The implications of the Ottawa Charters' five strands in improving access to good housing and reduction in household crowding in New Zealand
Introduction
Shelter is a fundamental need for good health (WHO, 1986). Lack of access to warm, dry and affordable housing for many New Zealanders is an increasing concern (Baker, McDonald, Zhang, & Howden-Chapman, 2013). This essay focuses on household crowding (HHC) as a specific determinant of health in New Zealand, looking at the population groups most affected by overcrowding and the relationship between HHC, individual behaviour and ill health. The negative effects of crowding on health are evident. Increasing access to affordable quality housing therefore is paramount in reducing such issue.
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Household crowding is particularly explored. Generally, HHC means that a household has lesser bedrooms or less space than a defined norm for the number of people living there (Baker et al., 2012).
The Population affected
New Zealanders living in rental property are low in income, unemployed and lack educational qualifications are far more likely to be living in overcrowded households (Baker et al., 2012; Ministry of Health, 1998). Higher proportions of individuals on low incomes live in older housing, with disproportionate number of Maori and Pacific people in low-income households in regions with poorer quality housing (Robson & Harris, 2007). Many New Zealand families share accommodation with other families to cut down on costs as they cannot meet the expense of sufficient housing, which leads to overcrowding. Additionally, families who spend most of their income on accommodation costs tend to have little money left to spend on basic healthy food. This affects health even further (Jamieson, 1998).
Recent statistics indicates that 10.4% of New Zealand households are overcrowded and 3.5% are severely crowded. Crowding for Maori (23%) and Pacific people (43%) respectively is higher compared with other ethnic groups. See Figure (2) below (Baker et al., 2012; Statistics New Zealand, 2013). Less people are able to buy their own
Somehow they find a way to survive, even if it is not the most hygienic or healthy form of life, their continued survival is their priority. However, with extended amounts of time in difficult conditions their bodies begin to breakdown leaving them with the potential for an increased risk of illness and disease. Increased risks are primarily due to being in close proximity of others, their environment, and poor health awareness. According to Pippa Medcalf and Georgina Russel, “Homelessness is clearly associated with poor health and premature mortality owing to complex interactions between reasons for homelessness (eg poverty and substance misuse) and consequences of homelessness (eg cold environment and overcrowding)” (Medcalf & Russel, 2014). Common risk factors include, but are not limited to HIV, pneumonia, malnutrition, tuberculosis, substance abuse, and hepatitis. All of the risk factors stated can be directly attributed to their individualized method of
The Lime Tree Estate – Factors which have lead to the decline of this estate
23 per cent of Indigenous Australians lived in overcrowded households in 2012-13. In very remote areas the proportion was 53-63 per cent.
Housing plays an important role in a person’s health and wellbeing. Access to open, green space and having good relationships with neighbours helps to boost mental health. Whilst, having a safe, dry and warm home to live in will benefit physical health (National Housing Federation, n.d.). According to the Royal College of Nursing (2012), there has been an enduring connection between poor health and bad housing.
This policy brief is prepared to give some insights of the housing affordability problem in Australia. In addition, the paper also suggests some approaches in which the Government should consider in tackling the issue in the Australian context. Housing affordability always
75% of my respondents that despite their desire to travel, even if they wanted to, they wouldn’t be able to afford to buy a home before they reached 30. After the second World War, Australia was overwhelmed by policies that encouraged home ownership and “families as individual units” (Sharman 1984). Since such a time when housing was booming, home ownership, particularly in Sydney, has become gradually unattainable (McNamara & Connell 2007). Since the 1980’s the percentage of young people aged 20 - 24 in Australia living in shared arrangements doubled (Burke, Pinkey & Ewing 2002), making apparent that other forms of household were inaccessible. This, I believe, reflects escalated housing prices, interest rates and land value. Furthermore, in 1980 26% of young people aged 20 - 24 in Australia lived alone, and by 2000, only 9.3% were living alone (Burke, Pinkey & Ewing 2002). Thus, despite Australia’s economic geography, shared living has since become an attractive and viable option for not only economically constrained students but also young single professionals with the promise of friendship and mutual support (economic or otherwise) (Clark & Tuffin 2015). Half of the participants had moved into a shared household with a person or people they had met before, though 60% of the group hoped that they would make new
Structural factors, such as the availability of low-income housing exacerbate on the already burdening individual factors. The rise in homelessness is mostly due to the decrease in the number of low-cost housing units. Nowadays, families were struggling to consolidate their current situations because they are unable to afford the housing need (Thomas Betar, 2012). Inadequate of affordable housing is one of the contributors of homelessness (Ghee WY, Omar RNBR, 2015). A large number of low-income people have been forced to move. Nearly 6,000 people older people who are aged 60 or above in Victoria need to pay the rent of more than thirty percent of their salary (Ronaldson, 1999). The shortage of affordable and available housing straightforwardly harmonizes to levels of homelessness and inadequacy income and insufficient of
Low-income occupants, the main demographic affected, find themselves cornered in difficult situations. Forced out of their previous homes, these
Housing Affordability in Australia has become the focus point for urban planners in recent years. In particular, South East Queensland (SEQ) has experienced significant pressure as the demand for property and affordable dwellings increases and population growth in the region continues. The issue has come to the forefront in discussions for local governments in the region and there is a real need to address the problem of housing affordability. The subject of affordability is complex and is contributed to by a number of factors including the impost created by Council processes, which is the scope of the HAF-T5 Project.
