Housing Inadequacy Research Articles

Inadequação de domicílios no Brasil: uma reflexão sobre seus conceitos e indicadores

Research related to Brazil's housing deficit and inadequate housing conditions has been conducted for nearly 30 years with the aim of revealing housing-related deficiencies. While many authors focus on the housing deficit, this research concentrates on housing inadequacy, an index that reveals deficiencies preventing a residence from providing a high quality of life to its occupants. Such quality is measured by the building itself, the infrastructure of its urban area, and the legal title of the residence. This article proposes a brief historical context, demonstrating that the housing issue is deeply rooted in the country's socioeconomic inequalities, which have been perpetuated over the years by insufficient policies and challenges faced in urban planning. Furthermore, significant milestones in the history of the Fundação João Pinheiro (João Pinheiro Foundation - FJP) and the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE) related to the collection, organization, and dissemination of data on housing conditions in Brazil were identified, with both institutions being crucial in this regard. Therefore, the aim was to discuss the habitability of Brazilian households by presenting concepts, indicators, and data from the most recent FJP publication on housing inadequacy from 2019. These data were systematized and presented in graphs, allowing for visualization and analysis. In conclusion, it was determined that the data released by the FJP are essential for diagnosing the housing scenario, are directly related to the literature review conducted, and provide crucial data for public policy formulation.

Housing inadequacy and income in Brazil: water supply and sewage in metropolitan areas

ABSTRACT This article analyses how households in Brazil, in urban areas of metropolitan regions, with distinct income ranges, can or cannot access adequate housing services, especially water supply and sanitation. In order to conduct the analysis, the concept of household inadequacy was developed. Besides descriptive analyses of the data, tests of association were conducted between household income and the existence of inadequacies. The results indicate that, besides being concentrated among low-income households, frequent and significant inadequacies are also found in high-income households. This aspect reduces the degree of association between household income and the inadequacies analysed.

'It doesn't happen any other way': relationship-building and reflexivity for equity-focused intersectoral practice (EquIP).

Intersectoral processes that bring together public institutions, civil society organizations and affected community members are essential to tackling complex health equity challenges. While conventional wisdom points to the importance of human relationships in fostering collaboration, there is a lack of practical guidance on how to do intersectoral work in ways that support authentic relationship-building and mitigate power differentials among people with diverse experiences and roles. This article presents the results of RentSafe EquIP, a community-based participatory research initiative conducted in Owen Sound, Canada, in the midst of a housing crisis. The research explored the potential utility of equity-focused intersectoral practice (EquIP), a novel approach that invests in human relationships and knowledge co-creation among professionals and affected members of the community. The three-phase EquIP methodology centred the grounded expertise of community members with lived/living experience of housing inadequacy to catalyze reflexive thinking by people in professional roles about the institutional gaps and barriers that prevent effective intersectoral response to housing-related inequities. The research demonstrated that EquIP can support agency professionals and community members to (i) engage in (re)problematization to redefine the problem statement to better include upstream drivers of inequity, (ii) support reflexivity among those in professional roles to identify institutional practices, policies and norms that perpetuate stigma and impede effective intersectoral response and (iii) spark individual and collective agency and commitment towards a more equity-focused intersectoral system. We conclude that the EquIP methodology is a promising approach for communities seeking to address persistent health equity and social justice challenges.

Association Between Restricted Abortion Access and Child Entries Into the Foster Care System

