By Yee Hoi Mun
Malaysia does not have a strong history nor presence in mixed-income housing development, while it has been a widely adopted practice in a number of societies, including our neighbours Singapore.
Mixed-income areas could go some way to combating inequality as living costs in Kuala Lumpur lead to an increasing divide between the wealthy and the poor. The spatial impact of inequality could be seen in segregation, or class-based divisions.
The key of mixed-income housing lies in having both low and high-income housing in the same community, often along with other income groups in between. They can be in the same building, or within the same development compound.
However, it is not fool-proof and without its risks, it comes with potential problems such as gentrification and displacement that may price out already low-income residents.
In that sense, it needs to be approached in a mindful manner that maximises its attractiveness to people from different income brackets yet does not bring forth displacement.