Unaffordable Housing Research Articles

Disentangling the intersectional field of education and housing in China: Genesis, strategies and discontents

Drawing on the Bourdieusian concept of ‘field’ and the theorization of ‘intersectionality’, this paper proposes a concept ‘intersectional field’ to disentangle the complex interrelations between housing and education in China, where they mutually constitute and co-produce yet trouble and counteract with each other, whereby exerting simultaneous exclusion in cultural and economic (re)production. Drawing on policy documents and 38 in-depth interviews with various stakeholders in China, we first delineate the genesis and evolvement of this intersectional field. We then demonstrate how middle-class parents rationalize and strategize their heavy investment in cultural and economic reproduction against the most recent policies that seemingly aim to de-intersect/decouple these two fields. We show that the intersectional field of housing and education in China emerges from state-imposed rules while being increasingly self-reinforced. It was also temporarily counteracted and suspended responding to the escalated crises of housing unaffordability and over-competition over quality schooling opportunities, through policies like franchising key schools from the city centre to the suburb and random allotting enrolment. These changes in the ‘rules of the game’ indeed bring uncertainties to the intersectional field. However, while discontent to this intersectional field abound, these actions are self-constrained by the internal logic of the intersectional field and thus unable to bring fundamental changes. Those with limited socio-economic capacities remain extremely disadvantageous in both fields. The policy intervention turns out to be merely a spatial reordering that relocates and expands the fierce competition from the city centre to the suburbs while repositioning the suburbs to be the focal point for strategic investment in the intersectional field.

Moving Because of Unaffordable Housing and Disrupted Social Safety Net Access Among Children.

To measure associations between residential moves because of unaffordable housing costs and disruptions in access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; and Medicaid in a health care-based sample of families with young children. We used cross-sectional survey data on social safety net-eligible caregivers and children recruited into the Children's HealthWatch study from emergency departments and primary care clinics in Baltimore and Philadelphia (2011-2019). Children's HealthWatch measured residential moves (cost-driven and noncost-driven) in the past year and disruptions in safety net access. We used logistic regression to estimate associations between each type of move and disrupted access to social safety nets. Across 9344 children, cost-driven residential moves were associated with higher odds of disrupted access to at least 1 safety net program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; or Medicaid; adjusted odds ratio 1.44; 95% confidence interval 1.16-1.80), as well as higher odds of disruption to each program separately. Noncost-driven moves were also associated with disruptions to at least 1 safety net program, but less strongly so (adjusted odds ratio 1.14; confidence interval 1.01-1.29; P value for comparison with cost-driven = .045). Residential moves, particularly cost-driven moves, are associated with social safety net benefit disruptions. The association between these events suggests a need for action to ensure consistent safety net access among children facing cost-driven moves and vice versa (ie, access to housing supports for children with disrupted safety net access).

Living arrangements and housing affordability issues of young adults in Canada: Differences by nativity status.

Housing prices in Canada have increased dramatically, giving rise to a housing affordability crisis. Young adults have been disproportionately affected by this crisis. To cope, many young adults have had to alter their living arrangements, contributing to the diversification of their living arrangements. Young adults' diverse living arrangements are the product of growing inequalities in young adults' economic prospects and access to family support. Extant work has yet to document how young adults' risk of having unaffordable housing varies according to their living arrangements. Our comparison of young adults' risk of having unaffordable housing according to their living arrangements reveals that co-residence with parents, relatives, or roommates reduces young adults' risk of having unaffordable housing. This protective effect is smaller for the foreign-born than the Canadian-born. The National Housing Strategy should allocate more resources to increase the supply of affordable housing earmarked for young adults, particularly the foreign-born who live alone or with children.

Social Control and Homeless Encampments: Shifting the Role of Shelters Through Judicial Review

In Canadian cities, unaffordable housing and the lack of community supports have led to an increase in the number of encampments in public spaces. Municipal governments argue that short-term shelter spaces are a reasonable response to the ongoing, amplified housing crisis. However, shelters are an example of the many ‘every day’ regulatory approaches used by public officials in related to unhoused people referenced by Johnsen et al., do not provide legal tenure, and are often unsafe for people and their possessions.

