheds light on the broader issues of housing, gentrification, and societal attitudes toward non-sedentary life choices. For Thomasina, living in a vehicle offered a sense of freedom for her and her daughter, despite occasional problems, as well as a deep connection with nature that conventional housing couldn’t provide. However, as Squamish has grown more gentrified, particularly after the 2010 Olympics, the town has increasingly cracked down on vehicle residents, categorising them as unhoused and treating them as a problem. These restrictive regulations, according to Thomasina, are part of a larger system that prioritizes property values and profits over human needs, echoing colonial practices that forced nomadic communities to settle for the benefit of those in power. Her story calls for a shift in how we think about housing, urging us to go beyond housing as a capitalist and colonial institution, and towards a deeper understanding of the systemic issues that lead to the so-called housing crisis. Despite facing stress and anxiety due to these crackdowns, Thomasina continues to advocate for the rights of vehicle residents with the organization Vehicle Residents of Squamish, and to connect different struggles from Palestinian solidarity work to struggles against an LNG terminal.

Identifying Levers for Change in Healthcare Coordination Between the Emergency Youth Shelter and Health Systems in Toronto, Canada Through Stakeholder Engagement: A Qualitative Study

Background: Healthcare coordination involves supporting youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) with accessing appropriate healthcare; synchronizing delivery of their healthcare across multiple systems; sharing healthcare and discharge plans with youth and providers who fall under their ‘circle of care;’ and coordinating post-care follow-up as necessary. Challenges with coordinating healthcare within and between the emergency youth shelter (EYS) and health systems include poor accountability for healthcare coordination across systems; information-sharing and privacy policies inhibiting communication between sectoral staff; inconsistencies in system-based and organizational norms, operations, and funding; and each system’s historically fragmented structure. Methods: We used a system thinking framework to identify levers for change in healthcare coordination within and between the EYS and health systems in Toronto, Canada. Six stakeholders who work at various levels of each system participated in online breakout room discussions as part of a two-hour forum facilitated by our research team. A series of four questions were asked to identify levers for change in system parts and system patterns in healthcare coordination within and between the EYS and health systems. Breakout room discussions were recorded, transcribed, and co-analyzed by the research team using reflexive thematic analysis for each question. Results: Organizational and system-wide goals discussed to strengthen healthcare coordination include clarifying accountability in staff roles, revisiting discharge policies to improve continuity of care, prioritizing funding for programs evaluated to be effective, establishing more opportunities for system cross over, enhancing accessibility for YEH, integrating social medicine into healthcare approaches, and streamlining health communication across both systems. When asked about what is realistically possible, stakeholders were optimistic about enhancing information-sharing through digital health platforms, adapting organizational policies to consider the holistic needs of YEH, and dispersing funds more intentionally to support coordination initiatives. Furthermore, poor staff-youth relations, harmful discharge policies and the Toronto housing crisis were noted as patterns impeding meaningful change in coordinating healthcare. Finally, stakeholders identified systems integration and alignment of well-defined healthcare coordination processes across systems to harmonize efforts in achieving healthcare coordination goals. Conclusions: Stakeholder forum participants discussed promising levers for change that are recommended to strengthen parts of the EYS and health systems along with patterns that influence healthcare coordination between them.

Much to do about (almost) everything: The new Labour government and the unfolding housing crisis

Much to do about (almost) everything: The new Labour government and the unfolding housing crisis

Housing and children’s social care in England: learning from embedded research

The UK housing crisis is having a detrimental impact on the lives of families. However, in England the links between housing and Children’s Social Care remain poorly understood. This paper draws upon 24 months of embedded research within Torbay Council, a Local Authority with comparatively high rates of children in care and acute housing challenges. It includes qualitative data from interviews/focus groups with parents (n = 66); Children’s Services professionals (n = 7), the housing department (n = 2); housing association (n = 2); and staff/volunteers from voluntary and community Sector organisations (n = 28). This study shows that housing circumstances can both trigger crisis situations leading to the involvement of Children’s Services and form a critical element of the complex needs many families in contact with Children’s Services confront. Parents described difficulties demonstrating their parenting abilities to Children’s Services and the Family Courts when living in inadequate housing, or indeed when homeless. This paper recommends better alignment of Housing and Children’s Social Care responses to ensure more effective support for families.

Modular momentum: assessing the efficacy of modular construction in alleviating the UK housing crisis

This manuscript critically evaluates the potential of modular construction as a viable remedy to the ongoing housing crisis in the UK. In light of the escalating construction costs and the long-standing lack of productivity gains in the residential construction sector, there is in fact an urgent need to explore innovative solutions to address the scarcity of affordable housing. The study delves then into the feasibility and effectiveness of modular construction in providing cost-efficient and sustainable housing alternatives, particularly for the working-class population. Through a comprehensive analysis of construction trends and methodologies, and stakeholder perspectives, this research aims to illuminate the advantages and limitations of modular construction compared to traditional building techniques. Drawing upon data sourced from construction professionals, and government records, the study assesses crucial factors such as construction timelines, financial implications, design adaptability, and overall efficacy in tackling the housing crisis. The findings of this study are poised to offer valuable insights into the potential role of modular construction in transforming housing solutions in the UK. By examining the intersection of housing demand, construction practices, and technological advancements, the manuscript seeks to inform decision-making processes in both public and private sectors. Ultimately, the objective is to identify strategies that can facilitate the widespread adoption of modular construction as a sustainable and scalable solution to the housing crisis, in line also with the principles of the circular economy, thereby enhancing access to safe, affordable, and high-quality housing for all segments of society.

Exploring the effects of COVID-19 outbreak control policies on services offered to people experiencing homelessness

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent implementation of public health policies exacerbated multiple intersecting systemic inequities, including homelessness. Housing is a key social determinant of health that played a significant part in the front-line defence against COVID-19, posing challenges for service providers working with people experiencing homelessness (PEH). Public health practitioners and not-for-profit organizations (NFPs) had to adapt existing COVID-19 policies and implement novel measures to prevent the spread of disease within congregate settings, including shelters. It is essential to share the perspectives of service providers working with PEH and their experiences implementing policies to prepare for future public health emergencies and prevent service disruptions.MethodsIn this qualitative case study, we explored how service providers in the non-profit sector interpreted, conceptualized, and implemented COVID-19 public health outbreak control policies in Nova Scotia. We interviewed 11 service providers between September and December 2020. Using thematic analysis, we identified patterns and generated themes. Local, provincial, and national policy documents were useful to situate our findings within the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and contextualize participants’ experiences.ResultsImplementing policies in the context of homelessness was difficult for service providers, leading to creative temporary solutions, including pop-up shelters, a dedicated housing isolation phone line, comfort stations, and harm reduction initiatives, among others. There were distinct rural challenges to navigating the pandemic, which stemmed from technology limitations, lack of public transportation, and service closures. This case study illustrates the importance of flexible and context-specific policies required to support PEH and mitigate the personal and professional impact on service providers amid a public health emergency. Innovative services and public health collaboration also exemplified the ability to enhance housing services beyond the pandemic.ConclusionsThe results of this project may inform context-specific emergency preparedness and response plans for COVID-19, future public health emergencies, and ongoing housing crises.