Residents’ partnering in public housing basic infrastructure provision and maintenance: a strategy for satisfactory public housing provision

Abstract

This paper discusses residents’ partnering in public housing basic infrastructure facilities as a strategy for satisfactory public housing provision. It was motivated by the result of the evaluation of the status of basic infrastructure facilities in our public housing estates considering the rapid relocation of occupants to private estates and neighborhoods and on the premise that these are model housing estates. It identifies the quantity, quality, maintenance and level of residents’ satisfaction on the basic infrastructure facilities which are roads, sanitary and non- sanitary facilities, water, electricity, and solid waste disposal facilities. A total of five hundred and six households representing seventy-two point three percent of the total households in five habited estates in Awka-Nigeria, viz Udoka, Ahocol I and II, Iyiagu and Real estates were examined through a fifty-four item questionnaire and analyzed. Results obtained reveal generally that though the quantity of basic infrastructure facilities provided in the estates are fairly adequate, the quality and maintenance of these facilities are poor. The residents of the estates are generally dissatisfied with the provisions. The paper recommends a strategy for the involvement of the public housing estates residents in public housing basic infrastructure provision.