Rombald Group Ltd shares fives reasons why social housing is important to our communities in the UK and why architects should keep building.
The UK does not have enough homes for low-income earners. Despite the increasing demand, there’s been no increase in the supply of social housing for many years, and funding for these projects has actually been cut.
Social housing is important for many reasons. In England, 17% of the population live in social housing, provided by a council, non-profit organisations, and commercial companies at a price that many low earners can afford.
Below are just some of the reasons why architects should and do continue to build social housing.
Mental Health
Housing plays an important factor in people’s mental health. Research shows that those with housing problems or are homeless are at a higher risk of developing mental distress. Further studies show that the majority of those who have mental health problems are often living in rented housing, experience instability in terms of tenancy agreements, and are unhappy with their current house.
By providing good, quality, safe, and affordable housing, people’s mental health will greatly be improved in many ways. Affordable housing means reduced financial stress, which can then improve family dynamics leading to better physical and mental health. Studies show that majority of those who live in a social housing community are happier now that they have a stable home that they can call their own, and not have to worry about expensive mortgages.
Indeed, an affordable and stable house is an important support for those who are suffering from mental health conditions. By living in a suitable home with a supportive community, people will feel safe and secure, which is a key factor in maintaining good mental health.
It Benefits Future Generations
Most of the families that live in social housing have children living with them and research shows that there is a direct link between the well-being of children and the quality of the house they live in. It has also been found that the biggest impact of living in affordable housing includes a heightened sense of wellbeing among the kids and this positive effect will follow them throughout the rest of their lives.
Much of the heightened well-being in kids living in social housing has something to do with their boosted confidence. Having a place that they can call home will make them feel safe and secure. It eliminates the need to move frequently and saying goodbye to their friends. With a stable home, children will be able to establish a base where they can have new friends and build meaningful connections with the people in the neighbourhood. This builds their confidence and will make it easier for them to engage in extracurricular activities.
Some homeowners have also found that after moving into a more stable home, the grades of their children have greatly improved. Their kids have also enjoyed going to school even more which led to higher rates of attendance and improved behaviour. This may have something to do with the less transferring between schools and more space in their home to study.
Creating Jobs
Research shows that the development of affordable social housing creates both short-term and long-term employment opportunities, not only during the construction phase but also through the increase of consumer spending once these houses are occupied. The construction phase will create jobs for people who are already living in the community and encourages others to move to the community to fill in the demand for construction-related jobs. This can lead to an increase in transportation and trade, which benefits the local economy.
Once the construction is over and people starts occupying the houses, there will be an increased demand for goods and services. Living in a new home is usually accompanied by the purchase of new appliances, fitting quality Wilmslow style kitchen furnishings and bathroom decor. Since people will be moving to their new houses, the demand for moving services will also increase. Eventually, there will be infrastructure improvements such as paved roads, electrification, and the installation of sewer lines. All these can generate new jobs and improve the lives of the people in the community.
Building Sustainable Communities
Recently, the UK government is focused on creating sustainable communities that can help improve the quality of life. Housing is an important factor when it comes to creating healthy and sustainable communities. In certain aspects of housing, the lack of supply and the consequent issues of affordability has resulted in persistent social and economic pressure.
To create sustainable communities, housing must not only be easily available, but must also be of high-quality, economic, comfortable, aesthetically designed, and most of all, affordable. Thus, social housing is better suited when it comes to building sustainable communities.
Well-designed and affordable social housing developments can have a positive impact on the surrounding communities, mainly in urban environments. These new housing developments can help to uplift the lives of the community, encourage social connections, prevent overcrowding, attracts jobs and businesses, and increase the value of the adjacent properties. And since the lives of the people have improved, crime rates could decrease as well.
Building Diversity
Developers, housing organizations, and community advocates are all working together to create vibrant and diverse communities and work with affordable architects for social housing developments. These are housing developments with a varied mix of housing types and lot sizes to increase residential density, which, in turn, creates a local population that’s big enough to support a vibrant community.
Social housing developments that have higher density and features a mix of housing types can produce a more diverse range of residents. This increases the community’s population, density, and vibrancy, which could mean a broader range of services will be available within a mere walking or cycling distance away. Housing diversity can also help to support older residents by offering a suitable and more affordable option for housing as they get older – all within a walking distance of the places that they are already familiar with. For those looking to get into the sector online social housing courses can be taken. In addition, a housing development that has a wider choice of housing options and lifestyle can help to easily attract more diverse groups of people to one location. By offering more housing options, developers can meet the housing needs of increasingly diverse residents and household types, which can include young couples, small families, professionals, people with disabilities, and retirees.
Rombald Group Ltd.
