We don't want instanced housing

[Silverbane]

Speak for yourself. Please do not presume to speak for everyone.

He pretty explicitly didn't speak for everyone, just "some of us."

Instanced housing already exists with ward housing so you really don't need to worry on that front.

I think that's accurate. Even if SE abandons development of the ward system in favor of a new system, their track record indicates that they'd probably leave the current ward system in place.

Like the OP, I prefer the neighborhood aesthetic of ward housing, even if I rarely see my neighbors ... if you grew up in many American suburbs, that's what you might be used to anyway.

My only objection to a new housing system is the usual one: I don't personally want it, so I'd rather SE spent their time and energy developing stuff I do want. But what I want is merely what I want: SE will do as they will, and please who they please, and as long as I'm still having fun, that's fine.