Changing Housing Policy Research Articles

The Role of Changing Housing Policies in Housing Affordability and Accessibility in Developing Countries: The Case of Kenya.

Rapid urbanization has led to the influx of people into urban areas as people seek better life opportunities. This migration has however largely not been planned, resulting in population explosions in the cities. Relying on existing research on the topic and government reports, this study finds that many middle and low-income families in Kenya have ended up living in informal settlements in urban areas due to housing unaffordability. The study further determines that the problem of housing is more pronounced in developing countries. Studies related to this issue establish that the housing crisis cannot only be attributed to rural-urban migration but also other factors like failed housing policies, poor housing financial systems, too much interference in the running of housing by the government and complex land tenure systems among others. This research, therefore, identifies the critical housing crisis issues, housing policy gaps in Kenya and proposes policy actions and the potential role of governments in a housing market to address affordability challenges. The study establishes the role of government and other institutions in the housing sector and proposes the land and housing reforms which can add knowledge to future research in similar areas.

The right to stay put: Resistance and organizing in the wake of changing housing policies in Sweden

Tenants in Sweden increasingly face rising rents and displacement due to decades of ongoing housing deregulation. In this text, we explore different manifestations of these injustices, and reflect upon consequences and responses as they crystalize locally. By visiting the three cities of Stockholm, Malmö and Uppsala, we highlight three different examples of how tenants respond and formulate protests vis-a-vis privatization through tenure conversion (Stockholm), gentrification spurred by private rental actors (Malmö) and battles over green space and displacement in the rental housing stock (Uppsala). These vignettes exemplify how policy changes play out in different local settings and illustrate how resistance manifests itself on the ground.

Residential Segregation in Warsaw and its Metropolitan Area in the Context of Changing Housing Policy

Warsaw and its metropolitan area seem an interesting testing ground for research on the phenomenon of residential segregation in the context of the evolution of housing policy, since the city has been subject to significant changes as a result of historical events. Each of these contributed to alterations in the level and the character of residential segregation. The goal of this article is to answer the following question: Was the changing housing policy in Warsaw and the surrounding metropolitan area during the transformation period and afterwards accompanied by a modification of the segregation structure and what differences can be noticed in the whole of the metropolitan area and in the city itself?

Housing market and class formation in the Colombo Metropolitan Region: a sociological aspect

The main focus of the study is on understanding the emerging relationship between state, market and social classes in the Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) in the context of emerging housing market and citizens’ access to a livable house in the Colombo city and its suburbs. This main objective is achieved through the questions of enquiry, listed as: to identify the role of state on formulating various housing policies and their implementation; to describe emerging institutional mechanisms, public or private in facilitating, developing and implementing land and housing properties; to investigate the housing market and its socio-economic impacts on the residents of three communities under focus; to examine residential patterns and formation of social classes in the communities; and to enquire into the nature and forms of relationship among the state, the market and the social classes in regard to urban housing. The main research question addressed in this study is to investigate the impact of recent neoliberalisation policy on urban housing, more so in the context of CMR. The commercialization of housing as a commodity by the private builders, whom the state has found impossible to exclude, due to its dwindling resources and infra-structure, has successfully manipulated the consumerist zeal of consumers, both rich and poor alike, obsessed with status consciousness. Three housing units have been studied in detail;Shahaspura (a heterogeneous public sector condominium housing complex inhabited by lower class residents), Mattegoda (a public sector housing complex inhabited by lower middle class residents), and Millennium City (a private sector housing complex inhabited by middle & upper middle class residents). In all, 325 households were selected randomly for a primary household survey. The sample survey was supplemented by qualitative data collected from respondents by contacting them for detailed informal interviews and non-participant observation. Secondary data presented by the research paper relates to the changing housing policies under various political regimes in the country; constituted institutional bodies to implement land development; housing and policy interventions; emerging public and private financial institutions for facilitating property development sector; role of private developers and promoters in developing lands and housing properties; and finally numerous housing schemes implemented by the public and private sector, in the CMR. The analysis reveals significant variation among these three study areas in terms of neighbourhood relationships and status enhancement. Shifting into these housing complexes signifies for the residents, not just an alternative residence, but more of a status enhancement. However, the study reveals that the rising demand especially among middle and upper income groups for private housing colonies, selling their products along with multiple amenities, has resulted into a steep rise in land prices, hence making the private housing out of reach for the low income groups, who then look for government housing schemes. Further, the study has shown the banking facilities for housing loans have further enhanced the interest of people in private housing societies, providing a big boost to the housing market. The whole process has led to the emergence of urban social classes very distinct from one another and drawing an identity from the housing structures. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences 2015 38(1): 13-29

