Affordable Housing in Abu Dhabi Industrial Area - Research Proposal Example

Affordable Housing in Abu Dhabi’s Industrial Area Institution: Name: Date: Abstract This study aims to establish how to build affordable housing for laborer’s in the industrial city of Al Mussafah. It seeks to understand the causes of high house prices, challenges faced in creating affordable housing, high house prices and to evaluate mechanisms put in place to address the problem. This will be a case study. The study target population will be in Al Mussaffah industrial area of Abu Dhabi. Primary data will be used in the study. The data is a thoroughly structured self-completed questionnaire with both open and closed ended questions. The questionnaires will be completed by the study respondents in their offices and places of work. The data will be analyzed manually in the form of written responses from the respondents. The data will be along the research objectives. Qualitative data will be transcribed and organized into similar topics in the form of interpretive reports. Quantitative data will be used in the computation of percentages and presented using tables. Abstract 2 Section 1: Identifying the goals, objectives, results expected and target group 4 1.1Background of the project 4 1.2Defined goal and objectives 4 1.3The societal vision of the organization 4 1.4Expected short-term and long-term results 5 1.5 Beneficiaries of the project 5 1.6 Problems solved by the project 5 Section 2: Project location(s) and time schedule of activities 7 2.1 Location of different activities 7 2.2 Duration of the project 7 2.3 Starting and ending dates of the project 7 2.4 Schedule for individual activities 7 Section 3: Content of the project 8 3.1 Theme and main issues to be covered 8 3.2 Methods chosen to realise the goal and objectives 8 3.3 Activities to be implemented 8 3.4 Further needs to continue the project 9 Section 4: Description of the implementing organization and partners 10 4.1 Description of the implementing organization 10 4.2 Analysis of capacity and capability 10 4.3 Description of cooperative partners 10 Section 5: Project team and management 11 Section 6: Monitoring, evaluation and follow-up 11 6.1 Success criteria of the project 11 6.2 Methods and timing of monitoring and evaluation 12 6.3 Further plans and follow up 12 References: 13 Section 1: Identifying the goals, objectives, results expected and target group 1.1 Background of the project Housing is a fundamental condition for survival. A good housing policy helps in maintaining stability and securing social order while preventing problems related to poverty, homelessness and exclusion (Cervero & Duncan, 2006).While many Abu Dhabi residents have performed excellently from the housing market, there is a growing group of individuals of low income earners mainly laborer’s who face challenges in settling in affordable houses (Cervero & Duncan, 2006). This has developed in the recent years as evidenced in the media reports, affordability, security and appropriate housing being a major probl of the lower income laborers in Al Mussafah. 1.2 Defined goal and objectives The main objective is the provision of affordable housing for the laborer in Al Mussafah industrial area in Abu Dhabi. The proposal will seek to accomplish the following specific objectives: To explain the causes of high rental prices in Al Mussafah of Abu Dhabi To understand the challenges faced in the provision of affordable housing To evaluate the government employers and other stakeholders input in this assessing affordable housing. 1.3 The societal vision of the organization To promote a more active mortgage sector and other initiatives such as government housing policies, to build houses of different sizes, Provision of sufficient facilities to support the local communities such facilities include schools, Active involvement of local communities, adoption of a holistic approach to urban planning. 1.4 Expected short-term and long-term results Affordable housing is meant to suit the needs of those people whose needs are not met by the open market. On the short term it is expected that the laborers in Al Mussafah industrial area in Abu Dhabi will afford housing to improve the currently sharing ratio of 1.9:1 families per dwelling. Therefore in the long term, it is expected that with affordable housing to locals, expatriates will also be accommodated and the households of low income managing to afford mortgages instead of being confine to rentals (Sirmans & Maeperson, 2003). 1.5 Beneficiaries of the project Labourers in industrial location will greatly benefit because their problems will be addressed, government agencies for proper urban planning, house developers so that they can know the current needs of middle and low income earners, and labor unions so that they can fight for their workers who live in very unhealthy places(Harkeness & Newman, 2002). 