Shelter

Shelters are the primary residence of your Villagers, their defense against the harsh elements of the frontier, and their source of comfort and recuperation after a long day's work.

Villagers without a residence will have difficulty surviving winter months and will be more prone to Maladies generally, especially those related to extreme weather conditions.

Adequate Shelter access is also a key component of Villager Happiness, without adequate shelter availability, a settlement will experience reduced immigration and local births alongside a greater chance of emigration.

NOTE: See Immigration, Emigration & More for additional details

Upgrade Information
Meeting Villager needs will eventually encourage them to begin upgrading their houses to the next tier, albeit at a cost of additional resources.

However, despite the cost, upgraded Shelters are both a requirement for continued Town Center development (and thus unlocking additional building options) as well as an increased source of revenue.


 * Shelters of Homestead quality and above generate a baseline revenue simply by existing
 * Shelters of Homestead quality and above also consume an ever-greater mix of luxury goods, which act as a secondary source for passive income
 * At Tiers 3 (Large House) and 4 (Manor), Shelters also hold an increased number of residents, improving household density.

Basic Strategy
Shelters are the only building (as of 0.7.6) that are impacted by Desirability, so while Shelters may be relocated, care should be used when considering construction of residential districts and placement of buildings with positive and negative desirability impacts.

Initially, primary (positive) buildings to keep in range include Wells, Markets (which generates additional passive Income), and decorations that boost desirability.

NOTE: For layout examples, review those provided on the City Layouts page