Changing housing policies and housing provision in Jos, Nigeria

Nigeria's housing problems have persisted regardless of changes in policy, strategies, actions and instruments. This study examines housing policy changes and factors that influence housing supply outcomes at the local level. The study reviews the state of housing provision in the national context. The focus is then turned to the city of Jos in north-central Nigeria, where institutional arrangements for the provision of housing are critically examined. Primary data was obtained through interviews with industry role players (government officers and house builders) and the views of people were sampled through a questionnaire survey. This data was then combined with secondary source material to examine financial mechanisms, subsidy provision and local-level organisational frameworks for partnership. The findings suggest that a shift from a state-led to an enabling approach for housing did stimulate the activities of private house-builders and primary mortgage institutions. However, their activities are not spread across the regions of Nigeria. The issue of equitable allocation of public housing across the regions of Nigeria by the federal agencies has not been addressed by the enabling policy framework. Further, the idea of decentralisation of housing provision was introduced but did not result in the formulation of strategies by the local authorities in Jos. The national housing policy itself appears to be ambiguous and difficult to implement by the authorities in Jos. The ambiguities arose because there is a lack of policy enforcement mechanism, political commitment, and a poor local organisation and coordination framework. These failures create uncertainties and risks for private house builders that partnered the government to access finance and subsidies for the provision of low-income housing in Jos. Also, there is limited participation of households due to lack of awareness on public policies. On the basis of the study's findings, some policy recommendations are made.

Homeless at Home in East Durham

Abstract: This paper contributes to research on homelessness and home, focusing on the experiences of young, working class women living in privately rented or social housing in the former coalfields of East Durham in north east England. Although the women had a place to live, they rarely felt “at home” because they lived in the most deprived areas of East Durham, or too far away from family and friends, or in substandard accommodation. The women were denied the “normative values of home” that should be, as Iris Marion Young (1997) argued, accessible to everyone. While most of the women were on a waiting list for social housing, home was experienced in the emotional space of imagining and hoping to move house while living with the frustration of not moving. They often felt homeless. The paper sets the young women's experiences of home(lessness) against a changing housing policy context.

Changing Housing Policy Landscapes in Asia Pacific

The Asia Pacific region, and in particular East Asia, underwent rapid urbanisation and industrialisation in the latter decades of the twentieth century. Central to this transformation was intensive public and private investment in the housing sector. Although housing was largely commodified, public subsidies and state policy directives were particularly intense. In the twenty-first century however, the landscape of housing policy has shifted. While the 1997–98 Asian Financial Crisis marked a watershed in economic conditions, other social, political and demographic changes have also subsequently come to bare. In recent years, housing affordability has become a core issue, and a focus of housing interventions, in most Asia Pacific societies as the efficacy of previous housing policies diminished and economic contexts changed. Housing market volatility has in many countries become the norm and economic growth, turbulent. The housing needs of low-income households have become increasingly exigent influencing considerable realignment in policy agendas among traditionally development focused and, often, authoritarian governments. This introduction to this special issue examines changes in Asia Pacific housing contexts with specific reference to recent economic crises as well as key political and socioeconomic developments. The articles in this issue – mostly country specific, but with one comparative paper – provide varied insights into how diverse urban, political and socioeconomic situations are shaping, and being shaped by, housing systems and housing policy responses.

Changing housing policy in Vietnam: Emerging inequalities in a residential area of Hanoi

This paper discusses the housing situation of urban dwellers in Hanoi in the transition period from state housing provision to privatisation and market-driven housing. Based on field studies in a residential area of Hanoi with Soviet-style apartment blocks, the paper shows how new housing policies are contributing to strengthening inequality as ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ emerge. The entrepreneurial, the better off, and those of higher social status have encountered greater opportunities to improve their economy and housing situation. The less well-off residents, who typically have a lower social status, are losing out under the new housing policy. Unable to rely on state provision of housing, and at times denied the possibility of buying their apartments, they face an uncertain future as plans to upgrade the areas may well force them out. The youth are increasingly facing differentiated opportunities mainly dependent on the extent of parental financial support. Youth from better off households have access to housing purchased for them by their parents whereas youth from poorer families have to settle for long-term living in overcrowded parental homes. The paper shows how despite moving towards a more market-oriented economy, the new housing system is still built on old ideologies and supports the old hierarchy. Inequality is not just emerging between different housing areas but also within them.