A triple whammy: how urban heat, housing unaffordability and disadvantage affect urban spatial resilience

Climate change generates multiple negative impacts for cities, such as the urban heat island effect. Social stresses, including social disadvantage and housing unaffordability, compound the poor living conditions of urban residents and make our cities less resilient. This paper considers a climate event (urban heat) and social stresses (housing affordability and urban disadvantage) to explore urban resilience in Sydney. We draw on a framework for building urban climate resilience, incorporating facets of urban resilience, social stresses that amplify crises, and solutions that strengthen individuals and communities with coping abilities to withstand climate events. The study diverges from aggregate city-level analyses that hide small-area differences in climate impacts and vulnerability. The findings reveal the spatiality of these natural and social impacts, identifying 11 critical areas in Sydney impacted by the highest levels of urban heat and urban disadvantage, and two critical areas impacted by the highest levels of urban heat and housing unaffordability. We highlight the importance of context-based approaches and place-based policies to address climate risks and social vulnerabilities on the path toward creating more resilient cities.

Inequality and deprivation in an affluent community: A case study of the livelihood of low-income households in Central and Western District, Hong Kong

The Central and Western District (C&W District) of Hong Kong is often associated with prosperity. However, some families in the C&W District, like those in other areas of Hong Kong, face poverty and deprivation. This study implemented purposive sampling and the constructivist grounded theory to investigate the perceptions of and daily challenges faced by underprivileged residents and community stakeholders in the district. This study conducted individual or small group in-depth interviews with 40 residents in 2019. The results revealed that unaffordable housing and poor living environments impeded family cohesiveness. Young people lacked sufficient academic support. Under the government's latest policy direction of “targeted poverty alleviation”, this study recommends that government departments and relevant social stakeholders proactively explore the development of social housing in the district. In addition, community volunteers with English proficiency and other professional skills should be recruited to offer free or affordable tutoring services for underprivileged students.

Residential Mobility, Housing Costs, and Relationships among Neighbors

Drawing on the California Health Interview Survey, I test the hypothesis that cost-related movers—renters who recently moved due to unaffordable housing costs—are less likely to trust their neighbors and count on them for support than renters who recently moved for other housing-related reasons and renters who did not recently move. I find that, on average, trust and support are lower among cost-related movers. My findings suggest that cost-related movers might be less trusting because they tend to be more wary of strangers, which could include their neighbors. They further suggest that cost-related movers might be less likely to have neighbors they can count on for support because they are more likely to perceive their neighborhoods as unsafe. The findings contribute to the scholarship on residential mobility by demonstrating that beyond the frequency with which renters move, the types of moves they experience may also shape their local relationships.

The Effectiveness of Housing Finance Policy Innovation for Low-Income Communities in Indonesia

Abstract The limited access to fulfilment of housing needs, inadequate availability of finance, and unaffordable housing prices are essential factors used to determine the effectiveness of housing finance policies for Low-Income Communities (MBR). This study aims to determine how SiKasep, a Housing Subsidized KPR Information System Application effectively improves housing needs fulfilment, provides access to finance, and ensures affordable houses for low-income communities. The strategies used include leadership approaches and effective communication, government support, community knowledge, participation, and policy impact. This is a quantitative and qualitative research with data collected from 55 respondents through questionnaires. The findings indicate the importance of the community’s knowledge factors, specifically on aspects of technology proficiency and economy for MBR, as an innovative approach to effective housing finance policy.

Promoting Home Ownership among the Underprivileged: The Role of Social Financing

Many people struggle to obtain home ownership due to unaffordable housing and limited financing. As a result, they opted for renting, which also became a challenge due to the unstable rental sector. Therefore, this paper presents a qualitative analysis of the housing challenges and the roles of social financing in promoting home ownership among the underprivileged in Malaysia. A focus group discussion with ten participants was conducted from low-income groups living in the public housing project (PPR) Kampung Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to validate their housing challenges in their pursuit of home ownership. The findings revealed that housing affordability is the main reason people cannot own it, which has become one of the challenges they face. The study also highlights the challenges related to financing accessibility for affordable homes. The introduction of social finance in managing unaffordability issues among people is seen as a practical tool for people towards home ownership and financial institutions as part of their social responsibility.

