Search results

Providing operational approach to end-users' motivational tendencies in housing facilitates user-centered approach enhancing person-environment congruence. The operational approach is highly critical in case of inaccessibility of end-users in decision making, i.e. mass housing. Therefore, this study aims at explaining end-users' housing motivations from their housing attributes preferences, through a theoretical framework developed based on Maslow's theory. The investigation was carried out by using a self-administered questionnaire conducted on 127 Iranian postgraduate students of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and their spouse who lived alongside them. They were selected from those who lived more than one year in mass housing apartments in Malaysia. Using exploratory factor analysis, the housing attributes preferences were analyzed to underlie the latent structure and relations among them; the extracted factors were also labeled based on the different level of needs. Then, conducting one sample t-test hierarchical tendencies among the different motivational factors were identified. Referring to Maslow's theory to explain the concept and characteristics of housing needs results in identification of two different categories of housing attributes in association with the different level of needs. Accordingly, primary levels of needs that associate with relatively tangible and concrete attributes are more likely to be content-specific and predictable. The higher levels of needs that associate with relatively complicated and abstract attributes are more likely to be problematical, confusing, and non-predictable.

Addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities is an essential part of a recovery programme that has distinct links to livelihoods, health, education, security and social and family stability. The housing factor acts as a social centre for family and friends, a source of pride and cultural identity and a resource that commands both political and economic importance. Therefore, addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities should be seen as a mode to promote resilience and sustainable communities. Instead, the consideration of housing needs merely as a physical need results in many issues to the communities, including no access to livelihood, poor living condition, health problems, lack of financial independence, lack of social satisfaction and social cohesion, and sometimes even recreates and worsens the existing vulnerabilities of displaced communities. Within this context, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors to consider when addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities, promoting resilience and sustainable communities.

The research team of the project titled REbuildinG AfteR Displacement (REGARD) conducted 47 in-depth interviews in four partner countries (the UK, Sweden, Estonia and Sri Lanka) with officials, community representatives, social support networks, agency networks, etc. Apart from that, focus group discussions were conducted with the community members in Sri Lanka covering both conflict-induced and disaster-induced displacement.

The findings of this paper revealed that the housing factor has a significant role in rebuilding communities and determining the long-term satisfaction of displaced communities. Further, the results present eight essential factors to consider when addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities, promoting resilient and sustainable communities.

The findings are helpful for future planners, urban designers, architects and policymakers who work in the resettlement field. Planners, urban designers and architects can use these identified factors to cross-check their resettlement planning and designing strategies in addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities. Further, policymakers can mainstream these identified factors into the resettlement housing-related policies and regulations.

Addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities is an essential part of a recovery programme that has distinct links to livelihoods, health, education, security and social and family stability. The housing factor acts as a social centre for family and friends, a source of pride and cultural identity and a resource that commands both political and economic importance. Therefore, addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities should be seen as a mode to promote resilience and sustainable communities. Instead, the consideration of housing needs merely as a physical need results in many issues to the communities, including no access to livelihood, poor living condition, health problems, lack of financial independence, lack of social satisfaction and social cohesion, and sometimes even recreates and worsens the existing vulnerabilities of displaced communities. Within this context, this paper investigates the factors to consider when addressing the housing needs of the displaced communities, promoting resilience and sustainable communities.

There is an integral link between theory and measurement suggesting that validation of measures should be the first stage of theory testing. The purpose of this paper is to validate the factorial validity of needs and expectations (NAE) features as determinants of low-income residents’ housing satisfaction in South Africa.

Empirical data were collected by a questionnaire survey conducted among 751 low-income housing residents’ in three metropolitan and one district municipality in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Data gathered via the questionnaire survey were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) version 6.2 which was used to assess the factorial structure of the constructs.

SEM analysis revealed that the internal consistency coefficients were over 0.70 criterion for acceptability and the constructs showed a good mode fit to the sample data. The Z-statistics analysis revealed that the construct (NAE) have direct influence in determining low-income residents’ satisfaction with their houses.

The SEM result advocates a practical consideration of the construct and its respective indicator variables in future development of low-income housing in South Africa.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a Housing Eligibility Assessment Scoring Method (HEASM) for low-income Urgent Repair Programs (URPs).

In order to develop a practical HEASM that incorporates the prevailing eligibility assessment criteria for low-income URPs, a case study research approach was adopted. Emergent themes and patterns in predominant eligibility assessment criteria and methods are derived from program documents utilized by a successful State Urgent Repair Program (SURP) and its 42 Community Partners operating in the Southeastern region of the USA. Coupled with interviews and the expert analysis of SURP staff, the quantitative analysis of 11,414 repaired homes and literature reviews were used to categorize predominant eligible housing repairs and costs.

