What can be done to improve the quality of living and the neighbourhood environment of affordable housing?
Affordable housing is not only a type of housing, but also a reflection of social policies and urban planning concepts. Its implementation requires the joint efforts of the Government, enterprises and society to achieve sustainable urban development and improve people’s quality of life. Affordable housing is not limited to its literal meaning, but can also be seen as a social policy aimed at solving the housing problem in cities, especially providing a suitable housing environment for low- and middle-income people. At the same time, the concept is a complex and multifaceted area involving urban planning, transport, sustainable development and quality of life, so how can we improve the quality of affordable housing and the community environment?
Figure 1: Affordable Housing Exterior
Source: September 09 2022 Craig
I. Optimising design standards
To improve the living quality and community environment of affordable housing, it is first necessary to start from the design standard. By optimising the design of the house type, ensure that the internal space of the house is reasonable and comfortable, and meet the basic living needs of the residents. At the same time, focus on indoor air quality, lighting and ventilation and other details of the design to improve the comfort and health of living.（Arman, M., Zuo, J., Wilson, L., Zillante, G., & Pullen, S. 2009）
II.Strengthen construction management
The quality control in the construction process is directly related to the quality and safety of the house. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen the construction management. (Bowling, A., Barber, J., Morris, R., & Ebrahim, S. 2006).The construction process of the construction unit should be strictly supervised to ensure that it is carried out in accordance with relevant standards and norms. At the same time, strengthen the quality control of building materials and construction technology to prevent the construction quality problems from affecting the residents’ living experience.
III. improve supporting facilities
Perfect supporting facilities are an important guarantee to improve the living quality of affordable housing. Residents’ living needs should be fully considered to improve the community’s education, medical, cultural, sports and other public service facilities. At the same time, strengthen the transport facilities to ensure that residents travel convenient.
Figure 2: Affordable housing for families
Source:May 19, 2017 James Stockard
IV. the promotion of smart home
With the development of science and technology, smart home is becoming a new trend to improve the quality of living. Affordable housing projects can introduce smart home technology, such as intelligent lighting, intelligent security, etc., to provide residents with a more convenient and comfortable living experience(Baqutaya, S., Ariffin, A. S., & Raji, F. 2016).
V. Upgrading the level of greening
Greening is an important means to improve the community environment and enhance living comfort（Whitehead，2007）.The area of green space should be increased and diversified plants should be planted to raise the greening level of the community. At the same time, the maintenance and management of green spaces should be strengthened to ensure that they are tidy and beautiful.
Figure 3: Hawarden-based Ainsley Gommon Architects designed the fully affordable housing project.
Source:July 18 2023 Julia Hatmaker
VI. Promoting Community Interaction
Community interaction is an important way to improve the quality of living. Colourful community activities, such as cultural performances and sports competitions, can be organised to promote communication and interaction among residents(Crook, A. T. D., & Whitehead, C. M. 2002). At the same time, residents are encouraged to participate in community management, decision-making and other processes to enhance their sense of belonging and participation.
VII. Enhancing Security
Safety is one of the most basic needs of residents. Safety precautions in the community should be improved, such as strengthening access control management and installing monitoring equipment to ensure the safety of residents’ lives and properties. At the same time, security education for residents should be strengthened to enhance their security awareness and self-protection ability.（Whitehead，2007）
In general, improving the living quality and community environment of affordable housing requires a multi-pronged approach, including optimising design standards, strengthening construction management, improving ancillary facilities, promoting smart homes, strengthening property management, upgrading the level of greening, facilitating community interaction, and improving safety precautions. Only by considering these factors comprehensively and taking effective measures to implement and manage them can we ensure the sustainable development of affordable housing and provide residents with a better living environment and living conditions.
Reference:
- Arman, M., Zuo, J., Wilson, L., Zillante, G., & Pullen, S. (2009). Challenges of responding to sustainability with implications for affordable housing. Ecological Economics, 68(12), 3034-3041.
2.Baqutaya, S., Ariffin, A. S., & Raji, F. (2016). Affordable housing policy: Issues and challenges among middle-income groups. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 6(6), 433.
3.Bramley, G., & Karley, N. K. (2005). How much extra affordable housing is needed in England?. Housing Studies, 20(5), 685-715.
4.Bowling, A., Barber, J., Morris, R., & Ebrahim, S. (2006). Do perceptions of neighbourhood environment influence health? Baseline findings from a British survey of aging. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 60(6), 476-483.
5.Crook, A. T. D., & Whitehead, C. M. (2002). Social housing and planning gain: is this an appropriate way of providing affordable housing?. Environment and Planning A, 34(7), 1259-1279.
6.Stafford, M., Cummins, S., Macintyre, S., Ellaway, A., & Marmot, M. (2005). Gender differences in the associations between health and neighbourhood environment. Social science & medicine, 60(8), 1681-1692.
7.Whitehead, C. M. (2007). Planning policies and affordable housing: England as a successful case study?. Housing Studies, 22(1), 25-44.
First of all, this is an excellent blog post, the author explains the definition of affordable housing and its impact on the relevant neighborhood at the beginning of the article. At the same time, the development direction and development trend of affordable housing are stated, and the central argument of the article is introduced, that is, how to improve the quality of affordable housing and community environment.
After that, the author puts forward seven measures to optimize design standards, strengthen construction management, improve supporting facilities, promote smart home, improve greening level, promote community interaction, and strengthen safety prevention and control to express the optimal solution to improve the quality of affordable housing and community environment in the author’s mind. This is a relatively perfect solution, from design to construction to residential use to later maintenance, have been optimized. At the same time, it covers five categories: architecture, greening, interaction, crowd and facilities, depicting a vision of an affordable community in a new era.
What I would like to add is the impact of new affordable housing on urban management mode and the relationship between urban open space and urban traffic, which I think is also worth considering.
Reference：
Tsenkova, S. (2022) Includes bibliographical references and index. Cities and affordable housing : planning, design and policy nexus.
Hartl, B., Hofmeister, S., Jocher, T., Pawlitschko, R. & Steiner, D. (2018) Affordable Housing : Cost-efficient Models for the Future.
Downs, A. (2004) Growth management and affordable housing : do they conflict? Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
First, this is a very thought-provoking blog.This post talks about the importance of affordable housing to society, and it also tells me that affordable housing should be considered holistically in terms of greenery, house types, and so on.
In the design of affordable housing, which is designed to provide protection for some economically disadvantaged or low-income people, and the price is lower than that of the houses on the market, the author tells us that we should pay attention to the crowd’s sense of living experience, and ensure that the standard of the building. “The concept of housing affordability: Six contemporary uses of the housing expenditure‐to‐income ratio” (Hulchanski, 1995).
The construction of infrastructure is also particularly important, providing basic facilities to support and improve the quality of life of residents. The authors also remind us not to forget about the design of the environment, i.e. increased greening and some open spaces for people to interact and play.
In my opinion, this article lacks an introduction to the general context and would be more complete and detailed if the design of the neighborhoods, such as the design of the colors and the design of the paving, were added.
References
Hulchanski, J.D. (1995). The concept of housing affordability: Six contemporary uses of the housing expenditure‐to‐income ratio. Housing Studies, 10(4), pp.471–491. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/02673039508720833.
Pollack, C.E., Griffin, B.A. and Lynch, J. (2010). Housing Affordability and Health Among Homeowners and Renters. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, [online] 39(6), pp.515–521. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2010.08.002.
Stone, M.E. (2006). What is housing affordability? The case for the residual income approach. Housing Policy Debate, 17(1), pp.151–184. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10511482.2006.9521564.