Housing Women

First Published in 2004. This edited collection presents a comprehensive examination of women’s relationship to housing as consumers of housing services and managers of those services. While much of the literature has portrayed women as passive recipients of housing services, Housing Women shows the very active role women have played in housing protest movements and in managerial roles. Diverse strands of women’s housing experiences are drawn together in discussion of key issues such as the meaning of ‘home’, access and participation, and educational, training and employment issues. The housing concerns of specific groups are looked at in detail. Throughout, the book is forward looking, considering the possibility of new housing forms which could challenge gender assumptions and be more attractive and useful for women. The contributors make policy recommendations necessary to the creation of affordable housing and employing and training agencies to ensure better equal opportunity policies. Presenting the work of leading researchers and practitioners in the field, this important volume will be of interest to students of women’s studies and housing as well as to practitioners working in housing associations and networks.

Rose Gilroy is Lecturer in Housing Policy and Management at the University of Newcastle. Roberta Woods is Lecturer in Social Policy, also at the University of Newcastle.