Shared site living means living in one’s own house, while having shared areas, resources, and communal experiences (i.e., co-housing, shared courtyards, common houses, community gardens, clustered homes, etc.). It is not made for people to socialize constantly, and while it is not made for people to socialize constantly, it enables people to easily get support or connect with others.
Shared living in a neighborhood can improve people’s lives by providing a solution to the feelings of loneliness we all experience, reducing costs, and creating safe, purpose-built, and more usable local environments for people of all ages.
1. More Social Interaction and Less Loneliness
The integration of shared spaces and shared habits in the design of a neighborhood can create numerous opportunities for first-time engagement with neighbors. Proximity to one another increases the likelihood of interaction.
Shared neighborhood living can offer support in many ways, including:
Social Integration: Walking through the neighborhood, having a meal, and other activities can create informal social interactions.
Mutual Support: We can pitch in for each other with child care, running errands, or fixing a broken appliance.
Belonging: We want to know we belong to a group.
Health Benefits: Those with social connections experience less stress and less loneliness.
As we age, start new families, and/or work from home, loneliness and isolation become more commonplace.
2. Resource Sharing Saves Money
Most of us own household items we use infrequently, so resource sharing allows people to access items they need without having to purchase items they won’t use again.
Examples of commonly shared resources include:
Tools and Equipment: Ladders, drills, gardening tools, bicycles, etc.
Spaces: Guest rooms, workshops, study areas, playgrounds, etc.
Services: Shared maintenance, bulk purchasing.
Energy and Infrastructure: Community solar, shared heat, water-saving technologies.
Resource sharing reduces your financial burden, waste, and storage needs.
3. Safe Streets and Better Daily Movement
As more people use shared outdoor spaces, neighborhoods are perceived to be safer and more active. This encourages more people to use walking and biking as their primary mode of travel, as well as informal supervision.
Quality of life improvements usually happen from:
Natural ‘Eyes on the Street’: More neighbors watch the street and intervene early on issues.
Walkable Design: Closer distances to shared spaces increase walkability of the neighborhood.
Family-Friendly Design: Neighborhoods with traffic calming and playgrounds encourage safe and free outdoor play for children.
Access to Help: Proximity to others means someone can assist in an emergency.
Safety is not just about the presence of surveillance. It’s about accountability and visibility on a daily basis.
4. More Resilience During Challenging Times and Community Disruptions
Support systems in shared neighborhood living strengthen resilience during challenging times. Neighborhood-based systems respond quicker to emerging challenges than distant systems.
Resilience benefits in shared neighborhood living include:
Cross-Age Support: Collaboration and support among residents of different ages (e.g., new families and older residents).
Care-Sharing: Collective arrangements for transport, meals, or short-term caregiving.
Community Problem Solving: Rapid organization and communication during community-wide emergencies.
Stability: Disruptive moments increase the bonds with neighbors and diminish the desire to move away.
Conclusion
The advantages of Shared Neighborhood Living are significant. It directly improves our quality of life and offers access to supportive resources. These resources and connections make life easier. It can alleviate isolation and resource sharing can reduce waste. It can also make the community feel safer and more pedestrian-friendly. It also builds community resilience as it offers access to networked resources to address everyday challenges.