Gender, policy and planning: Planning shelter for the women outsid

This thesis provides a feminist perspective to examine the ways in which planning has reinforced gender inequalities within the housing system. I will demonstrate that traditional planning and housing theory and practice, in conjunction with housing policy, have acted against the interests of single women. As a result, many single women are homeless, or are in need of appropriate housing.;Planning does have a mandate to address current housing issues, but I will examine some of the ways in which a feminist approach can respond to single women's housing needs not met by current planning practices. The feminist approach to planning and housing recognizes that new housing solutions are needed for single women in contemporary society, but it will be shown that planning has been reluctant to change despite its mandate to maintain currency to present social needs. I will examine a local single women's housing issue to illustrate how mainstream planning and housing theory and practice have continued to reflect an ideology which has perpetuated traditional notions of residential living at the expense of single women.;In support of this thesis, I will examine and define homelessness and single women's position in the housing system still be identified. The history of rational planning will be reviewed to show the contribution of traditional planning to the current problem of single women's homelessness. A feminist planning approach will offer some solutions to current planning problems. Finally, a case study will exemplify the shortcomings of current planning theory and practice.