The 2022 US Supreme Court decision Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned federal protections to abortion care, allowing many states to severely restrict or ban access to abortion. Given the implications of the Dobbs ruling, there is a need to understand the full consequences of restricted abortion access. Before 2022, many states restricted access to safe and legal abortions through Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws, which provide a historical mode for estimating the consequences of abortion restrictions. To use TRAP law enactment as a natural experiment to quantify the association between restricted abortion access and foster care entries. In this cohort study, data on the enactment of TRAP laws and case-level data on foster care entries were used to estimate the association between restricted abortion access and foster care entries in each of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The sample included children conceived between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2011, who were placed into foster care at any point between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2020. Data analysis was performed from January 2023 to July 2023. Restricted abortion access due to state-level TRAP laws during pregnancy. The main outcome was the number of children entering foster care in each state, measured by year of child conception. The analysis was performed using a generalized difference-in-differences design, comparing entries into foster care in states with TRAP laws to states without TRAP laws, before and after their implementation. This study included 4 179 701 children who were placed into foster care during the study period, with 11 016 561 entries. More than half of the children were male (51.4%), and the mean (SD) age was 7.4 (5.2) years. There was an 11% increase in foster care placement after abortion access was restricted in states with TRAP laws, relative to states without TRAP laws (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.11 [95% CI, 1.01-1.23]). These laws had significant consequences for Black children (IRR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.05-1.28]) and racial and ethnic minority children (IRR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.02-1.30]). The increase in entries due to TRAP laws was particularly attributable to housing inadequacy (IRR, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.11-1.32]). Restricted abortion access can have numerous consequences, and these findings reveal a heightened strain on the US foster care system, particularly affecting marginalized racial and ethnic communities and financially vulnerable families. These placements have been shown to have lifelong consequences for children and substantial costs for both states and the federal government. To further examine the widespread implications of the overturning of Roe v Wade, future studies should forecast the expected increase in foster care entries and estimate the expenditure needed to support these children.

Housing Inadequacy in Nigeria and Ramifications

This article critically analyses housing inadequacy in Nigeria and its effects. The study is exploratory in nature and used qualitative methodology. Key findings suggest that protests, informal settlements, health challenges, shack fires, flooding, violence and criminality, corruption and xenophobic attacks are the ramifications of housing inadequacy in Nigeria. This study used relevant review of literature, document and policy review, and a qualitative inquiry of secondary sources with regards to housing inadequacy in West Africa/ Nigeria and its ramifications to answer the research questions. Through the Federal Housing Authority, the government needs to engage the private sector, state-owned enterprises, States and Local Governments to unlock strategic parcels of land suitable for human settlements development, which provision, especially for low-income groups should be at subsidized rates. The country needs an efficient, formidable and incorruptible Ministry of Housing Development that is able to perform the huge task of spatial integration.

Seeking refuge? The potential of urban climate shelters to address intersecting vulnerabilities

Climate shelters are critical urban infrastructures to support adaptation to extreme weather. They offer spaces – e.g., parks, libraries, and civic centers – where residents can take refuge during episodes of extreme temperatures. With over 200 public spaces designated as “Climate Shelters”, Barcelona (Spain) serves as an emblematic example of whether these emerging spaces are meeting the needs, expectations, and everyday experiences of the most vulnerable residents. By applying an intersectional climate justice perspective and mixed-method approaches rooted in a survey of a particularly climate-exposed working-class neighborhood (La Prosperitat), we found that the intersecting vulnerabilities of marginalized populations remain poorly addressed, largely due to differences in access to coping mechanisms that overlap with intersecting social positions, exacerbating vulnerability to climate risks. We also found that housing inadequacy and energy poverty experienced by low-income residents and those originally from Global South countries made them the most affected and least able to cope with extreme temperatures. Women were also more affected by climate impacts and more concerned about current and future risks. We argue that unequal lived experiences of thermal (dis)comforts inform heat and cold inequalities, which, in turn, are attributed to intersecting social positions and structural vulnerabilities. These uneven lived experiences shape – and are reshaped by – limited adaptive capacity, culturally inappropriate approaches, and insufficiently inclusive public spaces, thus complicating an equity-driven provision of refuge infrastructures. Results call for developing refuge infrastructures that address the intersecting social and climate needs of residents who need them the most.

