Assessment of residential satisfaction in the core area of Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Traditional core areas of urban centers in the developing countries are known for poor housing quality and deteriorating neighborhood environment. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies on the extent to which residents of such areas are satisfied with their housing situations. This study investigated residential satisfaction amongst residents in the traditional core area of Ibadan, southwest Nigeria. The study relied on a questionnaire survey of 856 residents conducted in 2013 in the study area to achieve this goal. Results of the descriptive statistics, factor, and categorical regression analyses reveal that the residents were generally satisfied with their housing situations. They were most satisfied with relationships with their neighbors but least satisfied with the sizes of open spaces within their neighborhoods. Satisfaction with housing units’ attributes and social characteristics of the neighborhood; layout and cleanliness and the provision of utilities and recreational facilities in the neighborhood emerged as the top three predictors of residential satisfaction amongst the residents. The study concludes that instead of contemplating on total clearance and eviction of residents as measures for improving the livability of traditional core areas of urban centers, governments in developing countries need to engage in innovative strategies that will improve the quality of the physical environment and social networks in these communities.

KEYWORDS:

• Residential satisfaction
• core areas
• urban centres
• household survey
• Ibadan