Introduction to Housing

At ontological realm, housing has two notional connotations: housing as a physical structure and housing as a social process of providing shelter. In both senses, housing is a distinctively complex phenomenon whose utility is often taken for granted perhaps because of the narrow idea that it represents shelter or mere physical structure against the natural elements of weather including torrential rain, scorching sun, buffeting wind and trebling gale. As a physical structure, housing represents homes and dwellings for a varied category of human beings. In a deeper sense, housing is more than mere shelter but a socially produced and physically constructed space/armature that guarantees safety, security, health, social privacy and economic well-being for inhabitants. In the urban area, housing plays huge role in boosting nation’s economy and sustainable urbanization. However, due to high population density, imbalances between housing supply and demand, urban housing usually displays variations in quality, quantity, prices and preferences. In all jurisdictions, housing is produced by the government (public housing), individuals and property developers (private housing). Housing quality and preferences in both public and private housing markets are underlined by sociodemographic and economic status of the people. The choices that residents make are limited by their sociodemographic and economic background, quality of houses, available dwelling units, enlightenment, lifestyles and taste. In the Global South cities, public housing markets only cater for the few privileged urban residents while the majority of urban residents are accommodated in private housing markets.