A Conceptual Decision Tree for the Automation of Architecture Applied to Housing

In 1994, the Nelson Mandela government identified the lack of housing as the most severe social problem faced by South Africa. However, housing information is often inaccessible to those affected by inadequate low-cost housing. The right information at the right time has the potential to not only address the inadequacy of low-cost housing but also to address, in part, other social ills such as unemployment, poverty and government corruption, as well as larger issues such as the climate emergency. This paper presents a conceptual decision tree to govern the knowledge management of architectural information for the possible automation of architecture. Knowledge management, big data and machine learning are the precursors of artificial intelligence, a technology that could further aid in addressing the inadequacy of low-cost housing. A decision tree is the first step. For this paper, the information within frames forms the nodes on the conceptual decision tree. This decision tree is presented graphically and tested hypothetically on a low-cost housing unit. The research findings indicate that there is a noteworthy overlap in architectural information of low-cost housing information presented thereby validating the possible benefit of architectural information knowledge management.

A Conceptual Decision Tree for the Automation of Architecture Applied to Housing

In 1994, the Nelson Mandela government identified the lack of housing as the most severe social problem faced by South Africa. However, housing information is often inaccessible to those affected by inadequate low-cost housing. The right information at the right time has the potential to not only address the inadequacy of low-cost housing but also to address, in part, other social ills such as unemployment, poverty and government corruption, as well as larger issues such as the climate emergency. This paper presents a conceptual decision tree to govern the knowledge management of architectural information for the possible automation of architecture. Knowledge management, big data and machine learning are the precursors of artificial intelligence, a technology that could further aid in addressing the inadequacy of low-cost housing. A decision tree is the first step. For this paper, the information within frames forms the nodes on the conceptual decision tree. This decision tree is presented graphically and tested hypothetically on a low-cost housing unit. The research findings indicate that there is a noteworthy overlap in architectural information of low-cost housing information presented thereby validating the possible benefit of architectural information knowledge management.

Housing inadequacy in rural Saskatchewan First Nation communities.

Housing and house conditions on First Nation communities in Canada are important determinants of health for community members. Little is known about rural First Nation housing in the Canadian Prairies. The aim was to survey houses in two rural First Nation communities in Saskatchewan, Canada to understand housing conditions, prevalence of mold/mildew and dampness, and sources, locations and frequency of mold and dampness. Surveys were conducted with an adult member of each household in 144 houses. Surveys assessed: size, age, and number of rooms in the house; number of individuals residing in the house; presence of mold/mildew and dampness, and sources, locations and frequency of mold and dampness. Houses were mostly two-bedrooms (25.7%) or more (67.4%). Thirty-one percent of houses had six or more people living in the house with crowding present in 68.8% of houses. Almost half of the houses (44.5%) were in need of major repairs. More than half of the houses had water or dampness in the past 12 months in which dripping/puddles and standing water were most commonly identified and were from surface water and plumbing. More than half of the houses indicated that this dampness caused damage. A smell of mold or mildew was present in over half of the houses (52.1%) and 73.3% of these houses indicated that this smell was always present. Housing adequacy including crowding, dampness, and mold are significant issues for houses in these two rural Saskatchewan First Nation communities. Housing inadequacy is more common in these rural communities as compared to Canadian statistics. Housing inadequacy is modifiable and is important to address for multiple reasons, but notably, as a social determinant of health. Federal government strategy to address and redress housing in First Nation communities in Canada is a fiduciary responsibility and critical to reconciliation.

Impact of COVID-19 shocks, precarity and mediating resources on the mental health of residents of share housing in Victoria, Australia: an analysis of data from a two-wave survey

ObjectivesCOVID-19 lockdown measures have challenged people’s mental health, especially among economically vulnerable households. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of exposure to COVID-19 shocks (defined as...

Associations between Housing Factors and Respiratory Symptoms in Two Saskatchewan First Nations Communities.

