So off topic it hurts: I never understood the complaint.

"I don't even meet people at my ward! It's dead, empty! So, away with the neighbourhoods!"

What does that matter? No, really.

Is it this?: devs say they wanted neighbourhoods > our housing system has neighbourhoods > the housing system also has limited vacancy > people hate that, people wanting but not having houses especially hate that > people judge the virtual emptiness of the wards as Bad Thing about housing system

So: wards not being hangout place is bad because wards not being hangout place is bad.

We can lock the stupid houses, tho. No one may come in and see us if we so choose. Having bunch of people around is not anyone's entitlement .