Iranian Geography and Urban Planning Association Sustainable city 2476-6631 Articles in Press 2026 06 30 Exploration of Effective Parameters for Social Sustainability in Residential Complexes, Case study: Bandar Abbas Exploration of Effective Parameters for Social Sustainability in Residential Complexes, Case study: Bandar Abbas 246505 10.22034/jsc.2026.553640.1893 FA Maryam Charkhchian Department of Architecture, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin Iran Masoud Kenanizadeh Bahmani Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Payam Noor University(PNU), Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 10 16 The rapid growth of urban populations and uncontrolled construction in Iran’s southern cities has increasingly attracted the attentions to social sustainability indicators in residential complexes. Bandar Abbas, as one of the most populous cities in southern Iran, faces challenges such as declining quality of life, social interactions, and resident satisfaction in their communities. This study aims to identify the factors affecting social sustainability in residential complexes and to explore their diverse dimensions initially. In the next step, the study examines those factors in four residential complexes of "Payambare Azam" district - a recently constructed area in Bandar Abbas - in order to propose design strategies for enhancing social sustainability. With this aim in mind, the role of five dimensions based on literature review including: social participation, resident satisfaction, social identity, sense of security, access to services and facilities and sense of security; were examined using a survey methodology. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered in four selected communities in "Payambare Azam" district and in total 384 residents were interviewed. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software utilizing different analyses including Pearson Correlation, ANOVA test, and Regression analysis (by two models). The results indicated that although all five mentioned dimensions indicated meaningful correlation with social sustainability (P-value<0.05) but in the ANOVA test only “sense of security” had a significant difference among respondent groups (sig= 0.12, F=3.72). On the contrary, the regression analysis emphasized on the satisfaction (sig=0.00, T= 0.483) and social participation (sig= 0.00, T= 0.683) as the key predictors for social sustainability. The rapid growth of urban populations and uncontrolled construction in Iran’s southern cities has increasingly attracted the attentions to social sustainability indicators in residential complexes. Bandar Abbas, as one of the most populous cities in southern Iran, faces challenges such as declining quality of life, social interactions, and resident satisfaction in their communities. This study aims to identify the factors affecting social sustainability in residential complexes and to explore their diverse dimensions initially. In the next step, the study examines those factors in four residential complexes of "Payambare Azam" district - a recently constructed area in Bandar Abbas - in order to propose design strategies for enhancing social sustainability. With this aim in mind, the role of five dimensions based on literature review including: social participation, resident satisfaction, social identity, sense of security, access to services and facilities and sense of security; were examined using a survey methodology. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered in four selected communities in "Payambare Azam" district and in total 384 residents were interviewed. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software utilizing different analyses including Pearson Correlation, ANOVA test, and Regression analysis (by two models). The results indicated that although all five mentioned dimensions indicated meaningful correlation with social sustainability (P-value<0.05) but in the ANOVA test only “sense of security” had a significant difference among respondent groups (sig= 0.12, F=3.72). On the contrary, the regression analysis emphasized on the satisfaction (sig=0.00, T= 0.483) and social participation (sig= 0.00, T= 0.683) as the key predictors for social sustainability.