1.
RESEARCH CENTRE FOR
SOCIAL INNOVATION
UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED
SCIENCE UTRECHT
The contribution of mixed housing
projects to the inclusion of vulnerable
and socially excluded citizens
Maarten Davelaar, Aly Gruppen, Jeroen
Knevel, Lia van Doorn, Vienna, 4-11-2019
Welcoming
neighbourhoods

2.
The Netherlands
◼ strong social
housing sector
◼ growing shortage of
affordable housing
◼ uncoordinated influx
in relatively deprived
neighbourhoods of
people previously
living in sheltered
housing / institutions
◼ need to increase
adequate housing
for vulnerable
groups in society
◼ need to fight urban
segregation
◼ need to create
inclusive
neighbourhoods

3.
Mixed Housing projects = housing projects home
to people from different backgrounds, (co-living
with ‘vulnerable citizens’) who intentionally live
next to each other, connect and engage in joint
activities.
People with
mental health
dissabilities,
ex-homeless
people, ex-
youth care
clients,
refugees

4.
on Mixed Housing
Collecting & sharing knowledge
Mutual learning
Community of Practice
Experts by experience (residents), social workers, researchers

5.
RESEARCH CENTRE FOR
SOCIAL INNOVATION
UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED
SCIENCE UTRECHT
Common characteristics
◼ appr. 75% independent, self-contained
homes: individual or family apartments
◼ self-organisation & bottom-up organised
activities: community building
◼ residents fully eligible members of resident
committees (most projects)
◼ selection of new ‘regular’ tenants by resident
committees
◼ different levels of individualised floating
support available

6.
Benefits of mixed housing
projects
◼ increased wellbeing:
people report ‘feeling
at home’, less lonely,
feeling accepted
◼ friendly interactions,
mutual self-help,
participation in
activities
◼ prevention: social
‘early warning
system’
◼ scaling up
independent,
adequate and
affordable housing
solutions for
vulnerable groups
◼ tools for social
providers, housing
corporations and
authorities to secure
a good living
environment for all

7.
Topics for further research
◼ the contribution to
urban development
& designing and
renovating housing
estates
◼ re-thinking public
and semi-private
spaces: scale,
(social) design
◼ management of
expectations
◼ how to combine
individual support
and community
building

8.
RESEARCH CENTRE FOR
SOCIAL INNOVATION
UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED
SCIENCE UTRECHT
Sharing knowledge
◼ Curious to hear from other ‘mixed-housing’
projects across Europe
◼ Research on collective mixed-housing or co-
living?
◼ info@maartendavelaar.nl
◼ aly.gruppen@hu.nl