Flexible Architectural Interventions for Housing Issues in Bahrain

Houses are important to every living creature they are considered the center of our universe and our haven. Recently having a home that reflects the identity and fulfills the desires of the occupants became a challenge due to the lack of space due to overpopulation in the world, especially in areas with small surface area compared to population size like the island of Bahrain. The unaffordability of housing and lack of space pushed most governments to start producing social houses with design limitations and bulk production. This paper aims to identify the problems related to social housing in Bahrain and seeks the possibility of using flexible architectural interventions to solve these issues. Interviews are conducted with Bahraini families living in social housing projects to identify their issues and their thoughts about flexible solutions. The results show that almost all social housing occupants are not satisfied with their houses' spatial design and have made costly modifications. They also lack the knowledge of flexible interventions and refuse them as a solution while encouraging the idea of vertical housing. This study introduces the term flexibility in social housing and emphasizes the need to improve occupants’ satisfaction in Bahraini society by using efficient architectural interventions.

CHALLENGES AND CONSIDERATIONS IN RESEARCH WITH OLDER ADULTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Abstract Individuals in their late 50s and 60s constitute the fastest growing cohort of homeless adults; homelessness among the older adult population is expected to triple by 2030 (Culhane et al., 2019). Older adults find themselves homeless due to systemic (e.g., unaffordable housing, structural racism, increasing healthcare costs) and individual factors (e.g., substance misuse, mental health diagnoses). Unhoused older adults have high rates of multiple chronic conditions (Henwood et al., 2018) worsened by unmet healthcare needs (Baggett et al., 2010). Older adults, especially those with serious illness, struggle to find and maintain housing compared to younger adults without illness. Patient and clinician-informed services/programs are needed, but the nature of serious illness and homelessness research comes with unique considerations. Research challenges in this population include inclusive and adequate recruitment, participant screening, and boundary issues (Hanson et al., 2014; Lashley, 2023). We will present lessons learned from completing two successful qualitative studies with unhoused older adults and clinical subject groups. Issues encountered during our research include dealing with recruitment obstacles, evaluating and responding to participants’ cognitive impairment and mental health issues, managing emotional labor experienced by the research team, developing stakeholder relationships, and making decisions about adequate and appropriate study compensation. We describe challenges, opportunities, and suggestions for collecting primary data from unhoused older adults. We encourage gerontological researchers not to avoid this hard-to-reach, high-risk population. The lessons learned in designing and implementing studies tailored to the unique challenges of unhoused older adults can promote inclusion of the perspectives and needs this population.

The effect of dwelling-based and neighbourhood-based precariousness on mental wellbeing

This study examines the impacts of dwelling-based and neighbourhood-based precariousness on mental wellbeing by applying panel data modelling approaches to the 2001–2020 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. We find that living in unaffordable housing has the largest adverse effects on mental wellbeing among all forms of dwelling-based precariousness modelled in the study. Neighbourhood hostility and neighbourhood crime are key forms of neighbourhood-based precariousness that depress mental wellbeing. On the other hand, some forms of housing precariousness have insignificant impacts on wellbeing, in particular overcrowding and vandalism. Notwithstanding the importance of neighbourhood aspects, overall dwelling-based precariousness has a larger detrimental impact on mental wellbeing than neighbourhood-based precariousness. We test the robustness of linear models by implementing Tobit models that take into account the bounded nature of wellbeing measures that are ignored in linear models. We find that both models produce similar findings. The analysis in this study leads to important policy implications in a world that is increasingly exposed to public health crises. Importantly, the findings point to an urgency for policies and programs to be embedded within housing systems that ensure vulnerable population groups have long-term rather than temporary access to secure housing.

