Assessing The Influence of Socio-Spatial Factors on Residential Satisfaction among Rental Households: A Case Study of the Cape Coast Metropolis.

Abstract

Demand for rental housing continues to grow due to rapid urbanization in most African cities. Yet rental housing in these cities is largely characterized by poor housing conditions, high rental charges and tenants-landlord conflict. Residential satisfaction surveys are important exercises for assessing the conditions of residents' dwelling units, towards meeting their expectations and improving housing conditions. Socio-spatial factors such as social interactions and conditions of the built environment could also impact residential satisfaction. Ensuring them is critical for achieving SDG goal 11 which seeks to build sustainable, resilient, inclusive cities. This study sought to examine the socio-spatial determinants of residential satisfaction among households living in rental housing areas. The study used a mixed-method approach to gather quantitative data from 246 rental households, and 14 qualitative interviewees from rental households, assembly member’s institutional representatives. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and multivariate statistics, whiles the qualitative data was transcribed and manually analysed using thematic content analysis. The key findings of the study indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between community participation in social activities ( .379, p0.05), quality of community life (.429, p0.01) and (.231, p0.01) and residential satisfaction. Further, there is a statistically significant relationship between a quiet environment (.561, p0.05), aesthetic pleasantness (-.572, p0.05), community layout and design (.413, p0.001), and residential satisfaction in the three communities respectively. The qualitative interviews provided further insights into these relationships. The researcher recommends that residents increase engagement in community participation and social activities to improve residential satisfaction in high-income areas. Further rental housing owners should provide prepaid meters to each household instead of multiple households to one prepaid meter.