2.3 billion lack access to improved sanitation facilities worldwide. Inadequate access to sanitation and hygiene facilities is known to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in low-income countries. In order to ensure adequate needs are met, the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (JMP) set to monitor progress towards ensuring global access to “basic” level sanitation services. Importantly, these “basic” sanitation services by definition only include private household facilities which are not shared with other households. This definition leaves shared or community sanitation facilities out of the “basic” sanitation requirements due to concerns around accessibility, safety, gender equity, and cleanliness. While some studies have identified health risks associated with using a shared sanitation facility (rather than private facilities), there is still an overall lack of evidence to support that there is a significant difference in cleanliness, and subsequent health benefits between private and shared and sanitation facilities. While private toilets may remain the ultimate goal of improved sanitation programs, high-quality shared sanitation facilities may be the best option in some low-income urban settings.