Housing quality and deprivation in post-crises period: case study of Latvia
2017
Rasnaca, L., University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia)
Provision of adequate housing and amenities is a major challenge for the development of today’s society, and especially so among vulnerable social groups, such as people living on the fringes of society and close to the threshold of poverty. Provision of housing of adequate quality covers not only the objective indicators, but also ideological and social support. Housing quality is connected with the availability of other dimensions of life quality (family life, personality development, social capital). This study aims at analysing housing quality and deprivation in Latvia focusing attention on the period of economic recovery (2010−2015). The author has used quantitative approach (statistics, survey data) about housing quality and deprivation in the study. The basic housing functions consist of shelter availability and well-being indicators. Poor housing conditions, lack of basic facilities, overcrowding, subjection to noise, pollution and violence are likely to reinforce problems of health, educational attainment, labour prospects and integration. Where long-term difficulties in meeting mortgage and rental payments are evident, this can lead to greater demands on social housing, relocation and, in extreme cases, homelessness. Material deprivation, poverty, social exclusion as a social phenomena are essentially influenced by the processes going on in the society: the transitional reforms (privatization, denationalization); unsustainable growth (real estate boom 2003−2007); the period of global economic crisis (2008−2010) and the period of economic recovering (after 2010). The results show an increasing average level of quality indicators, but permanent features of deprivation in post-crises period in Latvia.
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