Forced nomadism and housing evictions in Brussels: cycles of un-homing and re-homing

Housing is a key fundamental requirement of life. However, a significant number of people in the Global South are poorly housed. We answer three questions on Ghana’s housing deficit and quality trends for over 20 years using the Population and Housing Census data. First, what role does government housing policy play in understanding the demand and supply of housing in Ghana? Second, what is the trend in the quality of housing in Ghana? Finally, what are the determinants of the housing quality index, ownership and types in Ghana? The findings show that housing quality in Ghana increased within the study period. The study further unearths that there is an increase in the share of households in sufficient and excellent housing quality classes and a decrease in the share of households in the highly deficient and deficient housing quality classes. We recommend that policymakers encourage the use of durable building materials and improve housing services to promote housing quality in Ghana.

IntroductionHousing security is a likely indicator of loneliness (Gierveld et. al. 2015, Gonyea et. al. 2018) but there are few studies that focus specifically on the relationship between the two. This paper presents findings from a New Zealand Ageing Well National Science Challenge research programme that presents findings on the impacts of housing and living standards on loneliness and social exclusion. Method: This presentation will provide results from a study of 200+ Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) aged 50 years and over. Key questions around loneliness and social isolation were co-created with the participants and responses compared with standard international scales to help identify both universal aspects of loneliness and culturally specific aspects. Questions relating to housing security, affordability, living standards and neighbourhood safety were also asked. Regression analysis was used to test the statistical significance of the various relationships between differing aspects of housing and loneliness.ResultsThe results demonstrate statistically significant relationships between housing quality, affordability, living standards and neighbourhood suitability with both the universal and culturally specific scales of loneliness. Overall greater housing security and quality was shown to be negatively associated with loneliness, which suggests it contributes to the reduction of loneliness.ConclusionAddressing the quality of social connections has often been seen as the key way to address loneliness. The results of this study suggest housing security and living standards play an important role in people’s perception of loneliness and their experience of it, as well.

Abstract. Initially, the need for housing was a matter of providing shelter but after satisfying this basic human need, users` expectation of housing has increased. Due to the population growth and increased need for housing followed with a rise in construction statistics, paying attention to quantitative and qualitative criteria is particularly important. This study is of a descriptive - analytic type and its overall purpose is to identify the effects of government policies on improving housing quality and quantity of housing in the city of Sari. The main hypothesis of this study is the effectiveness of government policies on the quality and quantity of housing in the city of Sari, and after carrying out surveys, data was collected by means of questionnaires and analyzed through SPSS software. The results of the study showed that applied government policies in Housing and Urban Development system have improved the quantity and quality of housing in this city that the most effective policies were the ones related to providing banking facilities for the construction and reconstruction of housing units and the least effective ones were the ones related to importing building materials from outside the country.

A growing body of research underscores housing security as a critical determinant of healthy community living. Another body of research finds that households with people with disability are more likely to live in poor-quality housing and neighborhoods, challenging their ability for community engagement and healthy living. In this paper we focus on housing security indicators for two groups, households with a disabled member and households with a disabled member in need of long-term services and supports (LTSS). Our empirical goals are twofold: 1) Extend existing research on disparities in housing security for households with a disabled member compared to non-disability households overall, and 2) Compare housing security among LTSS disability, non-LTSS disability, and non-disability households. Using 2017 American Housing Survey data, we measure housing security in three areas: housing quality, neighborhood quality, and housing affordability. Weighted descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regressions show that households with members with disabilities overall and LTSS disability households specifically consistently have the worst housing outcomes. Despite concerted efforts and federal law, LTSS disability households continue to live in poorer-quality housing and neighborhoods than non-LTSS disability households. Addressing these housing inequities is critical to enable people with disabilities to live healthier and community-integrated lives.

This introduction to the Special Issue on ‘Two peas in a pod? How to mix methods in ethnic and migration studies’ highlights scholars’ experiences and reflections on doing mixed methods research within ethnic and migration studies. Doing so, this Special issue presents two core contributions: (1) providing personal insights into how to do mixed methods research and (2) understanding and reducing the barriers to mixing methods while creating opportunities towards more and better mixing. This Introduction builds on the lessons learned by and reflections of its authors and tries to generate an honest picture of what integrating methods can look like, simultaneously providing practical take-away messages for those wanting to mix methods, or for those who come across mixed methods endeavours as supervisors, reviewers or editors. Combining these insights and experiences has pushed our thinking on what mixing and methods exactly are and could be. Accordingly, in this Introduction, we critically discuss and raise questions on current definitions of ‘mixed methods’ which implies mixing more than just methods, and we hope to provide insights beyond textbook knowledge, also setting out a research agenda for enabling mixed methods research in the field of ethnic and migration studies and beyond.

