Housing satisfaction and improvement demand considering housing lifestyles of young residents in public rental housing

Abstract

ABSTRACT The supply of public rental housing for young households has been on the rise in South Korea. Their size and composition vary depending on residents’ characteristics. However, even within similar groups, housing satisfaction may differ according to their lifestyle; hence, diversity may exist in the demand for housing improvement. This study identified housing satisfaction and improvement demands according to housing lifestyles of young residents of “Happy House”, a representative public rental housing for young households. The method used in this study was an online survey targeting individuals younger than 39 years and living in Happy Houses. A total of 536 responses were collected, and the respondents were divided into five housing lifestyle clusters despite being from similar groups. Depending on the lifestyle, differences existed in the satisfaction of space composition and size and basic options, such as facilities/furniture/home appliances. In addition, there were also differences in the demand for housing improvements. The group actively using housing for leisure, cultural activities, and social exchanges showed high demands for improvement, such as space composition and basic options. This study can be used as a reference for establishing a housing improvement plan for customizable public rental housing, considering the lifestyles of young adults.