Assessment of Saudi Families’ Level of Satisfaction Toward Living in Multifamily Housing Complex: The Dammam Housing Complex

Background to the Study Despite the size of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there are concerns on the sustainability of the country’s current social and political context, especially with regard to population growth (Salam, 2013). Population growth Pro-natal policies Increased immigration Transfer from rural to urban Developments in public services and utilities

Background to the Study Changes in culture and technology have provided individuals with more options for housing (Agus et al., 2002). End goal of housing is to satisfy residents and take care of their physical and mental health (Ulusoy et al., 2012). Modern housing systems should be evaluated with regard to resident satisfaction. In Saudi Arabia, the increase in population has necessitated new forms of housing, such as multifamily housing, that need to be studied with regard to resident satisfaction (Salam, 2013).

Background to the Study Increased population in Saudi Arabia has resulted in the development of different housing systems. There is a need to examine how demands are satisfied by current housing systems in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study is to explore resident satisfaction among Saudi residents in multifamily housing complexes in Saudi Arabia.

Theoretical Framework Physical satisfaction Economic satisfaction Environmental satisfaction Aesthetic satisfaction Economic Satisfaction Community satisfaction Social satisfaction Service satisfaction Resident Satisfaction

Research Questions RQ1: What are the perceptions of Saudi Arabian residents living in multifamily housing facilities in Saudi Arabia? RQ2: Based on the perceptions of residents, how can the multifamily housing experience in Saudi Arabia be improved? RQ3: Based on the perceptions of residents, how do multifamily housing facilities benefit Saudi Arabian residents? RQ4: How does the concept of multifamily housing facilities coexist with the tenets of Saudi Arabian culture?

Significance of the Study Government Information on residents’ problems in multifamily housing systems Help develop and improve public services and utilities with regard to housing Citizenry Contribute to improved living conditions and well-being Influence policies on housing systems

Literature Review Researchers have noted the difficulty of creating a singular definition for the concept of resident satisfaction. Newer forms of housing created to meet the demands fail to contribute to the values and overall quality of life of Saudi Arabians. There is a need to investigate newer forms of housing to evaluate whether the citizenry and culture of Saudi Arabians. There is a need to for studies to investigate current methods employed by the Saudi Arabian government to alleviate housing demand problems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methodology Method and Design Mixed methods design Quantitative: overall satisfaction of Saudi Arabian residents with regard to the multifamily housing complex where they currently reside Qualitative: experiences with residing in a multifamily housing complex Population and Sample Saudi Arabians living in multifamily housing systems Residents of the Dammam housing complex Married At least 6 months residency Saudi Arabian citizens Convenience sampling + random sampling

Methodology Quantitative Instrument Questionnaire adapted from a published study on residential housing satisfaction (Inah et al., 2014) Behavioral, economic, functional, timing, physical, and environmental attributes 24 questions, 5-point Likert scale Study Variables Demographics (IV) Socioeconomic status Size of household Number of children Resident satisfaction (DV) Qualitative Instrument Interview schedule Open-ended questions

Qualitative Instrument Methodology Data Collection Survey questionnaire Randomly selected participants for interview 20 participants for interview Data Analysis Frequency statistics and measures of central tendency ANOVA Modified van Kaam method of phenomenological analysis Qualitative Instrument Interview schedule Open-ended questions

Limitations and Assumptions Saudi Arabian residents of multifamily housing complexes in urban areas who are married, with or without children Residents in multifamily housing complexes in the urban areas of Saudi Arabia Questionnaire used in this study has not been studied for use with different cultures Use of convenience sampling strategies Assumptions Participant honesty Participants are representative of the population under investigation Appropriateness of the interview guide Dammam housing complex is similar to multifamily housing complexes built in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Khobar

Preliminary Results and Discussion RQ Method Relevance of Data 1 Quantitative Qualitative Obtain an objective picture of how satisfied the participants are with their current housing situation and provide further context for numerical data 2 Perceptions on the most valuable characteristics of multifamily housing and what should be prioritized by policymakers and housing developers 3 Perceived benefits because of living in multifamily housing facilities 4 How Saudi Arabian residents perceive multifamily housing in general, in relation to their cultural and social beliefs

Implications for Research There is a need to fill the gap regarding the perception of Saudi Arabian residents of multifamily housing facilities in Saudi Arabia. Policymakers in Saudi Arabia may gain a better picture of what Saudi Arabians feel about multifamily housing facilities. Housing developers may use the information from this study to drive decisions on housing developments. Scholars in housing studies gain information on Saudi Arabian perceptions to multifamily housing. Saudi Arabian citizens who live in a multifamily housing situation benefit from providing more information to policymakers, housing developers, and scholars in housing studies.

