---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Housing is absolutely essential to human…"
description: "\"Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart.\" — Matthew Desmond"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d4/matthew-desmond-1529_absolutely_housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human_3023584.jpg"
---

#  Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing…

![“Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart.” quote by Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d4/matthew-desmond-1529_absolutely_housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human_3023584.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d4/matthew-desmond-1529_absolutely_housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human_3023584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d4/matthew-desmond-1529_absolutely_housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human_3023584.jpg)

> “Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart.”

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Stable housing is foundational for individuals to thrive and achieve broader well‑being.

**In simple terms:** Housing underpins flourishing.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize securing stable shelter.

Themes

social policy human rights well‑being

Mood

empathetic urgent

Type

policy social

When to use this quote

- policy making
- community development
- personal planning

Key Concepts

urban studies economics public health

Questions to Reflect On

- What policies can improve housing stability?
- How does housing affect other life areas?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Housing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shelter/)

## Related quotes

> [Housing is stability. Housing is dignity. Housing is absolutely necessary, critical infrastructure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/housing-is-stability-housing-is-dignity-housing-is-absolutely/)

[Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/)

> [Because the Internet is a medium, it doesn't care whether it transmits love or hate. It is what we build and who we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caterina-fake/because-the-internet-is-a-medium-it-doesn-t-care-whether-it-transmits/)

[Caterina Fake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caterina-fake/)

> [“I exist to increase human flourishing and decrease human suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bilyeu/i-exist-to-increase-human-flourishing-and-decrease-human-suffering/)

Tom Bilyeu

> [We have to go from what is essentially an industrial model of education, a manufacturing model, which is based on linearity and conformity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/we-have-to-go-from-what-is-essentially-an-industrial-model-of/)

[Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/)

> [“The goal of the machine,” David explained, “is to create a setting where the users can get into a state of deep human flourishing—creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-goal-of-the-machine-david-explained-is-to-create-a-setting-where/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [“I have a feeling that we've seen the dismantling of civilisation, brick by brick, and now we're looking into the void. We thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/i-have-a-feeling-that-we-ve-seen-the-dismantling-of-civilisation/)

[Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/)

> [“We are inundated with advice on where to travel to, but we hear little of why and how we should go, even though the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-are-inundated-with-advice-on-where-to-travel-to-but-we-hear-little/)

[Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/)

> [We would say homosexuality is not the original design for sexuality. Therefore, it’s not good for human flourishing. We want people to do things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/we-would-say-homosexuality-is-not-the-original-design-for-sexuality/)

[Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/)

> [“I’m less interested in proselytizing or a bigger tent for its own sake than in issues of human flourishing. What are the best conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-l-king/i-m-less-interested-in-proselytizing-or-a-bigger-tent-for-its-own/)

Karen L. King

> [The quest for meaning is the key to mental health and human flourishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/the-quest-for-meaning-is-the-key-to-mental-health-and-human/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [To enact a vision of human flourishing based on the qualities of life that Jesus modeled will invariably challenge the given structures of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/to-enact-a-vision-of-human-flourishing-based-on-the-qualities-of-life/)

[James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/)

> [Awakening is not a state but a process: an ethical way of life and commitment that enables human flourishing. As such, it is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-batchelor/awakening-is-not-a-state-but-a-process-an-ethical-way-of-life-and/)

[Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-batchelor/)

> [“Building—or cultivating—the next and deeper layer of social welfare requires the ongoing posing of two questions: How can good conditions and prerequisites for human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanzi-freinacht/building-or-cultivating-the-next-and-deeper-layer-of-social-welfare/)

[Hanzi Freinacht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanzi-freinacht/)

> [Consequentialist theories pretend that we can set some great big ends (the general happiness, human flourishing), provide ourselves with definite enough conceptions of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/consequentialist-theories-pretend-that-we-can-set-some-great-big-ends/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [“Your unconscious wants to entangle you in the thick web of relations that are the essence of human flourishing. It longs and pushes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/your-unconscious-wants-to-entangle-you-in-the-thick-web-of-relations/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