Inadequate housing is commonplace in First Nations in Canada, often leading to environmental impacts on housing such as dampness and mold. First Nations communities suffer from a higher prevalence of respiratory-related health conditions than the general Canadian population. There is limited Canadian literature evaluating the relationship between housing factors and the respiratory health of adults within First Nations communities. This study was undertaken with two Saskatchewan First Nations communities. The study population consisted of 293 individuals within 131 households. The individuals completed questionnaires on their general and respiratory health, and one member of each household completed a household questionnaire. The collection of environmental samples from within the house was undertaken. The respiratory outcomes of interest focused on the individuals with ever wheeze, reported by 77.8% of the individuals, and shortness of breath, reported by 52.6% of the individuals. Body mass index, the nontraditional use of tobacco (i.e., current and ex-smoking), the nontraditional use of tobacco in the house (i.e., smoking in the house), dampness in the house in the last 12 months, and always having a smell of mold in the house were significantly associated with respiratory symptoms. The results reveal that respiratory symptom rates were high in the population and housing factors were significantly associated with respiratory symptoms. Addressing and redressing housing inadequacies in First Nations communities are important in preventing additional burdens to health.

A critical analysis of housing inadequacy in South Africa and its ramifications

Background: This article critically analyses housing inadequacy in South Africa and its ramifications. Aim: The study is exploratory in nature and used the qualitative methodology. Setting: Key findings suggest that protests, informal settlements, health challenges, shack fires, flooding, violence and criminality, corruption and xenophobic attacks are the ramifications of housing inadequacy in South Africa. Method: This study used relevant review of literature, document and policy review, and a qualitative inquiry of secondary sources with regards to housing inadequacy in South Africa and its ramifications to answer the research questions. Results: Through the Housing Development Agency, the government needs to engage the private sector, state-owned enterprises, provinces and municipalities to unlock strategic parcels of land suitable for human settlements development, which provision, especially for low-income groups should be at subsidised rates. Conclusion: The country needs an efficient, formidable and incorruptible department that is able to perform the huge task of spatial integration.

Lessons from a rural housing crisis: grounded insights for intersectoral action on health inequities

Local communities are struggling with persistent health inequities driven by income disparity, housing inadequacy, and other intersecting factors that constrain individual and community well-being. Increasingly, intersectoral approaches are recognized as essential to tackle such challenges, given their intersecting nature. This paper describes Equity-focused Intersectoral Practice (EquIP), a novel methodology that merges participatory research principles with the purposeful positioning of grounded expertise (lived experience) to shift the gaze of intersectoral actors towards the contextual factors that contribute to health inequities. The EquIP methodology creates uncommon spaces for intersectoral encounter that support critical reflexivity and relationship-building among institutional and community-based intersectoral actors. A case example of the EquIP methodology, implemented in a small, rural Canadian city in the context of a regional housing crisis, illustrates how investment in reflexivity and relational praxis among diverse intersectoral actors supports the identification of existing structures, beliefs, and practices within institutional settings that constrain effective intersectoral response to health inequities.

Architecture of Cities and the Politics of Abhorrence in Nigeria: a case of political neglect, abandonment and homelessness

Architects, planners and engineers anchored firmly in the present, not able to resist good opportunities presented by the society. They are impulsive, do not plan or plan for tomorrow, impetient and in most cases, not caring about the growth, development and the people they are depriving of the basic needs to survive. The questions are, what are the reactions of the people in the building industry about Nigeria’s homelessness as we they no sence of succession and, what would they do about project abandonment by sitting govenors? This article draws attention to the colossal failure of the professionals in the building industry in providing adequate housing to eradicate homelessness and have not challenged the governors to complete the projects left by their predecessors. The instrument of more than two research strategies; quantitative and qualitative research methods and their tactics were used. Secondary data were based on direct observation and relevant documents from previous studies on the related matter. Most Nigerian politicians are idealogically incompetent with questionable competence executing their legisletive duties that, resulted in housing inadequacy and homelessness. The medical and psychological conditions of the homeless people should be the society’s primary concern and the recommendation of this paper. Architects are known for their graphic skills and communications, but they are not using them for the growth and development of the communities and they have derailed in the true objective and values of what should have been, the growth and development of the communities devoid of systemic inequality. 

