| Title |
Regional Distribution Characteristics and Meanings of Women-only Shared Housings |
| Authors |
Kim, Nasung ; Park, So-Hyun |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK_PD.2019.35.4.3 |
| Keywords |
Shared Housing ; Women-only housing ; Agency-managed ; Housing Type ; GIS mapping |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to analyze the distribution characteristics of the agency-managed shared housings in Seoul and draw the possible implications from it. The needed data for the study was obtained from an on-line shared housing portal service which provides housing information from various shared housing management agencies. By mapping out the locations and other related data into a GIS(Geographic Information System) program, this study shows that shared housings in Seoul can be sorted into four large clusters. Each cluster has a different ratio of housing types and room capacities reflecting each regional circumstance and common causes. Women-only shared housing takes up 79% of the overall shared housing ratio and, while multi-family housing type has the most count, the apartment type has a noticeably high ratio in women-only housing compared to the apartment type ratio among the other gender-specific housings. Given the high crime rate against the single-person household of young adult women, the reason for the popularity of shared-apartment housing among young women can be deduced. However, the potential tenants' practical choices and their concern for safety are not the only causes that drive the current shared housing market. The young adults in their 20's and 30's choose to live in popular places where they can engage social activities. A new tier of shared housing market has also appeared in places where young adults could not have afforded if they lived alone. Choosing where we live is no longer about just meeting the requirements for a house based on what she/he needs but also about satisfying the preferences for a living based on what she/he desires. This paper indicates that although there is an undeniable premise that 'sharing a house' revolves around the realm of housing welfare and is not a typical topic for the upper-income households, the way we live and how we choose our place to live is shifting. |