INVESTIGATING HOUSING SATISFACTION THROUGH USER INVOLVEMENT IN INCREMENTAL DESIGN PROCESS

Abstract

The housing crisis in the Global South, including India, is a pressing issue marked by a lack of affordable housing, demand-supply mismatch, homelessness, housing bubbles, commodification and unsold or vacant properties. Rapid urbanization, growing populations and limited availability of land for housing exacerbate the crisis. This situation severely impacts citizens' wellbeing, pushing them into substandard living conditions and perpetuating socio-economic inequality. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the crucial need for secure and contextual housing, aligning with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 11 to provide safe, adequate and affordable housing for all. Despite efforts from the Indian government to mitigate the crisis through varied housing schemes over the past 70 years, the issue persists. Programs initiated include slum improvements in the 1950s, self-help housing schemes in the 1980s, and private sector involvement since the 1990s. The recent Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) aimed to build one crore affordable houses by 2022; however, progress has been slow and inadequate due to numerous challenges. Going forward, a human-centric and flexible approach to housing, with government and private sector collaboration, is imperative to resolve the housing crisis effectively. India, like most developing countries, heavily depends on owner-driven and self-built housing to meet its housing needs (KPMG, 2014; McKinsey, 2010). Typically, homeowners acquire a plot and construct their homes progressively based on their affordability and specific requirements, a process known as incremental housing. In contrast to government-led housing provision strategies and developer-driven mass housing projects, incremental housing takes a more 'process-oriented' approach, characterized by a greater level of owner participation (Moreno et al., 2019; Elwidaa, 2017). Incremental housing offers numerous benefits including flexibility (Maly, 2013; Peek et al., 2018), affordability (Amoako & Boamah, 2017; Ferguson & Smets, 2010), sustainability (Sanga, 2015; Avogo et al., 2017) a sense of belonging (Adler & Vera, 2019; Arroyo, 2013), and socio-cultural sensitivity (Asante & Ehwi, 2022; Bredenoord & van Lindert, 2010). This process offers higher housing satisfaction than conventional formal group housing (Bemanian & Azizibabani, 2019; O’Brien et al., 2020). The cost flexibility of incremental construction is enhanced through longer construction periods and the use of local resources (Sanga, 2015; Kowaltowski et al., 2005). This flexibility also allows for a more thorough search for appropriate plot locations, more affordable design, and a suitable match between changing life cycle housing needs and household income. Thus, incremental housing, by being process-oriented, can substantially influence resource optimization and address prevalent housing delivery challenges (Baitsch, 2018; Berner, 2001). Housing satisfaction is a complex, multidimensional concept encompassing physical aspects of housing, social and psychological aspects, and external factors such as institutional influences and access to services (Biswas et al., 2021; Huang et al., 2020; Huang et. al., 2015; Phillips et al.g, 2005). Research shows that incremental housing and user participation can positively influence housing satisfaction (Arroyo, 2013; Gunasekara et al., 2016; Ibem & Amole, 2014; Fakere et al., 2017). However, studies on housing satisfaction in India are limited. For instance, Barenstein's (2005) work on post-earthquake housing reconstruction in Gujarat, India, highlights the high satisfaction level of beneficiaries who were part of an owner-driven approach. Understanding the relationship between housing satisfaction, incremental housing, and user participation can help inform housing design and delivery, benefiting both policymakers and developers (Hadlos, 2021). Prioritizing housing satisfaction could help mitigate the housing crisis in India by ensuring that housing meets the needs of residents and contributes to their wellbeing. Therefore, in-depth research on housing satisfaction, specifically in relation to incremental housing and user participation, is vital.