Housing aspirations for a new generation Perspectives from white and south Asian British women Bethan Harries, Liz Richardson and Andri Soteri-Proctor

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This report reviews the housing needs and aspirations of white British and second-generation south Asian women. As the policy focus on housing supply, improving existing neighbourhoods, managing community relations and increasing consumer choice increases, it is more important than ever to understand how people make choices about where they live.

Housing strategies have developed to meet the culturally specific needs of minority households, with an emphasis on needs that differ from the mainstream. However, it is accepted that new generations of ethnic minority populations may have different needs. This study goes some way to updating current knowledge in this area.

The report examines perspectives of white British and second-generation south Asian women and asks:
Do women from different ethnic groups have different aspirations?
How do women expect to fulfil their aspirations?

The research sought the views of women as their perspective is often overlooked in housing studies despite the fact they often carry the major responsibility in the household.

The key findings from the research are:

• Women's aspirations are not determined by cultural, ethnic and religious factors although, for many south Asian women their choices are influenced by a desire to break away from 'traditional' norms and ethnically concentrated areas.
• Second generation south Asian women indicate that their aspirations differ from their mother's generation largely because of greater physical and social mobility.
• Women prefer ethnically mixed neighbourhoods and neighbourhoods with a strong sense of (non-ethnic) community although, together, these are hard to attain.
• Owner occupation is the preferred way to achieve aspirations. Social housing is seen as taking away choice and autonomy, while the private rented sector is only suitable for the short term.

The findings have implications for the way in which we understand what people from different ethnic groups want from housing – in relation to tenure, location, neighbourhood type and mixing – and how to develop strategies to meet aspirations.

The report will be of considerable interest to practitioners and policy-makers working in the field of housing, neighbourhood renewal and community cohesion.

 ISBN: 978 1 905018 65 9 / 978 1 905018 66 6     Order no: 248    Published: June 2008

Contents

Executive summary

Chapter One: Introduction

• Background and overview
• Housing needs or housing aspirations? Understanding what people want from housing
• Housing aspirations of ethnic minority households
• Research questions
• Research methods
• Structure of the report

Chapter Two: Women and the household

• Introduction and background to the women in the study
• Second generation south Asian women
• Generational and cultural difference
• Class and gender disparities
• Work and education
• The household and the neighbourhood
• Women as decision makers
• Summary

Chapter Three: Housing aspirations and mixed neighbourhoods

• Introduction
• Preferences for ethnically mixed neighbourhoods
• Degree and type of mix is important
• Preferences for mix were driving housing aspirations and choices
• Aspirations to get away from ethnic clusters
  • Suburbanites
  • Asian women in Asian clusters
  • Asian women in newly mixed neighbourhoods
  • Ethnic clusters were more constricting for women
• Ethnic mix and neighbourhood desirability
  • Associations between deprivation and ethnicity
  • Mixed neighbourhoods are more attractive residential areas
  • 'White flight'
• 'No-go' areas, 'sticking out' and lifestyle clashes
• Conclusions

Chapter Four: Women’s housing aspirations

• Introduction
• Tenure preferences
  • Owner occupation
  • Social housing
• The importance of life stage
  • The desire for bigger homes
  • In better neighbourhoods
  • With more space
  • With a sense of community
• Family, friends and familiarity
• Local facilities and amenities
• Women at different life stages
• Summary

Chapter Five: Achieving housing and neighbourhood aspirations

• Introduction
• Personal and practical bases for achieving aspirations
  • Freedom offered housing options
  • Dealing with parents and in-laws
  • Education, employment and mobility
• Choice of location as a strategy to achieve aspirations
  • The inner city versus the suburb
  • The 'third option' or the middle ground
• Getting on the property ladder
  • Buying cheap
  • Family financiers
  • Halal mortgages?
  • Shared ownership schemes?
  • Social housing as a stepping-stone to ownership?
• Other interim solutions
  • The private rented sector
  • Living with the parents
• Other routes to an affordable home: social housing and choice
• Summary

Chapter Six: What do women think should be done to help people achieve their aspirations?

• Introduction
• Housing supply and affordability
  • House prices
  • Where to build and invest
• Helping people into ownership: subsidy and regulation
  • Housing as investment or housing as a home?
  • Additional social rented housing
  • The right to buy
  • Maintaining existing homes
• Housing supply and design and construction
• The neighbourhood and mixed neighbourhoods
  • Engineering mixed communities?
• Summary

Chapter Seven: Conclusion and policy challenges