Unravelling the impact of co-production on social sustainability in co-housing

The housing shortage in the Netherlands has triggered significant changes in the housing market, characterized by a surge in demand and subsequent price inflation. This has resulted in intense competition for housing, creating a disparity between the financial and social value of houses. As a consequence, social issues have emerged, including the erosion of social networks and increased housing inequality. In response to these challenges, the Dutch government has identified co-housing as a potential solution to the affordable housing crisis and a means to alleviate these social issues. This research aims to investigate the nature of co-housing and engage the community in identifying their priorities through a co-production process, ultimately promoting the concept of social sustainability. The study begins by elucidating the concepts of co-housing, coproduction, and social sustainability, and explores the potential interconnections among them. To examine these concepts in a real-world context, the research delves into the case of Centraal Wonen (CW) in Delft, an innovative co-housing project that is currently under development. The study investigates the co-production process within CW and assesses its contribution to the community's social sustainability, taking into account both its positive and negative implications. Primary data was collected through site visits, observations, and interviews with residents and experts. This primary data was further substantiated by secondary data sourced from online articles and residents' documents. The findings, analyzed using Atlas-ti software, unveil a correlation between coproduction and its influence on the concept of social sustainability within CW. Co-production is identified as a process that fosters social equity and bolsters social sustainability by empowering the community. Moreover, the co-production process positively impacts the community's capacity to reduce costs and fulfill their housing needs. It is important to note that this research is specific to the context of co-housing in Delft within the Dutch context. Conducting similar studies in different contexts may yield varying results and conclusions.