Disparities in experiencing housing quality: investigating the influences of socioeconomic factors

ABSTRACT

People judge housing situations based on their needs and aspirations associated with their social, cultural, and economic conditions. This research explores the influences of such factors on how people experience housing quality attributes, taking Amman city in Jordan as a case study. The research adopted an inductive reasoning approach, applying a self-administered questionnaire among 770 respondents, exploring the influence of seven factors, including age, gender, education, household structure, income, tenure type, and length of residency. The study addressed twelve housing quality attributes, covering aspects related to housing provision, context, and residential unit. Findings indicate a shortcoming in housing supply, indicating a lack of relevance in design and provision. Results revealed apparent yet variant influences of socioeconomic factors on the assessment of housing quality components among respondents. Aspects of housing provision were found more influential than most sociodemographic factors on evaluating housing quality attributes. The impact of household structure and gender seemed to be minimal. On the other hand, the effect of socioeconomic factors was evident to context attributes. The study presents an attempt to develop a sound understanding of the aspects upon which residents experience their housing living and build their satisfaction with their houses. Understanding the reasoning behind such experiences will help in targeting future housing policies toward good housing quality.

KEYWORDS:

• Housing quality
• residential satisfaction
• socioeconomic factors
• housing provision

Acknowledgments

Our utmost thanks and appreciation to all those who participated and took part in the research, particularly during the data collection phase, being part of the data collection team, or those households for their kindness and cooperation in taking part in the research and filling the questionnaire and giving information about their houses and residential contexts.