As in many European states, a shortage of housing in England has resulted in some families who are ‘waiting for’ adequate and secure housing in England while also having the ‘weight of’ their children being placed outside their care hanging over them. This paper reports on the development of a practice guidance document that included an online survey with 38 children’s social services practitioners in England regarding their practice experiences of responding to family homelessness. Findings suggest the complexity of the issue of family homelessness and implicitly highlight its neglect within contemporary research and policy in the UK. Homeless families are caught between the constraints of housing shortages and the complexity of the needs underpinning their homelessness. Despite these constraints, social work practice has an important role to play in providing, or facilitating families’ pathway to, housing advocacy and advice. Most importantly of all, social work practice can maximise families’ access to statutory family support provision so that families can be helped to remain together wherever this is safely possible. Suggestions for practice, policy, and research development are outlined.

OBJECTIVE In this reflection I discuss my conceptual ideas and the latest empirical findings regarding the connections between leaving the parental home, marriage, parenthood, and separation on the one hand, and housing on the other. I also discuss the limitations of the research and directions for future research. CONCLUSIONS Parental housing of good quality keeps specific categories of potential nest-leavers in the parental home, but is also positively associated with the likelihood of young adults starting their housing careers as homeowners. The connections between housing and marriage and between housing and parenthood can be characterized using the concepts of housing space, quality, and safety or security - all three of which married couples and families need more than singles - and flexibility, which couples and families need less. These four needs are strongly subject to social norms. There is a strong tendency for married couples and prospective families to move into home ownership and higher quality homes. Separation tends to lead ex-partners with lower moving costs and fewer resources to move from the joint home, and tends to lead to a longer lasting decrease in housing quality, particularly for women. Future research could focus on the impact of housing on the transformation of dating partnerships into co-residential partnerships, the impact of housing quality and home ownership on the quality of partner relationships, partnership and housing histories rather than single events and short-term effects, unraveling the causal connections between family and housing, and incorporating the impact of the socio-spatial context in the research.

Background and Objective: Housing is one of real phenomenon and primary subjects that human always face with and he/she is trying to it’s transition and finding proper , rational response for it. Currently , presented subject about housing at world level relate to deficiency and shortage of housing and resident units and also discussions about resident and housing units quality don’t regard in some places approximately. It is regarded for housing and resident planning in every city and finding housing quality space measurement response is one of basic requirements. So , the aim and purpose of current research is measuring housing indices space inequalities at Ardebil city in order to implementation correct and better planning for housing part. Method: Current research is applied according to aim& purpose and it is analytical- descriptive based on nature and used methodology. Requirement data were extracted from Ardebil city statistical data blocks at 1390. Research statistical society in Ardebil city at 1390 include statistical blocks. To investigation of inequality position of housing quality indices and recognition of space pattern , inequality development ; we have been used spatial statistical models , Hot Spot analysis, Morans I spatial auto- correlation in Arc/GIS software. Findings: According to implemented studies , Ardebil city blocks are located in inequality position based on housing quality indices and also districts , regions and sectors which they are located on Northwest and Western parts ; have improper situation about housing quality indices , but central and southern sectors of this city have proper position in mentioned subject.. Discussion and Conclusion: Housing quality indices with inequality distribution pattern in Ardebil city study by clustering method and also there is significant relationship between housing quality and social classes in this city. It is necessary to regard urban planning , housing plans in Ardebil city and Northern , Northwest ( Urban –Rural tissue) parts and they need more pay attention.

Sometimes ‘mixed methods designs’ are considered a winner for obtaining research grants, but a close-to-certain reject when publishing. Evidently, reality is more complex. At the same time, these considerations are grounded in actual experiences, observations and the structure of our epistemic community. In this contribution, we will reflect on this structure, particularly in ethnic and migration studies, as such reflection is particularly interesting for a case that is strongly interdisciplinary, which might pave the way as well as lead to double jeopardy (running into reviewers disliking the method and the disciplinary perspective). First, we will sketch a (quantitative) background of the definition and prevalence of mixed methods research in ethnic and migration journals. Next, and based on migration scholars’ experiences with mixed methods research and often heard ideas, we will chart and discuss the structural barriers that hamper mixed methods research (from journal word counts to unqualified reviewers). Third, based on these barriers or hurdles as we will label them, both structural and practical solutions are discussed, leading to a wish list for facilitating high-quality mixed methods research.

Determining which functions can best be performed by public or private organizations most efficiently, effectively, or equitably is a fundamental issue in privatization theory. The purpose of this article is to examine this question relative to the privatization of public housing management. The implications of privatization are substantial in terms of public employment patterns and operating procedures and processes related to U.S. public housing. Based on the data from a study of the privatization of public housing management in a major U.S. metropolitan area, it is concluded that the privatization of U.S. public housing management will likely produce substantial cost savings because of rigidities in the purchasing and personnel systems of local housing authorities. These savings can be gained without a decrease in housing quality. The true cost of greater efficiency in this case appears to be in terms of equity to clients, that is, a decrease in the availability of social services.

