Housing policy and community

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that housing conditions have an enormous influence on the health of residents. Poor housing is consistently associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity, specifically with an increase in infectious and chronic diseases, stunted development in children and poor mental health (Krieger and Higgins, 2002). The importance of housing in assuring both physical and mental well-being is further underlined by the fact that adequate housing is considered a human right and as such is protected by numerous international laws including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Thiele, 2002). In the Netherlands, the right to adequate housing is considered a fundamental right and as such is protected by the Dutch Constitution.1 While the bearing of housing conditions on health is unattested, the potential negative impact of housing, though adequate, but nevertheless not meeting the needs of residents, is poorly understood. This gap in our knowledge has resulted in districts and neighborhoods filled with houses that are adequate but also unimaginative, monotonous or both. The recognition of the importance, not only of sufficient housing but above all of housing that corresponds with the needs of the residents lies at the heart of this article. In the coming paragraphs I will sketch the current state of (public) housing in the Netherlands, focusing on the role of housing associations in creating and maintaining communities that comply with the needs of modern housing consumers. Whilst the focus of the article is on the Dutch context, I believe that lessons can be drawn for Ukrainian housing policy all the same.