What is social diversity?

A popular notion in public policy, social mix means encouraging the cohabitation of people from diverse origins and socio-demographic characteristics in the same space. Yet this notion remains ambiguous and raises major questions and challenges, particularly in a context of housing crisis.

Since the enactment of the SRU (Solidarité et Renouvellement Urbain) law in 2000, which imposes a social housing quota on certain municipalities, social diversity has become a strategic objective and a guiding principle.

But what room for maneuver is there in its application at local level? What challenges do local housing policies and local players face? Finally, is the initial postulate that living side by side strengthens social ties still valid today?