Housing: How to Provide Homes for All?

Why does housing shortage occur?

Housing: How to Provide Homes for All?

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Reasons for housing shortage

Rapid population growthMigrationHigh birth ratesCompeting land useLimited land supply

Housing: How to Provide Homes for All?2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFSAc9cpgjs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgRgjw-kJvU

Rapid population growthRapid population

growth will lead to an increased demand for housing, which can in turn lead to housing shortage

Overall world population (represented by the beige bars) is increasing

The urban population of the world (represented by the blue line) is on the rise

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Migration

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‘Migration refers to the movement of people from one area to

another to take up

residence for at least a

year.’

Migration

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‘Rural-urban migration refers to the movement of people from rural areas into cities to live and work.’

MigrationPeople migrate due to ‘push’ or ‘pull’

factorsPush factors: The undesirable qualities of the place they wish to leave

Pull factors: The attractive qualities of the place they would like to move toThe decision to migrate is often due to a

combination of both factors

Effects of MigrationPeople in rural areas often migrate to cities for job opportunities in search of a better life

Migrants do not always get jobs in citiesThere are a limited number of jobs for migrantsMigrants may lack the skills required for jobs

available in the cities Migrants who cannot obtain a source of income cannot afford housing

Cities cannot build enough houses for huge numbers of migrants quickly enough, causing them to settle in slums

High birth rates

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‘Birth rate refers to the number of live births for every 1,000 people in a year.’

High birth ratesHigh birth rates and declining death rates result

in high rates of natural increaseNatural increase: The difference between birth rate and death rate in a yearBirth rates in cities may be high

Cities tend to have a large proportion of people in their 20s and 30s who are likely to start familiesThe increase in population may thus lead to

housing shortage

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Competing land useLand has many uses – Residential ,

Commercial, Industrial, RecreationalLand dedicated for one use will not be available

for anotherExample: If a piece of land is occupied by a huge industrial park, that plot of land will not be available for housing development. Stiff competition for land can result in

insufficient land for housing

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Limited land supplyThe amount of flat land is limited

Steep slopes are not ideal for housing development Cost of construction tends to be highLandslides can cause damage to buildings

Cities with very small land areas may have insufficient land for housing

There is a limit to how much land can be reclaimed from the seasCities with high population densities need to house more people in a small area

Large population size vs limited land areas

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