Intersecting Barriers: The Production of Housing Vulnerability for LGBTQ Refugees in Alberta, Canada

ABSTRACT Canada’s National Housing Strategy acknowledges that identity factors are closely connected to housing vulnerability. Specifically, it identifies 12 groups at heightened risk of negative housing outcomes in Canada. In this research, we focus on the intersection of two of these groups: LGBTQ people and refugees. Existing studies establish that members of both groups are vulnerable to discrimination, homelessness, and housing unaffordability. However, they have largely been examined separately, and with limited insights into the factors that produce vulnerability. To develop a more nuanced and systemic account of LGBTQ refugees’ housing vulnerability, we conducted a study in Alberta, Canada. Utilizing Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality, and drawing on policy documents and key-informant interviews, we identified three types of barriers to housing. We conclude that an intersectional approach provides a foundation for systemic explanations of housing vulnerability that are too often absent in policy.

The effect of the housing provident fund on housing affordability in Urban China: A quantitative analysis

Demand-side housing subsidy schemes have been widely adopted in many countries to improve housing affordability, but quantitative investigations of the policy effect are still rare. This study evaluates the effect of the Housing Provident Fund (HPF), the largest demand-side housing subsidy scheme in the world and under hot debate, on housing affordability in mainland China. We construct a comprehensive housing affordability (CHA) indicator by considering both down payments and monthly payments to reveal the potential pass-through effect. Taking 2020 as an example, we find that the HPF increased housing affordability by 50.54% on average when assuming that down payment affordability (DPA) and monthly payment affordability (MPA) are equally important. The subsidized interest rate and withdrawn balance can compensate for the increased HPF loans transferred from the lower required down payment. Notably, the impact is concentrated in cities where households have favourable housing affordability even without the HPF. Further simulations show that potential reforms of the HPF cannot solve housing unaffordability problems in superstar cities. This study highlights the divergence in the effects of the HPF between types of cities, and it provides a reference for the ongoing reform of the HPF.

Housing prices and household consumption: a threshold effect model analysis in central and western China

The relationship between housing prices (HP) and household non-housing consumption (CON) is a key topic worldwide. By developing a panel threshold model and utilizing data from 18 provinces in central and western China from 2005 to 2020, this study investigates the impact of housing prices on household non-housing consumption given housing credit constraints. The results show that (1) housing credit constraints play a single threshold role in the impact of housing prices on household non-housing consumption; (2) the elasticity of housing price fluctuation on household non-housing consumption was negative in the western region during the entire sample period, and the elasticity of housing price fluctuation on household non-housing consumption decreased when housing credit constraints exceeded its threshold value; (3) the effects of housing price fluctuation on household non-housing consumption in the central region changed from negative to positive when housing credit constraints exceeded its threshold value. These outcomes implies that housing credit constraints are not a factor driving a low household non-housing consumption rate in the studied regions. Importantly, our findings suggest that unaffordable housing prices and homeownership linked to better public education resources in combination were a key factor leading to a low non-housing consumption rate in the studied regions. The main contribution of this paper is to supplement the current academic research on low levels of consumption in underdeveloped regions of China and the impact of housing prices on consumption.

To What Extent Has Hong Kong's Urbanization Process and Housing Policies Contributed to Its Inability to Provide Sufficient Affordable Housing?

With a population of 7.5 million and the most unaffordable housing market in the world, Hong Kong is known for its high-density forms of development. Despite the many housing policies introduced by the Hong Kong government and its deep understanding of the importance of solving the housing problem, progress has been slow and even somewhat unsuccessful. The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for Hong Kong, China's inability to provide sufficient affordable housing by analyzing its urbanization process and housing policies. The main conclusion reached in the end is that Hong Kong's housing problems are largely a result of its history and urbanization; the biggest flaw in Hong Kong's land development mechanism has led to its lack of land for residential development; and entanglements between vested interests and different groups have hindered the change of the mechanism.