Modular Approaches in Dutch House Building: An Exploratory Survey

In many European countries, changing housing policies are now offering clients more influence over the final building. This means that construction firms need to adopt concepts that have a greater customer focus. The electronics, software and automobile industries, and others, have dealt successfully with the trade-off problem that exists between, on the one hand, offering customer variety and, on the other, minimising manufacturing costs by developing product platforms. This paper presents the results of a field study in which opportunities, limitations and external restraints on the implementation of platform-based approaches in the Dutch house building industry are explored. Based on a cross-sectional analysis, the perceptions of architects, construction firms, suppliers and municipalities are compared. Specific attention is paid to the roles to be fulfilled by these various actors. The study shows that while all the actor-groups agree that a platform-based approach could deliver substantial improvements in the house building process, substantial changes are still necessary to realise this. The implications for each actor-group are then described.

Changing housing policy: women escaping domestic violence

Domestic violence has risen up the political agenda, as women's action has inspired changes in police, social work and legal practice. At the same time, one of the oldest pieces of legislation that protected women from violence - the Homeless Persons Act of 1977 - has been transmuted into the Housing Act of 1996. This legislation was introduced by a Conservative government, which was anxious to reduce the rights of homeless people to secure permanent accommodation, on the grounds that these rights gave incentives to pregnancy, lone parenthood and economic migrants. New Labour have softened the Housing Act to give more scope to local authorities to respond to homelessness. This article asks: What are the implications of changing homelessness rights under this legislation and subsequent regulations for women's ability to escape violent relationships and find long term solutions to the housing needs which domestic violence creates? How new is New Labour policy as expressed in housing regulations and its policy Green Paper?

Changing housing policy: women escaping domestic violence

Domestic violence has risen up the political agenda, as women's action has inspired changes in police, social work and legal practice. At the same time, one of the oldest pieces of legislation that protected women from violence - the Homeless Persons Act of 1977 - has been transmuted into the Housing Act of 1996. This legislation was introduced by a Conservative government, which was anxious to reduce the rights of homeless people to secure permanent accommodation, on the grounds that these rights gave incentives to pregnancy, lone parenthood and economic migrants. New Labour have softened the Housing Act to give more scope to local authorities to respond to homelessness. This article asks: What are the implications of changing homelessness rights under this legislation and subsequent regulations for women's ability to escape violent relationships and find long term solutions to the housing needs which domestic violence creates? How new is New Labour policy as expressed in housing regulations and its policy Green Paper?

Social housing investment: Housing policy and finance in the UK and the Netherlands, 1970–1992

Levels of social housing investment in the UK and the Netherlands are considered for the period 1970–1992. The changing housing policies and the developing structures of social housing finance are analysed. These factors have contributed to the decline in social housing construction in the UK and the Netherlands. In particular, the desire of governments in both countries to cut public capital expenditure on housing and increase the role of private, capital in new construction reduced the output during the 1980s. In the UK, a tight monetarist policy was adopted with the aim of keeping inflation down. This can be seen as a major cause of declining levels of public expenditure on housing production. In the Netherlands, a more significant role, compared to the UK, seems to have been played by developments on the housing market, especially the real estate crisis in 1978–1982. In both countries, the outlook for investment in social housing is gloomy

Changing housing policy and its consequences: The Prague case

Abstract This paper describes the recent changes in housing in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. It focuses on the three main restructuring processes, restitution, privatisation and rent deregulation. The outcome of these processes is analysed in the light of so‐called ‘gap theory’ as developed by Neil Smith, Eric Clark and others. This theory is subjected to some minor adaptations and extensions for the sake of a better understanding of the specific Prague context. Moreover, the contemporary trends are more or less speculatively extrapolated into the future, in order to draw attention to the challenges for the housing sector in transforming a post‐Communist capital.

Środowiskowo–przestrzenne uwarunkowania przestępczości. Wybrane zagadnienia współczesnej ekologii przestępczości

Środowiskowo–przestrzenne uwarunkowania przestępczości. Wybrane zagadnienia współczesnej ekologii przestępczości