A large social housing (SH) stock exists around the world, and many developments need upgrading for various reasons. Upgrading demands careful planning and execution with specific improvement interventions that require clear, socially conscious, and technological as well as environmental objectives. In mandatory processes, top-down government improvement initiatives are mandated by directives, while users in non-mandatory processes instigate a bottom-up upgrading. In this context, people improve their living conditions and undertake self-built reforms, often at high costs due to a lack of planning and technical support. This study investigated upgrading interventions and improvement factors for SH. We discuss upgrading with a literature review to understand the operational improvements with user quality of life in mind. Results identify improvement interventions on topics of Energy and Resource Efficiency; Housing Quality and Comfort; Building Systems and Infrastructure; Health, Psychological and Social Wellbeing; Green and Open Spaces; Functional Design and Accessibility; Mobility and Services; Waste and Water Management. The study classified interventions by their complexity of execution. Frameworks for both mandatory and non-mandatory upgrading processes were created, and the impacts of SH upgrades are outlined. The contributions support decision-making roadmaps for upgrading processes to improve SH.