Machine learning enables machines to learn rules from a large amount of data input from the outside world through algorithms, so as to identify and judge. It is the main task of the government to further emphasize the importance of improving the housing security mechanism, expand the proportion of affordable housing, increase financial investment, improve the construction quality of affordable housing, and ensure fair distribution. It can be seen that the legal system of housing security is essentially a system to solve the social problems brought by housing marketization, and it is an important part of the whole national housing system. More and more attention has been paid to solving the housing difficulties of low‐ and middle‐income people and establishing a housing security legal system suitable for China’s national conditions and development stage. Aiming at the deep learning problem, a text matching algorithm suitable for the field of housing law and policy is proposed. Classifier based on matching algorithm is a promising classification technology. The research on the legal system of housing security is in the exploratory stage, involving various theoretical and practical research studies. Compare the improved depth learning algorithm with the general algorithm, so as to clearly understand the advantages and disadvantages of the improved depth learning algorithm and depth learning algorithm. This paper introduces the practical application of the deep learning model and fast learning algorithm in detail. Creatively put forward to transform it into an independent public law basis or into an independent savings system.

This paper discusses about the quality management of security housing. The paper analyzes quality problems which happened in the process of security housing construction, and analyzes the factors of impaction about the quality of security housing. There are some uncoordinated points and problems between the public goods characteristics of security housing and the policies about these characteristics and security housing construction quality. In the end it proposes specific countermeasures to solve the quality problems. Construction security housing is a systemic engineering and it needs multi-joint efforts and coordinated function of all participants.

The role of Islamic social finance instruments in providing services in Nigeria

In Ghana, public housing which is provided mainly for government employees plays an important role in socio-economic development. For instance, civil servants are more likely to accept transfers to areas where their services are most needed. Unfortunately, attention to public housing in Ghana has diminished over the years largely due to shift in policy focus towards the enablement approach. That is, private-sector-led housing production. The result is that, public housing conditions and quality continuous to deteriorate due largely to lack of maintenance. This is evident in many research and news publications, and the visible signs of deterioration such as leaking roofs, rotten ceilings, cracked walls, faded paint, and dysfunctional electrical and plumbing systems. Therefore, this thesis proposes an approach to management by local authorities that may bring about maintenance and lead to better conditions/quality of public housing. The approach proposes a defined structure with roles, responsibilities and relationships for the district assembly, the district coordinating director, the housing unit of the local authority, the works department, and tenants. It outlines a defined protocol for addressing repairs and maintenance including mechanisms to receive and respond to everyday repairs from tenants. Furthermore, it proposes that district assemblies should be fully responsible for determining and collecting rents so as to ensure reliable and secure finance for maintenance. It recommends the participation of tenants in management through mechanisms such as regular meetings or tenant representatives. Finally, it recommends mechanisms such as planning, budgeting, and submission of annual accounts to monitor and ensure that rents are spent on maintenance.

Disasters cause great damage, destruction and human suffering. They test local capacity to respond to them. Unless a disaster management system has implemented a mitigation program and provided a comprehensive, effective plan, the consequences of a disaster will be amplified. In the wake of a disaster, adjustments to the plan, coherent requests for assistance and a willingness to coordinate with other institutions are critical requirements. Decision-making must be efficient and based on context-specific problem solving. Balanced with this is the need to redeploy resources in new ways and to regain trust from communities, so that they are not working to different purposes. These conditions therefore require strength in particular capabilities. This study highlights capability in institutions, human resources, policy making, finance, technical capacity and leadership as key functional success factors for local government in managing a disaster at the local government level. The study focuses on local government because local government is the institution closest to the community and plays an important role in a disaster management system. The research framework of this study articulates a model for local government in managing a disaster, the requirements needed, obstacles that may be faced by local government, and networking that occurs with all levels of government, NGOs and the community. The research is focuses on the Bantul local government, Indonesia, as a case study in managing the 2006 earthquake. The study is an exploratory and intrinsic case study. In order to increase reliability and validity, mixed method research was used. Information related to literature-identified key natural disaster responses was collected through in-depth and semi-structured interview with 40 key informants. Informants interviewed were varied from the central government, the provincial regional government, local government, community leaders, local NGOs and international NGOs who were involved during and after the earthquake. To support the interview findings, researcher also conducted a community leader survey in three districts where destruction was greatest and most deaths and injuries occurred. Qualitative data was analysed using NVivo; SPSS was used to analyse quantitative data. The study finds that: (1) The lack of a strategic framework for disaster management, lack of disaster mitigation and preparedness programmes and limited knowledge on the part of local government existed in Bantul before the 2006 earthquake and resulted in paralysis of the government’s mobilisation and organisation; (2) Although Bantul had never previously had to manage such a disaster, local government capability shows favourable results in terms of institutions, human resources, policy for effective implementation, finance, technical capacity and leadership; (3) Collaborative leadership revealed in the Bantul case indicates decisive action as the critical competency in managing disaster; (4) Building trust between local government and public, private and not-for-profit organisations contributed to the success of disaster response and recovery in Bantul; (5) Organisation, the budget, attitudes, local expertise and volunteers are the most crucial problems at each stage of disaster management; and (6) Social capital, local culture and local wisdom contributed significantly to the effective recovery result in Bantul.