1.6 Problems solved by the project In spite of the oil gotten contributing to the wealth of the country, the supply of affordable housing by those on the lower or average income is constrained by inadequate finance schemes and scarcity of accessible land, leading in a huge unmet demand for houses among lower-income individuals of both expatriate and National workers (Glaeser et al., 2008). Development of wealth by the oil boom has got obstacles by promoting high-cost construction. This has made property for buying or renting in various main cities of the region out of financial access for the majority of the middle- and lower-income classes. Therefore, a mismatch between demand and supply has damaged the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) housing market because of increased population growth, increasing house prices, and rising urbanization (Dietz & Havrin, 2000). Laborers therefore stay in bad working conditions sleeping in their working caravans since they are not able to afford to pay for houses. The development industry has failed to offer affordable housing because of; high cost of land rates and transport costs to outer locations outside industrial areas, inaccessibility to finances and poor urban planning (Glaeser et al., 2008). According to Harkeness & Newman (2002), low income workers spend most of their income for renting or commuting from cheaper housing areas and this has compelled the government has to act now so as to eradicate the problems resulting from inadequate housing from worsening and of a major concern is the growing affordability problem in the industrial area of Al Mussaffah in Abhu Dhabi. Some of the issues that will be solved by the project are the provision of affordable houses for better living, government involvement in the provision of affordable houses and proper urban planning for sustainability. Section 2: Project location(s) and time schedule of activities 2.1 Location of different activities The activities will be done in Al Mussafah, the industrial area of Abu Dhabi. 2.2 Duration of the project Duration of the project: 12 months. 2.3 Starting and ending dates of the project Starting and end dates of the project: Jan 10, 2013-July 09, 2013. 2.4 Schedule for individual activities Task Key personnel Deadline Remarks Literature studies The researcher 30th March 2013 This will acquaint the researcher to the area of study Meetings with reference groups and staff Coordinator 20th April 2013 Trainings, seminars and briefings on data capture, recording and analyzing. Gathering data Staff 30th May 2013 Analyzing and Reporting Writing the research proposal 09th June 2013 Analyzing and report writing. Implementation Implementation committee 30th August 2013 Section 3: Content of the project 3.1 Theme and main issues to be covered The research is aimed at answering the key question; how can affordable housing be offered for the industrial labourers who live in squalid conditions in Al Mussafah industrial area. What are the causes of high rental that goes beyond the reach of the labourers in Al Mussafah? What are the challenges met in the provision of affordable housing in Abu dhani’ industrial area What are the solutions to the challenges in providing affordable housing? 3.2 Methods chosen to realise the goal and objectives The study will make use of a qualitative approach in collecting and analyzing primary data. Qualitative research has been associated with an empirical study that is interpretative, thereby implying that variables will be examined in their natural environment without any form of manipulation. 3.3 Activities to be implemented The study will make use of a qualitative approach in collecting and analyzing primary data. Qualitative research has been associated with an empirical study that is interpretative, thereby implying that variables will be examined in their natural environment without any form of manipulation. The research strategy of the study will be to use the descriptive method as it aims to present facts regarding the status and nature of a situation, as it exists during the research and to describe the current conditions, events or systems based on reactions or impressions of the respondents of the research. The researcher will utilize this kind of research considering the need of the researcher to achieve reliable data from the respondents so as to develop reliable and sound conclusions and recommendations for the research. This cross-sectional design requires the researcher to collect data from managers, landlords, government ministry and laborers as well as interviews to gather data. The researcher used previous studies and compared it to its existing data in order to provide competent recommendations and conclusions. The secondary data sources will come from published papers from related studies on business, corporate finance and corporate governance. Acquiring secondary data is very convenient to be utilized since they are already condensed and organized. The primary data sources came from the data acquired from the annual reports of every respondent corporation as well as interviews carried out by the researcher. The primary data often gives an extensive definition of terms and statistical units used in the survey. 