Housing as a social infrastructure for liveability, equity and well-being in cities

There are long lasting and deep-rooted problems of reduced liveability, exacerbated inequalities and worsening well-being associated with the housing systems across cities, especially in times of uncertainties. This special issue seeks to serve as an occasion that brings together scholars to tackle these problems. Assembling a collection of latest housing research findings, this special issue fosters two themes of discussions regarding the evolvement of housing governance and the pivotal role of the state, and emerging trends of housing in cities and the impact on social mobility. These articles explore housing issues from a multi-dimensional perspective, including ‘state capacity - financialisation fluctuations’, ‘historical institutions - spatial development’, and ‘macro governance - micro individuals’. The contextualised studies supplement mainstream discourse and Western-centric housing theories, inspiring further examination on the diverse histories, hybrid nature, and shifting strategies of housing governance in different contexts to gain more comprehensive and nuanced understanding.