published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

Owning a home is often referred to as the American Dream. However, the reality for low income homeowners is often problematic. Some scholars suggested that homeowners are better off than renters are, while others suggested that the current quest for low-income homeownership interferes with other affordable housing initiatives. Yet, few researchers examined the decision-making process of low-income homeowners. This phenomenological study explores and describes the experiences, attitudes, and perspectives of low-income individuals and their homeownership decisions. This study further delineates the costs and benefits of the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program (HCVH) as perceived by low-income families in a southern U.S. city. Rational choice and social cognitive theories serve as a conceptual framework to explore the decision-making processes of people considering participating in the HCVH. Ten HCV clients responded to 13 semistructured questions. The results of the study generated 5 key themes: the pride of owning a home, weighing the costs and benefits of homeownership, leaving a legacy for children and grandchildren, lack of knowledge of the HCVH and other mortgage assistance programs, and “they did it so can I.” These findings suggest that all 10 participants believed in the benefits of owning a home. Several of the participants noted that there are also substantial costs associated with owning a home. This study has policy and social change implications for policymakers and low-income families considering purchasing a home. The recommendations include requiring all housing authorities establish HCVH programs and requiring housing authorities to provide post follow-up services for HCVH clients who exit the program.

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

The property management in Hong Kong has emerged in its importance in the past decades. The people’s thought towards property management has changed from the provision of basic services such as watchmen and cleaners to a professional servicing industry. Moreover, as changes in people’s attitude in service consumption and social values, the requirement of the owners for the property management services raised. Apart from this, the participation of Owner Committee ( OC ) in the property management has become more significant which has been recognized by the residents, the property management practitioners as well as the government. As a result of the rapid population growth, the demand for the housing has increased rapidly too thus, led to the development of multi-storey buildings in large scale. The government policy has encouraged the participation of OC in the management of the building by formation of Owners Incorporations aiming at the promotion of a ‘self-help’ approach for which the OC could manage the building on their own. The encouragement of the government by enactment of the Building Management Ordinance has strengthened the power of the Incorporated Owners as they have the power to terminate and to appoint managers at their choice. However, we always hear that Owner Committee (OC) will cause a lot of quarrels between OC and the property managers/property management companies and bring a lot of troubles to the property manager/property management company. Sometimes the property managers/ property management companies complained that the requirement of the OC is too high to meet and unreasonable. Moreover, they also complained that OC controls too much on them so that their efficiency of work and their daily performance will be reduced. In addition, it creates a great impact to the property management companies and to the industry of property management. For example, the incidents of termination of property managers/property management companies were increased for the past decade. Does OC really could not perform their function and to make contribution to improve the quality of private residential property in Hong Kong? In this dissertation, it is to find out whether the OC participation in the management of the property has positive impacts on the management quality of the estates or not. If yes, to what extent or level that OC could help improve the quality of the private residential property in Hong Kong. After the estate study, it was found that OC participation in the management of the property could help the management company understand their needs and become more accountable. It was also noted that by the questionnaire survey and face to face interviews, the estate selected for the estate study that is a high level of participation of OC, all the comments and results have a higher satisfaction rate and a positive impacts on the management quality of the estate as well as in the whole property management industry. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management