Meeting housing demands, needs or desires? Conceptual considerations for designing housing policies

Abstract

The central element of a housing market crisis is the unmet housing demand of the population, especially for the socio-economically disadvantaged. In the Austrian province of Tyrol, unmet housing demand has long been a social and political concern particularly in relation to housing affordability. Despite the ongoing construction and completion of housing units, many people find it difficult to find adequate housing. As part of a study to assess future housing in Tyrol, we took a closer look at the prevailing understanding of what is understood as housing demand and how this understanding can be distinguished from housing needs and housing aspirations. The article is based on the results of a goal-setting workshop with public policy stakeholders. By reflecting on the results, the paper sheds light on how unmet housing needs may represent not only a mismatch between supply and demand in the housing market, but also a mismatch between past, present and future aspirations and realities. The findings show that the question of what housing demand should be met by public policy, and whether this demand represents a need or an aspiration, is central to public housing policy and requires further consideration. The findings help to reflect on common theoretical and empirical conceptualisations of housing demand, need and aspiration, and how they can be assessed and identified in practice.