Factors Affecting Housing Adequacy and Accessibility in Harar City, Harari Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Adequate and accessible housings are among the essential features of housing components. In most cities of developing countries, considerable emphasis was placed on the construction of housing units that does not fully consider adequacy and accessibility. This study examined factors affecting housing adequacy and accessibility in Harar city using descriptive and explanatory research designs. The theoretical bases of this study are theory of housing adjustment and the right to the city. A total sample of 275 respondents were randomly selected from six condominium housing sites. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and binary logistic regression model. The mean adequacy score obtained from all of the housing attributes revealed that there is inadequate housing. The most important housing attributes with significant influence on residents’ perception of housing adequacy are services, facilities, and quality management. However, there is no variation in perception based on respondents’ sex, age, marital status, family size, education level, and monthly income difference. The housing sites were not accessible to adequate and qualified schools, transport terminals, health centres, and market centres. Majority of the respondents which comprised 72% and 71.3% believed that the housing sites are inadequate and inaccessible, respectively. A decrease in the accessibility of housing sites is associated with decreasing number and quality of infrastructural and social services. In conclusion, this study provided a holistic picture of housing adequacy and accessibility, and associated factors. It can aid policy makers to revisit and implement a housing policy that consider adequacy and accessibility to upsurge residents’ satisfaction.