The Concept of Housing (Olusegun, 2015)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) (1962 & 1996) defined housing as the physical structure that man uses for shelter, and the environs desired for the physical and mental health and social wellbeing of the family and individuals. According to Agbola (2005), “housing is the totalities of the immediate physical environment, largely man-made, in which families live, grow and decline”. Abrams (1964) defined housing as “… not just shelter, but part of the fabric of neighbourhood life and of the whole social milieu, which touches on the facets of industrialisation, economic activity and development”. These assertions are pointers to the fact that housing plays a very significant and strategic role in ensuring the wellbeing and the very existence of mankind. Abrams (op cit), citing Maslow (1954) stated that housing is considered to be the second most important basic needs of man, the first being food.
Housing transcends brick and mortar; and includes physical structures used as shelter and all the necessary services, facilities, equipment and devices such as electricity, water supply, access roads, drainage system, refuse disposal facilities as well as institutional and health facilities (Chionuma, 2002; Afolayan, 2003; WHO, 1988, 2007). It is also one of the locations in which work now takes place. Therefore, housing could be described as a system of congenial living, working and/or recreating environment consisting of shelter as one amongst many other subsystems, such as facility system (e.g. roads, pathways, sewerage), utility system (e.g. water, gas, electricity, telecommunication) and amenity system (e.g. pleasant and healthy environment including beautiful scenery or landscapes, flowered and well-mowed garden); it is the totality of a habitable environment that has a unit of dwelling as its centre.
The importance of housing (in Olusegun, op cit)
Adequate housing has some profound influence on health, efficiency, social behaviour, satisfaction and general welfare of the community (Onibokun, 1985). According to Baker (2003) and Oluwole, et al., (2003), housing has a huge impact on individuals’ quality of life; and that being adequately housed and living in a pleasant environment is fundamental to well-being. Grimes (1976) viewed housing as not only providing shelter for its inhabitants, but also serving as: a centre for total residential environment; focus of economic activities; symbol of achievement and social acceptance; and an element of urban growth and income distribution.
In the opinion of Saunders (1989, 1990) and Miller (2001), housing has potentiality or simultaneous function; first, as a useful good in that it provides shelter, warmth, locational access, neighbourhood asset etc., and secondly, as an investment or exchange good, in that it constitutes an accruable asset value or capital gain. They further stated that housing may also function as a container of identity and ontological security. Other contributions of housing to economic growth include providing a source of employment and income generation to both skilled and unskilled workers; providing vital linkages with other productive sectors of the economy such as the production of building materials, household furniture and goods; and encouraging and promoting domestic savings. These perspectives of housing recognise that the installed infrastructures and the environment surrounding a house are as important as the house itself in satisfying the needs and requirements of its occupants. Hence, housing has to be viewed in terms of the unit provided; a place to make a statement to others in the community; and an economically viable asset. It could therefore be inferred that housing consists of the land, the unit, services, economic activities (both formal and informal) and the environment. It is evident that adequate housing should assure its inhabitant of safety, shelter, security, convenience, comfort, privacy from natural element or disaster, and shelter from intruders.
In Nigeria, and on the basis of the aforementioned perspectives, some of the factors that would affect the desire to live in a housing environment are: the community, physical setting, available infrastructures, accessibility, the available transport services, infrastructures such as water, electricity, etc. (Onibokun, 1985). Similarly, the availability of these public utilities, as noted by Hardoy and Setterthwaite (1986) determines the quality of housing environment and the survival of inhabitants. Misra (1986) regarded these infrastructures as the basic requirement of urban life. Fadahunsi (1985) argues that for housing to be effective, it has to be seen in its social setting and it must be a building in which the occupier would like to live with happiness.
Codinhoto et al (2009) depicted that housing, including its environment, ensures physical protection, stimulates social stability; ensures work efficiency, aid the continuous development of individuals, families, communities and the enhancement of socio-economic life of the people concerned. The University of the West England (no date) stated that: “Our homes affect our well-being, our sense of worth and our ties with families, community and work. If we have good housing then we are more likely to enjoy good health, higher educational attainment and better paid work …”
Furthermore, the Scottish Executive (2004) asserted that housing is fundamental to the people and stated that “… the quality of our home impacts directly on well-being, health, employment and children’s development. In fact, all the day-to-day activities we are involved in are linked, in some way, to our home. And it isn’t just our home – we live in communities, neighbourhood, towns and cities. Other houses in our area can impact on our home and through this, on our well-being.” Knezevich (1975) stated that the physical needs of people are met through the provision of safe structure, adequate sanitary facilities, a balanced visual environment, appropriate thermal environment, and sufficient shelter space for work and play. He also stated that people’s emotional needs are met by creating pleasant surroundings, a friendly atmosphere, and an inspiring environment. Bruin & Corrine (2000) quoting Campbell, Converse, & Rodgers (1976); Smizik & Stone (1988); Stone (1991, 1993); Bartlett (1997); Kaufman (1996) and Sprague (1991) described housing as: “… a key determinant of quality of life that can be measured at individual, household, and community levels. It is unique among consumer goods in its pervasive economic, social, and psychological significance. The physical and social environments, within the house and the neighbourhood, support family functioning and children’s personal growth”.
Housing reveals the prestige, welfare, and economic power of a nation and its people; and that if a country can cater for a substantial size of her population’s housing needs, that nation will take pride in this ability, and thus be recognised and respected in the comity of nations (Agbola and Olatubara, (2003) in Olusegun (2015). Housing could thus be seen as important in ensuring protection and safety, and in meeting the psychological and physiological aspirations of people. It is this importance of housing that has made the United Nations Organisation (UNO) to include ‘housing’ in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. Article 25(1) of the Declaration stated thus: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”
Housing Quality Standards (HQS): General Requirements
In HQS, the following are the focus:
- Sanitary facilities;
- Food preparation and refuse disposal;
- Space and security;
- Illumination and electricity;
- Structure and materials;
- Interior air quality;
- Water supply;
- Access;
- Site and neighbourhood;
- Sanitary condition; and
- Smoke Detectors.
References
Cheong, E. S. (2009). A study of building obsolescence in standard design terrace houses in Perak. UK Essays. http://www.ukessays.co.uk/essays/property/a-study-of-bulding-obsolescence.php
Olusegun, K. (2015). Critical examination of facilities management in housing: A study of housing estates in Lagos State, Nigeria. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University of Bolton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
