Methodological weaknesses in the measurement approaches and concept of housing affordability used in housing research: A qualitative study

Abstract

Housing affordability (HA) is considered an important determinant of a country’s socioeconomic development and stability. However, its optimal measurement has remained a major concern worldwide. In recent decades, methodological development and researches on housing affordability measurement approaches (HAMA) have accelerated and continue to grow exponentially. Despite this intensive global development, very few attempts have been made to present the theoretical bases and track the developmental trends of these approaches. Thus, this study attempts to fill this literature gap and extend prior studies by exploring several alternatives of HAMA; with a focus on their methodological weaknesses. This paper highlights three emerging novel methodologies, which complement the relative strength of the conventional approaches. Findings suggest that the main research evidence which summarizes the weaknesses in the conventional measures is; their inability to incorporate sustainability features and over reliance on economic dimension. While the complexity of emerging methodologies, though deepen the overall understanding of multiple concerns that breed HA problems. But are less transparent, more data intensive, and their computation is very demanding, with a high tendency that their complex nature could weaken their uptake by researchers. This study raises concern over the nearly sole reliance on the conventional approaches in the reformations of policy instrument, despite their overwhelming weaknesses. It reiterates the need for reconsideration and offers new insight, but not conclusive information on better ways to conceptualize and measure HA.

How the pandemic has affected Turkish housing affordability: why the housing running cost is so important

“…the budget deficit and inefficiency in the mortgage markets) weakened the power of the policies implemented, they encouraged the growth of squatter housing and luxury housing rather than social housing. The inability to develop an institutional form that could provide housing to the lower-income group and the non-theoretical formulation of the policies made the problem far from the solution (Stephen Ezennia and Hoskara 2019 ).…”

A Comparative Analysis of the Housing Affordability in Romania and the European Union from the Perspective of the Housing Costs

“…[3] Despite consensus across Europe on housing affordability being increasingly stretched, the idea of what is affordable is subject to national interpretations.Therefore, in conceptualizing housing affordability, the social, economic, and ecological aspects that determine household well being must be considered. [1] The issue of housing in Eastern European countries has been widely debated in the housing literature, especially in terms of the transformations induced in the housing sector during the transition period and has been reported, most often in the European context. The current situation of access to housing is, for each state of the European Union, the result of a combination of a complex of cultural, social, political, and economic factors that have generated its context of evolution.…”

“…Housing affordability is considered to be an important determinant of a country's development and socio-economic stability [1]. The economic dimension of housing accessibility issues has been brought to public attention in recent decades by several problems that go beyond the state level and involve an integrated economic approach, continental and global: concentrating the population in attractive urban areas from the perspective of supply of jobs and services; lack of physical spaces for residential development in cities; the continuous increase of the sale and rental prices of the houses; low rate of housing construction relative to existing housing demand; the widening gap between income levels coupled with rising housing costs is causing an increasing share of the world's population to feel the financial pressure of housing costs; the differences in the level of development existing between the states of the world and between the regions, localities of the same state; increasing the poverty of the population and drastically limiting the possibilities of access to adequate housing, etc.…”

“…The economic dimension of housing accessibility issues has been brought to public attention in recent decades by several problems that go beyond the state level and involve an integrated economic approach, continental and global: concentrating the population in attractive urban areas from the perspective of supply of jobs and services; lack of physical spaces for residential development in cities; the continuous increase of the sale and rental prices of the houses; low rate of housing construction relative to existing housing demand; the widening gap between income levels coupled with rising housing costs is causing an increasing share of the world's population to feel the financial pressure of housing costs; the differences in the level of development existing between the states of the world and between the regions, localities of the same state; increasing the poverty of the population and drastically limiting the possibilities of access to adequate housing, etc. The combination of rising housing costs and incomes has led, more and more households to devote an increasing share of disposable income to housing [1] and thus be forced to limit their spending on otherlife-relevant issues regarding the quality of life: education, health, culture, entertainment, clothing, etc. These constraints influence, in the first place, personal life, how individuals relate to society and are accepted by it, which generates multiple consequences at a social level (social exclusion, segregation, violence, maladaptation), at economic level (diminishing demand for certain services and goods on the market, limiting access to education, diminishing economic performance) and, in some cases, even at the political level (conflicts, political and economic instability, the inability of the state to implement social and economic policies that lead to an increase in the quality of life and housing).…”

Affordable Housing For Low-Income Masses: A Case Study of A Densely Populated Area in Lagos Metropolis

“…While it could be claimed that insufficient affordable housing issues are similar to developing nations, some distinct circumstances not limited to social wellbeing, housing standards and suitability, the housing market, transportation costs, households and their quality of life and political criteria (Ezennia & Hoskara, 2019;Anacker, 2019) need to be noted. The problems that continue to affect housing provision in Nigeria include constraints on the high price of obtaining and registering secure land titles, insufficient access to finance, sluggish administrative procedures and high land expenses (CAHF, 2019), space, design, and quality standards adopted by designers among others (Adegun & Adebusuyi, 2019).…”