Residential Satisfaction in Public Core Housing in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated residential satisfaction of randomly selected 156 household heads in the OGD Workers' housing estate in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were collected through questionnaire survey and analysed using descriptive statistics, factor and categorical regression analyses. Respondents were generally satisfied with their housing conditions with 59 % of them expressing satisfaction, while 41 % were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with their housing environment. They evaluated satisfaction based on four key dimensions of housing unit characteristics, neighbourhood facilities and environment, management and services; and these residential components contributed the most to predicting residential satisfaction. Respondents' educational background, employment sector, sex and age were also found to be predictors of satisfaction. A key implication of the findings is that Core housing can provide satisfactory living environment, and this can be enhanced through the adoption of good housing design and management practices, improved access to basic services and social infrastructure and rapid upgrading of the number of bedrooms in the housing units.

Occupants housing satisfaction: does age really matter?

“…Household occupants express their overall housing satisfaction based on objective measures of housing satisfaction (structural components, dwelling units' features, neighbourhood facilities and management services provided by the developers), in line with previous studies (see, e.g. Ibem & Amole, 2012;Jiboye, 2009;Salleh, 2008), as well as subjective measures such as aspirations (the influence of age). Amole (2009) observes that subjective measurement appears to be more relevant housing satisfaction research, thus focusing on age components.…”

“…The study affirms the findings of James (2008) that the variation in household housing satisfaction is equally age dependent. Ibem and Amole (2012) have equally found age to predict housing satisfaction in public core housing estate in south-west Nigeria. This has further confirmed that household housing satisfaction relates to changes in age components.…”

“…The demographic factors affecting housing satisfaction are: age, family size, gender and education level among others. In their studies of residential satisfaction with public core housing in Abeokuta, Nigeria, Ibem and Amole (2012) found that educational background, employment sector, age and sex have a significant contribution towards residential satisfaction. Similarly, as humans progress through their life course, changes in aspirations including housing occur, hence age and age groupings contribute to overall housing satisfaction at different stages.…”

“…The concept of housing satisfaction is generally linked with the quality of life as indicated in various satisfaction researches (Ibem & Amole, 2012). This is particularly true when housing is acquired with the expectations that it meets the household specific and diverse needs (Ibem & Amole, 2012).…”

“…This is particularly true when housing is acquired with the expectations that it meets the household specific and diverse needs (Ibem & Amole, 2012). Housing satisfaction is a concept that can be influenced by both objective and subjective measures of housing attributes, which includes physical, social/psychological (attitudes towards their residential environment, management attributes and the demographic characteristics of the residents (Amole, 2009).…”