Sharing, Cooperation and Conflicts: Multihabitation as an urban low income housing strategy in Accra

Type Working Paper
Title Sharing, Cooperation and Conflicts: Multihabitation as an urban low income housing strategy in Accra
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year)
URL http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Irene_Appeaning_Addo/publication/266938229_Sharing_Cooperation_a​nd_Conflicts_Multihabitation_as_an_urban_low_income_housing_strategy_in_Accra/links/543f87b40cf2e76f​0224625c.pdf
Abstract
Multihabitation in housing is a social situation within a specific space in which people who consider themselves or do not consider themselves as one household share a living space. The high frequency of interaction and contact with other members in a multihabited house increases the likelihood of conflicts but also allows for a greater deal of cooperation between households. Regardless of all the conflicts associated with multihabitation, it has been recognized as an efficient and economical means of addressing urban low income housing needs in developing countries. This paper presents the living arrangements of households under multihabitation. It further examines the perception of the households with regards to multihabitation as an urban low income housing strategy. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection, four low income communities in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area is studied. It was observed that even though conflict was rife in multihabitation, respondents concluded that the benefits derived from existing and new social ties under multihabitation far outweighs the disadvantages of conflicts associated with multihabitation. However, there were suggestions for the modification of the housing design.

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