| The Housing Index | |
| The
satisfaction of the need for housing can be considered at four levels: The first level deals with the dwelling itself and includes its characteristics form the point of view of its ability to meet the need for shelter, the conditions of family life and socially - acceptable standards of material well-being. This level covers aspects such as the type of dwelling, its area and number of rooms, health specifications, ventilation and heating, and available equipment and furnishings. The second level is concerned with the immediate surroundings of the dwelling, i.e. the village or quarter where it is located. This level involves such aspects as the overall setting in the village or quarter with respect to the availability and adequacy of public utilities and infrastructure services (roads, electricity, sewerage networks, water networks, telephone, etc.), and other issues as population density in the quarter, the nature of urban planning, type of buildings and their age, etc. The third level concerns the organization of the geographic space at the national level, or at the level of main regions. This encompasses issues such as the urban/rural distribution of dwellings; the relation between the place of residence and that of work; forced displacement and internal migration; environmental pollution; regulation of the transport sector, roads and public spaces; and the level of concentration of economic activity and public administration services. The fourth level is concerned with the socio-cultural dimensions of the dwelling which, as a result of developments in consumption patterns, has come to be viewed as having a social value, in addition to its function as a shelter/place. As a result of the spread of modern forms of consumption - oriented urbanization, and the shift away from traditional modes of living in the different Lebanese regions, the level of specifications and furnishings required in a dwelling have increased, as well as the importance of its status and social functions. This has created pressure to raise the threshold of required specifications in a dwelling to be socially acceptable in the prevailing cultural setting. Inability to reconcile the shelter and socio-cultural aspects of the dwelling is among the factors exerting pressure on people with limited income and a low standard of living. |