3.4 Further needs to continue the project The success of the project is dependent on various factors. In this regard, there has been an inability in land acquisition as the land prices have raised to unsustainable levels. There is a need for the financing models and project costing models to be included in the housing policy of the low income earners. Also, since there is a high demand in affordable housing, thus economic advantages from large scale therefore the risk of low quality construction have minimal amenities creating dissatisfied residents for the low income and the use of traditional methods in construction because of low cost labour in the market hence limiting the usage of building technologies and system approaches. Section 4: Description of the implementing organization and partners 4.1 Description of the implementing organization In the United Arab Emirates, funding of projects is undertaken by the federal government. However, in Abu Dhabi, another source of finance for commercial and low income housing projects is implemented by the Department of Social Services and Commercial Buildings (DSSCB). 4.2 Analysis of capacity and capability DSSCB is the authority responsible for commercial building construction in Abu Dhabi. It cooperates with other parties and authorities to give solutions to Abu Dhabi are housing problems. The department has successfully completed 94000 units among the 6000 projects that have been completed ( Sirmans & Maeperson’s, 2003). 4.3 Description of cooperative partners The locals of the Emirates have the access to land for free and some of the projects which partnr to provide for affordable housing are: Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment in Dubai which provides for housing finance and free land. In Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Housing Scheme is present and it gives grants and loans. There is also, RAK , Saudi Housing Programme which does land allocation for local projects. Section 5: Project team and management The Department of Social Services and Commercial Buildings (DSSCB) acts as a source of finances for projects in Abu Dhabi either commercial or individual projects. The department cooperates with other parties for the achievement of quality standards in construction projects. Sustainable development in the construction of affordable housing will secure the future generation in meeting their specified needs. This involves environmental protection by guarding climate change, pollution as well as depletion of resources (Long et al., 2008). Section 6: Monitoring, evaluation and follow-up 6.1 Success criteria of the project The researcher used stratified techniques for this research. The researcher used this technique because it is all inclusive and produces the estimates of population parameters with greater precision than other techniques of sampling. Table of Sampling # Category Target % 1 Labourers 100 67 2 Managers 20 13 3 Government officers 20 13 4 Employers 10 7 Total 150 100 6.2 Methods and timing of monitoring and evaluation The researcher will use the open ended and close ended questions. The population of this study constituted of 100 laborers, 20 managers, 10 government officers and 10 employers in Al Mussafah industrial area. These questions are both questionnaires and interviews as they give the respondents an option to give objective answers and opinion. Focused interviews will help me seek for clarity on a number of issues. The researcher will issue questionnaires randomly to the selected sample out of the population. 6.3 Further plans and follow up The government is to explore various ways of using statutory land-use planning systems in influencing the provision of more affordable housing in the areas with high prices as well as implementing strategies which promotes new investment in the supply of affordable housing both regional and national to low income earners by giving of subsidies so as to assist in the attainment of this objective. These will involve fiscal and capital incentives. References: Cervero, R. & Duncan, M. (2006). Which decreases vehicle travel more: jobs-housing balance or retail housing mix? Journal of the American planning Association, 72: 475-490 Dietz, D. & Havrin, D . (2000). The social and private micro-level consequences of home ownership. Journal of urban economics, 54, 401-450. Freeman, L. & Botein, H. (2002). Subsidized housing and neighbourhood inputs. A theoretical discussion and review of the evidence. Journal of planning literature, 16(3), 359-378. Glaeser, E. , Kalm, M. & Rappaport, J.(2008). Why do the poor live in cities? The role of public transportation. Journal of urban economics, 63 (1). 1-24. Harkeness, J. & Newman, S. (2002). Homeownership for the poor in distressed neighborhoods: does this make the sense! Housing policy debate 13 (3), 597-630. Long, R., Anacker K. & homburg, S. (2008). The new politics of affordable housing. Housing policy debate, 19 (2) 231-259. Schlay, A. (2006). Low income home ownership; American dream or delusion? Urban studies, 43 (3), 511-531. Sirmans, G. & Maeperson, D. (2003). The state of affordable housing. Journal of Real Estate literature, 11 (2), 133-155. Read More