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Exploring Housing Policies in Five Swedish Municipalities: Alternatives and Priorities

Heller, Christina LU orcid ; Ekstam, Lisa LU orcid ; Haak, Maria LU ; Schmidt, Steven LU orcid and Slaug, Björn LU orcid (2021) 25th Nordic Gerontology Congress in June 2 - 4 2021
Abstract
Introduction
Housing shortage due to population growth within metropolitan areas, combined with an ageing population has put pressure on current housing provision policies in Sweden. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable housing policies to accommodate the growing number of seniors in accessible home environments. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of how municipalities currently address housing accessibility issues and to explore what types of policy solutions they consider for the future.

Material and methods
Five Swedish municipalities were selected to represent a diversity of population, housing situations and geographical areas. Two key actors from each municipality (public officials,... (More)
Introduction
Housing shortage due to population growth within metropolitan areas, combined with an ageing population has put pressure on current housing provision policies in Sweden. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable housing policies to accommodate the growing number of seniors in accessible home environments. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of how municipalities currently address housing accessibility issues and to explore what types of policy solutions they consider for the future.

Material and methods
Five Swedish municipalities were selected to represent a diversity of population, housing situations and geographical areas. Two key actors from each municipality (public officials, housing adaptation grant managers, city architects etc.) participated in semi-structured interviews (N=10). Data were analysed using content analysis, i.e. inductive category formation, described by Mayring (2014).

Results
Important themes included how such factors as the organizational structure of the municipality and the level of collaboration between municipal and private actors impacted the goals and ambitions of current housing policies. Emerging themes concerning possible measures and policies for the future were innovative types of housing and the need for economic incentives for older people to move from housing with poor accessibility to housing designed to better meet their needs.

Conclusion
Municipalities struggle with the lack of accessible and affordable housing for the ageing population. The results suggest there is a need to consider how to prevent organizational issues from hampering policy initiatives and implementation and how to improve collaboration between municipal and private actors involved in housing provision.
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Policy, Ageing population, Accessibility, Built environment, ageing-in-place, CASE - Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments
conference name
25th Nordic Gerontology Congress in June 2 - 4 2021
conference location
Reykjavik, Iceland
conference dates
2021-06-02 - 2021-06-04
project
Integration of an accessibility database and research based methods for improved physical accessibility in public environments
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2cb22104-ca2f-410a-9af8-5e7ae0c66ee5
date added to LUP
2021-07-09 10:27:08
date last changed
2022-09-07 10:34:54
@misc{2cb22104-ca2f-410a-9af8-5e7ae0c66ee5,
  abstract     = {{Introduction<br/>Housing shortage due to population growth within metropolitan areas, combined with an ageing population has put pressure on current housing provision policies in Sweden. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable housing policies to accommodate the growing number of seniors in accessible home environments. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of how municipalities currently address housing accessibility issues and to explore what types of policy solutions they consider for the future.<br/><br/>Material and methods<br/>Five Swedish municipalities were selected to represent a diversity of population, housing situations and geographical areas. Two key actors from each municipality (public officials, housing adaptation grant managers, city architects etc.) participated in semi-structured interviews (N=10). Data were analysed using content analysis, i.e. inductive category formation, described by Mayring (2014). <br/><br/>Results<br/>Important themes included how such factors as the organizational structure of the municipality and the level of collaboration between municipal and private actors impacted the goals and ambitions of current housing policies. Emerging themes concerning possible measures and policies for the future were innovative types of housing and the need for economic incentives for older people to move from housing with poor accessibility to housing designed to better meet their needs. <br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Municipalities struggle with the lack of accessible and affordable housing for the ageing population. The results suggest there is a need to consider how to prevent organizational issues from hampering policy initiatives and implementation and how to improve collaboration between municipal and private actors involved in housing provision.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Heller, Christina and Ekstam, Lisa and Haak, Maria and Schmidt, Steven and Slaug, Björn}},
  keywords     = {{Policy; Ageing population; Accessibility; Built environment; ageing-in-place; CASE - Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Exploring Housing Policies in Five Swedish Municipalities: Alternatives and Priorities}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/100110595/P6A_7_CHRISTINA_HELLER.pdf}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}