Housing Environments and Design Unit Housing and Human Needs

Meeting needs through housing:  Needs: basic requirements that people must have filled in order to live  3 types of needs: Physical Psychological Other

Physical Needs  Most basic human need  Shelter  Food  Water  Sleep

Psychological Needs  Needs related to the mind and feelings that make a person satisfied in life  Security  Love and acceptance  That you are respected and admired (esteem)  Achieving all you can be (self- actualization)

Other needs  Beauty – gives pleasure to the senses  Self-expression – show your personality  Creativity – combining two or more ideas into one thing to that has beauty

Values influence your housing choice  Values are strong beliefs about what is important  How would this influence where or what you live in?

How are needs and values related?  Example: You need sleep and you value comfort!

Values that influence your choices include:  Space  Privacy  Family unity  Economy

Will my housing needs change?  Yes, because of: Living units Your life cycle stage See handouts!

How will my lifestyle influence my housing choice?  Lifestyle – your way of life 5 lifestyles include:  Individualistic  Supportive  Basic  Community  Influential  See handout!

How will housing affect my quality of life?  Quality of life is the degree of satisfaction obtained from life! Individuals Society

Homework  In groups of three or four complete the handout TONIGHT! If you do not do your part you will be eliminated from the group and will receive a zero on the assignment.  Complete page 9 (on your own). This is due before you leave class tomorrow!  Give the housing survey to 3 people. Bring back tomorrow completed. If you do not bring them back completed – you will receive a zero!

1.2 Influences on Housing

Cultural Influences  What is culture? The beliefs, social customs, and traits of a group of people. Culture of people influences their housing. Housing is part of a persons culture.

Societal Influences on Housing  Signs of societal changes include: Growth of cities Movement of people to new jobs/locations Relationships and lifestyles All of these changes affect housing

 Household Size: Fewer people in a home  Household Composition: More single people today than in the past. More single people are buying their own homes OR moving back in with their parents.  An older population: There is a greater need for housing to be adapted for older people, ho may have physical impairments, due to an increased life expectancy.

 People with disabilities: People may have disabilities with walking, lifting, hearing, or seeing. There is a need for housing that allows them to live their daily lives with little or no assistance from others.  Finding affordable housing: The cost of buying a home is going up faster than people’s incomes. You should spend no more than 1 ½ times your annual income on a home.

 Changing Roles: Both men and women are working outside the home. Because both individuals are working they may need to have more conveniences in their home because they don’t have as much time for home upkeep.

 Planning for leisure time: When choosing a home be sure to consider how you want to spend your extra time.  A mobile society: the average family moves every six year. It is easier to move in today’s society.

Environmental Influences on Housing  Environment includes the things, places, and people around you.  Natural Environment: Land, water, trees, and solar energy are our natural environment. The type of housing you choose depends on the climate of where you live.

 Constructed environment: this is when people change the natural environment to adapt to their needs; however, they work with their natural surrounding to preserve the beauty of nature  The behavioral environment: this is creating a home or business that allows others to interact with one another.

 Interaction of environments: all of the environments interact with one another.

Economic influences on Housing  How housing affects the economy: when our economy is good more people will build homes, when it is bad more people will wait to build homes.  How the economy affects housing: If there are not many homes built then goods and services will not be used as much, which will hurt our economy.

Governmental Influences on Housing  Legislation: there are laws that won’t allow houses to be built on certain types of land or areas. Laws have been developed that require certain things to be done to houses when building to make them more safe.

 Funding for Housing: You can get some home loans from the government Usually for older people, people with disabilities, veterans, and low-income people. Can get government assistance for housing which means that the government will help pay your rent if you have low-income

 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): This agency was developed to protect people from hazards associated with housing such as pesticides, asbestos, and lead paint.

Technology and Housing  Technology: scientific method of achieving a practical purpose  A knowledge of tools, materials, and processes allows people to adapt to their environment.  Technology changes over time as new and better ways of meeting human needs are discovered.