Measuring housing need and the provision of social housing

The Bramley Report (ADC, 1988), made a detailed attempt to construct a resource allocation formula for social housing provision. In this paper we stand back from the debate over the detail of the models being proposed by Bramley to consider instead the principles which underlie the modelling of housing needs and resource allocation in this context.

The measurement of housing need depends on a few key concepts; the definition of acceptable standards of accommodation, the total numbers of households, and the supply of housing of at least the required standard. Questions then arise as to which indicator should be included in a needs model and how they should be measured. Overcrowding and homelessness are likely to be included whether these indicators are chosen by consumers or by social decision‐makers. Having chosen the indicators they have to be ‘normalised’ to take account of cyclical factors in the housing market, and of the efficiency and policy stances of local authorities. After this the indicators have to be ‘weighted’, otherwise they are all of equal value. Access to owner‐occupation should not be included in the model because ability to buy is an influence on the indicators, and if so included (a key feature of Bramley's proposals) in effect leads to a double‐counting of the problems of access to owner occupation.

In the final resource allocation process there is likely to be a trade‐off between the equitable and the efficient distribution of scarce funds.     

Officer discretion and minority ethnic housing provision

Since the 1980s housing associations have supplanted local authorities as the major providers of new social housing in Britain. This development has been criticised as threatening to introduce particularism and socially constructed definitions of deserving/undeserving status in place of democratically accountable provision. However this article argues that fears about the actions of “unaccountable” housing associations are based upon a falsely grounded nostalgia for local state housing. For example the concept of local authority accountability has been largely notional for minority ethnic communities who have been marginalised and excluded from access to local authority housing. Therefore the potential for housing associations to develop more responsive policies is examined. Primary research from a major British housing association is used to focus upon the opportunities and constraints facing minority ethnic communities as a result of the discretionary role of social gatekeepers. However, it is noted that even the sensitive use of officer discretion may still represent paternalistic provision for minority ethnic communities. Consequently it is suggested that state provision throughout Europe should respond to difference by embracing the potential of a pluralistic housing policy. This would include facilitating opportunities for minority ethnic self-provision of housing alongside universal provision.     

The challenges of land development for housing provision in New Zealand

The land development process in New Zealand is criticised for causing delays in the delivery of adequate housing. These delays upset the demand and supply equilibrium, leading to housing shortages, expensive builds and rentals. This study investigates the challenges in land development, to ascertain the factors that are limiting its efficiency as a major catalyst to housing provision. An understanding of the complexities of the development process could enable the suggestion of feasible solutions for achieving housing goals. A two-stage process was adopted to achieve this study objective. In stage one, a critical review of relevant literature helped to identify 48 measurement items. Those items were included in a questionnaire survey in the second stage, to gather data from stakeholders involved in land development process in New Zealand. Using relative importance index (RII) method, nine significant challenges were identified, which were then categorised and discussed in accordance with the construction stakeholder groups that are responsible for creating those challenges. The nine major challenges are: delay in reviews and approval of documents; scope change; lengthy consent application processes; late response to queries by regulatory authorities; poor interaction between regulatory authorities; poor coordination within regulatory authorities; poor planning and scheduling; design errors and slow progress during design development. Findings of this study highlight the need for the development of proper workplan for consent processing, reasonable factoring of the risks associated with scope changes in the land development process, and the enhancement of project management skills of land development contractors.

     

Linking a housing vacancy chain model and a behavioral choice model for improved housing policy evaluation

This paper presents a linkage between the Markov Chain model of housing vacancy transfers and two types of behavioral choice model. First, it shows how vacancy transition probabilities can be computed from the estimated parameters in a household's house choice model. Then it shows how the transition probabilities can be directly estimated from a model of the seller's choice of highest bid among households. The latter also provides information on the expected benefit of a household move among sectors of an urban housing market, which is indispensable in using the vacancy multiplier for policy evaluation.     

The struggle for housing provision in Tanzania: A case of confusing policies

This paper uses secondary sources to examine ambiguities inherent in the socio‐economic and political policies which guide national development plans in Tanzania. These ambiguities have negative impacts on overall development strategies including housing.

The main focus of the paper is on post‐independence socio‐economic policies. These have been divided into three distinct periods, that is, pre‐Amsha, Arusha and post‐Arusha Declaration periods. Policies that were enforced in each period are carefully examined and their direct or indirect impact on national development plans evaluated in terms of housing production. Finally, the paper proposes drastic changes within the government machinery if future development policies are to be more successful.     

Privatization and restructuring public involvement in housing provision in Britain

Recommended reading for providers and designers of housing. The process of privatization has involved an increase in central control and in contrast to trends in other countries a considerable centralization of policy has occurred in the UK in recent years [20].     

