‘Silver tsunami’ or golden opportunity?
Interwoven challenges of aging populations, social isolation, rising housing costs, and climate change are unleashing a global social innovation movement.
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Building social connections: Case studies to inspire socially connected multi-unit housing
Happy Cities, Hey Neighbour Collective, and Simon Fraser University are working with six local governments in Metro Vancouver to co-create policies for social wellbeing in multi-unit housing.
What is the role of planners in fostering pro-social communities?
A critical perspective in housing affordability and choices that are key to quality of life.
Cookies, research methods, and building audits
Our HNC research group, comprised of Simon Fraser University and Happy Cities members, explored how social interactions in multi-unit housing are influenced by the physical environment in 20 buildings in Vancouver and Victoria.
US Surgeon General highlights the need for more social connection
The Surgeon General has created a Framework for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection. It details critical and actionable next steps that individuals, communities, organizations, and governments can take to foster social connection.
How does housing density really affect life in cities?
Canada is simultaneously experiencing a severe housing crisis and – like many other countries – a crisis of increasing loneliness and social isolation. Intervening to tackle loneliness and social isolation…
Building resilience and emergency preparedness through social connections: video
Workshop leaders and participants discuss how the Connect & Prepare program helps grow social connections between neighbours that support resilience and preparedness.
Benefits of community building for housing providers: video
Landlords and housing operators can help nurture relationships among residents, and the positive returns for everyone involved can be substantial.
Practice Guide #2: Landlord- and housing operator-led approaches to growing community in multi-unit housing
This guide explores many relatively easy things that residents, landlords, housing operators, community organizations, and governments can do to support residents in making activities and social connectedness happen.
The benefits of neighbourly connections for residents in multi-unit housing: video
Residents share why they became community connectors in their multi-unit buildings, what kinds of activities they helped organize, and what the benefits have been.
Practice Guide #1: Supporting residents to become community connectors in multi-unit housing
This guide explores many relatively easy things that residents, landlords, housing operators, community organizations, and governments can do to support residents in making activities and social connectedness happen.
How do researcher-community partnerships turn the dial towards greater social connectedness?
How three aspects of the photo exhibition strengthened the meaningful impact of Callista Ottoni’s research.
Reducing social isolation among older adults helps everyone
Efforts to tackle social isolation among older Canadians could produce a wealth of health and lifestyle benefits for the country’s aging population. But the National Institute on Ageing also argues…
Loneliness at home: reviewing the Psychology of Loneliness report from the UK Campaign to End Loneliness
HNC’s Lainey Martin and Robyn Lee review the ‘Psychology of Loneliness’ report from the Campaign to End Loneliness, originally produced for the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative.
More housing supply isn’t a cure-all for the housing crisis
Drawing on a B.C.-wide survey of 1,004 residents conducted from March to April 2021, our recent study shows that unaffordability is only one type of housing vulnerability that has taken its toll on British Columbians during the COVID-19 pandemic.