Collaboration Between Housing and Welfare Departments in Local Governments Nationwide

Overview

This study investigates the actual state of collaboration between housing and welfare departments in local governments across Japan, identifying institutional and operational challenges in residential support. The research reveals that information sharing gaps between departments and the lack of cross-organizational collaboration systems serve as barriers, with particularly severe constraints on human resources and budgets in small-scale municipalities. However, best practices exist, such as establishing residential support councils, creating collaboration conferences, and unifying service windows, which enhance the effectiveness of support. The study emphasizes the need for institutional design that assumes inter-departmental collaboration, flexible operation, and the construction of support models tailored to regional characteristics. The findings contribute to understanding how local governments can better integrate housing and welfare policies to provide comprehensive support for housing-vulnerable populations in an aging society.