Designed for Belonging: Enhancing Social Integration in Permanent Supportive Housing

  • Unique Paper ID: 180119
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue: 1
  • PageNo: 291-293
  • Abstract:
  • Permanent supportive housing (PSH) has emerged as a critical solution for addressing chronic homelessness by providing stable, long-term accommodations paired with supportive services. However, beyond providing shelter, PSH must foster a sense of belonging and social integration among residents to support their overall well-being and transition into community life. This study examines how interior design and spatial organization influence social connectedness in PSH environments. Using an analysis of 20 representative PSH projects, this research explores how design elements such as shared spaces, private retreats, circulation patterns, and visual connectivity contribute to social integration. The findings suggest that strategic design decisions—such as creating inviting communal areas, offering semi private transition spaces, and balancing personal and social domains—can enhance the sense of belonging for residents. The study concludes with design recommendations to improve social cohesion in PSH settings, reinforcing the importance of supportive housing as both a physical and social framework for recovery and reintegration.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2025 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{180119,
        author = {Mr. Devesh Keswani},
        title = {Designed for Belonging: Enhancing Social Integration in Permanent Supportive Housing},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {1},
        pages = {291-293},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=180119},
        abstract = {Permanent supportive housing (PSH) has 
emerged as a critical solution for addressing chronic 
homelessness 
by providing stable, long-term 
accommodations paired with supportive services. 
However, beyond providing shelter, PSH must foster a 
sense of belonging and social integration among 
residents to support their overall well-being and 
transition into community life. This study examines 
how interior design and spatial organization influence 
social connectedness in PSH environments. Using an 
analysis of 20 representative PSH projects, this 
research explores how design elements such as shared 
spaces, private retreats, circulation patterns, and 
visual connectivity contribute to social integration. The 
findings suggest that strategic design decisions—such 
as creating inviting communal areas, offering semi
private transition spaces, and balancing personal and 
social domains—can enhance the sense of belonging 
for residents. The study concludes with design 
recommendations to improve social cohesion in PSH 
settings, reinforcing the importance of supportive 
housing as both a physical and social framework for 
recovery and reintegration.},
        keywords = {},
        month = {May},
        }

Cite This Article

  • ISSN: 2349-6002
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue: 1
  • PageNo: 291-293

Designed for Belonging: Enhancing Social Integration in Permanent Supportive Housing

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