Factors Contributing to Housing Stress in Low and Low-Medium Cost Housing in Pulau Pinang

A house as a place of residence plays an important role towards sustainabledevelopment and in improving the well-being of the population. The issue of housing,especially the supply and demand of low and low-medium cost housing in cities, risinghouse prices, quality of housing as well as housing stress has shown that housing is acritical issue that must be addressed. Housing stress usually refers to financial constraints,the reason for the inability to manage the cost of home ownership and housing expenses.Yet financial burden is not the only factor that can contribute to housing stress. Thereare two types of housing stress, namely physical and emotional factors that may impactnegatively on the lives of residents. This paper discusses perceptions of factors that maycontribute to housing stress based on a survey of 400 residents of low and low-mediumcost housing areas in Pulau Pinang. The results of the study show that although majorityof the respondents allocate more than 30 percent of their income for housing, the quality ofhousing and the environmental quality of housing areas contribute more to their housingstress than economic factors.