Barriers and facilitators to obtaining accessible housing among children, youth and young adults with disabilities and their families: a scoping review

Purpose Accessible housing is a fundamental human right and yet many children and youth with disabilities live in inaccessible, insecure, unaffordable and poor quality housing. The aim of our study was to understand the barriers and facilitators to obtaining accessible housing among children, youth and young adults with disabilities and their families. Methods We conducted a scoping review involving seven international literature databases from 2000 to 2022 that identified 38 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. Results The reviewed studies involved 10 countries over a 22-year period. Our review emphasized the following key trends: (1) barriers to obtaining accessible homes (i.e. common types of accessibility barriers, rates of inaccessible housing, factors affecting home accessibility), and negative impacts of inaccessible housing; and (2) rates and facilitators to obtaining accessible housing (i.e., common types of home modifications, enablers of home modifications) and positive impacts of accessible housing. Conclusions Our findings highlight the barriers and enablers of obtaining accessible housing among children, youth and young adults with disabilities and their families and the critical need to support them in securing appropriate housing.

Incremental population density improvement via missing middle housing under density-based and form-based zoning ordinances

Purpose The purpose of the study is to observe the feasibility of missing middle housing’s (MMH) realization under density-based zoning, form-based zoning and a combination of both while simultaneously providing affordable housing, improving quality of life and making efficient use of land. Design/methodology/approach This study takes a theorist approach and designs three hypothetical cottage court projects that comply with all relevant official local zoning ordinances to showcase design feasibility, followed by an analytical component in the form of a financial model constructed using official local economic and demographic conditions. Findings MMH, and in particular cottage clusters, can be implemented under rigorous density-based, form-based and hybrid (density-based + form-based) zoning ordinances and provide affordable housing (Atlanta, GA), improve quality of life (Blackpool, UK) and make efficient use of land (Jinan, China). All hypothetical projects are financially feasible under reasonable conditions. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first in the body of knowledge to discuss how the MMH can be integrated into urban density-based zoning rather than converting density-based zoning into form-based so that the MMH can fit. The paper also takes a cross-national perspective and discusses the feasibility of MMH in the resolution of housing issues in the USA, China and the UK. The study also concludes that the issue of housing unaffordability in the UK was caused by high construction cost relative to median income.

Housing cooperatives and the contradictions of Finnish land and housing policies

This article explores some of the key institutional challenges hindering the development of a new ‘social’ housing cooperative model in Finland. In response to rising housing unaffordability and insecurity in the private housing sector, and a retrenching social housing sector, Finland is experiencing a resurgence of practical and political interest in housing cooperatives. Based on a document study and interviews with key stakeholders, this paper investigates three Finnish housing cooperatives, all of which are part of a broader state-subsidised pilot study. Despite different operational dynamics across projects, in this paper we identify three overarching ambiguities in Finnish land and housing policy which are hindering their development. Firstly, despite support from public authorities, cooperatives are difficult to categorise within existing social housing frameworks. Secondly, due to temporally-restricted regulatory instruments, authorities are also sceptical of their long-term affordability. Tying these together, we suggest, is also a further third factor. Namely that, due to its entrepreneurial real estate policy, the City of Helsinki refuses to lease land under market rent to housing cooperatives. Contributing to international scholarship on the public-cooperative nexus, this article investigates the impacts these institutional ambiguities and contradictions can have on contemporary housing cooperative developments.

Millennials in Slums: Housing Career Approach Towards Livable Housing in Muja-Muju Urban Village, Yogyakarta City, Indonesia

The millennial generation (born 1982-2000) who currently dominates the population has a tendency to have diverse housing needs. However, the unaffordability of housing can create problems, such as inadequate housing. This phenomenon occurs in the slum area of Muja-Muju Urban Village. Based on these problems, this study aims to determine the housing preferences of millennials in the slum area of Muja-Muju Urban Village towards livable housing through a housing career approach. This study adopted a quantitative method with frequency distribution and comparative descriptive analysis by comparing the housing conditions based on indicators also considered the millenial preferences. Data was collected by distributing questionnaires directly to 109 respondents and observation. The results showed that the housing career pattern during the life cycle tends to stagnate. Besides, the average existing land plots/buildings were only 37-48 m2 and 43.2% exceeds the standard residential capacity. There were 55.6% of the millennials chose to live in existing housing because of its strategic location. Referring to the housing career characteristics, the millennial generation cannot afford livable housing in other areas which can lead to irregular buildings due to high density. This condition has not been investigated in previous studies, so the results are important for preventing the return of slums.