This contrasts significantly to the type of housing in the Isle of Purbeck where 73.7% is owner occupied. Further, in the last decade house prices have risen above the national average due to competition from second homeowners, retirees and in migrants. For example, property at Sandbanks is the 4th most expensive in the world. The situation is made worse by the fact that employment opportunities in the area are limited. Only 7.7% is council housing – in recent times only 2 small Housing Association developments in Corfe Castle have been planned to deal with this. Therefore, this has a key effect on social welfare. It results in a richer population, with high demand for private healthcare and ‘farm/organic’ shops. In contrast, Byker is likely to have very few high-end shops as a result of income being low – resulting in a reliance on state services, and the creation of what Edwina Curry saw as “food deserts”; meaning very little healthy food options due to the dominance of cheap, fast food outlets. In turn, this is likely to increase obesity and lower life expectancy – reducing social welfare further. In contrast, ‘organic/farm’ shops in the Isle of Purbeck are likely to have the opposite effect – raising life expectancy.
Government stand on welfare for the period being reviewed will be analyzed with emphasis on funding and delivering quality welfare to the people. Policies made will be analyzed in relation to housing. A brief comparison of policies adopted between labour and the coalition government that took over from it will be done. The responsibility of the local authorities to support, advice and assist anyone that is destitute or threatened with homelessness without financial implications is simplified in the Housing (Homeless person) Act of 2007, Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Act 2002 but this is not the case as some vulnerable people do not care for leading to significant increase in homelessness also resulting in social exclusion and discrimination. (DCLG 2016, Alcock & May 2014)
The quality of living spaces is closely associated with a range of both positive and negative physical, mental, social, and health conditions (Bailie 2007). In Australia, many Aborigines live in severe socioeconomic disadvantage conditions. In 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS) marks out that over a quarter of Aboriginal people live in houses with major structural problems. Poor housing states are extensive in Aboriginal groups all around the country (Memmot et al., 2010). There are reports of destruction of houses by aboriginal households (Memmot et al., 2010). The reason for such behaviour is unknown and whether it is due to poor architectural design, social and personal problems or different
Recently, The Australian housing market has been growing rapidly which reflects the housing affordability crisis as the housing price rises much quickly than household incomes. There are two key observations of current Australian housing market from Yates, firstly today’s housing affordability problem is mainly a structural problem and intensified by cyclical pressures. It began 40 years ago when inflation switched focus on housing, besides, there are more renters than purchasers under today’s housing stress situation, and the housing
Housing affordability is a perennial problem in Australia and has worsened significantly over the past three decades.
This report examines the housing affordability crisis in Auckland, the current situation of the housing market, and extent of this problem. Auckland is in a deficit of houses due to the difference in demand and supply factors. The demographic and economic factors are the main reason for the increase in demand for houses. The supply side is not performing up to the mark to satisfy the demand in the market. The first home buyers are finding difficulties to make choice on their housing needs. The median households are struggling with the high rentals in Auckland market. Lower income households with faces a greater affordability pressures than those are living outside Auckland. There is a shortage in land and houses that are affordable for lower income households. The report suggests some new factors that can be considered to solve the affordability crisis.