Ranking urban areas based on quantitative and qualitative housing indices (Case study: Damghan city)

The assessment of housing quality at the level of urban areas serves as a guiding tool to understand the state of housing quality and, on the other hand, as a delineator of areas requiring intervention towards the enhancement of desirable housing standards for the population. The prevalence of dilapidated residential units, seismic vulnerability of the city, and the ongoing trend of population growth and migration in Damghan highlight the necessity of studying the domain of desirable housing for its populace in this city. This research, both in terms of its applied objective and analytical approach, adopts a descriptive-analytical stance. Data collection instruments in this study endeavor to utilize secondary data for conducting relevant analyses relying on an objective approach. Analyses were conducted utilizing ranking techniques such as Coperas, Moora, and Oreste methods, and ultimately the Copeland technique; while spatial distribution analysis of indices was performed using GIS software, and statistical discussions were conducted employing SPSS software. Findings indicate that among the 9 districts of Damghan, districts 2, 4, and 9 exhibit the highest levels of both quantitative and qualitative housing indices, whereas districts 7, 5, and 1 demonstrate the lowest levels of the aforementioned indices. Results from the spatial autocorrelation test using Global Moran's I also suggest a random pattern of indices dispersion at the district level in this city, emphasizing the involvement of numerous factors in shaping such a pattern. Dilapidation of residential units, district antiquity, and uneven distribution of urban amenities across districts are among the primary reasons contributing to this pattern. Ultimately, this study proposes the identification of inadequate neighborhoods in terms of housing quality, implementation of neighborhood-based housing redevelopment processes, and municipal emphasis on housing quality within regulations and oversight as recommendations towards enhancing housing quality at the urban level in Damghan.