Developments in the provision of housing finance in the UK

Recommended reading for providers and designers of housing. The results of the housing finance changes in the UK included a wider range of institutions involved, significant developments in the source and delivery of that finance, as well as important changes in government policy opening up social housing to the private finance market, targeting subsidy more directly at particular groups of individuals and introduction of specific supply subsidies to new private rented sector. The considerable unease with certain outcomes is dealt with.     

Putting comparative housing research into practice

This introduction to the special issueon putting comparative housing research intopractice elaborates on how and why internationalcomparative housing research should be conducted. Aclassification made by Oxley is used as a frameworkfor introducing the four contributions about thefinancial aspects of housing to this special issue.     

Rhetorical barriers to understanding housing provision: What the ‘provision thesis’ is and is not

This paper reviews some recent critiques of the concept of ‘structures of housing provision’ (SHP) and attempts to clarify the nature and status of this concept. It argues that SHP is not a ‘theory of housing’, nor does it imply a production‐centred approach to housing analysis. Rather, SHP is a metatheoretical concept or analytical framework which, together with other theories, may be of use in the examination of particular aspects of housing development.     

The provision of private finance for social housing: An outline of recent developments in funding existing housing associations in England

With successive Housing Acts in 1985 and 1988 the British government declared its intention to create an environment for the integration of social housing and private finance. This paper draws on empirical research to consider the success to date this policy initiative from the perspective of financial institutions. This research concentrated on attitudes to the availability and suitability of financial instruments for social housing funding for existing housing associations in England. After an introduction clarifying the framework in which funds are raised, the first substantive section provides an overview of the characteristics of the potential lenders to social housing in England and of the regulatory environment affecting their lending policies. Section 3 outlines the main uses to which funds are put and the types of financial instrument currently available to housing associations. The paper next examines the scope for increasing the supply of these funds through wholesale markets, particularly via The Housing Finance Corporation. One attempt to expand the supply of finance to existing associations through ‘credit enhanced’ funds is then described. The paper concludes by evaluating progress so far and by questioning the degree to which social housing will have to change if private finance is increasingly to replace public sector funds.     

A comparative study of housing construction methods

Provision of low cost housing in urban areas of developing countries is a problem. Many methods of construction are available but only a few are practical in most developing countries.Several of these alternative methods (including the method currently used) were compared. The methods were selected after assessment of the capabilities of local contractors and precast facilities. A complete engineering analysis and structural design was completed for each method. A comprehensive economic analysis of each method was made.Details of each design and the cost components are given. A comprehensive breakdown of different elements of costs are included.     

An empirical analytical framework for agglomeration economies

This paper proposes an empirical analytical framework for agglomeration economies based on a translog production-inverse input demand system. Estimation of the system allows us to identify effects on total factor productivity (TFP), partial factor productivity, factor prices and factor demands. It also provides a decomposition of the aggregate agglomeration elasticity into returns that arise from the increased efficiency of factor inputs and a “direct” agglomeration effect which exists over and above any factor augmentation. This enables us to indirectly address the problem of unobserved heterogeneity in factor “quality”. The paper provides an empirical application of the model using firm level data for UK manufacturing and service industries.     

Institutional stakeholder collaborations (ISCs): a conceptual framework for housing research

Journal of Housing and the Built Environment - Housing development calls for collaboration through a multipronged and concerted effort from all stakeholders to acquire resources within...     

Underpinning reflective practice in social care and housing provision through collaborative knowledge exchange

Since 1988 Scotland has had a policy of providing care in the community for people with disability, through social housing. A number of specialised housing and social care providers are active in this area. In response to an emerging anecdotal understanding of how changes made in the built environment of housing had impacted on the quality of life of service users and care provision, one such provider in Scotland entered a collaborative knowledge exchange process with academic institutions, aiming to better understand the nature of this impact. Through a government and research council supported Kowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) this collaboration verified the anecdotal experience of service staff across a structured sample of housing locations and types provided by the housing association, and reviewed this in the light of existing published knowledge. The outcome confirmed the experiential learning of the housing and service provider and has permitted knowledge exchange between academia and the housing provider. This paper describes the process of close collaboration that was established to enable this knowledge exchange. The KTP process underpinned a new approach to continuing reflective practice within the housing association, and provided this with a robust evidence base for marketing and policy activity, reinforcing its ongoing re-structuring in a changing policy and funding context for the housing and care service providers. In addition, it synthesises the findings from the research, benchmarked by the wider literature.     

以公租房为例谈郑州市绿色保障房设计

在总结我国绿色保障房设计建设情况的基础上,以郑州市主城区的公租房为例,从规划设计和建筑设计的层面总结了郑州公租房的设计特点,结合《评价标准》针对郑州市公租房的绿色节能设计情况进行了实地调研和分析,以此提出选址要依据基础设施规划进行、合理布局降低干扰等有关绿色保障房的设计建议。