Speaker
Description
Housing affordability and accessibility remain critical challenges in Italian urban areas, particularly in Naples. The demand for affordable and inclusive housing necessitates innovative solutions that address shifting social, demographics and urban planning needs. A shift toward cooperative housing policies and 'housing commons' underscores the importance of accessibility and decommodification (Ferreri & Vidal, 2022). The platformization of the housing market and touristification has significantly reduced housing availability in Naples’ historic center. These trends exacerbate inequalities, allowing the private market to dictate prices. Short-term rentals further erode affordability, while ineffective urban planning perpetuates spatial inequalities and rising costs.
To address the pressing issues, the Community Land Trust (CLT) model is proposed as a transformative tool in urban planning (Davis, 2014; Meehan, 2014). The CLT emphasizes community ownership of land, which is essential for ensuring long-term affordability and stability for residents while effectively preventing displacement and gentrification driven by speculative real estate practices. By fostering a collaborative approach that includes intergenerational cohousing initiatives and participatory design processes, the CLT can significantly alleviate housing shortages and reinforce social ties within the community.
This paper aims to explore the CLT as a novel urban policy instrument for enhancing access to social housing, focusing on critical issues such as the disposal of public assets and the establishment of effective governance mechanisms for the social utilization and decommodification of public properties (Balmer & Bernet, 2015). Positioned within the context of the Cities 4 Co-Housing Urbact programme by the Municipality of Naples in 2024, the CLT emerges as a pivotal model that offers an innovative perspective on urban planning.
To tackle the pressing issues of social housing access and intergenerational integration, this research proposes a theoretical and practical framework designed to create tools that facilitate these objectives. The CLT model is examined as an urban political vision capable of addressing the challenges posed by the disposal of public assets and the impacts of austerity measures, particularly under the Invimit Pact for Naples. The study will delve into case studies from Brussels and the CALICO Caring Community project (Dawance et al., 2019), which exemplifies successful intergenerational cohousing initiatives (Czischke, 2019). These cases provide valuable insights into how collaborative approaches can enhance social ties and alleviate housing shortages in urban settings like Naples. Furthermore, the research will explore how the CLT can serve as a catalyst for social inclusion, particularly for marginalized groups who often face barriers to accessing adequate housing. The integration of diverse generations within housing projects can promote community cohesion, thereby enhancing the overall quality of life for residents.
The methodology employs qualitative research and empirical analysis to assess the feasibility of adapting the CLT model to the context of Naples. This approach includes comprehensive case studies, with a particular focus on the CALICO project. Empirical research will incorporate qualitative methods, including direct observations, to capture nuanced local dynamics and contextual challenges.
Anticipated outcomes of this research include the definition of innovative and sustainable urban policies that transcend traditional welfare measures for housing. The focus will be on initiatives designed to reduce inequalities and housing instability, highlighting the benefits of proposed policies and demonstrating the value of strategies aimed at the social and sustainable use of public real estate to counteract speculation. This research endeavors to merge innovative strategies with practical approaches to establish a comprehensive framework of urban policies that effectively address inequalities and housing instability, ultimately contributing to a more equitable urban environment.
References
Balmer, I. & Bernet, T. (2015) ‘Housing as a common resource? Decommodification and self-organization in housing—Examples from Germany and Switzerland’, in Dellenbaugh, M., Bieniok, M., Kip, M. & Müller, A. M. (eds.) Urban commons: Moving beyond state and market. Birkhäuser Verlag, pp. 178–195.
Czischke, D. (2019) Towards Collaborative Living: The Case of CALICO in Brussels. Pure TU Delft.
Davis, J. E. (2014) Origins and Evolution of the Community Land Trust in the United States. Champlain Housing Trust.
Dawance, T., Smetcoren, A. S., Ryckewaert, M. & Aernouts, N. (2019) Care and Living in Community, CALICO: Groundwork for evaluation and state-of-play. UIA Initiative.
Engelsman, U., Rowe, M. & Southern, A. (2018) ‘Community Land Trusts, affordable housing and community organising in low-income neighbourhoods’, International Journal of Housing Policy, 18(1), pp. 103–123.
Ferreri, M. & Vidal, L. (2022) ‘Public-cooperative policy mechanisms for housing commons’, International Journal of Housing Policy, 22(2), pp. 149–173.
Meehan, J. (2014) ‘Reinventing real estate: The community land trust as a social invention in affordable housing’, Journal of Applied Social Science, 8(2), pp. 113-133.
| Keywords | Community Land Trust; housing affordability; urban planning; intergenerational housing |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
