Housing for Hope and Wellbeing: an author Q&A

At the end of 2022, Professor Flora Samuel published her latest book: Housing for Hope and Wellbeing.

We spoke to Professor Samuel — one of our trustees — about the book, why it’s needed and what its take home messages are.

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What inspired you to write this book?

Three things inspired me to write this book, which is really a manifesto.

The first one was the complexity and obfuscation of the housing delivery process. I wanted to write something that made the journey clear for non-experts, as this is the first step to demanding improvements.

The second thing was housing’s obsession with economic value at the expense of other types of value, like social and environmental. A home is about so much more than money.

The last thing that inspired me was the dusty nature of much housing research. Although extremely worthy, it can be very exclusionary just by the way it is written. I wanted to write a book that was more inclusive — one that gives recognition to the experiences of people that are seldom heard in housing debate.

Why is the book important in today’s world?

Things seem pretty depressing at the moment. Many young people today have only known a system dominated by neoliberal market values. I wanted to write a book that offers a vision of a housing system that is built on maximising wellbeing and reducing inequality.

I wanted to show that it is possible to offer an image of change.

There are lots of books that are envisaging life after neoliberalism. I see this book as joining that movement. I also wanted to celebrate moments of positivity in housing and neighbourhoods to show that good things are already happening and more are in the pipeline.

Who should read the book?

Everyone. Well I would say that! But everyone has a stake in our housing system.

My particular target is young people as they — ‘generation rent’ — are really the victims of the current system. There are chapters in the book for different audiences: planners, policy makers, local authorities, built environment professionals and the public. The problem has to be looked at in the round.

Can you summarise the links the book makes between housing and people’s hope and wellbeing?

My focus is on eudaimonic wellbeing, a sense of purpose beyond the self, the best kind of happiness. Eudaimonic wellbeing and hope are inextricably one.

I argue that housing and neighbourhoods deliver wellbeing, which I see as the social value of homes in use. I’ve done a lot of work in the past on categorising wellbeing outcomes. My ideas in this area are constantly morphing. In the book I develop themes around: connecting people, health; self actualisation and belonging. These are all outcomes of good housing and neighbourhood design. Essentially we need more of all of this to promote wellbeing and to make people feel hopeful that a better future is possible.

Is there one lasting message you would like people to take away from the book?

With the right political wind, professional leadership, an evidence=-based planning system and organised, bottom-up action we can make a housing system that puts people and planet first.

Just look at the impact of the Social Value Act 2012 and the Future Generations Act (2015) in Wales. They are already making huge waves across the built environment. The Healthy Homes Bill is currently chugging through our parliamentary system. It could change everything.

Housing for Hope and Wellbeing is published by Routledge.