The five key eligibility assessment criteria categories that emerged from the data analysis are: location, owner-occupancy, family needs, housing repair, and estimated repair costs. The framework of the proposed HEASM is guided by these five categories.

URP decision makers are provided with a simple, practical, and objective eligibility assessment method that can be easily modified to accommodate the unique eligibility criteria and local program conditions. This method should improve the eligibility assessment, prioritization, and the eventual selection of qualifying applicants. Consequently, the capacity of URPs to provide funding to their targeted populations with the most critical needs would be enhanced. Insights could drive the impetus to modify existing URP.

Prolonged life expectancy coupled with the retirement of the “post war baby boomers” has resulted in an exponential rise in the 50+ population, peaking in the UK in 2035. Recognising that longevity is often not accompanied by health, mobility or quality of life, the “shifting the balance of care” agenda promotes an integrated care model based around the resident’s home. This study aims to explore the adaptability of the existing social housing stock and how it relates to the requirements and preferences of the ageing population.

This research focuses at the local authority level, with the lead author embedded within North Ayrshire Council to establish the evidence base for their housing strategy for older people. Following a constructivist grounded theory approach, key themes emerge through consultation with a working group, wider stakeholder groups and an iterative review of policy and literature. These themes were explored through an evidence base of available health and housing datasets, and a questionnaire survey of 1,500+ people aged 50+ exploring housing preferences and needs for older people; six focus groups split between residents and social housing providers and stakeholder interviews.

The scale and acute nature of the problem facing social housing providers is highlighted and reveals an alarming information gap within housing data sets, exposing an in-balance between the supply and demand and realising the cost implications for adapting the housing stock.

It is important to resolve this information gap to develop the social housing stock to respond to preferences and establish solutions appropriate for its residents.

This work strengthens calls for a cohesive and integrated housing, health and social care system and exposes the challenge of delivering this at a local authority level.

This article considers how current national policies could include disadvantaged groups or people with disabilities so that they have more equality of opportunity in the housing system. It looks at identifying needs, the delivery of social housing through the Housing Corporation and housing associations, and the social housing options of rented and low‐cost home‐ownership schemes. It also explores the way forward and some of the challenges involved for government and professionals if they are to help vulnerable people or those with disabilities to live in more ordinary housing. In National Service Frameworks and other guidance the Government expects special groups to have the same rights and choices over where and how they live. For example Valuing People, the learning disability White Paper, tells us that people with learning disabilities can live successfully in different types of housing and can cope with different forms of tenure. This is true of other vulnerable people too, yet many still live with their families or are offered ‘placements’ or specialist homes. How can we use housing policy to ensure we can meet some of these challenges?

The Papworth Trust and Habinteg Housing Association have just launched the findings of a two‐year research programme into the need for better housing and support for disabled people. A planning model or ‘toolkit’ has been produced based on the approach developed by the researchers (Pathways Research), which can be used by any local authority to evaluate the housing needs of wheelchair users.

Wheelchair users face particular design and accessibility barriers, both in and around the home and in the wider environment. The majority of homes in England (84%) do not allow someone using a wheelchair to get to and through the front door without difficulty, and only 0.5% of homes are reported to be ‘accessible and adaptable’. Habinteg Housing Association and London South Bank University have undertaken secondary research that presents national and regional estimates of housing need among wheelchair users in England and shows how these figures can be used to produce similar estimates at local authority level. There are three solutions to under‐provision, which should be strategically interlinked: development of new wheelchair standard homes (of all sizes) for both owner‐occupiers and tenants, support for home adaptations across tenures, and more efficient allocation, within social housing, of existing accessible and adaptable homes. This article refers to some of the key issues, results, conclusions and recommendations of the main research report.

Post conflict housing reconstruction is crucial to development and peacekeeping. However, the success of it, is hindered by a number of problems related to a lack of addressing housing needs. The purpose of this paper is to explore how such housing needs can be effectively managed in post conflict housing reconstruction in Sri Lanka.

Using the grounded theory method as the research strategy, unstructured interviews were conducted with policy makers, practitioners, beneficiaries and academics in Sri Lanka. Data were analysed using open, axial and selective coding to develop the theoretical framework.

The study reveals the challenges, contributing factors and strategies in addressing housing needs of accessibility, habitability, affordability, location, facilities, cultural considerations and security of land tenure. It also identifies the gaps and recommendations. The paper establishes the links between these and presents a theoretical framework for managing housing needs effectively in post conflict housing reconstruction in Sri Lanka.

This research enhances the success of post conflict housing reconstruction through addressing housing needs effectively, which contributes to sustainable housing development after conflicts.

The study combines the literature from five main areas: conflicts, post conflict, post conflict reconstruction, post conflict housing reconstruction and housing needs and provides a better understanding on how the housing needs can be managed during post conflict housing reconstruction in developing countries based on empirical evidence.