The aim of this paper is to examine the factors which impact on the extent to which urban housing complies with residential standards in the city of Old Salt based in Jordan. The research found that the level of compliance with residential standards is quite low and can vary from one standard to another and from one house to another due to differences in the socio-economic characteristics among people. The findings of multiple regression analysis reveal that there is a good level of public awareness of residential standards, but this does not result in complete compliance with residential standards. Factors, such as household income per month, household size, finance facilities, municipal administration culture, monitoring, enforcement and the uncertainty of residential standards have a significant impact on the extent of compliance with planning standards. Suggestions for improved urban planning practices which address these issues are summarised in the paper and include reassessed current residential standards through comprehensive legal framework, linking residential standards with urban design approaches, changing planning practices, developing information systems to produce effective monitoring systems of construction processes and enforcement mechanism, the development of local staff including planners, designers and environmental engineers, supported partnerships between private and public sectors, and the use of participatory planning and citizen involvement.

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This paper evaluates the quality of housing in a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan. More than two million registered refugees live in Jordan, most of whom living in thirteen refugee camps established in the late 1960s following the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1967. Many of these camps are characterized by poor living conditions and associated health, social and environmental problems. However, there is scant empirical evidence regarding the quality of the housing in these camps. This paper addresses this gap by reporting on the findings of a questionnaire survey of 382 household units in Baqa'a Camp, the largest of the camps. The quantitative survey was triangulated by a series of extensive fieldwork visits to the area. Findings reveal that the housing in the camp is generally substandard. Poor structure and maintenance are key problems and this paper identifies and discusses various challenges, political and practical, that stand in the way of housing improvements. The paper concludes by suggesting that new models of ownership and responsibility need to be forged between the stakeholders in order to break the current stalemate of inaction.

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a b s t r a c tThis paper explores the use of university generated research data by Jordanian planning authorities in their decision making processes and identifies factors affecting the use of that research. A mixed method approach employing a questionnaire survey and face-to face in-depth interviews was used for data collection. All ninety three Jordanian planning municipalities were targeted for this study. Findings reveal that the use of research is quite low. Factors affecting the use of research in decision making processes range from legal, administrative, and technological issues to financial, social and people related challenges. A series of recommendations are made that could address these challenges including reassessing the current capacity of municipalities, the establishment of research centers, the amendment of municipalities' laws, human resource development and the encouragement of joint research.