Micro-geography and public housing tenant wellbeing

Arthur Grimes, Conal Smith (), Kimberley O’Sullivan (), Philippa Howden-Chapman (), Lydia Le Gros () and Rachel Kowalchuk Dohig ()
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Conal Smith: K?t?t? Insight
Kimberley O’Sullivan: University of Otago
Philippa Howden-Chapman: University of Otago
Lydia Le Gros: University of Otago
Rachel Kowalchuk Dohig: University of Otago

No 23_08, Working Papers from Motu Economic and Public Policy Research

Abstract: The micro-geography of people’s wellbeing depends on house and neighbourhood characteristics. We show that the form of tenancy is also important. Identical people in identical settings may have different wellbeing outcomes depending on their security of housing tenure. Our findings utilise a survey administered to residents in public rental housing, private rentals and owner-occupiers in New Zealand, focusing on the capital city, Wellington. Despite selection effects which are likely to bias findings against higher wellbeing for public housing tenants, we find that public tenants have higher subjective wellbeing (WHO-5 and Life satisfaction) than do private tenants, and similar wellbeing to owner-occupiers. Length of tenure helps to explain wellbeing differences between public and private tenants, likely reflecting New Zealand law under which private renters have insecure tenure (relative to many overseas jurisdictions). We find also that wellbeing is associated with residents’ perceptions of house suitability and neighbourhood suitability. House suitability reflects house quality, condition, cold and dampness. Neighbourhood suitability reflects the importance of social capital and of living in a safe area. Some characteristics are more important for certain population groups than for others; hence analysts should be wary of generalising about relationships between microgeographic factors and wellbeing.

Keywords: Public housing; tenant wellbeing; house quality; neighbourhood characteristics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 I38 R23 R28 R38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 64 pages
Date: 2023-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap and nep-ure
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