Enabling the emergence of shared housing for young adults in post-industrial cities: Between common interests and regulatory challenges

This article explores the processes enabling shared housing for students and young professionals as a strategic housing segment for the regeneration of post-industrial cities. It analyses the development of purpose-built student accommodation and related forms of high-density shared housing, as well as co-living, in university cities along the Walloon industrial axis (Belgium). Using desk research and expert interviews, the article examines how specific types of shared housing for young adults align with the strategic interests of municipalities and the market in post-industrial contexts. It further shows how a flexible, fragmented regulatory framework contributes to balancing those interests and power relationships in establishing a shared housing market. In these post-industrial cities facing concerns about competitiveness, purpose-built student accommodation and co-living respond to municipalities’ interests in attracting and anchoring young professionals – seen as economic levers – as well as regenerating deprived city centres and former industrial areas. Local companies and international investors strategically meet public interests by delivering professionally managed shared housing, branded as high quality and affordable for the target demographic. While flexible regional planning and housing frameworks facilitate these developments, the lack of local enforcement hampers their effective regulation. Notably, municipalities may also be opposed to shared housing due to single-family housing subdivision. The article’s conclusion section discusses the relationship between public and private interests, the underpinning discourses and their possible implications. It further points to the potential for specific actors and strategic instruments to help local governments better steer shared housing development and address the risks.