Abuja: Nigeria’s Spatial Economic Turmoil and Urban Development Disarray

Abuja, Nigeria as a befitting Federal Capital Territory, centrally located, without the defects of Lagos was spawned in 1975. The site was chosen for its location at the center of the nation, its small population and for political reasons. In the process, a Master Plan was developed. However, subsequent governments in Abuja abused the integrity of the Master Plan and that resulted in Abuja urbanization and housing inadequacy. The most vulnerable is that, the urban poor had to arrange, on their own, where to live and that resulted in shanty settlements, hence “spatial dialectics,” informal volumetric and unvolumetric combination now called the “spatial house”, “open house” or “house without limit”. This work aimed to document the problems associated with inappropriate implementation of the Abuja Master Plan that resulted in Abuja urbanization and housing inadequacy and proffers solutions to the Abuja housing problems. The authors adopted content based analysis, qualitative research method that involved data from primary and secondary sources. The Abuja Master Plan was elaborated to put in place, sustainable urban spatial environment for all groups and activities to be carried out in the Capital Territory. It provided low-income settlement areas, to be built by the government and occupied by the public servants; the private sector servants did not appear to be properly provided for. The current Abuja housing settlements are not integrated. There is need for the formal, informal settlements and the Abuja urban actors to be talking and link with the Central City infrastructure to create a diverse economy and economic empowerment of all.

Exogenous Factors that Seem to Undermine Miners’ Performance at a South African Platinum Mine

The mining sector is viewed as the economic heartbeat of the Republic of South Africa. Mining houses acknowledge that human development is a powerful management instrument employed to encourage improvement in workers’ prowess, yet they are unaware of the significant implications that exogenous variables – inadequacy of housing could have on employees’ performance. This current paper was quantitative. Research instrument – A structured research questionnaire. The study surveyed 292 permanent underground miners’ from 2 idiosyncratic reefs. Using SPSS version 24.0, the empirical findings suggested that miners’ perceptions of exogenous factors were satisfactory even though their average production output was unsatisfactory.

Strategy for better performance in spontaneous building

The contribution presents the results of a research work which addresses the vast theme of urban regeneration of settlements characterized by social and economic marginalization, degraded housing, environmental and technological inadequacy and shortages of services. The territorial context is that of the peripheral marginal areas of the city of Sogamoso in the Boyaca district of Colombia. This research work aims at the development of procedural and design strategies capable of regenerating spontaneous settlements and, in particular, the implementation and realization of solutions identified for improving performance and safety of existing residential buildings relating to forty study cases.

Hope in Hard Times: Norvelt and the Struggle for Community during the Great Depression, The Mutual Housing Experiment: New Deal Communities for the Urban Middle Class

Hope in Hard Times: Norvelt and the Struggle for Community during the Great Depression, The Mutual Housing Experiment: New Deal Communities for the Urban Middle Class

Fatal abomasal sand impaction in a giraffe calf (<i>Giraffa camelopardalis</i>) at the University of Ilorin zoological garden

A post-mortem examination was carried out on a 4-month-old giraffe which was reported dead early hours of the morning in the zoological garden, University of Ilorin. The carcass of the animal appeared slightly emaciated and on opening of the carcass the abomasum was distended with a hard mass felt inside the organ. On opening of the organ, it was filled with sand and weighing 3.8kg. Geophagia due to various factors were queried in the cause of the condition including seasonal prevalence, nutrient deficiencies, feeding regimen and also housing inadequacies. Although poor milk intake, absence of maternal nurturing and inadequate captive conditions are the most likely causes of geophagia which eventually led to the death of the animal. Keywords: Abomasum, Sand impaction, Geophagia, Giraffe, Nigeria

Survey data on household spatial quality and experiences of stress.

This data article describes a dataset of 1,668 cases representing self-reported assessments of housing inadequacy and perceived housing stress. The dataset also contains person-level and household-level demographic data to contextualize the above measures. A second supplemental file contains the text of the survey instrument. Discussion of theoretical background and measures development as well as a more detailed socioeconomic profile of the sample is available in the associated research article http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.01.002(Campagna, 2016) [1].