In the context of social vulnerability, the house is an important social and economic resource to cope with poverty. However, low-income homeowners face constraints to maintain their houses, negatively affecting the quality of their dwellings, buildings and neighbourhoods. In the case of Chile, current studies have shown high levels of housing deterioration due to the lack of maintenance, but more knowledge is needed to understand the problems behind this poor management process. One important challenge is to consider an integral approach, beyond the technical dimension, that includes organisational and sociocultural inputs. Therefore, this paper presents the results of an exploratory study about the nature of the management problems in the context of Chilean low-income condominiums. The method considered semi-structured interviews with Chilean homeowners, researchers and professionals from the private sector, municipalities and central government. Main findings show the interdependencies between sociocultural, organisational and technical dimensions of the management problem; and the relevance of the sociocultural variables to perform technical maintenance activities. A better understanding of the nature and relationships among the management problems will provide better tools to improve current housing management models.

In Chile, social condominiums are a significant part of housing for low-income households. After decades of occupancy, this housing stock shows signs of rapid deterioration and devaluation due to neglected maintenance. Given the weak governmental support in management practices, third sector organisations are positioning themselves as alternatives to providing technical solutions and contributing to the enhancement of opportunities and capacities among communities that live in deprived areas. However, little is known about the dynamics between these organisations and the communities they work with as well as their interactions with their institutional environment in the context of improving condominium management practices. Employing concepts of intermediation and institutionalisation, we analyse the practice of the organisation Proyecto Propio. We describe the dynamics of the intermediary role as implementer of housing policy and catalyst of social innovation, and the institutionalisation of these practices. The main characteristic of their intermediary role in condominium management practices is a holistic approach as implementer and catalyst for complex interventions, situating the users at the centre of the process. The main challenges are related to institutionalisation: the inclusion of more incentives to scale up and consolidate the third sector as a relevant actor in housing and condominium management.

En Chile, un número creciente de organizaciones de la sociedad civil (OSC) se han posicionado como agentes de transformación política y social al participar en la implementación de proyectos relacionados con el entorno construido. Estas organizaciones están motivadas por objetivos sociales y se presentan como una alternativa a los grupos desatendidos por el Estado y por el mercado. Este artículo tiene por objetivo caracterizar y definir su rol en el contexto de la vivienda y la regeneración de barrios vulnerables o desfavorecidos. Para esto, se propone un marco analítico basado en la capacidad de intermediación de estas organizaciones y el tipo de innovación social a la que apuntan. A partir del análisis de dos grupos: fundaciones y asociaciones; y organizaciones comunitarias funcionales y territoriales, se discute el papel de estas organizaciones en territorios vulnerables y se describen cuatro formas de desarrollar innovación social. Se concluye valorizando la actual contribución de estas organizaciones desde su rol simultáneo de implementadores y catalizadores, con un rol predominante en la dimensión de procesos y empoderamiento.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) are becoming a popular educational tool in different disciplines. Urban planning education is no exception and new MOOCs are being released every year. Despite this, it is still not clear how this new learning experience is being developed, delivered, and impacting upon planning education. This article sheds light on this issue using the case of the Rethink the City MOOC organised by the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment of TU Delft. The course received the AESOP Excellence on Teaching award in 2017 and serves as an example of how planning education is facing the change towards online education. The article briefly introduces the course and develops on the challenges and results of it. Based on the course team experience of preparing and delivering the course, the article contributes to the debate about online education and supports fellow academics involved with the creation of new MOOCs.

Purpose: This paper examines collaborative housing (CH) as a model for promoting active aging by analyzing the interplay between spatial, social and managerial dimensions. While research on aging has predominantly focused on social and health-related aspects, comparatively less attention has been given to the architectural and environmental qualities of housing for older adults. The study explores the relationship between the built and social environments in senior CH projects through the lens of active aging. Its aim is to identify key lessons and recommendations to inform design criteria for CH projects that support active aging. Design/methodology/approach: This study focuses on architectural design by examining spatial characteristics (site design, architectural program and the relationship with the surrounding neighborhood), social characteristics (social networks and the ways in which residents organize to carry out social and domestic activities) and management models (tenure, CH model and overall administration). The analytical framework guided the analysis of six international cases of CH for older adults located in Brazil, Chile, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA. Findings: The comparative analysis identifies three central lessons: the importance of spatial clarity and diverse communal areas; the balance between privacy and shared living; and the relevance of connections with the surrounding neighborhood and the natural environment. The findings suggest that CH reduces isolation, fosters social networks and supports independence. However, ensuring long-term adaptability to the progressive challenges of aging remains a critical issue for both design and policy. Originality/value: The paper examines the relationship between the built environment, the social environment and managerial elements in specialized housing projects for older adults, with particular attention to spatial layout characteristics, in order to identify key lessons that inform design criteria for housing projects that support active aging.