RESIDENTIAL RELOCATION AND CHILDREN’S SATISFACTION WITH MASS HOUSING

Abstract

This article investigates the effects of relocation on children’s satisfaction with mass housing built in the context of squatter housing regeneration. The results are based on a survey and group interviews with 137 nine-to-twelve-year-old children living in three mass housing developments in Ankara, Turkey. At the home level, it was found that while there was no significant change in the satisfaction level of children who moved to an outer-city mass housing development, satisfaction scores significantly increased among children who moved to inner-city estates. Moving from squatter or non-squatter housing did not significantly influence children’s dwelling satisfaction. At the neighbourhood level, regardless of their location in the city, satisfaction scores significantly decreased among children who moved from a formal neighbourhood; no significant change was observed among children who moved from a squatter settlement. Depending on where they moved from and their current place of residence, children explained the change in their residential satisfaction by referring to different dwelling and neighbourhood characteristics. Nevertheless, after relocation, all children mentioned some issues, such as the loss of home gardens, low-traffic volume streets, traditional commercial establishments, and parks and playgrounds with diverse activity areas and furniture.