Influences of Public Rental Housing Supply on Housing Satisfaction, Life Satisfaction, and Marriage Willingness of Unmarried Young Households

Abstract

While the supply of public rental housing for young adults is expanding, studies that empirically verify effects of the policy have been conducted at an insignificant level. In this regard, this study aimed to verify causal effects of the Happy Houses, a representative public rental housing for young households in terms of changes in housing satisfaction, life satisfaction, and marriage willingness of unmarried young residents after moving into houses. To this end, an online survey was conducted targeting unmarried young households residing in the Happy Houses. As a result, it was found that the housing satisfaction, life satisfaction, and marriage willingness of unmarried young households all increased due to moving into public rental housing. In addition, the change of housing satisfaction did not have a direct effect on the change of marriage willingness, but it affected the change of life satisfaction, and the change of the life satisfaction again influenced changes in marriage willingness, showing a complete mediating effect. The results of this study are meaningful in that they showed the effects of supplying public rental housing from various angles and prove that there is a positive effect, thereby providing a basis for this policy to gain social consensus and continue to be implemented.