Future Local Lab
Local Government ExplainedMeasuring social cohesion in housing: International lessons
Dr Andrew Walker
This research from the LGIU – supported by The Housing Agency – draws on international examples to help Irish local authorities develop more robust approaches to measuring social cohesion in housing interventions.
Ireland faces an acute social cohesion crisis at the intersection of rapid demographic transformation, severe housing shortages, and rising community tensions in some areas.
The government’s Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-30 strategy explicitly recognises that housing decisions carry long-term social consequences, emphasising mixed tenure and community programming to create inclusive neighbourhoods where diverse residents can develop trust and belonging. However, measurement and assessment of the impact of interventions in a housing context remain underdeveloped.
This research, conducted by Andrew Walker and LGIU, explores how local and municipal authorities in different jurisdictions measure and evaluate housing-based interventions intended to increase social cohesion and whether there are applicable lessons for Irish local authorities and central government.
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