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This paper discusses the terminology and approaches that surround research on local knowledge, which reveal important differences in the emphasis of research following anthropological, as opposed to natural science, traditions. Results from three case studies undertaken in Nepal, Ghana and Indonesia were used to illustrate key points about local knowledge concerned with soil classification, soil fertility and below-ground interactions. Local knowledge of soils can be useful in agricultural development through building on local practice, recognizing the sophistication of local knowledge and realizing its limitations. These aspects are cemented by the integrating principle of effective communication and empowerment. In addition, formal methods for knowledge acquisition, as well as exploration and use of local knowledge with regard to respect, ethics and intellectual property rights, are discussed.

Does 'informal' housing offer more affordable choices for low-income renters in expensive cities? This paper investigates this question with reference to Sydney, Australia, where planning reforms have sought to deregulate housing development including 'informal' and low cost market accommodation, in response to chronic housing affordability pressures. Examining rental advertisements, housing supply and affordability data, and through interviews with local government personnel, we find that informal secondary units and room rentals dominate Sydney's lower cost market, but rents remain high relative to incomes. Further, and despite reforms to encourage new secondary dwellings and low cost rental supply, substandard and non-compliant housing persists, exposing tenants to serious risks. The findings suggest that in high cost cities such as Sydney, the informal sector occupies an important and unrecognised role in housing low-income renters, but that more systemic reforms beyond the planning system are needed to improve housing outcomes for disadvantaged groups.

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In this introduction to the first of two special issues on 'Informal housing practices' we set out the foundations for a research agenda on 'informality' within housing scholarship, and propose initial implications for policy and practice. In doing so we draw from the rich conceptual work by urban geographers and political economists who situate informality within wider processes of neoliberalism, globalisation and deregulation, as well as the small but emerging body of research by housing scholars who see informal housing as both a symptom of, and potential solution to, unmet housing need. Our jumping off point for the special issues was an interest in the dimensions of informal housing manifesting in expensive cities and regions of the global north, where the veneer of 'formal' urban development and housing markets render informal housing practices largely invisible. Grounded within this context, papers in this issue illuminate different dimensions of informal housing practice; from the physical transformation of dwellings through to the ways in which individuals navigate shared domestic space; or how policy makers seek to expand low cost rental markets by legitimising secondary dwellings and micro-apartments. Drawing on the wider literature on informality and the role of the state in producing/resolving unmet housing need; we argue that informal housing practices warrant further research and policy attention, particularly with respect to cities and regions of the global north.

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PurposeThe main objective of this paper is to critically assess sustainable development in the context of Behramkale, a vernacular village in Türkiye.Design/methodology/approachVernacular Heritage Sustainable Architecture analysis framework has been adopted to understand and assess vernacular architecture and sustainable development in Behramkale.FindingsThe vernacular design of the old Behramkale settlement has shown more sustainable characteristics as compared to the new development area. Key findings show that trade-offs were made with respect to environmental and sociocultural aspects of sustainable development to achieve economic sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research with more in-depth interviews would be helpful to find out the inhabitants’ response to the conservation practices.Practical implicationsBased on the research conducted, life cycle analysis and sustainable strategies of vernacular settlements can be useful tools to design, develop and improve old settlements, as well as newly established settlements.Social implicationsKey lessons learned from conservation practices can help to identify well-adapted solutions to respond to the needs of local communities in Türkiye and similar vernacular settlements in the Mediterranean region.Originality/valueThis paper critically assesses sustainable development in the context of vernacular architecture, heritage conservation and rural sustainability. Conservation practices in Türkiye are evaluated deeply as there is limited research in this field within the Mediterranean heritage conversation and sustainable development context.

Airbnb, the most ubiquitous of the many online short-term rental platforms offering residential homes to tourists, has infiltrated local neighbourhoods and housing markets throughout the world. It has also divided policy-makers and communities over whether tourism in residential homes is a benign example of the so-called ‘sharing’ economy or a malignant practice which destroys neighbourhoods. These differing positions reflect alternative and changing notions of ‘home’ within wider processes of financialisation and platform capitalism. This paper examines these themes with reference to stakeholder statements solicited in response to government inquiries on how to regulate short-term rental housing in Australia.