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Hidden housing crisis? Urban planning and informal housing supply
Improving 'affordable' housing standards for low-income renters
This project aims to uncover how ‘hidden’ housing arrangements are produced within formal systems of urban regulation and risks or benefits for residents
As the pressure of affordability increasingly forces low-income renters into substandard or ‘informal’ living arrangements, it becomes necessary to uncover how this ‘hidden’ housing is produced. The housing in question ranges from shared accommodation and backyard ‘granny flats’ to unauthorised dwelling units. This informality is produced within formal systems of urban regulation and there is an urgent need to investigate the risks or benefits for residents. Seeking to advance research in urban studies and taking a lead in international scholarly collaboration, the aim of the project is to expose the significant but often ignored role of informality within housing systems. Enhancing local planning practice and our knowledge of ‘hidden’ housing will be crucial steps in improving housing standards and choice for low-income renters.
Project team
- Nicole Gurran - Professor, Chair of Urbanism, Director of the Henry Halloran Research Trust
- Zahra Nasreen – Postdoctorate Housing Researcher
- Pranita Shrestha – Research Associate