Original Research Article

Residents’ satisfaction in public estates in Osogbo, Nigeria

^*1Kehinde O. J., ²Ojo T. I. and ¹Oginni E. O.

¹Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso;
²Osun State University, Osogbo
³Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Amuludun 99.1 FM, Moniya Ibadan

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: olamijukehinde@gmail.com

Accepted November 25, 2014

Abstract

Housing is an essential tool by which most individual measure quality of life. This study assesses residents’ satisfaction in public housing estates in Osogbo with a view to suggest strategies to improve residents’ life quality having examined housing conditions and adequacies of existing infrastructure. Residents’ socio-economic characteristics, satisfaction of housing conditions and neighbourhood qualities were obtained from six (6) public housing estates using structured questionnaires administered on 312 household heads. Residents’ assessments of their housing conditions and satisfaction of their housing and neighbourhood qualities were collated using Likert scale ratings: very bad = 1, bad =2, fair =3, good =4, very good =5 and satisfied =3, fairly satisfied =2 and not satisfied =1 respectively. Mean Weighted Values (MWV) were computed upon which comparisons were based. The study reveals that the entire study area were poorly equipped with infrastructure, only 56.6% of expected infrastructure were found in at least one of the housing estates. However, Laro, Oke Oniti and GRA housing estates with MWV of 0.54, 0.56 and 0.89 respectively fell short of 0.97 overall mean value measurement of residents’ satisfaction. Housing conditions at GRA, Oroki and Laro Timilehin housing estates with MWV of 4.76, 3.91 and 3.92 respectively were better than the overall assessment value of 3.90.The study recommends improvement in infrastructure provision through Public-Private Partnership Initiatives (PPPI), resuscitation of Estate Management Board and the use of upgraded local building materials to enhance improved neighbourhood qualities, employment creation and forestall the volatility of movement within and outside the housing estates.

Keywords: Housing Satisfaction; Housing Conditions and Public Estates.