Determinants of Structural Adequacy of Dwellings

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Abstract
This article investigates the determinants of structural adequacy, which is viewed as an attribute of housing quality. Data from the American Housing Survey of Metropolitan Areas for seven areas— Atlanta; Baltimore; New York; St. Louis; San Diego; Seattle; and Washington, DC—are analyzed using a logit model to determine the factors that influence the structural adequacy of dwellings. The data reveal significant disparities in the prevalence of structural inadequacy across metropolitan areas and population groups by race, household type, tenure, and central city or suburban location. A logit model of the determinants of structural adequacy is specified and estimated. Estimation results reveal that structural adequacy is associated with engineering and economic factors, such as age of the building, unit type, tenure, income of occupants, and vehicle ownership by occupants. Age of the building emerges as a very strong determinant of housing quality. Other influential factors are location, neighborhood quality, and room density.