## More by Matthew Desmond

> [I don't think we can fix poverty without fixing housing, and I don't think we can address housing without understanding landlords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-don-t-think-we-can-fix-poverty-without-fixing-housing-and-i-don-t/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [If we continue to tolerate this level of poverty in our cities, and go along with eviction as commonplace in poor neighborhoods, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-we-continue-to-tolerate-this-level-of-poverty-in-our-cities-and-go/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [You see one eviction, and you're overcome, but then there's another one and another one and another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/you-see-one-eviction-and-you-re-overcome-but-then-there-s-another-one/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [When I talk to booksellers, they tell me how hard it is to hand-sell some of my books because I do keep popping around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/when-i-talk-to-booksellers-they-tell-me-how-hard-it-is-to-hand-sell/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [Housing being a top-order issue for cities is something that's not trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-being-a-top-order-issue-for-cities-is-something-that-s-not/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [I think that we value fairness in this country. We value equal opportunity. Without a stable home, those ideals really fall apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-think-that-we-value-fairness-in-this-country-we-value-equal/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [Exploitation. Now, there's a word that has been scrubbed out of the poverty debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/exploitation-now-there-s-a-word-that-has-been-scrubbed-out-of-the/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [I think there are ways that graduate students can fact-check their work. I think there are ways that we can do this that don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-think-there-are-ways-that-graduate-students-can-fact-check-their/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [Fire itself is very beautiful, and there's an attachment to fire that firefighters have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/fire-itself-is-very-beautiful-and-there-s-an-attachment-to-fire-that/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [“Sherrena nodded reassuringly and said, almost to herself, “I guess I got to stop feeling sorry for these people because nobody is feeling sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/sherrena-nodded-reassuringly-and-said-almost-to-herself-i-guess-i-got/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [Everywhere else, we are someone else, but at home, we remove our masks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/everywhere-else-we-are-someone-else-but-at-home-we-remove-our-masks/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [A community that sees so clearly its own disadvantage or its own hardships also has a harder time seeing its potential: its ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/a-community-that-sees-so-clearly-its-own-disadvantage-or-its-own/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [“It was once said that the poor are 'constantly exposed to evidence of their own irrelevance.' Especially for poor African-American families - who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/it-was-once-said-that-the-poor-are-constantly-exposed-to-evidence-of/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [A universal voucher program would change the face of poverty in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/a-universal-voucher-program-would-change-the-face-of-poverty-in-this/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

> [“Wildland firefighters do not enjoy the cultural prestige that structural firefighters do. They do not wax their fire engines and cruise down the local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/wildland-firefighters-do-not-enjoy-the-cultural-prestige-that/)

[Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

[Explore all 230 Matthew Desmond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/)

## More Absolutely quotes

> [I am absolutely my own biggest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/i-am-absolutely-my-own-biggest-critic/)

[Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/)

> [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/)

[David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/)

> [I was brought up by the English side of my family, who are very repressed and working class. Absolutely lovely, but very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-was-brought-up-by-the-english-side-of-my-family-who-are-very/)

[Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/)

> [Nobody ever wins by the cavalry coming to rescue you. It isn't a question of you're happy if you get married, or you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/nobody-ever-wins-by-the-cavalry-coming-to-rescue-you-it-isn-t-a/)

[Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/)

> [“None is absolutely true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-z-lavine/none-is-absolutely-true/)

[T.Z. Lavine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-z-lavine/)

> [The game business arose from computer programs that were written by and for young men in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-laurel/the-game-business-arose-from-computer-programs-that-were-written-by/)

[Brenda Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-laurel/)

> [If I was a man, I would be a drag queen. Honestly, I would. I absolutely love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/if-i-was-a-man-i-would-be-a-drag-queen-honestly-i-would-i-absolutely/)

[Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/)

> [There's very little about being in a functional-M.R.I. scanner that is natural: you are flat on your back, absolutely still, with your head immobilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/there-s-very-little-about-being-in-a-functional-m-r-i-scanner-that-is/)

[Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/)

> [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/)

[Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/)

> [I'm absolutely an Elizabeth Taylor fan!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/i-m-absolutely-an-elizabeth-taylor-fan/)

[Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/)

> [You can absolutely be what you can't see! That's what innovators and disruptors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/you-can-absolutely-be-what-you-can-t-see-that-s-what-innovators-and/)

[Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/)

> [There were a lot of clubs interested in me - a lot, really. But Manchester United appeared and didn't go away. They absolutely wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-di-maria/there-were-a-lot-of-clubs-interested-in-me-a-lot-really-but/)

[Angel Di Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-di-maria/)

> [People look at the same passage, and one person will say this is the best thing he's ever read, and another person will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/people-look-at-the-same-passage-and-one-person-will-say-this-is-the/)

[Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/)

> [I absolutely love 'TOWIE.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-collins/i-absolutely-love-towie/)

[Gemma Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-collins/)

> [Chucky is absolutely still a puppet. He will remain to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-dourif/chucky-is-absolutely-still-a-puppet-he-will-remain-to-be/)

[Fiona Dourif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-dourif/)

Browse all 1,136 Absolutely quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Matthew Desmond"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human-flourishing-without-stable/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Absolutely"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human-flourishing-without-stable/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d4/matthew-desmond-1529_absolutely_housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human_3023584.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d4/matthew-desmond-1529_absolutely_housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human_3023584.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d4/matthew-desmond-1529_absolutely_housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human_3023584.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart.” — Matthew Desmond",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Matthew Desmond",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Housing is absolutely essential to human...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human-flourishing-without-stable/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-is-absolutely-essential-to-human-flourishing-without-stable/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
