Building Healthy Homes: The Effect of Housing Improvement and Family Norms on Domestic Violence

Abstract

This paper studies whether housing improvements reduce intimate partner violence and whether a family-strengths pledge adds value. Using a three-arm cluster RCT in urban Colombia, we find that upgrading kitchens, floors, and bathrooms reduces IPV, especially emotional violence, and improves family relations. The pledge does not add benefits and may worsen relations, suggesting that social norms are shaped by material conditions.