An Assessment of Group Housing Affordability in Kolkata

Abstract

The increase in the pace of urbanization in developing nations, like India, has created an excess demand for urban housing in low-to-middle income levels. The demand-supply balance has been skewed across different price and income segments, particularly with the quantum of demand surpassing supply in the low-to-middle income categories, and an excess supply of luxury or premium housing catering the higher-middle income and rich groups. Against the aforesaid background, the present study is an attempt to assess group housing affordability of low-to-middle income group of households in Kolkata. The present study has initiated an assessment of group housing affordability by studying the nature of income-expenditure patterns of low-to-middle income groups. Also the extent of group housing affordability has been assessed by computing affordability indices based on changes in price structures of group housing over time. Finally, the probability of owning a group housing unit in Kolkata has also been evaluated from a corresponding study of probability of house ownership by various Asset Holding Class of urban West Bengal.