published_or_final_version / Architecture / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

Housing units in China are sometimes sold with fittings (including internal finishes, interior decorations, fixtures, electrical appliances, etc.) and sometimes as bare units (without fittings). This study formulates hypotheses that explain these phenomena and test these hypotheses with empirical data from a sample of 1,704 development projects in China that were sold in the primary market between 2003 and 2007. Based on developers’ risk-aversive behavior, we hypothesize that they are less likely to sell new units with fittings in areas with low land prices. The value of fittings is the highest if the developers can accurately predict the tastes of potential buyers. The risk facing the former is that the fittings may not suit the latter. The risks are higher when the cost of installing the fittings constitutes a relatively high proportion of the market value of a housing unit, which is the case when land prices are relatively low. Since housing construction costs are similar across the different regions in China, land price is a major determinate of housing prices. Due to the problem of information asymmetry between developers and buyers, the former’s reputable or goodwill is important. The market would give a higher valuation for fittings provided by more reputable developers. In addition, potential buyers may worry that the fittings had been used to cover up defective or sub-standard work. Therefore, we hypothesize that reputable developers are more likely to sell housing units with fittings, especially for developments with a high construction cost to market value ratio. Demand and supply conditions play a role in determining a developer’s decision to sell units with fittings. When supply is relatively abundant, competition amongst developers is keen. Developers will tend to compete by providing fittings as sweeteners to attract buyers. The provision of fittings may also be a non-price competition strategy used by developers to differentiate their products from that of their competitors. Therefore, we hypothesize that developers are more likely to sell housing units with fittings when demand is weak or when supply is abundant. Finally, we conjectured that as people’s incomes increase, their time becomes more valuable. Therefore higher income households are less likely to buy bare units, since the costs of shopping for interior decoration contractors, finishes and fittings, etc. are higher for higher income households. We conjecture that developers tend to provide units with fittings in areas with higher average household income. With the exception of the last hypothesis, our empirical results supported all hypotheses. The lack of empirical evidence to support the last hypothesis could be due to a possible opposing force. This force arises from the possibility that higher income households have more sophisticated tastes that are more difficult to predict. Developers, being risk-averse, would tend to supply bare housing units in high income areas. The results in this study contribute to our understanding of developers’ behaviors in the real estate market, particularly in China. The results are also of practical relevance to home buyers, developers, investors, and policymakers. / published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The distance effect from the city centre on property price has long been considered as a major factor for a household’s decision on residential location choice given to understand that an acquisition of a home is the biggest single investment for a family. The decision is not simply a demand for the physical attribute pertaining to the building but also other housing and location attributes such as accessibility, size, tastes, neighborhood qualities and tradeoffs. The property prices in many countries have supported the saying of site value dependent on distance from the central business district (CBD). Major factors are transport costs and land prices. If people live closer to city centre, the savings from transport costs will be maximized. Difference in land value is also observed with distance from city centre and in the property market. Hence, household demand for property confronts tradeoffs between longer and more costly commutation and cheaper housing prices. This paper studies the distance effects or accessibility by including distance as variables in the hedonic model. Hedonic regressions are used to estimate the demands for the characteristics of a differentiated good such as the residential housing. In real estate study, we usually estimate housing price as a function of distance from the city centre. We expect to observe land prices decline with distance from the city centre which is referred to have a negative land price gradient. To assess the effects of the access attributes such as distance, commuting time and cost offer important inspiration in understanding the reasons for a household’s move and helps to indicate their final home choices. Generally speaking, higher income households may give higher value on access, married persons on shopping, retirees may choose to live closer to medical centre or their children and young families expecting children may choose to live near good schools and larger houses. Households who move for easier commute may indicate that accessibility is a priority. This paper examines the location choices of home owners, explores the major determinants in making a home owning decision, examines household’s priorities when choosing a specific location for dwelling and the tradeoffs involved. Empirical evidence relating the price gradient collected via the private residential property market in Hong Kong and a survey conducted by the author by questionnaires confirmed that the negative price gradient does exist and other explanatory variables like age, size, tastes and neighborhood qualities also affect the housing prices and tradeoffs. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

