An Examination of Disparities in Sense of Security, Satisfaction and Belonging between the Iran’s Mehr Housing in Mazandaran

Since the inception of Iran's Mehr Housing Policy (IMHP) in 2007, numerous residential complexes have been erected nationwide. Housing initiatives, beyond their fundamental role of shelter provision, are essential in addressing the social welfare of inhabitants, encompassing dimensions such as security, satisfaction, and a sense of belonging. A decade following the initial housing allocations, an examination of the social ramifications of the IMHP is warranted. Diverse studies on the IMHP conducted across various Iranian cities indicate a prevalent dearth of satisfaction among residents residing in IMHP complexes. Notably, these complexes vary in ownership structure – state-owned versus self-owned – and geographical location – within or outside urban boundaries. Consequently, this study aims to compare the perceptions of security, satisfaction, and social integration among residents in state-owned and self-owned housing, both within and beyond urban limits. The investigation focused on 13 IMHP complexes in the municipalities of Babol and Babolsar, employing quantitative methodologies. Through the application of a stratified sampling approach, 346 questionnaires were administered within these complexes. Non-parametric statistical analyses, including the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, and Spearman’s correlation test, were utilized to assess variable discrepancies across distinct complexes and explore the relationships between these variables. Noteworthy findings reveal that residents in IMHP complexes situated within urban boundaries exhibit heightened levels of security, satisfaction, and belonging compared to their counterparts in complexes located outside urban perimeters, with this disparity exhibiting statistical significance. Conversely, no significant variation was observed between state-owned and self-owned IMHP complexes in terms of the aforementioned dimensions.  

The implementation of Iran's Mehr Housing Policy (IMHP) since 2007 has led to the development of diverse residential complexes across the country. These complexes are found in a variety of settings, ranging from metropolitan areas to small towns and villages, touristic and non-touristic cities, as well as within and outside urban boundaries. Furthermore, these complexes exhibit variations in their ownership structure, with some being constructed by the public sector and others by the private sector. Consequently, a notable heterogeneity exists among these residential developments.
In addition to the provision of shelter, housing endeavors must also address the social welfare needs of residents, including aspects such as security, satisfaction, and a sense of belonging. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to investigate and compare the perceptions of security, satisfaction, and social integration among residents residing in IMHP residential complexes. These variables are inherently subjective in nature and are contingent upon the unique characteristics and dynamics of each complex. With a decade having passed since the initial allocations of housing units, it is an opportune time to scrutinize these subjective dimensions among residents.
Central to this inquiry is the exploration of significant differences that may exist among various IMHP complexes concerning the sense of security, satisfaction, and belonging experienced by their residents. The aim is to assess the extent of variability across these essential social indicators and delve into the nuances that shape the residential experiences within different IMHP complexes.
Research Question(s)
- Do significant differences exist between IMHP complexes in Babol and Babolsar regarding the sense of security, satisfaction, and social belonging experienced by residents?
- Do significant differences exist between IMHP complexes located within and outside the city boundaries in terms of the sense of security, satisfaction, and social belonging perceived by residents?
- Do significant differences exist between state-owned and self-owned IMHP complexes in terms of the sense of security, satisfaction, and social belonging reported by residents?

The concept of security encompasses various dimensions, including economic security, food security, political security, health security, environmental security, individual security, and social security (United Nations Development Program, 1994: 24). This study specifically focuses on individual and social security, representing a sense of security experienced by individuals. The sense of security is a subjective notion that encompasses feelings of safety and freedom from fear (Bollens, 2008).
Satisfaction can be defined through both subjective and objective indicators. Subjective indicators may include the quality of neighborhood relationships (Choudhury, 2005; Amerigo & Aragones, 1997; Galster & Hesser, 1981), while objective indicators may comprise the quality of the residential environment (Fleury-Bahi et al., 2008; Liu, 1999). However, satisfaction is fundamentally subjective as it can be influenced by an individual's ideals or life purposes (Galster, 1987, p.539). Consequently, within the same housing setting, individuals may exhibit varying levels of satisfaction.
The "sense of belonging" is molded by a complex interplay of factors that foster an individual's attachment to their neighborhood and its inhabitants. This bond between an individual, their residential environment, and the community deepens and evolves over time (Norberg-Schulz, 1997; Altman & Low, 1992; Rapoport, 1990; Hummon, 1992; Shamai, 1991; Tuan, 2001; Relph).
Several studies have been conducted on Informal Markets for Housing and Protection (IMHP) in various Iranian cities, indicating a general trend of low satisfaction among residents of IMHP complexes (Nouri Imani et al., 2019; Mahmoudi & Vahid, 2019; Mohammadzadeh, 2016).

This research employed quantitative methods to investigate 13 Informal Markets for Housing and Protection (IMHP) complexes located in the municipalities of Babol and Babolsar. Through the implementation of a stratified sampling methodology, a total of 346 questionnaires were distributed within these complexes. Non-Parametric tests, specifically the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, and Spearman’s correlation test, were employed to compare variables across different complexes and to explore the relationships between these variables.

The data depicted in the graph presented below elucidate the status of the three variables under investigation across the 13 Informal Markets for Housing and Protection (IMHP) complexes. To address the research inquiries, these three variables were amalgamated to form a composite variable termed the subjective index score.
- The results obtained from the Mann-Whitney test reveal that the subjective index score of the IMHP complexes in Babol surpasses that of Babolsar, with this disparity exhibiting statistical significance.
- Findings from the Kruskal-Wallis test indicate that the subjective index score of IMHP complexes situated within the municipal boundaries is markedly higher than those located outside, with this contrast also demonstrating statistical significance.
- In accordance with the Mann-Whitney test analysis, no noteworthy distinction is evident in the subjective index scores between state-owned and self-owned IMHP complexes.
Figure 1. sense of security, satisfaction and belonging in the IMHP complexes

The outcomes of the study underscore the significance of the geographical placement of Informal Markets for Housing and Protection (IMHP) complexes in shaping the subjective index score, encompassing feelings of security, satisfaction, and belonging among residents. It appears that residing in residential complexes situated in non-touristic cities within their perimeters is associated with heightened levels of security, satisfaction, and a sense of belonging. Conversely, the type of ownership, whether state-owned or self-owned, does not seem to yield a substantial distinction in the aforementioned subjective measures within IMHP complexes.