A Good Neighbor is Better than A Distant Relative? Understanding the Influence of Neighborhood Cohesion on Residents’ Intentions for Intergenerational Co-living

Authorship: Kar Him Mo, Wanying Liang, Izzy Yi JIAN, Esther Ng, Jean Woo, Weixuan Chen* (*=corresponding athor)

Publication Date: March 2026

Abstract: As a way at the community level to achieve “inclusive cities”, intergenerational co-living is one concrete embodiment of living arrangements in East Asia, where the principle of filial piety is central. However, this living arrangement is becoming rarer due to the changes in societal structures and cultural norms over time. As the Chinese proverb “A good neighbor is better than a distant relative” states, residents shift their dependency from their relatives to emotional connections with their neighbors. The cause behind such a relationship and its mechanism remain underexplored. This paper examines the influence of neighborhood cohesion in shaping residents' intentions for intergenerational co-living, with a focus on how satisfaction with residential environment, neighborhood interaction and community engagement contribute to their intentions. Using a mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods, we find that neighborhood interaction and community engagement have a direct positive effect on residents' intentions for intergenerational co-living and play a positive intermediary role between satisfaction with residential environment and these intentions. Intergenerational co-living is more feasible in communities where trust, mutual respect, and active participation are already present, and where both environmental and social conditions align to support shared living across age groups. In essence, a cohesive community can provide some of the emotional and social support that family might otherwise offer, enabling residents to feel secure and valued without relying exclusively on kinship networks. This paper contributes to the understanding of neighborhood cohesion and its influence on residents' intentions for intergenerational co-living, providing actionable insights for fostering inclusive cities in East Asia.

Publication Journal: Cities