Affordable housing policy: issues and challenges among middle income groups

Abstract

Shelter is a fundamental human need. Housing plays an important role in people’s wellbeing, contributing to the physical and mental health, education, employment and security outcomes for individuals. Still, to date the major challenge is housing issue particularly on the establishment of adequate affordable livable home standards for the nation; and failure to achieve that will lead to a housing stress. For that reason, this study presents a research on issues related to affordable housing among middle-income groups. It examines on how certain issues of housing affordability affect societal well being. The purpose is to present an overview of affordable housing problem and to set out a series of options that should be considered as part of a comprehensive “way in managing these issues”. Data was gathered from fifty respondents, using “housing issues questionnaires”. The accumulated data were then analyzed; descriptive statistics were used to interpret these issues. The findings indicated that three main housing issues faced by middle-income groups are housing price, housing loan and housing schemes’ policy. Hence, it is highly advisable to address these issues to ensure the vast majority of the population are affordable to own livable property and directly may enhance the quality of life in Malaysia.