MyTown, the Philippines’ largest co-living company, conducted a second survey among thousands of tenants in April on how the pandemic and resulting community quarantines impacted young professionals, particularly on the importance of community and connection.
The World Health Organization listed “social support networks” as one of the factors that determine health and happiness. MyTown provides such crucial social support networks through fostering a co-living community amongst its tenants, affectionally called “Townees.”
The survey results confirm this, as 71 percent of tenants believe that living in MyTown made them less lonely over the last year, up from 64 percent in 2019 before the pandemic broke out. Over 90 percent see MyTown as a “home away from home,” compared to 80 percent in 2019. Seven of ten tenants believe that MyTown cultivates an environment where they can make new friends and connections despite the lockdowns.
“The pandemic seems to have accelerated urban loneliness, and we see that co-living helps our tenants weather the pandemic better,” said Drixel Ortega, chief customer officer at MyTown.