Beyond Shelter Data Driven Housing for Better Quality Life

Housing challenges today extend beyond the provision of housing units to the broader urban conditions that shape quality of life. Housing should be understood as a system of interconnected services, including mobility, education, healthcare, public spaces, safety, environmental quality, and economic opportunity. From this perspective, housing is a primary determinant of urban quality of life, shaping people’s health, safety, access to opportunity, social inclusion, and environmental well-being. Housing outcomes therefore need to be assessed not only in terms of quantity and affordability, but also in terms of their contribution to people’s lived experience. Cities increasingly seek approaches that link housing policy, service provision, and quality-of-life measurement through integrated and data-driven systems. This event brings together cities, housing authorities, and urban stakeholders to explore how policy frameworks, public–private partnerships, resilience strategies, and data-driven platforms can deliver housing systems that improve quality of life. Through expert dialogue and a city case presentation of the Manarah data platform, the session shares practical experiences and transferable lessons for advancing integrated, inclusive, and evidence-based housing approaches in line with the WUF 2026 agenda.