Pauline Lallemand, Bruno Malet-Damour and Fiona Benard (2026), Housing Crises Dynamics and Residential Aspirations Across Generations and Territorial Contexts: The Case of Réunion Island," Journal of Sustainable Cities and Built Environment, 04(2), pp. 92-134, Retrieved from http://jscbe.ku.edu.bh DOI: https://doi.org/10.58757/jscbe.04.02.04 
Publisher: [KU] Kingdom University
Abstract:
Housing crises are often discussed in terms of shortages, rising prices, and affordability. Yet they also reveal another, less visible reality: the growing distance between the homes people dream of and the homes they can actually access. This paper explores this tension in Réunion Island, a French overseas territory where housing shortages, social inequalities, and increasing land pressures make access to adequate housing increasingly difficult. Drawing on the concept of the aspirations gap, the study combines a quantitative analysis of housing conditions across the island with a qualitative exploration of residents’ housing aspirations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Clustering identify five contrasting socio-residential profiles, while a thematic analysis of 140 semi-structured interviews examines how the ideal kaz (home) is imagined across four generations. The results reveal a highly unequal housing landscape, shaped by differences in income, housing quality, and access to land. They also show that the meaning of the ideal kaz changes across generations. Older residents often express attachment to traditional forms of housing rooted in outdoor living and proximity to nature, while younger generations increasingly aspire to larger and more modern homes shaped by globalised lifestyles and digital imaginaries. Despite these differences, access to individual housing and outdoor space remains a shared aspiration across all age groups. Taken together, the findings suggest that housing inequalities are not only experienced through material living conditions but also through unequal opportunities to achieve desired residential futures. By bringing together territorial inequalities and residents’ lived experiences, this study highlights the importance of considering housing aspirations in the design of housing policies. In island territories such as Réunion, understanding what people expect from housing appears essential for developing solutions that are not only affordable and sustainable but also socially acceptable.