Systems Theory in Housing

Abstract

Systems theory in housing has had a long and varied history. From the early applications of systems theory to town planning, to more recent forays into complex adaptive systems approaches, theories of housing have built extensively upon basic ideas in systems theory. The key features of systems theory: elements, attributes, interactions, boundaries and outcomes appear in various guises in a range of housing theories including: town / urban planning, housing economics, housing welfare and housing network theory. Recent developments in complex systems theory are beginning to make their way into exploratory analyses of housing governance, however there is little evidence that complex systems ideas have influenced housing theory to any significant extent as yet.