Ethical Assurances Belmont Principle Study Procedure Respect for persons Voluntary participation Informed consent to participate Lines of communication with researcher Right to privacy and confidentiality Beneficence Informed consent form Justice No discrimination in recruitment

Data Analysis Results Demographics N = 800 Majority were aged 20-30 (272) or 31-40 (269) More females (422) than males (375) Monthly income 5,000-10,000 (229) or 10,000-15,000 (207) Most were employed (307) With adult son and wife and children living with them (No – 339) 1-2 adults (250), 3-4 adults (228) All family members in household satisfied (Yes – 413) 1-2 kids in household (273), 3-4 kids (271)

Data Analysis Results- Quantitative Element Highest frequency Second highest Physical Normal satisfaction Not satisfied Environmental Extremely not satisfied Functional Behavioral Economic Satisfied Overall

Data Analysis Results - Qualitative Thematic Label 1 Major themes Average experience Bad and unsuccessful experience Invariant constituents Positive experience but with some issues Comfortable experience Cannot say Not a comfortable experience Thematic Label 2 Bigger space for rooms and bathrooms No improvements can be done anymore No change, happy with experience Improved maintenance of the building and houses Reserved parking slots and spaces for residents Better security around the multifamily housing location Prioritize comfort and safety of elders Building does not match way of life Installation of children’s playground

Data Analysis Results - Qualitative Thematic Label 3 Major themes No advantages and benefits observed Invariant constituents Proximity to many important places Facilities that offer recreational activities Develop new relationships and friends Services and parking space Good quality building Learning from different cultures as they interact with other people Thematic Label 4 Concept does not maintain and threatens the tenets of Saudi Arabian culture Supports and maintains the Saudi Arabian culture, no threats observed Maintains the Saudi Arabian culture, but threatens it as a whole Coexisting outcomes depend on the residents Saudi Arabian culture is not maintained but not threatened as well

Data Triangulation Similarities Differences Perceptions of normal satisfaction from quantitative data corroborated with the first major theme of the study that the experience of residing in a multifamily housing complex. Satisfaction with the proximity of multifamily housing facilities to important institutions and areas. Differences While perceptions based on quantitative data showed normal-satisfied, the data collected qualitatively revealed mostly negative perceptions on residing in a multifamily housing complex. Stemmed from dissatisfactions previously experienced and reported to higher authorities or administration that have not been addressed.

Discussion of Study Findings Quantitative findings Most of the participants had low to average income, and have assessed their experience with the multi-family housing experience as “normal to satisfied”. Physical state or community of the housing may not be important in relation to overall satisfaction derived from housing. Norms and values of individuals have an impact on how satisfied or dissatisfied they will be with housing.

Discussion of Study Findings Qualitative findings Financial concerns and current socioeconomic status of the residents may have influenced their perceptions of resident satisfaction. Variances in the perceptions on multifamily housing can be affected by the emotional aspect of resident satisfaction, and the subjective nature of resident satisfaction. Perceptions may have been affected by the desire to have a better housing system. Resident satisfaction can also have an influence on residents’ behaviour. Aspects inherent to the Saudi Arabian culture pose limitations that prevent citizens from taking advantage of available methods of house construction and purchase.

Conclusions of the Study “Normal” level of satisfaction Resident satisfaction increases when the participants are satisfied with the physical environment of their houses. Disparity between results of quantitative and qualitative analysis may be attributed to the emotional and conative aspects of resident satisfaction in multifamily housing in Saudi Arabia. Residents may have different needs and expectations from their living conditions because of the relatively close proximity to neighbors and other families. Three least important factors considered by low-income Saudi Arabian house buyers are exterior space, street location, and proximity to relatives.

Implications of the Study Future researchers must consider the subjective aspects of resident satisfaction. Findings of this study are of importance to Saudi Arabian policymakers and housing developers to provide better housing services. Findings of this study are of importance to Saudi Arabian residents who live in multifamily housing complexes, or would like to live in multifamily housing complexes.

Recommendations Consider other methods of quantitative analysis based on results of qualitative analysis Use correlation analysis to identify variables associated with resident satisfaction Expand geographical area of the study Consider other quantitative tools to measure resident satisfaction Utilize other sampling methods