Perceptions of housing among single mothers in South Korea: The case of residential welfare facilities

초록

This paper examines residential satisfaction in residential welfare facilities exclusively built for low-income single mothers in South Korea. The goal is to identify single mothers’ perceptions of various residential environment attributes. In particular, single mothers’ sociodemographic features, subjective assessments of their physical and social housing environment, and objective spatial characteristics of the residences were studied to determine specifi c indicators that may infl uence overall residential satisfaction. Data were obtained by surveying 233 single mothers in 23 welfare residential facilities in the Seoul, Incheon, and Gyunggi areas in South Korea. Supplemental data were collected in fi eld studies and interviews with the housing managers of the 23 residential facilities. The results indicated that, in general, the respondents were satisfi ed with their residential environments. However, their levels of satisfaction varied depending on their sociodemographic backgrounds and the objective spatial characteristics of their housing. Single mothers in their 40s, single mothers with stable jobs, single mothers with two children, and single mothers with a child of elementary-school age were more satisfi ed with their residential environment. In terms of objective spatial characteristics, residences with L-shaped plans, common spaces at low levels, and two-bedroom units were more satisfactory. With regard to subjective assessment, factor analysis revealed 13 factors in the physical, ambient, social, management, and neighborhood domains. Predictors of residential satisfaction were identifi ed from among sociodemographic, subjective, and objective characteristics.