Toward an age-friendly urban and housing policy in Malta

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals demonstrates a clear global shift toward rethinking the urban fabric of cities and “spaces of wellbeing.” Public policies on aging and later life are no exception, as witnessed by the World Health Organization guide for age-friendly cities. This emergence of housing-friendly policy trends is largely due to a diverse mix of happenings, ranging from rapid urbanization, economic growth, aging population, low fertility rates, and climate change to conflicts that are putting unprecedented pressures on urban communities. However, to date, the emphasis has been on the importance of the built environment; not enough attention has been granted to social relations and the key role they hold in determining the well-being of urban communities.