Market Analysis of Semipermanent Housing in Urban Mixed-Use Residential Areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Case Study

The paper examines the market situation of privately owned low-rise semipermanent housing, perceived to be accessible to low-income residents, in predominantly residential mixed-use areas in the city of Dhaka. Data were collected through questionnaire surveys of tenants and semistructured interviews with owners in two case areas, Mirpur sector 11 and Uttara sector 10 in Dhaka. Descriptive statistical and thematic analyses were done with the data. The research found that most tenants of semipermanent housing stay in shared rooms, there are more single tenants than those with families, and most work in the service and production sectors. The high demand for this subsystem of housing is due to perceived low rent, proximity to work and school, and the option to rent rooms instead of whole apartments. However, 78% of tenants live in houses that are not affordable compared with the standard. A single household’s average dwelling unit size is approximately 9.48 m2, with 2.68 persons per room and 2.71 m2 per capita space occupancy, which is lower than the standard. This research consists of a market analysis of a less-discussed subsystem of housing in housing research. The study highlights the contradiction between perceived affordability and actual rent burdens in semipermanent housing in mixed-use residential areas, calling for a greater integration of this housing subsystem into formal urban planning and policy.