Auckland inner-­city residents’ experiences and expressions of community connectedness

Abstract

The concept of community connectedness has become increasingly important in inner-­city residential development planning as high-­‐rise apartment living becomes consolidated in inner cities. The distinct nature of the built environment of inner-­city apartment living creates particular challenges for residents’ experiences and expressions of community connectedness. This is further exacerbated by the growing ethno-­cultural and socio-­economic diversity of inner cities. This paper examines the experiences and expressions of community connectedness by Auckland inner-­‐city residents with a view to extending our understanding of what constitutes community connectedness for high-­rise inner-‐city communities. Using multi-­stage, multi-‐method research consisting of a survey questionnaire, intensive interviews and focus group discussions, the study found significant association between residents’ experiences and expressions of community connectedness and their socio-­economic and ethno-­cultural backgrounds. The findings suggest that planners, city authorities and community service provider organizations need to take account of sense of community, belonging and connectedness in developing high rise apartment neighbourhoods to pre-­empt some of the social issues that impact on residents’ well-­‐being and quality of life.