Living on the Margins: A Qualitative Analysis of Lived Experience and Social Sustainability Challenges in the Mehr Housing Project (Case Study: Aftab Town, Parand New City)

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore the lived experiences of residents in Aftab Town, Parand New City, and to identify the major social sustainability challenges embedded within the Mehr Housing Project from the perspective of the residents themselves. This research employed a qualitative-interpretive design using thematic analysis to investigate the social and psychological dimensions of life in the Mehr Housing Project. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 residents of Aftab Town who had lived in the settlement for more than five years. Participants were selected using purposive sampling to ensure diversity in age, gender, and residential experience. Interviews lasted between 45 and 70 minutes and focused on themes such as neighborhood identity, social interaction, quality of services, participation in local affairs, and overall life satisfaction. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed based on Braun and Clarke’s six-stage thematic analysis framework. Coding and categorization procedures were conducted using MAXQDA 2022 software. To enhance trustworthiness, member checking, peer debriefing, and data triangulation through field observations and interview notes were employed throughout the analysis process. The thematic analysis revealed four major dimensions of social unsustainability in the lived experiences of residents. The first theme, weak sense of belonging and identity disruption, reflected residents’ inability to establish emotional attachment or neighborhood identity due to repetitive architecture and culturally detached urban design. The second theme, limited social participation and fragile interactions, demonstrated widespread social isolation, low interpersonal trust, and weak community engagement caused by the absence of local institutions and participatory mechanisms. The third theme, deficiencies in urban services and infrastructure, highlighted severe dissatisfaction with healthcare access, transportation systems, educational facilities, recreational spaces, and dependence on Tehran for essential services. The fourth theme, psychological, familial, and economic strain, revealed persistent emotional fatigue, depression, exhaustion caused by long daily commuting, and declining hope regarding future living conditions. Collectively, the findings portray the Mehr Housing experience as a form of “temporary, passive, and isolated” residence that reproduces socio-spatial marginalization despite formal housing provision.