Dear Editor,

Some 3.5 billion people worldwide lack access to adequate housing, secure tenure, basic services, or affordable living conditions, including over 1 billion people living in informal settlements and slums.

As urban populations rapidly grow, access to adequate housing is becoming a defining challenge for cities worldwide. Poor housing conditions; overcrowding; barriers to accessibility; and exposure to heat, cold; air pollution; and environmental hazards can negatively affect health across a person’s life course. At the same time, investing in healthy housing can generate significant benefits for individuals, communities, and health systems.

Globally, “housing for all” has become a catchphrase, yet urban planners and those tasked with providing affordable, sustainable housing are falling below the standard.

Sadly, the tenement yard or “big yard” remains a reality for many residents, bringing along numerous social issues.

Housing is far more than just a roof over our heads. Healthy, safe, and accessible housing is fundamental to health and well-being throughout life. Adequate housing protects people from health risks; supports healthy childhood development; promotes independence and quality of life in older age; and contributes to healthier, more equitable, and resilient communities.

Unfortunately, many residents living in urban spaces are not safe. As commercialisation erodes many communities, older residents and their families are forced to live in spaces where industries and businesses put their mental and physical health at risk.

Too many residents have difficulty entering and leaving their homes because their gates have been taken over as parking areas. Noise pollution has been normalised, and the overall quality of their lives has deteriorated. Meanwhile, the authorities appear to have turned a blind eye to the chaos that comes with commercialisation.

Each year, World Cities Day is observed on October 31. The day is set aside to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanisation, strengthen cooperation in addressing its challenges and opportunities, and advance sustainable urban development. This year’s theme was ‘Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All’.

Urban regeneration is more than just building new towers; it is a strategic pathway to transform existing urban environments by upgrading informal settlements and revitalising ageing infrastructure. Urban planners must be intentional in designing homes and neighbourhoods to withstand extreme weather, mitigate urban heat islands, and cut carbon emissions.

Housing also plays an important role in climate adaptation and mitigation by helping people cope with extreme heat and weather, improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and creating healthier indoor environments.

Ultimately, the theme highlights the critical role of housing in shaping health and well-being, calling for greater action to ensure that everyone can live in healthy, safe, and accessible homes. The theme also places particular importance on participatory and community-led regeneration, alongside safeguards that can prevent displacement and ensure that existing residents benefit from improvements to their homes and neighbourhoods.

Let us make the connection to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 11, and remember that healthy housing is fundamental to supporting health and well-being throughout our entire lives.

Wayne Campbell

waykam@yahoo.com

@WayneCamo