*4.4. Land Tenure Security and Social Cohesion*

Land tenure security gives people a sense of autonomy, social identity, and control over their living environment resulting in increased residential stability and reduced stress [115]. The increased residential stability and length of residence contributes to social cohesion, which influences the individual's social health. Social cohesion, social capital, and social networks are important to the material, psychosocial, and political aspects of empowerment that underpin social well-being and equitable health in urban settings. Observation and empirical data, mainly from high-income countries, indicate improvement in health outcomes following improvements in social support and social network [6]. By reducing residential mobility, land tenure security ensures that social ties and networks are maintained. Tenure instabilities deprive people from resources, and from opportunities for socializing. Moreover, the possibility of eviction at any time evokes anxiety, which makes it difficult to retain social ties. On the contrary, guaranteed tenure security creates a foundation for social engagement and strong friendships [126]. This contributes to individual self-esteem, sense of belonging, and community participation. Social mechanisms rely on social interactions between groups to influence behaviors and attitudes, formation of social networks that transmit information, resources, and social support which influences health outcomes [127]. Neighborhoods characterized by informality and insecurity of tenure suffer blemish of place and poor neighborhood reputation [128]. This affects individuals' sense of identity and social status, which leaves a feeling of social exclusion and social stigma. The way these neighborhoods are viewed by different groups including residents and policy makers affects social service provision

which has an influence on health [128]. More formal and secure forms of tenure are associated with enhanced neighborhood reputation which has led many scholars to argue that reducing concentrations of informal and less secure tenures and increasing more mixed communities with secure rights reduces social stigma and exclusion which improves people social well-being and health [127,128]. Thus, secure tenure fosters social health through building strong social networks, sense of community, and participation such as in communal work and clean up campaigns for the social good. Where there is no secure tenure owing to gentrification and residential displacements, households lose the essential security and sense of knowing they can call a place home [116], and this affects a person's social and psychological well-being.
