Problem, research strategy, and findings Globally, house sharing among unrelated individuals is on the rise. In this study I use a rare data opportunity to uncover the role of gender in an extreme form of shared housing, the case of bed space rentals in Shanghai (China). Combining web-scraped online data with fieldwork, I find that women face gendered hindrances as they trade personal space for spatial access to opportunities. In particular, barriers to entry restrict women’s choices in this housing submarket. In addition, they pay a premium of almost 10% to rent in better, less crowded conditions. This rent premium is driven by distinctively gendered housing needs, including concerns for personal safety. My findings are somewhat constrained by the geographical scope. Although contemporary urban China is facing many of the pressures that have been documented in growing cities globally, Chinese cities are uniquely shaped by the country’s socioeconomic and cultural context, including culturally specific gender norms, economic transition, and the hukou household registration system. Still, the findings provide important impetus for gender-conscious planning approaches to shared housing beyond the Chinese context.Takeaway for practice The absence of planning solutions for young adults who increasingly navigate prolonged housing transitions has led to a diversity of informal affordable housing strategies, including sharing of accommodation. Because house sharing ostensibly disadvantages women and potentially puts them at risk, planners need to engage gender in approaching the emergent shared housing trend.
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