At the time, I was working in the UK with organisations helping people experiencing homelessness to find somewhere to live. Because social housing was so limited, that often meant the private rented sector. For many single people under 35, the only affordable option was a room in a shared house.
Too often, though, shared housing offered very little choice, security, or dignity. People were expected to live with strangers, sometimes in poor-quality homes, with no say over who they lived with, or even where they lived – rather than in a home that could support recovery, wellbeing, or a sense of belonging. There was, and still is, a prevailing sense of ‘take what you can get’, because affordable rooms to rent are so scarce.
At the same time, I was learning about cohousing: communities where people have their own private space, but also access to shared spaces, and strong agency in how the community works. Cohousing offered connection, mutual support, and a greater sense of control, yet in the UK it was often a niche and expensive option, really only available to those with social and financial capital.
I wanted to know whether cohousing principles could be used to create better options for people at risk of homelessness, as well as others, for example young people or refugees, who were locked out of many other housing choices.
My Fellowship took me to the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States. I visited a wide range of communities, and saw shared kitchens, gardens, and common rooms being used not as optional extras, but as places where relationships were built. I met people living alongside others they might never otherwise have known. Again and again, residents spoke about feeling less isolated and more supported.
Since completing the research, the housing crisis has become even more severe. Rents have risen, homelessness services are under intense pressure, and councils are spending huge sums on temporary accommodation.