The emergence of a new type of residential form always accompanies a change in the dominant political ideology. In China, the rise of the work-unit compound resulted from the domination of socialism. After the reform in 1978, capitalism gradually replaced socialist thoughts, and the change in ideology resulted in the boom of the gated community in urban areas. Current studies on the establishment of residential form are conducted in two directions. One is represented by typology and morphology, which focus on the physical structure of residential buildings, whereas the other direction is urban sociology, which considers the social aspects of the urban phenomenon. These two branches are well-developed in their own field, but the relationship between the physical forms and their social bases has not been systematically studied for a long time. The objective of this thesis is to fill the research gap on physical housing and urban social conditions, as well as to explore the relationship between changes in political ideology and the emergence of a residential form. To achieve the research objectives, this study will focus on the following questions: (1) What is the role of political ideology in the establishment of a residential form? and (2) How does the political influence the establishment of a certain residential form? The theoretical framework is based on a parallel literature review on both fields of typology and urban sociology, especially on the space production theory proposed by Marxist urban sociologists. The conceptual framework explains the role of the dominant political ideology in the establishment of a residential form based on the space production theory by Lefebvre. The analytical elements generated by the review of typology and morphology are integrated into the main conceptual framework. Qualitative research methods including case study, interview and documentary research has been used in this research. The leading argument of this research is that the dominant political ideology has a strong influence on the establishment of a residential form, which is a result of the manipulation of political power. Political power can influence the establishment of a residential form through the distribution of spatial resources and by guiding people’s preferences among spatial resources. Meanwhile, a residential form adopts the preferred social relation of the current political power, thus reinforcing the social structure. The work-unit compound in Socialist Beijing is a way for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to exhibit its power and control resource distribution. The gated community also represents the preference of the government because it helps to realize the privatization process. / published_or_final_version / Architecture / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Architecture / Master / Master of Philosophy

This dissertation is concerned with the dynamics of housing delivery in Beijing, the capital city of China. Over the past four decades, perceptions of housing problems in Beijing and historical conditions have changed. Housing shortages, run-down housing in inner city areas, affordability of commodity housing, and informal housing developments are some examples of housing problems that have developed over the years. However, during the current transition towards a "socialist market system", developing and formulating effective organizational and institutional arrangements to address these substantive housing problems have become the more challenging tasks. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the dynamic changes of organizational and institutional arrangements in housing delivery in Beijing and to identify factors contributing to their performances. Based on the "housing delivery analytical framework" derived from the literature review, the dissertation identifies five housing delivery systems in Beijing: (1) work-unit housing, (2) commodity housing, (3) inner city housing, (4) the "Comfortable Home" housing programme and (5) informal housing. Based on extensive interviews and field research, the dissertation analyzes the unique combination of actors in each housing delivery system, their goals and how they fulfil their role in the process of producing, distributing, and consuming housing. The changes among these arrangements and the reasons for these changes are also discussed. The findings of this study suggest that outcomes of housing delivery systems do not correspond well with the stated objectives or general goals of availability, adequacy, affordability, accessibility, and viability. The dissertation discovers several major reasons for this imperfect correspondence: (1) policy objectives overstress quantitative requirements; (2) policy objectives represent compromises between conflicting values; (3) key interests within the implementation structure are different from policy objectives; and (4) underlying forces beyond housing delivery influence the behaviour of actors In light of the findings, the chief pragmatic implication of the study is that improving housing accessibility should be the key in future housing reforms in Beijing. Housing policies should focus more on managing land, transforming the role of work-units, integrating informal developments, linking comprehensive planning with housing development, forming new community organizations, building housing finance systems, and coordinating housing administration.

This dissertation is concerned with the dynamics of housing delivery in Beijing, the capital city of China. Over the past four decades, perceptions of housing problems in Beijing and historical conditions have changed. Housing shortages, run-down housing in inner city areas, affordability of commodity housing, and informal housing developments are some examples of housing problems that have developed over the years. However, during the current transition towards a "socialist market system", developing and formulating effective organizational and institutional arrangements to address these substantive housing problems have become the more challenging tasks. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the dynamic changes of organizational and institutional arrangements in housing delivery in Beijing and to identify factors contributing to their performances. Based on the "housing delivery analytical framework" derived from the literature review, the dissertation identifies five housing delivery systems in Beijing: (1) work-unit housing, (2) commodity housing, (3) inner city housing, (4) the "Comfortable Home" housing programme and (5) informal housing. Based on extensive interviews and field research, the dissertation analyzes the unique combination of actors in each housing delivery system, their goals and how they fulfil their role in the process of producing, distributing, and consuming housing. The changes among these arrangements and the reasons for these changes are also discussed. The findings of this study suggest that outcomes of housing delivery systems do not correspond well with the stated objectives or general goals of availability, adequacy, affordability, accessibility, and viability. The dissertation discovers several major reasons for this imperfect correspondence: (1) policy objectives overstress quantitative requirements; (2) policy objectives represent compromises between conflicting values; (3) key interests within the implementation structure are different from policy objectives; and (4) underlying forces beyond housing delivery influence the behaviour of actors In light of the findings, the chief pragmatic implication of the study is that improving housing accessibility should be the key in future housing reforms in Beijing. Housing policies should focus more on managing land, transforming the role of work-units, integrating informal developments, linking comprehensive planning with housing development, forming new community organizations, building housing finance systems, and coordinating housing administration. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work