Wohnzufriedenheit und Mobilitätsverhalten zwischen der Jugend: Einsichten aus der Post-Sowietischen Stadt Riga

Jānis Krūmiņš,Guido Sechi,Māris Bērziņš

doi:10.4000/belgeo.28347

Abstract

Urban residential areas in the former Soviet Union and Central Eastern Europe have experienced radical demographic and socioeconomic changes, with relevant consequences for residents. Although many studies have addressed post-socialist urban change at the macro level, little is known about individuals’ residential satisfaction. Besides, in this domain, two gaps must be acknowledged. First, most studies on residential satisfaction tend to focus on ‘static’ predictors, overlooking the interrelation of residential satisfaction with mobility behaviour, in spite of it being widely acknowledged in literature. Second, the analysis of residential satisfaction among specific socio-demographic groups tends to overlook younger residents in favour of groups which are considered to be more vulnerable.The aim of this study is to investigate how both mobility and static factors affect young individuals’ assessment of residential satisfaction. The research is based on 2015 panel survey data. The survey sample consists of around 700 permanent residents of Riga in the 15-34 age range. The findings suggest that residential satisfaction is significantly influenced, among other factors, by aspects of everyday mobility. In particular, our results highlight that transport modes and habits significantly affect residential satisfaction among younger residents, whereas they are negligible among elder ones.

Highlights

As for everyday mobility and its modes, they are related to neighbourhood satisfaction by affecting the perception of distance from work, school, shops etc. (Mohit, Adel, 2014)
2 Literature on residential satisfaction has developed in different directions in European and US studies, the former being more focused on differences between rental and ownership, the latter on gender, ethnicity and age differences (Pelin Sarioglu-Erdogdu, 2015)
10 Statistics prove that the residents of inner and outer urban zone are younger than those of panel housing estates built during the Soviet time

Summary

Introduction

2 Literature on residential satisfaction has developed in different directions in European and US studies, the former being more focused on differences between rental and ownership, the latter on gender, ethnicity and age differences (Pelin Sarioglu-Erdogdu, 2015). 11 The empirical analysis was based on panel survey data collected in 2015 and including 2,043 respondents resident in Riga, in the 15-74 age range. 13 The dependent variable (residential satisfaction) is a metric scale built upon psychometric items measured on 4-point Likert scales, measuring satisfaction with the residential environment. Quality of lighting, quality of water infrastructure, quality of public transport and quality of roads are scales built upon psychometric items measured on 4-point Likert scales;. Frequency of use of public transport, car, and bicycle, and attitude towards panel housing estates, are single items measured on 4-point Likert scales;. They are broken down by age groups (respondents aged 15-34 vs respondents aged over 34)

15-34 Over 34 Total

15-34 Over 34 Range

Findings

Discussion of results